U.S. Shisha E-Cigarette Market Showdown: AL FAKHER vs. JNR Brand Product Feature Face-off

Recently, during research on the American e-cigarette online wholesale/retail market, 2FIRSTS discovered that many shisha e-cigarette products labeled with "SHISHA" (originating from Arabic, now used to refer to shisha e-cigarette products) and "HOOKAH" (originating from Urdu and Hindi, referring to water pipe devices) have quietly entered the new product section of well-known American e-cigarette wholesale and distribution websites, attracting widespread attention from the industry.

Against the backdrop of the surge in popularity of nicotine pouches and snus in the American market, the recent intense marketing of shisha e-cigarettes prompts one to ponder:

What are the common characteristics of these waterpipe-style e-cigarettes? Who is most likely to lead the future waterpipe-style e-cigarette market in the United States?

American Market Welcomed New Line of Shisha Disposables

2FIRSTS conducted an investigation into several well-known American websites specializing in the import and distribution of e-cigarette products such as Unishowinc, Demandvape, and Worldvapeusa. The investigation revealed the presence of several waterpipe-style disposable e-cigarettes including AL FAKHER CROWN BAR, Nasty Bar Hooqa, DKHAAN 15000 DTL, and JNR SHISHA HOOKAH "MAX".

Taking the AL FAKHER CROWN BAR PRO as an example, its product features include:

• Battery and e-liquid capacity can be displayed on the screen.
• Supports 8000 mouths to inhale.
• Contains 18ml of pre-filled e-liquid.
• The nicotine concentration is 5%.
• Support Type-C charging
• Support for DTL mode (Direct To Lung, lung inhale)

Previously, the AL FAKHER brand has launched the Crown Bar 8000 Pro waterpipe-style e-cigarette on the worldvapeusa website and at the Dubai World E-Cigarette Expo in June. The product is primarily targeted towards the Middle Eastern market, offering 8000 puffs and 18ml of pre-filled e-liquid with a nicotine content of 5%. However, this product does not include a screen display function.

It is worth noting that according to a survey by 2FIRSTS, the new product AL FAKHER CROWN BAR PRO Big Cloud has not yet appeared on the official website of the AL FAKHER brand. The website only displays the previous generation product, CROWN BAR. This could mean that the new CROWN BAR PRO Big Cloud is a product customized specifically for the American market.

According to reports, AL FAKHER is a well-known shisha brand originating from the United Arab Emirates. In recent years, it has been expanding into the European market, with its shisha products gaining popularity in countries such as Germany and France. One of their new product lines is the shisha-style e-cigarette.

Another e-cigarette brand, JNR, has launched two products on the vapesourcing website: the JNR SHISHA HOOKAH "MAX" and the “JNR Shisha Hookah Box 30000.”

Among them, the JNR SHISHA HOOKAH "MAX" has the following product features:

• Support for 22,000 mouth suctions.
• Control the battery and e-liquid capacity through the screen display.
• Support Type-C charging.
• Single prices start at 8.75 US dollars.
• Contains 29ml of pre-filled e-liquid.

The product performance of the JNR Shisha Hookah Box 30000 is particularly outstanding.

• Supporting 30,000 inhalations
• Controlling battery and e-liquid capacity through screen display.
• The nicotine concentration is 5%.
• Support for Type-C charging
• Individual price starts at $15.99.
• Contains 20ml of pre-filled e-liquid.
• Supporting the Direct to Lung (DTL) mode of vaping, in which users inhale the vapor directly into their lungs.

A thorough investigation of the JNR brand website revealed that JNR has developed a diverse product line including disposable e-cigarettes, water vapor-style e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, e-liquids, and more.

Previously, the JNR brand successfully launched the JNR SHISHA HOOKAH water pipe style e-cigarette, offering 15000 puffs and 16ml of pre-filled e-liquid with a nicotine content of 50mg/ml.

The new JNR SHISHA HOOKAH "MAX" and the JNR Shisha Hookah Box 30000 not only have a significantly improved number of draws, but also introduce an electronic screen design to cater to the consumption trends in the American market.

It is reported that the JNR brand is under G,FIVE NEW TIMES (HK) LIMITED, located in the Kwun Tong district of Kowloon, Hong Kong, and was registered in November 2023. Further investigation reveals that the JNR brand trademark is owned by Shenzhen Wujki Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., located in the Binhai community of Qianyue Street, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, established in 2017.

Finally, the LUCKEE brand is set to launch its new product – the DKHAAN shisha e-cigarette on the popular e-cigarette retail platform demandvape.

This product has the following product features:

· Supports 15,000 puffs
· Contains 15ml of pre-filled e-liquid
· Supports Type-C charging
· Displays battery and e-liquid capacity on a small screen
· Supports DTL mode

Trending towards Niche Markets? Hookah-style E-cigarettes are Also Getting Screens

We analyzed the parameters of multiple products from brands such as JNR, DKHAAN, and AL FAKHER CROWN BAR, and found that these new products are equipped with display screens, most of which support DTL mode, and the amount of pre-installed e-liquid is often more than that of ordinary disposable e-cigarette products.

Among them, the JNR Shisha Hookah Box 30000 hookah-style e-cigarette launched by JNR is the most prominent, claiming to provide up to 30,000 puffs and equipped with a large 20ml pre-installed e-liquid capacity, while also supporting DTL mode, which is relatively rare among similar products.

Through a comprehensive assessment of four dimensions: product performance and innovation, brand reputation, early market response, and social media and community influence, industry experts ranked these four major new hookah-style e-cigarette products in the US market.

Among them, AL FAKHER brand products ranked first in three key indicators: brand reputation, early market response, and social media and community influence; JNR brand products ranked first in the product performance and innovation indicator.

Regarding the new trend of disposable hookah-style e-cigarettes in the US market, Two Supreme consulted with US e-cigarette market experts. Experts said that competition for disposable hookah-style e-cigarettes in the US market has become increasingly fierce, and many manufacturers have begun to explore and try to enter more segmented niche markets to seek new growth points.

We will continue to pay attention to the dynamics of disposable hookah-style e-cigarettes in the US market and report their market performance and consumer feedback in a timely manner, in order to provide deeper insights for observers inside and outside the industry.