Setting up a shisha is simple once you have done it a couple of times. This guide covers a standard single-hose pipe with a clay or silicone bowl and coconut charcoal.

1. Fill the base

Fill the glass base with cold water until the bottom of the stem sits about 2–3 cm under the surface. Too much water makes the draw tight and can push water up the hose; too little gives a harsh, dry smoke.

2. Assemble the pipe

Push the stem into the base with its rubber grommet, attach the tray, then fit the hose to its port. Check the seal by covering the bowl opening with your hand and drawing on the hose — you should feel resistance with no air leaking in.

3. Pack the bowl

Fluff the shisha tobacco with your fingers so there are no clumps, then sprinkle it loosely into the bowl up to just below the rim. Don't press it down. For a phunnel bowl keep the centre spire clear. Overpacking is the most common cause of a burnt taste.

4. Add foil or a heat management device

If using foil, stretch a sheet shiny-side down over the bowl, pull it tight and poke evenly spaced holes with a pin or the poker on your tongs. A heat management device (HMD) sits directly on the bowl rim instead and makes heat much easier to control.

5. Light the coal

Coconut charcoal cubes need an electric coil burner or a gas hob. Heat them for 6–8 minutes, turning once, until they are glowing and grey all over. Never use quick-light discs in an enclosed room, and never light any coal indoors without ventilation.

6. Start the session

Place two or three cubes around the edge of the foil or into the HMD, put the wind cover on if you have one, and take a few slow draws. Give it 3–5 minutes to warm up. If it tastes harsh, remove a coal or move them further out; if the smoke is thin, move them toward the centre.

7. Clean up afterwards

Empty the base and rinse it with warm water, run a brush through the stem, and let the hose dry hanging up. A clean pipe is the difference between a good session and a stale one.

Remember: shisha tobacco is a tobacco product. It is for adults 18+ only, and burning charcoal produces carbon monoxide, so always keep a window open.