How to Prepare a Hookah

Fill the vase with water such that the stem of the hookah is submerged approximately one inch in the water.

• Put ice in the vase. You can fill 1/3 of the vase with ice. This makes the hookah smoke much cooler. You still have to fill the vase with water to the above mentioned level.

• Some people also put the glass vase in the freezer to cool down for a short time (10 to 15 minutes).

Some hookahs come with a plastic seal that goes in between the vase and the metal argile to keep it from losing smoke or getting unwanted air in.

The tray is used to put extra coals on, hold coals in case they fall, and put the hookah tong.

• Some of hookahs have more than one hose. If yours does, either put them all on the hookah, or seal the ones that you are not using with a plastic seal (it usually comes with the Hookah if it is a multi-hose one). (Also when not smoking, always keep your fingers at the end of the hose. This keeps the hose air-tight and allows a better smoke for those who are smoking to hookah.

• Most of the hoses have a plastic part that goes between hookah's argile and the hose itself. Make sure you put that tight in its place. This is to keep the end of the hose air tight.

This is probably the most important step. Follow these tips:

When you put the tobacco in the bowl don't just push it in there. Sprinkle the tobacco in small amounts. This is so that there is air between the tobacco pieces and heat (from the coal) can travel through the whole tobacco well. This allows the tobacco to burn evenly in all section.

Another method is to sprinkle the tobacco in the bowl and create a small hole in the middle of the tobacco. This should create a donut shape with a small hole.

• Cut the aluminum foil in a square shape about 2 inches larger than the bowls diameter.

• Put the shiny part of the aluminum foil down (for health reasons).

• Use an object with a sharp tip such as pin, sharp tip pen.

• Start with a small hole in the center and make circles around it. For a typical bowl, three circles of holes are enough.

• If you want larger amount of smoke in the beginning, you can put one or two deep larger holes toward the sides of the bowl such that the hole goes through the tobacco. This will let oxygen travel through the tobacco better and help it burn more.

• The more holes you put doesn't necessarily mean more smoke. Holes are not to transfer heat, they are rather to let oxygen in the bowl so that the tobacco can burn. So if you put too many holes, the tobacco will burn faster and you'll get a burned smell. If you put too few holes, the tobacco won't burn as good.

Light the coal and put it on the bowl (on the aluminum foil). It is usually best to put the coal on one side of the bowl. Once that coal is done (completely burned) put the new coal on the opposite side.

In the beginning the hookah needs a little time to start smoking. The best way to start the get couple big hits in the beginning to get the tobacco burning and the hookah ready.