Oduman Infinity Clear Glass Silver Body 45 cm - Shisha with a Transparent Base and Steel Stem

This Infinity is the most neutral of the nine colour combinations Oduman carries: clear glass, steel without a colour layer, a white hose. At the factory it is called INF-01-CLEAR. The build is that of the whole series: a straight stem through a round engraved block, with a flat tray above it and a widely flaring foot below.

What you see through the glass

A transparent base is not only aesthetics. You check the water level without taking the stem off, you see at once whether the smoke guide sits deep enough, and the colour of the water tells you when it is time to change it. With dark glass you do all of that by feel, or notice it afterwards.

The downside of clear glass

Everything that settles is visible too. Glycerin from the molasses lands as a hazy veil on the inner wall, and on clear glass that already shows after two or three sessions. It does not mean this base gets dirty faster than a black one; it is simply more honest about it. Rinse weekly with warm water and use a brush now and then, and it stays clear.

Why steel without colour

On the gold and bronze versions a coloured titanium layer covers the stainless steel. Here the steel's own tone stays visible. The advantage is that marks of use barely show: a scratch on brushed steel disappears optically into the surface, while the same scratch on a dark colour layer stays as a pale line.

Dimensions and weight

Forty-five centimeters tall, twenty centimeters wide and deep, three and a half kilos. The broad foot keeps the hookah stable, even on a tablecloth or a sofa. The height is a compromise: enough water column for a full draw, low enough to talk over during an evening.

Hose and port

A white silicone hose is included. Silicone takes on no flavour, so moving from a fruity molasses to a spicy one needs no rinsing. The block has one port; two hoses at once is not possible here. Spare hoses and separate mouthpieces sit with the hookah hoses.

Assembling it

Fill the base with cold water until the smoke guide hangs two centimeters below the surface; through the clear glass you see exactly when that is. Set the stem on, check the grommet and place the tray. Cover the hose port and draw: if you hear or feel air leaking, tighten the connections.

What you still need yourself

No hookah bowl is included, as with every model from this brand, and no coal tongs either. Pick a bowl from the hookah bowls. Tongs and further tools sit with the hookah accessories.

Coals and heat

At this height the water column is short and you need less warmth than on a large hookah. Two coconut coals of 25 millimeters on the rim of the bowl is a good start; only add a third once the vapor drops off. Quick-lighting coals leave an aftertaste, natural coals do not. Light them on a coal burner until they are fully grey.

How often should you change the water?

After every session. That sounds strict, but with a clear base you see why for yourself: after one bowl the water has noticeably changed colour and a thin layer floats on top. Leave it until next time and you taste the previous flavour again while the draw gets heavier. Rinsing with warm water takes half a minute; a thorough round with a brush once a week is enough.

The centre block

The round block halfway up the stem is more than decoration. The hose port is worked into it, and from that point the smoke is carried upward toward the tray instead of straight down. The block is turned from solid material, with the brand name and the word INFINITY engraved into it. On steel without a colour layer that engraving stays sharp, because no paint can settle into the letters.

Storing it

Take the hookah apart if you are not using it for a while and let all the parts dry first. Moisture left under a grommet makes that grommet go slack sooner, and water standing in the stem turns musty within days. Stand the base upside down on a cloth; through the clear glass you see when the last drops are out.

Specifications

• Dimensions: 45 cm tall, 20 cm wide, 20 cm deep
• Weight: 3.5 kilos
• Stem: stainless steel without a colour layer
• Base: clear glass
• Ports: one hose, silicone and white
• Factory number: INF-01-CLEAR

This version lets the steel keep its own colour. Want gold or bronze, then choose that at the top.