Welcome to the mesmerizing world of percolator bongs, where form meets function in a symphony of bubbles and filtration. Whether you’re a seasoned water pipe connoisseur or a curious beginner, this blog will be your ticket to exploring the diverse and captivating realm of percolator bongs.
If you’re a fan of bongs, you’re likely already familiar with the term “percolator” or “perc” – a magical component that filters and cools your smoke inside your piece, transforming each inhale into a smooth and flavorful delight. Percolator bongs are where science and art converge, designed to change the style and intensity of the smoke produced from your water pipe.
So what’s the best percolator, you ask? No percolator bong reigns supreme over others. Instead, it’s a matter of preference. Each percolator bong is unique in the way it hits, and every perc adds a different aesthetic to your water pipe.
Prepare to be amazed as we dive deep into the depths of percolation, unraveling the secrets of these intricate smoking devices that enhance your experience in ways you never thought possible. From the classic simplicity of the honeycomb perc to the mind-boggling intricacy of turbine disc and coil percolators, join us on a journey that will leave you breathless with anticipation for your next hit!
Before we jump into the different types of percolator bongs, let’s explore the purpose of a percolator first:
What is a bong percolator?
If you’re new to the world of bongs and percolators, you might be wondering, “What exactly is a bong percolator?” Simply put, a bong percolator is a specialized component or attachment inside a water pipe designed to enhance the bong’s water filtration and cooling capabilities as you inhale.
Bong percolators act as a bridge between the bowl and the mouthpiece, providing an additional layer of diffusion meant to smooth out the harshness of each hit. Bong percolators come in various shapes, sizes, and designs, with each style offering its own unique benefits. From the classic diffuser downstem to the intricately designed tree perc, each percolator employs different mechanisms to achieve the desired filtration and diffusion effects.
What is a percolator bong?
A percolator bong is any bong that contains a percolator. The primary function of a percolator bong is to break down your smoke into smaller bubbles, increasing the surface area of the smoke that comes into contact with water. This process helps to filter out impurities, such as ash and tar, while also cooling down the temperature of the smoke. By doing so, percolator bongs deliver a smoother and more enjoyable smoking experience.
While percolators serve the purpose of improving the smoking experience, it’s important to note that they also add an element of artistry to your bong. Many percolators are visually captivating, with their elegant glass patterns and mesmerizing structures becoming a focal point of the overall design.
Is a percolator bong better than a regular bong?
Regular bongs, without percolators, offer a straightforward smoking experience without additional filtration or diffusion. Regular bongs are often easier to clean and may have less drag when inhaling. They can be an excellent choice for those who prefer a straightforward smoking session or are new to using bongs.
On the other hand, bongs with percolators offer enhanced filtration and diffusion. Percolator bongs break down the smoke into smaller bubbles, increasing the surface area for water contact and resulting in smoother hits. They can cool down smoke, filter out impurities, and provide a more enjoyable smoking experience.
Types of Percolator Bongs:
Tree Perc Bong:
Inspired by nature’s filtration system and visually mesmerizing, the tree perc stands tall as a symbol of beauty and functionality. Imagine a tree with a trunk in the center and multiple arms extending down from the top like the branches of a tree. Each arm is adorned with slits or small holes at the bottom, just beneath the water line inside the chamber. As smoke passes through the trunk of the tree and down into the arms, it diffuses into numerous tiny bubbles, maximizing the surface area for optimal water filtration and cooling.
Tree percolators are usually located in the neck or middle of a bong and contained within their own chamber with a small amount of water. Tree percolator bongs are also sometimes called jellyfish perc bongs because the dome and arms closely resemble the body and tentacles of a jellyfish.
Showerhead Perc Bong:
Prepare for a downpour of smooth hits with the showerhead perc, a marvel of engineering that resembles a miniature showerhead. When smoke enters this type of percolator bong, it encounters a vertical tube with a wide circular base and multiple slits or holes at the bottom. As the smoke passes through, it erupts into a cascade of bubbles, producing a gentle rainfall effect.
Showerhead percolators are also known as UFO percs and will closely resemble a flying saucer, depending on how the glassblower shapes the dome. UFO percolators are usually located in the middle of the bong and contained within their own chamber with a small amount of water.
Showerhead percolators can also be found in the base of the bong or attached to a bongs downstem. This is a showerhead disc perc and will oftentimes be referred to as a puck perc or circ perc. Puck percs and and circ percs operate the same way as their UFO counterparts, but in a much smaller package.
Every type of showerhead percolator bong combines impressive percolation power with minimal drag, providing a luxurious and refreshing smoking experience.
Pyramid Perc Bong:
A pyramid percolator is found inside the base of a bong and is designed to provide massive water filtration. This cone-shaped percolator takes your smoke from the downstem of your water pipe and spreads it out through tiny slits lining the diameter of the base. This bong percolator resembles a much larger version of a showerhead perc, providing a very thorough first layer of diffusion for filtering big rips through water.
The pyramid perc is also known as a percolated beaker base or cone percolator. Their visually striking design adds an element of aesthetic appeal to any bong. However, these percolator bongs can be more challenging to clean if you don’t stay on top of maintenance. Pyramid percolator bongs are great for those who appreciate powerful water filtration and like to keep their bongs clean.
Honeycomb Perc Bong:
Behold the mesmerizing hexagonal pattern of the honeycomb perc, a sight that leaves stoners in awe. The honeycomb perc provides intricate symmetry and supreme filtration in a disc-shaped structure.
Composed of numerous small holes arranged in a honeycomb-like design, this disc percolator brings both elegance and effectiveness to the table. Through a meticulous filtration process, the honeycomb perc bong creates endless bubbles, allowing for maximum contact between smoke and water.
Honeycomb percolator bongs are great for people who want exceptional filtration capabilities, swift airflow, and low maintenance. The disc-shaped design takes up minimal space and is less likely to break inside your piece if dropped. Honeycomb percs can even be stacked on top of each other to multiply the effect!
Turbine Perc Bong:
Turbine percolator bongs have an innovative type of percolator that can elevate your smoking experience to new heights. Like honeycomb percs, turbine percs feature a disc-shaped design that takes up minimal space. These disc percolators use angled slits that resemble the blades of a turbine to create a cyclone-like effect with your smoke as you inhale!
Turbine percolator bongs send your smoke into a swirling vortex and create a unique visual effect. Turbine percolators can be found above or beneath the water in a bong, each placement offering its own unique advantages.
Below the water line, the spiraling action created by a turbine percolator bong enhances the water filtration and cooling process by maximizing the surface area of smoke that comes into contact with water. Turbine percolators above the water in your bong produce a remarkable visual display, and the spinning smoke adds an element of aesthetic appeal to your water pipe.
Turbine percs are also known as vortex percolators because of their functionality. These percolators are oftentimes found in use with honeycomb disc percolators because of their ability to be stacked on top of each other as seen in the picture below.
Swiss Perc Bong:
Swiss percolators, also known as Swiss cheese percolators or Faberge egg bongs, are unique types of percolators that can be found in various sizes. These percolators consist of stacked circular discs with multiple evenly spaced holes. The discs are typically arranged vertically, resembling the holes in Swiss cheese, hence the name.
When you inhale from a Swiss perc bong, the smoke is stretched through the thin glass walls and around the holes in the discs, creating a whirlwind of bubbles that enhance the diffusion process. The Swiss percolator’s design provides excellent filtration and diffusion, allowing for smooth and satisfying hits.
The Swiss perc can be one individual feature of a bong, or its design can take up the entirety of the water pipe. This type of percolator bong is called a Fab egg bong because of its circular resemblance to the prized imperial eggs.
The intricate and visually appealing pattern of Faberge egg bongs and Swiss percolators add a significant element of artistry to water pipes, making them a popular choice for those who equally appreciate functionality and aesthetics.
Coil Perc Bong
Coil percolators are a captivating and innovative type of percolator found in many bongs for sale. These percolators feature a coiled tube or helix-shaped chamber that resembles a spiral staircase. Coil percs probably have the most nicknames of any perc we discuss and are also known as helix percolators, spiral percs, and frozen coil percs when used with freezable glycerin bongs.
As the smoke is drawn through the coil, it undergoes a unique and dynamic cooling process. The spiral shape of the coil percolator extends the airpath inside the chamber, maximizing the time and space each hit has to cool down. Frozen coil percs use this spiraling airpath to expand the surface area of cold glass that comes in contact with the smoke.
For bongs that utilize coil percs in the base, the end of the spiral causes the smoke to mix and interact with the water in a cyclone-like manner. This swirling action enhances diffusion, breaking up the smoke into smaller bubbles and maximizing the surface area for filtration.
Coil percolator bongs are highly regarded for their impressive visual display, as the swirling smoke creates an enchanting and mesmerizing effect. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, coil percolators provide efficient filtration and cooling, making them a popular choice for those seeking functionality and a captivating smoking experience.
Inline Perc Bong:
Inline percolators are a popular type of percolator known for their efficient filtration and smooth hits. These percolators consist of a horizontal tube with multiple evenly spaced slits or holes. The inline percolator is typically positioned at the bong’s base, where the smoke is drawn through the slits or holes as you inhale. This diffusion process breaks the smoke into smaller bubbles, maximizing the surface area for interaction with the water and enhancing filtration right from the start.
The horizontal design of an inline percolator allows for thorough and even diffusion, resulting in smoother and cooler hits. Inline percolators are favored for their simplicity and reliability, as they provide effective filtration without adding excessive drag or resistance. Their straightforward design makes them easier to clean than more intricate percolator types. If you’re looking for a reliable and efficient filtration option, an inline percolator bong will be an excellent choice for your next piece.
Matrix Perc Bong:
Matrix perc bongs have percolators that take the diffusion and filtration game to the next level. These percolators feature multiple layers of slits stacked on top of each other, creating a complex and intricate filtration system. Matrix percolators are also labeled as stereo perks because they resemble the crisscrossing mesh found on speaker screens.
The matrix percolator’s design maximizes diffusion and filtration, creating a smooth and cool smoking experience. When you inhale, the smoke is pulled through the slits, causing it to disperse into a multitude of tiny bubbles. Matrix percolator bongs offer a unique smoking experience that combines smoothness, filtration, and a visually striking display of bubbling action.
Other Perc Bongs:
Creativity knows no bounds in the realm of bong percolators, and numerous unique percolators defy categorization. These uncategorized percolator bongs showcase the ingenuity and innovation of glassblowers and smoking enthusiasts who continuously push the boundaries of design.
From propeller percolators that spin and create mesmerizing tornado-like effects to donut percolators that, you guessed it, are shaped like donuts, these unique percolators offer a touch of individuality and novelty to your smoking experience. Some percolators even combine elements from different designs, resulting in hybrid creations that deliver a unique combination of filtration and diffusion.
Alternatives to Percolator Bongs:
While percolator bongs are well-known for their filtration and cooling capabilities, there are always alternative options and aftermarket accessories worth considering. One popular choice is an ash catcher, a specialized bong attachment that adds an extra chamber to your bong with a percolator inside. These alternatives offer different filtration approaches and can appeal to those seeking to upgrade their current water pipe setup.
Replacement downstems:
In addition to percolators, another crucial component of a bong is the downstem. Downstems are technically considered a percolator as they filter your smoke through water. However, they are a necessary component of every water pipe (besides gravity bongs), unlike the types of percolators mentioned above.
The downstem serves as the bridge between the bowl piece and the water in the bong’s base. Its primary function is to direct the smoke from the bowl into the water as you inhale, where it undergoes filtration and cooling. Downstems are typically made of glass, although other materials, such as silicone or metal, can also be used. They come in various lengths and styles, with most featuring diffusion holes or slits to enhance filtration.
Downstems can be either fixed (welded to the bong) or removable. Removable water pipe downstems are replaceable, so you can upgrade at anytime. The 6-slit glass downstem is the industry standard that comes with most bongs, but you can swap this piece out for fire-cut, fission, or other unique downstems that change how your smoke is filtered inside the base.
Ash catchers:
In the world of bong accessories, ash catchers offer an alternative to traditional percolators. Ash catchers are attachments that sit between the bowl and the downstem, providing an additional layer of filtration and preventing ash and debris from entering the main chamber of the bong.
These attachments typically feature a water chamber and various forms of filtration, such as internal diffuser downstems, honeycomb discs, and other percolators. Ash catchers not only help to keep your bong cleaner by trapping ash before it enters the main chamber, but they can also enhance the smoothness and flavor of your hits.
Ash catchers provide extra filtration without permanently modifying your bong, allowing you to switch between different ash catchers or use your bong without one, depending on your preference. If you enjoy the simplicity of your current bong design but desire additional filtration and an easier cleaning process, an ash catcher can be a fantastic alternative to explore.
Recycler bongs:
Just because you’re not in the market for a percolator bong doesn’t mean you have to settle for a bong with limited functionality. Recycler bongs are great alternatives to percolator bongs. Recyclers use floating chambers and snaking arms to create a recycling effect of water and smoke. Although recyclers aren’t considered a type of percolator bong because they don’t force your smoke through any type of glass screen, they’re highly effective at cooling down your smoke.
Percolator Bongs: Wrapping it up
Whether you’re a seasoned stoner seeking maximum filtration or a beginner exploring the world of percolation for the first time, understanding the essence of a percolator bong opens up a realm of possibilities. By harnessing the power of water, science, and artistic ingenuity, percolator bongs elevate your smoking sessions to new heights, ensuring each inhale is a smooth and flavorful delight. So, the next time you take a hit from a percolator bong, remember the magic happening within. Embrace the science, appreciate the craftsmanship, and savor the exceptional smoking experience that percolators bring to the table.