Getting Started & Setup · 7 min
What do I need to smoke hookah? Accessories checklist
Hookah, bowl, foil or HMD, natural charcoal with charcoal lighter, tobacco, hose and mouthpiece: the basic equipment for your first session.
Shisha Getting Started & Setup · Part 2 of 3
Which hookah suits you? Choosing by budget and use
Buy a hookah with a stem and dip tube made of V2A stainless steel, closed chamber and 18/8 ground joint. For taking out and about, hookahs up to 40 cm are suitable; for home, 45 to 55 cm. A complete set with hose, mouthpiece and bowl can be had in the entry class.
In this article9 chapters
- The four decisions at a glance
- Material: stainless steel, aluminium or epoxy resin?
- Size: how tall should the hookah be?
- Technology: what do the terms on the product page mean?
- Scope of delivery: complete set or just the hookah?
- Which hookah for which budget?
- Four models in pictures
- Spare parts and the bowl afterwards
- Frequently asked questions
The four decisions at a glance
Four details on the product page decide whether the hookah suits you. The look comes after.
| Decision | What you look out for | Rule of thumb |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Stem, dip tube and base | V2A stainless steel does not rust and hardly wears |
| Size | Height without bowl | Up to 40 cm for on the go, 45 to 55 cm for home |
| Technology | Closed chamber, purge valve, diffuser, 18/8 ground joint | Closed chamber and 18/8 ground joint are standard today |
| Scope of delivery | Hose, mouthpiece, bowl, tongs | You always buy tobacco and charcoal in addition |
Material: stainless steel, aluminium or epoxy resin?
V2A is stainless steel that doesn't rust. It is hard, the threads run cleanly for years, and limescale hardly settles. Make sure the stem and dip tube are made of it, because smoke and water pass through there. The Moze Tradi is built entirely from V2A.
Aluminium is lighter and cheaper, but softer: threads wear faster, and limescale settles more readily. For occasional bowls it is enough. Epoxy resin, wood and carbon sit as a sleeve on the outside around a stainless steel core. They change the look, not the smoke.
Size: how tall should the hookah be?
The height is stated on the product page without the bowl. Up to 35 cm a hookah is small, up to 50 cm medium, above that large. A small one like the Mini Brodator at 32 cm fits in a rucksack and on a balcony table.
Size changes little about the smoke: a longer stem cools slightly, while very tall hookahs draw more sluggishly. If you mostly smoke at home at the table, choose 45 to 55 cm. What small models can do is shown in the article Small hookah.
Technology: what do the terms on the product page mean?
You'll find these six terms on almost every hookah. This is how to read them.
| Term | What it is | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Closed chamber | Design of the base: the smoke runs through channels instead of an open chamber | Stale smoke is blown out of the glass base faster |
| Purge valve | Valve with a ball, also called a blow-off | The ball seals when you draw and frees the way when you blow in |
| Diffuser | Attachment at the end of the dip tube that breaks up the air bubbles | Quieter bubbling and a softer draw; unscrew it if you prefer it more direct |
| 18/8 ground joint | Common joint size on hose connector and bowl adapter | Hose adapters and molasses catchers with an 18/8 ground joint fit |
| Glass base closure | Push-in system, screw thread or click closure | Push-in is fastest, click also locks, a thread sits firmly |
| Hose connections | One to four connections on the base | For groups with several hoses |
With the push-in system, any push-fit glass base with the same opening fits. With thread and click, you only get the replacement glass base from the same manufacturer.
Scope of delivery: complete set or just the hookah?
Read the scope of delivery before you order. Inexpensive complete sets come with hose, mouthpiece, a bowl with chimney top and tongs. More expensive models often come without a bowl and without a hose, because you choose both yourself. A stem set doesn't even have a glass base.
| Model | Included | You buy in addition |
|---|---|---|
| Aladin MVP A36 | Silicone hose, mouthpiece, bowl with chimney top, charcoal tongs | Tobacco, charcoal |
| Darkside Intro | Glass base, hose, mouthpiece, charcoal tray | Bowl, tobacco, charcoal |
| Moze Tradi Set | Push-fit glass base, hose and bowl adapter, charcoal tray | Hose, mouthpiece, bowl, tobacco, charcoal |
| Stem set | Stem, base, dip tube, charcoal tray | Glass base, hose, mouthpiece, bowl, tobacco, charcoal |
Ready-made sets are listed under Complete sets and bundles. What else belongs on the shopping list is shown in the article What do I need to smoke hookah?.
Which hookah for which budget?
You get stainless steel, closed chamber and diffuser even with inexpensive sets. More money gets you thicker material, a faster closure and adjustable parts.
Aladin Epox 360
36 cm, epoxy resin sleeve, hose and bowl included.
Darkside Intro
41 cm, click closure and hose connector with magnet.
Steamulation Pure
47 cm, click closure and room for four hoses.
Steamulation Ultimate One
One hose connector, click closure, molasses catcher included.
| Budget | What you get | Models |
|---|---|---|
| Entry class | Complete set with 32 to 36 cm, stainless steel, closed chamber, bowl and hose included | Aladin MVP A36, Aladin Epox 360, Mini Brodator |
| Mid-range | V2A stainless steel with its own design, you choose the bowl yourself | Moze Tradi Set, Darkside Intro |
| Upper class | Click closure, adjustable dip tube, diffuser that can be turned off | Steamulation Mini Gen 2, Steamulation Ultimate Gen III |
The entry class is enough for a first hookah. You will find all models under Hookahs.
Spare parts and the bowl afterwards
Glass breaks, seals go soft. Before buying, see whether glass bases, seals and adapters are available individually for your model. For the big brands they are listed under Hookah spare parts.
If no bowl is included, take a Phunnel to begin with. The article compares the designs Phunnel, clay bowl or multi-hole bowl, the bowls are listed under Hookah bowls.
Want to narrow the selection down to your budget? In the Hookah advisor you set what you are looking for and which equipment you already own.
Frequently asked questions
Which hookah is good for beginners?
A complete set with a V2A stainless steel stem, closed chamber and 18/8 ground joint. Hose, mouthpiece and bowl are included; you buy tobacco and charcoal in addition.
Is stainless steel better than aluminium?
V2A stainless steel doesn't rust and hardly wears. Aluminium is lighter and cheaper, but softer: threads wear faster.
What does closed chamber mean?
It is a design of the base: the smoke runs through channels instead of an open chamber. Stale smoke is blown out of the glass base faster.
What does 18/8 ground joint mean?
It is the common joint size on the hose connector and bowl adapter. Hose adapters and molasses catchers with an 18/8 ground joint fit on it.
How big should a hookah be?
Up to 40 cm for on the go, 45 to 55 cm for home. The height is stated on the product page without the bowl.
Does a hookah come with a bowl?
With inexpensive complete sets usually yes, with more expensive models often not. The scope of delivery on the product page tells you.
About the author
Julian
Hookah expert
For this article
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