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One of the most satisfying feelings in any cannabis enthusiast’s life is hitting a well-packed bong. The sound of the bubbling water, the sight of the building smoke, and the feeling of the pull all add up to an incomparable experience. But dirty bong water, harsh smoke, and wasted weed can taint the experience.
Enter the ash catcher.
What is an ash catcher?
An ash catcher is an extension of your bong, which acts as a percolator to keep your bong and the water cleaner. Placed under the bowl, ash catchers filter the smoke before it hits the water, giving you a smoother and cleaner hit.
Using an ash catch helps filter out some of the carcinogens created during the lighting of the weed to give you a smooth, clean hit.
Ash catchers also help keep your bong clean by reducing the amount of ash (or precious weed) that pulls through into the body of the bong.
Best for silicone bongs
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Material: platinum cured silicone
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Special feature: made from silicone
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Price: $14.99
Best value
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Material: borosilicate glass
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Special feature: light enough to fit small bongs
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Price: $24.99
Most efficient
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Material: borosilicate glass
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Special feature: silicone reclaim catcher to hold on to unused cannabis
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Price: $29.99
Best for easy cleaning
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Material: borosilicate glass
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Special feature: removable down stem
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Price: $39.99
Best for smoothest hit
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Material: borosilicate glass
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Special feature: honeycomb filter, showerhead percolator
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Price: $54.99
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Best conversation piece
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Material: borosilicate glass
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Special feature: three pieces combine into a multi-chambered piece
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Price: $116
Best for silicone bongs: Waxmaid 2.95″ Mini Silicone Ash Catcher
- Size and weight: 2.95 inches tall and 1.59 oz
- Material: platinum cured silicone
- Design: classic ash catch
- Color: green, pink, red, or multicolor
- Special feature: made from silicone
- Price: $14.99
Highlights:
- made from dishwasher safe silicone
- fits 14mm or 18mm bongs
- includes a glass bowl
While most ash catchers are made from glass, a silicone bong needs a silicone ash catcher. The Waxmaid mini catch gets the job done without fuss. Made from platinum-cured silicone, this ash catch has a 45-degree angle and fits into 14mm or 18mm bongs.
You can choose from four different colors, and it comes with a 12 mm glass bowl, because who doesn’t like extras? Best of all, the ash catcher is completely dishwasher safe, but you can also boil it if the resin really gets stuck in.
Best value: The Pulsar Simple Drop Ash Catch
- Size and weight: (not provided)
- Material: borosilicate glass
- Design: classic ash catch
- Color: clear
- Special feature: Light enough to fit small bongs
- Price: $24.99
As the name says, this is a simple ash catcher attachment for your bong – no bells or whistles, just what you need to get the job done.
Made from durable borosilicate glass, this no-frills piece has an angled joint with frosted tips that keeps the ash from entering your bongs and your smoke cleaner. Its small size means it fits with smaller bongs, and you can decide between clear or rainbow.
Highlights:
- affordable piece that gets the job done
- light enough to fit small bongs
- comes in two colors: clear or with a rainbow design on the bottom
Most efficient: MOB Reclaim Ash Catcher
- Size and weight: 4 inches tall
- Material: borosilicate glass
- Design: classic ash catch
- Color: clear with colorful silicone bottom
- Special feature: silicone reclaim catcher to hold on to unused cannabis
- Price: $29.99
Highlights:
- comes in 14 or 18 mm
- can have 45 degree or 90-degree angle
- has silicone reclaim catcher at the bottom
This small ash catch does exactly what it needs to without taking away from the main event – the weed. It’s simple, but it boasts a special modification: a small silicone reclaim catcher at the bottom holds any precious cannabis that’s slipped through the bowl, so you never waste a gram.
This flexible piece comes in 14mm or 18mm with the option of a 45-degree angle or 90-degree angle, so it works for every bong.
Best for easy cleaning: MOB Drop Down Ash Catcher
- Size and weight: 3 inches tall
- Material: borosilicate glass
- Design: hourglass
- Color: clear
- Special feature: removable down stem
- Price: $39.99
Highlights:
- hourglass shape with wide base for balance
- removable down stem for easy cleaning
- color-tinted bottom
For a piece that makes people stop and stare, you want the MOB drop-down ash catcher. Simple and aesthetically pleasing, the MOB ash catcher is made from borosilicate glass with a tinted bottom to give it a hint of color without overwhelming the simple design.
The wide base and hourglass shape keep the piece stable, and the removable down stem makes it fast and easy to clean. This piece has a 90-degree angle and fits 14mm bongs.
Best for smoothest hit: Pulsar 90° Honeycomb Showerhead Recycler Ash Catcher
- Size and weight: (not provided)
- Material: borosilicate glass
- Design: honeycomb
- Color: clear
- Special feature: honeycomb filter, showerhead percolator
- Price: $54.99
Highlights:
- honeycomb filter for smooth hits
- showerhead percolator that creates interesting water drainage
- fits 18-19mm bongs
The Pulsar Honeycomb Showerhead Ash Catcher has a long title to tell you this piece adds multiple extra layers of filtration between you and your bong smoke. The honeycomb design and recycler diffuse the smoke while the showerhead percolator cools the smoke. It has a 90-degree joint angle and fits 18-19mm bongs.
Best conversation piece: EHLE. Glass – Bottle-shaped Precooler
- Size and weight: 22 cm for the 14.5mm and 18mm pieces
- Material: borosilicate glass
- Design: bottle shaped
- Color: clear
- Special feature: three pieces combine into a multi-chambered piece
- Price: $116
Highlights:
- comes with a bowl
- flat bottom to support its weight
- multiple chambers to cool the smoke
When you want both a conversation piece and an ash catcher, you want the EHLE Bottle-Shaped Percolator. This unforgettable product is best suited for larger bongs and may even be as big as the water pipe itself!
It’s made up of three sections:
- the bowl
- precooler
- non-diffusing ash catcher
The flat bottom ensures it can support its own weight, and the multiple chambers both catch the ash and cool the smoke before you inhale. It has a 45-degree angle and comes in three sizes, so you can easily find the right size for your bong.
How to use an ash catcher
Ash catchers fit into the down stem of your bong, under the bowl. Some ash catchers have a down stem themselves, which extends the time before the smoke reaches you, but they don’t need one.
Using an ash catcher is simple. Here’s how it works:
- Remove your bowl and place the ash catcher in the open attachment
- Place the bowl in the opening on the ash catcher
- Pack the bowl as usual and light.
Types of ash catchers
Like bongs, ash catchers come in all shapes and sizes. There are a few factors to consider before you buy one.
- Size: Bongs come in all shapes and sizes, so you need to buy the right size ash catch to fit. Most ash catches come in one of three sizes: 10mm, 14mm (or 14.5mm), and 18mm, but there are exceptions. To find what size bong opening you have, grab a dime. If the opening is roughly the same size as the dime, your bong has a 14mm opening. If the dime is larger than the opening, it’s 10mm, and if the dime is smaller, it’s 18mm.
- Angle: The joint of the ash catch comes one of two ways, a 45-degree angle or a 90-degree angle. Having the right angle on your ash catch ensures you can use it from the moment you remove it from the box.
- Gender: Though bongs are not gendered, male and female attachments describe how parts fit together. A male attachment has a small stem that fits into a round opening, the female attachment. Most ash catchers fit in the bong where the bowl goes, so typically, the bong attachment is female, and the ash catcher is male. However, you can always use a joint adapter to attach two female or male parts together.
- Weight: Like bongs, ash catches can come in a variety of sizes. It’s important to get an ash catch that will balance well on your bong, not one that’s so heavy it’ll tip the piece over.
Ash catcher terms defined
When describing ash catchers, there are some terms you’ll want to be familiar with to understand what works best for your setup.
- Non-diffusing: a non-diffusing ash catch is the most common type of ash catcher. It stops ash and resin from reaching the water.
- Honeycomb: a honeycomb percolator has a honeycomb-shaped section of the chamber to provide an extra layer of diffusion before the smoke reaches your lungs.
Catch an ash catcher while you can
Adding an ash catcher to your bong makes for smoother hits and a cleaner bong. The ash catcher adds another level of filtration between you and the smoke, removing harsh particles and giving the smoke more time to cool, so you don’t take a harsh, hot hit.
Some ash catchers are universal, but most come in specific sizes. Read the product description carefully and ensure you know what size bong you have to fit before purchasing.
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