BONG BOWLS

Bong bowl sizes

What is a bong without a bowl but a vase without flowers? In short, a bong bowl is an essential piece of every water pipe.

The smoking bowl slides into the joint of your bong with the crucial purpose of holding your legal dry herb. Bong slides come in different sizes and genders so it’s key to make sure that the glass slipper fits or your fairytale ending may not come true.

We’ve provided a detailed guide to the magical kingdom of weed, crystal bowl sizes and much more.

There are three standard bong bowl sizes: 10mm, 14mm and 18mm. The most common is 14mm. Larger 18mm bowls are fairly common for bigger bongs but 10mm are rare given their extremely small size. The diameter you should get depends on your bong’s corresponding joint.

Joint sizes

The three bong joint sizes are 10mm, 14mm and 18mm. 

10mm joint

These are called nano or micro joints. They are the least common size really only seen on pendant and mini dab rigs. 

14mm joint

Most small-medium sized bongs have a 14mm bong bowl and joint. It is the most common size. 

18mm joint

This size is ideal for larger bongs which require more airflow to take massive bong rips. 

How to measure joint size using a dime

An easy way to determine how big your joint size is without having to take out a ruler or simply guess is to use a dime to compare. If the dime falls in, then you’ve got yourself an 18mm joint. If the diameter of the dime is about the same as the joint but a sliver fits inside, it’s most likely a 14mm. If the diameter of the dime is slightly larger, it’s a 10mm joint. 

Bong Joint Gender

The gender of a bong joint is either female or male. If the joint is female, you’ll need a male bong bowl piece to slide in. If the joint is male, you’ll need a female bong slide that fits over the joint. The most common setup is a 14mm bong bowl that fits into the corresponding female joint.  

FAQ

Are all bong bowls the same?

No, they come in different sizes. It’s key to check both the size and gender before purchasing. 

Which bowl should I use for my bong?

You can determine the bowl size using the dime method mentioned above. The bowl you should get depends on the size and gender of the joint. 

What gender is my bong joint?

Think back to anatomy. Generally, the joint is female and the bong bowl male for most water pipes. The male bong bowl piece will slide into the female joint. Although less common, there are bongs that have a female bong bowl and male joint. It all depends on your setup.  

How much do bong bowls cost?

Generally, expect to pay $10-25 for a bong bowl. More intricate designs with embellishments and figurine work can cost upwards of $55-85 depending on the complexity of the design. Handmade, unique bong bowls made by professional glass blowers tend to be significantly costlier than a standard funnel style glass bong bowl.  

How to make a gravity bong bowl?

Using the cap of the 2-liter container or a Gatorade bottle, use a sharp tool like a knife or scissors to drill a hole through the center. Widen the hole to roughly the size of your pinky using a swiss army knife. Next, shape aluminum foil into the bowl and push it partially into the bottle cap. Wrap the foil around the cap and poke a few holes through the middle so that the smoke can get through.

What can I use instead of a bowl for my bong?

Your bong slide cracked, is nowhere to be found or lost deep within your couch. The herb is ready to be packed and you don’t have time to spare. A homemade bong bowl replacement can be made from many things around the house or your fridge. 

You can craft one out of aluminum foil and the top of a water bottle but we recommend a veggie or fruit bong bowl. The best part is you can customize the fruit bowl piece to the exact size of your downstem. Just make sure the edges are thick so the bowl doesn’t simply fall apart with your precious herb in it. 

If you don’t want to take a trip to the supermarket, a few other household items you can use are a screwdriver socket or metal hose nozzle.

What are bong bowls made of? 

Smoking bowls are generally made from heat-resistant borosilicate glass or quartz.  

Is smoking out of a bowl better? 

This really is up to personal preference but compared to blunts or joints, smoking out of a glass bong bowl provides a smoother experience. Bongs and bubblers use water to filter and cool smoke so smoking a bowl is less harsh than taking a drag from a blunt. Some include additional percolators and other features like ice catchers or glycerin coils so you’re able to take a larger hit than you would with a joint. Also, since you’re not using rolling papers or tobacco, the taste and aroma is distinct from using a glass smoking bowl.