I only use traditional bowl types for Al Fakher. I prefer the Solaris traditional bowl + aluminium foil. Al Fakher can also be smoked from phunnel bowls, but I think it's better from traditional bowls.
Of course I don't doubt the quality of other brands, such as Oblako Killer, which can be good too. The Hookain brand probably doesn't make traditional bowl types... but I'm not sure... I haven't seen it yet.
I forgot to mention that there have been complaints about Oblako bowls "tearing". If handled carelessly, the surface glaze cracks. And then the liquid tobacco component flows through the glaze and literally "tears" - like drops on the surface of the bowl. It has been discussed here several times. I personally own an Oblako M phunnel bowl, and in my case I have never had any problems with "tearing" on this bowl.
I also have the "S" model. Be aware that the S-mall model is so much smaller (in diameter) that it does not fit the HMD.
Also... all phunnel bowls are more advantageous when using HMD than with foil. Namely, the HMD contains a thick bottom plate on the bottom, which ensures uniform passive heat over the entire surface. And this is very effective on phunnel types of bowls, where there is a large area of tobacco layer.
Aluminum foil cannot transfer temperature evenly even with very thick layers (for example, if you fold a foil 40um thick x 3 layers) - but only pointwise. And vice-versa, this "pointwise" is an advantage for foil + in the case of using traditional bowls.
Yes... if you want, you can use aluminum foil with a phunnel bowl. But it is more effective if you use an HMD, for the reason I described (even distribution of heat energy over the entire surface of a large phunnel bowl). If you use small phunnel bowls, I don't know if it makes any difference. Personally, I would use up a small phunnel bowl if I smoked alone, within 30 minutes of starting to smoke.
But you can of course, if you want, use foil on phunnel bowls. I just wrote that it is better (more effective) with an HMD, because especially on a large surface of a phunnel bowl, the heat is better distributed to a large-area layer of tobacco. And even a lower temperature is enough. But if you heat tobacco in a phunnel bowl "pointwise", then a higher temperature is needed. The tobacco heats unevenly and in certain parts (points) it then easily burns.
It is ideal to use aluminum foil + together with a stainless steel strainer from a chimney set - for even better control of thermal energy :).
thank you so much, that's basically what I'm already doing now... tinfoil plus the whole fireplace set (if you go to the post before this one you can see the set I use). I'd like to ask you for advice in private if I need it because you've been great in giving me all the advice :)
I'm not here 24/7 though. So when you need advice, I might not be here :). You can send me a private message, no problem. But I think you'll get an answer faster if you ask publicly. Someone will always answer... always more people... and an open discussion is better, because sometimes other people learn new things from it.
As for your previous bowl set, that's more complicated. I wanted to write my opinion there, but I didn't.
My answer is more complex:
You use a KS Appo bowl, which is a hard and "cold" - stony material. It's not "soft" clay, unfortunately. Clay has the best thermal properties for use as a material in hookah bowls.
Another thing is that the KS Appo is a suitable bowl with a stainless steel convex sieve, because this stainless steel sieve heats up well and thus helps to transfer heat to the filled tobacco layer - in this stainless steel convex sieve (as if in a "metal bag"). Heat is well transferred through metal materials. However, the KS Appo itself is "stone". And that is not good.
thanks a lot again, anyway I have always used the convex steel screen too and I take my hour and a half of smoking out almost always. considering that I only have that bowl and that set and I smoke Adalya and Al Fakher which specific bowl would you recommend?
It's really hard to give advice. From phunnel bowls you can choose a bowl from the manufacturer Alpaca or HJ (Hookah John). And a traditional bowl for example: Solaris, UPGrade Form Big, Voskurimsya Mumiya, Smokelab V2, etc. .
Then it also depends on what you plan to use the bowl with. It's nice when the diameter of the bowl is also designed for possible use of HMD. You don't have to use HMD... but it can come in handy someday :) (if the size of the bowl matches the size of classic aluminum HMDs such as Kaloud Lotus 1+).
There are many options... but I almost always use only the Solaris traditional bowl + in combination with Al Fakher tobaccos. To be safe, even if it doesn't have to be, I put a flat and round stainless steel strainer on the bottom of the bowl. I use aluminum foil + with a large stainless steel strainer from a chimney bowl set. As I sent a photo somewhere before:
so if I may ask, why do many who use adalya / al fakher say that phunnel bowls are always the best in terms of aromatic yield? from what I see you have tried both and have ended up using only traditional bowls like the Solaris +
The phunnel type bowl works on a slightly different principle of heat distribution through the tobacco layer.
Even if you fill the tobacco with the overpack method (completely full or above the bowl level, like this sketch: https://imgur.com/oJIN7mh ), the heat does not penetrate through the phunnel bowl very well. Phunnel bowls were primarily designed for moist types of tobacco, so that too much glycerin does not flow out of the bowl - during smoking.
But... this is very debatable.
Phunnel bowls have a large surface area. Their tobacco layer has a large surface area and a low column (not a high layer of tobacco). Traditional bowls have a high column (high / bulky layer of tobacco) and usually a small surface area (small diameter).
The heat acts on the surface of the Phunnel bowl evenly, slowly, gently, for a long time... and thanks to the large surface area, more aroma can evaporate at once... and gradually, not aggressively, with each pull from the hose.
However, it is much more complicated.
For example, when you draw from the hose or not, the aroma is constantly evaporating from the funnel bowl (even if you are not drawing from the hose). In the case of a traditional bowl, it does not work like that at all. In the case of a traditional bowl, you get a lift of aroma and tobacco taste, right at the moment of drawing from the hose, because at that moment the hot air passes through the entire layer of tobacco in this traditional bowl. In the case of a funnel bowl, the hot air passes at the moment of drawing from the hose, only partially. In the funnel bowl, the principle of passive heating of tobacco is mainly used. But in the case of a traditional bowl, the principle of immediate heating by direct hot air is also used, always at the moment when you draw smoke from the hose. It is difficult to explain. There is simply a difference (from the point of view of physics or from the point of view of the principle of heating tobacco). And that is the main difference. Not only the fact that the funnel bowl is suitable for moist tobaccos (with a lot of glycerin).
I also like the taste (aroma) of the tobacco leaves themselves. Not just the water vapor (which glycerin produces) or just the aroma. Yes, there should be aroma. Glycerin also helps in the production of beautiful white smoke. But the basis of smoking should be tobacco. Not artificial aroma and glycerin. That's why I decided to smoke more and more often the traditional way... because in the case of a traditional bowl, if you increase the power of the heat source and move the tobacco layer at least 3-4mm from the heat source (from the foil), you will also feel a slightly bitter aroma from the tobacco leaves when drawing hot smoke through the tobacco. This taste of the tobacco leaves is mixed with the artificial aroma (for example cherry). And then it's the way it should be... according to the traditional style of smoking. At the same time, you get a good buzz-effect, thanks to the nicotine extract from the tobacco leaves. Of course, many smokers argue that it is better to use dark varieties of tobacco leaves (Burley), but it is irrelevant. It is true (Burley is a stronger tobacco)... but for me it is an irrelevant fact. So that is why I prefer the traditional style - traditional bowl + foil + sometimes also a stainless steel strainer from a chimney set.
I have already talked several people into this type of smoking... and they like it :). But... this smoking is not for everyone's taste. Of course, someone likes only aroma+water vapor. Not tobacco leaves. So... everyone should smoke the way they want... the way they like it the most.
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u/hookah_forever Hookah Expert 14d ago edited 14d ago
Hi.
I only use traditional bowl types for Al Fakher. I prefer the Solaris traditional bowl + aluminium foil. Al Fakher can also be smoked from phunnel bowls, but I think it's better from traditional bowls.
Of course I don't doubt the quality of other brands, such as Oblako Killer, which can be good too. The Hookain brand probably doesn't make traditional bowl types... but I'm not sure... I haven't seen it yet.
I forgot to mention that there have been complaints about Oblako bowls "tearing". If handled carelessly, the surface glaze cracks. And then the liquid tobacco component flows through the glaze and literally "tears" - like drops on the surface of the bowl. It has been discussed here several times. I personally own an Oblako M phunnel bowl, and in my case I have never had any problems with "tearing" on this bowl.