Hookah 101: Finding the Right Hookah Bowl for You

Hookah Bowl Types

Choosing the right hookah bowl can seem overwhelming. Options are endless when you consider size, shape, material and overall look. Do you stick with the tried and true Egyptian clay bowl? Or, follow the enthusiast’s advice on that hookah forum and go with a phunnel bowl with the fancy glaze coloring? Each shisha bowl has its place in the hookah industry and may work better or worse with certain flavored tobaccos. We break down each hookah bowl style. You decide which one is right for you.

Egyptian Style Bowl

The classic Egyptian clay hookah bowl is hookah culture. Easily the most widely used bowl around the world for centuries. If you go to a hookah lounge, bet is you’ll be smoking shisha out of one of these. Recognizable by the 5 holes at the bottom of the bowl and the traditional red clay color. Ranging in size and depth for different amounts of tobacco, these bowls now mass-produced and commonly sold with complete hookah kits. Best used with classic shisha brands like Al-Fakher and Nakhla that don’t have an excess amount of molasses flavoring. Newer, juicy tobaccos can drip down into your hookah and clog the holes.

Vortex Bowl

The vortex bowl was one of the first significant changes to hookah bowls. To compensate for more modern, juicy shishas, the holes at the bottom of a traditional bowl were raised around a center spire. This allows airflow above the tobacco and practically eliminates clogged holes and juice in your hookah. An important innovation that would lead to more creative bowl styles.

Phunnel Bowl

The most common type of bowl for hookah on the market today is the phunnel hookah bowl. A product of the vortex bowl innovation, the phunnel bowl uses the center spire idea. The difference is the large air intake on top of the spire allowing even more air flow. A shisha phunnel bowl works great with any type of tobacco but the bowl sizes really determine what tobacco is best. Use a smaller phunnel for best results with tightly packed dark tobacco. If you are wondering how to pack phunnel bowls, search YouTube for tutorials as each shisha needs to be packed differently. Check out the Messiah Bowl, a phunnel bowl with an outer lip specifically for your favorite heat management device!

Electronic Hookah Bowl

Another take on hookah, the e hookah bowl fits right on top of your hookah but uses e-juice instead of shisha tobacco. Not quite in the same category as the other bowls on this list but a great alternative to your traditional hookah. Smoke your favorite vape juices straight out of your Khalil Mamoon! The Square E-Head E Bowl is worth a shot!

Fruit Head Bowl

Switch it up and pack your flavored tobacco in a fruit hookah bowl. Use a pineapple, apple, grapefruit or pear and savor the juices in your next smoke session. Dig out the center of the fruit, create a screen for your tobacco to rest on and pack your shisha. Wrap with aluminum foil just like any other bowl and enjoy!

Clay Hookah Bowl Vs Ceramic

Now that you know the different styles of bowls for hookah, learning the materials they are made from and the difference they make is also important.

Clay Hookah Bowl

Clay hookah bowls are usually handmade and do a great job of trapping heat. The most popular style of bowl.

Ceramic Shisha Bowl

On the other hand, a ceramic hookah bowl is a type of clay used in mass production. They are more consistently shaped but don’t hold heat as well and break much easier.

Both clay and ceramic bowls can be glazed or unglazed. Glazed allows for easy cleanup and is great for switching it up with shisha flavors. Unglazed is exactly the opposite. It allows for tobacco juices to penetrate the bowl and is better for those who stick to one or two flavors.

Steel Bowl

Used because they are sturdy and great for travel. Steel bowls heat quickly but are difficult to heat manage. The Apple On Top bowl is solid quality and works perfectly with its partner the Provost Heat Management Device.

Glass Molasses Bowl

Fragile but beautiful, glass bowls heat up quickly but don’t hold it long. Usually, only use with complete glass hookahs.

Silicone Shisha Bowl

Easy to handle and simple to clean, silicone hookahs bowls are indestructible. Not the best bowl for conducting heat but the other benefits make these a worthwhile investment.

Find the hookah bowl that works best for you at www.SouthSmoke.com. A wide selection of styles and materials means there’s a bowl for every hookah smoker out there!