A hookah, first used in the ancient Middle East, is a smoking device that has become popular for use among people that love shisha products. Traditionally, a hookah was used either during or after dinner as a way of entertaining guests. Today, it is widely used for personal relaxation as well as to entertain guests at a party.

But how is the hookah set up? It is not a very hard task if you can follow the guideline we have created below.

How Does Hookah Work?

For the hookah set up to work, you will have a hookah vase that is filled with water. You must also have a hookah burner (bowl) that is filled with fruit-flavored hookah tobacco. The hookah burner is then covered with a tin/foil lid and placed on hot coals. The heat warms up the tobacco which produces smoke. Using a hose, the smoke is directed into the water and then rises up through a port to give the user a flavored smoke that makes the experience awesome.

Disconnect the hookah and clean the pieces

You will need to disconnect all parts of the hookah and wash the hookah burner, and the vase where the water is filled. Note that you should not use water on the hose. Rather, use a brush and brush off any impurities. Before you reconnect the hookah, ensure that all pieces are dry.

Pour About 1-Inch of Cold Water in to the Stem of the Hookah

To ensure that the there is enough space to ease the smoking process, you must pour about an inch of water into the metal stem. Note that you may be using a smaller hookah that may only let you pour just a ½ inch into the stem. Experts will tell you that by pouring more water into the stem you will not be making your smoking experience safer as water does not filter smoke. Cold water improves the pleasant taste of the smoke. If you can add some ice into the water, you will have an even better flavor.

Insert the Metal Stem about an Inch into the Water

Before you insert the metal stem into the water, ensure that the rubber at the top of the stem is airtight. The stem must be inserted to a depth of about an inch into the water.

Never Let the Hoses Touch Water

Larger hookahs have a host of hoses to connect on either side of the shaft/stem. Ensure that the hoses fit tightly around their respective slots. Whether you are smoking alone or with a group of friends, ensure that your hoses are all inserted into their slots.

Test the Airtightness

All you need to do here is put your hand on the hookah’s top air opening and then try to inhale some air through the hose. If air comes out, then one of your hoses needs some tightening around the slot. Identify which and tighten and then repeat the process until all the slots are airtight. Sometimes, you will need to buy another seal if the ones you have are not working.

Debris Collection Tray

Obviously there will be some debris and ash that will be falling off. Put a metal tray at the top of the hookah shaft to collect the said ashes.

Follow the steps below to smoke Shisha without getting choked by the smoke or putting your larynx into problem.

Keep Stirring the Shisha

You need to understand that shisha is just liquefied tobacco. The tobacco will have added flavors so that it can have a great aftertaste as well as produce clouds of smoke. Since the liquid tends to settle at the bottom of the solution, you need to keep stirring to get the best results.

If you are new to using shisha, perhaps you should do your practice using molasses instead of tobacco which can be very harsh if your hookah is not properly set up.

Since shisha comes in a variety of flavors, you are encouraged to sample several before you settle on the one that gives you the best experience.

Ensure that Your Shisha is Broken Down

When pouring your shisha to the hooker burner (bowl), you need to make sure that it is lose. Put the shisha until the bowl is almost full (leave about 2mm) to prevent the tobacco from burning. Breaking down the tobacco ensures that air can flow though it easily, and this ensures that the quality of smoke you inhale is the best grade.

The Lid over the Hookah Burner (Bowl)

Some people prefer using charcoal screen that is purposely sold for covering your shisha. However, a heavy duty foil is preferred. Ensure that the edges are crimped over the bowl. For those who only have light duty foil, use double layered ones.

Put the Bowl atop the Hookah Stem

The bowl must fit on top of this shaft, and must be tightly secured with rubber to ensure that no air escapes from the stem.

Drill Small Holes into the Foil

You can poke anywhere between 12 and 15 holes using a toothpick. You can then test the air flow by drawing on the hose. If you get problems drawing the air, then you can more holes.

Coals for Hookah

You can either use the quick light coals or the natural coals. Beware thought that there are some people who get headaches from smoking shisha that has been created with the quick light coals.

If you are using natural coal, ensure that the cola is flaming orange. The ash should never fall in the gas line on onto the glass stove. Heat the shisha between 8 and 12 minutes.

Enhance Flavor with Coals on the Foil

To enhance the flavor of the smoke, place the coals on top of the foil for between 3 and 5 minutes to warm up the shisha. A common mistake by shisha smokers is to pile coals at the center of the bowl. This has the effect of charring the shisha and thus diluting the sweet flavor of the shisha.

Inhale Slowly

A common mistake with rookie shisha smokers is to pull a lot of smoke through the hose. This has the effect of lighting up the coals which then char the shisha creating a lungful of distasteful smoke. Rather, you should pull short breaths and maintain the relaxed rate so that you can give shisha some time to cool down. Sometimes smoke will fail to show up in the vase. In such a situation, you can do short bust of inhales so as to light up the tobacco.

If you follow the above steps, then setting up a hookah should be easy peasy for you and your party will rock!