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Best Pipes for Beginners - Which One Should You Get?

Best Pipes for Beginners - Which One Should You Get?

So you’ve finally gotten into enjoying greenery. Perhaps you’ve hit one of those jazz cigarettes, but those can be hard to roll and they require a minimum amount of herb.

A pipe is a much better way to smoke. They are easier to use and you can control how much herb you pack in the bowl. A pipe also does not need to stay lit to keep smoking. Overall, it’s just a better way to smoke, so it’s the obvious way to go.

But how do you choose your first pipe? There are so many different types of pipes, how do you know you’re getting the right one? Should you get the one with the biggest bowl, or maybe the smallest?

When it comes to purchasing a pipe, it’s mostly a matter of preferences. Let’s take a look at some pipes, and we’ll show you what people like about them.

What Is a Pipe?

A pipe is a device used for smoking dry herbs. While you can use a glass pipe for tobacco, the preferred material for smoking tobacco is wood. If you’re smoking herb, it’s best to use a glass pipe.

Glass is the prize material for smoking flowers because you can taste the herbs, it’s heat resistant and easy to clean. While glass can break, a thick glass pipe is pretty durable.

A pipe has a bowl, a chamber/stem, a mouthpiece, and often a “carb.” A carb is short for “carburetor,” it’s a hole near the bowl that helps you clear the chamber when it’s full of smoke.

Top 5 Beginner Pipes

Ok, so we know what a pipe is. What’s a good pipe for beginners? Here are our top five pipes for first-timers. Even seasoned smokers will love these simple styles.

1. Blue Glass Spoon Pipe

A spoon pipe is the most simple design for a glass pipe, named for its spoon-like shape. If you ask a hundred stoners to “draw a pipe” with no further instruction, a spoon pipe will be the most common drawing.

This blue glass spoon pipe is pretty basic, but that’s what you want in a beginner pipe. It’s 4 inches long, which is a great size for portability without having the flame right in your face.

It’s got a nice big bowl and it’s got an awesome glass design that will look even cooler as it fills with resin. The carb is on the right side, so right-handed people can easily control it with their thumb.

If you’re looking for something simple and easy, here it is.

2. Pill Steamroller Pipe by Bougie

If you’re looking for something as simple as a spoon pipe but hits harder, you might like a steamroller.

A steamroller, also known as a shotgun, is a glass tube with a bowl on the top. The carb is on the end. You fill the massive chamber of the steamroller with smoke, release the carb, and take a massive hit.

Some people prefer the way you hold a steamroller over the way you hold a spoon pipe.

This 6.5-inch pill pipe by Bougie delivers massive hits. If you want something that hits as hard as a bong without having to deal with water, this will do the trick.

3. Silicone Sherlock Pipe

You might have guessed this already. A Sherlock pipe is called such because it looks like the type of pipe that Sherlock Holmes is depicted with.

It’s a popular style of pipe, but not the best for beginners because the shape is a bit more delicate.

But that’s where silicone comes in.

Our silicone Sherlock pipe is nearly indestructible. It’s fitted with a glass screen bowl which prevents ash from coming through.

Do you find carbs annoying? This one doesn’t have one. It also comes in many vibrant colors.

If you’re looking for a pipe that’s great for parties, this bright silicone Sherlock will do the trick. it can take a licking and keep on hitting. It is also harder to lose since it's so bright.

4. Mini Pink Glass Pipe

Sometimes you just want something small and discreet. This 2.5-inch glass pink pipe is great for that.

It’s basically the same pipe as the first one we listed, just half the size. It’s got a right-hand carb and a couple of glass bubbles to make it easy to hold.

If you’re looking for something that fits easily in your tiny purse, this is a great choice. It’s a nice discreet pipe, and you can get a fair amount of hits out of one bowl. 

5. OG Chillum Glass One-Hitter

This is another great choice for a discrete pipe. There are a few main differences between this and the mini glass pink pipe.

This is a chillum, which means it’s just a tube of glass with a bowl on the end. It’s meant to contain one or two hits and does not have a carb.

This OG Glass chillum is 4.5 inches long and ½ an inch in diameter. If you want a discreet pipe that doesn’t have the flame right in your face, this is a great addition.

Things to Consider When Buying Your First Pipe

What factors go into a great pipe? Of course, it’s a matter of preference, but you’ll want to consider the style and material of your pipe. Let’s break those down.

Types of Pipes

Here are the main types of pipes beginners go for. This is not an exhaustive list, but most people look at these when selecting their first pipe.

  • Spoon - shaped like a spoon. It has a mouthpiece, a chamber, and a bowl with a carb on the side. It’s the most basic herb pipe.
  • Steamroller - shaped like a tube with a bowl on top. The carb is on the end. Steamrollers deliver massive hits.
  • Chillum - a straight or cone-shaped pipe with no carb. They originally come from South America, where they were made of clay or stone. Today’s chillums are mainly made of glass. They are great discreet one-hitters.
  • Sherlock - A glass pipe that resembles the pipe wielded by Sherlock Holmes. While Sherlock’s pipe is never specified in the stories, he’s usually shown smoking a gourd Calabash which is a type of wooden tobacco pipe. In the world of herb pipes, a Sherlock pipe has an elongated chamber. It cools down the smoke a bit more than your standard spoon pipe.
  • Bubbler - A pipe with a water chamber to cool down the smoke. Not to be confused with a “water pipe” which is what you used to have to call bongs. Like bongs, bubblers use water to filter and cool down the smoke. That said, bubblers are much more portable and easier to use than a bong.

Size and Durability

The next thing you want to consider when buying a hand pipe is it’s size and durability. Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to pipes. If you want something you can hit easily with no one noticing, you might want to go for a chillum.

However, if the pipe mainly sits on your desk until you have friends over, you might want something with a big bowl.

Durability is also something you’ll want to consider. If you are clumsy, you might want to get a silicone pipe. They are nearly indestructible. That said, a thick glass pipe can usually take a few drops as long as it doesn’t land on concrete.

Final Recommendations

Still a little lost when it comes to beginner pipes? We understand, there’s a lot to take in. Our personal favorite for a beginner pipe is the blue glass spoon pipe.

It’s 4 inches long, which means it fits well in a pocket but you still don't have a flame right in your face. It’s got a nice deep bowl so you can pass it around a circle at least a couple of times.

It’s got a beautiful design, but not too many frills otherwise.

We hope this guide to the best beginner pipes helps you in your journey.

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