Shane Mehling December 22nd, 2006

The Terminator

10. Star Crusader- This hand blown Indian glass bong just squeezed onto our list with a big bowl, tilted stem, and an exquisite glass spider near the mouthpiece. We weren’t wild about the color and the chamber was too shallow, but the weight and balance of the piece showed some impressive craftsmanship.

9. Alpine Blue- While it may look like it’s out of a Dr. Seuss story, this bong supplied us with one of the most comfortable mouthpieces we’ve found, giving great suction. The stem is a joy to look at, but the thinness of the body took away a bit of the “oomph” we were hoping for. You could argue that substance loses out to style with Alpine Blue, but we put this at number 9 as a testament to the beauty of its unique look.

8. Kemuri Japanese Bong- Kemuri, which in Japanese actually means “smoke”, is a frosted glass marvel that meshes a post-modern look with traditional Japanese writing and a fire red sun. Suggested for those who enjoy putting a couple of ice cubes in the chamber, the mouthpiece could have been a bit wider, but you’ll barely notice with such a smooth smoke.

7. Bong 42 Plus- This is our first entry that is pure practicality. Completely clear, and far more cumbersome, the Bong 42 plus has an additional chamber connected so as to cool down the smoke twice. While it looks tricky, the ease of the product (and how efficiently it works) immediately won us over. Unfortunately, with a slightly tilted stem being the only flourish, this one comes off a little too Highschool Chemistry for us.

6. Bob Marley Glass Bong- If you’re wondering why we would give such a high rating to a Bob Marley commemorative bong made in Germany, you obviously haven’t had a chance to hold this piece. With Jamaican color bands around the top and Mr. Marley’s face down the length of the thick, sturdy stem, the carb has a ring of glass around the outside for easier gripping. Coupled with a chamber that flares out only slightly, this one of the easiest to hold bongs on the market.

5. Blue Star- This premium bong was made for a get together, as it sports one of the largest bowls we’ve seen this year. At first we were turned off by the ceramic look of the chamber, as well as the star face on the stem, but after further inspection, great detail has been paid to both the face as well as the smooth contours of the extra wide base. It may not look great to us, but anyone who can appreciate this style (and has some buddies) will be well rewarded.

4. Ice Fire Tower Bong- This bong impressed us right away when it fell out of its box onto a kitchen floor and there wasn’t even a scuff on it. We have lot of faith in German bongs, and this was the cream of the crop this year, featuring a meticulously drawn dragon spewing a burst of chilling ice and spreading its wings over a frosted stem that felt polished and reliable. The carb is indented, which felt surprisingly comfortable, and the base, emblazoned with “Ice Fire” was amongst the most worry free we’ve come across.

3. Rainbow- The winner of the most beautiful bong this year is Rainbow, a true work of art that would look great on a coffee table or resting in a case. We can’t say enough about how gorgeous this piece is, with colors blending in ways that are enhanced once you add water. Little nuances like the bumps along the stem for increased traction, and the precision placement of the bowl, only add to a wonderful accomplishment in decorative bongs.

2. The Terminator- While the Bong 42 Plus delivers a double dose of cooling, The Terminator doubles it with four chambers for your smoke to cool down. While some old timers may find this a little overkill, many of us don’t mind the extra work of filling the bong to get that extra crisp feeling only something like this can provide. While it’s completely clear, the Rube Goldberg construction makes this piece not only one of the smoothest out there, but it also succeeds in being one of the most eye-catching.

1. Brain Stormer 4 Person Water Bong- There will no doubt be a lot of controversy on our number one pick this year, as it isn’t a true bong but rather a hookah. But after one sit down with this phenomenal piece, we couldn’t stop ourselves. The Brain Stormer is a clear glass alien head grinning devilishly on a pure black ceramic base. The bowl sits as a pipe in its mouth, and the four tubes shoot from the sides of its skull. Not wanting to be just won over by its look, we yanked on the tubes, bashed the base, and tried to blacken the insides, but every test showed that this piece was more than up to snuff. The metal bowl aesthetically is perfect, and it’s size is more than we could hope for. But aside from all of it’s other plusses, the true sign of this being our number one bong is that even operating solo, this was the most satisfying smoke we’ve had all year.

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