What is a Percolator Water Pipe?
PERCOLATOR WATER PIPES
Percolator Water Pipes are water pipes designated for the experienced smoker. A percolator inside of the tube part provides two water filtration cycles, which basically means, that it cools the smoke even more than a classic water bong. Percolator water pipes are usually sturdy pieces with interesting designs and come with a glass on glass down stem.
Percolators: What They Do & What Are The Benefits
If you’ve been smoking for a while, then chances are that you’ve heard the word “percolator” or “perc” before. Even if you are a veteran smoker with plenty of experience, the word percolator might still be shrouded in mystery. However, percolators are critical to smoker culture. Though they are not required in a water pipe, they have become somewhat standard. Here, we’ll discuss the purpose and function of percolators, and the various types that can be included with water pipes.
What is a Water Pipe Percolator?
The goal of smoking out of a water pipe is to make the smoking process feel much smoother. A percolator aims to further that goal by cooling down the smoke, and provide premium filtration. There are several different types of percolators, and each has a slightly different effect.
Why Use a Water Pipe With a Percolator?
For some who are not familiar with water pipes, the prospect of smoking out of one may be slightly intimidating. The cultural stigma around water pipes causes them to appear somewhat more potent than other smoking instruments. And, in a certain sense, they are.
While the smoke will lose some of the effect going through two chambers of water, the intake will be far easier. This will enable most people to ingest more smoke than they normally would. For most, this trade-off will be well worth it.
10 Styles of Percolators
All percolators will provide an additional layer of filtration for the smoke, making for a much more enjoyable and smooth smoking experience. However, different percolators will accomplish this in a different manner. They will also contribute a different aesthetic touch to each piece. These are some of the most common styles of percolators.
1. Honeycomb Percolators
The shape of honeycomb percs give them the functionality they need to filter smoke with such efficiency. The round discs fit perfectly in the tube of the water pipe, and the small holes excel in diffusing the smoke. Most of all, they accomplish this without slowing down the smoking process.
2. Tree Percolators
Tree percolators are fairly simple. Within the tube of the bong, there is a collection of rods that resemble tree limbs. With a few slits per “limb”, there will be plenty of diffusion.
3. Inline Percolators
Inline percolators are simply horizontal tubes with several slits in them– the more slits there are, the more percolation takes place. They often complement other percolators above them.
4. Matrix Percolator
Matrix percolators are located in the center, with plenty of space around them, making for quite the aesthetic look. Because the top holes do not have much resistance, the lower holes are not likely to bring enough smoke in. A matrix percolator operates in a similar way to shower head percs.
5. Turbine Percolators
Turbine percolators excel in function while also delivering a unique aesthetic. The shape of the percolator causes water to travel up the sides of the pipe, providing effective filtration in addition to incredible visuals.
The most powerful of all percolators, fritted disc percs are a similar, yet slightly more intense version of honeycomb percs. With even more holes, they will fill your piece with bubbles, producing plenty of smoke for you to inhale. Unfortunately, the sheer quantity of holes makes cleaning a nightmare (though it’s well worth it for the adventurous smoker).
7. Showerhead Percs
Showerhead percs use a tube that connects to the main chamber to bring smoke back through a larger tube, directing the smoke down and into another percolator with varying quantities of slits. From there, most pieces direct the smoke to a second percolator.
8. Spiral Perc
Also referred to as a coil percolator, this style simply brings the smoke through the coil and increases the cooling potential. It is also a welcome visual feature. Compared to other percolators, spiral percs provide smoother and longer drags.
9. Faberge Egg Percs
While a Faberge egg percolator will not efficiently filter smoke independently, it will work well when paired with another percolator. Instead, placing a Faberge egg perc within close proximity to another percolator will allow the smoke to filter and spread out, giving the bubbles more surface area. Additionally, they bring an appealing aesthetic to the table.
10. Downstems
Downstems are far more basic than percolators, in both appearance and function. In fact, they are what initially separated water pipes from dry pipes. A downstem is simply a tube that sits in the main water chamber, allowing air to enter the chamber. This creates an improved airflow.
Downstems are a common feature for water pipes. They can be easily removed and cleaned, and replaced by different downstems when needed. However, make sure that the downstem is the appropriate size.
Regardless of the percolator style that you prefer, a water pipe with a percolator will surely improve your smoking experience. There is no substitute for the feeling that continuous smooth hits give you.