Shisha Coals

To turn on the shisha, you need shisha coals to have enough heat on the shisha cup to heat the taste. There are different types of coals, but they are divided into two categories. Those are the “instant” coals and the natural coals.

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Instant Charcoal

The name of this category says a lot about the product itself. The coals in this category light up very quickly compared to the natural coals. How do you recognize the instant charcoal? To make it really easy, it’s the coals that look like Oreos. Black round coals in a plastic package usually containing 10 pieces. The coals are fully lit after about 30 seconds. That is a big advantage because you don’t have to wait that long for your coals compared to the natural coals. Unfortunately, there are also drawbacks.

First, the coals ash very quickly. For a round of shisha you need several “instant” coals. Second, it gives a distinct aftertaste to the shisha itself. The chemical construction of the coal makes it very quick, but unfortunately it also has a strange aftertaste. Due to the chemical construction, it is also questionable whether it is healthy to use these coals. Avoiding these coals certainly does not mean that smoking shisha is healthier. Shisha smoking remains harmful in the long term, just like smoking cigarettes.

Natural coals

The coals in this category are made from natural resources. Bamboo and coconut are the most popular in the natural charcoal category these days. It does take a while before these coals are lit. The “instant” coals are easily lit with a lighter or match. You need a gas stove or coal burner for the natural coals.

The disadvantage of using these coals is time. The advantages are that they stay on much longer and you therefore use fewer coals per round of shisha. Another advantage is that it does not leave a bad aftertaste while smoking shisha. There are different kinds of qualities in this category. The cheap natural coals ash much faster than the expensive natural coals.

Again, by smoking natural coals, smoking a shisha does not make it healthier. It makes it nicer and less harmful.