Acrylic Bong

Information About Acrylic Bongs

Trying to choose a bong? Though not the fanciest option, for new smokers, a plastic bong may be the way to go. Cheap, almost invincible, and easy to look after, they offer a lot, with few serious drawbacks.

Though in time you may want to upgrade to something a little more high-tech, almost every smoker starts out with a plastic bong—and there’s a reason they’re so popular.

What Is an Acrylic Bong?

An acrylic bong is essentially a bong moulded to look like glass, but from acrylic. Acrylic is a type of plastic—polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)—commonly known as Plexiglas. It is used for many different functions due to its versatility, durability, UV and chemical resistance, and clean, glasslike appearance.

These functions also make it a perfect material from which to craft tough bongs for beginners (or those who want something that won’t break).

What Are the Pros and Cons of Plastic Bongs?

Plastic bongs are pretty bomb-proof, and this is their major strength. Although some smokers may upgrade to a more prestigious glass bong, almost everyone begins their bong-ripping life with a plastic piece.

The pros of plastic bongs are:

• Extremely tough
• Easy to clean
• Versatile (come in many shapes, sizes, and colours)
• Portable
• Cheap!

The cons of plastic bongs are:

• Not as appealing as glass
• PMMA contains BPA—a harmful compound and pollutant
• Can sometimes look a bit cheap
• Tend not to have additions such as diffusers or percolators
• Lack of removable bowl can make hits harsh

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How To Use a Plastic Bong

Plastic bongs function a little differently to glass bongs, and this will change the way you use them. First, let’s understand the main components of a bong:

• Mouthpiece — where you draw the smoke from and inhale
• Bowl — where you load and burn the herb
• Downpipe — connects the bowl to the chamber
• Chamber — where the water goes; fill just past the bottom of the downpipe
• Carb hole — As you burn the herb, cover the carb hole so all the air comes through the bowl. When you want to inhale the smoke, release the carb to get controlled, hefty hits. Note that some bongs do not include this feature.

How you use your plastic bong will depend on whether it has a removable bowl or just a carb hole. With glass bongs, you pull out the bowl in order to draw air through and take your hit. Many acrylic bongs do not offer this. Instead, you may just have to take your finger off the carb hole, drawing in fresh air through there.

How To Clean an Acrylic Bong

Acrylic is great as it doesn’t react badly with many chemicals, making it very easy to clean. But don’t use alcohol! It degrades the adhesive.

Giving your bong a rinse after each session will hold off the worst of the dirt and grime, and keep it tasting generally good. However, it is still worth giving it a thorough cleaning once in a while.

To do this, you can submerge it in warm, soapy water, or perhaps fill it up and give it a vigorous shake. Using acids such as vinegar and sea salt can also help to really get it sparkling again!

For the downpipe, you may want to buy some pipe cleaners and properly get in there. Keeping the scum off the walls of the downpipe is one of the best ways to keep each hit tasting great, and to stop that identifiable but indefinable bad bong taste from building up.

Can You Put a Plastic Bong in the Dishwasher?

Yes, plastic will be able to withstand the heat and pressure of the dishwasher. Just make sure any removable parts are removed and that it’s well placed so it doesn’t go flying about.

What Is the Lifespan of a Plastic Bong?

Plastic itself will outlast any of us (so dispose of it responsibly!). But how long will a plastic bong last? This really depends on usage. They’re pretty hard to break, so it’s more likely that its time will come because you either lose it or upgrade to something new.

If you treat it well, you can expect an acrylic bong to last as long as you want it to.

Are Acrylic Bongs Safe To Use?

Yes, mostly.

Unless heated above 300°C, they shouldn’t unleash any harmful chemicals into your lungs. And you shouldn’t get them near this temperature by heating the bowl—which will not be made of acrylic anyway.

There are also reports that using alcohol to clean plastic bongs can cause them to break. This is because it has a chemical reaction with the adhesive that holds the acrylic together, causing it to break. However, this is less of a danger and more of an annoyance.

Of course, there are still the dangers associated with smoking that come with using an acrylic bong (or any bong). And don’t think that smoking weed without tobacco will liberate you from the harmful effects of inhaling smoke. The fact is that we simply do not know what effects cannabis smoke has on its own, so exercise caution!

Otherwise, enjoy your bong ripping!