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Hookah

 Parts of a typical Hookah 

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How to Set up a Hookah

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Clean the hookah. Wash with cool water and a soft brush before using it. Disconnect all parts first, and wash every one except the hoses; unless labeled otherwise. Wipe it dry with a towel and leave it to air dry before using.

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Pour cold water into the base. Fill it enough to cover 1 inch of the metal stem. Leaving space for air is important to dilute the smoke and make it easy to draw on the hose.

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Add ice (optional). With cool water, the smoke will not be harsh, adding Ice will enhance the flavor and smoothness of the smoke. Be careful when adding Ice, a warm base or water may cause damage to the base with rapid change of temp.

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Lower the shaft into the base, so the stem enters the water. There should be a silicone or rubber piece that fits around the top of the base to make it airtight. If the fit isn't airtight, the smoke will be thin and difficult to pull.

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Connect the hoses. Just like the base, these holes should be airtight fits and use a rubber to make a seal. Some hookahs seal the hole if there is no hose attached. On other models, you'll need to attach all the hoses even if you're smoking alone.

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Check the air flow. Place your hand on top of the hookah stem to block air from entering the hookah. Try to inhale through a hose. If you can get any air, one of the connections is not airtight. Check them all for tight fits and rubber or silicone seals.

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Position the metal tray on top of the hookah shaft. This tray catches hot embers and excess tobacco if and when they fall. It can also be a place to store extra lit or unlit charcoal.

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Stir the shisha. Shisha is just tobacco packed in liquids that add flavor and thick smoke. These liquids tend to settle to the bottom, so give it a quick stir to spread them around.

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Break up the shisha and place it in the bowl. Fluff up pieces of shisha and drop them in the bowl. Press lightly down to make a flat layer without compacting the tobacco. It should stay fairly loose so air can easily flow through it. Fill the bowl nearly to the top, but leave at least 2mm of space above the tobacco so it doesn't burn.

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Cover with heavy-duty foil. Lay a piece of heavy-duty foil over the bowl, stretching it tight. If using regular foil, double the layer. Pull the foil and rimp it around the edges to secure, ensureing you have a flat surface when done and that the foil stays in place.

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Place the bowl on top of the hookah shaft. This should fit securely into another rubber piece, for an airtight fit.

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Poke several holes through the foil. Using a toothpick, a paper clip, or foil puncher tool, poke about 12–15 holes through the foil surface. Test air flow by drawing on the hose as you do this. If you have trouble pulling air, add more holes.

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Light two or three coals. There are two types of coals used for hookah. Follow these instructions depending on which one you have.

Quick light coals: Hold with tongs over a nonflammable area. Light with a lighter until it stops smoking, then wait 10–30 seconds until covered in light gray ash and glowing orange. These are convenient, but give a worse, shorter smoke. 

Natural coals: Heat directly in a stove flame or on an electric burner, but never where ash could fall into the gas line or on a glass stove. The coal is ready once glowing orange, usually after 8–12 minutes.

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Transfer the coals to the foil. Place the coals evenly ringing the edge of the foil, or even slightly overhanging the edge. A common mistake is to pile the coals in the center, which can easily char the shisha and create harsh, short-lived smoke.

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Inhale. Once the bowl is warm — or right away, if you're impatient — inhale through one of the hoses. Your breath pulls air past the coals, causing them to heat up. If you pull too hard, the air will get hot enough to char the shisha, and you'll cough on a lungful of bad-tasting smoke. Pull with short, normal breaths. Smoke at a relaxed rate, pausing to give the shisha time to cool down.

Common Issues when using a Hookah

Getting too much or too little smoke.

Adjust the number of holes and/or the size of the holes on the foil.

Not getting any smoke or very little smoke

Wait for the Shisha to be "Cooked" so it can start releasing its flavors.

Check for air leaks (remove the bowl and allow the top of the stem to cool, then repeat step 6 in the Hookah setup guide above.

Remove Hose and try pulling air to check if the hose has a blockage.

The holes inside of the bowl might be clogged or the Shisha is packed too tight, empty bowl, and repeat step 9.

Smoke is harsh or tastes burnt

Shisha is probably too close to the foil and/or the holes on the foil are too large, causing it to burn.

Too much heat used or charcoal not being moved around often.

Shisha has been in use too long and needs to be replaced with a new set.

Flavor or Smoke production not adequate

Poke smaller holes on the foil.

Replace the bowl with a Vortex style bowl.

Poke smaller holes on the outside edges and a larger one in the middle.

Vaporizer

Coming Soon!

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