Official Guide to Bubblers

So you've heard about bubblers and want to know more. Well bubblers are pipes that have a built in stem and chamber to house water. It's like a bong, but a pipe.

Types of Bubblers

-Sherlock

-Hammer

-Side car

There isn't much difference between the way the bubbler work so with bubblers it's all about design and quality.

Sherlock:

Sherlock bubblers are the most commonly used bubbler out of the three. It consists of the chamber and bowl and a mouthpiece that curves upwards towards the mouth.

Hammer:

Hammer style bubblers are usually the bubblers that have the best art work (in my opinion). They have a very similiar chamber to the sherlock except the mouthpiece comes straight out with no bends. It is called a hammer bubbler because of the shape.

Side car:

The side car bubbler is the least popular of the three. It resembles the hammer bubbler except that the bowl is off to the side of the mouthpiece instead of directly at the end.

Filling your Bubbler

Unlike bongs, bubblers cannot be easily filled through the mouthpiece but is instead filled through the bowl. Bubblers should be filled to the same levels as bongs, which is when the water just covers the hole by about 1cm. Bubbler water gets dirty very easily because there is less water for the resin to go into so they need frequent cleaning. Dry the bowl before packing your herb.

Smoking your Bubbler

Bubblers do not have a slide like GonG bongs but instead have a carb hole with you cover to allow draw through the bowl and release to clear the piece of the smoke. When smoking your bubbler don't inhale to hard as water could splash up into your mouth giving you quite the unpleasant flavour. Once the bowl is lit, keep inhaling until you almost fill your lungs and then with the last bit of air, release the carb and clear the piece.

Choosing a Bubbler

No two bubblers are the same so this guide will only show you what to look for when you go into your headshop. Bowl size is an important factor when purchasing a bubbler. Consider if you will be using it with friends more or by yourself when deciding. Communal pieces will require a larger bowl. The first thing to examine is the hole in the center of bowl. The difference between a quality piece and a prodo piece is pretty apparent by the hole. The bowl should be situated directly in the centre to allow for a more even burn and good air passage. The diameter of the hole is also important as a small hole will get clogged with little use and a large hole will pull ash and ember into the water and dirty it faster.

Prodo glass

Quality glass

The bowl itself should be examined next. the push should appear very smooth  and concave at the bottom and no air bubbles present as it is heated over and over and could cause breaking of the piece. The glass around the outside of the bowl should have no apparent crease and appear even.

Size of the piece is also a factor when purchasing. A large piece will allow the smoke to cool before entering your lungs but it is at the cost of drag. More suction will be required in order to displace the air in a larger piece.

Thickness of the glass doesn't mean it is more durable. The thickness adds to the weight but in order for a glass piece to be more durable it would have to be properly annealed.

Some specialized bubblers have more than one stem or a diffused stem. Some bubblers have stems similar to tree percs and diffused downstems.

Color and design is widely variable as more palettes of color become available to borosilicate artists. There is also fumed glass which changes color as the back is darkened (by resin). They have different designs to choose from like inside out where the colored glass appears encased inside clear glass.

When looking for a bubbler just follow this guide and pick a design you like and you'll guaranteed have a piece you can love.

Inside out design on closest pipe