Picking The Right Pipe
With so many different brands of Shisha pipes, selecting the perfect one for you can be a difficult task. To make things a little bit easier we've put together an in depth analysis on what pipe is the perfect one for you, we have also gone through the good and not so great features of our most popular brands.
What makes every shisha pipe different?
What we are about to explain to you is a very important factor when deciding what shisha pipe is the perfect one for you to buy, however a question a lot of us ask is what really makes them different when smoking?
- The Diffuser: This is a small metal piece which is screwed (or at times welded) to the stem right at the bottom of the shaft, dipping into the water. The design of the diffuser differs among every shisha pipe and this determines how much gurgle it produces, how smooth the drag is, and how noisy the pipe is when smoked. These are very important when considering what pipe you buy as they can completely change the experience. The hookah diffuser is made to divide the air flow from one large bubble into many smaller bubbles, these are included in a lot of the latest hookah models. Many prefer the pipes without diffusers such as Khalil Mamoon as they provide a more traditional smoking experience.
- The Height: A very common misconception is that height greatly affects the smoking experience, the truth is that it doesn't. It mainly depends on the size of the vase/base, type of flavour used, and the coal rather than the height of the shisha. The height of the shisha does not play a role and usually vases are of similar size regardless of the height.
What pipe should I get?
This is a very difficult question to answer, because it comes down to many different factors such as the style you are after, the size you're after and the reason you need a shisha pipe. Getting started with shisha can be overwhelming! With so many different shisha brand pipes, knowing exactly what you need and which pipe to choose can be challenging.
We’ll be walking you through what you need to get started, as well as explaining the difference between the various brands of Shisha pipes. By the end you’ll be confident in selecting the perfect shisha for you!
What you need:
The shisha pipe – Selecting the perfect shisha is about knowing exactly what you want. Do you need something compact, stylish, traditional, or super smooth to smoke? Have a browse through our detailed analysis of each brand and find out which style best suits you. Usually, each brand has a specific design quality which they follow through among all their models.
Khalil Mamoon
I imagine many of you are already familiar with this brand, which makes sense it’s by far the most popular shisha pipe brand in the world and you're on the site. But does that make it the best? Well, the answer is “it depends”. Let’s go through what’s great about it and what’s not-so-great.
The good
- It lasts forever! The pipe is hand-made and features a heavy-duty stainless-steel stem. I have a couple of uncles still using the same Khalil Mamoon pipe they bought over 15 years ago!
- Authentic design, Khalil Mamoon pipes are beautifully hand-made and have that authentic and traditional look to them that no other brand can quite replicate.
- It’s pretty cheap! When it comes to shisha pipes this is the cheapest pipe you can get, and anything cheaper is usually a Chinese knock-off!
- Easy to set up, due to the stem being just a single piece, setting up a Khalil Mamoon is straightforward, making it beginner-friendly.
The not-so-great
- Inconsistencies, due to these pipes being hand-made sometimes you’ll find some inconsistencies like the smudged paintwork on the vase and small chips in the vase. If you're looking for something perfectly polished then Khalil Mamoon is probably not for you.
Who should buy a Khalil Mamoon shisha pipe?
- Traditional smokers
- Beginners
- Lovers of the authentic style
Khalil Mamoon
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Aladin
Aladin is a German brand that has in recent years taken the shisha world by storm with their MVP line. But is it right for you? Let’s go through what’s great about it and what’s not-so-great.
The good
- Great design, Aladin pipes come in a wide range of sizes, colours and models, and they all look beautiful and sleek. The brushed stainless steel doesn't come across cheap like some lower quality pipes.
- Smooth but maintaining some gurgle, when comparing to Khalil Mamoon you can definitely feel the difference in the type of drag you experience, because of it's design, you still get the old fashioned gurgle to some extent however it still complements the smoother drags like a lot of modern pipes.
- Extremely well built, the different components of the pipe screw together perfectly, and it can be pretty satisfying to assemble. Some fantastic German engineering went into designing these pipes. Another positive is that the hose port does not require a grommet.
The not-so-great
- It can be tricky to set up. There’s a lot of small parts, but it does come with a set-up guide which makes it a little easier, and of course, we are always ready to help if you get stuck!
- Some models are quite expensive, a few of the taller models are over £100.
Who should buy a Aladin shisha pipe?
- Beginners/ Intermediates
- Looking for modern design and quality
Oduman
A range of elegant glass pipes made in Turkey- Oduman has quite a reputation among the hookah world, revolutionising the all glass hookah style which many have become familiar with. Would this pipe be the right one for you? Let’s break it down and go through the good and the not-so-great.
The good
- Elegantly designed, the Oduman range has been made so uniquely, there are no other all-glass pipes that can compete. Boasting a wide variety of crisp hand-blown vases and precisely cut stainless steel shafts.
- For a premium pipe, it’s not so expensive. These days, you may find it difficult to find a very high-end handmade pipe on the market… at a good price. Now considering the craftsmanship of Oduman pipes, they aren’t too dear for the quality you get.
- Extremely smooth drag, these pipes are unlike most in terms of the smoking experience, now some may like this, and some may prefer a heavier gurgle. But all in all, when you smoke an Oduman, you have officially opened the doors to a completely new style of hookah. They are perfect if you’re looking to throw on a Netflix movie and smoke, as they produce very minimal sound.
- Great for travelling. Most Oduman pipes are small and compact, and a lot of the time come with their carry bag, making it very easy to take these pipes to a friend's house or even abroad.
- Can sit on the table, without worrying if someone will knock it. Because these pipes are small and grounded, you can confidently put them on the table and not have to deal with the risk of it tipping over.
The not-so-great
- Can be daunting, having an expensive all-glass hookah can sometimes be worrying when handling it, even though you can get a replacement vase, you’ll be heartbroken if you ever accidentally drop it.
- Some may find it too smooth for their liking, some people who have smoked for years on a traditional pipe may find this pipe too quiet and that it doesn’t provide the old-school hookah smoking experience. Whereas many people have fallen in love with the quiet and smooth smoke.
- Can be difficult to set up, the Oduman range comes with many small pieces and parts, it can get rather frustrating If you’ve just bought a hookah you don’t know how to set up, rest assured, we are here to help; if you buy a pipe from us we will guide you on the set-up and leave you feeling like an Oduman pro.
Who should buy an Oduman shisha pipe?
- Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced
- Looking for a quiet pipe
- Travelling with your hookah
El-Badia
A well-known French hookah brand which hosts a vast line of different size Hookah pipes, accessories and many more. Are the El-Badia pipes for you? Let’s break it down and find out!
The good
- Bargain, the El-Badia is a midrange pipe at a very affordable price for a modern style pipe, you probably wont find any other brand in the midrange with this level of quality and price.
- Traditional style draw. Most of the El-Badia range does not have a diffuser, meaning that the gurgle is present, however not as strongly as the Khalil Mamoon range. This is not a bad thing; these pipes still smoke immaculately and provide good clouds.
- Multi-port options. The El-Badia C7 comes with 3 ports so you can have 3 people smoking on a single pipe hassle free, if you like the C7 style however do not want to smoke with 3 hoses… that is not a problem, they have made it easy for you to close the additional ports off.
The not-so-great
- Can be noisy, because these pipes do not come with a diffusor at the end of the stem, the gurgle is stronger- in turn, making the pipe slightly noisier, however it is not as noisy as the traditional Khalil Mamoon pipes due to the thick glass vases. The vase can absorb a lot of the sound.
- The additional hose ports require and adaptor. When you buy the El-Badia C7, you get it as a single port with the other ports closed off. If you do want to add extra hoses, you will need to buy adaptors for them, this will ramp up your bill slightly more than what you expected.
- Can be difficult to set up, the El-Badia range comes with many small pieces and parts, it can get rather frustrating If you’ve just bought a hookah you don’t know how to set up, rest assured, we are here to help; if you buy a pipe from us we will guide you on the set-up and leave you feeling like an El-Badia pro.
Who should buy an El-Badia shisha pipe?
- Beginner/Intermediate
- Looking for a Traditional pipe with a Modern look
- Travelling with your hookah
- Having friends over and don’t want to buy multiple pipes
- Have a small budget
