First Hookah What Would You Recommend?

[bballking72]

Hello everyone,

I'm new here and I'm looking to buy my first hookah. I've been searching around and can't really come to a decision on my own.
I really want to make a good choice and get something that will smoke well and last a long time.

I've heard good things about KMs and MYAs but don't really know which one to get and where to buy them at online. Also I'm not really interested in a multiple hose hookah.

If you could give me some suggestions it would be really helpful. Thanks.

[Jeff_T]

What is the price range you've got? Do you want to get shisha, coals, etc. with your purchase or just a hookah? I personally think the Mya QT is a great beginner hookah and smokes very well. KM's and bigger MYA's are easy to setup and would also make a great first hookah. They should both last a long time. As far as places to buy from I'd recommend [url="http://www.hookahjohn.com"]HookahJohn[/url], [url="http://www.hookahcompany.com"]Hookah Company[/url] or [url="http://www.hookah-shisha.com"]Hookah-Shisha[/url]. There are quite a few others, but I've placed many orders with all of these vendors and have never had a problem. Most, if not all, should have a hookahforum discount code for between 10-15%+ off.

[ryno]

Everything Jeff said, I'd go a Mya or a nice Egyptian.

[Pretender85]

QT is the way to go..easiest thing i ever had to clean since it can almost completely be disassembled and it all seals up nicely.

[RingsMaster]

as most say the mya QT or Bambino

[ngraz617]

Get a nice 22" KM for around $60 or the Mya qt, $45 is a great hookah too. I mentioned the KM because it is a larger hookah and more traditional styling and it smokes great and I think it gets a cooler smoke being taller and having larger diameter down stem and hose diameter, I think better than a qt but I would like to know what others think about that. Either way you can't go wrong and if you want something to travel with the mya is better and is easier to clean. The Mya will come with a hose you will have to change and the KM will come with a hose you wont have to so the price will come out about the same. You will want different bowls on both. The KM will be more prown to tip over than the qt because of the height and light weight and larger hose and if it tips the hose will not be water proof and be ruined so as im writing this the qt with a large nammor hose is probably your best bet. If I was to rewrite this I would say get the qt.

[Arcane]

[quote name='Jeff_T' date='06 January 2010 - 09:00 PM' timestamp='1262847643' post='443711']
What is the price range you've got? Do you want to get shisha, coals, etc. with your purchase or just a hookah? I personally think the Mya QT is a great beginner hookah and smokes very well. KM's and bigger MYA's are easy to setup and would also make a great first hookah. They should both last a long time. As far as places to buy from I'd recommend [url="http://www.hookahjohn.com"]HookahJohn[/url], [url="http://www.hookahcompany.com"]Hookah Company[/url] or [url="http://www.hookah-shisha.com"]Hookah-Shisha[/url]. There are quite a few others, but I've placed many orders with all of these vendors and have never had a problem. Most, if not all, should have a hookahforum discount code for between 10-15%+ off.
[/quote]
+1

if you're dead set on multi-hose, Mya is what i'd recommend. QT is a great hookah and can go up to 2 hoses...if you need more, just get a bigger Mya.

imo, if you can manage with one hose, a KM is far superior to KM as far as pull goes....however, i do think certain Mya's will outlast KM's....

[antouwan]

Temsah. I know that they're kinda new on the boards and a recent carry for most suppliers here but seriously wow. i;ve owned 4 or 5 MYAs and 7 KMs (not all at the same time) and i can tell you, first hand, that the MYAs are built well and all (despite their poor design ex common chamber and horrible purge) that the Shakil Temsah i bought from HC is guilt like a tank, from comparing my OG trimetal to the Shakil, i would say that the Temsah es built marginally better and feels even more solid than my KM trimetal. i don't really have 'much' technical experience with all of that (in terms of welding et al) but quite a few hookahs have crossed my path in my 5+ years of being in this hobby and i must say in all honesty, that the Temsah could possibly be my favorite, not to mention the thing smokes like a champ, although, once you get into the KMs and MYAs (and Temsahs) and have a pretty decent setup, they're going to be smoking in the same neighborhood.

post up a few that you're considering and i'm sure people with experience with the particular pipes will gladly give you feedback.

and yes, buying from Hookah John, Hookah-Company, or Hookah Shisha (in that order) would be a wise move.

[Vladimir]

Almost any quality hookah can be made to smoke very well. You have a few key things to think about when purchasing...

1- Availability, don't get your heart set on a model without even checking if you can actually [i]get it[/i].
2- Price
3- Size (I have a 34" that smokes great, but recently invested in a 23" because it is [i]much[/i] easier to clean).
4- Looks (I am personally 100% function-over-form*, so couldn't care less what it looks like- but I know many find the appearance very important).

QT's and KM's are of course popular. I recently bought a Temsaah (the 23") off Hookah-Company and love it! I think it smokes about the same as my 34" (though my friends all think it is way better) but at a much nicer size (and it does look awfully nice).

* I don't look at a hookah for it's appearance, but if it looks nice that is an added benefit .

Other things to consider are of course multiple hose, material (brass, stainless steel, etc). I am personally not a fan of multiple hoses at all, however, it was occasionally nice to have a second hose possible with my 34" (two hose), even if I normally left one port plugged, it was nice to have the option.

Also think about the context- are you smoking at parties with a bunch of drunk frat guys? You may want something taller/heavier that will be sturdier, for example. Smoking at home alone, not such a concern then.

[img]http://www.godivine.net/photos/Hookah/web/content/bin/images/large/DSCN1179.jpg[/img] Edited January 7, 2010 by Vladimir

[rahl071]

Mya QT and bambino are both very solid choices. I recently got what Southsmoke calls a Pyramid, and what Hookah-shisha.com calls a Vortex. 22", Stainless steel, up to 4 hoses, Vortex/Pyramid-style threaded glass base. I love it too. It's about 110ish dollars, but it comes with good tongs, a Mya locking carrying case.

[url="http://www.southsmoke.com/pd_the_pyramid.cfm"]http://www.southsmoke.com/pd_the_pyramid.cfm[/url]

Also, right now, if you spend more than a hundred dollars, you can get a free petite.

[url="http://www.southsmoke.com/pd-the-petite-mya.cfm"]http://www.southsmoke.com/pd-the-petite-mya.cfm[/url]

I was skeptical of this little guy at first, but damn. I smoked it yesterday with my friend Dan for two hours, and we were both thoroughly impressed despite its tiny size. Anywho, it's a nice travel-size you can put in a tiny box and bring to a friends for you and another.

The Base for the big one is 35 bucks to replace, which isn't horrible. but it's built really solidly, so... Yeah. Just my .02.

[Travis]

Personally i think that the qt is perfect for beginners.
Yes its small and easy to clean, cheap, and a great pipe BUT.....
it makes more sense to me to use a smaller pipe because its a great way to learn the basics.
The coals are a very big hazard, and with a smaller sturdier pipe the hazard is reduced dramatically.
The qt is perfect for learning the way of the hookah.

I say get the qt, master the shit out of it, then move to a new pipe if you so desire.

[Arcane]

a $20 pipe or $200 pipe won't have any effect in how you pack a bowl or on your heat management (which imo are the basics of hookah)...

buy a pipe that is built solidly AND that you find aesthetically pleasing....your pipe is the only thing you can't change at a moments notice, you might as well make it a good purchase from the start without having to consider upgrading it down the line...

[LZ22]

I like MYA's, those are the ones I own. You don't have to limit yourself to a small hookah, it makes no difference how big it is, its basically just for aesthetics. All Mya's will smoke amazing and they have a clean, modern look to them. So basically just pick one based on your price range and what you will love...after all, it is YOUR hookah now! Pick one that you will love. For Mya's, hookah-shisha.com probably has the best collection of them in many varieties.

[Chreees]

Mya QT is a great beginner.... I started out on it, then moved to an AF Small Solid 24", then to a KM OG Trimetal 32", and then thought I was quitting and also needed money so I sold the KM (otherwise I would've kept it, I miss it), and now I'm back with a QT. I can definitely tell you that a QT is just great overall- it's small, portable, easy to clean, can be adapted for two hoses... the list goes on and on. But I will get another KM someday, and let me tell you why- a KM offers a smoking experience like none other. I can't really explain it... Maybe's it's the huge f-off clouds or the drop-dead beautifulness of the pipe from which you are smoking, but it's definitely nice. Even just the smoke seems better. My opinion: get a Mya QT to start out with. Then upgrade later on down the road when you've mastered your heat management and packing method. But if money is no object to you really... Then you might as well just go ahead and buy a KM if you know you love hookah and will continue doing it... lol.

[twoapplesplease]

I'm gonna say pick up a nice brass syrian for around $60

[Charley]

I would start with a mya

a bambino, acrylic, qt, or petite

all are good choices there relatively cheap good quality and easy to clean.

out of the 4 the petite would be my first choice followed by the acrylic.

you can get the petite for about $25 or the acrylic for free (with a $100 order from h-s)

they will all let you practice your technique in loading and heat management without having to invest an arm and a leg into something you may decide not to stick with.

now if your serious about hookah and know your going to stick with it I would go for a KM.
(good quality, beautiful design, and with proper care will last you a lifetime. altho the larger ones are harder to clean if you are limited on sink space.)

and remember a hookah is nothing more than a paper weight without shisha and coals.

if you are not an experienced smoker stay away from tangiers original.
without experience it will be harsh and a bad smoke. (once you know what you are doing it will be almost ambrosia like tho.)
the lucid line should be good to start with if you want.
also get an assortment of brands to find the one that works best for you
I suggest nakalah, al fakher, layalina, tangiers lucid, and al wah (just to get you started that is. pick of a a few 50G boxes with your order for the ones that come in 50g that is and a pack of the rest in the smallest size you can get.)
try a bowl of each till you find the brand that works the best with you then practice on that then start exploring the other brands that are out there youll find ones that are far better for you than what I have suggested of that I am sure.)

now as for coals try to stay away from quicklights and go with natural lump or coco coals (every type and brand of coals burns differently just find the ones that are right for you. and after you get the heat management down and see how real coals are supposed to work you can then try quicklights and see if the pros of convenience outweighs the cons of the headaches and flavors that they impart onto the shisha.)

and ppl will tell you to get a phunnel bowl but I suggest learning with a standard bowl first then upgrading (for the reason being that the standard bowls will waste less shisha when your first learning to pack and manage your heat.)

[LZ22]

Why does everyone keep suggesting to limit his purchase to a small hookah like a QT? All MYAs smoke the same. You will get the same experience from all of them so pick one based on how you like the way it looks. You can learn how to use a big one the exact same way you would a small one. MYAs are extremely easy to assemble and clean, and they are all tough as rock. Don't just limit yourself to a cheap small one, find one that you think is awesome looking. Again, hookah-shisha.com has the best MYA selection.

[bballking72]

Thanks for all of the replys. I decided that I would rather go for a larger hookah. I've been looking around and really like the KMs and found a few that i like. These are the four that I've been looking at:

http://www.hookah-shisha.com/p-5371-tall-trimetal-khalil-mamoon-hookah.html
http://www.hookah-shisha.com/p-5096-khalil-mamoon-hookah-basha-1-hose-hookah.html
http://www.hookah-shisha.com/p-5247-anuket-khalil-mamoon-hookah.html
http://www.hookah-shisha.com/p-5098-khalil-mamoon-hookah-pharonie-1-hose-hookah.html

I like them all and can't really decide lol. I was wondering if you guys could give me your thoughts on them. Thanks.

[demonix]

[quote name='bballking72' date='08 January 2010 - 01:07 AM' timestamp='1262938073' post='443902']
Thanks for all of the replys. I decided that I would rather go for a larger hookah. I've been looking around and really like the KMs and found a few that i like. These are the four that I've been looking at:

[url="http://www.hookah-shisha.com/p-5371-tall-trimetal-khalil-mamoon-hookah.html"]http://www.hookah-sh...oon-hookah.html[/url]
[url="http://www.hookah-shisha.com/p-5096-khalil-mamoon-hookah-basha-1-hose-hookah.html"]http://www.hookah-sh...ose-hookah.html[/url]
[url="http://www.hookah-shisha.com/p-5247-anuket-khalil-mamoon-hookah.html"]http://www.hookah-sh...oon-hookah.html[/url]
[url="http://www.hookah-shisha.com/p-5098-khalil-mamoon-hookah-pharonie-1-hose-hookah.html"]http://www.hookah-sh...ose-hookah.html[/url]

I like them all and can't really decide lol. I was wondering if you guys could give me your thoughts on them. Thanks.
[/quote]

HookahCompany has the Pharonie for $100
and let me tell you from experience with this pipe...
It's a great pipe and will be worth every penny..
Pretty much every KM will smoke the same and will perform outstanding..

You cannot go wrong with a KM at all in my opinion.
The QT offers a small hookah with a barely restricted pull compared to a KM or a Syrian, but it will not purge as near as a KM..

Out of the hookahs you linked, the Pharonie is definitely your best purchase

[rahl071]

[quote name='demonix' date='08 January 2010 - 02:27 AM' timestamp='1262942848' post='443911']
[quote name='bballking72' date='08 January 2010 - 01:07 AM' timestamp='1262938073' post='443902']
Thanks for all of the replys. I decided that I would rather go for a larger hookah. I've been looking around and really like the KMs and found a few that i like. These are the four that I've been looking at:

[url="http://www.hookah-shisha.com/p-5371-tall-trimetal-khalil-mamoon-hookah.html"]http://www.hookah-sh...oon-hookah.html[/url]
[url="http://www.hookah-shisha.com/p-5096-khalil-mamoon-hookah-basha-1-hose-hookah.html"]http://www.hookah-sh...ose-hookah.html[/url]
[url="http://www.hookah-shisha.com/p-5247-anuket-khalil-mamoon-hookah.html"]http://www.hookah-sh...oon-hookah.html[/url]
[url="http://www.hookah-shisha.com/p-5098-khalil-mamoon-hookah-pharonie-1-hose-hookah.html"]http://www.hookah-sh...ose-hookah.html[/url]

I like them all and can't really decide lol. I was wondering if you guys could give me your thoughts on them. Thanks.
[/quote]

HookahCompany has the Pharonie for $100
[/quote]

Honestly though, do you think he should pay that little extra at hookah-shisha.com, and get that additional free hookah from their offer? It's a mya acrylic, good solid beginner pipe he can pitch in a backpack and haul all over the place. The one that's a little pricier from Hookah-Shisha.com also comes with tobacco; so? Honestly I say get the Pharonie from Hookah-shisha, pick up the free Mya that's advertised on their home page, and that way you have a backup/travel pipe.

[Arcane]

does H-S have a discount code? if not, i'd get the Pharonie from HC (save 15% with their discount code) and use the money saved to cover shipping.

if you plan on doing a lot of traveling with your hookah and i mean A LOT, then go with H-S so you don't have to take your KM with you everywhere. if you don't plan on taking a hookah around with you, i don't see a reason to order from H-S just to get the Acrylic.

[rahl071]

That's true. Living the college life and moving around a lot, it's an option I'd want. But if it's gonna be stationary, then go for what he recommended w/ the discount code, definitely.

[Charley]

[quote name='LZ22' date='08 January 2010 - 12:50 AM' timestamp='1262933413' post='443883']
Why does everyone keep suggesting to limit his purchase to a small hookah like a QT? All MYAs smoke the same. You will get the same experience from all of them so pick one based on how you like the way it looks. You can learn how to use a big one the exact same way you would a small one. MYAs are extremely easy to assemble and clean, and they are all tough as rock. Don't just limit yourself to a cheap small one, find one that you think is awesome looking. Again, hookah-shisha.com has the best MYA selection.
[/quote]


[quote name='Charley' date='07 January 2010 - 08:41 PM' timestamp='1262918486' post='443865']


[b]they will all let you practice your technique in loading and heat management without having to invest an arm and a leg into something you may decide not to stick with.
[/b]

[/quote]

the answer to your question. lol we simply dont want him to waste money on something unless hes going to stick with it.

now back to the original posters question

well if your going for a km then given the advice you received find what you like aesthetically. all kms will smoke very similar so at this point its all about looks and where to find the best deal.
now if you want 2 hookahs for the price of one go with h-s if you want it a bit cheaper got with hc
and if im not mistaken the name of this forum works as a code for both of these vendors. (think its 10 or 15 percent not sure.)

[Codename067]

I would be lying if I told you to get a "starter" hookah [Nothing against everyone that suggested that].

Sooner or later, you are going to want a nicer one, a bigger one perhaps, a nicer looking one...ect.

Get a cheap Egyptian, doesn't have to be a KM, even a generic one will serve you for a long time.

Unless you have preference, don't limit yourself to the size. I'd say your best bet would be between 28"-36".

Myas are good starters, but again (off topic) everyone told me a 600cc bike is a good starter, but I went out and got myself a 1000 and I know for a fact that had I gotten a 600, I would have been disappointed now because I now know that going big was the best choice in the long run.

You are going to get hooked, and you will want to get something "nicer" sooner or later. So I suggest you start semi-big, then start looking for other options once you achieve a higher skill level in smoking.

My 2 cents.

[cloudripper]

[quote name='bballking72' date='07 January 2010 - 01:23 AM' timestamp='1262845383' post='443701']
Hello everyone,

I'm new here and I'm looking to buy my first hookah. I've been searching around and can't really come to a decision on my own.
I really want to make a good choice and get something that will smoke well and last a long time.

I've heard good things about KMs and MYAs but don't really know which one to get and where to buy them at online. Also I'm not really interested in a multiple hose hookah.

If you could give me some suggestions it would be really helpful. Thanks.
[/quote]

Hi there bballking72. I would recommend any MYA acrylic. They are easy to setup, lightweight, and easy to transport. You wont have to worry about anything denting or breaking aside from the clay bowl (which is huge!). I have always found that Nakhla is the best shisha people use to start with because its cheap and it teaches you to really separate the stems from the rest of the tobbacco. Quik Lite coals are always good to start with but make sure you are buying some with good quality. You definitely want to do a little of your own research on this because it makes all the difference with your hookah and the taste it will deliever (i.e. make sure its not doused in chemicals, not brittle, decent burning expectancy, etc) Hope that helped!