If you even just casually enjoy marijuana alone or in a social setting, it’s important that you pick the right method to enjoy your smoke. Some people choose to role their own spliff, which is totally cool – a little retro, maybe, but still cool. But if you want to join the 21st century, you may decide to use a hand pipe instead. To pick hand pipes that are best for you, you’ll need to know a few things first.

Using a Hand Pipe

Some hand pipes have unusually large bowls, and if you pack on too much herb it could fall into the pipe and make a mess. In this case, we suggest you use a screen to block it as you inhale; you can dig up details by doing a Google search. You could make your own, but it’s better to buy one and avoid the hassle of trial and error – and burning through weed unnecessarily.

Using a hand pipe in a group setting is a whole new ball game, especially with the pandemic and all. Our advice is to not pass a pipe amongst multiple users, but you’re a free spirit so do as you will. If you decide to share, make sure to pass your hand pipe with the mouthpiece always directed toward the next person. This allows your friend to be in control of the pipe and not get burned or accidentally drop it.

To light the legal herb, keep the flame on it until it’s adequately lit to keep burning even if the flame from the lighter isn’t on it. This is the politest thing to do, because now the person next to you doesn’t have to re-light it. In a group setting, always enflame a side of the herb if you’re first to enjoy a smoke. Otherwise, lighting the top part would mean there’s nothing left but ash even if it’s passed around just once.

Keep It Clean

Of course, you want to thoroughly clean group hand pipes after every use. If you’re the only one using it, then an every-other-day cleaning schedule is fine. But even if you use a hand pipe more frequently, follow these steps:

1. Use cleaning alcohol and soak the pipe for around five minutes.
2. Rinse with cold water.
3. Dribble some salt in the hand pipe.
4. Shake it to knock off any byproducts stuck to the walls.

What Are The Most Popular Hand Pipe Styles?

There are many different kinds of hand pipes to choose from, and you may already have a preference based on a friend’s pipe you may have enjoyed a smoke from. If you’re a true beginner, ready to make the jump from rolling your own spliff to a glass hand pipe, you may want to stick with the Classic Spoon-style hand pipe. They look like their name, characterized by carb holes on one side, where you pack the dry herb before it’s lit. Other popular hand pipes include the:

1. Bubbler. These fusion pipes offer minimum levels of water filtration and are compact. They offer water pipe function and filtration in the convenience and manageability of a typical hand pipe. Adaptable, it can also function like a dry pipe.
2. Chillum is another type of one-hitter, the easiest and smallest pipe design. A straight tube-design without a carb hole, they get lit from the front and enjoyed from the rear. Many chillums are paired with small storage units or stands.
3. Cobb describes two types of pipes. One is made of an ear of corn; the other, contemporary, and made from materials like wood, metal, or glass. The modern type are water pipes, normally portable and small, simple to use.
4. Gandalf, designed with The Lord of The Rings in mind. Inspired by that great wizard of the same name, this is a timeless, long-stemmed pipe, normally crafted from wood, with a tiny and deep bowl.
5. Glass blunt pipes sort of remind us of the design of the glass chillum, but with a sliding, expandable weed slot offering control over the quantity of weed you push into the small glass bowl. More is nicer.
6. Hammer pipes also are like bubblers. They’re a tiny, transportable water pipe featuring a built-in stem and cone system. Intriguingly, they’re made to resemble a real hammer – just don’t get lit and try and bonk your friend with it!
7. Sherlock Holmes may not have smoked marijuana, but the design of his hand pipe is legendary and inspired the look of this modern version. This type exudes calm intelligence when you might be a doofus. Some are made to stand upright.
8. The Sidecar is a basic pipe model with another chamber on the end which retains water for separation. It’s a distinctive layout, as it really looks like a motorcycle sidecar with the can attaching to the stem side.
9. And don’t forget the trusty Steamroller. In contrast to spoons, these pipes have expanded carb holes in the front. This means the Steamroller makes heavier hits with less marijuana, but they may feel tough to novices. Getting into a routine can help you learn to change the carb more effectively.

Ever wondered about the parts that make up a hand pipe? They include bowl for holding the weed; the carb, or hole on the side of the pipe; the chamber to hold the smoke; and the mouthpiece.

Regardless of hand pipes style, be sure to choose one you enjoy and are comfortable with.