Reddit mentions: The best hookahs

This is a copy and paste for a guide I'm working on, but hopefully it'll help. Check out CocoUrth coals! If you don't want to read the massive amount of text below, then trust me and just go with a Shika hookah. Lifetime warranty on them :)

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Hello! This is my guide on what to look for while buying a hookah. While it'll be inherently subjective, I'll be doing my best to make it as objective as possible. The last guide (in sidebar) on Hookah By Price contained a lot of information I wanted to get out, but is too much trouble for me to try keeping it up to date. So instead of telling you what hookah I recommend, I want to go more in depth into what you look for when you're buying a hookah.

The Smoke is Not Dependent on the Hookah

• The hookah itself has very little effect on smoke production
  
• Think of your entire set-up as a car - the hookah itself is the body of the car, and the shisha/coals/bowls make up the engine.
  
  • You can spend a lot of money on a nice aesthetically pleasing hookah, but if you don't know how to pack a bowl, manage your heat, or if you don't have good shisha, the production of the hookah won't be any good. It'd be like putting the engine of a first gen Prius into the body of a Ferrari.
    
• The Smoke and the Draw - Given the same heat and same pack, the bowl will produce the same amount of smoke - the gauge of the draw will determine how quickly you can intake the smoke. The volume of the smoke would not change and has nowhere to go when drawn into the hookah other than your lungs. Simply put, the size of your set up, the gauge of your set up, has no real impact on the clouds.
  
  • A wider gauge hookah will obviously be an easier draw (given that the airflow is consistent through the hose, bowl, and hose port), but it will not get you bigger clouds.
    
  • A narrow gauge hookah will be a tougher draw, but because it takes longer to intake the same amount of smoke, you'll "taste" it more since the smoke will pass through your mouth for a longer period of time.
    
    

    The Material
    

• The material of a hookah usually won't effect your session, but it makes a difference in maintenance and longevity. The part of your hookah where the material is most important to is the downstem. The downstem is in water, and deals with a lot of moisture. If the stem of a hookah starts rusting, it's time to retire it. We're already inhaling smoke, no need to inhale rust particles.
  
  • Stainless Steel - There's good stainless steel and bad stainless steel. The vast majority of hookahs (if not all) that use stainless steel use steel in the 300 series. The main difference that's of concern to us is how resistant to corrosion the stainless steel is. Stainless steel has chromium in it, which forms protective layer on the steel to keep it from rusting. Damage to the steel can expose non-chromium covered areas to oxygen, and begin rusting the steel before another layer forms. It's more complicated than this, but good stainless steel is hard to damage and almost impossible to rust unintentionally and bad stainless steel rusts very easily.
    
    • Low Grade Stainless Steel
      
      • There's no regulation on saying what sort of stainless steel you use. A rule of thumb is that if they're not advertising high quality stainless steel, it's not high quality stainless steel.
        
    • High Quality Stainless Steel
      
      • Series 316 stainless steel is what's generally regarded as "surgical quality" stainless steel. It's very resistant to corrosion and is one of the best materials you could use for a hookah. Unfortunately, there's no regulation for what can be called "surgical stainless steel". They feel the same as their weaker (normal) 304/303 counterparts, and manufacturers don't usually advertise what steel they use. Your best bet if you're looking for a stainless steel hookah is to get one from a brand that advertises "aerospace/surgical stainless steel".
        
        
• Copper
  
  • One of the safest choices for a hookah’s downstem. Copper has been used to transport drinking water for a long time in the States, and continues to be used because it’s not subject to corrosion like stainless steel. A copper pipe downstem is a downstem that’ll last longer than you’ll ever want to smoke. The one big downside to copper downstems is that while it doesn’t corrode, it’ll oxidize and change colors (e.g. Statue of Liberty). The green oxidation can be cleaned very easily, but you’ll feel the urge to clean this more than you would a stainless steel hookah. Most copper tends to be softer than steel too, but there shouldn’t be instances where you’re testing this.
    
    
• Brass
  
  • Similar to copper, it’s a safe choice for a hookah downstem. It’s rare, but it’s a great choice. Won’t corrode, but harmlessly oxidizes like copper. Softer than steel, but there’s never a need to test that.
    
    
• Aluminum
  
  • Great material for a hookah. It won’t corrode, and it won’t change color like brass and copper. Additionally, high grade aluminum is harder than most copper (2.-2.9 on Moh's Hardness Scale, compared to copper's 2.5-3 rating). There’s no real downside for aluminum usage. Also allomantically inert ^^^^that’s ^^^^a ^^^^joke.
    
    
• Glass
  
  • Doesn’t ghost much, very easy to clean, but tends to be very expensive and fragile. High quality glass hookahs (a rising industry standard seems to be 7mm thick) go for hundreds of dollars and are much more expensive than their metal counterparts. In the linked picture, note how /u/gayhomophob3 put froyo in his base and can do so without worrying about residual froyo since it's glass.
    
    

    Price Range
    

• $0-$50 - There aren't many high quality hookahs in this range (if any).
  
  • Mya Econo Line - Cheap stainless steel hookahs that tend to be a little bit higher quality than other hookahs in the same range. A big reason why these hookahs are recommended in this price range is that they're compatible with some great upgrades. Not all cheap hookahs work well with high quality upgrades like a Dream Hose or a Crown Cloud phunnel bowl, but they're good fits for the Mya Econo Line. Lastly, the base on the smaller Myas are very sturdy, and there's very low risk in knocking something over.
    
• $50-$100 - This is where you'll see the potential for a jump in quality. There are many hookahs that fall within this price range, but a lot of them pale in comparison to two brands that stand out to me as clear choices above all the others.
  
  • Shika Hookahs - Shika hookahs have become a favorite (if not favorite) brand of hookahs for a variety of reasons - they're at a great cross section between affordability and quality. They have hookahs at under 100, and over 250.
    The majority of their hookahs are completely made with brass and copper - unlike many other "brass/copper" hookahs, which are just shelled with brass and copper. Shika hookahs also often come with thick glass bases and washable hoses. Shika's are hand welded and engraved. While that almost always indicates a high level of craftsmanship, there are imperfections on occasion. Furthermore, Shika has a good reputation for great customer service when imperfections are found.
    
    • The Accessories - Shika stands above KM for beginner smokers or first time buyers in large part because of the quality accessories it comes with. Rather than an poorly made Egyptian bowl and a unwashable hose that is frequently made out of recycled newspaper (the handle), Shika comes with the Shika Typhoon/Mammoth hose and the Shika Oblivion/Sandstorm bowl. Not the absolute best, but extremely good for what comes with a hookah.
      
  • Khalil Mamoon - KM hookahs are an industry standard and for good reason. They're like Toyotas - Most of their stuff is good higher end entry level hookahs. They'll give you a lot of mileage and you'll rarely have any problems with them. But like how you can upgrade to a Lexus from a Toyota (same company), you can go from your "entry" level KM's to some "nicer" stuff as well. Something else to keep in mind is that not all KM's are made equally. KM's in this price range will tend not to be brass. Some, in this price range and above, are indeed mostly brass and copper and thus will probably never rust (though you have to watch for oxidation) but still have stainless steel downstems and bowl ports.
    
    
• $100+ - After committing to spend more than 100 dollars on a hookah, you'll have enough options that it's about finding a material that you're comfortable with, and then finding a hookah that's aesthetically pleasing to you.
  
  

  My Top Picks by Category
  

  
  

• Traditional Egyptian - Shika
  
  • 
    
• Modern Brass - Sahara Smoke Executive Hookah
  
• Aluminum - Shishabucks Cloud | One
  
• Modern Stainless Steel - Regal/Starbuzz MIA
  
• Glass - Zahrah
  
  

Yessir.

Check this out. KMs in America are way overpriced, but this one is pretty decently priced.

Other sites...

SouthSmoke

HookahJohn

There are other awesome places too, but I'm just highlighting a couple of your options if you were interested in looking for a KM.

I've heard great things about the Kamanja. KM's are known for quality machining on every product, so I'm sure whichever one you choose is going to be excellent. Try to find one that aesthetically appeals to you, and fits your budget and you're going to have an amazing smoke all of the time. :)

Purge is when you blow out the smoke from the chamber to clear it. That is really weird about the hose... Amira maintains that it is a surgical grade silicone so it should not ghost (hold the flavors like you are saying)..

but a cleaning with baking soda and hot water followed by a through rise in cold water should wash all the flavors out. I clean my hookah and bowl after every session to get the fullest flavor possible.

The Amira has a very wide gauge downstem, so a shallower phunnel bowl might work better than a deep bowl. So to improve your setup, I'd definitely get a HMD, and a bowl that holds it well. You can make that a 2 hose hookah very easily, if you watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6lfhYd_y4U. You might not be able to get a KL in SA, but you can def get a chimney, that would be my goto in case I could not get access to a HMD. something like this. https://www.amazon.com/Silicone-Narghile-Charcoal-Narguile-Accessory/dp/B078SP1LF6. Ratings are BS. If you are enjoying your session and don't burn the tobacco, It's a 10/10.

edit: another example of a chimney: https://www.reddit.com/r/hookah/comments/cn0yjv/relaxing_night/

I've got a kaloud lotus on this phunnel bowl with this hookah and use Coco Nara coals...

Couple questions: what is the best brand of shisha to use with this setup? I've used starbuzz, currently own some al-fahker but havent smoked it yet, and have been smoking lately Fantasia Peach Fuzzy Navel because I really like the flavor - about 20 grams I would guess per bowl. I suspect possibly other brands / amounts of shisha might work better for this reason or that, I just don't know because I havent tried. Not 100% sure how packed I should be having my bowls.

With the Lotus, I see people saying to use 3 coco nara coals in it, but theres no way I think I can get those all to fit in there at once, ESPECIALLY not when their lit and hot?? So I normally cut one coal in half, and use 2 halves + 1 full coal... I don't know if this is normal or detrimental at all for the sesh. How even do you fit 3 coco nara's in there :O

Also in regards to the Lotus, does closed vents = more heat with it being contained and open vents = less heat since its escaping? Or is it, open vents = more heat because the coals are getting more oxygen? Never was really clear on this, which in turn has made me be unsure during seshes whether or not to open or close vents at times.

Is there a way to get the ash out of the lotus easily during a sesh when you switch up to fresh coals? or do you just leave it in there and push it out of the ways with fresh coals until you the sesh is over and its cooled off?

I sometimes find myself moving the coals around in the lotus because it hits kinda harsh sometimes, but I was under the impression that with the lotus you ought to be able to entirely control that with the vents, which makes me think I'm doing something a little bit wrong.

Sorry this is a really loaded comment, I just am still relatively inexperienced with hookah and want to make my seshes as efficient and pleasurable as i can lol. Might have more questions later Ill ask lol. Thanks y'all :)

Okay. I will do this later tonight or tomorrow. Looks like fun!

fear cuts deeper than swords

Edit: Here is what I have.

1.) Something that is grey. -Like WL

2.) Something reminiscent of rain. - Because it goes in a shower, which is like rain. -College Needs WL

3.) Something food related that is unusual. - They were unsual the first time I had them! -Want WL

4.) Something on your list that is for someone other than yourself. Tell me who it's for and why. - This is for my girlfriend because she can't afford it and, as a college student, it's sort of an essential. -College Needs WL

5.) A book I should read! - I haven't read it yet, so I don't really know that I have a strong argument for you to read it. :] -Want WL

6.) An item that is less than a dollar, including shipping... that is not jewelry, nail polish, and or hair related!

7.) Something related to cats. I love cats! (keep this SFW, you know who you are...)

8.) Something that is not useful, but so beautiful you must have it. -Want WL

9.) A movie everyone should watch at least once in their life. Why? - The soundtrack for this movie is amazing and I think everyone should be able to relate to the traumatizing death scene. -DVDs WL

10.) Something that would be useful when the zombies attack. Explain. - This is a survival tool, so when you need to escape from your house without advance notice you will (maybe) be able to survive! -Like WL

11.) Something that would have a profound impact on your life and help you to achieve your current goals. I just had surgery on my chest a couple months ago and the scars are building up and I would like to go away so I won't have people staring at me. -Medical Needs WL

12.) One of those pesky Add-On items.

13.) The most expensive thing on your list. Your dream item. Why? - I like to watch a lot of movies and play a lot of video games and right now I have a very small tube TV that cuts off most of the screen. -Like WL

14.) Something bigger than a bread box. -College Needs WL

15.) Something smaller than a golf ball. -Smoking Products WL

16.) Something that smells wonderful. -Smoking Products WL

17.) A (SFW) toy. -Want WL

18.) Something that would be helpful for going back to school. -College Needs WL

19.) Something related to your current obsession, whatever that may be. -Want WL

20.) Something that is just so amazing and awe-inspiring that I simply must see it. Explain why it is so grand.

not many great options less than $75 on amazon but the best options I saw on amazon are Megahed and KM. ill link both.

http://www.amazon.com/Authentic-Megahed-Brass-Hookah-Ice/dp/B00T6NC9JC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451116205&sr=8-1&keywords=megahed+hookah


http://www.amazon.com/Hose-Khalil-Mamoon-Shamadan-Hookah/dp/B0032IRC58/ref=pd_sim_sbs_236_5?ie=UTF8&dpID=41mHDMarM9L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0A8M3Y5H3V2DHB5T624F


The only cheaper options i saw on amazon are Chinese junk. Good luck and happy holidays.

/u/funnyjk, you're always there for people and you're incredibly generous. Thank you for being an amazing friend!

I love that I always make time to talk to people who need help. Helping people is my favorite thing.

Item

Wanting to be someone else is a waste of who you are.

Amazon is pretty strict about paraphernalia so I doubt any of these are Prime-eligible, but it's out there if you know what to search for.

You've got a plethora of classic tobacco pipes with standouts like these and these if you're willing to spend some cash on a nice looking pipe, although they aren't ideal for weed since they aren't carbed.

If you don't want to look so "old-timey" when smoking, there's also a wide selection of cheap, gimmicky metal pipes and one-hitters that get the job done, but I would consider these a waste of money. They have cheap glass bowls and gimmicky glass bubblers that are a step above but not much better.

Amazon also has a shitload of mini-hookahs in both glass and acryllic that can be re-purposed as bubblers. The smaller, the more efficient.

Personally, I would pick out a nice glass slide or ash catcher combo (either 18mm or 14mm). With a matching downstem, any sort of bottle, and some help from /r/StonerEngineering, you can make a dank-ass bong to hold you over until you buy a fully-glass piece from somewhere else. Another option you have is to buy a J-Hook Adapter which basically turns any ash catcher into a Sherlock-style bubbler. If you do that, I would definitely recommend a double ash catcher of some sort (you will need to buy a slide too). These are very fragile though.

While what others have said is true, I would recommend getting a Mya QT instead of the one you linked. I've used one similar to the one you linked and personally I don't like them. The QT however is probly the best tiny hookah I've used, especially for the price. Not quite as nice as a full size KM IMO but a great experience, and the build quality is way better and less prone to rust than the one you linked.

For 5$ more you could get a MYA QT which is a decent starter hookah, change the hose to a washable one and you’ll be good till you can upgrade to something pricier.


14" 1 Hose MYA QT Sky Blue Hookah with Carrying cage and Free Charcoal https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009LO7NMO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8NmWDbC8Z3704

https://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Micro-Modern-Hookah-blue/dp/B074HBMVHS

Currently unavailable, but definitely one of the best hookahs you can get on Amazon

Don't worry, it's no bother at all. I've attached another link. The grommet/seal that mine did not come with is the one on the left in the main picture in this link. I am not sure this is the correct size as it would depend on the hookah you choose to buy but it does appear that they would be available on amazon if you don't have access to a local retailer. Also, if you search for a mini hookah on amazon you may be able to see in the descriptions or reviews if everything is included.

And you're absolutely right, you can't go wrong with a "bubbler" for $12 lol one of the better investments I've made in my wide ranging collection.

http://www.amazon.com/Hookah-Grommets-Assorted-Shisha-Narghile/dp/B007PDIJ9O/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1457638765&sr=8-1&keywords=hookah+base+seal

https://www.southsmoke.com/pd-khalil-mamoon-basha-two-hose-ice-chamber.cfm

This is what u need good quality, pretty good looking but idk if it has the ball thingy so u don't have to use ur finger, try to call south smoke and ask them.

On other hand u can always buy hose adapter to split 1 into 2 hoses

Something like this :

Vatra Tube Bag Hookah Shisha Nargila Waterpipe Glass Protection Case (Black/Gray Plaid, 14") https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077VXGW2R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_NWAHDb2VCNN5E

Just adjust for the length of your bong. Looks like some expensive glass there, so you could opt for a hard shell case and be a big baller lmao

$15 Glass Tip Replacement with free shipping in case you were interested. I just bought one since I don't think you can purchase the aluminum tip separately.

http://www.amazon.com/MODERN-single-HOOKAH-shisha-nargile/dp/B00D8J6WD4

It's pretty much a Leila (with a purge valve and cheaper), might need an cup holder adapter to make it fit though

That sucks. Here:

http://www.amazon.com/Mini-Hose-Hookah-Shisha-Pumpkin/dp/B00HVG745A/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1426519733&sr=8-6&keywords=water+pipe

$14 at amazon, prime eligible. It will bridge the gap until he finds another one he really likes. And not for nothing...this thing looks pretty sweet. It took me 45 seconds to find that one. Amazon has a LOT to offer.

If you, or someone you know doesn't have prime, pm me and we can make it happen.

Smokers look out for each other. Shit happens...especially when we're lit.

Vape holders Blue flames And i just thought this was pretty cool! Congrats on doing so well! <3

Good idea, I like the way they look.

EDIT: So it can be found for $30 on amazon

If youre doing it for the fun of the project, then this wont help much but they sell stems made to fit into bottles.

http://www.amazon.com/NeverXhale-Deluxe-Series-Hookah-Complete/dp/B00GR5M3SO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398175164&sr=8-1&keywords=mosaic+hookah

gorgeous is right.

this is my go too bowl and what I've been using forever. I've never tried silicone before but I've heard they are good. Never heard of powerbowl so I can't really comment.

• 1- I'd need this gun to help me deal with all the winers.
  
  
• 2- I definitely need these boots for all the dust that's gonna get kicked up!
  
  
  
• 3- This would help me keep my hair looking good when I take off my hat.
  
  
• 4- I have to be able to write all these essays, ese!!
  
  
• 5- I would keep this in it's own trunk, but bring it out at night when we were all hanging out in the common room.
  
  
• Extra- These things worry me. But if I had one, it would defiitely be hooded

Try instrument shops, if they can replace tenon corks on recorders, they should be able to replace this, who knows.

I just had another idea if you have no luck there, you could try if something like this fits. if you can find a plastic gasket in the right size, they are less maintainance than cork gaskets (you should grease them to keep them from drying out and rotting, as you now know)

That was the first hookah I got:http://www.amazon.com/NeverXhale-Deluxe-Series-Hookah-Complete/dp/B00GR5M3SO/ref=pd_sbs_hpc_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0ZANWK9EM59MA9JHA6V6

Please dont get one. For the same price you can get a Mya Gelato.

They sell grommets on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003VMCBA6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1420533213&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=21jRfdhuudL&ref=plSrch

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0035X7KQQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1420533234&sr=8-2&dpPl=1&dpID=11De-5WgraL&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SX200_QL40

Just make one yourself.

Here is the link on Amazon for the kit and go to your local bar/pub and ask for them to hold back a particular empty bottle of whatever alcohol you want.

Found it!

I've never used it myself, but: turn any bottle into a hookah. http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Bottle-Hookah-Stem-Kit/dp/B00MYGNDF2

...or buy one of these! www.amazon.com/dp/B073W95VJP/