Parts of a hookah
These are the pieces the hookah itself is made of. Most of them fit most hookahs, sometimes with a grommet or an adapter; the downstem and threaded-neck bases are the exceptions.
Complete set or stem only? Hookahs range from complete sets with the bowl, tray, hose and base included to the stem alone, where you buy every other part separately; most fall somewhere in between. Check the "In the box" list on the product page, if there is one, before you order.
Hookah bowl
Fits most hookahsThe hookah bowl sits on top of the stem and holds the shisha tobacco. Most hookahs come without a bowl, and most bowls fit most hookahs. Bowls differ in two ways:
- Type (shape and hole layout): phunnel, Egyptian, Turkish-style, killer and evil bowls. A phunnel bowl has one hole on a raised spire, so the juice stays in the bowl instead of dripping into the stem.
- Material: clay, silicone, glass, ceramic, wooden and stone.
Read how to pack a hookah bowl before your first session.
Shop hookah bowls →
Stem and downstem
Downstem: model-specificThe stem is the hookah itself: the main body the smoke travels through from the bowl down into the base. Below it sits the downstem, the tube that dips into the water. A downstem is usually made for one hookah model and fits only that model, and hookahs are sold with their downstem in the vast majority of cases. Many stems also carry a purge valve for clearing stale smoke. When you choose a new hookah, you are mainly choosing the stem, so compare build quality, size and number of hoses across our hookahs.
Shop hookahs →Tray (ashtray)
Fits most hookahsThe hookah tray, also called the charcoal tray or coal tray, sits under the bowl, catches ash and gives spare coals a place to rest. Most hookahs come with one. If yours doesn't, or you want a different look, a separate hookah tray fits most hookahs.
Shop hookah trays →
Hose and handle
Fits most (grommet or adapter)The hookah hose carries the smoke from the hose port on the stem to you, and the handle, or mouthpiece, is the rigid end you draw from. What comes in the box depends on the set: some hookahs include a hose and handle, some only the handle, and some neither. Most hoses and handles fit most hookahs, either directly with a grommet or with a hose adapter. Some hoses have a spring where the hose meets the port or the handle to stop it from kinking. Shop hookah hoses or compare them in our best hookah hose guide.
Shop hookah hoses →
Glass base
Fits most · check height & neckThe base holds the water. Most bases share the same neck diameter, so with the right grommet a base fits most hookahs. Two things to check:
- Height. Mini bases only fit hookahs with a short downstem, mostly mini hookahs. A hookah with a long downstem needs a regular base; a mini hookah works with both.
- Threaded neck. Some brands, such as Steamulation and Wookah, make bases with a metal thread fixed to the glass. The thread gives a tight, stable connection between the base and the stem, but these bases screw onto their own brand's hookahs only.
Fill the base so the end of the downstem sits about an inch below the waterline. Replacement bases come in many shapes and colors; browse hookah bases.
Shop hookah bases →Spare parts and add-ons
Some small parts wear out and are easy to replace without buying a new hookah; others are add-ons you can fit to many hookahs. Keep a few spares on hand, and browse every replacement piece in hookah parts.
Grommets
Check the sizeGrommets are the rubber or silicone rings that seal the joints between the bowl and the stem, the stem and the base, and the hose and the port. They stretch and crack over time, and a worn grommet is a common reason a hookah draws too loosely. Match the size to your hookah when you buy grommets.
Shop grommets →
Purge valve balls
Check the sizeThe purge valve on the stem has a small ball bearing inside. When you blow gently into the hose, the positive pressure lifts the ball and pushes stale smoke out of the base; while you inhale, the ball seals the valve. If the ball gets lost during cleaning or stops sealing, a replacement ball in the right size fixes it.
Shop purge valve balls →
Diffusers
Check the sizeA diffuser slips onto the end of the downstem and splits the smoke into many small bubbles, which makes the hookah quieter. It has to match your downstem's diameter, so check the size before you buy diffusers.
Shop diffusers →
Hose connectors
Check the sizeA hose connector, or adapter, lets you fit a hose to a hose port it wasn't made for. Pick one that matches both your hose and your port in our hose connectors.
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Molasses catchers
Check the sizeA molasses catcher sits between the bowl and the stem and collects juice that drips from the shisha, so it doesn't run down into the stem. Check that it fits your stem's bowl fitting when you choose a molasses catcher.
Shop molasses catchers →Hookah accessories
Accessories are not part of the hookah, but you use them with it. Besides the ones below, there are other accessories such as cleaning supplies and LED lights. Most of them work with any hookah or fit most hookahs; each card shows what to check. Here is how the charcoal gets from the burner to the bowl and the tray:
1. LightHeat the coals on a burner until they glow evenly.
2. CarryPick them up with tongs, never by hand; use a coal carrier if the burner is in another room.
3. PlaceSet them inside the HMD (or on the foil) on top of the bowl.
4. RestKeep spare coals on the tray; move one there if the bowl gets too hot.
Heat management device
Fits most bowlsA heat management device (HMD), such as the Kaloud Lotus, sits on top of the bowl and holds the coals inside it. Its vents or lid let you raise or lower the heat during the session, and you never have to poke foil. Most HMDs fit most bowls; the alternative is aluminum foil, a consumable (see foil). Shop heat management devices or read how to use a hookah, which compares foil and HMDs.
Shop heat management devices →Coal burner
UniversalNatural coconut coals need a coal burner or stove to light evenly before they go on the bowl. A burner works with any hookah and any natural coals.
Shop coal burners →
Coal carrier
UniversalA coal carrier, or charcoal basket, holds lit coals while you carry them from the burner to the hookah, for example from the kitchen to the patio. Any coal carrier works with any hookah.
Shop coal carriers →Tongs
UniversalTongs are an essential accessory: they move hot coals from the burner to the bowl and to the tray without touching them, and let you shift a coal to the edge when the bowl gets too hot. Any hookah tongs work with any hookah.
Shop hookah tongs →
Wind cover
Fits most bowls and HMDsOutdoors, a wind cover over the bowl keeps the coals from flaring up in the wind. Most wind covers fit most bowls and HMDs.
Shop wind covers →
Personal mouth tips
Fits most handlesMany hookah smokers keep their own reusable mouth tip that slips over the hose handle. Most mouth tips fit most handles.
Shop mouth tips →
Hookah bags
Check the sizeA padded hookah bag protects the glass base and the stem when you travel. Check the bag's size against your hookah's height before you buy.
Shop hookah bags →Consumables
Consumables get used up, so you restock them as you go. They are sold separately from the hookah and work with almost any hookah.
Shisha tobacco
Works with any hookahShisha tobacco is the moist, flavored tobacco you pack into the bowl. It comes in tins, jars and pouches from many brands, and shisha flavors range from fruit and mint to sweeter blends you can smoke alone or mix. Browse shisha tobacco, or start with our best hookah flavors picks.
Shop shisha tobacco →
Hookah coals
UniversalHookah charcoal is the heat source. Natural coconut charcoal, usually pressed into cubes, is the most common choice and needs a burner to light; quick-light charcoal catches from a lighter, which makes it handy on the go. See our hookah coals and the best hookah coals guide.
Shop hookah coals →
Hookah foil
UniversalIf you don't use an HMD, hookah foil covers the bowl instead: use a fresh sheet of aluminum foil for every bowl and pierce it with a foil poker.
Shop hookah foil →
Disposable mouth tips
Fits most handlesWhen a hookah is shared with friends, people often use disposable plastic mouth tips: each person slips their own tip over the handle and throws it away after the session.
Shop disposable tips →What comes with a hookah
Box contents vary by brand and model, from a complete set to the stem alone. If you're buying your first hookah, here is what to expect in general; every hookah page in our store also shows an "In the box" list when the manufacturer provides one.
| Item | Usually in the box? |
|---|---|
| Stem and downstem | Yes, in the vast majority of sets |
| Tray | Usually |
| Glass base | Often; some hookahs are sold without one |
| Hose and handle | Depends on the set: both, only the handle, or neither |
| Bowl | Usually not |
| Heat management device | Rarely |
| Tongs | Sometimes |
| Shisha tobacco, coals | Sold separately |
When everything arrives, follow our 9-step hookah setup guide.
Frequently asked questions
What are the parts of a hookah called?
The main parts of a hookah are the bowl, the stem with its downstem, the tray, the hose with its handle and the glass base, sealed by grommets. Coals and shisha tobacco are consumables, and a heat management device and tongs are accessories rather than parts of the hookah itself.
Do hookah bowls fit all hookahs?
Most bowls fit most hookahs. The bowl sits on a grommet at the top of the stem, so a standard bowl works on almost any standard hookah.
Will any glass base fit my hookah?
Most bases share the same neck diameter and fit most hookahs with the right grommet. The exceptions are mini bases, which need a short downstem, and threaded-neck bases from brands such as Steamulation and Wookah, which screw tightly onto their own brand's hookahs only.
How much water goes in a hookah base?
Add enough water to cover the end of the downstem by about an inch (2–3 cm). Too little water and the smoke won't bubble through it; too much and the draw gets tight or water can reach the hose.
Why is water coming up my hookah hose?
The water level is usually too high, or the hookah was tilted with the hose port below the waterline. Pour out some water so only the end of the downstem is covered, and keep the hookah upright.
Do I need a heat management device?
No. Foil with small holes works with any bowl. An HMD saves you from preparing foil every session and lets you adjust the heat by moving its lid or vents.