What is Hubbly Bubbly?

If you want to know what is Hubbly Bubbly, look no further!

Stylish, social, and super flavourful – hubblys have been around for decades, but exactly what is hubbly?

You might have heard the terms “hookah” or “shisha” – which are just terms used in other parts of the world that refer to the same thing: a Hubbly Bubbly smoking mechanism.

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A hubbly is an instrument used to smoke or vaporise flavoured tobacco. Its true origins are debatable to this day, although it is said that the first hubbly bubbly was invented in the 15th century by a Persian man in India. Since then, it’s erupted in popularity and has spread right across the globe, with people from pretty much every corner of the world enjoying the stimulating effects and delicious flavours of hubbly bubbly.

It consists of a vase that holds water at the bottom, a stem that connects the water vase to the bowl at the top, and draw pipes used to inhale tobacco smoke. The bowl located at the top of the mechanism is used to pack flavoured tobacco in and is covered with either foil or a heat management system.

Did you know? There are quite a few types of hubbly bowls available today, each with their own unique effects. Wondering what is hubbly and how to set it up? Check out our article that covers the 3 most used hookah bowls here.

A hot coal is then placed on top of the foil or HMD to heat the tobacco. When dragging, air travels through the bowl and tobacco, down the stem and into the water, cooling it for inhalation. As the smoke filters through the water and resurfaces, it is inhaled through the draw pipe which is also connected to the vase.

It’s very commonly used in South Africa and is available to purchase online or at almost any tobacco shop.

Because it’s such a hefty, almost formal contraption to set up, people love to take their hubblys to places like the beach or even bars where one can sit back and enjoy casually toking on their favourite tobaccos for extended periods of time.

A fair warning though; not all bars and cafes allow hubbly smoking, as they can produce quite a lot of smoke. It almost doesn’t feel right to use the word “smoke” to describe the vapour-like exhalations, as it quickly disappears and is much whiter than traditional cigarette smoke. And of course, the smells are not even comparable.

Pros and Cons of a Hubbly Bubbly

Sure, there are a list of benefits that come with owning a hubbly, although it’s quite a common misconception that hubbly bubbly smoking is harmless to human health.

It’s important to know the potential dangers and downsides of using a hubbly bubbly, especially if done regularly.

Let’s have a look at the breakdown below:

Pros of a Hubbly Bubbly

Social enhancement – There’s just something about sharing a hookah with friends.

Maybe it’s the relatability? It’s well known that a hookah can join people from all races, religions and even genders who normally wouldn’t have anything in common.

Can be cheap to uphold – Given the fact that hookah is enjoyed as traditionally intended, aka not multiple times a day or even more than 2 times a week, upholding your hookah accessories can be very affordable. One pack of shisha tobacco costs around R35.00 on average (providing up to 4-5 sessions) and coals can be purchased for between R20.00 – R25.00, and usually contain 10 coals per pack. In normal circumstances, you would use one coal per session.
Can be a lifelong purchase – Depending on the quality of your first purchase, a hookah can last a lifetime. Only things like the bowl itself and draw pipes (and their seals) sometimes must be replaced as they’re the parts that move around and are used the most.
Delightful flavours – Almost any flavour you can think of exists in the world of hookah tobacco, and arguably is one of the main reasons people enjoy it so much, other than its social effects.
Huge clouds & tricks -Given the fact that your hubbly bubbly is set up correctly, you can produce huge clouds and perform the most impressive tricks. Time to impress your peers!
Available in tobacco & nicotine free – For those who experience nausea, light-headedness or simply those who are a little more health-conscious – herbal molasses that contain zero nicotine or tobacco is a great option if you still want to enjoy the pleasures of hubbly bubbly.
Portable – Disassemble, pack it up and put it in your bag, it’s that easy. Just remember some water and a lighter!

Cons of a Hubbly Bubbly

Health risks – Anything other than good quality oxygen should not be inhaled into our lungs, and hubbly smoke surely isn’t exempt from this.
Can be addictive – In the case of someone enjoying hookah daily, for instance, nicotine addiction is a real threat that shouldn’t be ignored. Most shisha flavours contain both tobacco and nicotine, so make sure you ask for zero nicotine and zero tobacco molasses to avoid addiction if you happen to enjoy a hookah more than once or twice a week.
Dangerous – The open coal that lies on your foil is a notorious carpet burner, table destroyer and even finger burner. Always make use of the tongs provided and try to get your hands on an HMD (head management system) if possible at all.
Lengthy procedure – It takes about 5 to 10 minutes to set up a hookah mechanism, and although not all that bad from a bird’s eye view, it should be clear that you can’t just set up a hookah and enjoy it fully in a shorter period than an hour. (Without wasting, that is)
Not user friendly in the beginning – There are a number of tips and tricks that come with experience when setting up a hookah. Too much or too little water in your vase, too many or too little holes poked into your foil, too much or too little flavour in your bowl, etc. The list goes on. So don’t worry if your first few attempts in setting up a hookah goes horribly wrong – it’s a common occurrence.

Check out our step-by-step article on how to set up the perfect hubbly, here. [LINK]

5 Interesting Facts on Hubbly Bubbly

During the 1900’s, the bulk of hookah smokers were women. This is due to the fact that men were predominantly busy working, and smoked cigarettes because of the lengthy duration of time it took to finish a bowl of shisha.
Are you a big fan of the flavours “double apple” or “mint”? That’s right – these are the two most popular flavours in the world!
Hubbly tobacco is often referred to as “shisha” or “shisha tobacco” in other parts of the world such as the US and India. Shisha is a traditional mix of tobacco, molasses, and fruit. In countries where the Arabic language is spoken, the tobacco if often referred to as “Moassal”, simply meaning molasses.
The water contained in the vase of the hookah, which the smoke filters through, does not guarantee to clean (or filter) your smoke, but rather cools it down for enjoyable inhalation.
Hookahs are traditionally thought to belong on the floor – not on any risen platform such as a table or countertop. This is because hubblys are thought to be an object of service, and shouldn’t be placed on any sort of pedestal.

FAQ’s about Hubbly Bubbly

As popular as the hookah mechanism may be, there are always newcomers or false information floating around. So to clear up anything that might still be foggy, here are 3 frequently asked questions when it comes to smoking a hookah:

Is hookah better or worse than cigarettes?

The age-old argument of two of the most favourite ways of smoking in the world. And before you think you’ll get a definite “which one is better” answer, it simply isn’t that easy to make such a statement.

Although it is a popular viewpoint (especially from hookah smokers) that hubbly is far less damaging to your health than cigarettes, there are studies that show that an hour’s worth of constant hookah smoking adds up to an average of 40 – 100 cigarettes. Now before you wrap your hookah in a towel and throw it in a bin, consider these 6 points below that defends against the statement that “hookah is worse than cigarettes”

Variety of flavours, including zero nicotine and zero tobacco
It lasts longer, meaning you smoke less frequently. This might sound contradictory but enjoying a single bowl of shisha once a week or say, 2-3 over weekends with friends ends up to be far less constant on your lungs than the habit of pulling out a cigarette once every 30 minutes.
Hookah smoking is more of a ritual than the unconscious act of cigarette addiction. If you’ve enjoyed a hubbly with friends (or alone) before, you’ll know what we’re talking about. The process of cleaning the accessories, filling the vase and inserting the draw pipes, packing the bowl in your own unique way, lighting the coal and getting it to run is one of the most preparatory and satisfying feelings one can get. You prepare your mind and body beforehand, and the setup of a hookah is usually planned beforehand, very seldom just spontaneously rigged.
Hookah just tastes and smells much better
You can enjoy it indoors without affecting too many people negatively

Does Hookah contain tobacco and/or nicotine?

Mostly, yes. Although there are zero tobacco and zero nicotine hubbly flavours out there. Naturally it won’t provide the same buzz as traditional shisha, but the feeling of puffing on flavourful herbal molasses will be identical.

Does hookah get you high?

Not in the literal sense of “marijuana high”, no. However, it is well reported and a common side effect of nicotine-containing shisha that it leaves you with dizziness or a “headrush”, if you will.

This is just your body’s way of telling you it isn’t comfortable with or used to the large amount(s) of nicotine you’ve ingested. It is always recommended to have a drink by your side while enjoying a hubbly. This follows the golden rule of almost any smoking habit – always stay hydrated.

It can also be of massive help to snack on something before starting your hookah session. If none of the above assists in relieving light-headedness when enjoying your hubbly, using a zero nicotine hubbly tobacco might be your best bet.

Summary

So, what is hubbly? A hubbly bubby is a traditional, flavoured-tobacco smoking mechanism which uses a hot coal to heat tobacco, filters it through water and makes it available for inhalation through one or more draw pipes.

The first hookah (or hubbly bubbly) was invented in the 15^th century by a Persian man named Abul-Fath in the city of Fatehpur Sikiri during Mughal India.

Today it is popularly used in hookah café’s, among youth and middle-aged people alike, and does not seem to have fallen in popularity since its invention more than 600 years ago.

Hubbly products mostly contain both nicotine and tobacco and can be addictive.