Comparison of Different Types of Hand Pipes
Hand pipes are by and far easy to use and one of the most portable devices individuals can utilize for smoking their tobacco. However, hand pipes can deliver harsher smoke than, say, bongs or rigs because there is no water filtration (with the exception of bubblers and spubblers). Therefore, hand pipes are usually recommended for more experienced smokers, although some beginners may enjoy them as well. Click here to read more about which device might be best for you. Below you will find descriptions and benefits to some of the most common hand pipe types we offer at Smokea.
Dry Hand Pipes
One-Hitters. As the name suggests, these pipes are small enough for only one hit at a time. They are made from a variety of materials and offer the discreteness and portability many smokers enjoy. Some one-hitters come with a dugout for portable storage and easy loading on the go. Click here to learn more about dugouts.
Glass Cigars. These pipes are great for people who typically like to roll their own but would like to own a glass hand pipe. Glass cigars are just like regular cigar wraps except with a glass design. Most Glass cigars include an extendable mouthpiece that you pull back to load your tobacco. Then you push the mouthpiece forward throughout your smoking session to eject the ash. Some feature more unique ways to eject your ash such as the Twisty Glass Cigar from 7 Pipe.
Chillums. These hand pipes are the simplest in design, as they are just a straight tube with one end used for holding lit tobacco and the other end used for inhaling. Most chillums are going to be on the cheaper end in terms of price, but some heady pieces can range closer to $50. Most varieties of chillums will be manufactured out of glass or titanium.
Spoons. Another simple and easy-to-use design, spoons are great for beginners and look more like an actual pipe. Spoons include a bowl at one end for lighting tobacco and a mouthpiece at the other end for inhaling. Some spoon pipes include carbs for creating smoother hits and clearing that stale left over smoke. These pipes are also straight in design and come in basic or heady glass styles. We even carry a silicone pipes for those who worry about breaking a glass piece.
Sherlocks. These pipes are more traditional and are the style people usually associate with characters like Sherlock Holmes. The mouthpiece on these pipes is curved upward from the bowl, which may or may not include a carb. This style is typically constructed of glass, wood, or metal, so there is more variety for users who prefer different pipe material.
Steamrollers. These pipes look like chillums in design, but are notorious for delivering much harder hits than the average pipe. The bowl on these pipes is usually indented into the top on one end of the pipe, with the mouthpiece being at the other end. Users light their product, cover the open end near the bowl with their hand, fill the pipe with smoke, and then inhale all at once. Some steamrollers are fashioned with a nail, instead of a bowl, intended for oil use. Both designs can only be used with their intended product, so be sure you have the correct one before purchasing.
Specialty Pipes. Specialty Pipes include any type of hand pipe that doesn't quite fit into any other hand pipe category or is a mix between two types. Specialty Pipes are often very unique pipes that add something different that most pipes don't offer. This can include anything from themed pipes, novelty pipes and metal pipes.
Water Hand Pipes
Bubblers. These pipes can be a bit larger than the other hand pipes and look more like mini water pipes, but some varieties can be quite small and portable. Bubblers use water to cool the smoke before inhalation and can be great for users transitioning from water pipes to dry hand pipes or vice versa.
Spubblers. As the name indicates, Spubblers are a cross between a spoon and bubbler hand pipe. This allows users to enjoy the convenient size and shape of a spoon while still being able to filter their smoke for smoother, cooler hits. Spubblers are usually made of glass and typically include some sort of percolator inside the spoon.
- Abbigail Montgomery