Bongs have a long and hazy history that stretches back to the 14th century in Southeast Asia. The modern device has its roots in the “buong,” a device used by Thai people to smoke cannabis and tobacco.
While early smoking devices were made of bamboo or ceramic, the pioneering American glass artist Bob Snodgrass popularized modern bongs made of glass. In the 1980s, another glassblower called Dave Goldstein took the bong to the next level by inventing the percolator bong. This game-changing bong with a percolator to filter smoke before it hits the throat provides a smoother hit with enhanced flavor and more.
In this article, we dive deeper into the world of one of America’s favorite bongs.
What is a Percolator Bong?
Bongs are devices predominantly used for smoking cannabis. They feature a water chamber that filters smoke before it is inhaled into the lungs after removing a finger from a hole known as a “carb” or “rush hole.”
Percolator bongs also feature a water chamber but add a further filtration layer. The percolator is a small glass pipe or disc that breaks smoke down into smaller bubbles, passing them through a smaller glass pipe with more water inside to filter and cool them further.
Types of Percolator Bongs
Diffuser Percolator Bong
The diffuser percolator bong is one of the most common types on the market. The diffuser is attached to the end of the downstem, which connects the bowl and water and breaks down smoke into smaller bubbles to provide a smoother hit.
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The diffused smoke spreads out more than a regular bong, covering a bigger surface area and encouraging more effective cooling and filtering. As a bonus, splashback is less likely with a diffuser.
Tree Percolator Bong
The tree percolator bong earns its name thanks to the many arms that “branch out” within the percolator design. The tree diffuser section has 4-12 arms that each have multiple slits at the bottom to allow smoke to diffuse into the water numerous times and lead to a smoother hit. Tree percolator bongs have an intricate design and are less common, often higher-end boujee bongs.
Inline Percolator Bong
Another smooth-hitting option with an innovative design is the inline percolator bong, which features a horizontal percolator rather than a vertical one. Smoke is diffused through many slits along its side and filtered in smaller bubbles through the bong water.
This rarer smoking accessory isn’t one of the most popular percolator bongs available because it can be tricky to clean and has the potential for splashback. However, it has less drag than other percolator bongs and filters smoke nicely.
Honeycomb Percolator Bong
The honeycomb percolator bong is as sweet as it sounds. This nifty bong has a flat disc percolator with holes all over it, resembling a piece of honeycomb. This innovative bong has grown in popularity among cannabis consumers thanks to its excellent filtration and low drag. It’s also one of the more accessible perc bongs to clean due to the flat disc that a user can remove without needing to get inside a diffuser.
Matrix Percolator Bong
The matrix percolator resembles something from a sci-fi movie and is known for its filtration. The design features a barrel-shaped chamber inside with a variety of horizontal and vertical slits inside to break smoke down and cool it down more efficiently. While it’s not the most popular percolator bong in our roundup, people who are into aesthetics as much as practicalities appreciate this eye-catching bong.
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Other Specialty Percolator Bongs
If you’re looking for something more unusual that features a percolator, there are a variety of less popular percolator bongs on the market. For a design-forward bong, the Swiss fab egg percolator bong inspired by the design of Faberge eggs is popular among glass collectors. You can also experience top-notch filtration with a ratchet percolator bong.
Benefits of Percolator Bongs
We’ve looked into a variety of percolator bongs and how they can improve your smoking experience, but what is it about percolator bongs in general that keeps cannabis consumers coming back for more?
Enhanced Filtration
While traditional bongs only filter and cool smoke through water before you take a hit, percolator bongs have an additional layer of filtration provided by a diffuser. These diffusers can be found in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Cooler Smoke
In addition to filtering smoke to provide a smoother hit, percolator bongs also make each hit cooler by breaking smoke down into smaller bubbles and allowing more contact with the water. The diffuser also slows the smoking process down, which gives it more time to cool down before it hits your mouth, picking up moisture from the water on the way for an overall cooler experience.
Reduced harshness and irritation
One of the other advantages of a perc bong is that it provides a smoother hit that is less likely to lead to a coughing fit. The diffusers, often with many holes, break smoke down into smaller bubbles and increase the cooling and filtering properties of the water in the bong to lead to a less irritable hit.
While there are many benefits to a percolator bong, some users who want a quicker, harsher hit may prefer a traditional bong, as the percolator can add more “drag” to each hit and require a more significant pull.
How to Choose a Percolator Bong
With all the percolator bongs available on the market, each claiming to provide a smoother hit, selecting the right one for your needs can be difficult. People looking for a percolator bong to display on the mantelpiece at all times may want to splash the cash on a statement piece like the fab egg perc.
Meanwhile, those looking for a more discreet perc bong will find a variety of mini bongs available that still offer superior filtration but can be stashed away in a drawer after use. The honeycomb's design makes it an excellent pick for regular smokers who want an easy bong to clean.
Like most accessories, look for trusted brands that only make bongs from top-quality materials like glass and have excellent customer reviews. While you can find cheap perc bongs for under $50, you can expect to pay $200+ for a higher quality percolator bong.
How to Clean a Percolator Bong
If you take care of your percolator bong, it’ll take better care of you. Daily smokers may want to give their bong a basic clean every few days and give it a deep clean once a month. For a basic clean, dismantle all the parts of the bong and rinse it with warm water before allowing it to dry to remove residue. Here are the steps for a deep clean:
- Dismantle the percolator bong
- Rinse parts with warm water
- Soak the individual parts in isopropyl alcohol
- Use salt to break down more resistant residue
- Clean smaller parts with pipe cleaners and bottle brushes
- Lay parts out to dry. Don’t use it again until it’s completely dry
Percolator bongs that are well taken care of will provide a smoother and more flavorsome hit for longer.
Conclusion
Percolator bongs are a great companion for regular and occasional cannabis smokers alike. These cool bongs take traditional bongs to the next level with a further filtration layer known as a diffuser. This small glass pipe or disc diffuses smoke into smaller bubbles, filtering and cooling it for a better experience.
When you’re deciding which percolator bong to add to your smoking accessory family, consider how often you will use it, how much you want to spend, and how harsh you like a hit to be before you buy one.
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