Hookahs are one of the most exotic, elegant, and smooth methods for smoking tobacco. With their aesthetic bases, decorated hoses, and thick smoke, they almost have a futuristic feel to them.
Did you know, though, that despite their complicated appearance, they’re quite easy to use? With just a few tips, you’ll know what to expect from a smoking session and what to pay attention to if you’re looking to purchase a hookah pipe of your own.
Sound like what you’re looking for? Then follow this simple guide on how to use a hookah like a pro.
The Setup
Before the tips and smoking etiquette, let’s start with the basics: setting up your hookah.
Take the base and fill it with water. The colder the water, the better, especially if you have a small hookah. The temperature of the water serves to cool down the smoke as it passes through.
The water should come up to about an inch above the bottom of the stem when it’s fully inserted into the base.
Insert the stem and make sure the gasket creates a tight seal. Do the same for your hose(s). Make sure that all parts are fitting snugly together – air escaping any part of the pipe will interfere with your smoking experience.
Fill your bowl with shisha tobacco. You’ll want to pack it full but not so tight that it will interrupt the airflow. The shisha should reach about a millimeter below the very top of the bowl.
Check here if you’re looking for where to get shisha.
If your pipe came with a bowl cap, place that on top. If not, cover the top with tin foil and poke holes in it with a needle. The spread of the holes should be about one and a half times as wide as your coal.
Attach the bowl and make sure it fits snugly, as well. Place your coal on top, light it up (following the instructions it came with), and you’re ready to go!
Hookah Tips and Etiquette
Hookah is meant to be enjoyed in a slow and relaxed manner. Give yourself a moment to breathe between pulls. It’s typical to smoke hookah for about an hour.
Hookah smoke is thick, so it’s perfect for practicing smoke tricks!
Move the coal around occasionally to avoid it burning the shisha. Ash it every once in a while and either take it off for a moment or use less of it if the flavor is turning harsh.
Smoking hookah is a social experience and involves passing the pipe from person to person. This means: don’t hog the hose! The old puff, puff, pass rule works well.
If you’re smoking a hookah with multiple hoses, only pull from one at a time. Pay attention to what your fellow smokers are doing. When one person is pulling, the other(s) should block the end of their hose with their thumb.
If you’re hosting a hookah session, it’s considerate to provide each smoker with a disposable mouthpiece.
Once you’ve finished, you should clean the entire hookah, including the hoses, to ensure that it provides fresh flavor every time.
How to Use a Hookah
Hookahs are simple to use even though they might look complicated. A hookah session can be a pleasant social experience – just follow the etiquette tips in this guide and you’ll be good to go!
If you found this guide on how to use a hookah informative, be sure to check out the rest of the blog!