There are probably some bong frequenters out there wondering what exactly the percolator definition is when it comes to weed and whether or not it helps.

A percolator is a contraption for your bong or water pipe that helps to cool down the smoke. This helps smokers achieve a smoother hit and way less coughing.

What is the point of a percolator on a bong?

Well, its primary use is to filter and cool weed smoke before it’s inhaled.

Percolators come in various shapes and designs, such as tree, honeycomb, and showerhead, but they all serve the same primary functions:

Filtration: When you inhale, smoke passes through the percolator, which forces it to interact with water. This process removes impurities and ash, providing a cleaner, smoother hit.

Cooling: The percolator breaks the smoke into smaller bubbles, increasing its surface area. As these bubbles pass through the water, the smoke cools down significantly, making it less harsh on your throat and lungs.

Smoother Hits: By filtering out impurities and cooling the smoke, percolators ensure each hit is smoother and more enjoyable. This makes for a more pleasant smoking experience, especially for those who find regular bong hits too harsh.

Aesthetic Appeal: Many percolators add a visual element to your bong. Watching the smoke pass through the intricate percolator designs can be mesmerizing and enhance the overall experience.

The percolator is usually a dome shape but has lately been found in all kinds of crazy designs. It is basically an additional water chamber for your bong and usually lives in the bong’s tube. It contains water and is another filtering process for your smoke.

1. When you take a hit, the smoke travels from the bowl and through the downstem into the percolator chamber.
2. The percolator, designed with various slits, holes, or channels, disperses the smoke into multiple small bubbles. This increases the smoke’s surface area, allowing for better interaction with the water.
3. As the smoke bubbles rise through the water, impurities and ash get trapped in the water. This filtration process removes unwanted particles, resulting in a cleaner smoke.
4. The increased surface area of the smaller bubbles allows the water to cool the smoke more efficiently. Cooler smoke is less harsh on the throat and lungs, providing a smoother hit
5. After passing through the percolator and water, the filtered and cooled smoke continues up the bong’s neck to the mouthpiece, ready for inhalation.

There’s no doubt that a percolator is successful at cooling your smoke down. The main purpose of the contraption is to make the smoke easier to inhale. So, if you have trouble hitting a bong, try one with a percolator and see how it goes.

But the more pertinent question is whether or not it affects your high. Some people think that the percolator in bong apparatuses increases THC absorption, but this is, in fact, wrong. The percolator doesn’t make you any higher than a regular bong.

In fact, slightly more THC is lost in bongs with percolators than in bongs without. Although the added water makes no difference (THC is not soluble in water), slightly more is lost to the glass of the extra chamber.

However, have no fear. The difference is so slight that it won’t impact your high at all. And most people claim it’s worth it for the smoother hit.

When deciding between a percolator bong and a regular bong, it boils down to the smoking experience you crave.

Percolator bongs offer superior filtration and cooling by breaking smoke into tiny bubbles, resulting in smoother, cooler hits that are easier on your throat and lungs. Plus, they look pretty cool in action. However, they can be a bit pricier and require more maintenance due to their intricate design.

Regular bongs are all about simplicity.

They’re straightforward, easy to use, and clean, making them a practical choice for daily smokers. With fewer parts to worry about, they’re also typically more durable and cost-effective. While they may not offer the same level of filtration and cooling as percolator bongs, they deliver quick, direct hits that get the job done.