How to Choose a Bong | Straight-Talking Guide From Willy Banjo
We’ve sold bongs since 1993 — glass, acrylic, silicone, ceramic, the lot. This is the guide we’d actually give someone stood at the counter asking “which one’s best?”
Quick Answer: Which Bong Should You Choose?
If you want the cleanest flavour and smoothest smoke, choose glass.
If you want something cheap, tough, and beginner-friendly, choose acrylic.
If you need something almost unbreakable for travel, festivals, or clumsy hands, choose silicone.
If you want a display piece or novelty design, choose ceramic.
For most first-time buyers, we usually recommend either a simple glass beaker bong for flavour or an acrylic bong if durability and price matter most.
Bong Types Compared
| Type | Best For | Durability | Cleaning | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass | Flavour, smoothness | Fragile — handle with care | Easy (isopropyl alcohol or LimPuro) | £–£££ |
| Acrylic | Budget, first bong, festivals | Very tough, won’t shatter | Easy, but scratches over time | £ |
| Silicone | Travel, outdoors, clumsy hands | Practically indestructible, foldable | Easiest — dishwasher safe | ££ |
| Ceramic | Looks, novelty designs | Fragile like glass | Moderate — hand-shaped interiors trap residue | ££–£££ |
Glass Bongs
Still the benchmark for taste and airflow. Borosilicate glass (the good stuff) handles heat better and lasts longer than cheap soda-lime glass. Look for thicker glass at stress points — the joint and base — since that’s where breaks happen.
Percolators are the glass bit that filters and cools the smoke as it passes through — more percs generally means a smoother hit, but also more drag and more surfaces to clean. If you’re new to glass, a simple straight tube or beaker base with a single percolator is the easiest starting point.
We stock Chongz and Basil Bush glass across both styles. Chongz runs 9mm thick-walled glass on most of their better pieces — that’s a real spec difference, not marketing. Basil Bush Mini Percolator bongs start from £19.99 and are a solid first glass piece.
Acrylic Bongs
The honest choice for anyone who’s going to knock it over, take it to a festival, or just wants to try bongs without spending much. Acrylic won’t give you the same taste as glass, but it’ll survive a fall that would write off a glass piece. Good option for a first bong or a second “beater” alongside a nicer glass one.
Basil Bush and Half Baked acrylic bongs start from around £14.99. If you’re buying your first bong and you’re not sure how much use it’ll get, acrylic makes sense.
Silicone Bongs
The toughest option going — drop it, stand on it, fold it into a bag. Genuinely useful if you’re travelling or just prone to accidents. We stock the Bounce ‘Warp Drive’ silicone bong which has a removable glass percolator — worth having if flavour matters to you, since all-silicone can affect taste slightly. The glass component is replaceable if it goes.
Browse all bongs including silicone →
Ceramic Bongs
Chosen for looks first — hand-shaped, painted, novelty designs you won’t find in glass or acrylic. Treat them like glass: fragile, hand-wash only, and check inside for glaze coverage, since unglazed interiors are harder to clean properly. More of a shelf piece than an everyday piece, but they do work.
Size: Bigger Isn’t Always Better
A taller bong with more chamber volume can smooth out a hit, but it also means more smoke to clear and slower rips. Smaller bongs are more forgiving for beginners and easier to clean. If in doubt, start smaller — you can always size up.
Maintenance and Cleaning
A dirty bong doesn’t just taste bad — it ruins the smoothness that’s the whole point of using one. Basic upkeep:
- Rinse with warm water after each use where you can
- Deep clean weekly (or after every few sessions) with isopropyl alcohol and coarse salt as an abrasive — shake, rinse, done
- Change your water regularly, not just when it goes cloudy
- Silicone pieces can go straight in the dishwasher
- For a proper clean without the mess, LimPuro Bio Bong Cleaner cuts through resin in minutes and is biodegradable — we stock it from £5
We’ve got a full walkthrough in our Clean It or Bin It guide.
Spares and Extras Worth Having
Once you’ve picked your bong, a few extras make a real difference:
- Bowls and downstems — spares mean one chip doesn’t end your session. Also lets you swap between dry herb and different bowl sizes.
- Ash catchers — sits between bowl and bong, catches ash and adds extra filtration, keeps your main piece cleaner for longer.
- Percolator/pipe screens — stops debris being pulled through, cheap and easy to replace.
- LimPuro Bio Bong Cleaner — cuts the job down from twenty minutes of scrubbing to a couple of shakes, and it’s biodegradable.
All of these are in our Bongs & Accessories range.
FAQ
What’s the best bong material for a beginner?
Acrylic or silicone — both are forgiving if dropped and cheap enough that a mistake doesn’t sting. If you want to start with glass, a small Basil Bush percolator bong from £19.99 is a solid entry point.
How often should I clean my bong?
Rinse after every session, deep clean at least weekly. Residue builds up fast and affects taste within days. LimPuro Bio Bong Cleaner makes the deep clean significantly easier.
Do more percolators mean a better hit?
Not always. More percs mean smoother, cooler smoke, but also more drag and more cleaning. One good percolator is often better than three mediocre ones.
Is glass or acrylic better for flavour?
Glass, by a clear margin. Acrylic can leave a faint plastic taste, especially when new.
Can silicone bongs go in the dishwasher?
Yes — one of the main reasons people choose them. Check the bowl/downstem first if it’s glass.
30+ years of doing this on Lowthian Street, Preston. If you’re not sure what’s right for you, call us on 01772 887772 — real advice, no hard sell.