When looking for a new bong or even your first bong, the vast range of options available for you can be confusing. There are many types of bongs classified by the material used to make them and the design.
Choosing the right one requires that you know every material and design and the benefits it offers. Here’s a look at the different types of bongs.
Types of Bongs by Material
Metal bongs
Metal bongs are not popular, and for a good reason. Though they are extremely durable and affordable, they have a profound impact on the smoothness and the taste of your smoking experience.
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Metal bongs are also opaque, making it impossible to see the size of rips you're taking, and they are challenging to accessorise. Because metal is a good conductor of heat, metal bongs also tend to run hot when used for a prolonged period.
Glass bongs
Glass bongs have been around since the 1970s. Through the years, bongs made of glass have remained the most recommended and most popular types of bongs in the market.
They combine great designs and features, and they don’t have an impact on the flavour of the herb. Glass bongs come in a plethora of intricate designs for beauty and functionality. The various designs deliver an improved, smoother and cooler smoking experience making it easier to find a water pipe that works best for you.
Glass bongs are the best performing in all aspects. The only downside is they are fragile and might not be able to take too many knocks and drops. If you go for the premium builds, they are made of more durable and stronger glass that can last longer.
Silicone bongs
In recent years, there's been a resurgence of silicone bongs. They've become more common in the cannabis world. Silicone bongs are unbreakable! You can easily fold them up, and most of them are dishwasher safe taking most of the frustration out of the maintenance process.
Silicone bongs are also affordable. Come in a broad range of colours, and like glass bongs, they also come in a wide array of colours.
Silicone bongs still some downsides. Among them is that silicone bongs are often smaller than glass bongs. They are also not the easiest to accessories. When purchasing a silicone bong, consider getting the quartz wrapped bowls to safeguard the flavour of your cannabis.
Acrylic bongs
Acrylic is a tough, clear plastic that almost looks like glass. Acrylic bongs come in a variety of shapes and sizes, just like their glass counterparts.
Acrylic bongs shine in terms of price, and they are easy to replace. However, they break easily, and they're not easy to accessorise. Acrylic bongs are best used as a backup to your primary bong. In case of a breakdown, you can use the acrylic bong as you wait for your new bong to arrive.
Ceramic bongs
Ceramic bongs are among the oldest types of bongs. Older than glass bongs. Ceramic bongs have been around for thousands of years, and the art of making them has been perfected.
Though surpassed by glass and silicone bongs, ceramic bongs still deliver an excellent smoking experience with smooth flavour and massive rips. Unlike glass, they are extremely durable. They are also less sensitive to temperature changes than glass bongs.
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For stoners with superb creativity, ceramic bongs are an excellent choice. You can find them in extremely creative and one-of-a-kind designs without blowing the price out of the water.
There are also other types of bongs that are not mainstream because of their massive downsides. These include plastic, wood and bamboo bongs.
Types of Bongs By Design
Bong designs have been evolving over the years. Today, you can find bongs in infinite designs. Glass, silicone and ceramic bongs lead the pack with regards to creative designs.
Beaker bongs
Beaker bongs are a common design easily recognised because of their beaker base shape. Advantages of beaker bongs include stability, and they are also taller, which allows for larger hits and give you more space to add percolators.
Straight tube bongs
This bong design is simple and straightforward. Straight tube bongs are thicker than most types of bongs which makes them more durable. They are also taller and relatively easy to accessories. They will often come with either percolators or ice catchers, or diffuse downstems.
Percolator bongs
Percolator bongs are distinguished by their unique percolators. This type of bong makes your smoking experience much smoother by cooling and filtering the smoke before it reaches you.
Round based bongs
These resemble the beaker bongs but with a more rounded base. They are stylish and reliable and often come in taller designs thanks to the broader, sturdier base. In some cases, the bong will come with a straight tube or a percolator.
Multi-chamber bongs
Multi-chamber bongs are a unique type of water pipe that takes the smoke through various filtration and cooling stages to deliver smoother smoking. They feature complex glasswork that provide the smoke from one chamber to the next for cooling and purification. Multi-chamber bongs come in various cool-looking designs with unique functions.
Recyclers bongs
Recycler bongs are very similar to multi-chambers bongs. Although they are often considered a type of multi-chamber bong, the multi-chambers don’t recycle the smoke through the same chamber.
Recycler bongs come in among the most impressive designs, some looking like a creation that would come from the lab of a mad scientist. They recycle and filter the smoke through the same chamber several times before it reaches you.
Bubblers
For stoners looking for a small type of bong that they can take on the road, bubblers are the best option. They have a miniature stature that mixes water pipes and bowls in one compact device. Bubblers can also serve as a hand pipe and comes in tons of designs, making it easier for you to choose what works best for you.
Inline bongs
Inline bongs are known for their intricate designs, excellent percolations and strong bases. Unfortunately, they are not very popular because they are expensive compared to other types of water pipes.
They are distinguished by their inline, horizontal percolators, which are built into the glass. These also come in creative and complex design. Inline bongs have among the smoothers hitting pipes and come in large designs that are perfect big rippers.
Closing Remarks
There you have it. The different types of bongs you can consider depending on the materials and design of the bong. Each type has benefits and downsides you have to consider while making the purchase to select the one that works best for you.