A chillum pipe is a straight tube pipe with a bowl on one end and a mouthpiece. Chillums are the most uncomplicated pipe in design but can be ornate and rich in appearance and features. Most feature a cylinder of glass as the foundation of the pipe. The mouthpiece of the chillum can be shaped to fit more comfortably in the mouth, and the bowl can range in size and filter type. 

The versatility and affordability of chillums make them a prime choice for daily use pipes. Chillums are usually brought along with people wherever they go since they can be easily replaced and are simple to use. Chillums are sometimes called bats because they have bigger shapes on the side, with the bowl like a baseball bat is more prominent at the top. Chillums can be metal, but larger ones are usually glass. This guide will explain everything about the various types of chillum pipe and how to use one. 

What is a Chillum?

A Chillum is more significant than a one-hitter and is made for toking a nug or less ground-up weed all at once. Chillums can be the length of a spoon pipe but have a smaller bowl and no carb. Chillums are a straight shot pipe that wastes no time getting you blazed. Chillums provide glass artists an excellent opportunity for applying patterns and details to a small object. Chillums can range from a plain glass tube to an intricate functional art piece.

Chillums are an ancient invention. The first pipes were long wooden tubes like reeds, or bamboo shoots hollowed out. When you trace the history of getting high, you find that it becomes less and less normalized in the past and reserved for religious ceremonies and shamanistic rituals. This is partly because the knowledge of using sacred herbs and plants was limited, as were the ingredients.

Chillums were used by Hindu monks and other holy men in India, where hashish and cannabis use among religious ceremonies was regular. It is thought that these monks used long wooden and metal chillums for thousands of years before tobacco was even introduced in India. They have been associated with spiritual practices and meditation throughout Asia and Eastern Europe. During the 20th century, war and commerce brought opium and hashish, and chillums to western civilization.

The primary difference between one-hitters and chillums is the length of the pipe. One-hitters focus on being short and expendable, while chillums can be ornate and lengthy. Chillums originally were much longer and have gotten faster over time as they have become more popular to take along on adventures and travels.

Types of Chillum Pipes

Chillums come in a few different general types. Because they can be made of other materials, chillums are available in a large variety and can suit the needs of almost any smoker. Most chillums are glass, but we recommend looking for the material that will work the best for the type of smoke sessions you plan on having.

Glass Chillums

The most popular chillum style is glass. Glass chillums are the most common and usually feature some color or pattern on the glass. Glass artists often start making pipes with chillums and one-hitters. 

Silicone Chillums

If you are accident-prone, a silicone chillum is excellent for you. It’s heat and impact-resistant, making it a great material to make pipes from. Silicone chillums still have a glass bowl, but their bodies are silicone. Silicone chillums are available in multiple colors and styles and feature some additional protection against drops and breaks.

Wood Chillums

Wooden chillums are not very common but can be found. These pipes are long and have a trumpet-shaped bowl on one end. Wooden chillums look ancient and ceremonial and can be a little harsh to smoke but have a natural and historical appeal.

 

Bamboo Chillums

Bamboo pipes are perhaps the oldest and easy to use to the chillum pipes. Bamboo chillums are also larger than most glass chillums. A large chillum is going to provide a hit closer to a steamroller. When you hit a bamboo pipe, the smoke is stored in the large central tube until you inhale it all at once when the bowl is cashed. Bamboo pipes are cheap and can even be made yourself easily.

Other Types of Chillums and One-hitters

Tube-shaped pipes come in a few different varieties, so we want to be careful to distinguish chillums from their smaller counterparts, one-hitters, and their bigger counterparts, glass blunts.

Glass Blunts

A glass blunt is precisely what it sounds like. The entire body of the glass is packed with ground weed and is smoked the same way you would a blunt or large joint. A device that looks like a corkscrew or push rod runs down the length of the blunt and can be adjusted as you smoke to make sure that the blunt stays lit. Glass blunts hold a lot of weed and are great for smoking with a group.

 

Dugout Pipes

The classic dugout pipe is a one-hitter stored in a small wooden box called a dugout. The box has a swivel lid with a compartment for the one-hitter and ground weed. Dugouts are a great all-in-one system for smoking on the go, but because of the one-hitter’s small size, you have to load and hit it several times compared to a normal-sized chillum.

Disposable One-hitters

If keeping out of sight and smoking on the low down is essential to you, then having a few disposable one-hitters in your collection is a good idea. The disposable one-hitter is made from cardboard tubing like a disposable drinking straw. The end of the tube has an aluminum or steel bowl that you can pack. These pipes are suitable for one or two uses and then can be discarded.

Benefits of Smoking with a Chillum

A chillum provides flavorful and direct hits. The unfiltered smoke has more full-spectrum potency, and the short distance it travels means you’ll be tasting your hit quickly after you light the bowl. Here are the best things about chillums.

1. Chillums are discreet and portable.

A chillum fits in your pocket, purse, or backpack with no problems. You can usually find a place to hide a chillum and come back for it later if needed. 

1. One-hitters are easy to own, smoke, and clean.

A Chillum can be cleaned with a stick most of the time. If you have poker or cotton swabs, you can always have a fresh chillum.

1. Chillums are affordable

Chillums start at around fifteen dollars and go up from there. You can find quality chillums with ornate designs and only pay a fraction of the price that you would for a bong.

How to use a Chillum Pipe

A chillum is one of the most straighforward pipes to use. Chillums are natural to load and smoke because of their simple shape. You pack the bowl and then hold the mouthpiece to your lips and inhale while lighting the bowl. There is no carb hole on a chillum, so it’s a straight hit that you can tell is happening right when you begin smoking.

Chillum bowls usually last several hits. When the bowl is cashed, straightforward, you can scrape it out with a tool or use a poker to push out any debris or resin in the pipe.

How to Clean Chillum Pipes and One-hitters

As noted above, cleaning a chillum is done quickly with a tool that can be pushed through the pipe and out the bowl end to clear it of any debris. The best tool for daily cleaning is a poker and some 420 Wipes. To deep clean a chillum, all you have to do is soak it overnight in alcohol or a natural cleaner and rinse it in warm water.

Shop online for unique chillums and one-hitters with 420 Science

Chillum pipes are a great way to smoke weed. Chillums are cheap, available at most pipe shops, and come in a variety of designs making for great stoner gifts. We highly recommend owning a chillum pipe along with other types of pipes. A chillum offers a balance between a one-hitter and a steamroller for big hits in a small package.

We have an impressive selection of one hitters and chillums that we have curated over the years. Regardless of your smoke sesh preferences, we have a chillum that will enhance your pipe collection. Let us know if you have any questions about chillums or anything you need to improve your smoke sessions. We’re here to help.