There are two types of Hookah Charcoal, Natural Coals, and Quick Lights.

Lighting Quick Lights

40mm Golden Coals

Quick Lights are the easiest charcoal to light. You simply hold a flame to the coal and within a few seconds the coal will spark up and begin to light. It is recommended that you light the quick lights outside, because sparks will fly everywhere. Also never light a quick light coal on top of the bowl as the extra smoke and gases coming from the lighting will usually affect the taste of the bowl. So it is much better to light a quick light, by holding it with your tongs and then putting it on the bowl once it stops sparking.

Quick Light Tips

• Always light quicklights in a well ventilated area.
• Never leave the coal unattended.
• Wait for the coal to stop lighting before placing it on the bowl
• Some people use a butane lighter to light quicklights, that way you don't have to wait for the coal to light its self, and you are sure that the coal if fully lit.

Lighting Natural Coals

Coco Nara Coals

Natural coals are the cleanest way to smoke shisha and will let the flavor of your shisha really shine. The easiest way to light these coals is on an electric stove with an exposed heating coil. You can set your natural coals directly on the heating element and turn the burner on (between medium and high), turning the coals after 2 or 3 minutes. You will know the coals are ready when there is no “black” on the surface of the coals and they are completely covered in gray ash and glowing red-hot in the middle. This process usually takes about 5-10 minutes.

Natural Coal Lighting

Coco Nara Coals being lit

A Coco Nara half lighted and ready to be flipped.

A fully lighted Coco Nara

Natural Coal Lighting Tips

• You should always watch the charcoal while it is lighting.
• As with lighting quick lights you should be in a well ventilated area.
• When smoking your natural coals, be sure to fully light the charcoal before using it. Meaning, make sure it is red hot all around or at much as you can get it.
• Place the hookah charcoal directly onto the stove coils so that he gets REALLY hot. You want it to get as hot as you can so that it burns to the core.
• When the charcoal is red hot or close to it, place it in a charcoal holder or a pan of sorts and push it up against other natural charcoal and let it sit outside. That way, the hookah charcoal are feeding off of each other’s heat and they are lighting up together. This is a great way to add more un-lit charcoal and not have to light them on a stove.
• If you don’t want to put it on the stove coils and or don’t have a charcoal holder, you can use an old frying pan and put the coal in their. That takes a lot longer and it can depend on your pot/stove. It does work though, and the advantage is that it also doubles as a hookah charcoal holder. The problem is that it is scorching hot and you can’t really put it anywhere after it is done heating.
• With natural wood charcoal you can get what is known as a "smoker." You will know it when you see it. It is a piece that gives of an exceptionally larger amount of smoke than other hookah charcoal. You can get a “smoker” for one of two reasons. Either it is not the same wood as you are using and might be remnants of another piece of wood being used or it is a natural wood charcoal piece that has residue from other things like leaves or other wood. If you are outdoors, they are no problem and will eventually burn away all the “smoker” elements to it, but when it is indoors, it can make your place smell like a campfire or set off your smoke detector really quick.
• You can light natural coals on a "smooth top" electric stove (coils are hidden under the glass), be aware that the coals may leave small marks on some stoves. It will take longer to light because air is not circulating around the bottom of the coal. A tip is to use an cast-iron frying pan (do not use frying pans coated with teflon) and put the coals in there instead of directly on the stove.