Photo by HustleCommerce.com Published June 5, 2017 Updated May 13, 2020

As cannabis laws slowly change across the United States specifically in places like Colorado and Oregon the head shop industry is exploding with new smoking devices.  Staying up to date on all the products in the head shop market can confuse and even overwhelm the most experienced head shop owner much less the average smoker or someone who rarely partakes in cannabis.  Hearing terms like 14mm or 18mm, showerhead perc or tree arm percolator, and carb cap's or quartz banger can be like learning a foreign language and having the knowledge to know the difference between the various head shop products can be time-consuming.  That's why Stoner Strategies is providing you with an extensive list of the most common head shop definitions.

10mm/14mm/18mm - The 3 most common size options to fit most water pipes and dab rigs.  Downstems, nails, carb caps, and other water pipe and oil rig accessories will have to measure the same diameter as the joint of your bong or concentrate pipe joint.

Adapter - These are great for changing the angle, sex & size of your pieces joint as well as for reclaim buckets.  

Ashcatcher - an attachment that fits into your bongs joint.  Designed to filter any ash that may fall through as well as cooling and diffusing the smoke before it is filtered through the main chamber of your piece.

Atomizer - A vaporizer's heating element that converts liquid to vapor.  

Bubbler - a hand pipe that can be used wet or dry with a carb.  Hammer bubblers, sidecars, Sherlock's, and bubbler's featuring percolators are all common bubbler designs.

Bowl - Dry herbs are placed here when smoking.

Bowl Slide - A water pipe attachment that features a bowl for the dry herbs and a downstem (see downstem).

Borosilicate - a type of scientific grade glass made with 5% boric oxide which makes the glass extreme heat resistant while resisting corrosion. 

Beaker Base - a type of water pipe that resembles a beaker that you would find in a scientific laboratory.  Benefits include a sturdy base and hold more water. 

Bat - a one-hitter usually made from metal.  Great for traveling!

Carb Cap - Used to cover the dab nail for the prevention of smoke loss.

Carb - a small hole responsible for regulating airflow on glass pipes, bubblers, some water pipes.

Chillum - a small easily concealable glass straight tube great for personal smoke sessions.

Concentrate/Dab Rig - a concentrate pipe with a nail and dome for use with water.

Cone - pre-rolled rolling papers in the shape of a cone for roll free joints

Dabber - A stick made from titanium, ceramic, or glass.

Diffused Downstem - a simple glass tube featuring holes or slits at the end that filters the smoke through the water

Downstem - straight tube that fits into the joint of a pipe usually with a diffused end that sits just below the water line of your water pipe. 

Domeless Nail - A nail with holes going around it to capture the smoke.

Dry Piece - any piece that does not use water including chillums, bats, hand pipes, etc.

Dugout - a pocket-sized device that holds ground herbs and a bat (see bat).

Drop Down - drops the dome or slide away from the pipe to prevent heat transfer from the nail to the pipe.

Enail - an electronic nail featuring metal or ceramic heating elements. Digital controls or an analog dial replace the need for a torch.

Fumed - during the glassblowing process gold or silver are heated releasing fumes that effect the glass color.  Silver fuming creates hues of blue & purple & gold fumes produce shades of pink, green & orange.

Filter/Screen - glass daisies or jacks or metal kitchen sink screens made to fit inside a bowl to prevent ash or dry herbs from being pulled through when smoking.

Glass Blunt - a hollow straw like tube inserted into straight glass tube pipe. Pushing forward on the mouthpiece as you smoke will push the ash out of the pipe and is comparable to smoking something rolled in a paper product.

Hand Pipe - a glass pipe that fits into your hand.

Heady Glass - usually very high end and made by glassblowing artists using intricate styles and techniques that create a one of a kind glass piece.

Hammer - typically a bubbler design with a percolator in the shape of a hammer.

Ice Pinch - aka "ice catcher" serves the purpose of catching & holding ice above the water reducing the temperature of the smoke.

Incycler - funnels water in one chamber.

Inline - a glass stem that runs beneath the water line featuring slits that allow for smoke diffusion.

Keck Clip - a clip designed to hold the pieces of a nectar collector together or a downstem or bowl slide in the place of a pipe joint.  

Nail - A ceramic, glass, titanium or quartz nail shaped essential component to an oil rig

Nectar Collector - wet or dry tube like pipe that vaporizes concentrates. 

Nano Rig - smaller than a micro oil rig.

Percolator - a cooling and sometimes intricate filtration designs used in water pipes, bubblers, nectar collectors, etc.

Pollen Catch - the bottom piece of a multi-part grinder.  Also available as a pollen box.

Pollen Press - press your pollen in this and you have a pollen disk.

Reclaim/Reclaim Bucket - The build-up of your concentrate resin inside your dab rig after smoking. Reclaim catchers are available and attach directly on to your oil rig.

Recycler - the smoke is filtered in a continuous loop as it's taken through a second chamber. This causes a reduction in the heat of the smoke and more flavorful smoking experience.

Steam Roller - a tool used to help aid in the rolling of dry herbs.

Sandblasting - A glass finishing technique that involves using fine grit sand & pressure blasted air to etch the glass giving it a frosted & unique texture.

Scientific Glass -  a piece made from borosilicate glass

Sherlock - a hand pipe or bubbler in an "S" shape 

Straight Tube - a cylinder shape; an absolute must-have classic for a collector.

Steamroller - a straight tubed pipe with a hole on each end and a middle seamless bowl for dry herbs.  The end is a mouthpiece and the other end is a carb.

Stemless - a fixed downstem

Tips - glass or paper insert for rolling papers that prevent wastes.

Vaporizer - a heating element made from metal or ceramic that heats your dry or concentrated herbs to optimal smoking temperature.