Recycler bong vs. Percolator bong - both bongs can enhance flavor, but the key difference lies in their filtration process. Are you a seasoned bong user or just beginning to explore the world of water pipes? Understanding the differences between these bongs can help you to choose the best one for your smoking journey.
In this article, we’ll go through the differences between recycler and percolator bongs, as well as their types and benefits. So, without more intros, let’s delve into it!
What is a Recycler Bong?
A recycler bong or rig is a type of water pipe that filters and cools smoke. It has multiple chambers connected by tubes that filter smoke through the bong multiple times before inhaling it.
What are the Types of Recycler Bong?
There are 4 main types of recycler bongs, such as -
Standard/external Recycler
The standard or external recycler bongs have a drain pipe, which connects the base to the recycling chamber (it starts from the top of the rig to the bottom). The bong's outside tube creates a loop. Here, the smoke and water become a vortex, cool, and purify before being inhaled. Due to its open design, the bong is aesthetically appealing and easy to clean.
Internal (Incycler) Recycler
There are two types of internal recyclers: (a) One has an external tube that brings water from the first chamber to the second where the drain is. (b) The other one travels through small holes at the top of the drain funnel instead of traveling through an external tube.
Klein Recycler
This recycler bond features a “Klein weld,” like a hybrid external and internal recycler. In this bong, the drain pipe doesn’t go straight down to the bottom.
Donut
As the suggested name, the water and smoke get pulled into the circulated donut chamber, filter the smoke with water, and recycle it back down. Similar to the recycler bong, it creates a vortex in an internal chamber, filters smoke, and produces fantastic hits.
How Does Recycler Bongs Work?
The recycler bong works by continuously circulating water and smoke within the bong. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how they work:
- After inhaling, the smoke pulled from the bowl through the downstem into the first chamber containing water.
- The water and smoke are pulled into an upper or secondary chamber through tubes.
- When you inhale, the water flows back into the lower chamber through a return tube, creating a continuous loop.
- Now, the filtered and cooled smoke is delivered through the mouthpiece and gives an enjoyable experience.
Why Do People Like Recycler Bong?
Like percolator bong, recycler bong is popular for delivering smooth and cooling hits. The key feature of this bong is to prevent splashback, ensuring water doesn’t enter the mouthpiece.
What is Percolator Bong?
A percolator bong is a water pipe that diffuses, filters, and cools the smoke through water or other additives (add extra flavors), creating a smooth hit before you inhale. Percolator bongs come in different designs, offering different levels of filtration and visual appeal.

What are the Types of Percolator Bongs?
The main 7 types of percolator bongs are:
Showerhead Percolator Bong
This showerhead perc has a mushroom-shaped head with multiple slits around the base. Smoke passes through those slits and water, providing smoother hits. These percolators look similar to Circ perc, but the difference is that they are anchored to the floor of the bong through a glass stem and provide extra durability.
Tree Percolator Bong
A tree percolator has one major trunk in the center and many branches (4-10 branches) coming off it, making it look like a real tree. This placement is ideal for intense filtration and diffusion in a compact area. Also, these percs are efficient at diffusing smoke but difficult to clean.
Double Tree Percolator
The double tree percolator bong has two isolated water reservoirs each featuring a Tree perc. Smoke travels through the first Tree perc and then the second water chamber for an intensive diffusion. Each water chamber ensures you enjoy a buttery smooth bong rip.

Inline Percolator
An inline percolator is a small horizontal tube with slits or holes in the downstem. The smoke passes through the slits and filters through the water, creating smooth and cool hits.
Turbine Percolator
The turbine percolator is designed like a glass disk with angled slits, and when activated, it produces a tornado effect inside the bong water. The spinning action produces a cool sound and bubble, providing a smooth hit.
Honeycomb Percolator
This percs is popular for its flat glass disc with multiple tiny holes like a real-life honeycomb. Whenever you vape through a honeycomb, smoke passes through the holes, creating a large number of small bubbles for intensive filtration and diffusion.
Matrix Percolator
This percolator has the usual disc perc shape, dozens of holes, and slits positioned at every angle inside the water chamber. Smoke passes through these holes and large slits, creating thousands of bubbles of different shapes and sizes that smooth the smoking experience.
How Do Percolator Bongs Work?
Percolator bongs work by diffusing and filtering smoke through water or other additives, like fruit juice, coffee, cold tea, and many others, providing a cooler hit. The filtering process removes harmful toxins and ash. Here is a breakdown of the percolator bong working process:
- A percolator directs the smoke through the water for filtration.
- The key purpose of filtration is to cool the smoke, breaking up smoke into smaller particles when it passes through the water.
- A water-filled chamber or bong base removes impurities, resulting in smoother hits and removing harmful toxins and ash.
Why Do People Like Percolators Bong?
People like percolators because these bongs provide superior filtration, remove impurities from cannabis, and offer a cleaner smoke. Also, you can customize your own percolators and add flavors instead of water, like coffee, fruit juice, and others.
Recycler Bong vs. Percolator Bong: What are the Key Differences, Pros, and Cons
Both recycler bong and percolator bong are designed to offer a smooth smoking experience in different procedures. Before heading to the brief, let’s check out the key differences table between the two:
Features |
Recycler Bong |
Percolator Bong |
Filtration system |
Water and smoke are “recycled” through multiple chambers. |
Single or multiple percolators filter smoke through water. |
Function |
Diffusion and cooling. |
Filtration and efficient cooling. |
Cooling effect |
Provides a smooth, cool hit due to the recycling process. |
Cools smoke by breaking it into bubbles, resulting in a smoother hit. |
Splashing |
Minimal splash; the water stays in the multiple chambers. |
Can splash if not used properly or if the percolator is too large. |
Size and portability |
Larger and more complex in design. |
Vary in size and design, often smaller than recyclers. |
Clean process |
Difficult to clean because of its complex design. |
Easy to clean depending on perc size and design. |
Price |
More expensive due to its complexity. |
Affordable, top-quality percolators. |
What are the Advantages of Using a Recycler Bong?
The recycler bongs are useful to -
- Superior filtration: Like a percolator bong, it provides cleaner, healthier inhalation. The smoke passes through water multiple times and removes harsh particles.
- Preserved flavor: The efficient filtration process retains the natural flavors without over-diffusing the smoke.
- Prevent water splash: The recycler bong is designed to prevent water whenever you inhale, ensuring a clean and dry vapor.
- Efficiency: The bong is ideal for those bong users who prefer smoother and longer hits.
What are the Advantages of Using a Percolator Bong?
The benefits of using a percolator bong are as follows:
- Smooth hit: The percolator bong is best to reduce harshness, making each hit refreshing by breaking smoke into smaller bubbles.
- Improved flavor: You can add different flavors instead of clean water, like cold tea, juice, coffee, and more, making it ideal to enjoy every puff.
- Custom design: It offers a variety of percolators, like a honeycomb, showerhead, tree, and more to give bong users custom flexibility.
- Clean smoke: It removes unwanted debris and toxins from smoke, resulting in a clean and more enjoyable inhale.
- Reduced lung irritation: The extra filtration and cooling make it ideal for individuals with sensitive respiratory systems.
Recycler Bong vs. Percolator Bong: Which Bong is Best for You?
Recycler bongs and percolator bongs both provide smooth hits and improved filtration. However, a Recycler Bong will be the right choice for you if you’re searching for:
- Consistent filtration for smoother hits: Recycler bongs multiple chambers filter, cool smoke continuously, and provide smooth hits. The more times the smoke is filtered, the cooler and smoother it becomes.
- Less harshness and coughing: As mentioned, the recycler bong provides less harshness and coughing due to the extended water filtration process.
- Ideal for long sessions: A recycler bong is ideal for longer smoking sessions. Its continuous filtration ensures the smoke maintains its smoothness throughout the session, so you won’t have to worry about hits becoming unpleasant after a few puffs.
However, percolator bongs are a fantastic option for bong users who prefer customization solutions and a high level of diffusion. Here’s why you choose a Percolator Bong.
- Customization options: From bong materials to size or design, you have the flexibility to customize your percolator bong. However, there are honeycomb perc, double perc, tree perc, and many others in the marketplace.
- Efficient filtration for less harshness: Percolators are ideal for less harsh hits because they break up the smoke into smaller bubbles, resulting in smoother, cooler hits.
- Aesthetic appeal: The percolator bongs are sturdy and visually stunning. Bong enthusiasts prefer percolators for its aesthetics, function, and intricate designs.
However, when deciding between a recycler and a percolator bong, it’s important to consider your personal smoking preferences. Here are some valuable questions you can ask before making a purchase:
- Do you prefer a cooler and smoother hit? If so, you can choose between recycler and percolator bongs.
- Are you looking for a customizable smoking experience? A percolator bong is the best choice for a customizable experience.
- What’s your budget? If you’re on a tighter budget, percolator bongs tend to be more affordable and top-quality.
Now that you’ve two different bong details, it’s time to buy your preferred one from a reputable bong seller in the United States. For example, Groovy Glass is one of the most trusted and reliable bong sellers where you get high-quality materials and aesthetic designs.
Conclusion
Recycler bong vs percolator bong - without understanding the key differences between these water pipes, you can’t choose the ideal one that suits your smoking preferences. After going through all the key sections, such as types, benefits, and differences, we hope you find the best one. Again, a percolator is the best option if you prefer customizable filtration and smooth hit with a focus on flavor. But a recycler bong is the best option for a smooth hit with healthier smoke. So, the choice is yours!