Yet Another "help Me Buy A Hookah" Thread...

[Uncle G~Dogg]

So, I am getting ready to make my first purchase and wanted to run a few questions by everyone...

So I am looking at the Mya Vortex (even though I have read about the thin bases), but I want to go ahead and get anything I may want in this purchase... I plan on smoking Starbuzz if that helps...

What about the whole Phunnel bowl and Mod? Is the Phunnel bowl only made by Tangiers? Is the Mod only made by Smiley? I wish there was one place that had everything! I am buying the Hookah from hookah-shisha...

What about coals? The first time I was in a Hookah bar they used two thin square coals and no one came by to check them and it still burned fine. Saturday they used one large round coal and had to come by and replace...

Anything else I may be missing? Should I get a smaller Phunnel when I get the medium? Should I use a screen instead of foil (Don't want to start a fight on this one...)?

Thanks everyone!

BTW.. I went to 'University Lounge' here in Memphis and had a bowl of Double Apple with a friend... It was great!

[Uncle G~Dogg]

Thanks for the info!

Yeah, I like the idea that Hookah-Shisha provides you will everything to get started with when you order a Hookah... I'm just thinking a little past that first set of supplies...

I wanted the Startbuzz because the past experiences did not have as big a flavor 'punch' as I expected it to have... Might as well start at the top right? Life is too short to smoke cheap shisha! LoL!!

Thanks for the Nod on the Golden Charcoal! I have a torch, so no worries there... Edited July 2, 2007 by Uncle G~Dogg

[MechAnt]

Starbuzz is also the most expensive shisha you can get. It'll break the bank pretty hard. Check out the reviews section to get an indepth look on how other members like certain companies and their flavors. Personally I LOVE Pharaoh's. They run about $13 for 250g which is a bit expensive but it comes with an awesome reusable latch container and it is a quality product. Always thick clouds, great flavor, great flavor choices, awesome storage container, and nice buzz. Edited July 2, 2007 by MechAnt

[Uncle G~Dogg]

Starbuzz is also the most expensive shisha you can get. It'll break the bank pretty hard. Check out the reviews section to get an indepth look on how other members like certain companies and their flavors. Personally I LOVE Pharaoh's. They run about $13 for 250g which is a bit expensive but it comes with an awesome reusable latch container and it is a quality product. Always thick clouds, great flavor, great flavor choices, awesome storage container, and nice buzz.

How many bowls do you get out of that with say a medium bowl? I don't feel that I will be a daily smoker since my schedule is pretty hectic... So one tub of SB would probably last me a month or more... That being the case I don't think the cost will be that big of a deal... Who sells Pharaoh's and I will check them out...

I really enjoy the Mint flavors... I also want something that my wife may enjoy along with all her friends...

[MechAnt]

MNhookah.com sells pharaoh's and at a great price too! With any 250g tub, and smoking twice a week with a medium bowl, it'll last about a month. SB is good for occasions but it's a little bit overrated IMHO. For your wife and her friends, SB white grape I'm sure will be a winner. As will Pharaoh's Honey Dew(although the buzz may be much for newcomers to hookah). I say these two because of personal experience. Girls love these two flavors the most (in my experience) but every person is different. Start off with fruitier, more fresh flavors before going to heavier ones.

[Uncle G~Dogg]

Also, I am not a cig smoker so not really looking for anything with a hugh nicotine content... Although that Double Apple hit me pretty good when I stood up after an hour and a half. They said it was washed and had no nicotine...

[Calcartman]

Uncle G-Dogg, when was the last time you had the same meal every day? how long before it gets boring?
Starbuzz is decent from my experience (though for the moeny i think fumari is much more flavorfull), but one tub is not enough.
I personally have about 25 different flavors, simply because smoking 20 bowls of the same tobacco over and over isn't enjoyable.

And while i understand wanting to be "wow"ed, there are a lot of tobaccos that will do that without being starbuzz.
Personal Favorite Shisha's:

Fumari Tropical Punch
Al Waha Cappucino
Al Waha Strawberry - Al Fakher Strawberry (tied for me)
Layalina Rose
Layalina Watermelon
Fusion Guava
Tangiers Orange Soda

And there are way more. But if you're looking for flavorfull and smokey, i suggest those.

Check the review section, and just read up, you'll see just as many 9/10's in Al Waha and Layalina as you do in Starbuzz and Fumari.

Also, brandwise, i suggest:
Layalina, Al Fakher, Al Waha, Al Amir, Fusion, Tangiers, Fumari, and Starbuzz.
All of them have flavors that rock, and flavors that suck. Al Waha and Tangiers are the ones that will give you a real buzz.


With some warnings, i suggest:
Hookah Hookah, Afzal, Pharoahs, Sultan, Smileys.

HH: No buzz, some good flavors, but it dries out very quickly (in the tub), and generally doesn't last long.
Afzal: Peach = good, i tried about 5 other flavors and all kinda disgusted me. Heavy buzz though.
Pharoahs, Sultan: High buzz, good jars, crappy tobacco. A couple decent flavors, but never had anything that was worth the money.
Smileys: Lots of smoke, but the flavors i tried were tasteless. Edited July 2, 2007 by Calcartman

[poopooshaboo]

I wanted the Startbuzz because the past experiences did not have as big a flavor 'punch' as I expected it to have... Might as well start at the top right? Life is too short to smoke cheap shisha! LoL!!

Inexpensive shisha doesn't equal sub-par shisha.


And Calcartman, you left out Nakhla. Like all brands, it has some good flavors and some weak flavors.

[seraph1m]

what are Nahkla's weak flavours? that's pretty much all that's sold here in germany

[poopooshaboo]

Haven't smoked any of these but from what I've heard Esk apple, mixed fruit, orange and rose are pretty weak nakhla flavors. Could be more.

[Calcartman]

From my experience nakhla has a lot of weak flavors, but you're right i forgot them and they are quite good.
Strawberry, Grape, Peach, and Double Apple are the good ones in my experience.

Mixed fruit tastes like garbage, Orange tastes like chewing on an orange peel, and Lemon was straight pine-sol (just like al waha).

[Hobocans]

I live in Jersey City, so there are a lot of Egyo stores around and they all sell Nahkla. Its $3-5 per box, so thats what I smoke.

Double Apple is always solid, and really is what I think of when I think Egyptian hookahs and hookah bars. Cherry and peach are really sweet. Some people like that. Apricot and cappucino are my personal favorites. Actually, come to think of it, their "non-fruit" shisha is probably their strong suit, like pistachio and rose are good. Sultan (the american shisha producer) makes a Jasmine which is far superior to Nahkla in my opinion, but Nahkla isnt that bad, if you like Jasmine shisha.

We use to call lemon formaldihyd because we lost the box and forgot what it was. I actually really like it now. I swear it gets the thickest smoke, which a lot of times is what Im going for.

I do the 3 kings or starlight coals. Starlight's probably better, but I sometimes pick 3 kings cause you can use the foil wrapper if you accidently forget the aluminum foil.

[MechAnt]

I have to say, the one that Sonthert picked out is quite a looker. Looks like I have another candidate in my choosing a new hookah.

[Sonthert]

what are Nahkla's weak flavours? that's pretty much all that's sold here in germany

Nahkla has a special line of German Export tobacco...all less than 5% glycerine. Call up your government and tell them the law is dumb.

[Andi87]

what are Nahkla's weak flavours? that's pretty much all that's sold here in germany

In Germany you should buy Serbetli or Al Sultan, they're the best things available in Germany. And check www.shisha-forum.de