Shisha charcoal - important information and tips

Nowadays, shisha charcoal is the name given to coal that is made from coconut shells and is therefore a natural product. It doesn't smell, burns longer and ash less than charcoal or lignite. The most important thing is of course that shisha charcoal should not give off any taste of its own.
In many Arab countries, charcoal, lemon tree charcoal or other forms of coal made from wood are still used.
Shisha natural charcoal cannot be ignited with a lighter because it requires a much larger heat source than a lighter and ignites it takes longer. But the coal burns for a very long time.
Shisha charcoal must be lit with special charcoal lighters.

Self-igniting coal vs. natural coal

Self-igniting coal is also known as shisha charcoal. These are usually large, round charcoal tablets that are lit with a lighter or candle. Little effort is required for this, the coal burns automatically and glows on its own. The charcoal tablets are a good alternative if you don't have the opportunity to turn on natural charcoal.
The disadvantage is the ash production, short burning time, low heat, larger ash production and, above all, the taste they give off.
Self-igniting coals are usually an emergency solution if you want to use the shisha outdoors. Otherwise, this coal is extremely overcrowded and not recommended. The chemical ingredients such as black powder and other chemicals are the reason why self-igniting coal easily ignites.

Self-igniting coal is also much more expensive than natural coal. In order to achieve the same burning time as natural charcoal, you have to use 3-4 times as much coal, which then exceeds the lower purchase price. Natural charcoal made from coconut shells offers a much greater advantage over self-igniting charcoal, we only recommend the latter if there is no way to light or use the natural charcoal.
The heat of natural charcoal is more even and much more controllable.

How to properly use self-igniting shisha charcoal:

You will need tongs and a source of fire for this. Grab the tablets with tongs and hold them at a safe distance just above a fireplace such as a lighter or candle. Position the tablet in the middle so that it can burn evenly. If you hear a slight hissing sound, like that of a fuse, then you are sure that the coal is burning out. When the coal has completely burnt out, blow on it again so that the entire thing burns evenly red and you are sure that it is completely lit. Now you can place the self-igniting coal in the middle of the shisha head, because it doesn't develop enough heat and so you reach a higher temperature and therefore more smoke from the shisha.

The correct way to use Shisha natural charcoal.

Coal is the biggest danger point of the shisha , both when lighting the charcoal and when using it, because carbon monoxide is produced. Because the coal heats up to 700 degrees Celsius, burns or fires can occur. Therefore, correct use is very important here.
Care should be taken to handle coal correctly and the necessary utensils such as lighters, tongs and a coal basket are very beneficial.

Always store coal in a dry place, because coal should never get damp or be placed in a damp environment, otherwise an unpleasant smell may develop when it is turned on.

When lighting the coal , you should always make sure that there is enough oxygen supply. For example through an open window. This is extremely important because if the proportion of carbon monoxide in the air is too high, this leads to severe physical limitations and even carbon monoxide poisoning.

Never leave your coal unattended, as sparks can quickly become a danger to the surrounding area if there are highly flammable materials, substances or other objects there. This applies both at home and outdoors.

Light shisha charcoal

There are many ways to light shisha charcoal. You need a hot heat source such as:
1. an open fire (fireplace, grill, campfire)

2. a camping burner

3. a kitchen stove

4. or a modern electric charcoal lighter.

Depending on the temperature and device, lighting takes between 5-20 minutes. Turn the charcoal occasionally so that all sides are lit evenly and no part remains black.

Gas burner, camping burner:
With a gas burner, lighting takes up to 20 minutes and is not as effective. You have to regularly buy gas cartridges, but you are very mobile with a camping burner and it is ideal for outdoor use.
Using a hairdryer speeds up the heating process immensely, but is also dangerous because sparks form and pose a danger to the surrounding area.
A tip: Build a fireplace out of aluminum foil and create a chimney effect that speeds up lighting. This way you save time. This can be recommended for the camping burner as well as for all other electric lighters .

In shisha bars, a special stone oven is always used due to the large amount of coal , but this is not necessary for private use and is completely overkill.
Good stone ovens for shisha bars only require a small amount of energy to start and then run without any additional energy supply. When one coal is lit, it burns the others with it, saving you work and money because no additional aids are required.

A tip: Don't turn the coal too early otherwise it may break in the middle later. The coal can also break if you ignite it too quickly.

Shisha charcoal lighter

The most modern and easiest way to light shisha charcoal is with an electric charcoal lighter like the Dschinni Fireblade or a Dschinni toaster. These lighters only require a socket, are adjustable and light your shisha charcoal within 5-8 minutes.
All versions of the electric charcoal lighter have a heating coil that heats the coal, whether with direct contact or with a protective grille.
It has a handle with which you can also use the hot lighter as a basket. A good charcoal lighter has a safety system that switches off the lighter if it gets too hot. The spiral should be of high quality and protected by a grill or grille.
Charcoal lighters over 1000 watts have a significantly shorter lifespan because they are subjected to greater stress.
Therefore, always choose a branded product and pay more attention to the quality rather than the price
In the Dschinni range we have different variations of electric lighters and gas-powered camping burners.
There are standard flat electric lighters, toaster lighters or round lighter lighters.

1. Plug the charcoal lighter into a socket
2. Place the grid over the heating coil
3. Set the lighter to level 5
4. Place the desired amount of coal on the grid
5. If the bottom is glowing, turn it over once with tongs
6. When the coal has glowed, simply remove the coal and place it in a coal basket.

Light shisha charcoal without a grill

With an electric charcoal lighter without a grill or grid, the coals are placed directly on the heating coil. This means that the coal burns more quickly, but the coil wears out even more and thus significantly reduces the lifespan of the coil.
That's why all new electric shisha charcoal lighters are equipped with a grid.
A damaged coil can lead to a short circuit, so always pay attention to the condition of the heating coil; this also determines the lifespan of the shisha charcoal lighter.

If you want to smoke shisha outdoors and don't have a power outlet available, we recommend using a camping burner or a Bunsen burner.
For the camping burner, place the required coals on the sieve and turn on the lighter ; here too, turn the coals after about 10 minutes. You can make a cylinder out of aluminum foil and place it over the coal, the chimney effect will make the coal burn even faster.
With a Bunsen burner, place the coals on top of each other in a basket and hold the burning jet onto the coals. With both the camping burner and the Bunsen burner, you should turn the coals occasionally so that all sides burn evenly.

Alternatively, you can try a live hack. Build a cylinder with aluminum foil by wrapping the aluminum foil around a kitchen roll, which has the perfect diameter for 3 coals. Ensure there is a good supply of air from the floor. Light 3-4 auto-ignition coals. The whole thing takes about 20 minutes, but this is also how you get natural charcoal.
If you build a device over a candle you can also light natural charcoal, but this is quite time consuming. Build a contraption with a grid and place the candles underneath. The coals should be on the grate. Here too, an aluminum cylinder is very advantageous.

When is shisha coal good?

How do I recognize good coals?

1. The coal should be tightly packed and not crumble before lighting.
2. There should be no strong smell when lighting. But even if the coal stinks when you light it, it can still be good. One reason for the odor is a natural binding agent to hold the coal together. If you use it too liberally, it will stink when you light it.
3. There should be no heavy ash formation during lighting.
4. The coal should not break apart on the electric charcoal lighter.
5. Good coal burns with an even red glow from the outside to the inside.
6. The coal should not run out on the shisha head .
7. Bad coal burns unevenly and crumbles.
8. With good shisha charcoal, a slightly flaky ash forms from which you can remove the glowing coal while the ash cube is still standing.
9. Under no circumstances should you be able to taste the coal.
10. Shisha charcoal is ready when it glows evenly red all around. The light white ash layer can be easily blown off.

Never get no-name money, always use long-standing brands such as Dschinni Cubes.

The right temperature of the shisha coal

Shisha charcoal should reach at least 400 degrees Celsius so that you can smoke it with aluminum foil. With modern fireplace attachments or HMD attachments, you need a higher temperature to use them optimally.

How hot does shisha coal get?

Depending on the quality, shisha coal heats up to between 600 - 750 degrees Celsius, so you should be extremely careful when handling it. You also need this temperature to be able to use the coal with a chimney attachment or an HMD attachment. The coal heats the tobacco to up to 250 degrees Celsius. Avoid direct contact between charcoal and tobacco because the glycerin would decompose at 290 degrees Celsius.
Therefore, always pay attention to the high calorie content on the packaging.
Charcoal or self-igniting coal only reaches temperatures of up to 400 degrees Celsius.

What should shisha charcoal look like?

When using the coal, it must be completely lit and glowing from all sides. When it is completely annealed, it has a bright red-orange color and no longer has any black spots. Black spots are a characteristic of areas that have not yet been fully annealed. If there are still black spots, blow on the coal or put it back on the lighter with the black side.
If there is any ash left over at the end, it should be fine and flaky after smoking and not grainy.

How long does shisha charcoal burn?

Good shisha coals like the Dschinni Cubes should last at least 90 minutes on a fireplace attachment until they are too small to give off enough heat. In an HMD attachment, good carbon can last even longer. If you put new coal on after 45 minutes or earlier, you run the risk of burning the tobacco because the freshly added coal then has too much heat of its own.
Of course, the way you burn the charcoal also varies depending on the way you draw it and the head you use.
Self-igniting coal lasts about 20-30 minutes and is only suitable for aluminum foil.

How to turn off shisha coal?

The most effective and safest way is to extinguish the coal in a coal basket with water. Otherwise, you can put the coal in a basket and place it in an area protected from the wind, otherwise the remaining coal could cause sparks, which then become a danger to the surrounding area.
Place the coal on the side of the basket and try to smother it with ash. If you place the coal in the middle of the basket, there is a risk that the basket will expand due to the heat and the coal will be thrown out of the container when the bottom opens. The material expands and the floor bulges outwards.
Do not place the remaining carbon in a closed room as carbon monoxide is formed. If you are in the same room as the coal, ensure there is enough fresh air.

Self-igniting coal burns for a shorter time than required, so you can simply place the remaining coal on the coal plate.