How to light hookah coals properly — and why it matters
Under-lit charcoal isn’t a small thing — it means carbon monoxide and the dreaded “hookah sickness.” Here’s how we light our coals, and why it’s the key to a light session.
Charcoal is the heart of the shisha. It decides whether the evening stays light and tasty or ends in a headache. And the most common mistake is a simple one: charcoal lit only halfway.
Under-lit charcoal = carbon monoxide
When a coal isn’t glowing all the way through — black sides, not heated to the core — it burns incompletely. And incomplete combustion releases far more carbon monoxide (CO): a colourless, odourless gas you can’t sense, going straight into the smoke. That — not the tobacco itself — is behind most cases of so-called “hookah sickness.”
How to recognise “hookah sickness”
Headache, dizziness, nausea, weakness, a heavy feeling during or after the session — that’s a sign the smoke carried too much carbon monoxide (often together with dehydration and a sugar dip). If you feel it, step out for fresh air, drink water or a sweet drink and give yourself a moment.
Coals are lit all the way — every time
The rule is simple: only charcoal glowing evenly, orange-red across the whole surface with no black spots, goes onto the bowl. It’s lit on a dedicated coil or burner, not with a lighter “on the quick” — an open flame only heats one corner of the cube and the rest stays under-lit. Good coconut charcoal, fully lit, burns clean and long.
Why this is our routine at Selection
Here the coals always reach full glow on the burner before they touch the bowl — our masters watch for it on every shisha. We use coconut charcoal and modern heat-management devices (HMDs) that hold even heat and make control easier. The master keeps coming back to your table all evening: tapping off ash, turning and swapping coals so the smoke stays light from the first draw to the last.
Add a well-ventilated room and the riverside terrace — fresh air is part of a well-served shisha. That’s why here it’s about flavour and calm, not a “heavy head.”
Want to feel the difference a properly lit coal makes? Book a table at 664 774 447 or online — our master will take care of the rest.
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