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How to burn hookah charcoal without a charcoal burner - This is how you do it!

Anyone who has smoked hookah for any length of time is familiar with this situation: the  hookah and the hookah bowl are prepared, the charcoal is placed on the charcoal burner and suddenly the fuse blows. The charcoal burner has blessed its time.

At this moment, the question arises as to how to light the charcoal without using a lighter!

Don't worry, there are a few possible solutions for lighting your hookah charcoal Don't worry, there are a few possible solutions for lighting your hookah charcoal without a grill! We present these solutions in this article. You have the following options:

  • Lighting the hookah charcoal on the stove
  • Use a fireplace or campfire to make natural charcoal burn
  • Ignite natural charcoal with self-igniting charcoal
  • old hotplate

Note: You can use the table of contents to jump directly to the option that might be right for you!

Lighting the hookah charcoal on the stove

If you have an old stove at home, you can light the hookah charcoal on it. To do this, simply place the hookah charcoal on the hotplate and switch on the hob. After about 5 minutes, the bottom side should glow and you can turn the charcoal so that all sides of the charcoal are evenly glowing after another 5 minutes.

Note: Before using this method, you should check whether your stove is an induction stove or a stove with a ceramic hob. If this is the case, we advise you not to use this method, as the hob may be damaged.

If you want to make sure that your stove is not damaged by burning the charcoal, you should place the charcoal on a grid so that the cubes do not touch the hob directly. You can use a cake rack, for example.

Charcoal on the kitchen stove
Please use a grid to protect the hotplates!

You can speed up the lighting process by making a kind of funnel out of aluminum foil and placing it around the charcoal. This collects the hint and the charcoal heats up faster.

We recommend that you do not leave the stove with the charcoal unattended so that you can take action in an emergency!

However, we generally advise against this method. You should only light the charcoal this way in an absolute emergency, because if your stove is damaged by lighting the charcoal, you'll either get in big trouble from your partner or a high bill for a new stove!

So if you need to light hookah charcoal often, you should definitely get yourself a charcoal burner.

You can find our large selection of charcoal burners here

Charcoal burners

Note: You should only light the appliance on the hob at your own risk! We cannot be held liable for any damage caused!

Light charcoal in an open flame from the fireplace or campfire

If you have a fireplace or stove at home, you can use this to light your hookah charcoal. If it's already on, you can start lighting it straight away. If not, it's time to chop some wood and light the fire!

When the fire is blazing in the fireplace or stove, simply place the charcoal cubes in the open flame. After 5 minutes, the hookah charcoal should be properly glowing and you can use it.

Charcoal in the campfire
Charcoal in the campfire. Watch out, it's hot!

The fact that lighting is so quick here is due to the fact that the hookah charcoal is heated from all sides. This means that the charcoal is through much faster than if you want to get it glowing on a classic charcoal burner!


You can logically use the same method for an outdoor campfire. The main thing is that you have an open fire in which you can place the coal cubes. The only important thing is that the fire heats the charcoals continuously and is large enough.

Note: If you happen to have just had a barbecue with your friends, you can also use the charcoal to make your hookah charcoal glow! Simply place the cubes in the embers of the charcoal and wait a few minutes!

Making natural charcoal burn with self-igniting charcoal

Do you happen to still have self-igniting charcoal lying around from the old days? Even if it's bad if you smoked with it once, these charcoals are now worth their weight in gold! Light 3-6 charcoals and place the natural charcoal well between the lit charcoals. This way, the heat emitted by the glowing charcoals can cause your natural charcoal to start burning too!

Natural charcoal next to self-igniting charcoal
So you can light your charcoal with self-igniters!

You should place the charcoal in a fireproof container, such as a charcoal basket , to make sure nothing burns!


Camping stove or camping hotplate

Perhaps you still have a camping stove or a camping hotplate from a recent vacation in your cellar or storage room? Then you should use it to light the charcoal!

Camping stove for hookah charcoal
Variants of camping stoves for lighting hookah charcoal

Depending on how your camping stove is set up, you just need to make sure that you place the charcoal safely on it. Once you have done this, you can simply light the stove and wait for the charcoal to burn through.

Note: Again, perhaps a household grid, such as a cake grid, is sometimes very good for placing the charcoal safely!

To ensure that the charcoal glows evenly on all sides, you should turn the charcoal cubes once after about 5 minutes. After another 3-5 minutes, all sides should glow evenly and you can use the charcoal for your hookah!

And the hookah session can still begin!

Did one of the options suit you? Then we are delighted that you can still enjoy your hookah session and wish you a good smoke!

FAQ: How to Light Hookah Charcoal Without a Burner

Can I light hookah charcoal without an electric burner?

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Yes, there are several alternative methods to light hookah charcoal without a traditional burner, including:

  • A kitchen stovetop
  • A fireplace or campfire
  • Using quick-light charcoal as an aid
  • A camping stove

How do I light hookah charcoal on a stove?

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  1. Place the charcoal on a regular stovetop and turn the heat to the highest setting.
  2. After 5 minutes, the bottom side should be glowing—flip the charcoal.
  3. After another 5 minutes, the charcoal should be fully lit.

Warning: Induction and glass-ceramic stovetops can get damaged—this method should only be used on old electric coil burners.


Can I light hookah charcoal in a fireplace or campfire?

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Yes! An open flame is very effective, as it heats the charcoal evenly from all sides.

  • Place the charcoal directly in the flames or in hot embers.
  • After 5 minutes, the charcoal should be fully glowing.
  • If you're grilling, you can place the charcoal in the hot grill embers.

How do I light natural charcoal using quick-light charcoal?

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  1. Light quick-light charcoal with a lighter.
  2. Place the natural charcoal next to the burning quick-light coals.
  3. The heat from the quick-light charcoal will ignite the natural charcoal after a short time.

Can I light hookah charcoal with a camping stove?

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  1. Place the charcoal on the burner or on a metal grate.
  2. Turn on the stove and flip the charcoal after about 5 minutes.
  3. After another 5 minutes, the charcoal is ready to use.

How can I speed up the charcoal lighting process?

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  • Wrap the charcoal in aluminum foil to trap heat.
  • Turn the charcoal regularly to ensure even ignition.
  • Use a wire rack on the stove to prevent direct contact with the heating surface.

What is the best emergency method for lighting charcoal?

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If you don’t have a coal burner, we recommend:

  • A fireplace or campfire – the fastest and most effective.
  • A stovetop – works well, but only on electric coil burners (not induction or glass-ceramic!).
  • A camping stove – great for outdoor sessions.
  • Quick-light charcoal as an ignition aid – only as a last resort, since it contains chemical additives.

Are there any risks when lighting charcoal without a burner?

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  • Open flames are a fire hazard – never leave burning charcoal unattended.
  • Kitchen stoves can be damaged if charcoal is placed directly on them.
  • Quick-light charcoal contains chemicals that can alter the taste of your hookah session.

Should I invest in a coal burner?

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Yes, if you smoke hookah regularly, an electric coal burner is the best and safest option. It saves time and protects your equipment.

FAQ: Lighting Shisha Charcoal Without a Lighter – Here's How!

Can I light shisha charcoal without an electric lighter?

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Yes, there are several alternatives to light shisha charcoal without a traditional charcoal lighter, including:

  • The kitchen stove
  • A fireplace or campfire
  • Using self-lighting charcoal as a helper
  • A camping stove

How can I light shisha charcoal on the stove?

expand_more
  1. Place the charcoal on a regular stovetop and turn it to the highest setting.
  2. After 5 minutes, the bottom side should start glowing; then flip the charcoal.
  3. After another 5 minutes, the charcoal should be fully ignited.

Warning: Induction or glass-ceramic stoves may get damaged – this method should only be used with older electric stovetops.


Can I light shisha charcoal in a fireplace or campfire?

expand_more

Yes! An open flame works great as it heats the charcoal evenly from all sides.

  • Place the charcoal directly in the flames or hot embers.
  • After 5 minutes, the charcoal should be fully ignited.
  • If you're grilling, you can place the charcoal in the grill embers.

How can I light natural charcoal using self-lighting charcoal?

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  1. Light the self-lighting charcoal with a lighter.
  2. Place the natural charcoal close to the burning self-lighting charcoal.
  3. The heat from the self-lighting charcoal will ignite the natural charcoal after a short time.

Can I light shisha charcoal with a camping stove?

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  1. Place the charcoal on the burner or a metal grid.
  2. Turn on the stove and flip the charcoal after about 5 minutes.
  3. After another 5 minutes, it should be ready to use.

How can I speed up the lighting process?

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  • Wrap aluminum foil around the charcoal like a funnel – this retains heat longer.
  • Turn the charcoal regularly to ensure even ignition.
  • Place a baking grid on the stovetop to avoid direct contact with the plate.

Which method is best in an emergency?

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If no charcoal lighter is available, we recommend:

  • Fireplace or campfire – the fastest and most effective method.
  • Stovetop – works well, but only with electric stoves (not induction or ceramic stoves!).
  • Camping stove – great for outdoor sessions.
  • Self-lighting charcoal as a helper – only a last resort due to chemical additives.

Are there risks when lighting charcoal without a dedicated lighter?

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  • Open flames are a fire hazard – never leave the charcoal unattended.
  • Kitchen stoves can be damaged if the charcoal is placed directly on them.
  • Self-lighting charcoal contains chemicals that can affect the shisha flavor.

Should I get a charcoal lighter?

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Yes, if you smoke shisha regularly, an electric charcoal lighter is the best and safest solution. It saves time and protects your equipment.

Author-Bild

Moritz
CEO

Moritz is the founder of Moze and the brains behind all Moze products.


zuletzt aktualisiert: 13. Juni 2023