How to Use a Bubbler to Smoke Weed or Dabs

Bubbler basics

When I get these sorts of questions, like which is preferred, bubbler vs bong, or what is a bubbler, or people wanting to know how to smoke out of a bubbler, but don’t have anyone to ask, I have to first find out some information. If you want to know what the best smoking device, I need to know the use case. Otherwise I have to say that in a bubbler vs bong sort of scenario, I would have to pick both.

But if I’m out and about, maybe I don’t want to necessarily pack my big bong. Just the same, when I’m at home kicking it, I don’t need the bubbler, unless of course I want it. Different use cases for different people in different places. It all depends. There are many ways we can show you how to use bubbler.

What’s a bubbler?

I usually define a bubbler, at least in the old school sense of the word, as a little glass hand pipe that has a downstem included, allowing for a small amount of water to be added for percolation. You could always tell when people were using a bubbler, because they had a very specific bubbling sound. Most likely due to the small chamber and minor amount of water used when smoking out of a bubbler.

You can have big bubblers, and small bubblers, a weed bubbler or a dab bubbler. If you put water in it and it bubbles, it’s probably a bubbler. For me personally at least, it has to be handheld to be a bubbler. So a bong isn’t a bubbler in my opinion just because you put water in it, if that makes sense.

How does a bubbler work?

I think they work pretty good, but it’s definitely not my preferred way of smoking. But it works by having a tube that goes below a waterline, so when you pull through the piece, the smoke travels down through the tube then bubbles up through the water. It’s a better option for some because the added water helps cool the smoke before it enters the lungs, whereas in a regular hand pipe you get the smoke as it’s being created without any sort of cooling action happening.

Weed bubbler or dab bubbler?

Personally I like to keep my glass separate. I have rigs for oil and bongs and pipes for flower, but rarely do I use one piece of glass with both. So it makes perfect sense to me that you would have a weed bubbler, as well as a dab bubbler if you are into both. Some people aren’t into flower, they only like dabs. Other types are the opposite, only smoking flower but not touching the dabs. So again I have to ask, what is the use case?

Normally, I would say bubblers are just for smoking flower, because that’s how it used to be. But this is 2017 and we’ve all got it bad for the dabs. If you think you might like to take some dabs on the go, perhaps a dab bubbler is what you should seek. If you just do the flower thing, then stick with your weed bubbler.

In the same vein as the bubbler vs bong debate, is the bongs and bowls question. Do we use bongs? Which bowls do we use with them? I like to start out making sure that whatever bowl I’m choosing for my bong, that it’s going to fit. Some bongs are designed in a way that requires a smaller diameter bowl piece, otherwise it’s not going to fit right.

So just make sure you know the size and whether or not the end is a male or female joint. If you think it might be close, get a quick measurement of how far the joint is away from the main tube. That will help give you an idea to solve your bongs and bowls issue.

Know how to use a bubbler like a pro? Have any bubbler tips or tricks or maybe you’ve got a recommendation for the best bubbler around? Let us know in the comments section below.

By Mat Lee