Lay out all the essential components of your Amy Deluxe hookah on a table: base, stem, tray or plate, bowl, hose, grommets, a can of tobacco or flavor, a set of aluminum foil or a heat management device, a fork, a poker or toothpick, a pack of charcoals, a lighter or burner, and a jar of water. The washable hookah components should be thoroughly cleaned, whether it is new or has been used before. 

Step One | Assemble the Hookah

Take the glass base of your Amy Deluxe hookah and fill it partly with water. Take the stem, insert it into the base and check the water level. Around 1 inch of the lower end of the down stem should be submerged in the water. If the base is broader, then you may opt for somewhere short of one inch. If the base is taller, then you may go for slightly over one inch. The bore or size of the hole through the stem also influences this depth inside water.

After you have adjusted the water level, insert the stem or pipe and make sure it is well fitted using the large grommet. Slide in the tray, down to the neck of the stem. Connect the hose with a fitting grommet. You can inhale or exhale through the hose to check if the entire apparatus is enabling smooth airflow. If there is any obstruction, check the purge valve, or look for objects stuck inside the stem or hose. If everything is alright, move onto packing the bowl.

Note: Room temperature water works fine. Slightly cooler water makes for dense, flavorful, and milky clouds of smoke. Chilled or cold water reduces the flavor and produces cool smoke. The water temperature is basically a personal choice.

Step Two | Pack the Bowl with Shisha Flavor

Take the bowl, preferably a phunnel one, and ensure it is clean. Open the can of tobacco, take the fork and stir it really well. The tobacco should be evenly spread out inside the can itself. The juices should not be concentrated at any one portion inside the can. Use the fork to scoop out some tobacco and spread it inside the bowl. Start with the inside of the rim and proceed towards the center. Don’t use your fingers as juices would cling onto your skin. The juices must find their way into the bowl for optimum flavors. Do not get rid of the juices. Do not dab and dry shisha flavors on papers or towels.

Pack just enough tobacco inside the bowl as you would use for this session. Do not overstuff the bowl. Do not pack very lightly. Moderation is the key. Do not press down the tobacco into the bowl to fit in more of it. There should be sufficient aeration inside the bowl. After you have packed the bowl for the session, use the fork, poker or toothpick to make tiny passages amidst the tobacco, basically to have pockets of air that would evenly heat the material for voluminous and flavorful smoke.

If you are using a heat management device, then simply place it atop your bowl. Otherwise, you can take two sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil, place them firmly atop the bowl, and wrap tightly. There should be no crinkling or wrinkling of the foil. After you have wrapped the bowl with the foil, take the poker or toothpick to make holes. You can opt for three concentric circles. One can be along the edge or rim. Every hole should be around 2mm away from another. Each hole should be as tiny as possible. Once done, place the bowl atop the stem or pipe of your Amy Deluxe hookah.

Step Three | Light up the Charcoals

Use a burner to light the charcoals. You can use two to four pieces depending on the quantum of the tobacco in the bowl. Heat the charcoals, one half at a time. Wait for the pieces to be well lit through and through. Place the hot charcoals atop the foil, or in the heat management device. Wait for around two to four minutes for the charcoals to warm up the tobacco to an extent wherein you can draw sufficient smoke.

Start smoking, flip the charcoals as the bottoms begin to ashen up, and change their places atop the foil to ensure even heat distribution inside the bowl. If the smoke is too hot, remove one or more charcoals. If the volume of smoke wanes, light up another charcoal or two and place them atop the foil.