Types of Bong Percolators: Spot Each One

A bong percolator is a glass piece built inside the chamber that air travels through on its way up. The most common types of bong percolators are tree, honeycomb, showerhead, inline, matrix, turbine and fritted disc. You can tell them apart by shape alone: arms, holes, slits or a flat disc. 

That's the short answer. The long answer is where glassblowers get to show off, and it’s the kind of glass talk you’ll hear at any good cannabis store counter. 

What does a percolator actually do?

Every water pipe pulls air down through the bowl and downstem, into water, and up through the chamber. A percolator adds one more step. It sits in the water and pushes air through small openings, splitting it into many small bubbles instead of one big one. Glassmakers call this diffusion.

Here's the key thing to know: a percolator is a design choice, not a ranking. Two pipes with the same perc can look and act differently because of chamber size, water level and glass shape. So this glossary sticks to what you can see, not which one wins.

How do you identify each percolator type?

Look at three things: the overall shape, where the openings are, and how the perc connects to the rest of the glass. Use the table below as your field guide.

Tree percolators: the chandelier look

A tree perc has one central tube that splits into a ring of thin glass arms. Each arm has a small slit or hole near the bottom. You'll usually find tree percs in tall, straight-tube pipes. Count the arms if you want to sound like a pro at the counter; listings often state the number, like a 6-arm or 8-arm tree.

Honeycomb and fritted discs: the flat ones

Both of these sit flat across the chamber, so people mix them up all the time. A honeycomb perc is clear glass with visible round holes, a bit like a slice of honeycomb. A fritted disc is made from sintered glass, which gives it a frosted, cloudy look with pores too small to see one by one. If you can count the holes, it's a honeycomb. If you can't, it's a frit.

Showerhead and dome percs: the bell shapes

A showerhead perc is a tube that drops into the chamber and ends in a flared bell, with slits cut around the bottom. It looks like the head of a shower turned upside down, which is where the name comes from. A dome perc works on the same idea but uses a cup placed over a tube. Domes show up more often in classic, older-style glass, so spotting one is a nice nod to cannabis history.

Inline and matrix percs: the geometric ones

An inline perc lies sideways along the bottom of the pipe, with slits cut along its length. Because it's horizontal, you'll often see it in short, wide pieces where a vertical perc wouldn't fit. A matrix perc is a small cylinder covered in rows of slits on its sides and top. It's one of the easiest to recognize, because it looks like a little glass cage.

Turbine percs: the swirl

A turbine perc has slits cut at an angle around a disc or cone. The angle sends water spinning in a circle when air passes through. If you see a ring of slanted cuts, you're looking at a turbine.

Can one water pipe have two percs?

Yes. Many pieces stack two percs in one chamber or split them into separate chambers. A common combo is an inline perc at the bottom with a tree or showerhead above it. Listings usually name both, like "inline to tree." More percs mean more glass to rinse, so keep that in mind when you're comparing pieces.

How do you read a percolator listing?

Start with the perc name, then check the details around it. These are the specs worth reading on any listing:

1. Find the perc type in the title or spec table.
2. Check the arm count or slit count if it's listed.
3. Look at the number of chambers.
4. Note the joint size so your bowl and downstem fit.
5. Read the cleaning notes, since complex percs have more nooks.

Want to see these shapes in person? Browse our bongs and water pipes or check out dab rigs, where small recycler and showerhead designs are common.

Percolator FAQs

What's the most common bong percolator?

Tree, showerhead and honeycomb percs are easy to find on Canadian cannabis store shelves . Inline and matrix percs are also easy to find in modern glass.

Is a percolator the same as a diffuser?

Not quite. A diffused downstem has slits at the end of the downstem, which sits under the bowl. A percolator is a separate glass piece built into the chamber. A water pipe can have one, both or neither.

Can you remove a percolator?

Usually not. Most percs are fused into the glass during the blowing process. Some modular pieces let you swap sections, but the listing will say so clearly.

Do more percs change the water level?

They can. Each perc has to sit below the water line to do its job so that multi-perc pieces may take water in more than one chamber. Follow the fill line or the maker's instructions for your exact piece.

Ready to find your perc?

Now you can look at any chamber and name what's inside it. Whether you're drawn to the chandelier arms of a tree perc or the clean lines of an inline, there's a shape for every shelf. Shop water pipes at UNBEATABLE prices at your nearest Canna Cabana cannabis store or online.