Vaping has changed more than traditional smoking, with the old-fashioned hose-toting hookah devices also being transformed into e-hookah or hookah pen devices. These are quite common, and although the definitions are a little blurry, finding the best hookah pen gives you a nice introduction to this alternative to ordinary hookah smoking.
In reality, electronic hookah devices aren’t that different from ordinary e-cigarettes, but there are still plenty of great options on the market if you’re looking for an e-hookah or more broadly, a vape pen.
Best Hookah Pens
1 – Pachamama Synthetic Disposable
The Pachamama Synthetic Disposables cost $12.99 each.
Like many of the best hookah pen devices on this list, the synthetic disposable from Pachamama is a nicotine-containing pen that comes in a convenient format with tons of flavor options. The “synthetic” in the name comes from the fact that it’s made with synthetic nicotine, with 50 mg/ml of nicotine in the 4 ml of e-juice each one contains. With a 700 mAh internal battery, it boasts up to 1,200 puffs before it dies, which is huge for a little disposable pen although there are longer-lasting options out there.
The big selling-point and the reason this is the best e-hookah vape pen out there is the Pachamama-made e-juice in the pod. Although they aren’t the same flavors as the famous e-liquid, the simplified blends still have the quality Pachamama is known for, with realistic, well-captured fruits and cooling but not overpowering menthol. You can get them in Pink Lemonade and Mango without menthol, and with menthol (the “Ice” version) they offer Banana, Pineapple, Guava, Strawberry, Lychee, Peach and Grape. The focus on fruits is a good match for shisha-style pens, although you can only get them with nicotine.
2 – Yaya Max Disposable
Yaya Max disposables cost $14.99.
The Yaya Max disposables are a great choice if you’re looking for a top-rated hookah pen that lasts long and has an excellent selection of flavors. The disposables look like pod system vapes, with a chunkier body than most and a duck-bill mouthpiece, a little like a disposable version of the RPM series from Smok. It has a 1,000 mAh battery, which is good for around 1,500 puffs (or slightly more), so it should comfortably last you through two or three days of use. It has 50 mg/ml of nicotine, which is right in line with most nicotine containing electronic hookah pens on the market.
The hookah pen flavors you can get with the Yaya Max are: Cool Mint, Apple Grape, Kiwi Strawberry, Banana Ice, Honeydew Ice, Blue Raspberry, Lush Ice, Honeydew Melon, Strawberry Lemonade, Honey Coco and Guava Peach Ice. They’re mainly fruity flavors, but with plenty of menthol and mint options in the line-up it’s a good brand for ex-menthol smokers in particular. The performance is also hard to fault, with impressive vapor production with every puff and a pretty consistent output throughout its lifespan.
3 – Ignite V15 Synthetic Disposable
The Ignite V15 costs $18.99 per disposable.
The Ignite V15 is another of the best disposable vape pens out there that makes use of synthetic nicotine in its formulation. The disposable takes plenty of cues from pod-system vaping devices in terms of design, with a square-sided pen style and high-strength nicotine juice in the pods so you get a satisfying vape even at lower powers. It runs on an 850 mAh battery, which is good for around 1,300 puffs or more, so enough for a couple of days of use at least. The e-liquid inside has 50 mg/ml of nicotine, which would be satisfying even if it wasn’t one of the best performing hookah pens on the market as well.
The flavor selection is great if you’re into fruits and menthol, which is what you expect from hookah pen flavors in most cases. They come in Peach, Watermelon and Mango without menthol, and with (the Ice versions) you can get Banana, Blueberry, Blue Razz, Raspberry Orange and Strawberry Guava. The flavors are all impressively well-replicated and the menthol has just the right amount of punch to it. You’ll also be impressed with the vapor production from the V15, which is as good as most rechargeable pod systems or beginner-level pens.
4 – Fog X Magnum
You can pick up the Fog X Magnum for $13.99 each.
The Fog X Magnum is an e-hookah pen that’s long-lasting, easy-to-use and disposable. Like most of the best e-hookah pen options on this list, it does contain nicotine, but with seven flavors to choose from and the convenience-focused design, it’s a great choice if you want to try vaping out without a huge commitment.
The Fog X Magnum has a 4 ml capacity tank, pre-filled with 50 mg/ml e-liquid. Combined with the 1,400 mAh battery, this offers up to 1,300 puffs before you’ll have to dispose of the device, easily enough for a couple of days of vaping. It’s draw-activated, so it couldn’t be much simpler to use: you just remove the packaging and puff to vape.
The Fog X Magnum comes in a choice of seven hookah pen flavors: Strawberry Wafer, White Grape Ice, Lychee Ice, Guava Ice, Orange Tang Ice, Frozen Mint and Banana Ice.
5 – Pop Vapes
You can pick up Pop Vapes for $6.99 each.
Pop Vapes’ disposables are another nicotine-containing, pod-style disposable that is highly flavor-focused, making it a good option if you’re looking for a hookah pen. The vape pen has a rectangular body, kind of like the Juul, except with bright and colorful skins that represent the flavor of the specific pen.
In practice you use it just like a regular hookah pen – just inhale to take a puff – but the juices contain 50 mg/ml of nicotine salt e-liquid, so you can use it if you’re struggling with nicotine cravings or just want a pick-me-up. This makes it less like a traditional hookah pen, but the flavors are great and if you don’t mind nicotine, it’s definitely worth trying out.
The Pop Vapes disposables come in a wide range of flavors, including Strawberry Mango, Iced Pineapple, Mighty Mint, Blue Raz, Banana Ice, Watermelon Lemonade, Mango Peach Pineapple and many others.
6 – Nu-X Disposable Energy Inhaler
You can get the Nu-X disposables for $9.99 each.
This option is slightly different from the other options on this list, with the Nu-X Disposable Energy Inhaler being free from nicotine but containing caffeine and vitamin B12. Nicotine free vaping is more in line with traditional e-hookah pens, but admittedly most of the best performing hookah pen devices don’t contain alternative substances either.
The Nu-X earns a spot on this list though, because it’s more of a flavor vaping experience than a disposable e-cig where the nicotine is the number one priority. The Disposable Energy Inhaler only comes in energy drink flavor, but it’s a good combination with the caffeine and B12 for people just looking for a unique pick-me-up.
7 – Lush Flow
You can pick up Lush Flow for $12.95 each.
The Lush Flow is another of the modern disposable electronic hookahs that includes nicotine as standard. It takes design cues from the pod systems currently flooding the market, with a vape pen design and a pod-style tank in the top that doubles as a mouthpiece.
The tank holds 6 ml of 50 mg/ml nicotine salt e-juice, and the device has a huge 900 mAh battery that’s good for around 1,500 puffs. This is an impressive offering, right up there with the top hookah pen options on the market now or any time in the past. The price is a little higher than some of the others on this list, but you’ll be able to use it for twice as long as many of its competitors, so it’s a justified expense.
It also comes in a huge selection of hookah pen flavors, including (but not limited to) Guava Ice, White Grape Ice, Strawberry Hibiscus, Filipino Mango and Honeydew Lemon Ice.
8 – Hitt Go Disposable
You can buy a Hitt Go Disposable for $5.
The disposable shisha pens from Hitt Go may be simple, but they’re affordable and the performance is great overall. The design is right in line with the best pod vapes, with a thin, pen-shaped body and a simple pod-style tank in the top. The battery isn’t huge, at 280 mAh capacity, but with the low power output and high-strength (50 mg/ml) nicotine e-liquid, it will last you through most of the day and is a great way to test out vaping. Most other options on this list are much more of an investment if you just want a taste of vaping, so to speak.
The Hitt Go disposables come in a range of flavors, including Tobacco, Mint, Pina Colada, Guava, Strawberry, Mango, Watermelon, Grape Jam, Banana Ice, Punched Ice, Lemonade Ice, Peachy Ice, POD and Lychee Ice. The different flavors are shown through color-coding and icons on the disposables, so you’ll be able to tell them apart easily enough if you’ve bought a few. They contain 1.8 ml of e-liquid each, but you get consistent performance throughout the whole pod, with well-executed flavors and a satisfying amount of vapor.
Hookah Pen 101 – the Basics
The list of the electronic hookah devices above is all you need to make your decision, but if you don’t know the basics of e-hookah pens you might feel a little overwhelmed.
If you have some more basic questions like “What are hookah pens?” and “Do hookah pens have nicotine?” this is the section for you.
What is a Hookah Pen?
The simple question “what are hookah pens?” doesn’t really have as simple an answer as you might like. In a basic sense, they’re exactly the same as ordinary vape pens: they’re devices that vaporize a flavored liquid using a battery-powered heating coil and a wick.
A rechargeable hookah pen is essentially exactly the same as a vape pen. However, an electronic hookah is ordinarily a little bit different. Most of them are disposable devices (similar to disposable e-cigs), so you only use them once and throw them away when they’re done.
Our top-rated hookah pen list reflects the diversity in different e-hookah devices you see on the market.
Some rechargeable hookah pen options have “hose” like designs that make them more like a traditional hookah, some are more accurately described as an electronic hookah bowl, others are disposable options that come in a wide range of hookah pen flavors but have no nicotine, and others are really just vape pens under a different name.
Do Hookah Pens Have Nicotine?
If you’re being strict about definitions, the simple answer to “do hookah pens have nicotine?” is no, but as the previous section pointed out, there is a lot of variation.
While most disposable hookah pen options focus on flavors and don’t include nicotine, this is by no means a definitive rule. In some cases, even disposable hookah pens do include nicotine, but most rechargeable devices either include a nicotine-containing option or can be filled with any e-liquid you want.
The real answer is that they may or may not contain nicotine, depending on your preferences.
Are E-Hookah Pens Bad for You?
A hookah pen works just like an e-cigarette, and so the answer to this is the same as the answer for e-cigarettes.
Contrary to what some believe, traditional hookah is still bad for you, and the water filtration does little to nothing to reduce the levels of harmful chemicals in the smoke. So like with vaping vs. smoking, the key issue isn’t “are hookah pens bad for you?” but “are hookah pens safer than traditional hookah?”
The short answer is that hookah pens are much safer than using a traditional hookah. There is no combustion with an e-shisha and no smoke, and the levels of harmful chemicals in the vapor are much, much lower. Public Health England and the Royal College of Physicians in the UK have estimated that vaping poses at least 95% lower risk than smoking, and the same is true for hookah pens. There are probably some risks from hookah pens, so they’re likely to be bad for you, but they’re a much safer alternative to traditional hookah.
How to Smoke a Hookah Vape Pen
So now you know what a hookah pen is and what the likely risks are, the next question is “how do you use them?” The answer is thankfully very simple.
For most disposable hookah pen devices, they work just like “cigalike” e-cigarettes, in that all you have to do is inhale from the tip to start vaping. Start with a few quick puffs to heat up the coil and then take a slower, longer drag to get a substantial amount of vapor.
For “manual” hookah pen devices that use a button, the process is still really easy. Firstly, ensure the tank is full of e-liquid, and then leave it five or ten minutes to soak into the wick. When you’re ready to vape, you simply press and hold down the button as you inhale.
On some devices you have the option of adjusting the airflow, so you can close it down for a tighter, cigarette-like draw or open it up for an airier draw more like what you’d expect from a vape pipe.
How to Charge an Electronic Hookah Pen
If you’re wondering how to charge a hookah pen, the answer is thankfully very simple.
A rechargeable hookah pen will have a micro USB port somewhere on its body, and you just insert the included USB cable into this slot and plug into your computer to recharge. This is about as easy as it could be, so there is nothing more to say here.
Some devices (like the Aspire Proteus) use removable batteries, and in those cases you might need a separate 18650 battery charger, but these are really easy to use too.
How Much Are E-Hookahs?
The cost of an e-shisha pen varies quite a lot depending on the type of device you get. Disposable options are widely available for under $10, but as you advance to rechargeable hookah pen options the prices increase a little.
For example, the Square Hose E-Mini is around $70 for the device, whereas more traditional vape pen options are widely available for less than $50. The basic message is that it really depends on what you’re looking for, but a long-term solution will undoubtedly cost more initially than a one-use disposable option (while being cheaper in the long run).
If you’re looking to find out where to buy hookah pens, there are many options for a dedicated hookah pen store, but you’ll also be able to pick up some basic options in convenience stores or brick-and-mortar vape stores.
Depending on what exactly you’re looking for, there are plenty of recommended online vape shops you can choose.
Vapes.com has a good selection of disposable hookah pens, and Hookah-Shisa.com also has several options on offer. However, using a traditional vape store like DirectVapor tends to get you the best deal on the widest range of devices.
Best Hookah Pens Conclusion
Although the types of devices in our best e-hookah pen list vary quite a lot in what they can do and who they’re intended for, there are tons of great options out there if you know where to look.
Finding a simple disposable e-hookah is a good introduction into the world of vaping, and a solid option if you’re just looking for a brief nicotine-free vape. But if you’re serious about switching to vaping, picking up one of the rechargeable hookah pen devices listed above can make all the difference.