Natural charcoal question

[DarthHookah]

New member here, been smoking shisha for about a year now. up till now, i have been using quicklight coals (as far as i am concerned, there are no quicklight coals other than Three Kings), and i am curious to switch to natural. here are my questions-
what do i need? i have heard people using hot plates, butane torches, etcetra, so what can i do? what do i need to get this started?
is the smoking better? never had a problem with three kings, though i did notice a coal flavor when i used starlight coals.
what brands of natural coal are better? what would you recommend?
thanks for your help, i scanned a lot of the forums, and you guys seem really cool! perhaps you can one day call me.... friend...

[The Dude Abides]

Do you have a stove?  Just put a few coals on a burner and crank it up to high.  Rotate to get even heating, and thats it.  Should take about five minutes depending on your stove.
Might want to try a bag of Nour finger coals before bulk natural. I find that they're easier to snap, heat, and smoke with.
In any case, ditch the quicklights.

[Alqoshnia]

I just recently got a bag of bulk naturals. They are called Oman Charcoal. I dunno if they sell anywhere on the internet, but the local market said it was equal to that of Sultan Charcoal. When I first tried it, it had burned out way too quickly, but then I went out to buy me a torch. I suggest you buy a Benz o matic torch the one that has a yellow tank. When I put the charcoal on the stove it took more than 10-15 minutes to start it up, but when I used the torch it took no more than 2-3 minutes. Now if the Dude ^^^ says the Nour fingers take 5 minutes depending on stove, it should take no more than 1 minute with the torch, like starting up a quicklite.

[The Dude Abides]

Yeah I use a torch too, but I find it dangerous to use as I live in an apartment complex with no real porch to speak of.  When coals have a tendency to send hot fragments all over the place at any given moment when using the torch in small micro-explosions, I just wait the extra few minutes to be safe.  And I don't really want to be out in front of my door with a torch lighting little coals... doesn't eactly look like I'm trying to start a hibachi.

[nuschultz]

bernz o matic's only production plant in the US is a block from my house
 
just a fun tidbit. lol

[Maad]

I'm pretty concerned about the health risks of quick lite coals...but these regular coals sound like way too much work. Maybe I'm just too used to setting up my hookah in the bathroom with the air vent on and 30 seconds later I have a hookah ready to go.  

[DarthHookah]

when you say torch, are you talking about those blowtorches? hold a blowtorch flame to the coal for a full minute? sounds a bit extreme, but ill try it after i try using a portable range burner. in any case, i kind of agree with Maad, they sound like a lot of work. i also am used to lighting a quicklight, and 15 seconds later i can smoke. i appreciate yous guys' help, feel free to chip in anything else useful!

[Sonthert]

I think the health effects from quicklight charcoal and natural charcoal are roughly equivalent. Use quicklights if you want, the added risk is the same as putting an ant on a truck and running over someone.