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Newbie To Owning A Hookah


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I have been to Hookah smoke shops before where you can sit and smoke them but this is my first time owning one. I bought a mini hookah with one nozzle and a light at the base. I went to grab some hookah charcoal and some foil but the woman at the counter said I don't need any of that with a mini hookah since it has a tin lid with holes on the top that I can open and put the Al Amir tabacco in it. I also asked her do I need to put water in the base and she told me no also. But I know I have to put something in the base lol Can someone help me because I ending up not getting the charcoal because she said I didn't need it sad.gif So how can I use it without the charcoal? The size of it is about as tall as a 20 oz soda.
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QUOTE (Carla @ Mar 4 2009, 02:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I have been to Hookah smoke shops before where you can sit and smoke them but this is my first time owning one. I bought a mini hookah with one nozzle and a light at the base. I went to grab some hookah charcoal and some foil but the woman at the counter said I don't need any of that with a mini hookah since it has a tin lid with holes on the top that I can open and put the Al Amir tabacco in it. I also asked her do I need to put water in the base and she told me no also. But I know I have to put something in the base lol Can someone help me because I ending up not getting the charcoal because she said I didn't need it sad.gif So how can I use it without the charcoal? The size of it is about as tall as a 20 oz soda.


Well, what makes a hookah a hookah is the fact that it is pulling the smoke through a pipe and then through water, aka water pipe.

Any does it have some alternative method of heating it? You will definitely need something to heat it up with - and that would be coals.

Do you have a pic of the "tin lid" It might be just a charcoal screen, if its round and has small clasps coming out the sides of it. If it is, tin foil is a much better bet - works better most of the time.


Put up some pictures so we can help you out.
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definately put water in the base. an inch over the downstem. honestly trash the screen and use foil. much better. you need charcoal to smoke. and go to the FAQ sticky on top.

that lady is an idiot. check online shops and never go back there again.

hookahcompany.com is my favorite but there are lots of other good ones.
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QUOTE (Carla @ Mar 4 2009, 01:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
No it did not come with a screen.

I just bought one of these b/c it would only be for personal every now and then use


They don't smoke well or at all. I have not used one and only heard anecdotal stories, but you're better off cutting your loses and getting a real hookah. Some obvious downsides:

Not enough water to cool smoke.

Not enough bowl space to put enough shisha

Not enough room to move coal aruond

Bowl does not look replaceable.

Hose will pull water into it after a few smokes (ask anyone with a Leila).
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It would probably be shit. I used one before and it was harsh a lot and water kept coming through the pipe etc, it's whack. If you want a small personal one then go for one of the mini Mya's.
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I've never used one of those, but hookah technology is pretty simple. It looks like it has all the necessary pieces.

As stated before, you definately need water in the base. That thing on top with the stars appears to be a built in wind cover. A wind cover keeps the coals hotter longer. Does it come off?

The thing the wind cover sits on appears to be the bowl where you pack the shisha. Does that come off? (it needs to for safe packing and cleaning)

The narrow, hexagonal portion should unscrew from the base allowing you to put in water. Does that screw or slide off?

Take a look at the sticky "new people faq". But in a nutshell, you will pack the bowl loosely with shisha, cover the top of the bowl with foil poked with toothpick-sized holes, and place a few fully lit coals on top of the foil.

This should help you get started. Post answers to these questions for further assistance.
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Yes the wind top comes off and base screws off...I just looked at the mini mya's and I like those but before I move into something else I at least want to see if this one will do SOMETHING lol What I will do is buy some coals and do the foil thing and see if it does something. But thanks for everyone's input!! I will also search the site for some good websites to purchase from.

(But I'm seriously looking into that mini mya lol)
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Those mini mini hookahs are really just curiosities/decorations. Even mini hookahs (the really small ones they seel you in bazaars all over the Middle East) in my opinion aren't meant for real smoking either.
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Check out the "official mya order" thread in the trades section and get one of the mya acrylics. Good price and good starter hookah. Makes me sad to see someone who wants to get started with the hookah thing get gypped by someone on their first setup sad.gif

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Yep. I have one. I smoked out of it once, but it's a pain.

I think that the place you bought it from was probably a NHT (not-hookah-tobacco) --- read the forum rules if you don't get the reference.


Without water, you are getting straight hot smoke, which is harsh and hurts. Even with water, in that little P.O.S. - it will be hot, harsh, and disgusting. Also, you'll never find a coal that works on that. It's too small for a full QL so you have to break them up into shreds, and then they only last 10 minutes in that form so you'll be replacing coals and smoking a hot smoke.

Seriously, as everyone said - it's a novelty item or used for something else - but don't try to really smoke shisha out of it as it will turn you off of hookah and you will just have a bad experience.

Pick up a mini-mya online for like $25-30, or upgrade to a QT which is one of the nicest small pipes out there for like $40-45.
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I suggest that you purchase a "genie" hookah if you want a small personal hookah. I have one, and it is great. The center of gravity is very low, and this gives it excellent stability. It is easy to load, easy to smoke, easy to clean. I recommend the Genie, highly.
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Yeah, I have a very similar one. It's mainly a decoration although it is funny to bring out at parties loaded with normal pipe tobacco, smoking it just like a pipe tongue.gif

It is possible to smoke it with hookah tobacco/foil/coals, but you need to use around 1/4 of a quicklight. Not really worth the trouble though.
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If anyone is still reading this thread

Today I went to an Indian store that sold all sorts of products and he had soooo many and he also had a hookah bar in the back..One of my friends recommended him to me. He was so helpful and when I showed him the P.O.S i bought yesterday he let me trade it for one that looked like this

http://www.smoking-hookah.com/product/19474001.asp

It looks like that but it is a different color plus he gave me some samples of banana, mixed berry and strawberry shisha, a base protector and some foils. I just had to take some business cards and tell my friends. Which I think was great.
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