A rare meeting of engineering and craftsmanship
The Raas is a heat management device that sits directly on the bowl. It holds the coals and spreads the heat evenly over the molasses, with no foil needed. It's an engineer's object, built for precision and a consistent session.
Pairing this kind of accessory with bowls that are shaped and decorated by hand, then fired according to local traditions, is still unusual. Most bowls are designed to fit everything. These ones were drawn up for one specific system, to the exact dimensions of the Raas. The result: two artisan pieces that don't try to please everyone, but to get the very best out of one very particular heat management device.
Raas x Olla: Florentine maiolica on a shisha
Olla is an Italian brand renowned for its hand-painted ceramic bowls. For the Raas, it created a phunnel bowl in white clay, wheel-thrown, glazed and then fired in Florence following the maiolica tradition, a time-honoured Italian ceramic craft. Every design is painted by hand.
A bowl that's also a one-off piece
From one piece to the next, the patterns and shades vary slightly, so no two Raas x Olla bowls are ever quite identical. There are four designs, each inspired by a place in Italy: Italia, Capri, Palermo and Sorrento. Whether it sits on a lounge table or at home, it turns heads long before the first draw.
- White glazed clay, hand-painted design
- 85 mm in diameter, 25 mm high
- Holds about 22 g of molasses
- Phunnel shape with a central spire that keeps juice from running down the stem
- Compatible with the Quasar Raas, Raas 2 and Raas 2 Black Hole
In use, the glazed clay heats up gradually and brings out smooth, rounded flavours. It's ideal for blonde leaf and for fruity or fresh flavours you want to enjoy in all their finesse.
Raas x Cosmobowl: the Russian school of hookah
To understand Cosmobowl, you have to look to Russia. In just a few years, the country has become one of the most inventive hookah scenes anywhere. Russian enthusiasts have done a great deal to move the practice forward: fine-tuned heat management, a taste for strong dark leaf, the quest for the perfect draw. Clay bowls shaped by small workshops have become true cult objects there, discussed and collected like artisan pieces.
That demanding culture is where Cosmobowl was built. The Russian maker bets neither on glaze nor on decoration, but on the material and on performance. The El-Badia team had actually spotted it at the Shishamesse in Frankfurt, where it already stood out as a bowl designed for bold dark leaf.
Red clay from the Urals
Its bowls are shaped by hand from a red clay mined in the Urals, the mountain range that separates Europe from Asia. The region has always been known for the richness of its subsoil, and its mineral-rich clay still bears the mark. Once shaped, it is fired at 1,100 °C to produce a dense, solid ceramic.
A clay that holds the heat
This density gives the bowl strong thermal inertia. It builds up heat, then releases it steadily throughout the session. Once it's going, it stays stable, with no need to add another coal. Like any porous terracotta, it seasons over time and takes on a character unique to its owner.
- Raw red Ural clay, hand-shaped in Russia
- Fired at 1,100 °C
- 85 mm in diameter, 20 mm high
- Holds about 22 g of blonde leaf or 28 g of dark leaf
- Phunnel shape with a central spire
- Compatible with the Quasar Raas, Raas 2 and Raas 2 Black Hole
True to the Russian spirit, this is the bowl for dark leaf and bold blends that call for deep, sustained heat. With blonde leaf, just ease off the coals a little to keep a smooth draw.
Two opposite personalities for the same Quasar shisha bowl
That's arguably what makes the series so interesting. Both bowls share the same diameter, the same phunnel shape and the same Raas compatibility, yet they offer two almost opposite takes on ceramics.
- Olla is Italian refinement: glaze, colour, a hand-painted design and rounded heat for delicate flavours.
- Cosmobowl is Russian character: raw clay, dense heat and consistency for intense sessions.
- Both share what matters most: handcrafted production and a precise fit on the Raas, with no foil.
Many enthusiasts end up owning both, choosing according to the molasses of the day. For hookah lounges and shops, this two-bowl range is also a real story to tell customers, beyond a simple accessory.
Using and caring for these artisan bowls
Both bowls are used the same way. Pack the molasses loosely, without pressing it down and without going over the top of the spire. Then place the Raas on top and let it heat for a few minutes before the first draws.
- Let the bowl cool completely before cleaning it.
- Wash with lukewarm water and a non-abrasive sponge to protect the Olla's glaze.
- Avoid thermal shock: never run cold water over a bowl that's still hot.
- Dry the bowl thoroughly before putting it away.
