We admit that if you take a look at a glass bong and bubbler, it’s easy to mix the two up. Generally speaking, they’re both usually made from borosilicate glass, and they both move and filter smoke through water.

Even experienced smokers don’t really know the difference between the two, but we assure you, there are some differences that you should note.

In today’s post, we’re going to describe those differences and how they can impact your smoking experience.

What You Need to Know About Bongs

A glass bong is a smoking device that uses water as a filtration system. The average bong will consist of a base (to fill in water), a tube (where smoke flows to your mouth), a downstem, a bowl (where your herb is packed), and a mouthpiece. You can also add a percolators to add additional filtration chambers to the bong, which will purify the smoke and make it much smoother and flavorful. Some smokers also choose to have ice pinches, which prevents the ice from falling in the water (the ice acts as another filtration layer to purify the smoke).

Bongs are awesome due to their simplicity. Assemble the pieces we listed in the paragraph above, add water to the base, add your herb of choice to the bowl, ignite it, and smoke away.

Bongs are a classic device that both avid and casual smokers love. Its ease of use, in addition to the quality of smoke it produces, makes it a must-have item. Because they’re made of borosilicate glass, they’re pretty durable, but they’re not indestructible (so don’t get too careless). They’re pretty easy to clean (especially if you use our bong cleaning kits).

Bongs tend to be a bit hefty on their price, so they’re definitely not the cheapest smoking option out there, especially when you add in additional filters and percolators. But you can also argue that the quality of the smoke it produces, along with the device’s longevity, makes the bong an affordable option.

What You Need to Know About Glass Bubblers

Technically speaking, the term “bubbler” is just another word for a water pipe. So glass bongs can also be considered bubblers (which is another reason why people often mix the two up). However, the bubbler we’re referring to is a specific type of water pipe and it differs a bit from the glass bong.

For one, it’s smaller than a bong, which is a quality many people love because they want to be able to palm their smoking device in public without raising too much attention. Bubblers require much less water to fill the chamber and can be discreetly carried.

The anatomy of the bubbler is pretty straightforward. A long tube connects a mouthpiece to a bulbous base. This simple design makes for a simplified diffusion process, as bubblers will have percolators with just two or three holes, while a bong will have more complex percolators that can have a honeycomb-like structure. Because they have smaller chambers, they have a simple, unique chug, which many people like.

Unlike the bong, the bubbler has a one-piece design. Which makes it simpler to use in some ways, but also harder to clean.

Bubblers don’t have nearly the same amount of customization options as bongs. With a bong, you can customize almost every piece. Bubblers do have pretty cool shapes, as they have a variety of mouthpieces.

Conclusion

Both are fantastic smoking devices, but they serve different purposes. With bubblers, you can discreetly carry them with you as they don’t draw too much attention, while bongs are definitely are more of an “in private” smoking device.

Bongs are a classic item, and their diffusion process is more complex. Bubblers are much simpler and offer unique chugs that some people like. That said, many people prefer using their bong for its crisp, clean smoke.

Whether you use a bong or bubbler, it’s important that you keep it clean to get the most out of it. You don’t want to smoke with nasty, grimy resin in your equipment, so definitely make sure you clean your bong regularly.

To close, which device is superior? It depends on your personal preference! But if you want to understand the differences between these two devices, keep this blog post in mind.