If you’ve been shopping for bongs, chances are you’ve run into “percolator”, or “perc” for short, when searching online. Sounds pretty cool, but what exactly is a percolator? A percolator is a device created for your bong and is used to cool down smoke. Percolators assist in creating smoother smoke; this means there is less choking and coughing for your lungs to enjoy the beautiful concentrated hits your bong can produce. Like bongs, percolators come in many shapes and sizes as well as unique designs to match their unique bongs.
How Does a Percolator Work?
Percolators are commonly found in a dome-shaped design. Percs give bongs an extra water chamber to help give the smoke the extra filtration. Percolators are usually located in the tube of the bong and contains water in order to fulfill its function. After you take a drag from your bong, the smoke will interact with the water inside the bowl. The smoke will then travel up the tube, where it interacts with the water again in the percolator. The perc not only cools the smoke further acting as a second water chamber, the pressure in the perc causes the bubbles to break down into smaller bubbles to allow a smoother hit from your bong.
Different Types of Percs
Let’s discuss the different types of percs out there because it will not be an easy decision which one to go with or which one stands out as the best...they all have great qualities in each type. To break it down, it all depends on what level of diffusion you are trying to achieve and how much smoke filtration you prefer.
Tree Percolator
Like the name implies, tree percolators have anywhere from one to eight arms; they are essentially “branches” that are flow paths for the smoke to travel through. Personally, we think the tree perc resembles more of a jellyfish, but who are we to say. Generally, the more arms the bong has, the more detailed the glasswork and the more difficult to make. If you ever get your hands on one, make sure you take very good care of it! They are a rare sight to see. As soon as the smoke and water connect, the smoke filters through the flow paths for further purification, diffuses the herb, and ensures the finished product of smoke will be smooth as silk as it enters your lungs.
Dome Percolator
A dome perc contains a single large dome to direct your smoke to a separate water chamber. Dome percs also offer a triangular-shaped dome with holes on the bottom of the dome to allow the smoke to transfer through.
Coil Percolator
Coil percs are very similar to tree percs because they also have numerous flow paths. However, a coil perc has its arms bent into a shape of a coil (hence the name obviously). The coils bring the smoke into a water chamber to diffuse again for a last time before the smoke enters your lungs. The coil percs can cause a longer drag which can be annoying for some people. We would recommend you try to invest in a good coil perc if you are to go with this type because cheaper ones often experience performance issues. Sometimes you get what you pay for, and this will be one of those times.
Ring/Halo Percolator
Oh hey, another variation of the tree perc. The ring perc has a single bent stem that connects with a U-bend and wraps itself around the stem. This perc usually is accompanied with several holes and are usually more often found paired with smaller bongs. Smaller bongs tend to have a longer drag and will have smoother consistency hits.
Pinwheel Percolator
These percs are a rarer sight than an empty LA freeway. As far as we know, there have only been a few made. The pinwheel perc consists of a swirl pattern that helps rid the toxins from the herbs. They do produce a longer draw but makers promise the benefits outweigh the cons.
Inline Percolator
This perc features slits on the arm varying in size and width, and is located directly in the pipe’s first chamber. The bubbles produced using this perc enhances the diffusion process for the bong.
Honeycomb Percolator
The honeycomb is considered top class of its kind. Honeycomb percs can have up to 100 holes in its design and offers an amazing smoking experience. This type has a nice flat surface to allow perfect hits every single time. Though honeycombs may require more maintenance, top tier products tend to require more attention to continue to work their magic. Our Bolt Bottom Propeller Perc with Oval Honeycomb Perc includes a unique fidget spinner with exceptional diffusion, educed drag and have received very high marks.
Wow. That was a handful, and those aren’t even all of the types. There are others as well, but this should give you a pretty good idea of some of the choices you have in front of you. For the indecisive, it may be a very hard decision to make. We suggest trying out different ones to see which one(s) fancy your taste. Borrow a friend’s and give percolators a shot. Sometimes it pays off to invest in good quality accessories, and a well-made perc is definitely one of those devices you will see a difference in. Don’t wait any longer. Go out and get your hands on a perc ASAP! You will not be disappointed. TokersHub carries more percolator options than you can imagine! Happy smoking friends!
