10 Best Bubblers for 2023
When you get a dub, nothing beats packing it into a bub– a bubbler that is.
Bubblers are great glass pieces. They give a smooth, water-filtered hit, but are still easy to carry around. They’re some of the most versatile pieces a stoner can own.
But there’s so many bubblers available, which one is the best? Here’s our bubbler breakdown.
What is a Bubbler?
A bubbler is what happens when a bong and a pipe make sweet, sweet love and have a little glass baby. It's smaller and more portable than a bong. It also has water.
We're past the days of needing to call bongs "water pipes." A bubbler is actually much closer to a water pipe than a bong, since they are mainly pipes with water.
If you’re the kind of person who wants smooth hitson the go, a bubbler is a good choice.
A bubbler may or may not have a removable bowl. The term “bubbler” can vary. What matters most is size.
A bubbler is a smoking device that uses water, but is smaller than a standard bong.
Top 10 Bubblers for 2023
Looking for a bubbler? We’ve got ten excellent options. Feel free to click on any of the links if you see something you like.
1. Mini Bubbler by SWRV Glass
Let’s start with the basics. Want something simple and easy? Here you go. It doesn’t get more classic than this little 4-inch number by SWRV glass.
Worried about taking it places? Don’t. It fits perfectly into a padded pipe pouch. This is a great piece to keep in your backpack or purse.
Put it in your hiking gear bag so you can have a great hit at the top of the mountain.
Pros:
- Perfect for travel
- Easy to clean
- Can function as a regular pipe without water
Cons:
- Small size means limited filtration
2. 8” Honeycomb Bubbler
Maybe you’re not one for simple glass pieces. If you want something with better filtration, you’ll want something with percs. In that case, check out this honeycomb bubbler.
At 8 inches tall, this piece blurs the line between bubbler and bong. We consider this piece to be a bubbler because of its small size and lack of ice catcher.
However, if someone were to call it a “mini bong,” they wouldn’t be entirely wrong.
We love this design because changing the water is super easy. Honeycomb percs give great filtration and are also easy to clean.
Pros:
- Honeycomb percs give great filtration
- Good for flowers and concentrates
- Stemless design gives smooth hits
Cons:
- No ice catcher
3. Sapphire Bubbler
Want something a bit more aesthetic? Check out one of our most unique bubblers.
This eye-catching piece by Diamond Glass will ignite the imagination with you ignite your herb.
We love how this fits in your hand. The removal bowl rips like a bong. At the same time, it’s small size makes it easy to hold.
This bubbler is an innovative pipe/bong hybrid.
Pros:
- Enticing design
- Diffused downstem
- No splashback
Cons:
- No percs
4. 8” Showerhead Bubbler by Diamond Glass
This percolator bubbler gives amazing smooth rips. With its removable bowl, this bubbler also mainly functions as bong.
However, due to its portable size, we consider it a bubbler.
This piece by Diamond Glass gives great filtration and no splashback. Due to its design, you have to hold it at a really weird angle to get a splash when you hit it.
If you’re tired of “bong kisses,” give this one a try.
Pros:
- Showerhead perc gives great filtration
- Taller design cools smoke more
- Includes a 14mm bowl
Cons:
- Harder to travel with
5. Bubbler With Bowl by Bougie Glass
Clear glass is nice, but some people prefer color. This splash-free bubbler by Bougie Glass gives us some serious alien vibes.
Bust this out when you’re ready to blast off into space.
Are you looking for a bubbler that you can also use to vape concentrate? This one’s great. You can easily replace the bowl with a quartz banger if you want to do dabs with this.
It’s a little easier to do dabs with than the bubblers that have the bowl directly on top.
Pros:
- Cool green color
- Bottom heavy design is hard to tip
- Includes a 14mm bowl
Cons:
- Can’t add ice
6. Oil Rig Bubbler
Now if you’re looking for a bubbler specifically to do dabs with, take a look over here. This simple dab rig bubbler will meet all your vaping needs.
This one features an 18mm male joint with a female banger. This is different from most rigs that have a female joint and a male banger.
We like this style a bit more because it tends to stick less as concentrate collects in the bubbler.
Pros:
- Quartz banger perfect for concentrate
- Portable
- Color ages well with use
Cons:
- Only has a diffused downstem
7. Tree Perc Bubbler
Here’s another little hand-held water pipe that gives nice smooth hits. The 8-arm tree percolator makes your smoke nice and smooth.
The neck comes with a little notch to prevent splashback, which is crucial. Bubbler water can get nasty quickly since they’re so small and efficient.
It’s got a heavy base, so you don’t have to worry about it getting knocked around. The tree percs on this are also attached to the side, which makes them extra sturdy.
You don’t have to worry about an errant tap breaking your tree percs. That said, tree percs can be hard to clean.
Pros:
- Tree percs give great filtration
- Bottom heavy design adds stability
- Bent neck makes hits easier
Cons:
- Tree percs are hard to clean
8. Glow In The Dark Hammer Bubbler
Now we’re getting back to the pipe-style bubblers. This one seems pretty simple– at first, but if you leave it in the sun for a bit, you’re in for a treat.
It glows blue-green in the dark.
Ok, so it’s a little gimmicky, but it’s cool. The 6-inch hammer design makes it easy to set down in between tokes.
The glow in the dark factor makes it feel nostalgic.
Pros:
- Glow in the dark color is dope
- Simple intuitive design
- Easy to clean
Cons:
- Simple design means no percs
9. Radioactive Green Bubbler by AFM
If you prefer simple yet cool pipes, you’ll love this radioactive green hammer bubbler. It’s got a flat bottom and glass notches.
This is the perfect type of pipe to keep at your desk, or pop into a case to take it on the go.
It may lack cool features like percolators, but we really love its no-frills design. This is one of our favorites to take camping.
It uses very little water, making a great choice when you have to carry your own.
Pros:
- Awesome radioactive green color
- Flat bottom makes it easy to set down
- No-frills design
Cons:
- Lacks percolation
10. Pink Double Bubbler with Gold Fume
We had to include something for the girly stoners! This pink dub-bub with a gold flume is both gorgeous and gives amazing hits.
The double chambers sound really cool when you hit the pipe. It also gives an extra-smooth hit.
Repeated use will cause this to change colors into a very striking pattern.
Worried that the intricate design will break? Dont. It’s made of double-blown glass for extra durability.
Pros:
- Double chambers for double filtration
- Easy to use design
- Lovely pink color
Cons:
- Harder to clean
Bongs vs Bubblers: What’s the Difference?
Size is the main difference between a bong and bubbler. A bubbler is a smoking device that uses water, is 8 inches or smaller, and does not contain an ice catcher.
Some people consider a bubbler to be a pipe that contains water, but does not have a removable bowl. We do not make this distinction.
The reason for this is we have a lot of pieces like this Sapphire Bubbler or this Four Chamber Bubbler that have removable bowls, but still more closely resemble a pipe.
Bubblers are a natural hybrid piece. We also have a lot of creative glass artists. Thus, we have included a range of items that can be considered bubblers.
The main thing though is size. If you are looking for a smaller smoking piece that still filters water, get a bubbler.
How To Choose The Best Bubbler
Choosing the best bubbler is like choosing the best pizza. Everyone’s got likes and dislikes, but at the end of the day it’s all pretty good.
Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll want to consider when you’re looking for a bubbler.
Size/Portability
Of course size matters. Size is the main determining factor in what makes a water pipe a bubbler rather than a bong. Our bubblers are all 8 inches or smaller.
Some people prefer larger bubblers. A larger chamber can provide a bigger hit. Larger bubblers also tend to have more space for percolators.
However, smaller bubs have their advantages. Namely, the smaller any piece is, the easier it is to travel with. Smaller bubbles are great because they can easily fit in a purse or a backpack.
They also require less water to get a smooth hit. Most pipe-style bubblers can even be used without water.
Brand Names
If you want a quality glass piece, look at the brand. Not all glass companies are created equal. Brand names tend to use higher quality glass than random no-name products you might see in a head shop.
At bassassglass.com, we feature top-quality glass creators such as AFM, SWRV, Diamond, and Bougie Glass.
We seek out glass blowers from all over Southern California to bring you the best glass products.
Percolation
If you want the smoothest possible hit, you’ll want to get a bubbler with some percolators in it. Percolators are extra filters glass blowers put into a bubbler.
They force the smoke to go through water more, so your hit gets extra smooth.
There are many types of percolators. The most common percs you’ll see are tree percs, but we’ve also got bubblers with showerhead and honeycomb percs.
That said, percs do make a piece harder to clean. If you want to keep things simple, you might want to choose a hammer-style bubbler.
Glass Quality
The quality of your glass will determine your bubbler’s lifespan. Of course, the best way to keep your bubbler in one piece is to keep it in a case when you’re not using it.
That said, certain types of glass are more durable than others.
Borosilicate, aka scientific glass, is far more durable than regular glass. Glass can also be double blown for extra durability like with this Double Chamber Bubbler.
Budget
Of course, when it comes to glassware, money talks. Simpler designs tend to be more budget-friendly.
That said, if you’re itching for a fancy bong, a nice bubbler might be a little more within reach than a massive bong.
Smaller pieces like bubblers don’t need as much glass, so they’re often cheaper than bngs.
The Best Bubbler: Our Top Pick
Ok we’ve been through all this info about bubblers, but which one is the best? In our humble opinion, the best bubbler is the Radioactive Green Bubbler by AFM.
It’s the perfect no-frills bubbler. The color is badass. It hits nice and smooth and it’s easy to hold. AFM really knocked it out the park with this design.
If you’re looking for an amazing bubbler, look no further. No matter what you need in a bubbler, we’ve got you covered.
These hybrid pieces are amazing, be sure to add one to your collection today!