The reason why many smokers choose water pipes is that it makes smoking much smoother and perfect. And the percolator or in short perc in water pipes are the stuffs that help to achieve this even better. The main functions of percolators are to filter out nasty substances in the smoke, making it less harsh to inhale. Percolator forces smoke to go through water in order to filter it. It diffuses the smoke in different directions, providing the smoke a larger surface area to interact with as much water as possible. This cools down the smoke as well as filters it out. So simply put, if you prefer smoother hits and a healthier way to smoke, percolators are the things for you.

There are ever increasing number of percolator styles and designs for water pipes. Let’s go through some of the most common types of water pipe percolators.

• Downstem percolator: Also known as straight percolators, these are the most basic form of perc, in both appearance and function. It is a simple straight tube with slits at the base that goes under the water. It lets smoke pass through the water, cooling it down. Downstem are easily removable from water pipes; it is makes cleaning very easy.
• Honeycomb percolator: These are a kind of disc perc that looks more like a honeycomb. They are small and take up very little vertical space. They provide more diffusion because of the number of small holes through which the smoke must pass. The round discs fit perfectly in the tube of the pipe, and the small holes makes the smoke smoother.
• Tree percolator: These percs are fairly simple, a collection of rods that resemble tree limbs. The more rods, the more diffusion. Rods will either be open bottomed or closed, usually with multiple slits on the sides. With more number of roads, more the smoke is separated, delivering a smooth hit.
• Showerhead percolator: Also known as UFO percs, they have a thin vertical tube that widens into a round chamber. They have slits or holes for filtration and diffusion. Since the slits are not stacked vertically, their water flow tends to be more evenly distributed.
• Inline percolator: These are simply horizontal tubes with several slits in them. Inline percs tends to sit flat in the water. The slits on the arm produce bubbles. The more slits there are, the more percolation takes place.
• Matrix percolator: These are a cylindrical chamber with vertical and horizontal slits. These are located in the middle of pipe and makes with plenty of space around it. Their aesthetic makes them desirable.
• Swiss percolator: These are a vertical diffusion system with holes on a large disc. They are seen on unique style of water pipes. These percs resembles to Swiss cheese, and hence the name. The holes made on a large vertical disc like shape lets smoke pass around them.
• Turbine percolator: These are great disc percolator. Turbine percs consists of a solid disc with angled slits. The angled slits create a spinning effect which both cools and diffuses the smoke while creating a unique visual effect. Turbine percs function as effective splash guards as well, especially if the walls above the perc hit a ceiling where the tube turns into a mouth piece.
• Faberge egg percolator: These percs work well when paired with another percolator. They are not efficient filters on their own. A Faberge egg perc when placed with in close vicinity to another perc will allow the smoke to filter and spread out. Moreover, they bring an enticing aesthetics.
• Spiral percolator: Also known as coils percs, are like coil twisted around an axis. The coils diffuse the smoke into the water. Compared to other percs, these percs provide smoother and longer hits.
• Dome percolator: These percs got its name from its shape. This dome like enclosure has slits and holes at the bottom. Diffusion occurs when the smoke passes through the dome.
• Fritted disc percolator: These are awesome percs which can beat many other percs when it comes to percolation power. They look like an intense version of honeycomb percs. Their main downside is difficulty in cleaning, due to its number of holes. The little holes can easily get clogged and requires more frequent maintenance.

These are only a few varieties of commonly used percs and the list goes on. There are more and more options such as Stereo matrix perc, Waffle percs, Ratchet percs, donut percs and so on. Every percolator has its pros and cons as well. Drop by at KC Smokz, the best smoke and vape shop in Kansas City and get the piece that suits you.