Why Choose Silicone Water Pipes?

Glass, Ceramic, and Plastic Water Pipes

Water pipes come in varying contrasts of shapes, designs, and structures. Glass is perhaps the most beautiful and meticulously elaborate form of any other type of material. This also makes it the most expensive and the most fragile. The use of glass is quite popular as glass is inert and offers the user a clean hit every single time.

Like glass, ceramics are also in vogue and offer a similar experience. Most ceramics are not translucent, however, though they remain fragile and rather expensive. Due to most of them being handmade or tempered with color-changing features and intricate designs, they remain on the higher end of the pricing spectrum.

Plastics are the cheapest and the most unreliable in terms of durability. Though glass is more fragile, plastics degrade easily with heat and are prone to cracking and warping. Glass is easier to clean, though plastics can be handled with a little more force. The biggest downside to plastic is the fact that they are chemically made which can leach into the water over time, affecting taste and potentially lead to health issues.

The Pros and Cons of Silicone

Silicone offers by far the best in terms of durability. Unlike glass and ceramic that will undoubtedly shatter from a knock off a table, silicone can withstand accidents such as this. Plastic can also be prone to breakage from a significant fall. While glass is beautiful, it is truly a nightmare to get thoroughly clean on a consistent basis. The bigger and more elaborate the water pipe, the more tedious it becomes.

Some silicone water pipes can be taken apart for easy cleaning, which is all but impossible to do with glass, ceramics, and plastics. Temperature is another major factor when it comes to choosing the right water pipe. While it is true that tempered glass can withstand incredibly high temperatures, silicone is better at distributing the heat, allowing the user to handle items like a hot bowl much sooner than with glass.

The bad part about this is that just like plastic, if you put heat directly onto silicone, it will melt. The upside to this is that it takes much more to burn silicone than plastic, making it more durable. Silicone is also much cheaper than glass and will last considerably longer than plastic. In fact, silicone water pipes will last you almost indefinitely if taken care of properly. Another bonus is that silicone water pipes just look cool!

Silicone Water Pipes vs Other Silicone Pipes

Whether you are using a water pipe or other type of pipe made of silicone, you can rest assured that the silicone will hold up to rigorous, everyday use. The benefit of using a silicone water pipe over other silicone pipes is the fact that a water pipe uses water to help filter out and cool down the smoke. Silicone pipes on the other hand do not utilize water but are still great to use, nonetheless.

While water pipes are great to use in a static environment, smaller silicone pipes are more ideal for portability and mobile use. Larger water pipes require the stability of being in one location without too much movement to prevent the spillage of water from the pipe’s chamber. The happy medium here is to find a smaller water pipe that is made of silicone.

Mini bongs and silicone teapot bongs are perfect for on the go use while still taking advantage of what a traditional water pipe has to offer. Unlike other water pipes, silicone offers the user a more streamlined approach to smoking without the hassle of having to deal with the fragility of glass, the cheapness of plastic, and the worries of user error.

Why Choose Silicone?

As previously mentioned, silicone offers many benefits that cannot be achieved with other types of materials such as glass and plastics. Prior to these, most water pipes were made of wood and were prone to rotting and mold issues which made them impractical and unhealthy for long-term usage. While glass and plastics have eliminated the threat of water rot, they came with their own dilemmas.

Silicone is truly a marvel in the smoking world as it is easily made to withstand and disperse heat, as well as being molded and easily accessible when it comes down to cleaning and maintenance. The fact that silicone will never actually crack or completely break on you is a practical plus since making the affordable investment to go for silicone will prove to save you money down the line.

The only maintenance you will need as with any other water pipe will be in cleaning and replacing screens for example. The truth is that even though glass may be the top choice for connoisseurs, smart users opt for practicality and price point, which makes silicone the ideal choice.

Final Thoughts

Silicone is gaining traction and becoming a more sensible option for those who want something a little more durable. The good news is that if you want something big and traditional, silicone is offered in the typical 14-inch water pipe model. For those who want to take their smoking sessions on the go, smaller versions such as the teapot bong are available.

Even though plastic might be a bit cheaper than silicone, the reality is that you get what you pay for, and frankly it seems that silicone is vastly underpriced given its many features. Users will come to find that water pipes made of silicone are preferable to other types of materials.

Owning one and keeping it well maintained is easier because lots of them come apart and allow you to clean those hard-to-reach areas that would otherwise be inaccessible on a standard glass or plastic water pipe. No matter what type of water pipe you choose, opt for making it a silicone one. You’ll be glad you did!

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