- No products in the cart.
With so many types of glass pipes, how do you choose? Read our breakdown below and choose wisely.
Remember: your pipe is a reflection of who you are.
TL;DR
- Chillums and one-hitters are simple.
- Bowls or Spoons are a necessity.
- Bongs, Bubblers and Sherlocks deliver massive hits.
- Metal pipes - not so much.
- Rolling Papers are fine, but you need skills.
- Every glass pipe matches a personality type.
A Little Bit of History
When it comes to delivering a surreal session and an optimum drag we know how every seasonal smoker has their very own special formula of herb and pipe combo.
Pipes have been around in one form or another or the longest time, smoking in general for even longer. And one indispensable part of every smoker’s kit is the perfect pipe. Pipes for smoking are usually manufactured using a host of materials like metal, certain kinds of wood, glass, corn cob, etc. Ask any regular smoker and they will tell you that glass smoking pipes are the only worthwhile kind.
They come in different shapes and types. Each type is best suited for specific uses and quantities of product and each has distinct advantages.
Glass pipes most likely evolved along with the art of glassblowing and glassmaking technology. They were initially attractive to smokers, purely for their intrinsic artistic value but then people came around for utilitarian reasons- realizing that smoking with a glass pipe produces a flavor that is unmatched by any other material.
In fact, it really isn’t the flavor so much as the lack of flavor that smokers are lured in by. Purveyors of the lifestyle today tend to select unique glass weed pipes that are symbolic of who they are.
Dabbing requires a specific type of "oil rig" that is capable of incredible amounts of heat, while vaping focuses on using the lowest temperatures possible for delivery. Neither of these topics will be touched on here today, but check the blog for on those items.
In the middle of the spectrum are traditional weed smoking pipes and rolling papers.
There’s a glass pipe for every smoker and while you may not have the time to experiment in order to find the right setup for that perfect smoking experience, we are here to help as we have compiled the best glass pipes of 2020.
Types of Glass Pipes
Broadly speaking, glass pipes come in different shapes and types. Here are some of the best smoking pipes that we like:
Chillums or One Hitter Pipes
They are the most basic type of smoke pipes and are shaped like tubes and can be called a chillum or a one hitter. They are small and simple. Users pack smoking material on one end and apply flame and inhale.
They are the quintessential discreet piece for all the smokers on the go. They are small but they can feature intricate, gorgeous designs.
Due to their small size, these glass weed pipes are able to take very small amounts of dry herbs. They also lack a carb, so the smoke flavor is not prevented from becoming stale. Learning how to clean a one hitter is simple and even you don't feel like cleaning your chillum, they are economical enough to just throw it away and get a new glass pipe.
Sherlock Pipes
Of all the different types of smoking devices, the glass sherlock pipes, or Gandalf pipes, are now the most iconic owing to their arched stem. If you have seen Sherlock Holmes' favorite pipe, you already know what this is.
Many artisan sherlocks are made from glass, even though most of them are made from wood. The classic sherlock pipe has a gracefully arching stem and a large bowl used to heat it, with a bottom which is often flattened, to let the pipe stand freely when not being held.
Gandalf pipes have a relatively elongated stem but are otherwise similar. They may or may not have a carb, because these pipes were never designed with a carb as a standard requirement. They tend to produce unfiltered smoke which can be pretty strong, because of the resins and tars that has accumulated with use of the pipe.
Spoon Pipes or Bowls
This is the essential piece of glass in every smoker's collection. Being that it is an essential, we offer this free glasspipe from Me Time Box Products. Keep reading below to learn why you need one.
They are usually very similar in shape and construction to the chillums, and are the most popular types of weed pipes. However, one major point of difference being they have a “bowl” (the bowl has an indentation like a spoon, hence the name) at one end where you can deposit whatever you are smoking and they do have a carburetor which is nothing but a small hole in the tube.
The process of smoking entails covering the hole with a finger to draw in air through the bowl, then uncovering the same hole to inhale. This ensures the smoke remains fresh, and lets you control the airflow through the stem which gives you bigger and better hits. In general, the carb is why glass bowl pipes are highly preferred among smoking circles.
Glass Bubblers
Glass Bubbler pipes are a hybrid of the bong and a glass pipe. It uses water like a bong, but is really small like a glass pipe which is why sometimes they are referred to as glass water pipes.
They have a chamber, a stem, carb and a bottom base. The water in the pipe acts as a filter for the smoke which diffuses the smoke before it is inhaled and creates tiny bubbles. This results in a highly filtered, smooth flavor devoid of any of the substances, harsher resinated smoke or any debris being inhaled.
The water temperature can have a huge impact on the flavor and the overall experience and as such bubblers can be used with either hot or cold water.
Some bubblers can go so far to include the use of ice. The intensely cold smoke produced is much denser compared to smoke produced from simply cold water, and when inhaled it warms and expands. Some consider bubblers to be the best pipes for smoking weed.
Steamroller Pipes
These are highly complex but the most efficient for a monster hit. Steamroller pipes have a bowl attached to a tube. There is an opening at each end of the pipe. The one nearest the bowl is the carburetor. Some variations may have an extra chamber that rolls the smoke to facilitate fast cooling.
The steamroller is known for delivering extremely powerful, fast and intense hits. They are most definitely not recommended for less experienced, or first time users, because they take a lot of practice to completely get used to, but are some of the best pipes for weed.
Bongs
They are the most basic kind of water pipes that most people are familiar with. They can have complex, beautiful and intricate designs that include multiple percolators and they can be very simple with a straight tube chamber. They can be pricey but are definitely worth it being the most convenient and best smoking device.
Glass pipes versus metal pipes
While some people prefer the old school metal pipes others love the unadulterated taste that glass bowl pipes are known to deliver. An advantage of getting a metal pipe beside the inexpensive price tag is its resilience and durability.
Metal bowls can put off toxins that are unhealthy for human consumption. Glass, the best smoking bowls, easily eliminate these and are relatively easier to clean. All you need is a little alcohol and salt, but if you get stuck, feel free to check out our guide on how to clean a glass pipe.
Nothing can ruin the taste of good herbs like a bowl that is rarely cleaned. With all the delectable strains available today, it is understandable if you, a true lover of weed, wish to refrain from metal pipes (we do too).
Glass Pipes versus Wood Pipes
Wood pipes are making an appearance in the cannabis world with their earthy, rustic, outdoorsy feel. Most smokers tend to use them for their overall feel and character and not functionality.
More often than not, they alter the flavor of your smoke. It is also very difficult to clean since wood cannot be soaked in any cleaning solution without the potential of the wood molding or getting completely destroyed. They are the least practical and, in our opinion, are used just for novelty or aesthetics.
Glass Pipes versus Rolling Paper
The one advantage of glass smoking bowls is that they are relatively easy to smoke out of, but can be a little high maintenance in comparison to rolling one up, then smoking it down.
Although it takes a little bit of skill to roll a decent blunt or joint, you roll all the evidence up, easily take them on the go, and smoke when you feel like it until it is completely gone. However, they are far less efficient on the bud.
Bongs and pipes cool down the smoke considerably and provide a smoother, better hit of the herbs.
It doesn't mean that you can't roll one up every now and then, which is why we have this fancy RAW rolling bundle for the rollers out there.
Wrapping Up
In terms of unique glass smoking pipes for the healthy smoker, glass bongs and glass water pipes have been the go-to delivery system for centuries. The water in a bubbler or a bong filters out the large particles from the smoke and cools it down as well.
Then there are the creative and artistic smokers that seek out the most unique glass pipes out there. They, like animal glass pipes, or artisan chillums and often have an exhaustive selection of glass smoking pipes in their collection.
The creative types often gravitate towards sativas, while the people who need to find more time to chill seem to like indicas. One thing for sure is that no matter what you prefer for strains, most smokers will also have at least one or two hand-blown glass smoking pipes that are full of swirls, colors and glass marbles, that stimulate their visual senses.
If you take a look into a aficionado's happy kit for smoking essentials, you might find a menagerie of creative glass pipes that they select from depending on their mood at any moment.
Next time you check out a smoker’s pipe collection, take a step back and think about the types of glass pipes they use. You may find that you are discovering a lot more about that person, compared to what you thought you knew about them when you shook their hand.
If you missed that link up there, don't forget that we are the home for a free glass pipe, just pay shipping with no strings attached.
We hope that whatever you personality is, that you pick a glass piece that is unique to you.
