A hookah is a tool used for vaporizing or heating and then smoking tobacco. The smoke is passed through a water basin before it is inhaled. Before smoking hooking, you first need to warm up the bowl.
There are all different types of hookah bowls, differing in both the material and the shape and design. These factors will affect how the bowl heats up and how successful the smoking session ends up being.
The bowl isn’t just warmed up from the top but also on the side walls. This is why you want to place the coals as close to the edges as possible when using foil.
With so many different types of top-rated hookah out there, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Luckily for you, we’re here to help. So keep on reading and we’ll walk you through everything that you need to know!
Hookah Substances
The substance that the hookah is made out of will affect how it performs. It will also determine how quickly it heats up and how effective it is as a smoking apparatus.
Clay
One of the most popular materials for making top-rated hookah bowls is clay. Clay has a porous structure and is able to provide plenty of retention and absorption of heat. This allows for even heating of the tobacco.
It’s worth pointing out that because of how porous clay is, unprocessed clay will end up absorbing some juice from the tobacco during the first several times you pack the bowl. When this happens, the flavor might not be as rich and some unwanted odors might come up.
Ceramics
Another common material for making hookah bowls is ceramics. It should be noted that clay is a kind of ceramic but not all ceramics are clay.
Clay is a natural material that comes from the ground. Ceramics can be made from all kinds of materials that get hard when they heat up.
A ceramic bowl can be covered with glaze or just burn. People looking to buy hookah should know that a glazed one will not absorb the syrup.
Glaze also reflects heat well. This can help the bowl heat up faster.
Silicone
Hookahs made from silicone are fairly new. But they are becoming more popular.
These instruments are easy to clean, hard to break, and offer great handling of heat. This makes them popular among beginners.
The material that is silicone has low heat conductivity. This means that bowls are easy to handle.
Hookah Designs
Similar to the material that a hookah is made out of, the design will also affect the quality of the smoking session. Let’s look at how some of the most popular designs compare.
Classic
A classic clay hookah will typically have thick walls without any coating. The classic shape has a rounded bottom that is suitable for many tobaccos as well as various methods of packing. You can even try a smokeless tobacco here https://blackbuffalo.com/.
Turkish and Egyptian hookahs are usually referred to as classic bowls.
Turkish hookahs can be identified by the raw unfinished appearance and large holes. The holes might be different in size.
Because of how porous these hookahs are, the syrup tends to get absorbed. This leads to a somewhat unpleasant shisha taste for the first several smoking sessions.
Despite these drawbacks, the classic hookah is still an incredible smoking apparatus that provides even heat distribution.
There are a lot of classic hookahs on the market that have a similar appearance to the original Turkish hookah. These days, traditional hookahs come in all different colors and shapes.
When you buy a traditional hookah, you want to make sure that it has thick walls to provide even heat distribution.
Overall, the most versatile hookahs are going to be the classic ones.
Phunnel Bowl
Phunnel hookahs are becoming very common these days. While a classic hookah has multiple holes at the bottom, these hookahs only have one large central hole.
This hole stops syrup from leaking into the stem. It also helps to keep the flavor going for a long period of time. These bowls work great with all kinds of tobacco.
Vortex
A vortex hookah is an alternative version of the Phunnel. It is usually made out of silicone or clay. This kind of hookah has a capped spike in the middle that usually has four or five holes on the sides.
This design stops the juices from leaking into the stem. This allows you to have a longer smoking session as the tobacco stays moist and doesn’t burn. You can use any kind of tobacco with a vortex hookah.
Fruits
Do you want to smoke hookah right now but don’t have any pipes around? Don’t worry. You can use fruit as your hookah head and also intensify the flavor.
Pineapples, watermelons, grapefruits, oranges, and apples all make for great hookah substitutes. While it definitely takes some work to get a fruit hookah right, it’s also a very rewarding experience.
The Importance of Knowing About the Different Types of Hookah
Hopefully, after reading the above article, you now have a better understanding of the different types of hookah. As we can see, hookahs come in all different shapes, sizes, and materials. By understanding how these factors compare and contrast, you will be able to find the hookah that works best for you.
Are you looking for other helpful articles like this one? If you are, then make sure to check out the rest of our blog today for more!