Parts Of Hookah 101 | Hookah Guide For Beginners

Posted by Smoke Fun on August 23rd, 2021

Whether you are a newbie or a professional, you need to know the various parts of hookah properly. Persistent smokers also feel like hookah beginner guides are not only for newbies. When you learn about every aspect of hookah and how every hookah part works, you create a clear understanding. The entire concept leads to better smoking sessions in the future. If you want to have a great smoking session, you need to know everything about the hookah diving system.

Essential Parts Of Hookah - What Do You Need?

We are going to tell you about everything you need to know about the hookah diving system. But, first, let us get into the essential parts of a hookah and its functions.

Hookah Stem

Remember that without a hookah stem, there is no hookah. Stems are made from different materials. Usually, you would find the stems made of stainless steel to avoid corrosion or flavor ghosting. This is an essential piece in a hookah diving system, created by baking shisha from your hookah bowl. Once the water filters the smoke, it rises back into another hole in the hookah stem. This is then connected to a port and your hookah noose. This stem is usually associated with a hookah noose port and pressure release valve.

Hookah Bowl

Out of the multiple parts of hookah, the shisha needs to sit somewhere. That somewhere is the hookah bowl. Hookah bowls come in various shapes, materials, and sizes. Despite the difference in their appearance, all of them are meant to do one thing. They have to hold the flavored tobacco and bake so that the hookah session can initiate. The clay hookah bowls go on top of the stem with the shisha inside. The foil is then added with hot coals on top.

Hookah Base

This is often mistaken as a glass flower base by various beginner smokers! However, the hookah vase is an essential part of the hookah, which connects to the bottom of the hookah stem. This then holds the water, which is used for filtering and cooking the hookah smoke before inhaling through the hose.

Hookah Hose

The hookah hose can change one\\\\\\'s experience regarding the looks and smokes of a hookah. A hose is used to inhale the filtered smoke from the hookah vase to the hookah smoker\\\\\\'s lips. Hookah hoses come in various styles, colors, and materials. You can choose between different hoses such as traditional leather, modern silicone, and much more. The hose is inserted into the hose port of the hookah stem with the help of a rubber grommet.

Ash Tray

This is an essential part of the hookah where your hookah tongs and the hot charcoal rests when you are not using them. It was initially designed to hold excess ash from burnt charcoal. This tray sits on the hookah stem right under the hookah bowl.

Rubber Grommets

These are used to connect each hookah part with an airtight seal. This is an essential part of a hookah, which ensures a flavorful session and dense hookah clouds. Next, grommets are used to attach the bowl, hose, and vase to the hookah stem. Each of the grommets has a different fitment and is used to ensure the perfect shisha session!

Pressure Release Valve

This part of the hookah stem includes a small metal or plastic ball bearing that plugs an airway when the smoker is inhaling. This is also used to pass the air when blown into the hose. This allows the hookah smoker to release harsh smoke from the hookah base to make room for fresh shisha vapor.

Hookah Tobacco

This is a prominent factor for a hookah diving system. The flavor and smoke for your session come from this mixture of tobacco, glycerin, honey, and flavoring additives. As the tobacco and glycerin get baked, they produce smoke vapors that travel through the hookah. These tobacco are used in strong, dark leaf tobacco, lighter blonde tobacco, herbal, non-tobacco shisha, etc.

Hookah Foil

Usually, aluminum foil covers the hookah bowl to separate charcoal and hookah shisha, preventing the tobacco from burning. Using a hookah foil will allow you to distribute the heat across the top of the bowl to bake shisha evenly. You can also use a metal charcoal screen instead of a hookah foil for your sessions.

Hookah Charcoal

The charcoal is yet another necessary part of a hookah used to heat and bake the hookah shisha. The glycerin and smoke, and flavor get vaporized with the help of hookah charcoal. Again, you can use natural hookah charcoal or wood-based charcoal for maximum efficiency. After you have lit the charcoal, place it on a foiled hookah bowl to start your session!

How To Set Up A Shisha Session?

The below-mentioned points are the ways via which you can set up a hookah session.

1. Organize the stem, vase, hose, and pressure release valve

Assemble the accessories as mentioned above to test the airflow of your hookah diving system. Once you have it set up correctly, you would get very little to almost no air. Thus, you would need an airtight hookah. If air is passing through your hookah diving system, check the grommets properly!

2. Fill the base with water.

Once you have confirmed that the airflow is intact, detach the base and fill it with water. This ensures that the water covers one 1 inch of the inserted down stem when it is reconnected. Next, reconnect the base with a rubber grommet. You would also have to place the ashtray on your hookah stem.

3. Pack your shisha bowl

Shisha bowls can be packed in a variety of ways. First, you would need to use a toothpick to poke the holes evenly around the tobacco. You would also have to ensure that the holes are evenly poked around the foil to create an even airflow. Next, fill the bowl up to the rim and gently pat down the tobacco until slightly below the rim. Finally, place the filled hookah bowl on top of the stem using the needed rubber bowl grommet.

4. Light your hookah charcoal

Depending on what type of hookah charcoal you\\\\\\'ve bought for your session, lighting charcoal can be pretty different. Once you have successfully lit the charcoal, place it on top of your hookah foil, evenly around the outside of the hookah bowl.

Quick light charcoal usually requires a much lesser time than any other coal. While using quick light charcoal, you need to hold the charcoal with hookah tongs in the open flame, rotating until fully lit.

Conclusion

Once you have successfully set up different parts of hookah, allow it to be heated for a minute. Do not attempt to start taking puffs right away! This would make your session less enjoyable. Instead, wait for at least 4 to 5 minutes for the tobacco to bake and start producing smoke. After the stipulated timeline has passed, enjoy the bold shisha flavors! If you see the coal starting to ash, move and rotate the charcoal to a new spot on the bowl.

Happy smoking! If you still haven\\\\\'t been able to get the best accessories for your hookah, you need to get some for the best smoking session ever!