Beginner guide
Nine simple steps, from water in the base to your first cloud.
Press and hold the hookah or the button, then let go.
Step 1 of 9
Pour cold water into the base. Once the stem is in, its lower end should sit about 2 to 3 cm (roughly an inch) below the waterline.
Too little water and the smoke will not cool; too much and the draw gets heavy, and water can creep up toward the hose.
Tip: Easy check: put the stem in, draw through the hose port and listen. A soft, even bubbling means the level is right.
Step 2 of 9
Set the stem into the base, then add the tray. Attach the hose and close up every joint.
Check the seals: cover the top of the stem with your palm and pull through the hose. If no air gets in, the grommets are doing their job.
Tip: Hear a hiss? Something is leaking. Reseat or wet the grommet and try again.
Step 3 of 9
Stir the tobacco in its pack with a spoon or stick, because the molasses and glycerin settle at the bottom.
Take out what you need and, if it is very wet, let some of the extra juice drain off. Chop up any big leaves or stems.
Tip: You do not want it dry, just not dripping. Too much juice can choke the bowl.
Step 4 of 9
Sprinkle the tobacco into the bowl with your fingers, no pressing. Leave a small gap below the rim so it does not touch the foil or HMD.
A fluff pack is the way to start: air flows easily and the tobacco is harder to burn.
Airy tobacco, an easy draw and forgiving with heat. Best for beginners.
Thin layers with a light press. Lasts longer, but needs more heat and attention.
Tip: With a phunnel bowl, keep the center hole clear of tobacco.
Step 5 of 9
Stretch foil tightly over the bowl so it does not touch the tobacco, then poke small, evenly spaced holes with a toothpick.
Or skip the foil and use an HMD: just set it on the bowl, no poking needed. You adjust the heat with its vents.
Tip: Poke from the edge toward the center. Too few holes and the clouds are thin; holes too big and the tobacco burns faster.
Step 6 of 9
Put your coconut coals on a coal burner. Flip them now and then until they are glowing all over and coated in a thin gray ash, usually about 8 to 10 minutes.
If any part is still dark, the coal is not ready yet, and the smoke can come out harsh.
Tip: Only light coals with a window open or outdoors, and never leave the burner unattended.
Step 7 of 9
Use tongs to move the lit coals onto the foil or HMD. Three coals around the edge is usually plenty to start.
Give it a few minutes (preheat) so the tobacco warms up before you start taking gentle pulls.
Tip: Keep the first few pulls short and light until the smoke really opens up.
Step 8 of 9
Pull slowly and steadily. Give it a go right here: press and hold the hookah or the "Hold to pull" button.
If the smoke turns rough or bitter (harsh), move one coal to the tray or push them toward the edge. If the clouds are thin, bring the coals toward the center or add heat. Clear stale smoke through the purge valve.
Tip: When a coal turns white and shrinks, tap the ash off so it keeps heating evenly.
Step 9 of 9
Once the coals are completely cold, dump the water and take the hookah apart.
Rinse the base, stem and bowl with warm water and scrub the stem with a brush. Rinse a silicone hose and let it dry.
Tip: Clean it right after smoking and it will not hold on to smells, so your next flavor tastes clean.
Use the left and right arrow keys to change steps
Safety first
Burning coals give off carbon monoxide, a gas with no color or smell. Only light them and smoke in a well-ventilated space, never in a closed room without airflow or in a car.
Do not leave lit coals or the burner unattended. When you are done, put the coals out completely, for example in a metal container with water.
Hot coals, the burner and a hot bowl must stay out of reach of children and pets.
Adults only
This site contains information about hookah tobacco and is intended for adults only.
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