Rapid Review: Boo Glass Fire Cut Donut Perc Water Pipe
The stresses of the day seem to melt away once you take this effective water pipe in your hands. The bong feels like a work of art, but it percolates like a veteran coffee machine. When it’s filled with cold water, it produces perfectly smooth, chilled smoke, perfect for an after-work party on a hot summer day or a quiet evening on the back porch.
The 13.5” Worked Glass Fire Cut Donut Perc Pipe is tall but not too tall, able to fit in a backpack or cloth bag for a night watching the game with friends while still being your go-to for solo smoking on the back porch. With two matrix percolators, distinctive maria rings, thick glass and an iconic donut in the center, this innovative water pipe is sure to make friends jealous with its mix of artistry and efficiency.
Technical Specs
- Height: 13.5”
- Tough Borosilicate
- Fire Cut diffusion
- Standard 14mm female joint
- 14mm mae funnel-bowl slide included
- Maria rings
- Two-prong Dewar’s joint
- Bent neck for easy access
- Worked glass details
What you notice first: If you’re used to smaller, more basic bongs, this pipe can look tall at first, but you get used to it quickly. The bent neck is convenient, giving it a premium feel as you don’t have to tilt yourself or the pipe to use it. The neck connects to two Neptune-hued maria rings that match the deep blues of the base and donut while also providing a good place to grip the piece. The rings are directly above the fire cut diffusion, with three rows of evenly spaced holes.
The top perc is connected to a big blue donut, a pathway that takes in the smoke from the glass joint and directs it through the top and bottom percs. The two-pronged Dewar's joint that connects the glass joint to the bong provides increased sturdiness in addition to the tough borosilicate glass that makes up the water pipe itself.
The raised sapphire-hued base has three rows of raised bumps, providing a grippy place to hold onto the pipe. As it can be easily held with one hand, it feels like the sort of pipe that would be perfect for a backyard party or barbeque with friends. Hydrodynamics take away the harshness so you can inhale it as easily as a sip of wine.
Neck & Mouthpiece
You might not think about it at first, but the neck and mouthpiece on this pipe are just plain convenient. The neck and mouthpiece are tilted for you, so you don’t have to angle your neck like you would for a straight tube water pipe. The mouthpiece is the same kind of dark blue glass as the bottom, and is separated by a clear maria ring from the rest of the pipe’s neck. The angle of the neck is quite comfortable and requires no effort on the part of the user. It almost gives it a saxophone-like shape that makes its use intuitive. The pathway from the neck to the top matrix perc isn’t too wide or too thin, just enough to provide space for plumes of double-cooled smoke.
14mm Funnel Slide
+ Maria Rings
+ Dewar's Joint
Percolation Power
The most distinctive feature upon first glancing at the pipe is the big blue donut. It is more than simply a decoration, as it connects the glass joint to twin matrix percolators. As smoke enters the glass joint, it is forced through the donut and then the many holes of the bottom perc, which forces the smoke through the water in more places, cooling it efficiently as a result. With the top perc the smoke can be cooled a second time, depending on the water level.
There are two optimal water levels for this bong, but it is dependent on experience and lung power of the user. Utilizing the full percolation power of the bong will mean a water level high enough to cover up the bottom row of holes on the top perc, and is recommended for experienced users with extra lung power. Be sure to remove the slide while inhaling the cooled smoke and replace it after the water settles, as there will be a pressure difference at this water level. For people who are new to water pipes or don’t have as much lung power, it is suggested to submerge most of the donut.
The bent neck stops percolating water from reaching up to the mouthpiece at all when the water level is at this lower setting, and keeps water away from the mouthpiece the majority of the time when it reaches up to the bottom row of holes on the second perc at the higher water level.
Durability
The thick blue-green maria rings above the top perc demonstrate Boo’s eye for durability. Not only do they look cool, but they provide a safe place to grip the top of the bong. The two-pronged dewar’s joint increases the sturdiness of the glass joint while providing an extra bit of dark blue glass on the top prong. This consequently makes it easier to grip the bong from the bottom, as you can put two fingers between the prongs to help hold it up. The standard Borosilicate glass is thick and feels like it can take a lot of use for several years.
Worked Glass
Performance
With this piece, the artistry includes not just the coloring and décor of the water pipe, but also how it channels the bubbles when the pipe is in use. This pipe produces a spectacular amount of bubbles, breaking up the smoke so that more of it is exposed to chilled water. The bubbles begin at the bottom perc and shoot up above the donut at a lower water level, and above the second perc at a higher water level. The top of the bubbles is generally about one inch above the water line. This water pipe is great for beginners and experienced water pipe users, but it depends on the water line and lung power. Thorough testing makes it clear that the dual matrix percolators are very efficient at cooling smoke, providing the user with a premium smoking experience even with the stock slide.
Performance with an ash catcher: The cool design of this bong made it a little too easy to tip with an ash catcher on.
Where & When
While every pipe will have its niche, the Stereo Matrix Donut Perc water pipe is perfect for parties but also be comfortable to use solo. The rumbling sound and effervescent visuals of the pipe in use make it a tad more flashy than a bubbler but less portable than a spoon pipe. This water pipe could be passed around a table during a game of Cards Against Humanity and be right at home, just as it would be with one user listening to music and chilling out. It’s portable in that it can fit in a backpack, but keep in mind that it’s a pipe that stands out.
Overall
This is a marvelous water pipe designed by Boo Glass. With twin percolators it cools smoke like nothing else while looking great at the same time. The piece is a great gift for both those starting out with water pipes and those with experience.