How to Smoke Shisha from a Hookah Pipe

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Last Updated: October 28, 2024 Fact Checked

Shisha began as just another word for water pipe. Outside of West Asia, people often call the pipe a hookah, and shorten "shisha tobacco" to "shisha". You don't need to know the history of the word to enjoy smoking it, but you do need to know the information in this article.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Setting Up the Hookah

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1
Learn how a hookah works. This basic overview will help you follow the process. The bold words describe the main parts of the hookah.
- The bowl at the top of the hookah will hold the shisha tobacco, with hot coals above it.^{[1]
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- Air sucked through the hookah will pull heat from the hot coals. This heat bakes the tobacco and pulls the smoke down through the main shaft.
- The smoke leaves the stem at the end of the shaft, and enters the glass base of the hookah.
- The smoke travels through water and air in the base, becoming cooler and more dilute.
- The smoke moves through the hose and into your lungs.
2
Clean the hookah. Cleaning before the first use and after each smoking session will keep off-flavors out of your smoke. Wash all components with soapy water, except for traditional hoses that will rust or rot if they become wet.^{[2]
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Research source} Modern silicone hoses may be washed with the rest of the hookah.^{[3]
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Research source} Rinse your hookah after every use and deep clean with hookah cleaning solution after every 3-4 smoking sessions.^{[4]
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- Clean glass components with warm or cold water. Hot water can crack glass.
3
Pour water into the base. Take a look through the glass base and make a note of where the stem ends. Now detach the shaft and pour cold water directly into the base. When reassembled, the tip of the stem should be about 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the surface of the water.
- Too much water can get pulled into your hoses and ruin them. Always leave a layer of air at the top of the hookah.
4
Assemble the hookah. Fit the shaft onto the base, the hoses into the holes on the side of the shaft. Every connection should have a rubber or silicone "grommet" to make the fit snug and airtight. Test the connection between the bowl and the top of the shaft as well, then remove the bowl for now.
- Attach all the hoses even if you will only use one of them. This guarantees that the shaft is sealed.
5
Test the airflow. Place your hand over the top of the shaft, blocking the entire hole. Try to inhale through one of the hoses. If you get anything more than a trickle, there's a leak somewhere in your hookah. Check all the connections again and adjust as follows:
- If a grommet won't fit snugly, wet it and try again.
- If the connection between the shaft and the base isn't airtight, wrap the shaft with masking tape where it fits onto the shaft. Add layers of tape until it fits snugly but is still easy to remove.
- If another connection won't fit, wrap it in aluminum foil or moist paper towels. If using moist paper near the hoses, remember to dry them right after smoking.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Smoking Shisha

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1
Drop shisha lightly into the bowl. Open your container of shisha and stir the contents until all the tobacco is moist and clump-free. Sprinkle small pinches into the bowl, trying to avoid clogging the holes. Add more pinches until the bowl is about ¾ full. Press it very lightly to make an even layer. If you pack the shisha down too hard, it will be difficult to pull air through it.
- If you see any tobacco stems, cut them up into smaller pieces.
2
Cover the bowl with a screen or foil. Your hookah might come with a screen or glass "gauze" that sits over the bowl, which needs no extra preparation. Most experienced smokers prefer to replace this with a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil instead, which reduces overheating and gives more control. Stretch the foil over the bowl, pulling gently at opposite edges to make it as taut as possible. Once taut, gently pull down on all sides of the foil until the surface is smooth and flat. Wrap the foil around the sides until secured.
- Make sure the shisha is low enough to avoid touching the foil, or your smoke will have a burned taste
- If you don't have heavy-duty foil, use two layers of normal duty foil instead.
3
Poke holes in the foil. More holes (or larger holes) means more hot air flowing through the shisha. You'll need to experiment to find the balance between getting enough smoke and avoiding harsh, overheated shisha. Here are some guidelines to get you started:^{[5]
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- If poking holes with a toothpick or paper clip, start with 15 holes. If you only have a fine-tipped pen or charcoal tongs, start with 4–7 holes instead due to the larger size.
- For an Egyptian (circular) bowl, start poking around the outer edge and spiral inwards. For a funnel (donut-shaped) bowl, poke three concentric circles between the outer and inner rims.
- Add more holes only if you aren't getting enough smoke. Some people like 50 or more small holes, especially with dense, sticky tobacco.
4
Light a couple of coals. Hookah coals and bowls vary in size. A typical bowl requires two medium coals, but you can use ½ less or 1 more if that doesn't produce the right amount of smoke.^{[6]
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Research source} Always use charcoal specifically made for smoking hookah as bbq coals or other charcoal may have additives that are harmful when smoked. ^{[7]
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Research source} There are two types of hookah-appropriate coals. Handle both types with small tongs over a non-flammable surface, and light as follows:^{[8]
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- Quick light coals light within 10–30 seconds in a match or lighter flame. Once finished sputtering, let it burn until coated in white-grey ash. Blow on it until it glows orange.
- Natural coals are less likely to add harsh flavors, burn your shisha, or give you a headache. Light them on an electric stove coil burner ^{[9]
  X
  Research source} or in an open flame until glowing orange, about ten minutes. Blow on the coals and flip once while lighting to heat evenly. (Avoid glass-top stoves and gas stoves where ash might fall into the gas line.)
Attach the bowl to the top of the shaft. Place the hot coals on top of the foil, near the edge. Space the coals as evenly as possible. For best results, give the shisha a few minutes to warm up before you begin.
6
Smoke gently. Draw air through the hose with full breaths, but a normal breathing pace. A strong inhale will just overheat the shisha, adding harsh burned flavors. To avoid overheating as well as "hookah sickness" when just starting out, wait a minute or two between each inhale. These tips will also help you avoid an unpleasant reaction to the nicotine:^{[10]
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- Drink plenty of water before you begin. Drink water or mint tea as you smoke to keep your mouth moist, or you may stop tasting the smoke.
- Eat light snacks such as bread and dried fruit as you smoke.
- Stick to a maximum of one bowl a day as a beginner.
- Avoid exercise immediately before and after smoking.
7
Adjust the heat. Most bowls last 30–45 minutes, but the smoke often declines in quality before then due to smoking too quickly, low quality equipment, or just bad luck. These adjustments help the shisha heat slowly and evenly, so you can maximize your enjoyment:
- Move the coals about every 10–15 minutes. Tap them with the tongs to knock off any ash, then flip them over so the other side is against the foil.^{[11]
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- If you see smoke rise from the bowl before you inhale, remove the coals and let the hookah cool down.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Trying New Techniques

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Compare a smoke with cold water and ice cubes to a smoking session with warm water. Most find cold water smoother, but warm water may filter harsh particles more effectively, so not everyone agrees.^{[12]
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2
Add other contents to the base. To explore new flavors, add fruit juice, wine, frozen fruit, flavored extracts, or breath mints to the water. If using a liquid (besides extracts, which only need a few drops), you can try anything from a light splash to completely replacing the water.
- Milk and carbonated beverages tend to bubble up, getting in the hoses and leaving a permanent, nasty stink. Let carbonated drinks go flat before you use them. If you want to risk milk, use a small splash in the water only.
- Never drink or eat the contents. The liquid filters out many harmful chemicals.
- Always clean the hookah thoroughly right after using anything besides water.
3
Try different shishas. Shisha comes in many flavors, which are a matter of personal preference. You can also tell a little about how the material will burn based on its consistency:
- Herbal molasses is tobacco-free.^{[13]
  X
  Research source} This is a nice place for beginners to start, since it has no nicotine and is hard to burn. It won't last as long, so use fewer coals than usual (or place them farther from the center).
- Shisha with a "shredded" appearance is the most basic type. Smoke as described above.
- Shisha with a sticky, "pureed" appearance may take a larger coal or a longer warmup time to get started. Once heated, it should produce nice, thick smoke.
- Leafier tobacco tends to have a stronger tobacco flavor. Many of these (such as Tangiers or Nakhla) are finicky specialty products. Ask an experienced hookah fan for advice or look up a more specific guide.
Most novice hookah smokers start with convenient quick light coals. Once you've become a hookah hobbyist, it might be worth switching to a natural coal. These can be made from lemon wood, coconut hair, bamboo, and other ingredients, each with its own flavor.
Experienced hookah smokers try to find the right combination of equipment, shisha, and techniques that produce the smoke they enjoy. Since there's no one right answer, talk to other hookah enthusiasts in your community or online. These can recommend specific brands and types of bowl or hookah based on the kind of shisha and smoking experience you enjoy.

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Tips

Consider toasting the foil with your lighter to burn off the aluminum oxide that coats most aluminum foil. Simply hold the flame underneath until smoke stops rising. Be careful not to burn yourself doing so!

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Don't pack your shisha in too tight. Unless you have a vortex bowl it can squeeze the juice out of your blend.

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Warnings

The coals get extremely hot. Always handle with tongs and avoid flammable materials.

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Hookah smoking exposes you to nicotine and toxic chemicals, just like other forms of tobacco smoking.^{[14]
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Trustworthy Source

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services

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