Types of Bongs By Material

So you’ve decided to buy a new bong, or perhaps your first. That’s wonderful!

But, there are so many varied designs of bongs on the market that it’s difficult to decide which one is ideal for you.

At HelpingPot, we take pleasure in being one of the finest educational resources for Stoners. We created this article to aid you in selecting the best water pipe for your needs.

Let’s get this guide going by covering everything there is to know about Google Ads. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover in this comprehensive tutorial, so let’s get started.

6 Different Types of Bongs By Material

The fact that bongs and pipes can be built from almost anything is the first thing to remember about the many varieties available. We’ve discovered hundreds of methods to smoke over the years, and we’re a creative community.

With that in mind, the majority of bongs available on the market are constructed of five standard materials:

 

• Metal
• Glass
• Silicone
• Acrylic
• Ceramic

While there are alternatives like wood, bamboo, and even plastic bongs, we’ll stick to the most popular materials in this article to keep things simple. We also wanted on this list because they’re the most prevalent on the market, and they usually offer the greatest performance as well.

1. Metal Bongs – Not Recommended

While metal bongs are not as popular as glass bongs, there is a solid reason for it. While they are quite strong and typically quite cheap, the metal in them has a significant influence on the flavor and smoothness of your smoking experience.

They’re also not transparent, making it difficult for Stoners to tell when they’re about to take a huge rip. They are also quite hard to come by, and while glass bongs do offer some advantages over some of the more robust varieties of bongs like silicone or acrylic, there isn’t much difference in the long run.

Metal water pipes also have several drawbacks. Although they’re beautiful, expensive, and long-lasting, one of their significant flaws is that you can’t easily add accessories such as quartz bangers or ashcatchers to them, limiting their usefulness and making them difficult to improve.

Overall: We do not suggest metal bongs for the general public. They have an awful flavor, are difficult to come by, and are difficult to add accessories to. In terms of durability, they are no more durable than silicone bongs, which have far superior performance.

2. Glass Bongs – Most Common, Highly Recommended

Glass bongs have been the ideal of water pipes since the 1970s. They are without a doubt the most popular type of bong, and for good reason.

Glass can be molded into a variety of shapes and designs that are both beautiful and useful. Percolators, ice catchers, diffused downstems, and other bong accessories have been developed to improve the performance of glass bongs in order to make them smoother and cooler to smoke over time. This choice allows you to choose the right water pipe for your needs based on style as well as functionality.

Glass bongs are also the most versatile in terms of designs and features, with a wide range to select from. Sure, if you choose a low-cost glass bong, a high-quality ceramic or silicone one may be able to outperform it in terms of smoothness and hit quality. However, there are many inexpensive bongs on the market that feature percolators, diffused downstems, ice catches, and other unusual glass constructions to make your smoking experience as pleasant as possible.

Glass bongs are also long-lasting, to say the least. While a fall from a great height is likely to shatter them, thick glass bongs can take a beating. Even unbreakable glass bongs come with lifetime guarantees.

Overall: Glass bongs are our favorite type of bong. Perhaps it’s just a prejudice, but we believe that a large proportion of the Stoner community would agree with us. In the end, they are convenient, easy to customize, high-quality, and reasonably priced. There are literally hundreds of different kinds of them on offer; you can even find thousands of designs for them.

3. Silicone Bongs – Up & Coming, Highly Recommended

Silicone bongs have risen in popularity in the cannabis community during the last decade or two.

The clear, protective borosilicate glass is incredibly strong and virtually unbreakable. It’s simple to fold up, most of them are dishwasher safe, and they come with a lifetime guarantee. In addition, they’re reasonably priced, available in a wide range of colors and patterns, and constructed of silicone that is safe to smoke out of.

There are also some disadvantages to this kind of bong compared to other glass bongs. For example, while most of these models do not allow for quick customization, some of the greatest silicone bongs are unlocking new possibilities.

Bongs made of plastic do not work well with percolators or chillums because the circular holes in them are too small to allow for efficient circulation. Plastic bongs may be smaller than glass bongs, leaving less room for filtering, cooling, and percolation. Many have metal bowls that taint taste, but a few include quartz bowls wrapped in silicone that assist users avoid this while retaining durability. The final gap that silicone bongs fall short of glass bongs is due to the fact that almost all versions have little to no percolation, owing to the difficulty of fitting in small percolator designs. Not to mention, these ornate components act against the basic aim of a silicone bong: long-term use and simple transportation.

Overall: Silicone bongs are ideal for people who want a convenient smoking pipe while traveling. This is ideal for Stoners searching for a simple, easy-to-clean hassle. This is one of the greatest water pipes you can have as long as you’re willing to give up some performance.

4. Acrylic Bongs – Not Recommended

Acrylic bongs are the forefather of silicone bongs. They’re often constructed of a robust plastic and come in a variety of forms and sizes.

Many individuals choose acrylic water pipes because they are less expensive than other materials. I’m looking for something inexpensive, simple to replace, and that simply gets the job done.

Acrylic bongs have several flaws that users dislike. They are inexpensive, and because they are manufactured in foreign countries, you can never be certain that they are safe. They’re also nearly impossible to customize. If $5-10 is your budget for a piece and you don’t want to build your own pipe but do want to wait three days for a bong, this is the item for you. Otherwise, silicone or a small glass bong would be a better investment.

Acrylic bongs are one of the most popular pipe choices. People who buy them quickly realize their faults and upgrade to silicone or glass pipes. It’s simply more sensible to spend perhaps $10-20 extra on a secured, safe, reachable, and nearly indestructible silicone bong than a brittle acrylic one that will degrade rapidly over time.

Overall: Acrylic is not a fan of ours. It doesn’t do the job well and cannot withstand a modest price increase in glass or silicone bongs. It breaks easily, and you’ll end up spending more in the long run. It’s difficult to get clean because it stains so easily.

5. Ceramic Bongs – Old School, Recommended

Prior to the advent of glass water pipes, ceramic bongs were the only option for cannabis users. For thousands of years, people have been creating pottery and smoking devices out of clay, so the craft has had plenty of time to develop.

The next step down from glass and silicone are ceramic bongs. They make for a fantastic smoking experience with no harshness or bitterness to the flavor. They’re extremely long-lasting, and they’re less susceptible to temperature changes than glass bongs.

Ceramic bongs have many benefits over glass bongs, including the fact that they are simple to locate unusual and creative designs for a reasonable cost. Glass designs might take hundreds of hours to finish, so they’re more expensive.

Glass bubblers, on the other hand, are not only more difficult to accessorize, but they also do not come with extra items like diffusion downstems, percolators, ash catchers, and so on.

Ceramic bongs are also a lot more fragile and breakable than glass bongs. They’re also typically just as pricey or more expensive in some cases. At the end of the day, it’s all about personal preference. Ceramic works well for people who prefer a more classic approach, like bigger hits, don’t want all the frills, or have other concerns.

Overall: This is a fantastic option for someone searching for an inexpensive and long-lasting bong that will be kept indoors the majority of the time. It’s also ideal for individuals searching for thousands of personalized design possibilities without having to worry about excellent percolation.

Other Types of Bongs – You Really Can Make One Out of Anything…

So, without going into specifics about the numerous methods that individuals use to create various types of water pipes, here are a few more alternatives:

• Bamboo
• Wood
• Plastic

Apart from that, there are an almost infinite number of methods to construct pipes with household items like food, office supplies, tools, recyclables, and more. If you’re looking for a creative outlet and want to try your hand at making your own log, check out our comprehensive guide with dozens of suggestions and step-by-step instructions.