To determine whether shisha vape can revive the authentic taste of classic Hookah, it is necessary to analyze from three perspectives: composition, technical parameters and taste analysis. Classic Mu ‘assel is described in a 2024 Journal of Nicotine and Flavor Science article as comprised of 70% honey/syrup, 30% tobacco and natural flavorings (such as rose and mint), burning temperature between 450-600°C and emission of over 6,000 volatile compounds. The e-liquid of the shisha vape mainly consists of propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerin (VG) and synthetic fragrances. The atomization temperature lowers to 180-220°C, and the number of flavor compound types is reduced to 120-300. For instance, Egyptian brand “Al Fakher” e-liquid “Double Apple Flavor” contains only 12 prominent flavor molecules (compared to 87 for regular water tobacco paste), and only 23% of the participants in the blind test believed that its similarity was ≥90% (Data source: Cairo University Sensory Laboratory).
Technically, shisha vape replicates the smooth taste of traditional hookahs with nicotine salts (concentration 0-20mg/mL), but its smoke density (particle concentration 2.5×10⁶/cm³) is only 41% (6.1×10⁶/cm³) of traditional hookahs. The “Blueberry Mist” shisha vape by German manufacturer Starbuzz employs dual-core atomization technology (with a 0.6Ω resistance), and the smoke volume has been raised to 4.2L/min with a capacity of 50W (the norm for traditional water pipes is 6L/min). The temperature, however, causes the e-liquid to crack, releasing a concentration of formaldehyde at 0.15μg per mouth (0.62μg per mouth for traditional hookah, because the combustion is more efficient). A study done by Johns Hopkins University in 2023 showed that despite the 99% reduction in tar and carbon monoxide content in shisha vape, concentration fluctuation of large flavoring chemicals (e.g., vanillin and menthol) was as high as ±18%, providing a batch consistency rating of only 6.7/10 (with a ±5% fluctuation and a rating of 8.9/10 for conventional otobacter).
Comparatively in terms of cost and convenience, shisha vape’s initial equipment cost is 30−80 (e.g., the Khalil Mamoon electronic version), a single cartridge (10mL/8) lasts an 800-sip experience, and a sip costs 0.01. The classical hookah is 50-200. Hookah paste (25g each time, 5/50g) and coal (0.5 per time) are needed per use. The price for a single use (1 hour) is $5.5. However, a user survey (n = 2,000) shows that 67% of the initial hookah users believe that shisha vape lacks the social ritual component (e.g., charcoal preparation and sharing among multiple users), resulting in an experience completeness score of only 5.4/10.
Regulatory restrictions also encroach on flavor restoration. The EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) limits the volume of e-liquid to 10mL (if with nicotine) or 20mL (if without nicotine), forcing companies to reduce the formula’s complexity. For instance, the “grape mint” shisha vape from the Saudi brand Al Sultan reduced the proportion of natural extracts from 35% to 12% due to compliance needs, and the repurchase rate among consumers fell from 72% to 41%. However, the US FDA PMTA review fee of $117,000 per model discourages the commercialization of specialty flavors (such as saffron sandalwood). Of the new products to date introduced in 2023, only 18% are conventional hooksmoke flavors (43% in 2019).
Technological innovation partly enhances the experience: In 2024, the Swiss brand Smoore released the “low-temperature atomization” shisha vape (working temperature 160°C), which raised the retention rate of major terpene compounds from 58% to 89% with the aid of ceramic core slow-release technology. Nonetheless, the hardware cost as much as 120, and the life of one cartridge was reduced to 400 mouthpieces (cost 0.03 per mouthpiece). User testing in Dubai shows that the sensory fidelity of its “rose ebony” flavor is 81% (62% for traditional devices), but its market share is 4.3%.
The conclusion states that shisha vape is healthier and more convenient but the complexity of flavor, social nature and regulation constraints make it difficult to completely replace traditional hookahs. According to “Global Hookaze Culture Report 2024”, only 29% of traditional consumers believe that the existing electronic one is “realistic enough” and 71% wait for more advanced flavor nano-encapsulation technologies (such as liposome encapsulation) to break the technical bottleneck.