Bongs have been around for over 2000 years! We have some stylish and high-tech bongs now, but in 2015, archaeologists in Russia discovered some of the oldest recorded bongs used by Scythian tribal chieftains made of SOLID gold dating back 2400 years. The modern ‘bong’ comes from the thai word ‘baung’ – which was a traditional bamboo container used as a pipe. When American soldiers were stationed in Thailand during the Vietnam war, they took up the local pastime of smoking cannabis out of the traditional ‘baung’ pipes!

Throughout Africa and Asia, bongs were created from precious metals, horns, bamboo, stone, and even with underground chambers to cool the smoke. Smoking dry herbs has been a practice across many cultures and traditions. 

As glass production and tobacco production increased throughout the 19th century, we saw the glorious invention of the glass bong in the 1960s and 70s. Glass legend, Bob Snodgrass,  popularized glass bong designs across the US, discovered the process of ‘fuming’ or the use of gold and silver to color borosilicate glass. 

Now, you can get bongs in a variety of shapes, colors, materials and sizes. Modern bongs have different appeal and functionality for each smoker: a variety of bowls, filtration/percolators, ice catchers, classic and innovative designs. We’ve detailed the best bongs out there right now to add to your collection for personal use, entertaining, or on the go.  Here, we’ll break down the list of the best Bongs of 2023.

10 Best Bongs of 2022: Comprehensive Review

1) Best Classic Bong: Higher Standards Heavy Duty Beaker Bong

Best Bong of 2022

Looking for a classic beaker bong that is built to last? The Higher Standards Heavy Duty Beaker is made with medical-grade borosilicate glass and was engineered to rip with maximum filtration. This bong stands out with its wide base for supreme stability and ground-glass connection, for more durability and less breakage. Its airtight seals created by a slightly flared mouthpiece create an effortless pull.

The high-quality glass can withstand temperature variance and the extra . Slits on the diffused downstem create finer bubbles during use for smooth delivery of pure, water-cooled smoke. You can add a cube to the ice catcher from the custom ice-mold provided with this all-around amazing bong! Overall, Higher Standards is the clear winner of Best Bong of 2023.

  •  Pros:
    •  This bong is designed to have a great vacuum and good seals for a solid hit
    • Classic beaker bong design with heavy duty, thick glass makes it a staple that withstands the test of time.
    • We LOVE the custom ice mold to use with the ice catcher!
  • Cons:
    •  This bong is heavy, especially with water. 
    • Thick glass bongs like this come with natural variation and imperfections
  • Price, Material, Size
    • $160.00, 
    • Handcrafted Medical-Grade Borosilicate Glass, 
    • 14.25” Tall
    • 7 mm Thick

Shop Higher Standards!

2) Best Gravity Bong: INHALCO Gravity Bong

Best Gravity Bong

Remember the days of making your own gravity bongs? This is a sleek upgrade for any gravity bong enthusiast. You’ll be floored by the strength of the hits from this . The secret is in the design and size of the chamber—instead of taking several hits as you need to do from a standard bong, everyone loves how this gravity bong allows you to inhale more at once. The INHALCO gravity bong is easily the best gravity bong and it combines the cooling and filtration of a water pipe with the convenient handling of an everyday bong.

This is one smoking tool you don’t want to miss out on. Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned veteran, this gravity bong is sure to impress. This piece comes ready to use right out of the box and is easy to clean with its convenient wide mouth design and thick glass.

  • Pros:
    • This gravity bong looks classy and clean.
    • You get what you expect from a gravity bong – quick and intense high volume hits of smoke.
    • The open design is really easy to clean.
  • Cons:
    • This setup is all glass and somewhat fragile. Enjoy this in the comfort of your home!
    • Gravity bongs hit hard, this piece is not for the novice smoker.
  • Price, Material, Size
    • $42.98
    • Glass
    • 12″ Height – 3″ Diameter

Shop Now From Inhalco!

3) Best Durable Bong: RYOT Ceramic Traveller Water Pipe 

Best Bong for On-the-go

RYOT Glassware and accessories are created mindfully “For Smokers By Smokers.” Their Ceramic Traveller Pipe is a new extra durable portable water pipe.  With the versatility of this design, made of heavy ceramic with a cork base and seals, you can easily bring this pipe anywhere with no spills. This matte black hand-poured japanese ceramic bong is a simple, classic design– easy to handle and features a thick glass streamlined bowl. 

  •  Pros:
    • This bong is an extra durable, versatile travel piece
    • To keep things contained, this traveller comes with cork seals and base for extra safety
  • Cons:
    •  This bong can be hard to clean, or see when it’s dirty due to the solid black color.
  • Price, Material, Size 
    • $100.00
    • Matte Black Ceramic
    • 9.5″H (241.3 mm H)

Shop Now From RYOT!

4) Best Travel Bong: Roll Uh Bowl Original Silicone Bong

Best Travel Bong

This unique silicone bowl is the best for travel – it rolls up completely with the downstem tucked inside and can be packed basically anywhere! Just unroll it, fill it up with water, and pack it’s spring loaded bowl to enjoy your herb on the go. Don’t even worry about breaking it – this piece is pretty much indestructible. We love how you can sanitize and deep clean it by putting it in the dishwasher. Small enough you can pack it in your pocket, for all of your adventures.

  • Pros:
    • This piece won’t break like glass. It’s virtually indestructible.
    • You can clean it in the dishwasher.
    • This can go anywhere with you because of its compact, portable, and lightweight design!
  • Cons:
    • This bong can feel flimsy, and tip over easily.
    • If you pull too hard, a vacuum effect is created –  the silicone can collapse and you’ll spill bong water.
  • Price, Material, Size
    • $39.99
    • BPA-free grade V1 platinum cured silicone
    • Height: 8″ when unfolded
    • Downstem size: 9mm

Shop Now From Smoke Cartel!

5) Best Bong for Your Buck: LA Pipes “Thick Boy” Super Heavy 9mm Thick Beaker Bong

Best Bongs of 2022

LA Pipes claims that this bong is ‘built like a tank,’ and we agree! This 9mm beaker bong is made with high quality borosilicate glass and will NOT break easily. This American-made piece for the every day smoker, and will withstand the test of time. Plus, we can’t believe this amazing piece is under $100. Add this to your collection for a classic, durable beaker bong at an affordable price.

  • Pros:
    • This bong is a smooth, heavy hitting piece with an ice catcher.
    • The 9mm borosilicate glass won’t break easily.
    • The “Thick Boy”  is a classic beaker bong to add to your glass collection.
  • Cons:
    •  Thick glass means THICK mouthpiece.
    • The base is somewhat narrow compared to the thick tube, so it can tend to tip over.
    • This piece can be difficult to clean due to its size and features.
  • Price, Material, Size
    • $99.00
    •  Scientific Glass
    • 16 Inches Tall
    • 9mm Glass Tubing

Shop Now From Smoke Cartel!

6) Best Percolator Bong: INHALCO Frosted Sacred Geometry Beaker Bong Matrix Perc

Beaker Bongs

This matrix percolator beaker bong from INHALCO is the perfect bong for anyone who is looking for elegance, durability, and style!  We love how this bong is equipped with a matrix percolator for superior filtration of smoke. Percolators are the key to clean, flavorful hits. They’re also great for aesthetics. Matrix percs have both vertical and horizontal slits, resulting in super high volumes of diffusion because of all the different directions that the smoke can separate. This bong has super thick glass to ensure durability, and is decorated with frosted sacred geometry. The ice catcher and percolator allow every smooth hit to be refreshingly cool. Simple to use and comes in a variety of colors, you have to add this one to your collection!

  •  Pros:
    • Comes in 4 colors, with a variety of designs to choose from. 
    • Super smooth hits with a combination of the matrix percolator and ice catcher.
    • This bong is beautiful and made to last.
  • Cons:
    •  Matrix percolators can be really hard to clean due to their more intricate design.
    • This bong isn’t designed to travel well, you should keep it on the coffee table!
  • Price, Material, Size
    • $115.98
    • High Quality Borosilicate Glass
    •  Height: 15.5″
    • Joint Size: 18mm Female

Shop Now From Inhalco!

7) Best Design Collaboration Bong: Erick Khan Rose Beaker Bong

Erick Khan Bong

Daily High Club has teamed up with Erick Khan American cannabis enthusiast, entrepreneur, and influencer who is known for his cannabis vlogs! Erick helped design this bong, and it’s a simple and smooth hitting masterpiece. This bong is tiny, but it gets the job done.

  •  Pros:
    •  This bong is an exclusive collaboration with cannabis influencer Erick Khan.
    • The design is compact and stylish, we love the tiny piece and the featured art is inspired by Erick’s tattoos!
    • Hits well for its size.
  • Cons:
    •  Design paint tends to chip over time.
    • This bong is small, so it won’t be great if you’re looking for bigger hits and more smoke.
  • Price, Material, Size
    • $49.99
    • Glass
    • Height: 7”

Shop Now From Daily High Club!

8) Best Rig/Bong Combination: Hemper Cactus Bong 

Best Bongs of 2022

Hemper’s done it again with the Cactus Jack planter waterpipe. Featuring a showerhead perc with a green cactus and matching bowl, is a fun way to have a smooth and full hit with this powerhouse! This piece is functional and has a variety of different setups, even accommodating a full e-nail setup for dabs.

  •  Pros:
    •  We love this functional bong that even accommodates an e-nail setup.
    • The planter-pot base of the cactus feature acts as an oil catcher!
    • We love the size for such a versatile bong.
  • Cons:
    •  The bowl it comes with is pretty small.
    • The glass is pretty thin, so be careful if you’re clumsy!
  •  Price, Material, Size
    • $59.99
    • Height: 7″
    • Diameter: 3.5″
    • Thickness: 5mm

Shop Now From Hemper!

9) Best Aesthetic Bong: INHALCO Spiral Beaker Bong 16″

Best looking bongs

This Spiral Glass Beaker Bong by INHALCO is definitely a cut above the rest. Featuring a unique spiral design that comes in clear and iridescent, this bong is made from durable borosilicate glass. It’s easy to clean, dishwasher safe and features an ice catcher to cool down your smoke before it reaches your lungs. If you’re looking for a stylish bong that works fantastically and looks great, then this is the one.

  •  Pros:
    •  Stunning spiral design that looks beautiful on display.
    • High quality for an affordable price!
    • The iridescent version is amazing
  • Cons:
    •  This bong is tall and tends to tip over easily. 
  • Price, Material, Size
    • $79.98
    • Borosilicate Glass
    • 16” Height

Shop Now From INHALCO!

10) Best Collector Bong: Hemper Pineapple Bong XL

Hemper Pineapple Bong

This Pineapple XL bong from HEMPER is packed with features. This bong is epic with its double ball design featuring a globe-like chamber holding a pineapple downstem and splash guard! It features two separate percolators which act in tandem to produce a smooth hit despite their size. The pineapple splashguard keeps water out of your mouth and makes sure smoke is passing through all of the percolators; it also adds an aesthetic element to this piece! This bong has an acrylic downstem that allows for easy cleaning.

  •  Pros:
    •  This piece has amazing filtration! It hits cool and slow.
    • We love the pineapple splashguard, there’ll be absolutely no water in your mouth!
  • Cons:
    • With so many internal pieces, you won’t want to tip this bong over.
    • Sometimes this piece is hard to clean with all it’s details!
  • Price, Material, Size
    • $129.99
    • 11″ Inches Tall
    • 14mm Male Joint Flower Bowl

Shop Now From Hemper!

 

Size and Material: What Matters Most When Choosing the Best Bong?

Material:

High quality glass is a first choice for any bong user. Glass doesn’t affect the flavor of the smoked flower, and is easy to clean effectively. 

Design:

There are a few different classic types of bongs to choose from. You could get a straight tube, a beaker bong, or a recycler. As a general rule, if you are looking for some deep and cloudy hits then go with a straight tube. If you are looking for more volume and less dense smoke then go with a beaker bong (or even a hybrid bong). If you like to smoke concentrates regularly and want to conserve as much smoke as possible, then you would want to use a recycler. 

Glass thickness:

Glass thickness is an important consideration for the longevity of your bong. Thin glass breaks more easily, so make sure to get a thicker piece if you think your glass might tip over!

How to Use a Bong

  1. Prep the bong by filling it with water. Depending on your bong, you’ll have to cover the holes or slits in the perc to ensure water filtration. 
  2. Grind your flower and pack it in the bowl, densely enough that it stays put. 
  3. Put your lips up to the tube and create a seal with your mouth against the mouthpiece. Use a lighter to light the flower and inhale slowly and steadily.
  4. When the smoke begins to fill the bong chamber, pull out the bowl and inhale forcefully to take the smoke into your lungs.
  5. Exhale slowly and repeat.

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