Hookah vs Vape: What’s the Difference?

Because there are so many different types of smoking devices on the market, you're not alone in wondering what the differences are.

Because of the smooth, consistent taste, e-cigarettes, often known as vaping, have emerged as a better alternative to "smoke." E-cigarettes, on the other hand, do not emit smoke — but more on that later.

Hookah is also popular, but for various reasons, such as the smoking equipment and the distinct type of shisha tobacco.

What are the distinctions between the two? What is the difference between a hookah and vaping? Is it the same thing? Is there any nicotine or other substances in both of them?

Here's a look at the distinctions between hookah smoking and vaping.

What Exactly Is Hookah?

Hookah is a Middle Eastern cultural tradition with roots in Turkish, Egyptian, Persian, and Indian civilizations. In the sixteenth century, the British East India Company introduced hookah in its current form to the rest of the world. Hookahs became fashionable among noblemen in high society as a result of India's glass commerce and export.

Conversation and connection are key to the hookah's cultural purpose. To enjoy the flavoured smoke, one would sit with friends and relatives and pass the hose around. The hookah's legacy includes this tenet of discourse and connection.

A hookah is nothing more than a water pipe. It has a head that holds the wet tobacco known as shisha, a hose and mouthpiece, and a stem that connects to a water bowl at the bottom.

When using it, you fill the head with wet tobacco and lightly heat it with charcoal. The idea is to heat the shisha tobacco without burning it by holding the charcoal over the head. The smoke is then drawn up through the water bowl and up through the hose for hookah smoking.

Other smoking options, such as cigarettes, use a different type of tobacco than hookah smoke. Tobacco, on the other hand, has the potential to be addictive. Molasses or honey, vegetable glycerine, flavouring, and nicotine are all present in shisha tobaccos.

It's moist, thanks to a blend of vegetable glycerin, molasses, and the flavours of your choice. It has a lower danger of combustion, making hookah smoke more pleasant to consume. It still contains nicotine, albeit at lower amounts than most other smoking alternatives.

Hookah has progressed from its traditional beginnings in recent years, owing to its global appeal and increased flavour options. Pioneers have discovered new ways to use chemicals to create flavours that cater to new tastes and provide greater variety. Hookah lounges can be found all around the world, or you can buy your own hookah. Even though it spans innumerable ethnicities and civilizations, it remains a cultural expression.

What Exactly Is Vaping?

While the e-cigarette does not have a long history, it has become a global phenomenon in less than two decades. E-cigarettes were initially introduced in 2003 and have since evolved into the vape devices we know today.

Some of these devices come with nicotine cartridges, however nicotine-free cartridges are also available. Nicotine-containing products have the potential to be addicted.

Inhaling smoke produced by a mechanical process is what vaping is all about. An atomizer, a power source, and a tank or cartridge are all used in e-cigarettes. The e-cigarette gets its moniker "vape" because it produces vapour by heating a liquid in the tank or cartridge. The chemicals heat up, allowing the rich flavour of your choosing to be activated.

What is the difference between a hookah and a vaporizer?
So, how does this stack up against vaping? The first and most noticeable distinction is that e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco, despite the fact that certain cartridges do contain nicotine and tobacco leaf. Although hookah shisha is not the same as regular tobacco, it is still tobacco. As a result, it preserves tobacco combustion, something you won't find in a vaping device.

Other distinctions include hookah smoking's use of coals as opposed to e-cigarettes' use of electric coils.

Smoking vessels come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Hookahs are long pipes with a water bowl and a hose-like mouthpiece for inhaling smoke. Vaping devices are electrical devices that are the size of a device and have a small tip for inhalation.

Finally, there's a reason why a vaping equipment is called a "vape." An e-cigarette emits a vapour rather than smoke. Smoke is produced by hookah.

Coal vs. Electricity
The way each process warms up to produce smoke is a significant difference to note.

To heat shisha tobacco, hookahs use charcoal. The majority of the time, this charcoal is manufactured from coconut shells, however it can also be made from wood.

Unlike turning on an e-cigarette and turning on the heating coils, hookah necessitates getting the charcoal to burn evenly. You don't want it to get too hot, otherwise the shisha tobacco will quickly burn. However, if the flames are too bright, they may splutter. To get the best experience, you'll need to balance the heat level.

Carbon monoxide is produced when anything, even charcoal, is burned. Although you are unlikely to produce enough carbon monoxide during a hookah session to cause problems, you should be aware of the possibility. It also implies that you should use a hookah in a well-ventilated place to allow carbon monoxide to escape and fresh air to circulate.

Atomizers heat the e-liquid in vape devices. These atomizers use a coil wrapped cotton and are battery driven. The e-liquid soaks into the cotton, heat is applied, and the liquid transforms to vapour, which is inhaled by the user.

Unlike hookah, there is no need to fiddle with the heat. Auto-adjust heat settings in volts or watts are common on vape devices. It guards against overheating and underheating.

Portability
E-cigarettes are little, portable devices that fit neatly into a pocket and can be taken with you wherever you go. Hookahs, on the other hand, are tall, standing designs that are not as portable as cigarettes. If you don't have a hookah setup, you'll need to go to a hookah lounge, where they'll take care of everything.

Hookah devices are available if you wish to combine portability and hookah. These taste just like shisha tobacco. It will provide you with the portability of a vaping rig, but not the strength of a classic hookah.

Differences in Culture
Another important distinction is the length of time it took for both smoking kinds to become well-known. In 2003, the first e-cigarette with a design was released. Its popularity has suddenly exploded, and it has spread all across the world.

The hookah, which dates back to the sixteenth century, has a considerably longer history. With the growth of the glass exportation business in India, the first use of hookah emerged. It began to spread through trade and evolved into the popular activity it is today.

Why are hookah and vaping so frequently confused?
With these distinctions in mind, it may be difficult to understand why people frequently mix one with the other. There are a few parallels that could explain the blunder.

First, using either one, you will experience smooth flavours, so the taste results can be similar. They have some chemicals in common, including vegetable glycerine and sometimes nicotine.

Both also have device options, although hookah is much more common in the glass set-up and connected tube design.

Both hookah smoking and vaping are smooth on the throat. It can also be easy to lump any smoking use that involves nicotine or tobacco as similar – which is another point of possible confusion.

Besides that, you will find a difference in power source, portability, and history. An e-cigarette contains no tobacco, relying on heated coils and e-liquid. It can contain nicotine, but that isn’t a requirement. The hookah has flavourful shisha tobacco with strong cultural roots.

Both are widely available worldwide, although you will find vape devices in your local store and may have to visit a hookah lounge if you do not want to buy a set for yourself.

Final Thoughts
The question most people seek to answer is: which is better, vaping or hookah? It depends on how often you want to use it, what you seek from a hookah session or vaping, and your preferences.

Since e-cigarettes are small and transportable, this is a better option if you plan to vape frequently or want to have the device on hand to use.

Typically, hookah smoking is useful for experimenting and finding the right flavours with hookah lounges presenting a social opportunity to share with friends.