Percolator Buying Guide
Percolators filter and cool your smoke for smoother hits. Here's a guide to every type and how to choose the right one.
What Is a Percolator?
A percolator (perc) is a water filtration device built into bongs and water pipes. It forces smoke or vapor through water to filter out harshness, cool the temperature, and deliver a smoother hit. More percolation = smoother hits.
Types of Percolators
Tree Percolator
Multiple arms extend downward from a central tube, each with slits at the bottom. Creates many bubbles for effective filtration. Good balance of function and cleanability.
Honeycomb Percolator
A flat disc with dozens of small holes shaped like a honeycomb. Extremely efficient filtration with minimal drag. Very popular in mid-range bongs.
Showerhead Percolator
A tube that flares into a disc with slits around the rim. Looks like a showerhead. Strong filtration, easy to clean, low drag.
Inline Percolator
A horizontal tube with slits on the bottom, sitting parallel to the base. Creates long chains of bubbles. Clean look, effective filtration.
Matrix Percolator
A cylindrical grid of tiny holes all around the outside. Maximum filtration and diffusion. Creates an impressive amount of bubbles but can be hard to clean.
Turbine Percolator
Angled slits create a spinning vortex of water. Visually stunning and provides moderate filtration. Often used as a secondary perc.
Disc / Puck Percolator
A solid disc with micro-holes. Very smooth diffusion, minimal drag. Easy to clean.
How Many Percs Do You Need?
- 1 perc: Smooth, efficient, and easy to clean. Great for most users.
- 2 percs: Very smooth. Good for larger bongs or heavy users. Slightly more drag.
- 3+ percs: Maximum filtration. Heavy, harder to clean, and requires more lung capacity to pull through.
Choosing the Right Perc for You
- New to bongs? Start with a single honeycomb or showerhead perc.
- Want smooth hits? Tree or matrix perc.
- Prefer low drag? Inline or disc perc.
- Want a show? Turbine or multi-perc setups.
Come see our hookah and glass selection at Smoke Liquor 247. Call (407) 778-1326 (24/7).