So What In Terms Of Looks Does It For You When Your Buying A New Hookah?

[ChicagoRSX]

I'm just curious as to what draws everyone in when your looking at a new hookah to add to your collections? Is it the stem, the vase, or is it an equal mix of the 2? I bought my Staff cause the Vase was my fav color. After it arrived, I was amazed at how nice the detail the stem was. Just curious how everyone shops for their stuff here.

[Fusion]

I bought my Mya because I loved the base and the stem looked nice too, but really the crystal base's design and handmade quality sold me. Now, I've finally picked out a KM and the one I have caught my eye because of the stem, but I really like the base as well. As long as it looks aesthetically pleasing and can help me pump clouds of smoke out of my lungs, that's what I'm looking for

[mushrat]

I'm just looking for soemthing cool and different. I have regular old hookahs, syrian hookahs, myas, a fumo, a nour chiller, a MZ, several KM's, , one made out of a ceramic jug, a 2 tray no name egyptian, so if it isnt interesting to look at or if there isnt something different about it I just am not interested.

As i put it to people, i have 14 or 15 hookahs, now im looking for toys.

[Stuie]

I like what most people don't have like mush.

I love that I am like 1 of 3 people I know that have a KM Sig Ice. Gorgeous Pipe.

[Chreees]

I guess I'm like Mush and Stuie- I like something different, unique, or limited. The Al Nawras Syrian brass hookah I have is quite rare, and the OG Tri I have is an older one from when KMs were in their prime. The vases I have are rare too- one came from Lebanon (thanks Hass!) and is a trumpet. I've never seen another one like it. The other one is a Czech Republic Bohemian vase, made by Egermann.

In general I look for gauge of the downstem and ports, quality of the welds, and durability. Also aesthetics.

[lowoncreativity]

I tend to look for 'elegance' in the design. Simple, functional, limited use of color, not too much gold and dark blue, etc. Lots of people like the ornate, complicated KM's and AF's, I think they are too busy.

I like minimalistic, modern pipes such as the Porsche Design one. My own pipe is a very simple frosted white vase with a gold ring around the neck, a straight, chrome plated stem, a brown glazed Egyptian bowl and a matching brown hose. Edited October 2, 2011 by lowoncreativity

[atalanta]

ChicagoRSX, you and I have a similar taste in Myas LOL

I go for what catches my eye and makes me go OOhhh Though now that I know a little about them, I'm less likely to go for some of the really outrageous ones if I'm planning to smoke it (I saw one in NYC that was shaped like a tree, have to get a pic and post it)

The Mya legend in amber is a sharp looking piece and smokes nicely. I'd say I don't expect to have more than 2 or 3, but I know better than to say that

[Epoch]

I like stuff with a big, bulky build. I like to see metals with lots of heft (brass or trimetal), and big open hose ports.

[A13lackFish]

Hand painted base, not too flashy of a design.

For the stem i either like alot of silver or tri metals. And not too jagged of designs on it. Typically just like a clean looking stem overall.

Hookahs to me need to be over 30", otherwise I don't feel it was worth buying (sorry obelisk owners).

And big tray, mainly because i enjoy having the space to hold my tongs, coals, mouth pieces, and a small wild chipmunk on it if necessary.

/\ Lots of KM Bias above, but I know what I like

[omegaalpha22]

I'm also a KM fanboy...I love my Admiral and Kafe.
HOWEVER, I got a Regal Redwood Queen on Friday, and I'm in love...literally.
It's just so gorgeous.

[grock]

[quote name='lowoncreativity' timestamp='1317543265' post='526088']
I tend to look for 'elegance' in the design. Simple, functional, limited use of color, not too much gold and dark blue, etc. Lots of people like the ornate, complicated KM's and AF's, I think they are too busy.

I like minimalistic, modern pipes such as the Porsche Design one. My own pipe is a very simple frosted white vase with a gold ring around the neck, a straight, chrome plated stem, a brown glazed Egyptian bowl and a matching brown hose.
[/quote]


Porsche Design pipe??! 0_o
The euro car fanatic in me suddenly needs to have that pipe!

[lowoncreativity]

[quote name='grock' timestamp='1317678500' post='526301']
Porsche Design pipe??! 0_o
The euro car fanatic in me suddenly needs to have that pipe!
[/quote]

Here it is, it costs about 2k euro IIRC


[img]http://editorial.designtaxi.com/news-porche2007/1.jpg[/img]

[Satou]

For me it is a combination of the vase and the stem piece; I really am particular in how it looks along with how it smokes. So far I like 'classic' or ornate looks or looks that make me feel like I am looking at something from a story.

[Erica]

I personally like the more modern looking pipes? any color really.

[Fumo1]

I think it's really great that a design studio as prestigious as Porsche decided to do a hookah. You can say anything you like about the cost or the style but it's positive recognition of the hookah community in that they put the effort into making a hookah. I think it's really cool that they came out with one.

[Fumo1]

I got to see the Porsche Hookah in person. We have a new Porsche design store that came into our local mall. I thought it was quite interesting and as a design guy it's always great to see how another company approaches materials and function.

The base is made out of what appears to be some kind of molded glass that was threaded at the top. I'm not sure of it's composition.. The top is a piece machined out of a single block of aluminum which is also threaded to accept the glass bottom and the two halves are sealed with an o-ring that sits in between them. All the other metal pieces are aluminum as well.

The bowl was more or less just a regular brown glazed ceramic funnel type bowl. The screen looked like the cheap coated stainless steel variety screen you get for 3 bucks but perhaps a little better quality but didn't appear or feel like solid stainless steel. The bowl joined the all aluminum downstem with a rubber gasket in a fairly conventional way. No difusser on the downstem just a straight tube. It had a aluminum cap that threaded into the top of the bowl unit for hookah storage and to complete the look.

They used a braided metal hose cover, aluminum mouthpiece and insert fitting. They also had a ball purge valve. I thought the hose was pretty stiff. I like braided steel but I haven't found a combination hose and braid that didn't have a certain stiffness to it. To stiff for my liking.

My general impression is that this is what I would expect a hookah to look like that used materials and technology that were auto related. Nice fit and finish but because of the relative lack of imagination on the bowl and screen it brought the whole hookah down a few pegs. I imagine it would function just fine but it has the same inners as that of a regular $150 hookah.

The price for this unit was around $2,000 and I believe they made 2000 units total. I was also informed that they will be coming out with a gold plated version that will be a limited editon of only 100 units. Didn't say what the price on this would be on the gold member unit but I bet it will be mucho.

[Pavo21]

Dude fumo that's crazy it's really cool if I could ever afford it it would be a show piece probably use it once or twice ten never touch it again so it doesn't break but that's awesome you got to see it in person

[gramps]

I like a stem with classic beauty, silver or brass, and tall enough that I can reach the tray from my Lazyboy without too much effort.

The vase has to be stable. Can't risk burning the house down.

[king_lunchb0x]

i look more to the stem, lately Ive been liking brass colored pipes, but i tend to go through phases. year ago I was into all tri-metals now im kinda burnt out...I do like stuies Sig chiller, ive seen one in brass that sick.

[Judy Oma]

Although I've been smoking for about 6-7 years I don't have a massive collection - at any one time I have 6 hookahs tops. For me its all about the stem, too (and the occasional boho I must admit). Early last year it was trimetals for KM's, now recently after buying a tall brass syrian for my son for Christmas its become an obsession for brass. Unfortunately it seems that I jumped on the brass train a little late and they're harder to come across. This is fine, I tend to stalk things for a long time before making a purchase, then I usually end up buying something else impulsively when I run across something that few people have.

I always envy the nice collections people post that look like they have some sort of theme or purpose in mind - I'll likely never have that as I seem to go on tangents with styles and materials yearly.