What Are The Qualities To Look For When Choosing A Hookah?

[Zeusophobia]

New to hookahs, not new to smoking. Getting my first hookah today. I know one thing to look for is a long hose to further cool down the smoke. Are there any advantages to getting a shorter or taller hookah? What else should I be looking for?

[chris.mallia]

Different to what you may believe, a longer hose does not affect the temperature of the smoke, and the shorter / taller the hookah is doesn't make any difference in the overall hookah experience.

What you should be looking for is to buy a branded and quality hookah like a MYA, or better still if you can afford it, a classic Khalil Mamoon, or KM
If u are inexperienced you should get yourself some nice fool proof shisha like Nakhla (any flavor you want, but IMHO cherry is the easiest to setup, and most flavourful) or Al Fakher (Been hearing about Al Waha but haven't tried it yet), and decent QL's or Quick Lighting charcoal from a brand like 3 Kings.

If you have a combination of the above you shouldn't go wrong. When packing a standard bowl (egyptian/Mya/Mod) pack shisha just enough to fill the bowl up to the brim, and be careful not to pack it too tight. Cut a piece of foil large enough to be folded in two or three layers, then cover the bowl with it. Start poking small - medium holes using a toothpick from the edge of the bowl to the center in a circular fashion, covering it with holes. Next, Fill up the base with water, just enough so that the tip of stem is just below the water. In the meantime, light up the charcoal and wait for it to be completely red before putting it on the bowl.

Attach the bowl to the hookah stem (don't forget the bowl grommet) and place the red coals on top. Plug the hose in the hookah (again don't forget the grommet) and In about 2 minutes, you should be puffing away
Most basic things that could go wrong in a hookah setup are air leaks and improper heat management.
When you get hold of the basics, there is literally TONS of things that you can experiment with, change and experience, like unwashed tobacco, natural coals, Phunnel bowls, etc.....
For now you should be all set. If any needs arise, don't hesitate to post your questions

Chris

[rhineholt]

There are people that swear by taller hookahs. I'm one of them. Even though my Mya QT gets good smoke, i like the rumble and ease of pull. Maybe it's just in my mind, but I think I get more smoke with a taller hookah. However, longer/shorter hoses do nothing to cool the smoke.
Like Chris said, look for a mya or a KM.
As for tobacco, nakhla is the most forgiving tobacco out there with heat management so it's very hard to mess up on that. Another one that wasn't mentioned is Starbuzz. Though pricey, it's a good beginner tobacco. Very easy to get smoking.
When you get your hookah, first put it all together minus the bowl, and suck from the hose port while covering the top of the hookah with your finger. If you can hear a whistling, you have an air leak and you should try and fix it!

[Chreees]

Mya or KM. Guaranteed to be good quality, easy to find. It's not necessarily the height that makes a hookah... Basically, in my opinion, if you're wanting a small hookah, go Mya. If you're wanting a tall one, go KM.