Different Ways to Smoke Cannabis: The Complete Guide

Any cannabis connoisseur can tell you: discovering different ways to smoke marijuana and collecting beautiful smoking devices can totally amplify your smoking experience. If wraps and rolling papers aren’t your strong suit—or you prefer the ease of packing a bowl—there are plenty of alternatives to smoking papers. These diverse devices come in a variety of shapes, sizes, materials, and prices.

Grab your grinder and buckle in: here’s our ultimate guide to pipes and smoking devices for cannabis flower and concentrates.

Different Ways to Smoke Cannabis: The Complete Guide

Hand Pipes

Out of all the different ways to smoke cannabis, hand pipes are potentially the most popular. Hand pipes for smoking cannabis can come in almost any shape or size that you desire. Whether you prefer intricate heady pieces, classy sherlock pipes, or simple spoon pipes, you can find a handheld cannabis pipe that fits your needs.

Hand pipes are one of the most popular ways to smoke dry flower—particularly amongst beginners. They’re generally compact and easy to use. Hand pipes typically have a bowl for holding your ground flower, a stem and mouthpiece, and a carb hole to control airflow easily. 

These devices come in a variety of materials, including wooden, silicone, and glass pipes. These pipes have been around for centuries, passed down by ancestors from every culture who smoked tobacco/ herbs. Variations of the hand pipe include ceremonial pipes (Native American), chalices (Rastafarian), chibouks (Turkish), chillums (India), kiserus (Japanese), midwakhs (Arabian), and sebsis (Moroccan).

One-Hitters

One-hitters are very similar to hand pipes, but even smaller and more discrete. They’re intended to hold a small amount of ground cannabis flower—enough for one to two hits. Though these pipes come in a variety of shapes and sizes, some are metal pipes designed to look like a cigarette, making them a discrete option for on-the-go smoke sessions.

One hitters sometimes come in dugouts, small carrying cases with spots for your pipe and poker, and a chamber to hold your ground bud.

Steam Rollers

Steamrollers are not as popular as some of the other weed pipes on this list, but they pack a mean punch. They’re essentially giant glass pipes usedfor smoking dry cannabis flower. To use a steam roller, simply plug the hole at the end of the piece and slowly light the cannabis until the pipe chamber is filled with smoke. Once you’ve reached the desired amount of smoke, you remove your finger/ hand from the hole and inhale all of the smoke in one swift inhale. This type of smoking pipe is essentially a crossbreed between a hand pipe and a bong.

Water Pipes

There are two versions of cannabis water pipes, depending on the size. The most common version of a water pipe is the larger version, which isknown as a bong. Bongs are unique because they have a chamber for holding water. When you spark up your bowl and inhale through the mouthpiece, the smoke is filtered through the water. This filtration not only cools the smoke down—it also traps some of the tar and other yucky toxins before they reach your mouth. Many modern bongs are made of Borosilicate glass, so they’re lightweight and more durable than regular glass.

Bubblers are the smaller version of a water pipe. These are almost like a crossbreed between a hand pipe and a bong. Essentially, they’re set up like your average hand pipe with an extra chamber for water filtration. No matter the size, the point of adding water is to provide an extra filter and cool down your smoke for a smoother smoking experience.

Vaporizers

Dry herb vaporizers offer a revolutionary way to indulge in the benefits of cannabis and other botanicals. These devices work by utilizing advanced heating technology to gently heat the herbs to a temperature that releases their active compounds as a vapor, all without reaching the point of combustion. This process not only preserves the delicate flavors and aromas of the herbs but also eliminates the harmful toxins and carcinogens thatcan arise from traditional smoking methods. Users can easily customize temperature settings to achieve their preferred balance of flavor and potency, resulting in a cleaner, smoother inhalation experience that’s both discreet and convenient. Dry herb vapes contain a battery, a heating chamber to load the flower, and a mouthpiece.

Dab Pens

Dab pens, the cutting-edge tools of concentrate enthusiasts, provide an innovative means of enjoying the potent essence of cannabis extracts. These devices operate with simplicity at their core: a heating element swiftly warms up the concentrated material, transforming it into a flavorful vapor without resorting to combustion. The result is clean and efficient inhalation experience that preserves the concentrated terpenes and cannabinoids, like THC and CBD, while avoiding the harmful byproducts produced by traditional combustion methods.

Dab pens are also the embodiment of discretion, allowing users to relish their favorite extracts without the need for cumbersome rigs or conspicuous smoking. Whether you’re a dabbing aficionado or a first-time dabber intrigued by the world of concentrates, dab pens offer a modern and convenient way to unlock the full potential of cannabis extracts. Dab pen batteries and carts, as well as disposable dab pens, can be purchased at dispensaries.

Dab Rigs

At the forefront of all the different ways to smoke cannabis, dab rigs stand as an embodiment of sophistication and innovation. These masterpieces of glass artistry,often crafted from high-quality Borosilicate glass, mark the pinnacle of concentrate consumption. Dab rigs are designed with intricate precision. They incorporate a specialized nail or banger, typically made from the same durable Borosilicate glass, which is skillfully heated to the optimal temperature using a torch. The concentrated material, when applied to this heated surface, transforms into an aromatic vapor that travels through water for cooling, resulting in a remarkably smooth inhalation experience.

Dab rigs exemplify a harmonious fusion of art and science, showcasing the craftsmanship of glassblowers while delivering the potency and nuanced flavors that concentrate enthusiasts crave. Dab rigs offer an elevated avenue to explore the diverse facets of cannabis consumption.

Nectar Collectors

Out of all the different ways to smoke cannabis, nectar collectors are innovative instruments that redefine how concentrate enthusiasts experience their favorite extracts. These tools offer a unique approach to dabbing, consisting of a mouthpiece, a heated tip, and a water chamber.

By applying the heated tip directly to the concentrate, it’s instantly vaporized, and the resulting vapor is drawn through the water for a cooled and flavorful inhale. Nectar collectors provide a convenient and portable alternative to traditional dab rigs, offering a dynamic dabbing experience in a compact design.