Debacle Between Egyptian and Chinese Glass Hookahs
Hookah has a long history in the Middle East. It is not even a question for many if one is to ask where to find the best hookahs. In Egypt, they will most likely say. The Egyptians still make their shisha (hookah in Egyptian word) by traditional means. That is to say, by hand. And for centuries, the Egyptians earned their way respectable place in the long-established way of making everything by hand.
As the Glass Hookahs became immensely popular outside the Middle East, of course, many have adapted the hookah-making technology and sold hookahs as a mass product for people to enjoy. Among those who have misled shoppers of hookahs into thinking that they are getting “authentic” glass hookahs are the Chinese. The Chinese have made replication of the unique hookah and exported them to the Americans, selling them for a low price. If you really want to get a full and authentic hookah experience, making yourself aware of the differences between the real one and the fake one will help you out below.
1. Egyptian hookahs are handmade while Chinese hookahs are produced in factories.
2. The base of an Egyptian hookah have handpainted designs on handblown colored glass while Chinese hookah bases are acrylic made and its design is spray painted.
3. Chinese's hoses are plastic-made and marketed as washable, when this is not really the case when it comes to Egyptian hoses.
4. Brass or stainless steel is normally used to form the shaft of an Egyptian hookah, but with the Chinese replicas, shafts are made with tin or aluminum.
5. If buying an Egyptian hookah, you would usually get the same number of hoses and shaft (1 hose for 1 shaft). But if you get several hookahs, and you find out that you only have one hose, then it’s probably a Chinese imitation.
6. Authentic Egyptian hookah sellers allow replacement for any broken hookah part, while the Chinese sellers do not. |
