Lighting shisha charcoal – this is the best way to do it

As is well known, many roads lead to Rome - this also applies to lighting shisha charcoal. There are numerous ways to make shisha charcoal glow, but anyone who doesn't use auto-ignition charcoal knows that a simple lighter usually won't do it. The starting energy of natural coal is higher and it does not contain any chemical additives. We examine different options for lighting charcoal and tell you how you can get your shisha charcoal ready for use as quickly as possible.

Light shisha charcoal with a lighter

Lighting shisha charcoal completely with a lighter is actually an impossibility. With a lot of patience you may be able to get a small corner of the coal to glow, but even if you use a hairdryer to ensure a good supply of oxygen, it is unlikely that the coal will glow through. A lighter simply has too little starting energy. Even with a storm lighter that has a flame with a higher heat capacity, it takes a very long time to burn through the coal. And even then you have only lit a charcoal cube and would have to repeat the whole process several times. You should say goodbye to the idea of ​​lighting your shisha charcoal with a lighter, as it takes a very long time and is completely ineffective, if it succeeds at all.

Light shisha charcoal outside: It's best to use a camping burner

You can find acamping burner in every hardware store and it is particularly practical if you want to light shisha charcoal outdoors, as it is powered by a gas cartridge and therefore does not need to be near a power connection. The shisha charcoal is then heated with the fire from the burner head, whereby the heat is not concentrated, but rather runs through many small nozzles. After about 15 minutes, the natural charcoal will be glowing and ready to fire up your shisha . A camping burner is ideal for occasional outdoor use, even if it takes a little longer for the coal to burn completely. However, it is not suitable for everyday use as you would have to constantly replace the gas cartridges.

An extraordinary alternative: the hot air dryer

A hot air dryer is also available in hardware stores everywhere and is a slightly different way to get the shisha charcoal to glow. To ensure this works well, it is best to place the shisha charcoal in a charcoal basket and then heat it specifically. The very hot air that the fan emits accelerates the heating of the shisha charcoal enormously. In addition, the heat of a hot air dryer can be easily regulated. Using a hot air blower makes it possible to light the charcoal particularly quickly and effectively, but flying sparks can occur, which is not entirely harmless.

The Genie Fireblade – The most effective solution for shisha coal

Especially if there is a power connection nearby, an electric charcoal lighter is the best choice for quickly and safely preparing charcoal for the shisha session. TheDschinni Fireblade is easy to use and ensures that the shisha charcoal is heated evenly from all sides and glows throughout. To speed things up even more, you can place a metal cylinder over it to create a chimney effect, like the one we know from the chimney top . To avoid the typical crack in the middle of the charcoal cube, you should turn the charcoal when it is pulled through to about the middle. This is a quick and clean way to get your coal ready to go.

General tips for lighting shisha charcoal

For alternative variants of charcoal lighting, it also makes sense to carefully turn the shisha charcoal with tongs when it has glowed halfway through. This way, cracks can be prevented. After the coal has glowed, take it with tongs and gently tap it or blow on it to remove its layer of ash. You can tell whether the shisha charcoal can be placed on the tobacco bowl or fireplace attachment by the fact that there are no longer any black spots on the charcoal cubes. It should be light in color. If the shisha charcoal is not completely smoldered, you will notice this when smoking, when an unpleasant, charred taste mixes with the tobacco aromas .