Getting to Know Quality
Ryan "Midnight" McBride
A lot of people come through the lounge and ask me why a Kahlil Mamoon (KM) or a Magdy Zidan (MZ) hookah costs $100-$150 for a medium sized hight while other brands may be half that price or twice as tall for the same price. This article is a break down of what separates a KM and a MZ from a lot of brands out there which a lot of the time are manufactured in China.
STEM
The stems of a KM or a MZ are made to be one piece. Some of them are solid molds and some are welded together but these hand crafted stems will put any Mya or Sahara to shame. Many brands out there use Chinese makers to craft their hookahs and what they get are cookie cutter trash (most of the time, there are some exceptions). These stems can be miss-matched any which way and have multiple places where pieces are threaded on. These threads over a short time of being twisted on and off will start to break down and easily create leaks.
CHAMBER
With multiple pieces also usually comes a modern or Chinese chamber. These chambers are made so that pieces screw into them, be it the stem, hose ports and purges or plugs so air flows through all of these areas freely. This makes it so more air is needed to pull on the hookah or purge old smoke out of the chamber. KM and MZ hookahs pull much more freely and allow for much easier purging. Often these stem pieces alone are most of the expense when purchasing a KM or a MZ because they are so well made. I wish I could stress the importance of a traditional chamber when looking for a hookah that will last a long time and smoke the best.
BOWLS
There are many bowls out on the market but most of the time when I go to head shops I see weired three flavor section bowls or Mya mod bowls or some kind of Chinese mod in general. When looking for a bowl, make sure to keep in mind what kind of tobacco you will be smoking out of it. Many of the traditional tobaccos are much better smoked out of a traditional egyption bowl which will come when you purchase a KM or a MZ. If you are into the more modern tobaccos like Social Smoke, Starbuzz, Al Fakher, Fantasia or others like these you should probably look for a vortex bowl. These bowls allow for the maximum amount of flavor in each session. They hold the tobacco juices better in the bowl so it lasts longer. If you do use these bowls for tobaccos like Nakhla though be careful. I have only heard bad stories about doing this.
BASE
KM bases are probably the prettiest bases on the market. Many of them adorn the name around the top rim with pretty designs all throughout the base. The only problem with KM bases is that I have found that the design will sometimes wash away quite early in the hookah's life. For the most sturdy and reliable base I have found MZ's to last a little longer. Some of them in the lounge have lasted 3-4 years being used every night.
HOSE
What type of hose you have on your hookah can make quite a difference. Washable is the key word when it comes to hoses for me. A hose being washable or not can dictate how long the hose will last and how tasty your flavors can be. If your the type of person that only smokes one or two flavors then this really isn't a factor but there is nothing more disappointing then lighting up a new and exciting flavor and only being able to taste the last flavor you smoked. My personal favorite hose is the Nammor. A very wide gauge with a mouth tip that can be replaced or upgraded. These hoses pull amazingly free. With an interchangeable tip they also will also last you a long time.
Egyptian hookahs have been at the top of their class for centuries. The heritage, prestige and quality of an Egyptian hookah is something that can be described but the experienced really must be done by yourself. I can write all day long about the brilliance but the experience should be your own. You should take the time to stop by Blue Midnight in East Lansing, MI or save up to buy one for yourself. You don't have to take me for my word. Check other websites and message boards. Any hookah enthusiast will tell you there is nothing better than Egyptian!
Till next time, smoke happy,
Ryan "Midnight" McBride
