Lighting Hookah Charcoal Outdoors – How to Do It the Right Way!

Last updated on 07.05.2025 | Reading time approx. 04:01 min

Quick overview of the content:

• Smoking hookah outdoors requires alternative methods to light charcoal without electricity.
• Even if it seems tempting, quick-light charcoal is not a solution – it tastes terrible.
• A gas charcoal lighter with a gas cartridge is recommended – simple, portable and effective.
• Quick-light charcoal can be used as a helper to ignite natural charcoal.
• Disposable grills or bio grill starters can also be used, but require some preparation.
• A campfire with glowing embers is a very effective method, but requires caution and suitable accessories (long tongs).
• All methods require patience and a safe environment so the charcoal can fully glow through.

Here you can find our hookah charcoal category

How do I light charcoal outdoors?

Especially in summer, many hookah smokers enjoy smoking outdoors and relaxing with the cool smoke of a hookah. However, lighting hookah charcoal outside can often be a challenge. In this article, we show you how to light your hookah charcoal outdoors so you can enjoy your hookah even when you're on the go. When you're outdoors, you generally have the following options to get your hookah charcoal glowing:

• Gas charcoal lighter
• Lighting natural charcoal with quick-light charcoal
• Disposable grills or bio grill starters
• Campfire

Smoking hookah on the go – The easiest option: Quick-light charcoal

If you can accept compromises in the flavor of your hookah while you're on the go, you can also use quick-light charcoal. It can easily be lit with a lighter because it contains chemical additives that cause the charcoal to glow on its own once one corner has been ignited.

However, we advise against this option because hookah simply doesn’t taste very good with this type of charcoal, and you also expose your health to additional risks beyond those already associated with smoking hookah. This is due to the chemical additives contained in the charcoal.

Ways to light natural hookah charcoal outdoors

As mentioned earlier, you basically have three options to light charcoal when you're on the go. This assumes that there is no electricity available at your location. If you are somewhere with electricity, there are many more ways to get your charcoal glowing. We have described those in our guide about lighting hookah charcoal.

The easiest solution: Light hookah charcoal on the go with a gas charcoal lighter

The easiest solution is to light hookah charcoal using a gas charcoal lighter. All you need is the lighter, a gas cartridge, and matches or a lighter. Of course, you can also get accessories such as gas stoves and cartridges in our shop.

AO

Gas stove

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Gotra

Gas cartridge 190g

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If you already have these items, you can easily light your charcoal while on the go. Proceed as follows:

1. Insert the gas cartridge into the designated holder of the lighter and screw it in.

2. Light a match or lighter and turn the control knob of the lighter so gas starts flowing. You should now hear a quiet hissing sound. Use the flame of your match or lighter to ignite the burner flame.

Igniting the gas lighter

You can now place the charcoal on the lighter. Just like with an electric charcoal lighter, you should turn the charcoal after about 5 minutes so that all sides heat evenly. After turning, wait another 3 to 5 minutes until the hookah charcoal glows evenly on all sides.

Lighting charcoal on the gas lighter

Lighting natural charcoal using quick-light charcoal

Do you still have quick-light charcoal left from earlier days? Then you can use it now to ignite your natural hookah charcoal. Simply take 3–6 quick-light charcoals and ignite them. Once the quick-light charcoals begin to glow, place your charcoal cubes on top of them and the natural charcoal should slowly begin to glow as well.

Lighting natural hookah charcoal with quick-light charcoal

If you use 3 quick-light charcoals to ignite 3 natural charcoal cubes, you should turn them once they are halfway lit. Alternatively, you can use 6 quick-light charcoals and place them both above and below the natural charcoal cubes at the same time. This speeds up the process and saves you from having to turn the charcoal pieces.

Disposable grill or bio grill starter

Another alternative that works similarly to quick-light charcoal is using bio grill starters or a disposable grill. With bio grill starters, you only need to find a way to place the charcoal properly on top of them. The easiest way is probably using a container such as a hookah charcoal basket. Place the starters inside, ignite them and then place the natural charcoal on top.

With a disposable grill, the barbecue charcoal acts as the ignition source and you already have a tray where it sits. Once the grill charcoal glows, simply place your hookah charcoal into the embers and within a few minutes it should be fully glowing.

Lighting hookah charcoal in a disposable grill

Campfire

If you are already sitting around a cozy campfire with friends in the evening, you can also easily light your charcoal in the glowing embers of the fire. Simply place the natural charcoal cubes into the embers and wait until they are fully glowing.

Lighting charcoal in a campfire

If you choose this method, you should use a sufficiently long charcoal tong, otherwise it can be difficult to place the charcoal in a good position within the embers without burning your fingers. A good option would be charcoal tweezers. You can find all charcoal tongs here:

Do you know any other methods?

Let us know so we can share your idea with other hookah smokers. Simply send us an email at info@mozeshisha.de or a WhatsApp message at +49 178 1883338.