Shisha Getting Started & Setup

Hookah Charcoal: Coconut Charcoal, Self-Lighting Charcoal and Which Size for What

By Julian, Hookah expert

For your hookah you will want natural coconut charcoal in almost every case: it glows for a long time, tastes neutral and fits on a bowl, a Phunnel and an HMD. Self-lighting charcoal is only the emergency solution for when you are out and about. The number on the pack is the edge length in millimetres, and 26 mm is the standard.

16/10/2026 7 min read 1348 words

Summarize with: Claude ChatGPT

Geöffnete Packung Black Coco's Kokoskohle mit Würfeln davor auf einem Holztisch, im Hintergrund eine Shisha

In this article10 chapters

Which types of charcoal are there for the hookah?
Why coconut charcoal is the standard
Self-lighting charcoal: when is it worth it?
Cubes, rects and flats: which shape for what?
Which size suits your bowl?
Finding the right charcoal in five steps
Coconut charcoal in different sizes
How can you recognise good coconut charcoal?
How long does a kilo of charcoal last?
Frequently asked questions

Which types of charcoal are there for the hookah?

Coconut charcoal, other natural charcoal and self-lighting charcoal compared
Type of charcoal	Lighting	Glow on the bowl	Taste
Natural coconut charcoal	Charcoal lighter or gas burner, around 10 minutes	Usually 60 to 90 minutes	Neutral once it has glowed through
Natural charcoal made from bamboo or wood	Same as coconut charcoal	Depends on the brand	Neutral, less common in shops
Self-lighting charcoal	Lighter, about 20 to 30 seconds	Usually 30 to 45 minutes	The ignition additive can come through in the taste

Coconut charcoal is made from coconut shells that are carbonised, finely ground, bound with starch and pressed into cubes. Many brands have it made in Indonesia. Natural charcoal made from bamboo or wood works just the same, but you will only rarely find it. Barbecue charcoal and wood charcoal are no substitute, so always use charcoal that is made for the hookah.

Why coconut charcoal is the standard

Coconut charcoal glows hotter and for longer than self-lighting charcoal and gives off its heat evenly. A cube usually lasts one to one and a half hours on the bowl. After 30 to 45 minutes you add fresh charcoal, depending on the tobacco. For an HMD or a chimney bowl it is the usual choice.

The downside: it needs a charcoal lighter and a good ten minutes before it glows all round. It is ready when a grey-white layer of ash covers it and no black patches can be seen any more. If it still smells chemical or smoky, it has not glowed through. How to heat it through safely and where the lighter may stand is explained in Lighting hookah charcoal.

Self-lighting charcoal: when is it worth it?

Self-lighting charcoal carries an ignition additive, such as saltpetre, black powder or magnesium, depending on the brand. A lighter is enough, and after a few seconds the charcoal sparks and glows. That is handy when you are out and about and there is no power for the lighter.

On the bowl it lasts for a shorter time and does not get as hot. Only put it on once it has stopped sparking and is evenly grey, otherwise you will taste the additive. The One Nation #Quickie are self-lighting cubes of about 26 × 26 × 20 mm, six pieces per pack.

Pack of One Nation Shisha Lighting Cubes Quickie on a wooden table in evening light

Cubes, rects and flats: which shape for what?

Cubes are the usual shape. Flat pieces are called flats or rects. They sit broadly on the bowl and spread the heat evenly over the tobacco, for example the Black Coco's Rects20. Fingers or sticks are long, narrow pieces and are rather rare.

All shapes fit on a clay bowl with foil or a Phunnel. With an HMD or a chimney attachment, the interior decides: before buying, check which edge length it has been built for. How you control the heat there is covered in HMD, Smokebox and chimney attachment.

Pack of Black Coco's Rects20 with flat coconut charcoal pieces and charcoal tongs on a stone worktop

Which size suits your bowl?

Edge length, pieces per kilo and use
Size	Pieces per kg	Typical use
22 mm	about 96	Small bowls, HMDs with little space
25 mm	about 72	Small to medium bowls
26 mm	about 64	Standard for clay bowls, Phunnels and many HMDs
27 mm	about 54 to 56	Large bowls and long sessions
28 mm	about 48	Large bowls when more heat is needed

The number of pieces is usually printed on the pack: the Aladin Coco 25 has 72 cubes, the Cocodalya in 26 mm has 64 and the 27er Original has 54. On a normal bowl you put two to three cubes to get started. A small bowl gets by with two, a large one needs three to four. How to build the bowl for that is shown in Building a hookah bowl properly.

Finding the right charcoal in five steps

There is no one charcoal for every setup. These five steps will help you find the one that suits your bowl and your smoking style.

Determine the top
Do you smoke with foil, a Phunnel or an HMD? Almost any coconut charcoal suits foil and a Phunnel. With an HMD, the interior dictates the edge length.
Choose the shape
Cubes are the easy way in. Flat pieces sit more broadly and spread the heat differently. Rects like this piece from Black Coco's are also available by the kilo.
Settle on the size
Start with 26 mm. If your bowl gets too hot, switch to 25 mm. If the heat is not enough for large bowls, take 27 mm.
Test with a trial pack first
Before you buy a kilo, test a brand in a small pack. The Brennstoff trial pack contains eight cubes in 26 mm, enough for one to two sessions.
Check the ash and the smell
When you first heat it through, pay attention to the ash: it should be light grey to white, the charcoal should not crumble, and it should no longer smell once it has glowed through.

Coconut charcoal in different sizes

Pack of Lesscubes 27 with three charcoal cubes in front

Lesscubes in 27 mm

The Lesscubes 27 are large coconut cubes with 54 pieces per kilo, intended for large bowls and long sessions.

Pack of Cocodalya coconut charcoal, 1 kg with 64 cubes

Cocodalya in 26 mm

The Cocodalya comes from the Adalya house and has the standard size of 26 × 26 × 26 mm, 64 cubes per kilo.

Pack of Aladin Coco natural charcoal in 25 mm, 1 kg

Aladin Coco in 25 mm

The Aladin Coco 25 is slightly smaller. It fits if your bowl gets too hot with 26 mm.

27er Original

The 27er Original has its size right in the name: 27 mm edge length, 54 cubes per kilo.

Pack of Cocobration natural charcoal C26 with a colourful triangle pattern

Cocobration C26

The Cocobration C26 is coconut charcoal in 26 mm. According to the manufacturer, the ash content is 4 per cent at most.

How can you recognise good coconut charcoal?

Good coconut charcoal leaves little ash, usually only 1.5 to 3 per cent of its weight, and the ash is light grey to white. Dark ash with black residue points to a weaker charcoal. The cubes should be firm and should not break when you pick them up with the tongs.

If an otherwise good charcoal crumbles or does not glow through properly, it has often become damp. So store the pack dry and tightly closed, and not directly next to your tobacco, otherwise the tobacco picks up the smell of the charcoal. More on this under Storing hookah tobacco properly.

How long does a kilo of charcoal last?

Count on three to six cubes per session, depending on how long you smoke and how often you add more. A kilo in 26 mm has 64 cubes and so lasts roughly ten to twenty sessions. Larger boxes of four or twenty kilos lower the price per kilo, but are only worth it if you can store the charcoal dry. What else you need to get started can be found under What do I need to smoke hookah?

Frequently asked questions

Which hookah charcoal should I buy?

There is no brand that suits everyone. For a bowl, a Phunnel and an HMD, natural coconut charcoal in 26 mm is the safe start. Test two or three brands in a small pack and compare the ash, the glow time and the smell.

How long does coconut charcoal last on the bowl?

Usually 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the size, the top and how hard you pull. After 30 to 45 minutes you usually add fresh charcoal.

Can I use barbecue charcoal for the hookah?

No. Barbecue charcoal and wood charcoal are not made for the hookah and bring a taste of their own. Use natural coconut charcoal or, for when you are out and about, self-lighting charcoal.

How many pieces of charcoal go on the bowl?

To get started, two to three cubes in 26 mm. Small bowls need two, large ones three to four. If the smoke turns harsh, take one piece of charcoal off.

Why does my charcoal smell?

Usually it has not yet glowed through completely. Leave it on the lighter until it is grey-white all round. If it still smells after that, it has become damp or the quality is not right.