One of the biggest reasons why people vape their favorite herb instead of smoking it is because smoking is simply too harsh on the throat and lungs – especially if you do it regularly. When you vape, you inhale only the active compounds in the herb and not the byproducts of combustion. In general, vaping is much less likely to make you cough or give you a sore throat. Some forms of vaping, however, may still be a bit harsher than you’d like them to be. Using a dab pen is a perfect example of this. Many wax-based concentrates work best with vaporizers that can reach very high temperatures, and the heat from high-temperature vaping can be a throat irritant.
You switched to vaping in part to eliminate the harshness of smoking – but now that you’re starting to become a serious vaping connoisseur, you’re dealing with the same problem as before. What can you do to enjoy a truly smooth experience that doesn’t cause throat discomfort? The answer is that you need to start using a bubbler.
If you’re unfamiliar with bubblers – or have heard of them but haven’t used one before – this is the article for you. In it, we’re going to explain everything you’ve ever wanted to know about bubblers but were afraid to ask. When you’re done reading, you’ll know exactly what you need to do in order to enjoy the smoothest vaping experience possible. This is your complete beginner’s guide to bubblers.
What Is a Bubbler?
A bubbler is a water-based filter that puts a column of water between your mouth and the material you’re vaping. When you inhale through the bubbler’s mouthpiece, the vapor passes through the water before reaching your mouth.
Bubblers come in three different types.
- Some bubblers are essentially miniature bongs. These types of bubblers are much smaller than traditional bongs, which makes them more portable, easier to store and less fragile. Unlike a bong, though, a bubbler typically has no removable parts and can therefore be a bit more difficult to clean. This type of bubbler has a bowl and can be used for smoking.
- Some bubblers are designed specifically for vaporizers and don’t have bowls. This type of bubbler connects directly to your vaporizer’s mouthpiece.
- Some bubblers are built-in components of vaporizers. Our Stinger dab pen, for instance, has a built-in bubbler that eliminates the need to have a separate bong or bubbler to provide water filtration.
The majority of the bubblers on the market are made from glass, but you can also find some made from silicone. Glass bubblers look nicer and are typically more durable. Some people also find that they provide better flavor. Silicone bubblers, on the other hand, are cheaper and easier to clean.
What Are the Benefits of Using a Bubbler?
The benefit of a bubbler is that it provides water-based filtration for the vapor that you inhale. One of the reasons why smokers use bubblers is because the water removes some of the impurities from the smoke. If you’re vaping, though, the bigger benefit of using a bubbler is that it cools the vapor significantly before it reaches your mouth. As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, some types of vaporizers – particularly dab pens – can operate at very high temperatures, and high-temperature vaping can tend to cause throat and lung irritation. With a cooler temperature, the vapor becomes noticeably smoother and easier to inhale.
If you’re using a dry herb vaporizer, attaching your device to a bubbler also has a second benefit in that the water removes all solid particulate matter from the vapor stream. Have you ever had a coughing fit when using a dry herb vape because herb fragments suddenly flew into your mouth? You’ll never have to worry about that when using a bubbler because it’s impossible for solid particles to get through the water.
How to Use a Bubbler with a Vaporizer
In this section of our guide on bubblers, we’ll provide a brief overview of how to use a bubbler with your vaporizer. We’ll focus on using traditional weed bubblers here because a device with a built-in bubbler like the Stinger dab pen is basically self-explanatory once you understand the basics.
To use a vape pen with a traditional weed bubbler, you’ll need an adapter. Our silicone Dab Cap is perfect for this job. It’s a universal stretchy adapter that fits over your vape pen’s mouthpiece and allows it to connect to the bowl of a bubbler.
When you view a bubbler from the side, you’ll see that the water reservoir has two components: a main reservoir and a downstem. Add cold water to the reservoir until it covers approximately half of the downstem. You’ll get the best flavor with distilled or filtered water, and cold water usually works best. You may have to experiment with your bubbler to determine the ideal amount of water to add. If you use too much, you’ll end up inhaling water when you vape – but if you use too little, the desired filtration effect won’t be achieved.
After adding water to the bubbler, connect your vape pen’s mouthpiece to the bowl using the Dab Cap. Enable your vape pen’s draw-based firing mode if it has one. Otherwise, you’ll need to hold the device’s fire button when you vape. Look for a carb hole on the side of the bubbler before inhaling. If your bubbler has a carb hole, cover it with your finger before inhaling.
Inhale through the bubbler’s mouthpiece. If everything is working correctly, the vape pen should turn on, and you should hear bubbles as the vapor travels through the water. Remove your finger from the carb hole and continue inhaling until all of the vapor is cleared from the bubbler. If everything is set up correctly, you should notice that the vapor is dramatically cooler and smoother than it was without the bubbler.
When your vaping session is over, you can simply dump the water down the drain. Rinse the bubbler and allow it to dry.
How to Clean a Bubbler
As you use a bubbler, some of the vapor will condense on the inside and form a layer of dark residue. You’ll need to clean the bubbler periodically to maintain maximum flavor quality. The easiest way to clean a bubbler is by submerging it in rubbing alcohol for a couple of hours. The alcohol dissolves the residue, and anything that remains after soaking will rinse away easily in clean water.
If your bubbler is too large to submerge fully in rubbing alcohol, try pouring some alcohol inside the bubbler instead. Some people also like to add a little salt to provide some grit. Cover all of the openings and shake the bubbler vigorously to dissolve the residue. You may need to repeat this process a couple of times. When the bubbler looks clean, rinse it and allow it to dry before using it again.
0 Comments