There are different types of smoking pipes in the vaping & cannabis industry, with the first glass hand pipes crafted in the 1970s and pipes made from other materials going back centuries. Until now, these convenient smoking devices have evolved drastically to aid people to smoke more conveniently in various ways. Before we look at the different types of glass pipes, we need to know what a glass pipe is.

What is a Glass Pipe?

Pipes people use for smoking are manufactured using different materials such as glass, metal, ceramic, and wood. Nevertheless, ask any stoner, and the response might be that pipes manufactured with glass are the best. Glass pipes come in various types and shapes. Each variety has unique benefits and advantages.

The different types of Glass Pipes

1. Chillums

This style of basic pipe carries the shape of a regular tube or conical shape. A small version is often referenced as a “One-Hitter” since it holds enough herb to smoke a single hit.  People have been smoking herbs with this shape of pipe as early as the 16th century using more primitive materials like hollow reeds. You can use a chillum pipe by packing dry herb into one edge, lighting it and then inhaling from the other edge. Because of their simplicity of design and small size, they can exclusively contain a small quantity of dry herb.

2. Spoon pipes

Generally, a spoon pipe is the next advanced device from the chillum. They both have a similar shape and construction, however the spoon pipe has a bowl at one edge where you can place your flower. Smoking a spoon pipe is a bit more complicated than using a chillum since they often include a small hole on the side (called a “carburetor” or “carb” for short) which can be covered with your finger to increase and decrease the amount of airflow in your pipe. 

3. Sherlock pipes

The glass pipe has an iconic arched stem style that almost every individual greatly appreciates as the type that Sherlock Holmes smoked. It has a bowl at the edge of the stem, which holds the product to which it is applied. Then the smoke moves up the stem. In some cases, this type of pipe has a longer stem than normal and may be considered a Gandalf pipe. Occasionally, these cool glass pipes come with carburetors.

4. Bubblers

This style of glass pipe requires water and is called a bubbler because when you smoke on it, it emits bubbles. Bubblers are a blend of the glass pipe and the bong. Because of its relatively smaller size (as compared to a bong) and the fact that it utilizes water, it has become known as a bubbler or glass water pipe. The water serves to cool the smoke, and filter impurities while forming tiny bubbles. This results in a better flavor and smoking experience. This glass pipe can be used with hot or cold water, but it is pertinent to note that the water temperature affects the flavor and the whole experience.

5. Steamrollers

The steamroller is a simple way to smoke as compared to the other glass pipe styles. Steamrollers feature a tube having a bowl on one edge. It has an opening at each edge of the pipe, with the opening closest to the bowl acting as a carburetor. Some glass styles have an extra chamber responsible for rolling the smoke to make it cool further. The steamrollers deliver a strong, quick hit that will ‘steamroll’ the users if they are not ready. Because of this, these types of glass pipes are not recommended for novice or less-experienced users. If you are a beginner, you should know that they surely take some practice to smoke.

With the different types of glass pipes available on the market or supplied by pipe suppliers, it is important to know each pipe style because each has its unique benefits. There are many pipe suppliers you can get any glass pipe of your choice from in the U.S. Kindly contact us if you have any questions about different types of glass pipes.