Regular Hookah Bowl vs. Vortex Bowls

Although all hookahs generally work in the same fashion, there are small tweaks and changes hookah owners can apply to slightly alter their smoking experience. The prime example of this deals with the liquid medium, which can be cooled with ice cubes for a smoother smoking experience (I’ve even heard of hoses that have their own cooling mechanism inside). For an enhanced flavor experience, I’ve heard of folks replacing the water with something else that adds a flavor of its own. It may not be apparent, but even the bowl style has an effect on your smoking experience.

Almost all hookahs sold come with a standard bowl; simply a bowl with a varying number of holes at the bottom to allow the smoke to filter through. There is, however, another type of bowl available, which, in my experience, increases both session length and overall enjoyment. I’m speaking of course of the Vortex style bowl. As you can see, the shisha in this bowl is loaded around the center while the smoke is vented through the middle.

The advantage with this type of bowl is simple: loading the coals onto the middle of the bowl allows for the shisha to burn evenly without charring it. This avoids the unpleasant harshness sometime encountered during a smoking session. The coals heat the bowl that in turn heats the shisha without the direct contact found with a standard bowl. In my experience, this allows for an even burn throughout the session, and also preserves the flavor a bit better. This is a function not only of the coal placement, but the ventilation holes found throughout the depth of the shisha along the center bowl column.
Vortex bowls will run you a little more cost-wise initially than a standard bowl, but the investment is well worth it, especially for frequent smokers. One last thing to note: it may take a few more starting pulls to achieve the thick smoke most hookah smokers desire, but this is due only to the bowl structure.

Don't Let a Broken Hookah Vase Stop You

Water bottle hookah "vase".

Some friends broke their hookah vase one night and didn't have a spare to replace it with.  Not the type of people to be stopped by a broken vase, they discovered that the stem fit perfectly in a 1 gallon water bottle.

So if you break your hookah vase, don't despair.  Chances are you have something around your house that will make a good substitute until your new one arrives.

What is a Hookah Pipe?

Hookah History

Hookahs (also called shisha, or nargile) were invented over 1000 years ago near the modern day Pakistan/India border in Indochina. Originally, they were not used for smoking tobacco; instead, they were typically a vehicle for the consumption of opium or hashish. People did not start smoking tobacco out of hookah pipes until they were introduced in Turkey several hundred years ago. It wasn't long before hookah lounges became a popular place for people to relax and socialize with a few friends. Recently, hookah pipes have become very popular in the United States (more on hookah history).

Modern day hookahs are used almost exclusively for the smoking of hookah tobacco, or shisha. This is a mix of long leaf tobacco and flavored molasses that makes very thick, sweet, and satisfying smoke clouds. A hookah pipe is made up of seven major parts, these are the same parts you will need if you want to build a custom hookah pipe.

1. Hookah Bowl The hookah bowl is also known as the head of the hookah. Hookah bowls are usually made of clay ceramics so that they conduct heat more efficiently. The bowl of a hookah sits on the very top of the hookah stem, and it is what shisha (hookah tobacco) is loaded into. Hookah coals are then placed on top of the bowl to heat the shisha, which creates smoke. 2. Hookah Hose The hookah hose is a flexible tube, usually made from leather or synthetic leather, depending on the quality. Hookah hoses typically have handles made of wood or plastic, although particularly high quality hookahs may have hoses made from marble or bone. Hookah hoses allow smoke to be drawn up from the hookah vase into the hookah smoker's lungs. 3. Hookah Stem A hookah stem is the part of the hookah that carries smoke from the hookah bowl down to the hookah vase. This is also where hookah hoses are attached to the hookah, but hoses draw smoke directly from the reservoir of smoke collected in the vase. 4. Hookah Grommet Hookah grommets are sometimes referred to as hookah gaskets. A hookah grommet seals the connection between the hookah stem and the hookah vase so that no smoke escapes from the vase during a smoke session. 5. Hookah Valve Hookah valves are found both in the stem opening and in the ball on the opposite side. Typically, the valve is made from a ball bearing that will fall to close off the smoke chamber when the hookah is not being smoked. Suction will pull the bearing up when the hose is being used to open up the vase and allow the smoke to be drawn out. 6. Hookah Vase The hookah vase, or base of the hookah, is usually made of glass, but it can be made of a variety of other materials, such as ceramics, metal, or plastic. The vase is typically filled with water, and collects smoke that is drawn down from the bowl and through the stem. The water in a hookah vase is reputed to filter out many harmful chemicals; according to the WHO, it actually does filter out nicotine(p. 3). Smoke is then drawn out of the vase through a separate tube in the stem through a hose. Some people fill the vase with fruit juice, milk, or alcohol, but I do not recommend it. Filling the vase with anything other than water can cause corrosion and mold in the stem, vase, or bowl, and will be a nightmare to clean (more on how to clean a hookah). 7. Charcoal Tray The charcoal tray catches ash from the bowl, and is a great place to hang your hookah tongs. It is not crucial for the use of a hookah, but it is also a good place to put coals that are nearly burnt out, or coals that are already spent. Want to buy a hookah?  Visit the hookah store.  This is a great  place to find a new hookah.

Is Hookah Smoking Really as Dangerous as Some Say?

When I first started smoking hookah, I believed that it was definitely safer than smoking cigarettes or a regular pipe. I never really thought much about this until the news picked up on a recent WHO article regarding health risks of hookah tobacco. All the news stories that I read were citing this one article, using it as proof that hookah smoking is dangerous and it should be stopped. Intrigued, I read it myself.

As it turns out, it's not a scientific study at all. It's actually an advisory note, the purpose of which is to recommend that the scientific community do more research on the matter. The note is short, and contains an overview of the history of hookah smoking, as well as the parts of a hookah pipe and their use. There is also a small section on health risks from hookah smoking that implies that hookah smoking is more dangerous because you inhale more 'smoke'.

The thing is, no one knows if hookah smoke has the same composition as cigarette smoke. The hot smoke passes through the water in the vase, and it's a reasonable assumption that some of the water evaporates, cooling the smoke and causing it to contain much more water vapor than cigarette smoke. The water in the vase may make hookah smoke more like steam, with fewer potentially harmful chemicals. No one knows yet, so it's unreasonable to assume that hookah smoking is more dangerous because you inhale more 'smoke'.

The note also says that the water in the hookah vase actually does filter out some of the nicotine, and hookah shisha has been proven to have significantly lower amounts of nicotine and tar than the tobacco used in pipes and cigarettes (p. 3). The news articles I read took this to mean that hookah smokers will therefore smoke more hookah to feel the effects of nicotine. Really though, hookah is just too much of a hassle for someone who only wants nicotine. If that's all they wanted, they could just smoke a cigarette.  No messy shisha, no waiting for the coals to be hot (or dealing with the smell and taste of instant light coals), and no cleanup at the end. Really, why pay more for shisha and take the time to make a hookah if all you're looking for is nicotine?

In the end, I agree with the authors of the note, but not the sensationalized media coverage. The authors of the note recognize that there isn't nearly enough scientific evidence to draw a conclusion one way or the other, and that more needs to be done. I believe that more research will prove that while smoking is never completely safe, smoking hookah is significantly less dangerous than smoking cigarettes.

As the debate on the dangers of hookah smoking continues to heat up, there are a growing number of people who believe that herbal (tobacco free) shisha makes a great substitute for hookah tobacco, with none of the negative effects of regular shisha. Herbal shisha is made from an herbal substitute for tobacco leaves, and can be bought in a hookah store. Generally, other leaves that smoke in a similar fashion to tobacco leaves are best. I've heard of people using mint leaves as a substitute for hookah tobacco, but I've never tried that variation myself. The most common herbal shisha is made from tea leaves and is covered in flavored molasses, just like regular hookah tobacco.

There are several obvious advantages to herbal shisha. Herbal shisha does not contain tobacco, and therefore does not contain any nicotine. Without nicotine, herbal shisha does not have any addictive properties. Also, because there is no tobacco in herbal shisha, there is less tar, heavy metals, and other harmful chemicals than in regular hookah tobacco. This means that the long term health effects of herbal shisha are less than those of typical shisha made from tobacco. However, there are health risks associated with inhaling smoke of any kind, though the risks may vary.

I've smoked my fair share of both regular hookah tobacco and herbal shisha. There are two major differences in these two different varieties of shisha. The first thing you notice when you smoke herbal shisha for the first time is that the smoke clouds aren't as big. The second thing you notice is that it doesn't give you the same buzz that smoking hookah tobacco does. This should have been obvious, since herbal shisha doesn't contain tobacco, but somehow it caught me by surprise the first time I smoked herbal shisha. Herbal shisha is covered with the same varieties of flavored molasses that hookah tobacco is, so smoking it tastes nearly the same as smoking regular shisha.

In short, the jury is still out on the health risks of smoking any kind of hookah shisha. For the hookah smoker who would prefer to avoid nicotine, herbal shisha is a fantastic substitute for conventional hookah tobacco.

I should mention that I'm not a medical professional, and what I've written above is merely my opinion. At this point, it's probably obvious that I'm a little biased; I've smoked hookah for years, I write a blog about it and I have a hookah store. However, my goal is never to misinform or distort the truth. I've just seen a lot of hype recently about how horrible hookah smoking is, and I thought that someone should point out that some of the claims made seem a bit exaggerated. I'd like us to make an informed decision based on all the facts. 

How to Clean a Hookah Pipe

I started smoking hookah at hookah lounges, like most people. This was great at first, but after smoking for a while I started to want to be able to smoke a hookah pipe at my own house. I decided to buy my own hookah. After smoking my new hookah for the first time, I realized I had no idea what to do with the hookah pipe to keep it clean. I improvised, and it didn't turn out well for me. I lived in a particularly wet part of Oregon at the time, and I didn't clean my new hookah very well. I drained the water out of the base, and got the hookah tobacco out of the bowl. After that, I put my hookah back together and put it in the cupboard.

After a couple days, I got my hookah out, loaded it up, and had another session. After smoking for about 15 minutes, I started to feel light headed. That had happened before, so I thought I just needed to slow down. A couple minutes later, I stand up to get a drink. As I'm on my way to the kitchen, I'm overcome with a wave of nausea that almost left me retching over the sink.

My housemates thought it was the tobacco in the shisha, but I wasn't convinced. I had never had a problem like this from hookah before, and I had smoked at quite a few hookah lounges before I decided to buy my first new hookah pipe. After my stomach had settled, I brought my hookah into the kitchen and examined it. Turns out, mold had started to grow in the bowl and hose (did I mention Oregon is a very wet place?). I can only guess bits of the mold got into the smoke and that's what made me sick.

After that, I was much more thorough about cleaning my hookah. Now that I have a many years of hookah smoking experience, I've put together this guide to keep other new hookah smokers from my fate.

After you finish smoking, take your hookah all the way apart. Separate the bowl from the stem, and throw the burned hookah tobacco away. Be careful, it might be hot. Take the charcoal off the stem, and then taking the stem off of the vase (sometimes they screw off, sometimes you can just pull it off). Then, separate the downstem (the part that goes into the water), and take the hookah hose off.

Now that your new hookah is in pieces, clean each one of them. If you have a well made hookah (think Mya, Khali Mahmoon, or Sahara), you can put some of the pieces in the dish washer. However, most authentic Middle Eastern hookahs, like rare China, are extremely well made, but not dishwasher safe.

I own a Sahara Candy Stripe hookah, and I've put both my vortex bowl and the vase in the dishwasher. This is an especially good option if you have a mold problem, like I had after my first blunder. It's not really worth it to put the stem in, because it's difficult for the dishwasher to actually clean. If you're lucky, your hookah came with a stem cleaning brush (all Sahara hookahs do). You can use this to clean the stem and downstem.

If you live in a wet area, I don't recommend running any water through the hose when you're cleaning your hookah. If you do, make sure you hang it up to dry so that both sides of the hose can drain. A clothes hangar or towel bar work pretty well. Put the other pieces of your hookah on the dish rack to dry. In dry climates, you likely won't get mold, but it's still important to clean and dry your hookah to prevent corrosion.

Do not, under any circumstances, use solvents or cleaners on your hookah. This will corrode your hookah and make it break sooner. Soapy water is fine, but make sure to rinse thoroughly so that your next smoke does not have a soapy flavor. I still wouldn't recommend using soapy water on the hose, because it can be really hard to completely rinse out.

Basically, clean and dry your hookah thoroughly after every use. A clean, well maintained hookah will last you much longer and give you a much more pleasant smoking experience, free from mold induced nausea.

A Brief History of the Hookah

Hookah pipes, also known as shishas (not to be confused with hookah tobacco, also called shisha by some) and nargiles, have rapidly gained popularity in the United States over the last 10-15 years. The rise in the popularity of hookah smoking has been especially pronounced among young adults and college students. This has given rise to many hookah bars and hookah shops all across the U.S.

However, don't let the sudden popularity of hookah pipes in the U.S. fool you; hookahs have been around for more than 1000 years. Historians believe that they were originally invented in the mountainous regions near the Pakistan/India border.

The first hookahs were somewhat primitive in design (it was more than a millenium ago, after all), typically made from a clay jar or coconut shell base, with a hollow tube and a head. Hookahs were originally designed to smoke opium and hashish, but today are used almost exclusively for the consumption of tobacco covered in flavored syrup, typically called shisha in the States.

From its starting place in the rugged mountains of Pakistan and western India, hookah pipes were introduced to the Persian Kingdom (modern day Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, and northern Africa). At some point after its introduction to the Persian culture, tobacco was introduced to the new hookah pipe, giving rise to the use of hookahs that we see today.

It wasn't until about 500 years ago that the hookah finally made its way to Turkey, where it experienced an abrupt increase in popularity among the upper classes and intellectuals causing many of them to buy hookahs. This is where the hookah that we are familiar with today was first invented. Brass and glass were substituted for the wood used in older designs, often incorporating intricate carvings and glasswork for higher class consumers.

Hookah popularity grew to the point where coffee shops began to serve hookahs along with their regular fair, giving rise to one version of the modern day hookah bar. These coffee shops were so popular that hookahs quickly spread from Turkey to modern day Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Morocco, where hookahs were given the name 'nargile'. Hookah bars in the Middle East and western Asia today are a place where people come together for social gatherings and to relax and have a smoke.

Hookah smoking today is a much more social activity than many other smoking varieties. Cigarette smoking is often something engaged in by competitive people who are in a hurry. Smoking a hookah, on the other hand, allows people to sit down, relax, have a drink and a nice conversation.