Understanding Different Types of Percs: From Simple to Complex

We get it, when buying a bong, the percolator options can be seriously overwhelming. There are dozens of different types of bongs with hundreds of percolator options and combinations. Before you learn about the different types of percs, it’s important to understand their function.

Simply put, a percolator’s primary function is to diffuse smoke. Smoke diffusion forces the hot concentrated smoke to spread out in the bong’s water chamber for cooling before reaching your lungs. In this visual guide, we go over all the different types of percolators and just how well they diffuse smoke.

What does a Percolator do?

Here’s what is happening during the diffusion process in a bong with a percolator:

1. Increased Surface Area: The percolator breaks up the smoke through the production of bubbles. Thousands of water bubbles create more surface area for the smoke to glide across and disperse, which also allows for heat transfer.
2. Heat Transfer: As the smoke disperses from the bubbles, the water absorbs some of the heat from the smoke. Water has the highest heat capacity at 4.184 joules, meaning it can absorb quite a bit of the heat without itself getting warmer. This heat transfer cools down the smoke for a more comfortable rip.
3. Filtration: Along with cooling the smoke, the water and bubbles help filter out some particulates and water-soluble compounds from the smoke, which can make the bong rip taste smoother.
4. Moisturizing Effect: The interaction with water also adds moisture to the smoke. This can make the smoke feel less dry and harsh when inhaled.

In the end, your percolator delivers a smoother, softer, and tastier bong rip. The more bubbles your percolators create the cooler and smoother the smoking experience. Below is every type of perc found in all water pipes, rated from the simplest to the most complex with pictures.

Diffused Downstem Percolator

The Diffused downstem is one of the most budget-friendly and straightforward percolators you can choose. Think of it as the “stock perc” most starter bongs come with, and many bubblers feature it similar to entry-level bongs.

Typically featuring 4-6 slits at the end of the downstem, this perc offers basic smoke diffusion by creating a decent volume of bubbles. While effective, bong hits tend to be a bit harsher compared to more powerful percs such as the Matrix perc (which we’ll go over in this article).

Circ Percolator

Circ percs, designed in a hockey puck shape with large, evenly distributed slits around the circumference, offer powerful and most importantly balanced diffusion.

This design ensures an even spread of bubbles throughout the bong water, enhancing smoke diffusion for a smoother hit, even in compact models such as micro bongs. Circ percs are simple to clean, resistant to clogging, and available in domed, stacked, or J-Hooked.

Donut Perc

A Donut perc features a central hole in your bong, creating the donut shape. The unique design splits the smoke into two paths, dispersing the smoke and giving the smoke more time to cool.

Typically paired with a primary percolator like a Diffused downstem, the Donut perc usually serves as a secondary cooling stage, providing a smoother bong rip because of the extra airflow cooling.

Barrel Percolator

Coil Percolator

A Coil perc cools smoke through airflow, not water diffusion. The longer the hot smoke travels, the cooler it becomes. This perc makes smoke wind through narrow coils, effectively doubling or tripling the travel distance before it reaches your lungs. 

In a sense, if you have a 5-inch bong with a Coil perc, that bong is technically 10 inches tall with it comes to travel distance. Typically paired with a primary percolator in the water chamber, the Coil perc delivers much smoother bong rips - the only downside is they require frequent cleaning. 

Ratchet Perc

Ratchet percs are disc-shaped with slits only around the edge and connected directly to the downstem. The slits are purposefully placed close to the glass to maximize diffusion.

The unique placement of the slits allows smoke and bubbles to ricochet off the glass, enhancing diffusion above and below the disc. Ratchet percs are popular in smaller bongs and dab rigs, to add much-needed cooling and when found in larger bongs can deliver a smooth and flavorful rip.

Disc Percolator

Disc percs consist of two stacked Circ percs on top of each other. Basic Disc percs have large slits around both the top and bottom of the Disc. You can also find fritted Disc percs, which have tons of tiny holes for creating thousands of microbubbles to enhance diffusion and filtration.

However, the fritted holes can clog over time with resin, requiring stronger pulls. For tips on filtering out resin and tar before it reaches your perc, check out our guide on how to keep your bong clean longer.

Showerhead Perc

A Showerhead perc looks very similar to a Circ perc but instead is directly anchored to the floor of the bong through a glass stem for added durability. As you inhale, smoke flows through the downstem and exits through multiple slits in the showerhead producing ample bubbles.

This design allows for extensive diffusion in every corner of the bong and the large slits deliver a smooth bong rip with minimal drag. When having to choose between two good bongs a showerhead perc water pipe is always a great starting point. 

Swiss Perc

The Swiss perc, easily identifiable by its Swiss cheese-like holes in the flattened center of the bong, is usually a secondary percolator similar to the Donut perc.

A Swiss perc diffuses smoke by dispersing it in multiple directions while also extending the travel distance for cooler, smoother hits. It’s very common for water and bubbles to reach halfway up the Swiss percs chambers.

Inline Perc

Tree Percolator

Tree percs offer powerful cooling through multiple diffuser “arms”. Think of each arm as mini Downstem Diffusers, with three to four slits on each arm. Tree percs are usually the second perc in a bong’s ecosystem, typically located in the neck of the bong.

This placement allows for intense filtration and diffusion in a compact area, we’re talking thousands of bubbles in the neck of the bong that delivers an exceptionally smooth bong rip. On top of that, the arms face downwards which disrupts and further disperses the smoke’s natural direction as it attempts to exit through the neck.

Turbine Perc

 
The Turbine perc is a key feature in the iconic Tornado bongs, typically located at the base or near the base of the bong.

The perc is shaped like a disc with angled slits that, when activated, produces a tornado effect in the bong water. This not only enhances the diffusion process for smoother tokes but also makes for a visually spectacular display.

Sprinkler Percolator

Jellyfish Percolator

Visually similar to a Tree perc, the Jellyfish Percolator operates quite differently. Positioned as a secondary perc within the neck of the bong, the Jellyfish features open-ended arms (no slits) that are angled slightly toward the wall in the bong’s neck.

The open-ended arms propel larger bubbles in a very tight space, where they burst and create tons of diffusion as the smoke attempts to exit the bong.

 

Honeycomb Percolator

The Honeycomb percolator, commonly found in straight tube bongs or the neck of a bong, features a disc-style perc, that’s densely packed with tiny holes. As smoke passes through these holes, it creates thousands of microbubbles, resulting in excellent diffusion for incredibly smooth hits.

Ironically the main drawback of the Honeycomb perc is the small holes which can clog with resin over time, requiring you to pull harder when taking rips. You’ll want to clean your bong frequently with this perc to prevent drag resistance.

UFO Perc

Matrix Perc

Glycerin Coil Perc

Although not typically categorized as a perc, Glycerin coils deliver the cooling effect you’d expect from top-tier water percolators, just ten times better. If other percs still leave you coughing, consider trying a glycerin coil. Similar to a Coil perc, hot smoke is forced to travel through the coils, extending travel time for cooling.

However, these coils are encased in frozen glycerin, which can cool the smoke by up to 300 degrees, providing one of the smoothest, most cough-free experiences possible. Glycerin coils are a much safer alternative to freezing your bong.

Stereo Matrix Perc

A Stereo Matrix perc is the creme de la creme of water percolators. They are simply two Matrix percs stacked on one another, separated by a glass disc. Usually found in larger bongs (yes bong sizes, matters).

The result is an explosion of bubbles around both of the Matrix Percs, making it look like you have two Stereo speakers inside of your bong booming with bubbles. The intense amount of diffusion and filtration that takes place delivers an ultra-smooth and terpene-rich bong rip.

Multi-chamber percolator combinations

Now that you understand all the different types of percolators as separate components, it’s time to take a look at percolator combinations. As the cannabis industry progresses, we get more ingenious layering of percs, that not only combine two percs in a water pipes ecosystem but sometimes three or four!

The more powerful the filtration system the more filtered your bong rip becomes. When shopping for a bong, most of the confusion happens when you see multiple percs, and in this section, we go over some of the multi-level systems so you can find the best bong that fits your needs exactly.

Double Tree Percolator

A Double Tree percolator has two isolated water reservoirs each featuring a Tree perc. The smoke first gets filtered by the first Tree perc and then goes into the second water chamber for a second round of dispersion. Each water chamber effectively helps transfer heat from the smoke into the water delivering a buttery smooth bong rip.

Inline Perc to Tree Perc

An Inline perc to Tree Perc houses two very effective filtration systems. First, the smoke gets filtered in by the Inline perc, then as it moves up and attempts to exit through the neck of the bong, it’s shot back down in the neck through the arms of the Tree perc, causing much more dispersion.

Inverted Showerhead to Glycerin Perc

Triple Turbine Perc

A Triple Turbine perc is three tornado turbines back to back. What this does is create three swirling tornados in each chamber, causing a heavy amount of smoke dispersion and an incredible amount of cooling.

Barrel Donut to Jellyfish Perc

 Here is an example of three percs functioning. First, the smoke travels through the donut perc where disperses the smoke into two pathways. Then it exits through a Barrel perc with studded holes on all angles. Next, it’s pulled up into a second water chamber through a Jellyfish perc.

You’re starting to get the picture now? There are no rules to bong designs, the options are endless when it comes to premium filtration and cooling.

Matrix Perc to Triple Donut Perc

The final example is a whopping four percs in one straight tube bong! This bong features a Matrix perc in the bong’s water chamber with three stacked Donut percs on top. The smoke first gets diffused by thousands of bubbles by the Matrix perc, then is further diffused by being split three times in a row through the three Donut percs.

A Healthier and Purer Alternative

While using a vaporizer is still arguably the “healthiest” option, making sure that clean water in a clean glass piece is used is also a very good way to reduce impurities and toxins. Smoking through a water filtration system also adds a third benefit: moisture. Smoke can be harsh on the throat because it is dry when it is inhaled. By forcing the smoke through water, some of the then heated water is transformed into vapor. This adds moisture to the smoke before it hits the throat and lungs, making it more comfortable to breathe in. 

Final Thoughts

At first glance, percs can make the bong shopping experience intimidating, but after you understand how each one functions it makes shopping that much more fun. Now you know every different type of perc and just how well each diffuses smoke for a cooler hit.

• If you don’t mind harsher bong rips or you’re on a budget then opt for a Diffused Downstem or Circ perc.
• If you want medium filtration then aim for Showerhead percs or Barrel percs.
• If you’re trying to tone down extra large bong rips then aim for Tree, UFO, or Matrix percs.
• And finally, if you struggle with coughing go for glycerin or combined percs such as the Stereo Matrix or Double Tree percs.