Here is a list of products that we inhale and exhale: cigarette, vape, nicotine pouch, joint, and hookah. How will you rank them from the most to the least harmful? Cigarettes are no doubt the No.1 killer since World War II. How is hookah then? It’s no better than cigarettes despite the water filtration. What about a hookah vape? I’d like to share this vaping guide on a new vape category with you, and you can find the best hookah vapes in my recommendations.
Table of Contents
1. What is a Portable Hookah Vape?
Generally speaking, a hookah is an instrument designed for heating or vaporizing flavored tobacco. Through water filtration, we can have better and smoother tastes at the cost of more nicotine and tar intake because one session of hookah smoking can last for one hour or longer. That’s why hookah vapes were invented.
A hookah vape is designed for DL vaping and big clouds. Usually, a portable hookah vape is equipped with coils less than 1ohm, which is suitable for sub-ohm vaping. The nicotine strength, in return, is reduced for DTL (Direct-to-Lung vaping style), and freebase nicotine is added for longer, slower absorption, similar to hookah smoking. If a disposable vape meets the following standards, then it is a hookah portable vape:
- Less than 1ohm Coils
- Freebase Nicotine / Low Nicotine Strength (<5%)
- Suitable for DL/Sub-ohm vaping
- Big Cloud Vape for Cloud Chasers
2. Hookah VS Vape: Which is Better?
Given that both hookahs and vapes vaporize the content and deliver nicotine, they have more similarities than differences. But which one is better? I will evaluate these two types of nicotine products from different aspects and summarize them in a table below.
| Hookah | Vape | |
|---|---|---|
| Flavor | Fruit, Mint, Tobacco | Fruit, Dessert, Candy, etc |
| Session | One Hour or Longer | Suitable for Tobacco/Vape Break |
| Convenience | Long-time Preparation | Easy to use & Low Maintenance |
| Cost | Expensive Setup and Shisha | Cheaper than smoking in the long run |
| Harm | Almost as harmful as Cigarette Smoking | Less Harmful than Smoking |
| Sociality | Excellent shareability | Private Use |
| Learning Steep | Steep | Gentle |

For everyday life, vaping is a better option as you can hit it any time and anywhere; it’s not as stealthy as a vaporless disposable vape, but more discreet and convenient. Hookah smoking is more harmful than smoking but earns popularity with big clouds and unique shisha flavors. What about mitigating the negative effects and combining vapes with a hookah? Then we get a portable hookah vape.
3. Three Types of Portable Hookah Vapes
As vaping technology evolves, there are more types of hookah vapes on the market. You can simply divide them into three categories: Standalone DTL disposable vapes, hookah vapes, and electronic hookah heads.

(1) Standalone DTL Disposable Vapes
Originating from the classic Starbuzz hookah vape design, DTL disposable vapes resemble the Starbuzz prototype but come with an integrated e-juice tank. High-e-liquid capacity and sub-ohm coils enable them to make big clouds for DL vaping. They are easy to use and require no extra equipment.
Olit hookah vape is one of the most popular DTL disposable vapes on the market. Olit Hookalit 40K sets the standard for this category.
(2) Electronic Hookah Head
These big-ass vapes can also be used independently if you plan to farm attention with weird vapes. They are designed to replace the traditional hookah head. When you remove the bowl and attach the electronic hookah head to the hookah, you can vape through the mouthpiece and enjoy the flavors with water flirtation. There is no need for clean water, charcoal burning, or bowl packing. An electronic hookah head, such as Olit Hookalit Mega 200K, can satisfy your needs.
(3) Portable Hookah Vape
Manufacturers and retailers have the ball to promote their disposable vape and hookah bundle. The vape can be used alone, but the hookah is useless without the vape. With imagined brand loyalty, all the brands but Ploox managed to develop a real portable hookah.

From Ploox Party Shisha Cup to Ploox Mini hookah, Ploox catches the vibes and makes hookah vapes portable. Most importantly, all Ploox disposable vapes are compatible with the new Ploox hookahs. Ploox hookah vapes redefine portable hookah vapes and show us the creativity and dedication behind the curtain.
4. Where Can I Find Big Cloud Vapes?
Vapes online are usually more affordable than those in grocery stores or gas stations. If you plan to purchase big cloud vapes online, you may check whether there is a vape ban in your state first. After that, you can navigate to reliable online vape shops, such as Element Vape.
5. Conclusion
Hookah vape is a new category for e-cigarettes. Even hookah smokers can try a less harmful way and still enjoy themselves. But I’d like to remind you about fake brands and look-alikes. Sharing appearance doesn’t necessarily mean similar quality. Stay sharp and try to avoid fake vapes. That’s how you stay safe and sound.
FAQ
Is hookah better than vape?
No. Hookah smoking is almost as harmful as cigarette smoking despite the water filtration.
What is DTL vaping?
DTL is short for Direct-To-Lung. It’s a vaping style different from MTL (Mouth-To-Lung). You need to inhale deeply, draw vapor directly into your lungs, and exhale. Usually, DTL (DL) requires high-wattage vapes and e-liquid with freebase nicotine.
What does DTL mean vape?
DTL is short for Direct-To-Lung and is also known as DL. It’s one of the most popular vaping styles.


