How to Start a Hookah

Setting Up the Hookah

Clean the hookah. Even if the hookah is brand new, clean it to remove any foreign flavors and chemicals. Scrub every piece of the hookah with a soft brush, except for the non-washable hoses. It's easiest to clean the hookah right after each smoking session, instead of leaving residue to dry. At minimum, clean after every fourth or fifth session.

Learn the terminology. There are many parts to a hookah, but it's not too tough to figure out. Here are the terms used in the instructions below: Base — The lowest section of the hookah. This can be detached and filled with water. Shaft — The main vertical body of the hookah. The lower end has a stem that sits in the water. Gasket — Silicone or rubber "donuts." Anywhere two parts fit together, you need one of these to make the connection airtight. Also called a grommet. Purge Valve — A valve that allows the smoker to clear harsh smoke from the base. Hose Port — The hookah hose connects to the shaft using the hose port. Bowl — The container at the top that holds hookah tobacco, also called shisha. Hose — The hose allows the smoker to inhale smoke from the vase. Ash Tray — The tray sits below the bowl and holds excess coals and ash from the charcoal. Foil — Aluminum foil is used to cover the tobacco filled bowl and holds the hot charcoal.

Fill the base with water. Check the "stem," or thin lowest part of the shaft. Add enough water to submerge the stem about 1 inch (2.5 cm) under the water. Avoid overfilling the base, as this could cause water to enter the hose when smoke is inhaled. Add ice (optional) to keep the smoke cool and less harsh. Some people enjoy mixing the water with other liquids for additional flavors, such as juice or vodka. Most drinks will work, but stay away from milk and dairy products, which can ruin the hookah. It is recommended to use water only in a hookah base.

Connect the shaft and hoses. Attach the silicone or rubber gasket to the top of the base. Push the main shaft into the gasket to ensure an airtight seal. Confirm that the stem reaches 1 inch (2.5 cm) under the water. Use the smaller gaskets to fit the hoses over the hose ports on the shaft's side. Some hookah models will leak air unless every valve is attached to a hose or a rubber stopper. Others are self-sealing.

Test it for gaps. Cover the hole at the top of the hookah shaft with your palm. Try to inhale through one of the hoses. If you succeed in pulling in air, one of the connections is not airtight. Inspect each connection and correct this: If you’re having trouble fitting a part inside a gasket, wet the gasket with water or a drop of dish soap. If a connection is a little loose, wrap the stem with electrical tape and fit the gasket over the tape. If you're missing a gasket, wrap athletic tape around the stem. Keep wrapping until you can connect the two parts with a tight fit.

Adding Tobacco

Stir the shisha. Choose any flavor of shisha, or tobacco packed in molasses and glycerin. Before removing any from the container, mix it together to bring the flavorful syrup back up from the bottom.

Break it apart. Take a small pinch of the shisha and gently break it apart between your fingers, over a plate. If you see stems, cut them into small pieces or discard them. Repeat until you have enough to loosely fill the bowl.

Sprinkle the shisha into the bowl. Leave it loose, not packed, so air can flow through it. Add tobacco until it forms an even layer about 1/12—1/8” (2–3 mm) below the rim of the bowl. If stacked too high, it will stick to the aluminum foil and scorch. If there are a few pieces sticking up too high, gently knock them down with a damp paper towel. You may want to practice with tobacco-free hookah molasses until you've learned the process. This is less likely to burn. And tobacco-free shisha has no nicotine which may be better for beginner smokers.

Cover the bowl. You can buy a reusable hookah bowl screen for this purpose, but a homemade foil cover may control heat more reliably. Wrap aluminum foil tightly over the bowl to form a taut surface. Using a paper clip or needle, punch holes in the foil to allow airflow. Try a circle of holes near the outer rim, then more holes spiraling inward. More holes means more heat on the tobacco, and therefore more smoke. Try starting with about 15 holes. If inhaling is difficult or you’d like more smoke, you can add more holes. Some people prefer 50–100 holes. Make the holes small to avoid letting in flakes of ash.

Finish assembling the hookah. Attach the ash tray to the top of the hookah shaft. Fit the bowl over the top hole, making an airtight connection.

Adding the Charcoal

Choose your charcoal. There are two broad categories of hookah charcoal available, each with different benefits: Quick light charcoal heats up fast, but burns cooler and faster. In the worst case, they can leave a chemical taste or cause a headache. Natural charcoal doesn’t interfere with flavor, but takes about ten minutes on an electric coil stove to heat up. Coconut shell and lemon wood charcoal are two popular options.

Light two or three coals. Coal size and bowl size vary, so you may need to experiment. Try two or three coals first and adjust from there. Light as follows, depending on the charcoal type: Quick light: Hold the coal with tongs, over a nonflammable area. Hold it in a lighter or match flame until it stops sparking and smoking. Remove flame and wait until the entire piece is fully covered with light grey ash, about 10–30 seconds. Blow on it if necessary until all of it glows orange. Natural: Place the coal on the coil burner of a stove, or directly in the flame of a gas stove. Crank heat to maximum and leave for 8–12 minutes. It should be glowing orange, but the ash layer is optional. Do not place the coal where ash could fall in the gas line, or on a glass-top stove.

Place the coal on top of the bowl. Use your coal tongs to transfer the hot coals to the foil or screen on top of the hookah bowl. Arrange the coals evenly around the rim of the bowl, or even slightly overhanging the edge. Leave the center clear unless you’re certain you need more heat. Keep an eye out for sagging foil. You don’t want the coal to touch the tobacco and scorch it.

Let the bowl warm up. Many people wait three to five minutes before the first pull. Some start smoking right away. Give both methods a try, since they may change the flavor and smoothness of the smoke. Some hookahs and types of charcoal take as long as 10–30 minutes to warm up properly, but these are the exception.

Inhale gently and slowly. Draw in the smoke by inhaling normally through the hose. There’s no need to strain or try to get as much smoke as possible. Even if your first pull is low on smoke, trust that more will build up as you continue. Pulling too hard or too often may overheat the shisha, since your breath is drawing hot air through the bowl. An average bowl with 20g of shisha tobacco can last over an hour, so you have time.