Frequently Asked Questions

A percolator, sometimes known as a perc, is a device used in bongs to give smoother, cooler, and less harsh hits by diffusing hot smoke through the water in the chamber. There are numerous varieties of percs, and each one has unique benefits and drawbacks. By exposing the smoke to as much surface area as possible on a bong, a perc should efficiently spread smoke, allowing the water to chill the smoke before it is ingested.

When purchasing a bong online from a headshop like Glass Half Full there is a wide selection to choose from. We try to provide you with the highest-quality water pipes at the lowest and most reasonable costs. We don't cut corners when it comes to the quality of our bongs and have cut out the middleman. Shipping within the USA is completely free.

Most customers select their pipe by looking at the following; price, size, material, style, percolators.

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Glass Bongs

What is a bong?

Due to their popularity, convenience of use, and filtration, water bongs have been around for decades and are a favorite among smokers and stoners.

Our collection of pipes for sale is comprised of thick borosilicate glass.

These robust glass water pipes give smoother, cooler hits in addition to filtering out small particles from the smoke. For even more smoke diffusion, condensing, and cooling for large rips, some bongs also feature percolators (percs).

Water pipes have been used by sophisticated smokers for thousands of years, whether they are for flowers, dry herbs, or tobacco. Glass bongs often have integrated percolators to produce even smoother smoke, filtering and cooling dry herbs or tobacco to promote a softer, gentler smoking experience.

If you prefer concentrates, we advise selecting a glass dab rig since they are made to maximize flavor and are ideal for concentrates and can be used with wax, oils, and dabs.

Things to consider before buying a bong or water pipe:

  • Flower or concentrate? If you enjoy flower, you'll need a bowl; dab rigs require a nail to be fully utilized. Consider a piece with an unconnected downstem if you enjoy both so that you may take advantage of everything the good plant has to give. Shop our dab rigs if you're looking for glass for dabbing.
  • Size matters. Glass bongs come in 10mm, 14mm, or 18mm joint sizes. To make things more interesting, glass joints can be either male or female. Add in the many types of percolators, and the options for your new pipe are endless!
  • Cleaning. Nothing stays clean forever. Check out how easy it is to clean a piece with our guide. 

Features of a Bong

  • Downstem- The downstem is a crucial part of your bong. To break up the smoke before it hits the water, these include minuscule slits or holes. The more surface area the vapor has to cool before entering the tube for inhalation, the more bubbles the downstem produces. Your water pipe likely contains a certain kind of percolator if your downstem is not removable. You might need to try a few different percolators before settling on your favorite, including circle percolators and seed of life percolators.

  • Ice Pinch- Some water pipes have an ice pinch built into the tube, which provides further chilling to the user before the vapor reaches the mouthpiece. For the best cooling effect prior to inhalation, the pinch keeps the ice in the pipe's tube portion. Some people prefer to breathe in warm vapor, but if you want to breathe in cool vapor, a pipe feature called an ice pinch will be necessary.
  • Splash Guard- Splash guards come in handy for keeping water from the pipe's base from splashing across your lips as you breathe in. The splash guard has openings for vapor to still travel through, but its rounded top causes water to fall back into the pipe's base.