Artistry or Functionality? Discover the allure of heady glass and the precision of scientific glass to find out which water pipe experience suits your style!

Heady Glass vs. Scientific Glass: What You Need to Know

If you’ve been using water pipes for a while, you might have heard the terms “heady glass” and “scientific glass” thrown around and were curious what they meant. What’s the difference between the two, and what do you need to know to pick one over the other?

Both types of water pipes can give you an amazing smoke session. But heady glass is a better choice if you’d like a handcrafted, one-of-a-kind artistic piece, while scientific glass is a better choice if you want a consistent, optimized smoking experience.

Before we get into the details of what you should look for when deciding between heady and scientific glass, we’ll define what each one is.

What is heady glass?

Heady glass is glass made by skilled glassblowers and puts more emphasis on the artistic possibilities of water pipes. They can be any shape and color imaginable, from pieces that you can display without your family knowing you can smoke a bowl out of it, to uniquely shaped water pipes with handblown details.

Each piece of heady glass is handmade, meaning there’s variation between the different pieces. Some might consider this a drawback, but they’re great if you like collecting pieces that are uniquely yours.

What is scientific glass?

Scientific glass is much more functional. Their design maximizes airflow and filtration, creating an optimal smoke session every time. They’re also typically made with standard molds, creating a consistent experience from pipe to pipe.

Along with their functionality, they’re typically a more durable water pipe option. If minimalism is your thing, scientific glass might be more appealing than heady glass.

Heady glass vs. scientific glass

So far, both options probably sound pretty good – maybe so equally good that you still don’t know which one to choose. Let’s take a closer look at each and compare heady and scientific glass on the following criteria:

• Design
• Functionality
• Cost
• Durability

Design

Heady glass is the way to go if you love artistic glass. Whatever your aesthetic is, there’s probably a piece out there that fits it. You can also support local artists too.

But if you’re not as into the design of your water pipe, scientific glass is a better option. They’re straightforward and as we’ll get into next, designed for function.

Functionality

You can smoke out of heady glass, but the functionality of each piece can vary wildly. That dragon-shaped pipe might look cool, but you might not get the biggest pulls or the smoothest experience because of its design. 

However, this depends on the individual piece. Some heady pieces can be equally as good as scientific glass when it comes to how good your smoke session is – you just have to try it out and see.

But if you’re very concerned with functionality, scientific glass is for you. Its function comes before its form. It can also be easier to clean than complex heady glass.

Durability

The durability of heady and scientific glass depends on several factors. One is the quality of the glass it was made from. Low-quality glass won’t hold up as well as high-quality glass.

Another thing to consider is the design. A heady glass piece with a lot of small, delicate parts is much more likely to break than 3mm thick scientific glass.

If you want a piece that can withstand being put down on your coffee table a little too hard, go with scientific glass or a heady glass piece that’s made of thicker glass.

Cost

The cost of heady and scientific glass can vary significantly. Because heady glass is handmade, it can put a dent in your bank account. Some smaller glass pieces can be around a hundred dollars and can go up to literally hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Scientific glass can be expensive too depending on the brand, but because they’re often produced in larger quantities, they’re more cost-effective.

Heady glass or scientific glass?

You can’t go wrong with either option if you buy from a reputable shop. But if you want glass that you can display as art one minute, then smoke out of it the next, choose heady glass. Just know that you’ll often pay more for it.

But if you want to get a piece that gives you the smoothest pulls with a clean, minimalist look, scientific glass is best for you. And there are more cost-effective options that can fit a range of budgets.

Still can’t decide? Say less. We have a full range of scientific and heady glass here at Smokin Pipes online.