Percs and Discs Explained

Percs and Discs Explained

Whether you’re new to bongs or a seasoned vet, percolators and discs can still cause a bit of confusion. We want to help clear the haze and make your next bong shopping experience smoother.

Bongs have been a mainstay in cannabis culture because they provide a smoother toking experience by forcing the smoke through water. This adds moisture to the smoke before it hits the throat and lungs, making it more comfortable to breathe in providing a smoother hit time after time.

The traditional water bong has evolved over time to include percs and discs, their primary function is to provide some level of filtration and diffusion regardless of the shape or size. When you inhale from a percolator bong, the smoke is diffused through tons of bubbles. These bubbles increase the surface area the smoke travels within, giving it time to cool down and filter out impurities. This process produces an even smoother hit, which means less coughing. Smaller bubbles equal more diffusion, while larger bubbles equal less diffusion.

Top 10 Percolators 

Showerhead
Shaped like a showerhead. Slits or holes are placed at the bottom of a vertical tube that flares out, pulling smoke into a separate diffusion chamber above the water in the base.

Inline
An inline percolator is simply a horizontal tube with several slits and more slits equal more percolation. Typically located in the base of the bong and compliments other types of percs, such as a showerhead.

Tree
Tree percolators are probably the easiest to recognize, made up of multiple rods connected at the top which resemble tree limbs. Air comes up from a central tube and down through the rods which are slitted at the bottom, diffusing bubbles into the bong.

Honeycomb
Honeycomb percolators feature flat discs, usually more than one, studded with a bunch of tiny holes. They're typically found in straight tube bongs stacked directly above one another to create additional chambers for the smoke to pass through.

Fritted disc
Fritted disc percs are made up of coarse glass particles bonded together to create what seems like a million itty-bitty holes. They can be formed into a disc or ball shape, among others. These percs are best for the adventurous smoker.

Turbine
Commonly paired with a honeycomb due to it's disc shape, turbine percs are slabs of glass that feature slits around the edges. When you inhale, it creates a visually appealing whirlpool as water and bubbles are pulled through it.

 Disc Percolator

Disc percolators produce a lot of bubbles, each of which diffuses the smoke. Filled with tiny holes to create all of those bubbles, those holes can get clogged, which might make this option more difficult for beginners. It requires a long, deep pull for filtration.

Swiss Perc
The design of the Swiss perc is unmistakable. This percolator is made with holes in the bong's body like Swiss cheese. Forcing the air to move around the holes in the body, the drag on the pull is lessened while the style of the glass breaks down and cools the smoke.

Diffused Downstem
The most basic type of perc, a diffused downstem is perfect for beginners and often used with water pipes. These percolators can be purchased as additions to bongs or already fixed within the construction of a bong. With slits at the base, the perc extends from the bowl, making it look like a vertical pipe. Resting under the water, the smoke is cooled within the perc before traveling up the mouthpiece.

Ratchet Perc
Similar to honeycomb percolators, ratchet percs feature a more intricate design of discs, but instead of having holes scattered across the entire disc, the holes are deliberately placed along the edge of the discs near the wall of the body. Without the center holes, a downstem can run through the center of the discs to cross through the filtration layers to accommodate a small pipe or bubbler.

If you’re in the market for a new bong, a percolator will definitely improve the smoking experience. The wonderful feeling of a nice long, continuous rip will feel amazing thanks to the filtration, cooling effect and added moisture from the water. Consider the functionality, practicality and the level of difficulty the glass will demand when cleaning – and cleanliness is important. Remember, a bong with one or more percs will likely require more frequent cleaning than a piece with no percs, but super smooth bong rips are worth a little extra time spent cleaning.
You can also find detached ash catchers that feature various percs so you can upgrade a bong you already own.