Buy a Hookah!
Hello and welcome to the hookah retailers area!
HookahCulture.com
would like to refer you to some retailers who we think offer
the best deals and nicest hookahs. There ARE other retailers, but we at HookahCulture.com
thought we would take you by the hand a little so you can avoid some tough decisions
and high prices.
Be aware that some companies don't sell the cleaning brushes
you'll need, and many sell the hookahs by themselves (sans accessories), but
you can get accessories elsewhere on the same site or one of the other sites,
as some sites don't sell accessories at all.
Think about everything you'll need besides the hookah and hoses: quality washable
replacement hoses (washable ones are the best), plastic mouthpieces, cleaning brushes for the stem and bottle,
coals, a bowl screen or foils made especially for the hookah, filters if you
wish, and your selection of mahsell flavors.
A few words about some of the different brands of mahsell:
Nakhla - The cheapest brand available, it comes in 50g and 250g boxes from Egypt. It's definitely traditional, and probably the most popular brand in the world, with double apple being the most popular flavor - heavy on the anise! It's a lot drier than the other brands, and some of the flavors are a dim representative of what could be, but some flavors are hits.
Al Waha - This brand comes in 250g tubs from Jordan,
and is a step up from Nakhla. A popular brand because of the large variety of flavors
and the price. Although the price has gone up over the years due to the popularity, it's still a good deal if you find a flavor that suits you. This stuff is definitely more moist. The peach tastes a bit like
cardboard, but there are a few half-decent representatives of the flavors such
as some of the berries. Al Waha used to offer 5-Star, a mixed fruit, but it's been since discontinued. Instead a "mixed fruit" is offered. Not quite as good as the 5-Star was but OK nevertheless.
Sultan - Made in USA. Candy-like fakey flavors that come in small plastic
jars with a high price for the amount. Not authentic stuff at all, but you do
what you like. The brand is only mentioned because it's out there.
Al-Amir - This brand also comes in 250g plastic tubs, and the flavors are much brighter than the Al-Waha. Probably one of the better brands for the money, the grape really shines with this brand. There are a few other good flavors as well. Definitely moist, this will stain your fingers so wet them first! Some flavors have anise where they shouldn't however.
Saet Safa - A lesser-known brand with a unique, intriguing and delicious banana-melonish mixed fruit flavor! They have other flavors, but the mixed fruit is probably one of the best. Moist, flavorful and sweet. A rare brand, so if you can find the mixed fruits, it's worth a try. Comes in 250g plastic tubs from Jordan.
Havana - A cheaper version of Al-Fakher flavors, there is a good variety of flavors but about 70% of the flavor potential. Much better than the Al Waha however. Comes in 250g plastic tubs inside a box.
Al-Fakher - The undisputed top shelf of brands and quality flavors. The tip-top is the "Golden Seal" variety, and there are only a few flavors of this - strawberry, eskandrani apple (green), bahraini apple (red), and probably a grape. Some flavors have been discontinued, so if you see any of the Golden Seal varieties, scoop them up while you can as they're getting rare! The Eskandrani apple is absolutely mind-blowing when smoking perfectly and mixes superbly with guava or melon (of another brand). The Bahraini apple tastes like apple-cinnamon pastry! The brand on the whole is worth every penny and is absolutely GOOPY with syrup. If a hookah lounge serves Al-Fakher, you're in for a GREAT smoke!
Storage tip: Upon opening, try not to disturb the bulk, but rather take from an exposed area once you open the plastic all the way. This is going to be a goopy affair! Rewrap the plastic securely and place it into a ziplock baggie, squeeze the air out, and zip it shut before replacing it into the tub. The key is not to disturb the bulk often so as to preserve the original texture and moisture and to prevent drying. This can be accomplished by removing a chunk (preferably with a spare set of tongs)and placing it into one of these mini tubs and labelling it! This way you have some for regular use and don't have to disturb the main stash every time. These are just phenomenal for the purpose, made by RubberMaid (tm). They're called TakeAlongs and are only 3.5 inches (9cm) across! Easily holds 50g.
A new exciting storage product!
Probably the BEST product for keeping your
moassel fresh, moist and safe!
Lock & Lock brand multi-use
storage containers!
These are 100% airtight and watertight, 100% odorproof,
stain resistant, dishwasher safe (upper rack), lifetime warranty.
The
recommended size for a 250g moassel purchase is the 1.9 cup size, which measures
4" x 5.4" x 2.8" tall for about $3.00 each,
but there's quite a variety for
whatever your needs including rounds and talls.
Head over to LockandLockUSA.com (link opens in new window) and
order online!
A good look at the box and its closures. A latch on all
four sides.
The underside of the lid atop the container to show
the seal.
So now the hookah retailers:
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They also have access to authentic brands that are smoked by the locals! Try the Al-Ouns grape, you'll be amazed!
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Hookah and Shisha Central When you buy a
hookah, you get EVERYTHING you need included! Accessories sold here as
well.
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http://www.el-badia.com/ Site is in French (the shop is located in Paris), it's also better for you
Europeans. Prices are in Euros of
course.
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http://www.hookahook.com Nice authentic unique units at reasonable prices. Look at the Bohemian glass on some of the units! Some styles are sold out, so perhaps email them on the status of a particular item you're interested in.
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HookahCulture.com is not responsible for any
inconveniences or mishaps that occur as a result of doing business with any of
these retailers.
We are simply referring you to
them for their merchandise and reasonable prices. Thanks!
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