From beakers to dab rings and recyclers to straight tubes, bongs are available a broad range of shapes and sizes. But did you know that most bongs can be equipped with a percolator? In the simplest of terms, a percolator bong is a bong with a percolator inside of it. Which leads us to the next question . . . what’s a percolator? And no, it’s not an old-style coffeemaker, although it works in similar fashion.

Percolators are small design features that are built in to a bong. Most of the time, they’re referred to as “percs.” They’re usually located inside the tube component and are available in different shapes and sizes. While they’re commonly made from glass, some are made from metal and silicone as well. Regardless of their construction, shape or size, they all have one thing in common – additional filtration of your smoke.

Now that you’ve had a crash course or introduction to percolators and what they do, let’s look at the different types that might be found in a bong. While there are literally dozens of different percolators available, the 5 listed below are the most common:

• Disk percolators – this is simply a disc with holes or slits in it. It’s very sturdy, but it does create harsher hits.
• Honeycomb percolators – as the name implies, this type of percolator resembles a honeycomb. It’s a disc with numerous small holes. This diffuses the smoke and provides a much smoother bong hit.
• Showerhead percolators – as the most common type of percolator, this one looks like (you guessed it) a showerhead. It typically has anywhere from 12 to 20 holes or slits and can diffuse smoke more thoroughly than other types of percolators.
• Tree percolators – as one of the older percolator styles, these percolators get their name from branches or trees. They’ll have anywhere from 2-7 arms, each one with a set of holes or slits. Tree percolators also provide extremely smooth hits.
• Turbine percolators – these percolators resemble turbine engines because of their blades that help spin the bong water and diffuse the smoke. Turbine percolator bongs are pretty tall, meaning you’ll need lots of water to filter the smoke.

The biggest benefit to smoking cannabis in a percolator bong is that it dramatically cools and filters the smoke and results in hits that are considerably smoother on your lungs and throat. Percolator bongs tend to make the flavor of your weed pop more than other types of bongs. For additional information, please e-mail your questions to Tank Glass at support@tankglass.us. Browse our wide collection of bongs, pipes and beakers to enhance your smoking experience.