Electric charcoal burners
If you smoke with natural charcoal, you need a constant heat source to light it. A lighter will not get this kind of charcoal glowing properly. An electric charcoal burner is made for exactly that: it brings the charcoal up to temperature so that it can then go into the HMD or chimney.
Colour: Black
Colour: Black, Silver
Colour: Black
Colour: Black, Silver
Colour: Black, Silver
Colour: Black
Colour: Black
Colour: Black
Colour: Black
Colour: Silver
Colour: Grey
Colour: Black
Electric charcoal burners in everyday use
In this category you will find various devices and power levels, for example from Smoke2u, AO Hookah, Al-Mani, Jookah, Two Face or Sheeshaya. Depending on the model, wattages such as 450 W, 500 W, 600 W, 800 W, 1000 W or 1500 W appear in the product names. That helps you classify them if you would rather stay compact or want a little more power.
Hookain tip: Always place the burner on a stable surface and use charcoal tongs to turn the charcoal. Let the charcoal glow all the way through before it goes onto the bowl.
Classifying wattage and design correctly
The wattage roughly shows you which power range a device falls into. Smaller models with 450 to 600 watts often work well if you have little space or mainly prepare single sessions. Devices with 800 to 1000 watts are in the practical middle range, while 1500 watts clearly points to more heating power.
| 450–600 W | compact devices, mainly single sessions | little space or occasional preparation |
| 800–1000 W | practical middle range | regular use |
| 1500 W | more heating power | anyone who wants to wait less during preparation |
Then there is the design. In the product names you will find, for example, hotplate or toaster. Such terms help with orientation because they point to different concepts. Whether flatter, more compact or upright: in the end what matters is how well the device suits your spot and your routine before the session.
How natural charcoal glows through evenly
Place the charcoal on the burner and give it enough time. For a clean setup it should not glow on one side only. Turn the pieces with the tongs as soon as you notice that one side is clearly further along than the other. Black spots are a clear sign that the charcoal is not ready yet.
Especially if you build with a Phunnel and an HMD, a clean start is worthwhile. Half-lit charcoal makes the heat harder to control and often leads to an uneven start to the session. Once the charcoal has glowed through all around, the setup can be run more evenly.
Using it safely and cleaning it dry
An electric charcoal burner is a heating device. Use it only on a stable, heat-resistant surface and never leave it unattended. Because glowing charcoal is produced, always make sure there is good ventilation and do not work in confined, poorly ventilated rooms.
To clean it, first pull out the mains plug and let the device cool down completely. Remove ash residue and charcoal dust dry, for example by carefully tapping it out or brushing it off. Moisture has no place on an electrical device like this.
Which burner suits you
If you have little space or only occasionally prepare charcoal, a more compact model can make sense. If you build more regularly or want to wait less during preparation, take a look at more powerful devices and suitable designs.
In the end it is not only the wattage that counts. What matters is how well the burner suits your space, your routine and the amount of natural charcoal you normally prepare before a session.