As more states legalize marijuana for medical or recreational use (currently, 30 states have approved the former, and nine the latter), the market for cannabis-related products and accessories is exploding. No matter your preference for enjoying cannabis–edibles, oils, flower, or topicals–you’re sure to find a vast array of variations of each for your consideration.
Despite relatively new product lines like edibles and oils, the most preferred method of using marijuana is still through inhalation, whether that’s by smoking a joint, vaping, or using a pipe or bong. When it comes to bongs—a staple in the collections of most marijuana smokers—your choices of styles, materials, functions, features, and colors are only limited by your budget. While it’s possible to purchase a low-quality plastic bong for less than twenty bucks, some sell for up to $300,000.
You get what you pay for
Before you balk at spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a device to smoke $50 of weed, it’s worthwhile to examine just why a piece of paraphernalia like this would fetch this price. Studying Illadelph Glass of Philadelphia, which creates some of the most sought-after high-end pipes and bongs, may very well explain why you just might empty your bank account for one of these pieces.
Incredible craftsmanship
The Illadelph Glass company was created in 2002 in Philadelphia (for which “illadelph” is a popular slang name), and from the its beginning the firm emphasized creating high-end, functional, borosilicate glass art. Every aspect of the product, from the glass to the custom packaging, is made in the United States. Paying critical attention to quality and design, each Illadelph bong includes a perfectly sealed, American-made ground glass joints and will always feature consistently wall weights and no imperfections in decals or in the glass itself (take note: Illadelph says that if these imperfections are evident, your “Illadelph” glass is probably counterfeit).
Technologically-advanced functionality
In addition to its craftsmanship and quality control measures, Illadelph has become just as well-known for its innovation in the bong industry. Coil condensers, disc perc technology, up-stem ash catchers, multi-hold bowl designs, pyramid percs, and the spinning marble design are just a few of the features introduced by Illadelph that are now being incorporated into the designs of other manufacturers. One of the most popular Illadelph features is a detachable coil condenser, which is filled with a freezable gel that can be stored in a freezer when not in use to provide a cool and smooth smoking experience. Smokers can thank Illadelph’s interest in scientific glass apparatus for this particular attribute.
Breathtaking beauty
Lastly, but certainly not least, Illadelph bongs are highly valued as stunning pieces of art—even to non-smokers. In fact, in 2016 Illadelph opened the Illadelph Glass Gallery in the historic Old City section of Philadelphia to showcase not only the company’s greatest creations, but also those of other glass artists. Every season since 2007, Illadelph has collaborated with glass artists to produce several one-of-a-kind custom pieces for display in the gallery and for sale, with themes ranging from sports teams to hieroglyphics to comic heroes to honeycombs. Illadelph glass is so attractive that you can even find images of them on Pinterest and Instagram!
You can look…but you can’t order online
Although Illadelph offers lots of branded merchandise on its website, Illadelph glass bongs are sold only at authorized, reputable retailers to guarantee authenticity and quality. The company also takes time to educate retail shop owners on all aspects of Illadelph so they can readily answer customer questions and provide an all-around better bong buying experience.