Meet the Kaloud Anqa: A Cube Hookah, Explained
Last updated: November 11, 2026 · Written by Kaloud Editorial Team · Reviewed by Reza Bavar
Key facts
- Cube hookah on the Kaloud Krysalis platform. Clear acrylic water vessel, resin stone support base.
- Two sizes. Simurgh: 189.5 x 189.5 x 232.5 mm, 220 to 260 mL of water. Fawkes: 166 x 164 x 200 mm, 160 to 190 mL.
- Three finishes, each with a matched base: Original (Argis Silver, Carrara White), Auris (gold, Travertine Beige), Niris (black, Charcoal Grey).
- Core System includes the cube, the base and three Ayara filter pods. Bowl, heat management device and hose are separate. About $359 (Fawkes) and $449 (Simurgh) at the time of writing.
- Bundle adds a Samsaris Kore Qi Tall 30 g bowl, an Aeolis Nirvaya hose, a finish-matched Lotus I+3, a Sitra diffuser pack and the Selestia Breathing Light. About $549 (Fawkes) and $599 (Simurgh) at the time of writing.
- Acrylic, not glass. Hand wash with hot tap water or cooler. No boiling water, no dishwasher.
Key takeaways
- The Anqa is a working Krysalis system in a cube: purge, Ayara filtration, a bowl port built for a Lotus heat management device.
- Simurgh and Fawkes share the same engineering. Choose by where it will live: a shared table or a desk.
- Finish and base come as a pair. In the Bundle the Lotus I+3 matches too.
- The Ice Edition base changes what the cube stands on, not how it smokes. Match the base size to the cube.
- Install the tube assemblies before the water. Never put the acrylic vessel in boiling water or a dishwasher.
Why is the Anqa named for a bird?
Because the three names on this product, Krysalis, Anqa, Simurgh, and the fourth, Fawkes, all tell one story: a form that changes and comes back.
Start with Krysalis. A chrysalis is the sealed case in which a caterpillar remakes itself before it emerges with wings. The name fits a line of hookah systems in which each one remade what a hookah could be. The Lotus heat management device, designed by Reza Bavar in 2012, replaced foil. The Krysalis systems that followed rebuilt the rest of the instrument around it: sealed stainless steel, integrated purges, Ayara activated carbon filtration in the airpath, light inside the vessel.
Now the bird. The Anqa is the great bird of Arabic legend, so vast and so rare that its name became a byword for something that exists but is almost never seen. Persian tradition tells the same bird as the Simurgh. In the Shahnameh, Ferdowsi's epic of the kings of Persia, the Simurgh nests on the peak of the Alborz mountains, raises the abandoned infant Zal as her own, and returns at the hardest moments of his family's story with a feather and the knowledge of how to heal. She has lived so long she has watched the world end and begin again. The Greeks told the bird as the phoenix, which burns at the end of its life and rises from its own ash. Fawkes is a phoenix's name.
So the large cube is the Simurgh, the ancient Persian bird of wisdom and long memory. The compact cube is the Fawkes, the phoenix that comes back smaller, brighter and new. Both sit under the family name Anqa, the bird almost no one has seen, which is a fair description of a hookah that is a cube. The Simurgh has been part of Persian art and poetry for more than a thousand years. Naming the Anqa for her is not decoration. It places the newest Krysalis in a line that runs from the Lotus to this cube: the hookah remade, again.
What is the Kaloud Anqa?
Almost every hookah ever made is a tower. Base, stem, tray, bowl, stacked until the whole thing claims its own corner of the room. When the session ends, the tower stays, and most people wish it would not. The Anqa starts from a different question: what if the hookah were an object you wanted to leave out?
The Anqa is a cube-shaped hookah built on the Krysalis platform. The water vessel is clear acrylic, molded as a sculpted cube. Inside it sit removable inner and outer tube assemblies and a downstem. On top, a sealed lid carries the bowl port and an integrated purge assembly. Underneath, a resin stone support base in a color matched to the finish holds the cube off the table.
Because the vessel is clear on all four sides, nothing about the session is hidden. You see the water level, the bubbles on the draw and the smoke filling the vessel, from wherever you sit.
It is still a Krysalis in the way it works. The Anqa Core System ships with three Ayara filter pods that sit in the flow path, takes a Samsaris bowl on its port, and is designed to run a Lotus heat management device on top instead of foil. If you already know our systems, you will recognize the thinking. If heat management devices are new to you, start with our guide to what a hookah heat management device is.
Simurgh or Fawkes: which size should you choose?
Choose Simurgh for a shared table and Fawkes for a desk, a shelf or a smaller room. The engineering is the same. The difference is scale and water capacity.
Both sizes are named for legendary birds. The Simurgh is the large cube. The Fawkes is the compact one. Heights run from the bottom of the support base to the top of the bowl port, so the assembled setup stands taller once a bowl and a Lotus are installed.
Anqa Simurgh and Fawkes compared (Kaloud product data).
| Specification | Simurgh (large) | Fawkes (compact) |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions (W x D x H) | 189.5 x 189.5 x 232.5 mm (7.46 x 7.46 x 9.15 in) | 166 x 164 x 200 mm (6.54 x 6.46 x 7.87 in) |
| Water fill | 220 to 260 mL | 160 to 190 mL |
| Boxed weight | About 4.4 kg | About 3.2 kg |
| Core System price | About $449 at the time of writing | About $359 at the time of writing |
| Best placement | The table everyone gathers around | A desk, a shelf, a smaller room |
Which finish comes with which base?
Each finish is paired at the factory with its own resin stone base, so the cube and the stone read as one object. You do not choose them separately.
Anqa finishes and their matched bases.
| Finish | Core | Resin stone base | Lotus I+3 in the Bundle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | Argis Silver | Carrara White | Silver |
| Auris | Gold | Travertine Beige | Gold |
| Niris | Black | Charcoal Grey | Black |
Argis, Auris and Niris are the same finish names used across the Kaloud line, on the Lotus, the Aeolis hoses and the other Krysalis systems. An Auris Anqa sits naturally beside an Auris Lotus or an Auris hose tip. If you are matching an Anqa to pieces you already own, match the finish name.
Why acrylic instead of glass?
The Anqa vessel is clear acrylic, not glass. The sculpted cube carries the sealed lid, bowl port and purge in one assembly. The whole Simurgh, with its base and packaging, weighs about 4.4 kg boxed; the Fawkes about 3.2 kg.
The trade is care. Kaloud specifies hand washing with hot tap water or cooler, and no boiling water and no dishwasher, because the vessel is acrylic. Our comparison of glass, stainless steel and Tritan hookah materials covers the wider material question.
What does the Ice Edition base change?
The Anqa Ice Edition Resin Base is an alternative support base cast in resin with the look of carved ice. Its surfaces are irregular and sculpted by design, so no two bases catch the light the same way. It swaps in for the stone-matched base the Core System ships with. It does not change the airpath. It changes what the cube stands on.
It comes in two sizes that are not interchangeable. The Large base fits the Simurgh and is built from resin with silicone, aluminum and stainless steel elements, with reference dimensions of 189.5 x 189.5 x 145.0 mm. The Small base fits the Fawkes and pairs resin with food-grade silicone, with reference dimensions of 164.0 x 166.0 x 84.5 mm. Because every base is individually sculpted, the dimensions are reference values and small variations are part of the design. About $119 (Large) and $99 (Small) at the time of writing.
Core System or Bundle: which should you buy?
Buy the Core System if you already own a bowl, a heat management device and a hose you like. Buy the Bundle if you want everything matched and in one box. The cube is the same in both.
What is in the Anqa Core System and the Anqa Hookah Bundle.
| Component | Core System | Hookah Bundle |
|---|---|---|
| Anqa cube assembly (acrylic vessel, sealed lid, inner and outer tube assemblies, downstem, purge, bowl port) | Included | Included |
| Stone-matched resin base | Included | Included |
| Ayara filter pods | Three | Three |
| Bowl | Not included | Samsaris Kore Qi Tall 30 g red clay bowl |
| Heat management device | Not included | Lotus I+3, finish matched |
| Hose | Not included | Aeolis Nirvaya with the shorter handle |
| Sitra diffuser pack | Not included | Included |
| Selestia Breathing Light | Not included | Included |
| Price at the time of writing | About $359 (Fawkes), $449 (Simurgh) | About $549 (Fawkes), $599 (Simurgh) |
Charcoal is not included in either. The Ice Edition base and the Aeras charcoal holder are separate pieces, so an Anqa can be built up over time.
Kaloud Krysalis Anqa Core System
The cube, its matched stone base and three Ayara pods. Choose Simurgh or Fawkes, then Original, Auris or Niris. The Anqa Core System is for owners who already have a Lotus, a bowl and a hose they trust.
Suits: Kaloud owners adding a second system, or anyone building the Anqa up piece by piece. Watch for: bowl, heat management device, hose and charcoal are all separate. Price: about $359 (Fawkes) and $449 (Simurgh) at the time of writing.
Kaloud Krysalis Anqa Hookah Bundle
The Core System plus a Samsaris Kore Qi Tall 30 g red clay bowl, an Aeolis Nirvaya hose with the shorter handle, a Lotus I+3 in the matching finish, a Sitra diffuser pack and the Selestia Breathing Light. The Anqa Hookah Bundle is one decision and one box.
Suits: a first Kaloud system, or a gift that should work the night it arrives. Watch for: charcoal is not included, and the Kore clay bowl is rinsed with water only, never soap. Price: about $549 (Fawkes) and $599 (Simurgh) at the time of writing.
How do you set up an Anqa for the first time?
Install the tube assemblies first, then add water, then one Ayara pod, then the bowl and the Lotus. In order:
- Install both tube assemblies before any water goes in.
- Fill the acrylic vessel. 220 to 260 mL for the Simurgh, 160 to 190 mL for the Fawkes. Water goes into the vessel only, never into the installed tubes.
- Seat one Ayara filter pod in the airpath. Three are included; use one at a time.
- Seat your bowl on the port. Place your Lotus on top and add lit coals. No foil.
- Connect the hose and draw. Use the purge to clear the vessel between draws if the smoke sits.
If you are new to packing a bowl under a Lotus, our guide on which Samsaris bowl fits your Lotus covers the pairing.
How do you clean the Anqa?
Let every hot part cool completely. Remove the tube assemblies. Hand wash the vessel and the removable parts with gentle soap, a soft sponge and hot tap water or cooler. Keep the fixed top-plate parts assembled. Dry everything before the next session.
Two rules matter more than the rest because the vessel is acrylic: no boiling water and no dishwasher. Wipe the resin stone base with a soft, slightly damp cloth and keep it away from abrasives, solvents and direct heat.
Where does the Anqa sit in the Krysalis family?
The Krysalis Calix is the system that travels. The Krysalis Eltheria is the complete system for the home. The Krysalis Monarch is the commissioned flagship. The Anqa is the Krysalis that stays in view: the smallest footprint in the family and the first one designed as a desktop object.
If you are weighing the whole field before deciding, our review of the best luxury hookahs explains how we judge the category, and our guide to using the Krysalis Eltheria shows the platform the Anqa grew from.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Kaloud Anqa a working hookah or a display piece?
Both. It is a working Krysalis system with a purge, Ayara filtration and a bowl port built to carry a Lotus heat management device. The cube form is what lets it stay out between sessions.
What is the difference between the Anqa Simurgh and Fawkes?
Size. The Simurgh is the large cube at 189.5 x 189.5 x 232.5 mm and takes 220 to 260 mL of water. The Fawkes is the compact cube at 166 x 164 x 200 mm and takes 160 to 190 mL. The engineering and the finishes are the same.
Is the Anqa made of glass?
No. The water vessel is clear acrylic. Hand wash it with hot tap water or cooler and keep it away from boiling water and dishwashers.
What do I still need to start a session with the Core System?
A bowl, a heat management device, a hose and charcoal. The Anqa Hookah Bundle includes the bowl, the hose and a finish-matched Lotus I+3, plus a Sitra diffuser pack and the Selestia Breathing Light. Charcoal is never included.
How much water does the Anqa take?
Install both tube assemblies first, then add 220 to 260 mL for the Simurgh or 160 to 190 mL for the Fawkes. Add water to the acrylic vessel only.
What are the Ayara filter pods?
Activated carbon pods that sit in the Anqa's flow path. Three are included and you use one at a time. Activated carbon adsorbs some gases and particles, which shapes flavor. No filter makes smoking safe or reduces its health risks.
Which finish comes with which base?
Original comes with the Carrara White base, Auris with Travertine Beige and Niris with Charcoal Grey. In the Bundle the Lotus I+3 matches the core: silver, gold or black.
Is the Ice Edition base included?
No. Every Anqa ships with its stone-matched base. The Ice Edition is a separate, alternative base in two sizes. The Large fits the Simurgh and the Small fits the Fawkes; they are not interchangeable.
Related reading
- New from Kaloud: everything we are releasing this season
- What is a hookah heat management device?
- Which Samsaris bowl fits your Kaloud Lotus?
- Glass vs stainless steel vs Tritan hookahs
- The best luxury hookahs
- How to use the Kaloud Krysalis Eltheria
References
- Kaloud. Kaloud Krysalis Anqa Core System product page. kaloud.com/products/kaloud-krysalis-anqa-core-system. Accessed November 2026.
- Kaloud. Kaloud Krysalis Anqa Hookah Bundle product page. kaloud.com/products/kaloud-krysalis-anqa-hookah-bundle. Accessed November 2026.
- Kaloud. Kaloud Anqa Ice Edition Resin Base product page. kaloud.com/products/kaloud-anqa-ice-edition-resin-base. Accessed November 2026.
- Kaloud. Kaloud Lotus I+3 Stainless Steel Heat Management Device product page. kaloud.com/products/lotus-i-3-stainless-steel-heat-management-device. Accessed November 2026.
About the author: The Kaloud Editorial Team writes Kaloud's guides on heat management, hookah hardware and care.
Reviewed by: Reza Bavar, founder, CEO and lead designer of Kaloud. He designed the Kaloud Lotus heat management device in 2012 and has led the design of every Kaloud product since, including the Krysalis hookah systems and the Samsaris bowls. His work is protected by patents in the United States and abroad.
