Purchasing a shisha or Hookah set up for the first time can be challenging. You must get a good quality pipe that meets your needs and comes within your budget. Like many other products, there is a tier of products in a shisha set, and not each part of the set-up comes from the same tier. You get various options in a shisha shop, and what you choose will shape your experience.
So, to avoid confusion during your purchase, learn about the following factors and prepare for a superb purchase.
1. Price
Price is probably the first thing you should consider before visiting any shisha shop. The factors that influence the price are:
- Manufacturing material: A shisha made of stainless steel is more expensive than glass, silicone, plastic, brass, and aluminium. However, the costliest are the wooden ones having carbon or gold decor.
- Manufacturing complexity: Non-standard hookah model designs need more labour and hours, affecting their final price.
- Equipment: Various hookah manufacturers have different packaging specifications. Check what equipment you get in the package.
- Brand: Well-known brands have large-scale advertising and massive distribution that make their products expensive.
2. Weight and height
The use of material determines the Hookah’s weight. Stainless steel hookahs are a lot heavier than others. However, weight doesn’t make any difference to the smoking process.
The height of the Hookah depends on your preference. Experienced users usually look for hookah heights between 45 to 70 cm. When you choose your set within this height range, you can easily handle it.
However, you may need something a bit smaller if you intend to travel or camp a lot.
Height may somewhat play a part in your smoking experience. A larger stem and base enable holding more smoke and producing more upon inhaling.
3. Hose ports
Multi-hose hookah ports look great, but they might affect hookah performance. It may not be such a preferred option because each person with a hose in hand needs to plug the tip when not smoking. In case a hose is not plugged in, the person smoking does not get enough suction. So, to get the real smoking experience, pick a hookah with a single hose port.
4. Hookah equipment
A hookah set comprises a hose, ash plate, mouthpiece, shaft and a glass base. Some manufacturers also include tongs and a clay bowl in the set.
If you need a partial set, you get a shaft with an ash plate and a hose with a branded mouthpiece.
5. Hose Adapter
The hose of the Hookah is attached to the hose adapter. The common types of adapters you get are:
Fixed: These are found in traditional hookahs, and for a tight connection, you need to use paper tissues or a silicone grommet.
Magnetic: Magnetic adapters prevent hookahs from falling as the magnet comes into play, lending a modern touch to them.
Ground joint: It is a modern connection method that is convenient and aesthetically pleasing.
O-ring: O-ring is a reliable connection method to protect your hookah threads with O-rings for an air-tight seal.
You are pretty much set to buy your Hookah or shisha set if you understand some of the basic facts. It can be even better to research the brands and the type of material they use. You may even seek advice from shisha lovers on their experiences with brands to guide you through the purchase.
