The growth of the cannabis industry has been exponential in recent years. As a result, there’s so many different devices you can use to actually consume your cannabis products. Some of the most commonly used devices are either bongs or bubblers.
We’ve noticed these two are frequently compared to each other, usually due to their similarity in using water to cool the smoke as the flower combusts. However, you might be surprised to find that there’s quite a few stark differences between the two.
Today we’re going to compare glass bongs and bubblers when it comes to using them for smoking hemp flower. We’ll give you a detailed description of their advantages and disadvantages, as well as provide you with some helpful tips on how to choose the best glass smoking device for you.
Setting the Stage
Before we begin to even break down these two devices, you’ve got to know what each one is right? For all we know, you may think a bong is a bubbler, and vice versa!
What is a glass bubbler?
Glass bubblers are commonly known as water pipes. They’re like a hybrid of pipes and bongs, all put into one. They’re decently sized for portability, while incorporating water for cooling to enhance the smoke experience.
Glass bubblers are very popular because they are easy to use, effective, and typically sized small enough to be portable.
What is a bong?
The glass bong is one of the most popular ways to smoke flower. It is a large, bulbous glass pipe with a long stem. Glass bongs are typically used for a variety of mediums. We’ll be focusing on hemp flower, but they can also be used for smoking tobacco and even smoking regular herbal blends. Glass bongs come in many sizes, shapes, and designs.
A fairly common size is a standard 4-inch piece, but there are a variety of bongs on the market that are much larger, some being at least 1 &1/2 feet in total length.
Glass bongs are popular due to the intensity and quality that they can add to smoke sessions.
What are the differences between a glass bubbler and a glass bong?
Got it? Great, now that you’ve got a basic understanding of each device, let’s get into the fun stuff.
There’s plenty of things that differentiate the two devices, and many of them are factors that will be essential to making a decision on which you purchase and use. Let’s take a look at some of these key factors in the next section. First off, let’s break down the price comparison!
Price
One key thing that differentiates the two options boils down to the price you can expect to pay. Glass bongs are typically made of specialized glass, and sometimes incorporate different perforated glass devices in the chamber in order to cool the smoke as it passes through. As a result, you’ll find that there are a variety of bongs on the market that are on the higher end of the pricing scale due to the engineering and/or design that goes into them.
The main benefit of using a bong is that it allows you to enjoy a more intense and longer-lasting high than would be possible with a water pipe or a joint. You can also use a bong to smoke your hemp with more accuracy than you can with a joint.
When it comes to bubblers, on the other hand, you’ll find that they are typically on the market at much cheaper prices. This is mainly due to the fact that they are smaller, and aren’t as often offered in specialized glass. That’s not to say you won’t see high quality bubblers from glass blowers occasionally.
Design
Yet another difference, that can somewhat be based on your preference, is the overall design. While bongs are usually designed to provide a great smoking experience, bubblers tend to be more utilitarian in their design.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean that bubblers tend to be less attractive than bongs, and so don’t have the same appeal. For those who are interested in a more utilitarian approach to their smoking, this might work better for them. However, for those who want something a little bit more visually pleasing, then bongs will likely be the better choice for them.
Size
This one is a major breaking point for some. These two vary drastically in size! Bongs are generally larger in size, but are made to be more aesthetically pleasing in order to draw in more attention. You’ll find that most bongs will have two or three chambers, where bubblers often have one chamber.
This is because bongs are designed to provide a deeper inhale through the water chamber, where as bubblers are designed to give the smoker a quick hit of smoke, following in-line with the more utilitarian approach.
Smoke Quality
If you’re not someone who cares much for the other factors, you’ll definitely want to pay attention to this last point – smoke quality.
When it comes to smoke quality, bongs are going to be the way to go for those who are overtly conscious of their expected smoke experience. As mentioned, bongs are frequently offered in options with multiple chambers and percolators, allowing for the ultimate cooling of their smoke as it’s combusted. On top of this, there’s a variety of different stems and bowls you can use due to the modularity that most bongs universally have.
Bongs are designed to provide smoke that is rich in flavor, while also being able to provide you with the desired level of smoke volume that you desire, which makes them the best option for those who want to enjoy a full appreciation of their tobacco or cannabis.
Should I smoke from a Bong or a Bubbler?
With the general comparisons out of the way, now it’s time to consider your experience level and usage scenarios.
Which one is better for beginners?
That said, when it comes to recommendations for beginners, we’d suggest those who are venturing away from joints and traditional pipes for the first time to stick to bubblers.
The main reason for this is that they tend to be easier to handle than other smoking devices, since they are simpler and much less intimidating.
On top of that, they’re cheap, easy to acquire, and won’t take long to master. It’s not to say that the bong you’re using will be terrible, but rather, that there is nothing stopping you from getting creative once you’ve mastered a bubbler before moving on to the big leagues with a top-tier bong.
Which one is better for advanced users?
On the flip side however, 9 times out of 10, a bong will be best suited for advanced users.
This is mainly because cumulatively they can produce some fantastic results and are more capable of doing so than a bubbler, even when they are just starting out. On top of that, advanced users usually have a deeper knowledge of the various types of smoking experiences and how each one should be handled, so they can take advantage of the benefits of a bong in order to achieve their goals.
Which one is better for storage?
Storage is one of the biggest pros and cons of glassware, as some types of glass can be prone to breakage. In this case, it’s we’re going to give this to bubblers. Bongs tend to be larger, requiring more diligence due to the requirement for more dedicated space. Any storage you purchase will need to be larger, and most likely will be more expensive.
This is not to say that you won’t find quality storage for it, but if you don’t mind the space requirements, you’ll just need to put some extra research into finding the right one in order to keep your bong safe and free from breakage.
Which one is better for smoking hemp flower?
This one’s pretty easy!
Bongs are made and engineered in a variety of different ways, mainly to allow the user to smoke cannabis in a quality fashion – period. The fact that bongs are a popular type of device for smoking is due to the fact that they make cannabis smoke much more enjoyable, and that’s exactly why they’re used by many hemp flower enthusiasts.
In short, if you had to compare the two devices, 9 times out of 10 you’re going to want to use a quality bong for the best smoking experience.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, each smoking device has their own individual pros and cons. For those who are a bit more experienced with smoking, a bong is the way to go. However, as they say, with great power comes great responsibility. A bong is going to require much more attention in terms of care and storage, as well as choosing the ideal option for your smoking style.
