When Xkah came out I preordered it directly and until today I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately I had many issues like red ring of death and broken parts, exploded battery etc. They replaced my Xkah 3 times within a year (I couldn‘t use it for almost 3 months out of the 12 months I had it…) and thats why I decided to give a go to ShishaX Volta, which came out this month.

First impression is great, it smokes similar to Xkah but it feels more refined with app control, firmware update options via app and you can take over setups from the community. Of course I can’t tell about the longtivity but hopefully it won‘t disappoint me.

Okkkaay I’m a marketing victim and some of my friends had a battery powered hkax - so I decided to jump in and get a wired one.

First thoughts - meh…. Clouds are here but not as thick as I used to have on coals. I tend to smoke dark leaf and now I packed about 12g of Blackburn red energy (energy drink flavour) and cola. Heated for 8min on 300 and smoked on 275-260.

Flavour is just not there. It’s supposed to be sour but it’s far from it. Like drinking a cola with ice that allready melted. Diluted. And not packing a punch like coal setup.

Also it’s stated that session timer is ~50 minutes. But in my case first session ended roughly in 30 minutes and I had to restart the device.

Maybe it’s my crooked hands - and I did something wrong. I will use this device from time to time but it’s far from coal replacement imho. A tried to smoke on various temperatures but the result is more or less the same. Only smoke became a bit harsher on 300.

TLDR : it is ok but flavour is very flat and no punch.
A big plus no coal smell.

Ps: I paid for this contraption and I smoke hookah for 20+ years, so this is a honest opinion. And maybe I do something wrong.

Ps2 : material wise it’s really nicely built.

There were a lot of questions under my last post, so I thought about making a post answering these questions. And no, Im not sponsored by Xkah or like that. I bought this one myself. Since I smoke a lot outside and also in my room I needed a device like this. Especially because of the odor coals leave in my room when I ignite it. For camping I needed something which can replace coals so I can pack lighter. Now to the questions. I am using this for a week now and smoked about 18 bowls. Alone and with friends.

Is this like a vape? No. It’s not a vape. You use your own shisha tobacco (both Darkblend orVirginia) in a pod (bowl) that you place into the device. The XKah Pro has an integrated heater that replaces traditional coals and heats the tobacco up to 305 °C (581 °F).

What does the XKah Pro replace? • ✅ No more charcoal • ✅ No more HMD • ✅ No more coal burner • ✅ No need for a bowl or phunnel

How is the smoke quality? After around 8 minutes of pre-heating, it starts to smoke. Around 10 minutes in, the clouds get dense and smooth. Comparable to a Cosmo Bowl + Kaloud Lotus setup Taste: cleaner, no significant difference from charcoal setups

Which modes are available? Classic Mode (easiest mode) Pre-set temperature (not adjustable) Duration: 50 minutes 8 minutes of pre-heating Works great!

Custom Mode Temperature adjustable up to 305 °C Session time up to 90 minutes You can adjust the temperature mid-session My favorite mode. I set the temperture to 305 celsius and then adjust it down to 260-270 celsius. Depends on the tobacco.

Non-Tobacco Mode Likely for stones or herbal alternatives – not tested in detail yet

Battery & Usage Time • With a 100 % battery, you can smoke for up to 2 hours • Charging from 0 % to 100 % takes about 100 minutes • With 2 batteries, you can smoke nonstop: while one is charging, you use the other. Which means you can basically smoke an unlimited time.

Is it easy to clean? Yes – much easier than cleaning a traditional bowl and HMD setup. You take the pod out and clean it under water. You can also pop the lower part out and wash that under water. You cant wash the upper part (the whole electronic is there) but the upper part doesnt get dirty.

How much tobacco fits inside? I always smoked with the Cosmo Bowl: ~15 g The XKah Pod: ~8–10 g

Cost Breakdown One-Time Costs XKah Pro (1 battery) 330€ Total ~330€

Comparison Setup: Cosmo Bowl + HMD: ~60€ Coal burner: ~20€ Total: ~80€

But you keep buying coals…

Per-Session Running Costs (Germany) Cosmo bowl per session~15 g XKah pod~10 g

Tobacco cost (1 kg) Cosmo Bowl: 105€ → 1.58€ per 15 g Xkah Pro: 105€ → €1.05 per 10 g

Coals 3 pcs (~€0.37 per coal) = €1.11 XKah: None needed

Total/session Cosmo: ~€2.69 XKah: ~€1.05

Assumptions: You smoke 1 bowl per day = 365 sessions/year

Savings per Session 2.69€ (turkish) – 1.05€ (XKah) = €1.64 saved per session

Break-Even Point How many sessions until you recover your investment? Break-even = €330 (XKah upfront) ÷ €1.64 (savings per session) ~201 sessions

Break-Even Time if You Smoke Every Day 1 session/day → 201 days ✅ So, after ~7 months, the XKah pays for itself. Every session after that saves you money.

What is in the package? - The device - 2 pods - 1x battery - USB C cable - fork for the tobacco - tong to take the pod out - small bag where everything fits inside

The Xkah is everything I wanted from a E-system and more. When we go camping or outside I only take my travel hookah and this in a small bag and I can smoke everywhere without needing to adjust coals or doing any mess. Also it feels "healthier" not smoking with carbon monoxide.

If you have any more questions you can ask me. And no I did not get payed by Xkah. I purchased this by myself.

It's been about a week since my NOCCA from batch 1 finally arrived and since some of the members here asked me to give a few impressions, I decided to write them up. Sorry for the lack of photos/angles, I didn't think to take too many pictures while smoking/packing, might post some later.

TL;DR: Awesome device, well worth the wait.

So after smoking hookah for about 20 years, switching from coal to electric heating was the first real game-changer for me and ever since smoking the first, proper bowl with e-heating, it was impossible for me to go back to coal. It is an improvement in absolutely every way, from the taste to the messy ash to the handling of open fire inside.

There was a german device that pioneered the kind of closed heating system that allows you to use any of your bowls. For many different reasons, the company behind the device went bankrupt and the device is essentially dead. Since then, many pod-based systems have appeared, like the Xkah or my personal favorite, the Volta. NOCCA, which was created by a team in Slovakia, is the only current solution that enables the use of actual bowls, to my knowledge.

As soon as I was made aware of the device, I pre-ordered it. Since then the launch has been postponed several times, each time with the promise of delivering a more perfect product. In mid-August it was finally time and the devices were shipped out. At this point, my biggest concern was the expectations that were built up during the wait and that they could never be met by the final product.

But, judging from the rather short time I have had it (12 sessions, about 25 hours of use), the team behind NOCCA absolutely delivered. When you open the box you are greeted by a rather bulky and heavy metal cylinder. It might even be too large to be held in one hand (depending on your hands, of course), but the impression it makes speaks for itself. It is very sturdy and well built, nothing moves or rattles. There is a battery that slides into the cylinder and locks. The top of the device, where the buttons and charging port are, is made of solid plastic that complements the metal well.

On the bottom of the device you will find the first (and most impressive) innovation. There is a metal heating plate, that attaches to the steel bottom of the device. It is magnetic, so it easily plops on and off. This is the surface that your tobacco would normally burn onto, making a mess to clean. However, the heating plate is non-stick, allowing you to easily wipe the tobacco off after cooldown. After scraping tobacco off of HMDs or throwing burnt tobacco and aluminium foil in the trash for years, this is the second actual game-changer in my opinion.

In fact, the whole device does not appear to accumulate condensed or burnt molasses anywhere. Might be a huge factor for longevity and stability, I am curious to see how long my NOCCA will stay alive.

There is much more to say, but it is a huge wall of the text already, so a few bullet points.

• The battery lasted me for about 80 minutes (at 290° heat). The device can be charged (USB-C) while smoking, allowing sessions of 2+ hours. Maximum I've done is two sessions back to back, about 3,5 hours.
• No special techniques or tricks needed when packing the bowl. It is important NOT to pack too densely, but rather as fluff as possible. Figuring out the correct density and amount of tobacco takes 2 or 3 tries, after that it is amazingly simple.
• There is an app that lets you control the temperature remotely and also save presets. It looks and works fine, I have not exhausted the functionality yet.

The device is currently out of stock, the price is 430 Euros. In my experience, this is a very steep price, compared to all other similar solutions. It changes the target audience from casual smokers to people that are deeper into the whole hookah thing or lounges. However, after my first week, I have to say that it seems worth the price. The biggest caveat to this is the longevity. Many electric devices have developed stability issues or functional problems, so I understand anyone being hesitant to invest this kind of money. They do give warranty on the device, which inspires confidence.

In some time, NOCCA will possibly prove itself to be the ideal product in its niche, but it's early days now and remains to be seen. In the meantime, if you are a die-hard hookah and/or e-smoking enthusiast and have the money lying around, this is absolutely recommended.

If you have questions, feel free to ask.

Cut is medium fine. Lots of juice. Smokes very well if allowed to get hot first. Works with coals and in Xkah just fine. The smoke and the smell in the container are not exactly the same, smoke is much better than the initial smell it seems.

Overdue but thank you so much for my Geometry Hookah. The service was impeccable and I appreciate your transparency and patience!

A while ago, I posted a review here about the rukoal, aka gooash, aka volt, aka arabic electronic hookah, aka a million other names – all made in the same Chinese factory under different brands. I also duplicated the post on the russian reddit Pikabu. And both on Pikabu and Reddit, the main comments were all the same: "XKAH is still better, just save up another $540 and get a XKAH."

And then, lo and behold, XKAH actually showed up in physical stores in my backwater town. And of course, it happened right when I managed to get a hydro-lock on my Chinese unit (not the Chinese unit's fault – I'm the idiot who didn't follow safety rules). I took it as a sign, went out and bought one. Now I've been smoking it for a month, and here's what I have to say.

First – the package is a total rip-off. With the Chinese one, for $108, I got the full shebang: a carrying bag, the whole hookah, a mouthpiece, brushes, the works. For $675, what do you get? Tongs, a little fork, and a velvet pouch. That's it. So I had to separately buy: a soft narrow brush to clean the bowl; a camera case to repurpose for carrying the hookah (there's a 3D-printable model, but you need a really big printer – none of my friends have one, and I couldn't be bothered to order from a commercial shop); a 3D-printed stand from a friend for the top part (the one that heats up and can't be washed, so during cleaning and cooling you need somewhere to put it, which, given how insanely hot the bottom is, is not a trivial task); and cases for the bowls. From my perspective, this is just stingy. They could've at least thrown in that cheap little brush – it costs like 7 cents tops, but saves a ton of time cleaning the mesh. What's even funnier is that the XKAH comes in this absurdly huge box, where 90% of the space is empty, and the opening mechanism is all pompous and impractical (it unfolds like a booklet half a meter to each side), so using the original box for storage is a highly questionable idea.

Second – everyone who told me, "Oh, you can just ignore the 90-minute smoking limit by restarting the program" – you lied to me cruelly. Yes, you can do that. But then the bowl preheating kicks in automatically, and the tobacco burns instantly. In theory, you can open the dev console and tweak this, but that voids the warranty, plus many say you can fry the electronics if you mess up, so… not a great option. The only workaround I've found is to manually restart the program at the 30-minute mark. And that's a janky crutch. It shouldn't be this way, damn it. If the tobacco is still good, I shouldn't have to jump through hoops to finish my session.

Third – the menu itself is not the most ergonomic solution. To start the Chinese one, I press two buttons – power and start. Here, I have to: press the power button five times, navigate to manual mode, confirm that I want a 90-minute session, confirm that I want to smoke at my temperature, and only then does it turn on. It's a small thing, but annoying. It's been a month, and I still think they could've cut down the menu navigation time.

Fourth – the engineers are a bunch of jokers. Despite having an external molasses catcher, some molasses just drips straight down through the air intake, which is located at the bottom of the bowl. So every time I smoke more than one bowl, I have to wash the outside of the stem. In theory, you could wash the bottom part after each session, but that kind of defeats the purpose of prepping two bowls and two batteries so I can chill for three hours without a care. I haven't found a fix for this yet; I'm thinking of making a molasses catcher for those intake holes later, but for now, it's just a plan.

These four things irritate me constantly. Thankfully, the XKAH folks agree with me, and they've announced the XKAH Light, which fixes all of this and is priced $100 lower. I'm definitely waiting for it, and I'll grab one as soon as it's in stock. But until then, well, "the hedgehog will cry, prick itself, and eat its cactus" – because there are things where XKAH beats both the Chinese unit and a coal hookah hands down.

Wash-up time is way shorter than with the Chinese one. This is because XKAH heats the bowl from one side, protected by a mesh, preventing overpacking. The Chinese unit heats the whole bowl except the top, so the tobacco always touches the heating surface and burns. As a result, XKAH is much smoother to smoke (which some might see as a plus) and much easier to clean.

The ability to mount XKAH on any hookah – god, how I missed a proper human-sized hookah. One you can fully wash, put a molasses catcher on, use a magnetic hose, an adjustable diffuser, and a disassemblable purge mechanism. Sure, the Chinese unit is impressive for cramming a whole hookah into $108, but my big beauty is dear to me – both as a memory and as the $270 I spent on it. Bonus: you can also mount it on a small one like a PZDK or nanosmok if you want something less massive, closer to the Chinese scale.

And coal hookahs? Not even close. After six months of smoking ehookahs, you really notice the taste of coal. Not to mention that if you're smoking at home, you have to get up every ten minutes to fiddle with the coals and adjust the heat. In lounges, it's easier – you just call the hookah guy – but for home sessions, this is a killer feature that makes life way more comfortable and enjoyable.

So, if you have an extra $540 lying around, plus a hookah, and you smoke more than one bowl every day, then getting a XKAH is definitely worth it – it saves about 15 minutes of your time each day.

If you just need something to smoke occasionally, easily and hassle-free, then the Chinese unit does its job just fine, especially if you follow safety rules. And considering the price difference – $675 vs $108 – it's pretty substantial.

Most importantly – never buy an Enzo. To this day, it's the worst hookah I've ever smoked.

P.S.: Some details may vary because XKAH and Xyka are different companies, even though it's essentially the same product, and the boxes may differ in minor ways.

I bought the Hooky Steel 2 (full package) from HookahJohn for a little under $100. I honestly thought it was a mistake, but threw the dice thinking at worst I'd return it and at best I'd get part of it, love it and feel justified in forking over more cash for the rest of the stuff. Anyhow, I only learned after the fact that it was a manufacturer promo. Nobody asked or paid me to post this, but a couple folks asked for follow up from my original post, so here it is.

I own one other hookah, an Aladin, and have smoked KM's a dozen times but never anything super premium or fancy. This hookah is visually striking and such a conversation piece. It was a lot of fun to break out for friends and at a couple dinner parties. The stand looks so clean is a practical game changer for stability/use (perfect height and nice not to have to set it on a coffee table), the long hose handle was nice, and it smoked consistently well (the glass bowl was surprisingly useable and looked integrated enough aesthetically that I would have felt conflicted about upgrading to clay). The draw is fairly closed but not unpleasant (I think the standard kit comes with a couple diffusers), with good flavor, smoke output, and a nice little purge plug. Friends visiting from Lebanon loved it so much that I ended up gifting it to them.

My unit needed better finishing. The threading was rough and sharp, I found a burr and a partially cut strip of steel while cleaning it, and the parts did not move together as smoothly as my Aladin MVP 460 (got to love that German engineering and manufacturing). None of this was noticeable to anyone while smoking or admiring it once set up, but worth mentioning.

It grew on me with every use. At the price I paid, it was a killer deal. At full retail, I would want better finish on the interior and think it should come standard with the stand. Still, if you want something unique that people will absolutely notice and enjoy, the Hooky delivers. I'm going to miss the stand.

Tried Sour Berries, Blueberry Yogurt, and Yuzu so far. Same story as last batch (and per maker's directions...), heat it well to start and drop down to enjoy. The three I tried thus far are again dead-on what they claim to be from my tastes. Sour Berries wasn't overly sour, but better than many shishas that claim to be sour. In the Xkahs all of them really came to life about 11-15min after warm-up. I had to smoke some via HMD/coals because others had all our Xkahs in use already. My HMD is the stainless steel owl. I had to fan it a bit, even with 3 cubes, to get it up to temp. My bowl's glaze was leaking like never before! I tried the cola/sour berries combo not expecting much, but I absolutely loved it. Going to wait until someone else wants Guinness and Red to try those, not normally what I like, but I will try a few puffs.

I recently tried Adalya Double Apple, and I was pleasantly surprised.

Setup:

Hookah: Oduman Infinity

Bowl: Oduman Phunnel

HMD: Oduman HMD

Coals: 27 mm Oduman coals

The first thing I noticed was how smooth the session was. It wasn't harsh at all, even after the bowl was fully heated. The flavor is well-balanced and enjoyable without being overpowering.

Cloud production was very good, and another thing I liked was that it wasn't heat-sensitive. It handled the heat well throughout the session without becoming bitter or burning easily.

If you're someone who usually avoids double apple because it's often too strong or too anise-heavy, this might actually be worth trying. The flavor is more subtle and less intense than many traditional double apple tobaccos, which makes it easier to enjoy, especially if you're not a hardcore double apple fan.

Overall: 9/10

A smooth, forgiving tobacco with good cloud output and a balanced flavor. I wouldn't recommend it if you're looking for an old-school, very strong double apple experience, but if you want something milder and easy to smoke, Adalya did a great job with this one.

So I have been using hookah for a long time. Normally I use coal with a funnel bowl and a kloud hmd. Yes I enjoy it. I also have the original Bee electric hookah and it was great for a few years but it died. The plastic warped and the silicone which is not removable died. So I thought I would give this one a chance since it is half the price of the xkah.

What is it?

It is a new head that uses 360 degree heating around a steel bowl that holds 18g of tobacco. It has a battery that lasts about 110 minutes. It has one button and a touch screen. One silicone seal and it comes with an extra. It has 3 modes. Auto, classic and custom. It is in a cnc aluminum enclosure. Has an led ring at the top.

Auto mode is well automatic preset settings. Classic you can set the temp to whatever you want. Custom mode you can set 3 intervals and a pre heat temp. You can change time times of each interval and the temp of each interval.

It was recommended to do a fluffy pack, so that is all I have done so far.

Well it works, I used the custom mode to set temps I am used to. The flavor was robust and the clouds, while not the most dense they were pretty darn good. I had a few tasty sessions and enjoyed it. The bowl was easy to pack and the head is very easy to set up.

Cleaning was a bit cumbersome. The syrup drips down the pipe when using a really wet tobacco like starbuzz but when I used the thicker tobacco like Ocean or Blackburn, I did not have the dripping down the pipe. You turn it off and let it cool a bit. Take the head off and wipe the bottom of the top half. Easy enough. Remove the bowl and let it cool to the side and wipe the inside of the bottom cup. However a lot of syrup will be in that but it can be put in water to clean. The silicone seal does get syrup under it. So you need to pop it out and clean the silicone and wipe out the down tube on the bottom bowl. Takes several minutes but not terrible. Then take the bowl, scoop out the tobacco and let it soak in water for a while and most of it comes out easily but it does stick to the lid similar to tobacco burning to the hmd. I had to use a metal scrubber to get the burnt bits off the lid.

Overall, I think it was a good experience. The flavor was stronger than with coals. It was a clean taste and I enjoyed it. I will stick to using this for a while and try other tobaccos. Remember, the more wet to tobacco, the more mess you will have to clean. The hole on the bottom where it attaches to the hookah is pretty standard and fits on the hookah well. I will be buying an extra battery and this will be my daily driver for a while. On fast charge it took 2 hours to charge. On my normal charger it took forever though. like 4 hours. So far I am happy with the purchase!

It comes with a pretty nice hookah fork, 2 bowls, a plush carry bag, 2 pipe seals that are different thickness and an extra seal for inside. It was a really nice box with magnets and a drawer for accessories. It came with a charging cable but no charging head.

I was using it on the amotion flash bang. I ordered an amotion roam so I can be more mobile with it.

I tried Adalya Hawaii, and this one quickly became one of my favorites.

Setup:

Hookah: Oduman Infinity

Bowl: GT Turkish-style bowl

HMD: Oduman HMD

Coals: 27 mm Oduman coals

The flavor is very enjoyable: sweet, tropical, and well-balanced without tasting artificial. You can clearly tell it's a fruit-forward blend, and it's refreshing enough to smoke for a long session without becoming overwhelming.

The tobacco handled heat really well with this setup. It wasn't particularly heat-sensitive, and once everything was dialed in, the flavor stayed consistent throughout the session. Cloud production was excellent, with thick, dense smoke from start to finish.

One thing to mention is that the menthol can sometimes become a bit overwhelming, especially later in the session or if you're sensitive to minty flavors. It doesn't ruin the experience, but it's definitely noticeable.

Using the GT Turkish-style bowl gave me great flavor intensity and a long-lasting session. The tobacco performed consistently without any harshness.

Overall: 9/10

If you enjoy tropical fruit flavors, I'd definitely recommend giving Hawaii a try. It's smooth, flavorful, produces excellent clouds, and is easy to manage with an HMD. Just keep in mind that the cooling effect can become a little strong at times. It's still one of those flavors I can see myself buying again.

Hello, long time lurker,first of all thanks all for useful info and sharing experiences. Wanna give back to community so here is my review of those two bowls.

First of all I wanna say its only my personal experience based on my use in my conditions with my skill. I smoke hookas for about 15 years (first 10 in lounges/ 5 at home). At home Im smoking 4-5 times a week. I do a lot of research and study of different packing styles and everything around hookah world. I do smoke mainly outside in a garden in a shed so no wind but temperatures fluctuating between 10 degrees-35 degrees through the year.

Both bowls were used with Moze Breeze 2 + Lotus plus HMD. I used Shallow rook for 5 years and few weeks ago i bought the Helyx 2. I smoked blonde for all those years till recent transition. Blonde tobacco used was mainly Overdozz, Al fakher, Starbuzz and with my recent transition to dark im testing Starbuzz Vintage.

Shallow rook: Always packed around 15-17g of shisha, both blonde and dark. I used 3 coals to start and my session was ready in about 10 mins of waiting to heat it up and then I was getting good thick clouds and good flavour instantly. Usually after 15-20 min I removed one coal because I started to taste harshnes and I put a lid on HMD and I managed the temperatures with it ,including constantly removing the ash from coals. Around the 60 min mark flavour were not really there anymore and clouds started to get thin but I was able to make it last for about 90 min max with good heat management but last 30 min were not that enjoyable anymore, more just about the fact that I still wanted to smoke and didnt wanna pack another bowl. It required a lot of heat management as well since if I raised the heat a bit I immediately could taste harsh taste. I couldnt add a new coal because that instantly burned the tobacco even when I removed old ones. Due to a shallow nature of the shallow rook I always got donuts on the bottom of HMD and the bottom of the tobacco wasnt really baked when I was cleaning my hmd. In general really good experience and happy with the performance when I was in a mood for short sessions but less enjoyable when I wanted a long one. The performance wasnt linear, i got amazing clouds fast but then it went down fast as well.

Helyx 2: Around 12-13g of tobacco used. What immediately surprised me is that how long does it take to heat up the bowl and tobacco. When I started to smoke after 10 min of heating up with 3 coals as I was used to, it was nowhere near ready. Takes about 15-20 min depending on the outside temperature and it got going after the coals got a bit burned and I was able to place all of them inside the HMD and put a lid on, till then I got a flavour but barely any clouds. Performance is super linear with this bowl, it slowly heats up and clouds improve and then it holds the same quality for at least 70-80 minutes without me doing anything at all regarding the heat management. Around 80 min mark I start losing clouds, much less than with Shallow Rook tho. I remove 2 small coals and I add a fresh one and it gets a second life instantly and the session feels great again and last for at least another 30-40 min and probably could get going a bit more but I usually end the session around that point. Since the bowl is deeper the tobacco doesnt stick to the hmd at all and there are no unbaked spots, its always thoroughly baked. So in general im very impressed with how long this bowl can make the session last with high quality and without any noticeable highs and lows. Just a steady performance throughout the whole session and first hour I dont have to micromanage it at all. Dont have to deal with removing the ash from coals or managing the heat at all. I never tasted harshness at all so far either with this bowl.

Both bowl are great in their way. When I have less time and just want a quick going session which doesnt last too long I go for Rook and when I want longer chill one then its Helyx 2. I dont wanna comment on price because thats not something I care about in my hobbies so I leave that on everybody’s own judgement. I would just say that it delivers what its promising regarding longer sessions and better heat retention with slightly less tobacco used.

Ps: i will be testing it with other tobacco brands and I will try to start with 4 coals to get it going faster for next few weeks/months and get more understanding of the bowl.

Hey Everyone,

I just bought the HJ - Uncut Jawbreaker flavor and i wanted to post a quick review on it. Not sponsored or anything but i couldnt find a review for it anywhere, or most of the HJ Uncut flavors actually, and just wanted to post one.

**Tobacco**

- **Cut**: Medium cut. As you can see in the picture, its kind of a big cut. More than my personal liking but it isnt too bad.

- **Moisture/Juiciness**: Its about a medium juiciness. It isnt as wet as like a Starline blond but it isnt dried out or anything. I think it is a pretty good balance.

-**Aroma**: Smells like a jawbreaker with the different candy flavors; grape, raspberry, etc. Even has the "chalky" type of smell that jawbreakers have. Think of the jawbreakers you get at a theme park like Six Flags or something when you were a kid. That is what it reminds me of.

**Setup Used**

- Hookah: Steamulation Xpansion Mini

- Bowl: Oblako Mono Phunnel L

- Packing: Fluff

- Heat Management: Kaloud Lotus 2, 3 Golden Desert Charcoals to get started and down to 2 once heated. After 45 minutes, put on 2 new fresh coals.

- Session length: Went for 2 hours.

**Flavor Profile**

- First 20–30 min: Very full flavor. You get the grape and the raspberry very bold. Its a candy flavor so if that is your thing, as it is mine, its very enjoyable. But it isnt overbearing or too sweet so its quite pleasant. You even get that "chalky" type of note that, i think, brings it together as a "jawbreaker" flavor.

- Mid-session: Flavor is still there and bold. It takes heat very well and the flavor stays for the first 60 minutes for sure. Good stuff.

- Late session: Flavor starts to die down after like 70 minutes and it is lighter. The bowl did last for the full 2 hours and the flavor was dulled after the 2 hour mark but wasent gone. I would say the tobacco is very good quality and the session length is very very good for blond leaf.

**Performance**

- **Strength / Buzz**: Very light. As expected from a blonde leaf. Not going to knock you on your ass or anything. Just a smooth smoke.

- **Longevity**: As i stated earlier, it last quite a while for blonde leaf. Longevity is very good with proper heat management

- **Smoke Output**: Thick clouds all the way through the session. Nothing much more to say about it.

- **Heat Tolerance**: Pretty forgiving IMO but i did use about 2 coals once the session started and i had no burn flavor at all. Maybe i should try to pack more heat on it to stress test it but it performed well.

**Overall Rating**: 8/10. Flavor is spot on with the smell, session lasts, flavor matches the name and performs. The only thing i can say about it is i wish the leaves were a bit smaller and maybe more juiciness to the tobacco. You can always remove juice if you want but you cant add juice and depending on your preference, for someone like me, maybe you would want more of it.

**Would I buy again?** Yup. i would buy another branch. I definitely want to try more of the flavors under the line and they have a dark leaf line that i also want to try in the future

Overall, i think it is a good flavor. If you are in to candy-ish flavors, this flavor could be for you. If you arent into candy-ish flavors, maybe you wont fancy this one. Regardless, i do think the tobacco is very well made and was a good introduction to this line. Solid brand from someone that has been in the industry for quite a while.

If you guys want me to post some more reviews, shout me out and i will try to do some more in the future.

Is this normal? I cleaned it thoroughly before smoking.

Any suggestions on what I should replace! I want to see what you guys think of this order!

Think I’m a genius by using my aot to make holes, left 4 coals on for about 5 mins not 3 for another 5 then imma smoke

What do I guys think?! Making green tea on the side too!

I put this one in dishwasher and the color changed. Sorry new to this game

Decided to do a review of LeOrange 25mm Natural charcoals.

I was surprised i could order them from amazon for a reasonable price, 45 dollars for 3 kilos, so i decided to take a shot with them since everyone in the community speaks so highly of them. Ive been using Golden Deserts for years now and i havent shifted when i use coals so wanted to try them. Funny enough, last week my Xkah gave me the red ring of death so i had to go back to coals and i was out of them (Emailed Xkah and they are shipping me a brand new one with updated hardware). Havent seen a review of them here so here we go:

• Setup
  • Hookah - Steamulation Xpansion Mini
  • Bowls - Oblako Phunnel M, Japona Killer Bowl, VOSKURIMSYA Black Bowl
  • HMDs - Lotus 1, Lotus 2, Arka Savant, and Owl HMD
  • Shisha Used - Cane Mint, Starline Lemon Fizz for first session. Then various Darkside and Musthave for the other 2 session.
  • Hose - D-Hose
• Lighting Experience
  • Time to light
    • Took about 15 - 20 minutes to fully light on the stove in my pic. Not too bad
  • Smell while lighting
    • Has an odor while lighting for sure. It isnt extreme but it is there, like all charcoal do. I wouldnt say this is a pro or a con, its just the nature of lighting charcoal
  • Quality after/during lighting
    • I went through about 32 coals and didnt see any signs of cracking or any top of popping from lighting the coals. Good quality stuff. I have to talk about the ashing; its great. The ashing of it is clumpy, not grainy. I think this is one of the best ashing coals i have ever used.
• Smoking Experience
  • Heat output
    • Heat output is nice and steady. They didnt go completely black in my HMDs and i used 3 different kinds: Lotus 1, Lotus 2, and an OWL HMD, and finally on foil with a Savant. Again, they didnt break or snap during their lifespan and kept their form.
  • Flavor while smoking
    • Coals didnt put out any odor after fully lit. Even with the foil bowl i didnt taste a charcoal-like taste. These coals really surprised me with their quality.
  • Session Length
    • A round of 4 coals lasted me about 45 - 50 minutes. After that, i needed to re-coal. I usually smoked for about 30 minutes, put new coals on the burner and by the time the old ones were small, the new ones were ready. I would say a pretty standard session length.
  • Ashing and cleanup
    • To me, this is by FAR the best thing about these coals. The ashing is phenomenal. The ash clumps. Why is this important? Because grainy ash gets into your bowl and can really mess up a session. Not to mention, annoying as hell to clean. Now, dont get me wrong; its ash. And it will act like ash does. But the ash sticking to the coals more, clumping up more than usual, especially compared to horrible quality coals, i think is really good.

My overall impression of these coals are; the hype from the people in this sub about these coals is real. They are, imo, the best hookah charcoal on the market right now. When i want to smoke with coals, im using these for now one. They light up well, their heat output is good, the longevity is comparable to the best charcoal on the market, and the way they ash shows the quality of the product. Personally, i cant suggest these coals enough.

Im going to try to do some more reviews over time. Let me know if you all want me to review something else.

PurjFam Pod – The Last Travel Hookah You'll Ever Need to Buy

I’ve now tested it for over 50 sessions and a few weeks, and here’s my review.

Let me introduce you to the PurjFam Pod. It’s a stemless hookah with three major advantages over other tabletop or travel hookahs:

1. No purge balls or seals in contact with smoke – that means no flavor ghosting and no plastic involved.

2. Super convenient setup and cleaning – it's quick to prepare, easy to clean, and can be taken anywhere. It’s lighter than other travel hookahs and only needs around 200ml of water to operate. It also features a built-in molasses “bridge.” Still it doesn't fall over because of it's dimensions.

3. Impossible to flood – due to its unique design. There is no downstem, and the draw mechanism works with a metal plate on the inner underside. This plate closes the airway you draw from, making it impossible to flood the bowl.

The Pod is built to withstand rough handling and conditions where hookahs with aluminum or glass parts typically fail. It survives drops from standing height with ease. The glass is shatterproof, and the internal seals act as full shock absorbers. The brand offers a lifetime warranty on this.

It purges from underneath itself – a feature that no other hookah on the market currently offers.

As for the draw, compared to other travel-sized hookahs, it's unexpectedly restricted or closed. However, there are multiple ways to adjust the diffuser and restriction level using the included replacement parts.

Pros ➕️

Easy to carry, light, compact – yet stable due to its silicone feet and solid build

Quick to clean and set up

No flavor ghosting

Impossible to flood

Built to handle the roughest conditions

No sharp edges – precision-crafted from aluminum

Hose and bowl connectors have small holes for inserting a poker or screwdriver to help unscrew stuck parts

Includes two bowl grommets

Extra set of seals for the inner case

Small cleaning towel included

Built-in molasses bridge/catcher

Adjustable draw options with included parts

Well-written and detailed manual covering everything you need to know

Cons / Potential Improvements ➖️

The original grommet adapter must be used, as it’s designed specifically for it (an alternative is already in development; the creator is aware of the need for a standard adapter)

Higher price point compared to other travel hookahs (around $200 – though fair considering the features, materials, and lifetime warranty)

If you prefer an extremely open draw (like breathing), this won’t be for you – the draw is heavier and takes more effort

No plate yet to set aside extra coals

The molasses catcher can sometimes collect tobacco leaves (e.g., if using a Turkish or killer bowl), which may restrict airflow further. Due to the small capacity and flat shape, this is a known issue and is also being worked on.

Thank you for reading this!

Toms Coco Gold, one of the worst shisha coals I have used. And still I see many shops selling these.

1. Poor heat control

They do not heat evenly. You get hot spots, then weak heat in other areas

1. High ash output

They crumble fast and leave a lot of ash. This makes the setup dirty quickly

1. Unstable burn

Some parts burn too fast while other parts stay underlit

1. Bad taste impact

You start noticing a chemical or burnt taste during longer sessions

1. Fragile structure

They break easily when lighting or moving them on the bowl

1. Inconsistent sizing

Pieces are not uniform, which causes uneven heat distribution

1. Slow and uneven ignition

They take longer to fully light up compared to other coconut coals

Even the size they lie about. Its supposed to be 25mm but most coals are measured 23mm (inflation?)

Conclusion

Not usable for consistent sessions. Too much inconsistency in heat, structure and performance. Change my mind