Water pipes & bongs
by Hemper
The Popcorn Bong is a novelty glass water pipe shaped like a classic cinema popcorn bucket, built from 5mm-thick borosilicate glass in two sizes: a 6-inch regular and a 9-inch XL. It filters and cools your smoke through water while looking like it belongs on the armrest of a movie theatre seat. The kind of piece that makes people do a double-take, then immediately ask where you got it.
| Variant | Height | SKU | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | 6 inches (approx. 15 cm) | HS2364 | Desk use, smaller hands, portability |
| XL | 9 inches (approx. 23 cm) | HS2365 | Bigger hits, more water volume, a proper centrepiece |
The 6-inch version sits comfortably in one hand and tucks away in a drawer. The 9-inch gives you a longer smoke path, which means slightly cooler, smoother draws. If you mostly smoke at home and want the full visual impact of that popcorn bucket, go XL. If you want something you can stash on a shelf without it dominating the room, the regular does the job nicely.
Most bongs look like lab equipment. Nothing wrong with that — function over form is a perfectly valid approach. But there's something to be said for a piece that actually makes you smile when you pick it up. The Popcorn Bong nails the novelty factor without cutting corners on build quality. At 5mm thick, the borosilicate glass is the same grade you'd find on bongs costing twice as much. It can handle thermal shock, the occasional knock against the table, and years of regular use.
The angled downstem is a nice touch. It keeps the bowl tilted away from your face at a comfortable angle, so you're not hunching over the piece or tilting it awkwardly. The bowl itself is generously sized — big enough for a proper session, not so big that you're wasting herb on a solo smoke. We've handled plenty of novelty bongs over the years, and the common problem is that the design comes first and the function is an afterthought. This one actually rips well. The water chamber on the 9-inch version holds enough water to genuinely cool the smoke, and even the 6-inch pulls more smoothly than you'd expect from something this compact.
One honest heads-up: the popcorn bucket shape means the base is wider than a standard beaker bong of the same height. On the 9-inch, you'll want a stable surface — it's not top-heavy, but the centre of gravity sits a bit higher than a straight tube. Keep it on a flat table, not balanced on the arm of your sofa during a film marathon.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Material | Borosilicate glass |
| Glass Thickness | 5mm |
| Available Heights | 6 inches (15 cm) / 9 inches (23 cm) |
| Design | Cinema popcorn bucket |
| Downstem | Angled, removable |
| Bowl | Sizeable, included |
| Filtration | Water filtration via downstem |
| SKU (6") | HS2364 |
| SKU (9") | HS2365 |
Borosilicate glass is tough, but resin builds up fast — especially around the downstem joint and inside the water chamber. A dirty bong tastes stale and looks grim, and the popcorn bucket design has a few curves where residue likes to hide. Clean it after every 3-5 sessions for the best flavour.
The simplest method: pour out the old water, add coarse salt and isopropyl alcohol (90% or higher), cover the openings with your hands or cling film, and shake vigorously for 60-90 seconds. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. For stubborn spots, let the alcohol-salt mixture soak for 30 minutes before shaking. Pipe cleaners work well for the downstem. Don't use boiling water — even borosilicate can crack from extreme, sudden temperature changes. Warm is fine. Boiling is not.
Complete your setup with a proper grinder — the SLX Non-Stick Grinder keeps herbs at a consistent medium grind and doesn't gum up after a few uses. And if you want to keep your bong sparkling, grab a bottle of Formula 420 cleaning solution. It cuts through resin faster than the salt-and-alcohol method and rinses clean in seconds.
We've been stocking novelty bongs since the early 2000s, and most of them are genuinely terrible. They look great in photos, arrive with paper-thin glass, and crack the first time someone sets them down too firmly. The Popcorn Bong is a pleasant exception. That 5mm borosilicate wall thickness is the same standard we look for in any daily-driver bong. You can feel the weight when you pick it up — the 9-inch version has a solid, reassuring heft to it, roughly the weight of a full pint glass.
The paint job on the popcorn kernel details is baked on, not a cheap decal. After a few months of use and cleaning, it still looks sharp. If we had to nitpick: the bowl could be a touch deeper on the 6-inch version. It's fine for solo use, but if you're passing it around with mates, you'll be repacking more often than you would with the 9-inch. For a movie night bong that you're sharing, the XL is the one we'd pick every time.
Compared to a standard beaker bong at the same price point, you're trading a bit of water volume for a conversation piece that people genuinely love. If maximum filtration and ice catchers are your priority, a classic beaker bong is the more practical choice. If you want something that makes the ritual more fun — and you're a bit of a film nerd — the Popcorn Bong is hard to beat.
Yes. 5mm is the standard thickness for mid-range to quality bongs. Borosilicate glass resists thermal shock and handles regular cleaning with alcohol and salt. It won't shatter from normal use — just don't drop it on tiles.
The Popcorn Bong doesn't have ice notches, so ice cubes will drop straight into the water chamber. You can add a few small cubes to the water to cool it down, but there's no built-in ice catcher to hold them above the waterline. Use crushed ice for the best results.
The 9-inch holds more water, gives you a longer smoke path for cooler hits, and has a slightly larger bowl. The 6-inch is more portable and discreet. Both use the same 5mm borosilicate glass and angled downstem design.
Every session, ideally. Stale bong water tastes awful and starts growing bacteria within 24 hours. Fresh cold water every time takes 10 seconds and makes a noticeable difference in flavour.
No. The design is baked onto the glass, not a sticker or decal. Standard cleaning with isopropyl alcohol and salt won't damage it. Avoid abrasive scrubbing pads directly on the painted areas, and it'll stay looking fresh for years.
As long as the replacement matches the joint size and angle, yes. Check the joint diameter before ordering a replacement — most standard 14.5mm or 18.8mm fittings will work, depending on the version you have.
Generally, yes. Water filtration cools the smoke and filters out some particulate matter before it reaches your lungs. The result is a noticeably smoother draw compared to dry methods. According to research on waterpipe mechanisms, water filtration reduces smoke temperature significantly during inhalation.
Last updated: April 2026
