You've learned to take a proper pull at a lounge, you know which flavors you like, and now you're thinking about getting a hookah of your own for home or the balcony. A decent first hookah costs about as much as two or three nights out. Online listings and shops are full of all sorts of stuff, though, so it's easy to pay more for less. This guide to buying your first hookah covers what you actually need, what a hookah costs in Serbia and what to watch out for if you buy used.
Hookah parts and what they're called
Let's sort out the vocabulary before we get to prices. A hookah has five parts you'll run into in every listing:
The glass vessel with water. The smoke passes through it and cools down on the way. On cheap models it's the first thing to crack, so make sure spares exist for yours. See it in 3D
The metal tube between the bowl and the base. This is the part that matters most: stainless steel lasts for years, while chrome-plated sheet metal starts peeling within a single season. See it in 3D
The ceramic or clay bowl on top that holds the tobacco. It's topped with a heat management device or foil (more on that in the gear list below). Bowl types and how to pack them are in our post about hookah bowls. See it in 3D
A silicone hose with a mouthpiece. Silicone doesn't soak up smells, so one hose works for every flavor. Classic woven hoses “remember” every tobacco that's ever gone through them. See it in 3D
The rubber rings that keep all the parts sealed airtight. A few hundred dinars' worth of rubber, and the reason half of all “broken” hookahs won't draw at all. See it in 3D
How much does a hookah cost in Serbia?
New hookahs here fall roughly into three price ranges, and for a first hookah the middle one is almost always the right call:
- Small unbranded Chinese hookahs
- Thin sheet metal, narrow bases, weak draw
- OK for a “let's see if it's my thing” trial
- Spare parts basically don't exist
- Trusted mid-range brands
- Stainless steel or good-quality brass
- Smoke close to what you get at a lounge
- Parts and bases are easy to find
- German and Russian brands, designer models
- Perfect airflow, quiet draw, a stem for life
- Only makes sense once you know exactly what you want
- Skip it for your first hookah, you'll get there
These are rough prices for new hookahs. In used listings the same mid-range models often go for half the price, which is exactly why buying used is so popular for a first hookah.
Which brands belong in which range is covered in our guide to hookah brands. The German brand Amy Deluxe has a post of its own.
New or used?
A hookah is a simple machine with no electronics, so a used one has no hidden faults: if something's wrong with it, you can see it with the naked eye. That makes used a perfectly legit option, as long as you know what you're looking at:
Used makes sense when…
- the stem is stainless steel with no sign of peeling
- the base isn't chipped (chipped = leaks and whistles)
- the seller throws in tongs, a heat management device or spare grommets
- you can try the draw in person before you pay
Walk away when…
- the chrome is pitted and blotchy (that's sheet metal under there, not steel)
- it's sold “without the hose” (you'd buy a new silicone one anyway, but ask why it's missing)
- it's a “handmade rarity” without a single brand name on it
- the used price is higher than the same hookah new
What you always replace on a used hookah, for hygiene reasons: the hose with its mouthpiece and all the grommets. That's 1,000–2,000 dinars (€9–17) worth of gear, so factor it into the price.
What else you need: the starter kit
The hookah itself is only half the bill. These are the consumables it won't work without:
- Tobacco: a 50 g pack costs about 1,000–1,500 dinars (€9–13) and lasts 3–4 bowls. To start, get one fresh, minty flavor and one fruity one; here's our flavor map.
- Coconut charcoal: a 1 kg box (72 cubes) runs about 1,000 dinars (€9) and lasts for weeks. Save quick-light charcoal for day trips: it lights faster, but you can taste it in the smoke.
- Heat management device or foil: a heat management device (HMD, often just called a kaloud) is a metal cap for the bowl that replaces foil and makes it much easier to keep the heat steady (see what it looks like in 3D). If you're new to this, get one right away. It's about 500–1,000 dinars (€4–9).
- Tongs and a burner: charcoal tongs usually come with the hookah. The easiest way to light coconut charcoal is a small gas burner or an electric hot plate.
All in: with a mid-range hookah, a complete starter kit comes to 10,000–18,000 dinars new (€85–154), or noticeably less if you find the hookah used. Once everything arrives, the whole process from water to first cloud is in our post on how to set up a hookah at home.
Before you pay: a checklist for buying your first hookah
- The stem is stainless steel (a magnet sticks weakly or not at all to good stainless, but snaps right onto sheet metal).
- Once assembled, it doesn't hiss: cover the bowl with your palm and draw. If you can't pull any air through, the seal is good.
- The base has a flat bottom and stands steady. Tall, thin bases don't last long on a table at home.
- A height of 50–75 cm (about 20–30 in) is the easiest to handle on a table and to clean. Leave the meter-tall giants to lounges. In an apartment they're overkill.
- You can get spare bases, bowls and grommets for that model. Check before you buy. Once something cracks, it's too late.
Ready to go hunting? Our shop has listings for hookahs, tobacco and gear from all over Serbia. While you wait for yours to arrive, find a lounge in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš or on the map and ask the hookah master for a tip or two. Lounge etiquette for your first session is in our hookah guide for beginners.
