hyde Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 Sorry if this has been asked already, but i did a search and diddnt find a whole lot. i was just wondering what you all use to heat up your charcoal. all i have used is the quick start ones and would like to try the other kind but i dont know how im going to heat them. (i have a electric stove, if it was gas i would use that) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny_D Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 Generally, there are three (3) kinda of coals.1. Quick Lights - Just use a lighter.2. Easy lights [also called Japanese style coals] - Use either a gas burner or an electric stove3. Naturals - Harder to light. Need heat source for a good amount of time. Gas or electric burners.JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyde Posted November 4, 2007 Author Share Posted November 4, 2007 do you know were i could pick up a small, cheap gas burner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny_D Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 QUOTE (hyde @ Nov 4 2007, 08:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>do you know were i could pick up a small, cheap gas burner?Depends on your location I guess.I'm in the UK and what you probably want is one of those camping gas things thatyou can use to boil water in a kettle.Something like this maybe :-http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/0765012121500People put the coals on the this and let the gas flame heat them up. probably better for naturals maybe?But naturals are not my area of expertise. I damn near burnt my house down using naturals JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyde Posted November 4, 2007 Author Share Posted November 4, 2007 lol. cant have that, gotta have some to eat, smoke and sleep. Thank you for the advice. Im very new to the hookah, so i dont know a whole lot yet, but this forum really helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegreengoblin707 Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 http://www.thecateringchef.net/Proctor-Sil...Stove-1608.htmlyou can definitely get something under 20 that does your work perfect. stay away from gas, stick with electric. you could probably find something like this at walmart for 15 (i saw online stuff - not what we'relooking for. get one with COILS). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny_D Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 QUOTE (thegreengoblin707 @ Nov 4 2007, 08:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>http://www.thecateringchef.net/Proctor-Sil...Stove-1608.htmlyou can definitely get something under 20 that does your work perfect. stay away from gas, stick with electric. you could probably find something like this at walmart for 15 (i saw online stuff - not what we'relooking for. get one with COILS).I believe brother mushrat uses something very similar in his hookah lounge.Good stuff for sure JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyde Posted November 4, 2007 Author Share Posted November 4, 2007 does electric heat them faster than gas? or better? also, what brand of coals would you suggest using with one of those little electric stoves with coils? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegreengoblin707 Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 (edited) QUOTE (hyde @ Nov 4 2007, 02:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>does electric heat them faster than gas? or better? also, what brand of coals would you suggest using with one of those little electric stoves with coils?incidentally, i have both. my kitchen has gas range and the basement has an electric range. gas is slightly faster because it doesn't have to wait to heat up like coils do. electric does it within 3-5 minutes from the moment i switch off to on. i just put the japanese coal on the coil and pack my bowl and when i'm done the coal is ready. with gas, i can't just leave the coal. i have to manually hold it and move it around in angles to get it all covered. keeps me busy the whole time and i have to deal with hot tongs. you know how gas has lobes of heat rather than a more uniform coal. you have to manually position it on one of the lobes. bottom line is electric is definitely easier and just as fast if you're like me and going circles with the coal on the gas stove. on the other hand, my guess is that a portable gas stove (not connected to a gas line like my range) will one day run out of gas and you have the pain of replacing it. you don't have that worry with electric. gas stoves are meant to save money but you're not cooking turkey here, you just use it for 5 minutes tops per session. also, i'm afarid of gas - what if it leaks, what if you drop a flammable coal near the tank (i'm being ocd i know but think of all the carpets burnt by other users who drop it everywhere - i always smoke outside so i don't have that problem). electric is safer.what coal to use? i prefer japanese coals. jd uses the chinese imitation i use the true japs. i honestly don't know if there is a difference. maybe mine are safer than his as there is no short cut element or technique that compromises health (purely a guess with no basis) and that is why mine costs twice as much. i wonder if someone can comment on any differences between true japs and chinese imitations (the one sold at hookah company) if there are any. Edited November 4, 2007 by thegreengoblin707 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitefanatic Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 QUOTE (thegreengoblin707 @ Nov 4 2007, 10:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>i wonder if someone can comment on any differences between true japs and chinese imitations (the one sold at hookah company) if there are any.I have used both and the only differences that I have noticed are that the Chinese version takes a little longer to light (not enough to matter), and that the silver coating is much harder to scrape off. But keeping in mind that you can get 3 boxes of Chinese to 1 box of Japs and it suddenly doesn't matter all that much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olooko Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 This is what i do. works for any type of coal.Quciklights - BlowtorchEasylights - BlowtorchNaturals - BlowtorchIt works really good but you have to be careful of where you point the dam thing. It'll burn what ever sitting behind the coal as well. When I light the coal I usually place the coal on a metal stand. The blow torch I use is the BernzOmatic with a quick light tigger, the blue canisters. It is usually used by plumbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oolatec Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 (edited) Used naturals for the first time today (Exoticas to be specific)... I just got one of my cooling racks out, put it over my gas stove, broke off a few pieces of coal, fired up the burner and let them go. Got some ash on the stove, but after it was all cooled, the hand vac took care of that. Not as big a mess as I thought, and it ended up working out great. No more quicklite coals for me. Ever.The coals did spark a bit, but I have a pro-quality exhaust hood right above, so there was no issue. Edited November 4, 2007 by oolatec Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkag Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 For quicklights I use a lighter, for jap easy lights I use a lighter or a blowtorch anddddd for naturals I use a blowtorch or another coal usually some cheap quicklight coal from wholefoods Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hookah hippie Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 i got an electric stove for $15 at sears works for all my coals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shisha fan Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 i use a simple hot plate that i got for 17 euros ($24). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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