A few posts earlier we discussed on how to choose the right coal for your session. As you might have read, we recommend breaking the coal into pieces in a lot of cases. So, now it’s time to show you – how to break up hookah coal the right way!
Before you start: breaking stuff is easy, especially hookah coal. But only as long as you’re dealing with instant coals. Trying to break a natural coal can be a pain in the you-know-what and end up with god-knows-what and when.
Why should you break up hookah coal at all?
As discussed in one of our earlier blog post and seen in our hookah manual – we almost always recommend breaking up the coal. This helps you to regulate the heat better and thus will guarantee you a quality hookah session. Simply put – choose the appropriate coal size and be sure your tobacco bakes evenly.
For more tips on how to make your hookah taste fresh, see this blog post!
So, how do you break up hookah coal?
#1 Hold the coal firmly between your fingers imaging that it would break up from the middle.

Photo: Marko Vilberg
#2 Use some force with both of your hands to break the coal from the middle.

Photo: Marko Vilberg
#3 The coal magically breaks.

Photo: Marko Vilberg
#4 Ignite the coal.

Photo: Marko Vilberg
#5 Wait for the coal to fully ignite before placing it on the tobacco bowl. The coal is fully lit when it doesn’t sparkle any more and is evenly “burnt”.

Photo: Marko Vilberg
#6 Enjoy your hookah session

Photo: Marko Vilberg
And this is how you break up hookah coal the right way – easy as counting to three! Don’t forget to post memories of your hookah sessions to Instagram using hashtag #hekkpipe.