Phunnel Or Vortex?

[Lucy Ford]

So I need a bowl. Right now i have a rather large bowl split down the middle, which was fine because i normally smoked with a group of 4 or 5 people when i was home. But now I'm only smoking with a max 3 people in short sessions so I'm looking for a smaller bowl. I want a vortex or phunnel, but I gotta be honest, i know nothing about either. Advice anyone?

[Chreees]

Get a small Tangiers phunnel.

[dizzbizz]

I have both and prefer the phunnel. Its more durable than the vortex and holds less shisha I think. Plus the vortex can be a little restrictive.

[mushrat]

Never tried a Vortex, but why go with something that is based on a phunnel when you can have a phunnel?

[r1v3th3ad]

I gave away my vortex because I hated it so much(but don't tell my roommate, he thinks I was doing him a favor)

pick up a small tangiers phunnel or a hookahjohn alien mini phunnel and you'll be set

[Epoch]

I personally love my Vortex bowl, but if you're looking to downsize it isn't the bowl for you. It holds about 30g of shisha, and if you don't smoke for about two hours there will be lots of wasted shisha left in it.

[Nacko]

I have no problems with the Vortex bowl, it works just fine and as it is supposed to. I think the criticisms of it are mindless Tangiers brand loyalty more than anything actually objective. The things people say about it, well, they're assumptions. "It has four [i]small [/i]holes instead of one [i]big[/i] hole so it [i]must[/i] be restrictive. And more restrictive than the hose port, at that. I haven't done any tests or anything, but I just know that to be the case!" That so many people think it must be much worse is hilarious because it is identical in form and function to ordinary phunnels save for the small improvement that it doesn't suck down the foil and so neither does it require a scalli mod.

It's not very small and takes a while to cash but, lucky us, the tealight mod works just as well for as it does for traditional phunnels. That said, if you'd prefer not to waste time with the tealight mod, a smaller phunnel might be a better fit for you since the Vortex, as far as I know, is not yet available in smaller sizes.

[IainUM]

[quote name='Nacko' timestamp='1285446467' post='483116']
I have no problems with the Vortex bowl, it works just fine and as it is supposed to. I think the criticisms of it are mindless Tangiers brand loyalty more than anything actually objective. The things people say about it, well, they're assumptions. "It has four [i]small [/i]holes instead of one [i]big[/i] hole so it [i]must[/i] be restrictive. And more restrictive than the hose port, at that. I haven't done any tests or anything, but I just know that to be the case!" That so many people think it must be much worse is hilarious because it is identical in form and function to ordinary phunnels save for the small improvement that it doesn't suck down the foil and so neither does it require a scalli mod.

It's not very small and takes a while to cash but, lucky us, the tealight mod works just as well for as it does for traditional phunnels. That said, if you'd prefer not to waste time with the tealight mod, a smaller phunnel might be a better fit for you since the Vortex, as far as I know, is not yet available in smaller sizes.
[/quote]



eh, i wouldn't say that so much. i've found most, if not all of the posters on here are pretty unbiased in their opinions, and if they lean one way or another on something, i'd bet it is from personal experience... just saying...

[srawas89]

I have a vortex and it works great for me. I dont think that it uses that much tobacco, I always thought it would use less then a small Tangiers phunnel. I have a Havana phunnel that I got for real cheap and that holds a lot more than my vortex does. Anyone who has a vortex and small phunnel care to comment on the difference in size?

Personally I would probably go for a phunnel but I just can not get over the price for it. I am however, used to buying hookah stuff on the cheaper side, its half the reason why I dont like to order online, although the selection is so much better. Anyway I am happy with my vortex and have no issues with it, however I am very intrigued to see the difference between a vortex, a non-tangiers phunnel and a tangiers phunnel.

[TweakX4]

i have both a small phunnel and a vortex, as well as a even smaller glass phunnel (from h-s.com)

the best is going to be the small phunnel, hands down probably one of the best bowls out there. but it holds a lot.

i find myself using the vortex and glass phunnel more than the tang one. out of those three the grass phunnel is my favorite/most used

[TheyCallMeDave]

I completely disagree with the bias statement. Coming from someone who has smoked first from havana, to egyption, to vortex to tangiers funnel, I can say each change was a step up. I much perfer a funnel than a vortex. That being said, I think a vortex is a good gateway bowl into the funnel.

Having the vortex first showed me the "juice saving" effect with the two bowls, and I learned to manage coals and pack properly by the time I invested in a funnel.

And with thatttt being said, if you want a good smoke but an easy smoke, vortex. But if you want the best smoke experience with your wet shishas, small tangiers ftw.

[Lucy Ford]

arguments not necessary, folks. Thanks for the input guys, i think i'm gonna go for the small phunnel.

[Epoch]

Honestly, I use both and they're both excellent bowls.

[dizzbizz]

[quote name='Nacko' timestamp='1285468355' post='483141']
That's the issue, personal experience. It's notoriously fallible and subject to suggestion and all the pitfalls of human psychology. I can't think of a reason that the design of the vortex would result in an inferior smoke when compared to a phunnel, both properly prepared of course, without violating physics. Can you? I'm not arguing that the vortex is better (with the exception of deprecating the scalli mod and completely avoiding the clogging issue) but that the two designs really should perform just about the same, all else being equal. That is, from my understanding, the entire reason the vortex exists.

And there may not even be a lot of brand bias going on, though I'm fairly certain it must play a part. There's also simply preferring whichever you got first and became used to. Or maybe just justifying the more expensive purchase. There are scads of tests in the literature that demonstrate the reasoning that goes into people's decisions that is anything but objective: preferring whichever they had last or are most comfortable with or spent the most money on or comes from a name they trust and so on and so forth. In any case, the prejudice against the vortex is, in my opinion, undeserved and misplaced.

I would love to see the results of a carefully engineered double blind test to see if the vortex can be reliably picked out of a lineup by seasoned smokers. Would probably be interesting.
[/quote]

So you haven't smoked using a Phunnel bowl?
With all due respect, you're being hypocritical, because with all of these accusations as to why it should smoke better if not as good as a Phunnel are[quote name='Nacko' timestamp='1285446467' post='483116']well, they're assumptions.[/quote] I have both as I stated before and prefer the Phunnel. Why? The durability, the quality, and yes, the bigger, single hole at the top rather than four small ones on the bottom of a spire. As a matter of fact, the single hole [u]does[/u] give you better airflow than a Vortex when packed and managed correctly. I've done all I can and know how to do with my three consistent years of experience and have been unable to achieve the same results with my Vortex as my Phunnel. Maybe you should try the Phunnel and see where that takes you. I understand that a Vortex bowl [i]should [/i]smoke just as good, but it [i]doesn't[/i].

I'm not a brand loyalist and I don't justify biases based on names, but when speaking of the product alone, without have been put to use, yet, I prefer the Phunnel, still. For a few reasons: When I received my Vortex one hole was actually clogged with clay as a manufacturer's defect, the Phunnel is hand made here in the US and hand picked for the best product. The clay the Phunnel is made of transfers and spreads heat better than most bowls I've used, including the the clay used in the Vortex, which is a common clay for mass produced, hookah bowls. As a result of these two different types of clay, we come to durability. I've dropped my Phunnel three times, that I can remember, and its still kicking like the day I bought it. I've dropped my Vortex once and its rendered useless, because the whole stem of the bowl broke off. If you compare the thickness of the clay between the two bowls, you'll notice a [b]drastic[/b] difference. The phunnel is easily three times as thick, at the stem, than the Vortex
These are all the reasons why I prefer the Phunnel and I'm positive I'm not the only one. I understand how it can look like brand loyalty here and in some cases you're right, but with this I don't think so, I'd just prefer that [u]you[/u] would try both options before making assumptions of your own.

[superbeefy2050]

I've recently just purchased a vortex bowl after using a Mya Clay bowl and I've really noticed a difference. The Vortex bowl keeps the shisha wet and lasts me for like 1-2 hours while the Mya would last about 30-45 min.
I've wanted to try and get a phunnel bowl, but I really like the Vortex and see no reason to replace it.

[Capt. Morgan]

I'd say a small phunnel or and alien phunnel.

[noodle]

I have a small tangiers phunnel, though I'm curious to try a Vortex. I'd also like to get an alien phunnel too.

[Travis]

[quote name='IainUM' timestamp='1285450591' post='483123']
[quote name='Nacko' timestamp='1285446467' post='483116']
I have no problems with the Vortex bowl, it works just fine and as it is supposed to. I think the criticisms of it are mindless Tangiers brand loyalty more than anything actually objective. The things people say about it, well, they're assumptions. "It has four [i]small [/i]holes instead of one [i]big[/i] hole so it [i]must[/i] be restrictive. And more restrictive than the hose port, at that. I haven't done any tests or anything, but I just know that to be the case!" That so many people think it must be much worse is hilarious because it is identical in form and function to ordinary phunnels save for the small improvement that it doesn't suck down the foil and so neither does it require a scalli mod.

It's not very small and takes a while to cash but, lucky us, the tealight mod works just as well for as it does for traditional phunnels. That said, if you'd prefer not to waste time with the tealight mod, a smaller phunnel might be a better fit for you since the Vortex, as far as I know, is not yet available in smaller sizes.
[/quote]



eh, i wouldn't say that so much. i've found most, if not all of the posters on here are pretty unbiased in their opinions, and if they lean one way or another on something, i'd bet it is from personal experience... just saying...
[/quote]

True.....I own both, and i lean towards the phunnel 99.9% of the time.
I never have trouble with the foil clogging the hole, nor do i ever use a mod.
Plus, ive heard about the numerous defective vortex's floating around, with the misdrilled holes and whatnot.
The phunnels are insanely quality controlled.


Not sayin the vortex is a bad bowl, it does its job.
But i like my phunnel 10x.

[ih303]

[quote name='superbeefy2050' timestamp='1285558555' post='483229']
I've recently just purchased a vortex bowl after using a Mya Clay bowl and I've really noticed a difference.[/quote]

^ Oh man... that's funny.

I recently started smoking out of a wet papertowel after using a Mya clay bowl and also really noticed a difference. (not making fun of you, man, just commenting on how crappy Mya bowls are )

Folks, we don't need to argue about this. At the end of the day it comes down to personal preference. But for the record, I've had both and agree with dizzbizz.

[mavsfan31]

Small phunnel, or alien IMO.

[redjako]

Isn't Vortex the angry little brother of the phunnel trying to produce the same results of said-older brother with twice the effort?

It makes zero sense to me. Get a phunnel and use a Egyptian if your "feeling crazy."

Phunnels can last for HOURS. I've pushed (see vids) 1x medium bowl for 8 rounds of coals in the past (6-8 hours).