Product review (4 stars): I really like this product but cant give it a perfect 5 stars.
I like having appliances that are custom built for the tasks they will perform.  For the way I smoke, its beneficial to be able to thoroughly vacuum my hoses both after and right before use.  One quirk you all need to be aware of is that running the coal burner trips the ground fault interrupters in my kitchen. HookahTec says, The Shishavac can produce spikes of higher amperage while the burner is running, which can cause a GFI to trip. Please try plugging it in on a different circuit with less power load.  Plugging it into an outlet without a GFI works fine for me.  Because of this and the steep price, I cant give this a perfect 5 stars. However, if this thing lasts at least 5 years I will call it 5 stars.  It is made in China so quality is anybodys guess, but out of the box it looks sturdy.  BTW, I paid $300 for mine from a well-known Hookah retailer.