Let’s be real, once you’ve felt the difference a good percolator makes, there’s no going back.
One smooth, cooled-down, perfectly diffused hit, and everything else feels like smoking through a soda bottle.
I started Thick Ass Glass because I wanted that perfect hit, every time. Not just thick glass for the sake of it, but functional glass, pieces engineered to work better, not just look better.
Percolators change how smoke moves, how it tastes, and how your lungs feel afterward. I’m writing this article because there isn’t a straight answer to the “best” percolator. It depends on how you smoke, what you smoke, and how much maintenance you’re willing to deal with.
What Is a Percolator?
So, what is a percolator bong, exactly?
It’s a bong with a built-in filtration system designed to make your hits smoother, cooler, and cleaner by increasing how much your smoke interacts with water. Sounds simple, but the effect is huge.
A percolator forces the smoke to split up into dozens, or even hundreds, of tiny bubbles.
Those bubbles increase surface area, which means more contact with water. More contact equals better cooling, better filtration, and a noticeable difference in how the smoke feels going in.
Without a perc, you’re pulling hot, raw smoke that still has ash, tar, and particulates clinging to it. That’s what scorches your throat and makes your lungs feel like they just ran a marathon.
It’s why people cough their faces off even with decent herb. And don’t get me started on the people using bongs that look like they came from a gas station and wondering why their throat’s on fire.
A well-made percolator changes that experience entirely.
You go from coughing after every rip to wondering if you even took a full hit, because it’s that smooth. The percolator does the hard work: filtering out the garbage and cooling down the draw so your lungs don’t hate you later.
The Top 5 Best Percolator Types for Smoother Bong Hits
There’s no shortage of flashy glassware out there claiming to give you a “super smooth pull,” but when it comes to real performance, the percolator makes or breaks the experience.
Some are built for airflow. Others focus on cooling, filtration, or flavor. And then there are the gimmicks, percs that look wild but hit like a busted straw.
After years of testing, engineering, and improving functional glass at Thick Ass Glass, I’ve seen what works and what’s just extra glass to clean.
Here are five percs that actually improve your hits, based on performance, upkeep, and everyday use, not just aesthetics.
Honeycomb Percolator
Honeycomb percs are flat discs stacked with dozens of precision-drilled holes, all working together to break your smoke into hundreds of tiny bubbles.
The result? High-efficiency diffusion with very little drag. You’re not fighting to clear your piece, you’re cruising.
What makes the honeycomb a favorite is how well it balances performance with maintenance. It cools your hits without muting flavor and clears fast without making you feel like you’re sipping a milkshake. Compared to tree percs, it holds up better over time and is way less fragile.
If you’re someone who smokes daily and actually wants to taste your strain, this is your go-to. Especially if you’re over coughing fits and constantly swapping water. Honeycombs keep things smooth, clean, and flavorful.
Check out our Double Honeycomb Bong that gives you ultimate control over smoothness and airflow.
Tree Percolator
Tree percs work by splitting the smoke into multiple arms, each with its own diffusion slits.
Think of it like turning one big hit into a bunch of tiny streams, each filtered individually. More surface area = more contact with water = cooler, less abrasive hits.
These shine with dry herb. The extra diffusion power makes tree percs ideal if you prefer dense rips that don’t torch your lungs.
That said, they aren’t maintenance-free. More arms mean more resin buildup, and yes, your water’s going to turn yellow faster, that’s the price of deep filtration.
Also worth noting: tree percs can be delicate.
Snap one arm while cleaning or tapping the glass too hard, and that’s game over. I recommend using them in pieces with reinforced joints and pairing them with ice catchers or a splash guard to ease the heat load.
If you’re after smooth hits and don’t mind cleaning a bit more often, tree percs are a solid option.
Matrix Percolator
Matrix percs are stacked, gridded discs that churn your smoke into a dense cloud of microbubbles. These things look wild in action and they deliver some of the cleanest hits in the game.
They’re perfect for people who want performance and aesthetics. These percs not only function well but also put on a show. And if you're wondering, “What perc stacks the most bubbles visually?”, this is it.
The only real downside?
They create a bit more drag than honeycombs or showerheads, especially when paired with a taller bong or multiple chambers. But that’s a fair trade-off if your priority is silky-smooth draws and high filtration.
[We recommend pairing a Matrix Perc with a bent neck splashguard design to prevent water splash and preserve visual clarity during pulls.]
Showerhead Percolator
If you’re looking for a no-fuss, all-function setup, the showerhead perc is hard to beat.
Shaped like an inverted bell, it pushes smoke through slotted vertical cuts to diffuse without choking the draw.
The result? Great airflow, zero fuss, and just enough cooling to keep your lungs from staging a rebellion.
It’s also one of the easiest percs to clean.
No fragile arms. No tight chambers. Just rinse with ISO, soak, and go. It handles both herb and oil without clogging up fast, which makes it a strong contender for mixed-use smokers.
Pro tip: Warm water reduces buildup and keeps diffusion flowing consistently. You’ll spend less time cleaning and more time actually enjoying your piece.
[Explore our collection of showerhead bongs, built with thick joints and rock-solid welds for long-term durability.]
Fritted Disc Percolator
Let’s talk power. Fritted discs offer insane diffusion.
These are solid discs made of porous glass, think sponge-like structure, where smoke is forced through hundreds of microscopic holes. The result is ultra-fine filtration and hits that are cool, clean, and nearly flavorless (in a good way).
But this level of filtration comes at a cost.
Fritted discs clog quickly, especially with dry herb. You might wonder, “Why does my fritted disc clog so fast, even with an ash catcher?” It’s because the holes are so fine, even small particles get trapped fast.
That said, if you’re disciplined about maintenance and don’t mind cleaning every few sessions (or after every bowl if you’re picky), this perc gives the most refined hit you’ll ever take from glass.
[For hardcore filtration lovers, TAG’s Fritted Disc bongs are as close to a lab-grade experience as you can get.]
Each of these percs brings something different to the table, some prioritize flavor, some excel at cooling, and some go hard on filtration.
The right choice depends on how you smoke, what you smoke, and how much effort you want to put into cleaning your gear.
Choosing the Right Perc for Oils vs. Dry Herb
Ask ten smokers what the best percolator is and you’ll get ten different answers, because what works for flower doesn’t always work for concentrates.
The question comes up a lot: “What’s the best perc for oil vs. dry herb?” Let’s break it down the way it should be.
For oils and concentrates, you want low drag, fast clears, and minimal diffusion to preserve terpenes. Over-filtration kills flavor.
That’s why smaller rigs with inline percs, puck-style diffusers, or recycler percs perform best.
They keep vapor tight, potent, and smooth without muting the profile. A good recycler will loop water continuously, cool the vapor just enough, and avoid splashback.
It’s clean, efficient, and doesn’t choke the hit.
Dry herb, on the other hand, benefits from deeper diffusion.
That’s where tree percs, matrix percs, and honeycomb designs shine. They filter out hot particulates, cool the smoke, and make large hits bearable for your lungs. You’re lighting plant matter, so more contact with water = less throat burn.
Now, if you’re someone who switches between the two, consider a modular setup or a mixed-function piece. Something like a double honeycomb with a removable showerhead downstem gives you the best of both worlds, great filtration for flower, smooth airflow for oil.
Bottom line: Pick the right tool for the job.
The wrong perc will ruin your concentrate flavor or make flower feel like straight butane.
Combining Percolators: Genius or Overkill?
So here’s the question: “Can you combine a recycler with a matrix perc, or is that just overkill?”
It depends on what you're chasing. If your goal is maximum smoothness, stacking percs can absolutely help. But if you care about airflow and flavor, too much filtration can turn a great strain into a muted puff with the draw resistance of a milkshake.
Rule of thumb? More percs = more drag and more cleaning.
Every extra chamber adds resistance and strips out a little more flavor. If your hits start feeling like cardio, it’s time to rethink the setup.
There are combos that work beautifully.
A honeycomb + tree setup delivers balance, diffusion with cooling power, and just enough airflow left over to keep things comfortable. Another winner: a recycler with an inline perc, which keeps drag low while giving you that smooth, looping water function that recyclers are known for.
What you don’t want is stacking high-drag percs, like a fritted disc on top of a matrix on top of a tree. That’s not smooth, that’s a chore.
If you’re experimenting, go modular.
Pick up a high-quality base and swap accessories depending on your session, dry herb one day, oil the next. It’s a smarter way to build around your needs instead of locking yourself into an overpriced Frankenstein piece that ends up collecting dust.
Cleaning and Maintenance: What Every Perc Owner Should Know
Every perc gets nasty if you don’t clean it.
Doesn’t matter how well it diffuses or how much it cost, resin buildup is the great equalizer. You’ve seen it: water turns brown, airflow slows, flavor drops off a cliff. Skip enough cleanings and suddenly your honeycomb hits like a clogged straw and your recycler’s just recycling funk.
The fix is simple, hot water and 91% isopropyl alcohol after each session.
Doesn’t have to be a full soak, just a quick rinse to keep things moving. For stubborn spots, a bit of coarse salt will scrub through buildup without scratching the glass. And if you’re using oil, clean even more often. Residue builds faster, and once it cakes into tight perc slits, it’s a pain to remove.
This is where TAG gear pays off. Our pieces use precision-cut joints and reinforced welds, which means fewer weak spots, tighter seals, and less wear from repeated cleaning.
Inferior glass gets looser over time, ours stays locked in. Durable glass isn't just about impact resistance, it’s about longevity through real use, including how often it needs to be cleaned and how well it holds up afterward.
Become a Student of Filtration Science
Whether you’re ripping flower every day or dialing in low-temp dabs, the right percolator makes all the difference.
Honeycomb percs offer smooth, low-drag pulls for daily users. Tree percs cool down heavy rips but need care. Matrix percs bring that stacked bubble magic. Showerheads keep things simple and clean. Fritted discs? Hardcore filtration, if you’re ready to clean often.
The trick isn’t buying the most complicated setup, it’s matching your perc to your smoking style.
Oils need low drag and flavor retention. Herb benefits from deeper cooling and filtration. And if you swap between both, modular glass gives you control without compromise.
Ready to feel the difference? Explore Thick Ass Glass website and discover percolator bongs engineered for airflow, durability, and ultra-smooth hits.