Hello, beloved hookah lovers, and welcome back to our other hookah blog! In today's blog, we are discussing one more captivating encounter between the traditional Egyptian Bowl and the cutting-edge Phunnel Bowls. While these two kinds of hookah bowls occupy an exclusive spot in the hearts of aficionados, a deeper look can reveal four major differences. The question remains: which hookah bowl suits your particular preferences and sessions better? Join us as we embark on a quest for the solution. Let the battle of bowls begin!

The Design 

Egyptian bowls encourage steady airflow through the hookah tobacco. These bowls feature a five-hole design at the bottom to facilitate effective heating of the hookah tobacco. Having this type of bowl, however, requires extra care in order to keep every opening clean of stray leaves that may get in while packing. To avoid clogging the holes while smoking, move the tobacco far from these openings, as the shisha juice or the leaves can get pulled downward as you take puffs. Egyptian bowls, due to their traditional design, are often unsuitable for smoking with Heat Management Devices (HMDs) and must be used only with foil covers.

On the other hand, there is one raised shaft in the center of the phunnel hookah bowl, forming an epicenter for airflow. This design style symbolizes a more modern approach to hookah smoking, and it often includes features like lips for HMD, or Heat Management Devices. These bowls have been designed specifically with a breadth that complements HMDs seamlessly. The center spire, which is lower than the edge of the bowl, facilitates continuous airflow circulation across the bowl and the hookah tobacco. It is important to note, however, that if the bowls are manufactured with an insufficient gap between the edge and the top of the spire, it can lead to foil or HMD drag, obstructing the airflow completely.

The Material

Traditional Egyptian hookah bowls are generally made of red clay and have quality differences due to industrial production and a noted poor level of quality control. Common defects include partly punched holes, uneven edges, and chipping during transportation that bring an unusual appeal to each bowl. Despite these imperfections, the red clay efficiently transfers heat, resulting in a pleasurable experience. Locating a flawless Egyptian bowl is equivalent to tracking a unicorn amongst hookah bowls. While design flaws and inconsistencies can shape your decision, pricing is not a factor since you can purchase up to four Egyptian bowls for the cost of a single superior phunnel bowl.

Artisans often used a dense blend of white clay called stoneware to make these premium handmade phunnel bowls. This material has been engineered to preserve and dissipate heat uniformly, providing optimal heating of the shisha from every direction. While these hookah bowls differ in size, manufacturers adhere to standard diameter and depth dimensions. Being handcrafted, phunnel bowls aspire for an outstanding level of uniformity in their quality and performance.

Choice of Hookah Tobacco

When it comes to tobacco, phunnel bowls are appropriate for modern hookah tobacco brands that are recognized for their juicy shisha blends instead of their stickiness. Phunnel bowls take in the luscious juices of these blends very well, preventing them from draining down the drain-like design of Egyptian bowls while smoking. Whereas Egyptian clay bowls are ideal for smoking traditional shisha blends that have less juice content and are stickier. Kindly note that bottom-focused airflow is necessary for smoking drier and stickier shisha tobaccos, providing a comfortable session.

Smoke Quality with the Bowl

Egyptian bowls are excellent at burning through the dense tobacco packed in them, providing outstanding flavor and smoke outcome during the initial puffs. However, the glycerin and juice content of the shisha end up dripping down the stem through the bottom holes, exposing the tobacco leaves to excessive heat, potentially contributing to heat management issues or a shorter smoking session.

By settling the juice and utilizing the bowl walls for even cooking, phunnel bowls specialize in maintaining tobacco cool, offering fluffy clouds and rich flavor with each puff throughout the entire session. While smoking hookah with phunnel bowls requires better expertise, not packing correctly can lead to charring the top layers rather than the entire shisha. No hookah lover likes to be left with unused shisha as the session ends.

Now that you are familiar with the key features of these two kinds of hookah bowls, it is time to assess which one you will be packing for your next session. If you need to update your bowl collection or simply want a new one, don't hesitate to check out our store. We only bring you premium hookahs and hookah accessories to make it a memorable session for you.