How To Use a Bubbler: An Ultimate Guide for Beginners

There are just so many ways to consume cannabis nowadays. Cannabis smoking accessories like bongs, bubblers, and other types of pipes allow recreational users to experiment with new ways of enjoying their favorite drug while helping patients find the best routes of administration to suit their needs.

Amongst these new accessories, you must’ve come across the bubbler. What is it, and how to use a bubbler? Find out all about it here.

What is a Bubbler?

A bubbler is a small handheld water pipe used for smoking. It combines the smooth and filtered smoking experience of a bong with the convenience and portability of a pipe, so it’s like the best of both worlds: pipe and bong.

As a result, you get a smoother inhale that’s not as harsh for the throat and lungs as you get from a bong.

Bubblers are compact, too, which makes them relatively easy to carry around.

They are a trendy piece of equipment and are fast becoming a staple smoking equipment for recreational and medical users alike.

Parts of Bubbler

Bubblers have some essential parts, each with a unique function:

• The Mouthpiece. This is the part where you put your lips to inhale. It’s shaped to fit comfortably into the mouth.
• Bowl. This is where you’ll pack the herb or tobacco. The bowl may be small or large, depending on the bubbler. But no matter how big, never overpack it to keep a smooth airflow.
• Water Chamber. This is the central part of the bubbler where you hold the water. The water cools the smoke, making it less harsh on the body. It also filters out the impurities so that only clean smoke enters your lungs.
• Carb Hole. There’s a small hole on the side of the bubbler that controls the airflow. This part helps you inhale as you pull the smoke into the water chamber covering the carb hole. There, it is released into your lungs.
• Downstem. A small tube runs from the bowl to the water chamber. It ensures the smoke goes through the water and gets filtered as you inhale it.
• Base. This is the bottom part of the bubbler that supports the piece and holds it upright on a flat surface.

Anatomy of a Bubbler

The top of a bubbler contains a mouthpiece connected to a stem, usually curved at a slight angle. The stem then connects to the bowl, where you must load up your weed, and the water chamber is underneath the stem and bowl.

For some bubblers, you can remove the bowl from the stem, making it easier to clear out and pack a bowl of weed. Some bubblers also include a carb hole on the side where air can be controlled, but not all of them include this component.

In the case of single-piece bubblers, the water chamber itself can only hold a minimal amount of water, which is just enough to smooth out the hits of your weed without also being inconvenient.

For example, bongs sometimes contain so much water they can spill and become a mess; dirty bong water will make your house wreak!

In addition to filtering out smoke, adding water chills down the temperature of the smoke, making it quite a pleasant experience overall.

How Does a Bubbler Differ from a Bong?

A bubbler is between a dry pipe and a bong in terms of the size and strength of the hit. What differentiates a bubbler from a bong is that a bubbler typically resembles a pipe in appearance and function. Bubblers usually have a mouthpiece, a bowl, and sometimes a carb, just like a dry pipe.

One key difference between bubblers and bongs is that, for the most part, bubblers only have fixed-down stems, meaning you cannot remove them and clean them. Bongs can have many interchanging components, especially the down stem.

Bubblers typically come in either the “Sherlock” style, where the piece is shaped more like the classic type of pipe smoked by Sherlock Holmes, or a small glass water pipe that may look similar to a bong but is actually a complex bubbler.

A bong tends to be a step up from a bubbler regarding complexity and prestige. Bongs are pretty different from bubblers and pipes. Bongs are vertical pieces in both appearance and functionality.

Bongs are built with an extended mouthpiece and a larger chamber for water. They require a bowl separate from the down stem. Bongs come in many different sizes, but their construction is typically the same all around.

How to Use a Bubbler

Using a bubbler is quite simple, but it is good to know what you are getting yourself into and what you can expect. If you have ever smoked out of a bong or pipe before, using a bubbler will feel relatively natural.

Here’s the step-by-step process of how to use a bubbler:

Step #1

Fill up your bubbler with water so the chamber fills to the point where the bottom of the stem meets. Be sure not to overfill your bubbler; this can cause the water to come back into your mouth and weed bowl.

Step #2

Pack the bowl with freshly ground cannabis.

Step #3

If your bubbler has a carb hole, cover it with your finger, usually the thumb.

Step #4

Place your mouth over the top opening of the bubbler. Hold your mouth there as you go to light your ground cannabis in the bowl.

Step #5

As you are lighting the cannabis, keep your thumb or finger over the carb. Once you have pulled the hit for a few seconds and the weed is thoroughly ignited, remove your thumb and take a deep inhale.

Breathe in the smoke similarly to how you would suck through a straw. The longer you pull the hit with your thumb over the carb, the bigger your hit will be, so if you are not accustomed to smoking a bong or bubbler, start small.

Step #6

Once you have cleared the smoke and taken your hit, take another quick inhale to pull any smoke that might be left inside the glass.

What to Look for in Buying a Bubbler

Bubblers can be made from a wide variety of materials. However, the vast majority available in today’s marketplace are glass bubblers. When choosing a quality bubbler, the most important thing to look for is the type of glass.

Borosilicate glass is a type of German-engineered glass. It is heavy-duty, durable, and heat-tolerant. This type is also used in scientific glass (beakers, test tubes, etc.) and many types/brands of home bakeware (Pyrex).

You may find bubbler pipes that do not specify “scientific,” “lab-quality,” or “borosilicate” glass. If this is the case, you should assume that it is made from another type of glass. This is not necessarily a bad thing. This factor may lower the price of the pipe, which is great if you are on a tight budget.

Just know that you must be extra careful with other glass types: Do not overheat or drop your pipe, as it will almost certainly shatter. Borosilicate glass is not unbreakable but can withstand impacts better than regular glass.

Beyond glass type, everything else is a matter of personal preference. Some smokers prefer deep bowls, others shallow ones. Some like the “Sherlock” style with an extended mouthpiece, while others prefer shorter ones. Your personal preferences will only become clear to you after you have tried one type and used it several times.

For this reason, you might want to consider buying a cheaper bubbler and using it for a while. By then, your preferences will probably have become apparent, and then you can invest in a higher-quality bubbler or choose a different one to try out.

Less standard are wooden bubbler pipes. Most contemporary smokers, particularly younger ones, will gravitate toward glass ones. Wooden bubblers do not produce as clean a vapor as glass ones. They tend to contribute flavor from the wood to whatever herb is smoked. However, some smokers like this, so wooden bubblers are still being produced.

If you are looking for a wooden one, choose one made from some type of hardwood: walnut, maple, and rosewood, which are typical for pipe-making. Bamboo, technically a grass, is also an excellent material for pipes. Just remember, as a general rule, wooden bubblers do not last as long as glass ones.

Tips to Use and Maintain a Bubbler

• Always fill it with clean and fresh water to prevent bacteria buildup and residue.
• Ensure it’s not overfilled with water, or it’ll just keep splashing into your mouthpiece.
• Grind cannabis before using it for an even burn.
• Pack the bowl loosely so that adequate airflow passes through it.
• Inhale slowly and steadily. Let the smoke fill in the chamber without getting overwhelmingly strong.
• Clean your bubbler regularly (at least once a week) to avoid resin buildup
• Use isopropyl alcohol and coarse salt to clean the stubborn debris and resin.
• Refuel the water daily to keep it clean and fresh.

Conclusion

You can take a smoother hit once you’ve learned how to use a bubbler. Just don’t forget to fill the bowl with your desired variant of cannabis, fill the chamber with water (fill it, don’t overflow it!), and enjoy gentle and slow draws.

Also, keep the bubbler clean and follow the tips above to maximize your bubbler experience.