What size hookah suits you?

What size hookah to choose is the question asked most often and answered properly least often. Every product page lists a height, but what those centimetres get you is rarely explained.

Below we set the three size classes side by side with the figures from our own range, so you can see where most people end up and why. Still unsure about charcoal afterwards, read coconut or quick-light charcoal.

What height does to the smoke

Height does two things, and the second matters more than the first.

The first is the distance the smoke travels. A taller model has a longer stem, so the smoke cools a little further before it reaches the water. That effect is real, but it is smaller than people think: it is a matter of degrees, not categories.

The second is that a taller model almost always has a larger base. And that is where the gain sits.

The base counts for more than the total height

The base is the buffer. The more room there is above the water, the more smoke can gather there before you draw. That is what people mean when they say a larger hookah smokes "fuller". Two models of the same height can therefore feel very different: a narrow stem on a wide base gives more than a wide stem on a narrow base.

So when comparing, do not only look at the centimetres on the product page, but also at the shape of the base in the photo. A conical or bulbous base holds more than a straight cylinder of the same height.

Small, medium and large: the three size classes

We divide our hookah range into three classes. Anyone wondering what size hookah is usual has an answer straight away in that split.

Small, 20 to 45 centimetres

Seventy of our models fall in here, about a third of the range. This is the class for taking along, for small spaces and for anyone who mostly smokes alone. The base is small, so the smoke is warmer and the session shorter. Against that, setting up and cleaning is done in a couple of minutes.

If you mainly want something for on the road, look at the travel sets: they are designed to fit in a bag and usually have a detachable stem.

Medium, 45 to 65 centimetres

A hundred and nineteen models, a little over half. This is where most people end up, and with reason. The base is big enough for a full session, it fits on a coffee table or on the floor, and cleaning does not take half an hour. For two to three smokers this is the logical choice.

If you have no strong preference and do not know what size hookah to take, this is the class to start in.

Large, 65 centimetres and up

Thirty-six models, about a sixth. These are the showpieces: large base, long stem, impressive in a fixed spot. They smoke full and cool, but they do not move again and cleaning the stem asks for a long brush and patience. Choose this class deliberately, not because bigger sounds automatically better.

Size and the number of connections

Here sits a misunderstanding that only shows up after the purchase. The number of hoses in the specifications counts the connections on the hookah, not the number of hoses supplied. A model with four connections often comes with one hose in the box.

About three quarters of our models have a single connection. Twenty-five models have two, twenty-eight have four. If you want to smoke with a group you have to look for that deliberately, because the odds are that the model you like the look of has only one.

More connections also mean more places where air can leak out. An unused connection has to be closed off with a cap, otherwise the hookah draws weakly.

Storing, carrying and cleaning per size

Size mainly decides how much effort it takes to use it, and that weighs more heavily than people expect beforehand.

A small model you rinse under the tap. A model of seventy centimetres no longer fits in a sink: the stem has to come off, and you need a brush long enough to reach. If you skip that, sugar builds up and every following shisha flavor turns duller.

Store it apart where you can. A base left full of water starts to smell, and a stem put away wet can corrode. On a small model that is three parts; on a large one there are more.

What size hookah suits which use

Put your use first and the choice makes itself. What size hookah you need follows from three questions.

Do you mostly smoke alone, once or twice a week, and do you live in a small place? Then a model under forty-five centimetres is enough and gives you the least work. Do you smoke with one or two others and have a fixed spot in the living room? Then the middle class is right. Do you regularly set up an evening with four or more people, or do you want a model that stands out? Then above sixty-five centimetres makes sense, provided you are willing to put more cleaning time into it.

What not to choose on

At the question of what size hookah you need, two things steer the choice more often than they should.

The first is price as a measure of quality. A taller hookah is not automatically better made; it is bigger. Material, sealing and the fit of the bowl say more about how long it lasts.

The second is a photo without a stated size. Products are often shot to fill the frame, so a model of thirty centimetres looks the same as one of eighty. Always check the stated height, and bear in mind that manufacturers sometimes measure with and sometimes without the bowl. A few centimetres of difference between two sources is normal.

Hookahs in every size at ShishaSmaak

At ShishaSmaak you will find hookahs in all three size classes: compact models of 20 to 45 centimetres, the middle class of 45 to 65 centimetres and large models up to 150 centimetres. Filter the collection by size and by number of connections, so you can see straight away what size hookah suits your situation.

Alongside that, the separate bowls, charcoal and flavors are online. Ordered before 18:00 arrives the next day within the Netherlands, with free shipping from 89.99 euro.