Charcoal for Hookah - Types and Features
There are a lot of articles written about hookah smoking, but for some reason little attention is paid to such an important process as kindling. Most of those who smoke waterpipes are sure that they know how to choose the right shisha charcoal and heat it to the desired temperature. However, in this process there are several important nuances that can significantly affect the entire process.
Charcoal Types and Characteristics
Coconut Charcoal
It is made from the shells of coconuts, so it keeps a good heat. However, in order to heat such charcoal well it is better to use special devices such as a turbo lighter or a gas burner for lighting hookahs.
Wood Charcoal
It is made mainly from fruit wood. Therefore it has a certain pleasant fragrance. To properly ignite such a briquette, it also takes a lot of time.
Quick-Igniting Charcoal (Self-Igniting)
This rapid ignition kindling allows you to make a hookah with an ordinary lighter. It is enough to heat the briquette quickly from all sides, and wait until the end of the sparking. However, such charcoal keeps heat worse than coconut or wood counterparts. The surface of self-igniting briquettes is treated with saltpeter, which may confuse fans of "eco" smoking. Many believe that this option is not acceptable at all, as it is harmful to health. Therefore, there are different opinions on the use of self-igniting pellets.
General Rule
It does not matter with what and how you heat coals - on an electric stove or a special burner. It is important to heat them qualitatively, so that no "dark spots" are left on the sides. If the briquettes are not heated enough, then the flavor of smoke may be hopelessly spoiled. In addition, many professional hookah connoisseurs believe that it is badly heated charcoal that causes headaches after smoking shisha Dubai.
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What Can Be Used to Light the Charcoal?
- A compact gas handheld burner.
- A household gas or electric stove.
If we are talking about a domestic gas stove, you will need a small metal grid on which to place the briquettes. The ignition of coal on a spiral electric stove is done by spreading the briquettes on a red-hot spiral and then turning them over to heat evenly. In all cases, you should use tongs from the hookah set. As soon as the coals are well heated from all sides, immediately transfer the briquettes into a bowl covered with foil, and put the hood on.
Do not ignite coals on an induction stove with a ceramic surface. Too much heat from the briquettes will inevitably damage the expensive product. If you do not have at hand a branded kindling, you can ignite the hookah with the usual tablets of activated charcoal. Only such "chemist's fuel" will burn quickly, so you will need quite a lot of tablets.
In all cases, when dealing with glowing embers, you should be careful and use shisha tongs. If you are kindling coals at home, do not forget to ventilate the room. Observing the simple rules listed above, you will be able to prepare your own hookah at home without much difficulty.