Smoking, as you know, is all about the flavor. It doesn’t matter whether you smoke cigars, a hookah, or a glass pipe, when you light up, you want that full-bodied, aromatic taste that is the hallmark of a good smoking experience.
So settling on the right implement and tobacco for your tastes is your number one priority. But did you know that once you’ve done that, your choice of smoking accessories will have a huge impact on your experience?
Without the right care and attention your instruments and tobacco will deteriorate rapidly, and so will your experience, which is why you need the right smoking accessories. Unfortunately, that term can cover everything from pipe cleaners to t-shirts, so we’re just going to look at pipes, cigars, and hookahs and tell you what you really need to have for an optimum experience.
Cigar Accessories
There are two items every cigar aficionado must have. The first is a humidor, a box with constant humidity levels for storing your cigars in. Without this, cigars quickly dry out and become unsmokeable. A good humidor will have a humidifier and hygrometer, allowing you to control the internal humidity and maintain the freshness of your cigars.
The second essential item is a good cutter. As most good quality cigars come with one or both ends sealed to maintain freshness, it is necessary to open them before smoking. A good quality cutters will do this cleanly, cutting rather than breaking the leaves. When choosing a cutter, you should make sure it is sharp to start with, and the material the blade is made from is hard enough to hold its edge over time.
Hookah Accessories
Hookahs are complex things with lots of parts, so the list of hookah accessories is seemingly endless. All of these will add something to the experience, but after the tobacco, it is the charcoal that will define it.
Without a good quality charcoal, it is very difficult to get the tobacco burning evenly and the chemicals used in cheap quick light versions can leave a nasty aftertaste. For an optimum hookah smoking experience, choose quality tobaccos and charcoals, such as those produced by Starbuzz.
Pipe Accessories
Whether you smoke a glass, ceramic, metal or traditional wood pipe, the first thing you realize is that you have to clean it regularly or it gets blocked. Pipe cleaners, those furry bits of wire, are still the most important accessory a pipe smoker can buy. A good cleaner is strong enough to remove any build up of tar in your shaft, but flexible enough to bend when necessary to avoid damage. You should also be careful to choose ones that are the right size. Too big and they’ll damage the pipe, too thin and they won’t clean properly.
Another thing you’ll need for pipe smoking is a good screen. When choosing screens, make sure the diameter is appropriate for your pipe, and the size of the mesh is small enough to stop any material passing through, but big enough not to get blocked by tar with every use.
These are just the essential items you need to have for each smoking experience. Of course, all other accessories (even t-shirts) will add something to your experience so visit our smoke shop in Fort Lauderdale and check out our huge range of smoking implements and accessories today. Our staff will be happy to answer any questions you might have, and recommend the best products and accessories for you.