What Are The Benefits Of Using A Bong?

Without a doubt, the bong is one of the most cherished ways to consume cannabis recreationally. That little built-in water filtration system makes for a smoother and creamier hit every time. If you’re not a big fan of rough cough-inducers like joints, this is the ideal method for you.

But apart from that one upside, using a bong has several other notable benefits. And yes, many of these you might not be aware of.

This article is all about just that: the manifold benefits of using a bong. For those who swear by their water pipes, this article is just for you. And for those with more to learn, welcome to the wide world of bongs.

What’s a Bong?

The bong is undeniably one of the most famous features of cannabis iconography. These devices come in many shapes and sizes, from the simple to the heavily augmented and ornate.

Varying from plastic tubes to massive rigs featuring ice chambers, percolators, and incredible glasswork, bongs may also provide a safer way to consume cannabis when compared to spliffs and joints.

More discreetly referred to as “water pipes”, bongs typically feature a cylindrical structure with a wide base that holds water. The bowl of the pipe is affixed to the outside of the bong via a downstem, which leads through and breaches the surface of the water. This means the smoke must first travel through the water before it’s inhaled via the mouthpiece.

This makes hits smoother, and almost certainly provides a nostalgic sound as the water bubbles away.

Bongs work great in terms of filtering out certain impurities of combusted cannabis, but the desirable elements of the herb—the cannabinoids and terpenes—pass through unscathed, allowing you to inhale potent and flavourful hits.

10 Benefits of Using a Bong

Now, let’s get to the meat of the matter. There aren’t two, not three, not even five—but ten—benefits to using a bong. And here they are!

1. There’s a Bong for Every Budget

You don’t need to be rolling in dough to buy yourself a top-quality bong. Because if you know where to look, you’ll find numerous options to suit your budget.

Just by scouring the internet, you’ll find bongs of different materials and sizes that come with different price tags. From there, you’ll be able to see which ones serve their purpose the best. Customer reviews are definitely your ally here.

And if you have the resources, feel free to go for the higher-end variants—e.g. those made from borosilicate glass. What’s great about bongs is that some are equipped to handle both dried herb and dabs. If you find yourself one of these, consider it hitting the jackpot.

2. Bongs Are Easy To Use

One of the most appealing aspects of smoking weed from a bong is ease of use. Although some water pipes are designed to be extravagant or elegant, the simple mechanism remains the same. They simply require the user to ignite the bowl and inhale from the mouthpiece.

Bongs are, in many ways, substantially easier to use than, say, blunts, spliffs, and joints. They require no rolling process nor additional accessories, except for maybe a mesh screen, a lighter, and, of course, some good bud.

3. Bongs Offer Water Filtration

Another benefit of using bongs are the smooth hits provided. The smoke from the pipe is transported through a body of water, and sometimes even ice, before reaching your lips and lungs. This cools down the smoke significantly, leading to a far more satisfying and less harsh inhalation experience.

The water is also believed to filter out certain components in the smoke, possibly removing byproducts that lead to a harsher hit.

The smoothest, most untainted hits are certainly derived from glass bongs. Not only are they far more aesthetically pleasing, but they also don’t leach any residue into the water—and ultimately into your lungs—a risk that’s more likely among some plastic models out there.

4. Silicone Bongs Are Easy To Clean

Bongs are shaped rather delicately if you look at them closely. Just by taking a gander, the first thought likely to pop up would be, “How do I clean this thing?”.

With glass bongs, you have to be extra careful, for obvious reasons. But if you’re dealing with a silicone bong, clean-up is actually a breeze. All you have to do is throw it in the dishwasher! With silicone’s high heat resistance and durability, you’ll be met with a squeaky-clean bong alongside your plates and cutlery when all is said and done.

PieceMaker Kali Silicone Bong

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5. There Are Tons of Bong Accessories Available

As technology and life evolve, so do bong accessories. These days, you’ll find numerous upgrades to elevate your experience. A good example is the addition of a percolator. These are basically water filtration chambers that rapidly cool the smoke by breaking it down into smaller particles, resulting in a smoother hit.

Ice chambers are another great example of a new-school bong accessory. As the name suggests, these are meant to store ice cubes to further cool the smoke. They’re often placed somewhere below the mouthpiece and above the water, allowing for a second level of filtration.

Finally, you have ash catchers. Not only do these make for smoother hits, but they also eradicate excess ash to make clean-up much easier.

6. Bongs Are Durable and Sustainable

Bongs aren’t just for one-off occasions; they can actually last years if maintained properly. This is especially appealing to those environmentally minded stoners who see the benefit in the reusable nature of the bong. It’s also much more cost-efficient over time. Yes, a nice rig will cost a fair amount at first. But you’ll end up saving scores of cash that would otherwise be spent on countless papers, blunt wraps, and filter tips.

Bongs are also highly durable pieces of kit. Acrylic models are extremely hard to break and can be carried around in a bag to just about anywhere. Glass models are obviously slightly more delicate, and can be smashed if subject to significant impact. But the scientific borosilicate glass used to make high-quality models should withstand the occasional bump or knock with ease.

And then there are silicone bongs, which are pretty much indestructible. To make any bong last longer, it needs to be cleaned and looked after regularly. This task can be made easy with various products and accessories, such as brushes and bong-cleaning solutions.

7. Bongs Are Eye Candy

When bongs aren’t being loaded up with bud, they can double as ornamental pieces. Okay, small plastic varieties might not be the most elegant, but ceramic and glass rigs tend to be visually stunning.

Many smokers will choose a podium for their piece when it isn’t being used, perhaps on display in a cabinet or on a mantlepiece. High-end bongs pretty much serve as functional and interactive art pieces.

Some are sold for thousands of dollars to collectors and enthusiasts, and it’s fair to say that many of these are never smoked from, but simply admired.

8. Bongs Are Super Fun With Friends

Sure, joints are fun to pass around and enjoy collectively. But if you want to make things even more interesting, go with a bong instead.

The smoother, cooler hits make for a more delightful experience overall. It allows you to come up with mini-games, like “who can hold their hit the longest?”. The loser takes an extra monster hit…

Just be careful when having fun around a bong. You wouldn’t want some broken ceramic pieces or spilled murky water on your rug, now would you? That’s an unnecessary headache for anyone to deal with.

9. Bongs Provide Huge Hits

Bongs offer an instant high delivered via massive hits. Let’s say you go for a joint. You take a massive nugget of weed, grind it, and roll it up. It may take a good 10–15 minutes to smoke it and feel the effects of the THC riding through your bloodstream.

Alternatively, the same quantity of cannabis could be placed in a bong bowl, ignited, and delivered into your body in a single, gargantuan hit. This is what usually draws people to the bong as a cannabinoid delivery system. The instant high offers somewhat of a rush, and a far cleaner and more satisfying feeling most of the time.

Some models make even bigger and more potent hits obtainable. Those featuring a carb hole enable the air to be sucked out of the bong much more effectively. During ignition and the initial draw, the smoker places a finger over this hole to prevent outside air from entering. Once the bong is full of thick smoke, the smoker releases pressure from this hole, allowing outside air to rush in, clearing out the pipe, and effectively transporting the air into the smoker’s lungs.

10. Glass Bongs Offer the Purest Flavour

Ever wonder why people gravitate toward glass bongs? The reason is simple: glass bongs offer the cleanest hits.

Upon tasting your first hit from a glass bong, you’ll notice how pure the flavour is. That’s because, unlike other materials, glass is neutral enough to not affect the taste of the smoke.

Another upside of a glass bong is that resin buildup is easily noticeable, and glass is easy to clean, making maintenance less of a headache too.

Are There Any Disadvantages to Using a Bong?

Aside from the potentially high price point of premium bongs, there aren’t any major disadvantages to consider with this vital piece of stoner kit. Of course, be careful around the more delicate models, and make sure to perform regular maintenance to keep your devices in tip-top condition.

But generally, bongs are awesome to have around. They offer a smoother, cooler, more manageable marijuana smoking experience, alongside huge hits. And they make for excellent centerpieces at the same time! That’s a win-win right there.

Miguel Antonio Ordoñez

With an AB Mass Media and Communications degree, Miguel Ordoñez is a veteran writer of 13 years and counting and has been covering cannabis-related content since 2017. Continuous, meticulous research along with personal experience has helped him build a deep well of knowledge on the subject.

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