Hookah Smoking Tips

Whether your new or an experienced connoisseur at shisha smoking it’s never to late to think about some of the key smoking tips that will elevate your next session, so we have compiled a list of some Hookah smoking tips that you can add to your routine.

Clean your hookah after every use.

Have you ever been into a Shisha Lounge and found that you can taste a flavour that is not the one your ordered? That is probably because the Shisha may have sat with the bowl, excess juice and previous water sitting in the pipe for some time before it was cleaned for the next order. This is easily avoidable. Shisha’s need to cleaned between uses to avoid the flavours lasting or setting themselves into your Hookah.

The best way to clean your shisha is by removing the coals, bowl and then gently taking your pipe apart and clean each piece using warm water with a cleaning aid for the base like Rauch Kultur Cleaning beads. Alternatively you can use warm soapy water and a brush cleaner to ensure all excess flavour is removed from the base and down stem. As an extra measure you can add white vinegar or baking soda to eliminate smells and hard to get off stains.

Storing your shisha

With the warmer summer months upon us in the UK it’s great for sitting outside enjoying a session as the sun is setting, however once you have finished your shisha session and have given it a clean its time to put your hookah away, the best place to store a hookah is somewhere that keeps it safe from the environment and the drastic changes in temperature. Room temperature is best for storing your hookah and keeping it safe, you don’t want to be the person who leaves it out during the cold night and then runs it under hot water to wash to then find you cracked your base, yes many of us know this story only too well.

Creating the perfect bowl with flavours

Creating a bowl is not just about buying a packet of flavour, herbal, or tobacco its about creating an experience of flavours. Think about what you enjoy smoking, fruity, sweet, savory or traditional flavours. Can they mix well together? Can you create something unique? Here are some of the sweet and fruity ones people have created:

Al Fakher Bubble Gum + Musfasa Paloma (Grape Mint)
Mazaya Peach + Eternal Smoke Red Lips

Packing the perfect bowl

Now you have your perfect blend of flavours ready to go, remember do not pack your bowl above the rim. Regardless of your bowl size, pack only to the rim so you are leaving some space between the foil and heat management that will hold the coals (heat) so they do not end up pushing the foil to the flavour and sticking to it as it will burn the shisha flavour.

Heating your coals

Your coals need to be completely lit before adding them to the bowl to start your session. A good trick is to start lighting / heating your coals before you start preparing the hookah and bowl, this then will stop you from having to wait and play the coal waiting game.

The best way to light your coals is on an electric burner, these tend to have a coil that heats up and you can easily add your coals to the coil for them to get the heat they need to light up. We do recommend lighting your coals outside to avoid any nasty fumes in your home.

Once the coals have been on the burner for around 5 minutes turn them over or around to ensure all areas of the coals have had the heat applied.  You will know when your coals are ready as they will be fully coated in a light layer of ash and be glowing a red / orange colour.

Once your coals are ready take them over to your bowl using with either togs or a coal tray, be sure to take care as they are hot.

Lastly, enjoy and relax

You have a clean pipe; you have created the perfect bowl that has been lightly packed with your favourite flavours and your coals are perfectly light, now it’s time to relax and enjoy your session.