The Best Hookahs Under $200 in 2023

When it comes down to choosing a hookah, whether it be your first, second or for a gift, there are common factors that float to the top for nearly everyone. Are you looking for a specific style: modern or traditional, tall or short? Maybe you’re searching for your favorite color. One of the most common denominators that comes up is price.

When I started working in this field the world was a different place and “hookahs under $100” was the gold-star price point. You can still get solid hookahs for under that $100 price point, and now that hookah has become more popularized, there are tons of great options in the next price tier level.

It’s hard to pick favorites right? Instead, we’ve created a list of the best hookahs you can pick up for under $200. This list is based on popularity and our personal recommendations.

Straight from Germany, the Soran hookah from Smokezilla is the best of both worlds with a traditional influenced design and modern materials and features. 

The Smokezilla Soran is 16" in height (without the bowl) and comes in a one-hose functionality. This medium-sized hookah is made with high-grade stainless steel and uniquely designed molded resin accents on the stem and hose handle. A standard rubber grommet connection is used for the base and the included hose is entirely washable being that it is made with soft-touch silicone tubing. 

Bonuses on the Soran include an optional removable diffuser and an included bowl with a "chimney-style" heat management device. Also included is a padded carrying bag. 

Easily one of the most popular hookahs today, and one of the most favored hookahs from Khalil Mamoon, the Shareef Short sits at 30" in height and a very affordable price point.

Made by hand, the stainless steel Shareef Short is a smaller version of the OG Shareef. It is available in several different color options thanks to electroplating finishes. Included is a standard, tradtional style hose and bowl. Please note that Khalil Mamoon hookahs generally come with non-washable hoses however they have been occasionally including washable hoses; so please double check your hose before you run water through it. 

The Amira/BYO Kosmos has been a long running favorite hookah since they hit the market! It’s a modern style hookah that is handmade and breaks down completely for easy cleaning and storage.

High quality glass for the base and stainless steel parts means the Kosmos will last you a very long time with proper care. You like big bases? The base on this bad boy has a wide footprint and is heavy in weight to remain stable through heavy rumbles. It also includes a twist-to-lock connection with the stem.

The downstem has a wide gauge as well as a built-in diffuser. 

Khalil Mamoon is one of the most prominent brands, and they provide some of the most classically traditional hookahs. It’s not uncommon for some hookahs to have a one-time run, but the KM Single Pear has been around for a long while. There’s a reason for that! This stem features a clean, simple tradtional design with an acrylic decorative "pear" for some added flair.

At 31” tall the Single Pear is the sweet spot for a hookah height. Made from stainless steel with a wide gauge downstem the Single Pear makes a great first-time hookah or an excellent addition to a collection!

This hookah is loaded with a variety of features and is beautifully designed with it's modernized take on a tradtional look. The 30" INVI Tesseract is German-made and entirely modular. 

The pieces of the stem fit together without the need for grommets by utilizing an "18/8 grind" connectivity. This basically means metal-to-metal connections fit snuggly together due to precise machining without compromising an air-tight seal. Within the stem is an included, optional molasses catcher to help keep any spare molasses from dripping into your stem and base, making for less harsh smoke and an easier clean up. If you haven't used a molasses catcher before, you'll quickly fall in love with them. 

A twist-to-lock base connection also eliminates the need for a base grommet. On the hub are four available auto-seal hose adapters. You can use the traditional female ports with hose grommets, or four hose heels are included that convert any silicone tubing hookah hose to have the same "18/8 grind" connection style that's found within the stem pieces. 

Also inlcuded is a standard, traditional style bowl and a "chimney style" heat management device. 

Would you like to talk about hookah innovation? Shishabucks. The end. These folks know how to make a hookah! 

The Shishabucks Cloud Micro base is made from shatter resistant acrylic and can hold all parts of the hookah inside when disassembled. All metal parts are made from anodized aluminum which have also been sandblasted to provide a super clean finish.

Where’s the purge valve? It’s hidden within the four corners of the top using Shishabucks’ patent pending invisible technology! With the included travel bag the Cloud Micro can go anywhere easily.

Soon after we picked up Amira/BYO hookahs we started to receive some of their more unique models like the Katana and we couldn’t wait to see what else was coming.

The Amira/BYO Katana brings with it the modern hookah aesthetic while keeping the feel pretty classic. Standing at 36” in height this model is right at that common size you see in traditional, handmade hookahs.

The base is heavy and comes in a unique “oil slick” style rainbow effect for a pleasing visual. The base for the Katana also uses the twist-to-lock connection to the stem meaning no fuss with grommets!

Last but not least, and your eyes aren’t teasing you, are the wood features used on the outer part of the stem (the inside is still stainless steel tubing) as well as the handle of the washable hose. 

Their AoT bowl blew our minds and now with their AppleOnTop Tabltop hookah they’ve done it again!

The Tabltop hookah has a base made from shatterproof acrylic and the silicone ends come completely off for easy cleaning. The other components are also made from silicone (even the purge value!) and also snap into place eliminating the need for additional grommets.

You also receive the aforementioned AoT bowl that has an aluminum core and charcoal screen. Aside from all of these great features, there’s also a built-in diffuser. Put all of these traits together and you get the perfect hookah for parties, game nights, video gaming, or movie nights!