How to Choose a Bong That Fits Your Lifestyle

Ready to take your smoking sessions to another level? Buying a bong is the next logical step in your love affair with weed.

Getting your first bong (or an upgrade) could be an exciting experience. However, it can be quite an overwhelming experience if you’re not quite sure what to look for in a bong. We’ve got you covered!

We’ll help you narrow down your options with this ultimate bong buying guide. We’re going to teach you how to choose a bong that you’ll be proud to take home to mom!

Criteria for Choosing a Bong

Save yourself some time. Think about what you would like in a bong before going shopping.

It will help you swipe left on bongs that aren’t worth your time. Here are some key attributes to consider when picking out a water bong.

What’s the Price Tag?

Perhaps the only thing that’s more important than getting a good bong is getting one you can afford. If you’ve got the money to spend, you might as well begin at the top with the best bong brands.

The average bong costs $50 to $100. More expensive options will probably come with accessories. Consider if you really need all these extras before investing in an expensive bong.

There are plenty of adequate bongs under $50 out there. So, don’t leave these underdogs on read yet.

Does It Size Up?

Choosing the right size bong comes down to three major factors:

• Where You Will Be Smoking
• Where You Will Store the Piece
• Your Lung Capacity

The average bong is around 10-14 inches long. It’s small enough to put in a travel bag and easy enough to pass around. However, this size might be too big for conspicuous smokers.

It’s hard to rip a 1-foot bong in public without paying attention to yourself. You also might not be able to store something this large under your bed. Smaller and portable bongs might be a better fit for your smoking needs.

Conversely, day-long smokers who like to take rips throughout the day might enjoy a tall bong. These tend to have larger bowls to hold more cannabis.

Tall bongs are perfect for experienced smokers who have the lung capacity to clear their pieces. Novices might experience intense coughing fits and get higher than anticipated with such a large water pipe.

What’s It Made Of?

The materials that make your bong are critical in the decision-making process. Each material varies in durability, heat retention, and flavor.

Acrylic

Acrylic bongs tend to be the cheapest. They’re made of plastic, which means you may inhale toxic materials. Plastic can also alter the flavor of your cannabis.

These types of bongs are slightly durable. However, they can chip when dropped the wrong way.

Metal

Metal bongs are the most durable but least popular. This material retains heat. So, users can burn themselves just by handling the bong after a long smoking session.

Silicone

Silicone bongs are excellent for our daytrippers out there. These bongs tend to be foldable, so you can shove them into any luggage with ease.

This material is also extremely durable. So, klutzes rejoice.

Silicone doesn’t retain heat. So, you can easily pack up and go.

However, the first few smoking sessions might taste a bit rubbery. You’ll burn through that with time.

Ceramic

Ceramic bongs are the best material when it comes to preserving flavor. This material takes a while to heat up, so your THC doesn’t get scorched in the chamber. You will taste the various fruity or floral notes in your bud with a ceramic bong.

Glass

Glass is the most common bong material. It’s non-toxic, nor will it alter the flavor of your weed.

Not all glass is created equally. Make sure to get a bong made of scientific glass or borosilicate glass to prevent damaging your apparatus. These materials aren’t indestructible, but they can take a ding or two!

Get Shapely

Bongs come in many shapes that lend themselves to a unique smoking experience. There are many pros and cons to both. So, weigh these options thoughtfully when choosing a good bong for you.

• Beaker – Very Stable Foundation, Easy Grip, Looks Cool AF
• Straight Tube – Great For Bong Clearers, Pros Who Don’t Need to See What They’re Lighting
• Zig Zag- For Fans of Smoke Spectacles Who Don’t Like to Get Splashed in the Mouth with Bong Water
• Faberge Egg – For That Fancy Folk
• Donut Bottom – Round, Thick Base

Let’s Get It Percolatin’

While bongs get you super high, many people make this switch from hand pipes because they want better filtration.

Bong basins hold water that cools down smoke. This process preserves your bud’s flavor and your taste buds from burning. Without water, you might as well stick to a regular hand pipe.

Most bongs come with a joint that has at least a diffused downstem. Diffused downstems start the filtration process as soon as the marijuana ignites.

What makes bong so much fun is that you can accessorize them…unless they’re acrylic. These bongs aren’t compatible with many fun toys!

You can take the percolation up another level by getting a bong that fits with:

• Honeycomb Percolators
• Showerhead Percolators
• Matrix Percolators
• Inline Percolators
• And More

Those who have more money to spend on their bongs might not need to get accessories. Higher-end models have these bad boys built-in!

Multi-chambered bongs are a great choice for those who want smooth hits every time. While they’re a little more expensive, this investment ends up being cost-effective.

These types of bongs recycle your smoke. You get a consistent circulation of purified smoke revolving through the chamber until you clear it!

Gone Bowlin’

Your smoking session is sometimes at the mercy of the bowl. Consider your toking habits before choosing your next bong.

Bongs with small bowls are good for loner smokers. You can pack a little more than a one-hitter, but it won’t take all day to finish.

Medium to large-size bowls is perfect for strategic smokers who like to go back for seconds and thirds.

They are the ideal size to corner your bowl so that you don’t waste weed. However, you won’t feel like a glutton if you finish the entire bowl in one sitting.

Then there are the big-bottomed bowls. These party bowls are meant to be passed around. Fill up, light up, and pass around!

Choosing the Best Bong for Beginners

New bong smokers can’t go wrong with the Diamond Glass 8-Inch Beaker Bong. It’s a basic bong that doesn’t have any intimidating accessories.

This bong is made of durable glass. So, you won’t be trading it in for a more durable model in a couple of months.

It comes with an ice pinch, which helps cool down the smoke. This feature is also a great intro to filtration to newbies who might want to learn more accessories down the road.

Choosing the Best Bong for On-the-Go Smokers?

Smoking in transit requires two major considerations, with the last being optional:

• Size of Piece
• Durability
• Discreetness

Anyone toking and traveling will want something that he can easily stash away and whip out, as needed. It also needs to be durable enough to withstand your method of travel.

Glass bongs are okay for day trips, so long as you make sure they’re stored securely. You can wrap it up in your clothes within a suitcase to create padding.

Then, place your luggage in a spot inside your car that moves very little. We’d suggest wedging the suitcase against another sturdy object in the trunk or put it behind a seat on the car floor.

However, you increase the risk of destruction, for instance, by putting the bong in your checked luggage on a flight. Now, the TLC is out of your hands. You might be better off with a silicone bong for these occasions.

We highly recommend traveling with a Foldable Travel Silicone Bong. This silicone bong comes with a storage band to keep it compact. It also has a neat eject-a-bowl feature that makes sudden pack-ups seamless.

Choosing the Best Bong for Filtration

There are many reasons to want good filtration. It will prevent you from having a horrible coughing fit. Plus, cooling down the smoke allows you to actually enjoy the unique flavors of each bud strain.

We’re a more-the-merrier type, especially when you’re a habitual smoker. Sounds like you? Then check out the Maverick Glass Double Arms Chamber Glass Rig.

You are guaranteed a cool hit every time. That makes it easier on the lungs and lets you toke up more THC. With its flared mouthpiece, you can comfortably gulp up all that loud until the bong clears out.

Choosing the Best Bong On a Budget

Sometimes you gotta prioritize your finances. Don’t want to spend all your weed money on something to smoke it with?

We hear ya! There are plenty of affordable bongs that will do the trick and will last a while.

A great budget-friendly option includes the LA Pipes Simply Guy 8″ Donut Base Ice Bong. Its donut base is very sturdy, so elbow bumpers can breathe easily. Plus, it’s made of thick glass.

While bare-bones, this piece has an ice pinch and diffused downstem. You will get adequate filtration that preserves the flavor and cannabinoids.

We love the bowl. It’s a pretty deep one, which makes this perfect party bong for newbies and vets.