When you invest in a glass bong, you don’t want to choose based solely on looks. While aesthetics are important, the quality and functionality is too. Here are five key factors that impact glass quality.
1. Type of Glass – Is it Borosilicate Glass?
There are many different types of glass. The one you want to look for is borosilicate glass, also known as scientific glass. Borosilicate glass is used in research and medical settings. As you can imagine, medical-grade glass is perfect for bongs, too. When compared to other types of glass used in bongs, borosilicate is significantly stronger and will last a long time. “Soft” Glass bongs are also available but are generally of lesser quality and price. Here’s our inventory to buy scientific glass bongs.
Use Code “BONGSOLO” for 10% off All Bongs!
2. How Thick (or Thin) the Bong’s Glass Is
The thickness of the glass itself is a nuanced consideration when you’re trying to determine whether a bong is made from high-quality glass. If the same type of glass is used at different thickness levels, the thicker glass will invariably be stronger than the thinner glass. This is true with almost any material – something that’s thinner will break more easily.
3. Where the Bong is Made
Identifying the actual source of a bong’s glass requires more legwork than customers generally want or are able to do. You can determine where a bong is made, though. A bong that’s made from a known and reliable creator is probably constructed from higher-quality glass than a bong that’s made overseas or from an unknown location. For example, a bong that’s hand-blown by a glass artist or at least made in the United States is generally better than one that’s made in a less regulated country. Most tubes available at the Bern Gallery were made in the USA. Staff will be able to identify them for you!
The importance of location goes beyond just the strength of the glass itself. In less regulated countries where low-quality glass is used, the glass might be exposed to toxic chemicals such as heavy metals that you don’t want to inhale when smoking.
4. Smooth Welds Between Sections
How the pieces of a bong are joined together is a direct reflection of the quality of glass and the skill of the artist. A bong that has smooth seams between pieces was made by a skilled artist, and while some artists can achieve good results with inferior materials, most will not be using cheaper glass. A bong that has warps or unevenness in its welds is lower quality itself and possibly made with inferior material.
5. Pricing for Similar Bongs
Glass bongs are one item where price usually is indicative of quality. You certainly must allow for how a bong’s size, shape and aesthetic affects its cost. Provided that these other traits are similar, a more expensive bong is typically made from better glass. Be aware that color accents can be much more labor and material intensive when it comes to latheworked pieces like bongs, and as such prices for pieces like this will be much higher than similar pieces in all clear.
Find High-Quality Glass Bongs
If you’d like a glass bong that’s made from high-quality glass and durable, check out the options that we have. We’re glass aficionados at The Bern Gallery, and we take pride in the work we do, the quality materials we use and the companies we source products from. We’re confident you’ll be pleased with our options.
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