Best Steamroller Pipes for Ultra Strong Rips 2023

The Best Steamroller Pipes
for Ultra Strong Rips 2023

When it comes to cannabis pipes, nothing can deliver as powerful of a hit as a steamroller pipe can.

If you are looking for the portability of a pipe but with the power hit of a standard bong, then a glass steamroller pipe is perfect for you.

Here are our top 3 picks for best steam roller pipes of 2023:

Skip below: Learn Why a Steamroller Pipe Increases THC Transfer Rate

Grav Steamroller

steamroller-glass-pipe

Best Overall
Steamroller Pipe

Grav Helix

glass steamroller pipe

Best Premium
Glass Steamroller

Grav Mini

steamroller-pipe

Best Cheap
Steamroller Pipe

Best Steamroller
Pipes of 2023

Steamrollers are amazing. Their unique design puts the carb cap at the furthest place possible (the end of the pipe), which results in the clearing of all the smoke in the pipe by just removing your hand from the carb hole. This gives you an ultra-strong dry hit with zero THC loss. 

Voted #1 two years in a row

glass steamroller pipe

7 Inch Steamroller Pipe

4.5/5

It’s no accident that Grav Labs has done it again and has taken all the top 3 recommendations. Grav labs has the highest quality standard we have seen in glass blowing and cannabis quality production. This amazing steamroller pipe has a pushed in bowl (or a pinch bowl) that allows you to cash out the entire bowl.

Compared to traditional cannabis pipes, this steamroller has a built in ashcatcher that stops any ash from entering your mouth. The engineers at Grav Labs did not skimp on quality as this pipe is a thick 25mm borosilicate glass that did well in our heat stress test. The list goes on but don’t take our word for it skip below to see our research on best steamroller pipe.

Lowest price with amazing quality

mini steamroller pipe

5 Inch Mini Steam Roller

4.5/5

If you are new to the steamroller world and you want to try it out but don’t want to save money, then the Grav Labs mini 5-inch glass steamroller is a great option. This mini steam roller pipe comes equipped with a pushed-in bowl that allows you to light all the cannabis with zero mercy, as the internal ash catcher will block any ash from entering your mouth.

Because of the smaller bowl loading the hits are not as harsh which makes this a great beginner steam roller pipe.  Skip below to see our research on best budget steamroller

Best premium with helix cooling

steamroller glass pipe

6 Inch Helix Steamroller Pipe

4.5/5

If you are able to shell out a few extra dollars, this premium helix-designed steamroller pipe by Grab Labs is one amazing contraption. If you haven’t realized by now, all steamroller pipes do not offer much filtration as there are no ice pinches or water percolation chambers.

The amazing design of this steamroller bong uses vortex cooling to help swirl your heated smoke a bit before it reaches your lungs.  While it wasn’t as powerful as cooling from water filtration or glycerin, it does take the sting down a bit when I smoked it.  Skip below to see our research on best premium glass steamroller.

What is a Steamroller Pipe and are They Worth the Hype?

what is a steamroller pipe

A steamroller pipe is similiar to your standard pipe, but can produce the equivalent amount of THC intensity from that of a bong. The distinct difference between standard cannabis pipes is that a steamroller pipe usually has a large carb hole at the end of the pipe, resulting in a very strong shotgun like hit. They are strong-hitting pipes that do not require water as most smoking methods do and are more convenient in terms of set up, clean up, discreetness, and portability.

Using a steamroller is also great for those who are looking for a quick instantaneous high without the hassle having to get everything properly set up or finding water to add in. With a glass steamroller pipe, you simply just pack the cannabis into the bowl and light away!

How do they work?

Knowing what a steam roller pipe is and how it works, is vital for getting the most out of both your delicious cannabis and overall smoking experience. To first understand why use a steamroller pipe, you first have to know the difference between a steam roller and a regular standard pipe.

The huge differentiation factor between steamrollers and pipes is that steam rollers release huge hits after gathering all the smoke production in the chamber, while pipes give you a more gradual hit as you inhale.

This gives a huge advantage for steam roller pipes because they are simply able to hold smoke within the chamber until you are ready to inhale. Not to mention they come equipped with a carb hole which adds even more control on how strong or powerful of a hit you are trying to achieve. It is also important for us to stress to our users that a steamroller pipe is not nearly as smooth or easy to inhale as other smoking methods may be. The purpose and main function of using a glass steam roller is for achieving a powerful, strong, and harsh but instant high.

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Anatomy of a steam roller

There aren’t nearly as many intricate parts in a glass steam roller as you would expect in a bong or water pipe, but that’s what sets a steam roller pipe apart from other glassware, they are simple in design and function.

Generally, a steam roller pipe has 4 basic but main components:

  • A Steamroller Bowl that is typically built-in and is not removable
  • A Mouthpiece to inhale the vapor and smoke that is produced.
  • A Carburetor which acts as a control system to affect the intensity of your hits.
  • A Roll Stop Function which is also referred to as ‘Feet’ (not all steamrollers have this feature) to stabilize and allow your steam roller pipe to sit nicely on a table or flat surface without it literally, rolling away.

Understanding what all of these parts are and how they work together is important in order to efficiently smoke and get the best out of your dry flowers. Not every glass steamroller pipe will have a roll stop function and not all steamrollers have a non-removable bowl even though the vast majority of them do. Regardless of the type of steam roller pipe that you may have, knowing the anatomy of a steamroller pipe is without a doubt, essential to your smoking experience.

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Which One Do I Pick?

There are many different designs and style steamroller bongs out there in the cannabis market.

A few common ones that you may or may not have seen are the spiral glass steam rollers, the helix steamroller (which has 3 intake holes for spinning and cooling down smoke), large steamroller pipes, and lastly, the basic or standard steamroller pipe.

All these pipes may have different designs but essentially all function in the same way by producing a large and powerful hit of THC with no water filtration.

No matter your tolerance for smoking or capabilities of strong harsh inhales, the type of steam roller pipe you choose all boils down to what you are comfortable with.

To help, the sizes of the carb hole on each steam roller pipe may be different and we, therefore, recommend first-timers to start with a steam roller pipe that has a smaller carb hole opening and gradually increase the size when you are more familiar with how to use a steamroller pipe.

If you find the hits are just too harsh, but you still want a larger bowl capacity we recommend a weed pipe or silicone pipes instead. They are both lightweight, portable, and use a smaller carb function for less harsh hits.

A steamroller pipe offers hits stronger than bongs, and if you were looking for something a bit more discreet and lower in THC delivery then we also recommend a chillum pipe. When people first see a steam roller pipe they think because of the size that the hits will be smaller but it’s quite the opposite.

Surprisingly enough, some people prefer harsher hits without water filtration. As you will learn below water directly reduces the THC transferred to your body, so another great option is a coffee mug pipe as it offers zero water filtering but also a carb function.

In the end, it’s all about what works best for you in your current stoner journey.

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2 Benefits of Steamroller Pipe You Didn't Know

A cannabis steamroller pipe is a powerful smoking device. We bet you didn’t know that this pipe can pass more THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) per hit than a bong. On top of that what makes this device so ingenious is the super functional carberator. Keep reading to learn how it all works!

Steamrollers Transfers More THC Than a Bong

Did you know that there was a study conducted on the THC transfer rate? That’s right, MAPS and NORML invested in research that unveiled 60-80% of THC was lost during the transference from cannabis to the body. A large % of the loss was due to the water filtration of the bong, which was found to actually filter out more THC than it was filtering out tar and resin!

A steamroller pipe uses no filtration or water and not only that the carb helps clear the pipe much smoothly helping you to get more THC per hit! This makes a glass steamroller pipe one of the most efficient smoking devices as it helps you save money, save cannabis, and get much higher per rip.

If coughing is your primary concern and you want a smooth hit without too much water filtration, we recommend looking into a glycerin bong.

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The most powerful carburetor

The magic behind a steam roller pipe is in the position of the carburetor. The first carburetor was invented by Samuel Morey in 1826, and I bet he would never expect his technology was going to be used to get stoners much higher!

A carburetor functions primarily on Bernoulli’s Principle. Which states that the faster air moves and the lower its static pressure, then the higher the dynamic pressure will be. This principle was derived from Issac Newton’s Second Law of Motion, and is the magic behind why a steamrolelr pipe can send such a strong burst of smoke. Usually carb holes are just a tiny hole located on the side of pipes, but in the case of a steamroller pipe the carb is the entire opening at the end of the pipe, and as you cover it you fill the pipe with smoke, and once you release your hand the static pressure pushes all of the smoke into your lungs in one powerful burst.

Pro-Tip: Steamroller pipes deliver a very harsh hit due to no water filtration. If you struggle from coughing then definitely check out our teams favorite tricks on how to not cough when smoking weed.

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Research Behind Grav Labs 7 Inch Steam Roller Pipe

steamroller pipes

It was a tough call to make between the 10 steamrollers we tested. Not only because many of them were really great, but because there were so many different sizes as well. We understand that there are very large steamroller bongs out there as well, so we decided to a a separate testing on much larger steamrollers. The Grav Labs 7 Inch Steamroller pipe won best overall due to many reasons:

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Amazing craftsmanship

"I don't think people realize how awesome this steamroller is. It's compact, it's beautiful, it gets me hella high, and it has so many things like the ash catcher built in and the no spill bowl and feets. Love this thing for real."

Korye L.

We are seeing a common theme with Grav Labs. They seem to think of the user’s journey with their device from beginning to end, before creating products. This amazing steamroller pipe was equipped with a very well crafted pinch bowl and an internal ash catcher. One of the biggest complaints in the past few years when testing weed pipes was the amount of ash that would get through into your mouth. It seems like this glass steamroller, no matter what, did not deliver any ash into our mouths, which was a huge plus. Not only that, it was just very simple, and easy to use. The release of the carb cap delivered a powerful hit as all the smoke rushed from outside of the weed pipe directly into my lungs.

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Powerful burst of THC

Let’s be honest, the whole reason we use a steamroller pipe is because of how powerfully it delivers THC. This is a simple trade off, you get much harsher hits but more potent delivery. So if your lungs can handle this super weed pipe rips, then you are absolutely going to live how well this smoke steamroller delivers as far as the high is concerned. 

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Extremely easy to use

They major winning point on this product is that you don’t need any extensions, directions, or anything. Grav Labs has built out the perfect steam roller that just delivers very well. From the moment you pick it up, to loading the steam roller bowl with cannabis, to lighting and releasing the carb cap, this pipe is just super easy to use. There is never a moment you have to question your usage with this device because there just aren’t any hiccups such as the hit not being strong enough or ash getting into your mouth. If you want a no fuss cannabis steamroller pipe then this pipe is it. 

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Research Behind Best Budget Glass Steamroller

glass steamroller

If you have done a bit of browsing you are going to notice that there are plenty of steam roller pipes for sale. From larger steamroller bongs to smaller mini steam roller pipes, it can get quite difficult to pinpoint what is right for you. If budget is a concern we have made sure to test between three lower-priced steamroller pipes to see which one is the best. The Grab Labs 5 inch mini is a small pipe that delivers a whopping punch for a fraction of the price.

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Slides in your pocket

"This is basically a one-hitter that hits 20 times harder haha. So yes it's perfect for stealth and it's just all in all a great piece. I use it a few times a month when I just need to get the most out of my stash."

Jacob W.

The truth is, most people love weed pipes because of stealth smoking. We love that we can take our pipes with us anywhere, and at times potentially smoke it anywhere. The larger the cannabis pipe the harder it is to be a covert smoker. This mini steamroller pipe was absolutely stealth and extremely portable as you can fit it in your pocket. You simple need grounded weed ready and you can load this thing up and smoke it all in just under 60 seconds.

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A powerful hit for a low price

Everyone wants a steamroller pipe for the same reason: it hits much harder than a one hitter or spoon pipe. With that being the case if you get a budget glass steamroller, do you sacrifice on the hit? The honest answer is: yes. The hits were a little less powerful and harsh the smaller the steam roller pipe got. In the case of this 5 inch Grav Labs borosilicate glass steamroller it was still 2 to 3 times stronger than that of a spoon bowl or a chillum at almost the same price! So if you want efficient weed smoking, than this budget steamroller is a great way to get power packed THC doses at a very low cost.

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This pipe blocks ash particles

I think one of our favorite things about this mini steamroller pipe is the fact that once they did make a smaller design, they still somehow kept all the quality intact! Meaning they kept the push-in-bowl design, the amazing airflow with the carb cap, and the built in internal ash catcher! With this much quality built into such a small design, I was absolutely shocked at how well it smoked for such a low price tier. If you are looking for a step up in power and efficient smoking compared to a one hitter, chillum, or glass bowl then this is it guys. You can pay the same price but get a much harder does of THC, now that is smart cannabis shopping.

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Research Behind Best Premium Steamroller Pipe

steam roller pipe

We thought for a moment that we would explore much larger steam roller pipes for the premium choice, but we realized most people when ordering a steam roller pipe would want the same size they are use to when it comes to pipes. Pipes are portable and easy to use, by offering large pipes that are in some cases larger than a water pipe, we thought it a bit too much. We were lucky to test what is now my favorite weed steamroller: the Grav Labs Helix Steamroller pipe.

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The only steamroller with cooling

"I love this thing. I've had it for about 5 months now and it still is working great. Steamrollers can be a bit harsh especially the big ones so it's nice to have a compact one that funnels the smoke around to cool it a bit before you hit. I definitely would recommend this one to anyone looking"

Tiffany L.

Steamroller smoking devices usually never have options for cooling or filtration. It’s common to get very harsh hits. The engineers at Grav Labs designed the American Helix system to help ventilate smoke to cool it while still preserving flavors. They used their amazing helix smoke cooling design and fused it with a steamroller pipe giving us a powerful high quality steamroller with the first ever cooled smoke. Now I am going to be honest, I am not a fan of harsh rips as my lungs are not made of iron. Testing most the steamrollers was indeed tough on my lungs but it delivered in amazing results. This Helix Steamroller was the first steam roller I tested that gave me a smoother hit. I’m not saying this thing smoked as smooth as a ice bong with percolation chamber, but it was much smoother and cooler compared to other weed steamrollers. So if you can spend a few extra bucks, having a venturi smoke cooling system is definitely worth it.

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Larger and stronger hits

As far as every steamroller pipe being a bit harsh, what mattered was how high did each pipe get me if I had to take such a harsh hit? The Grav Labs Helix steamroller pipe was by far the strongest in delivery. I think for the simple fact the chamber allowed for more smoke rotation, cooling, and build up. It was cool watching the smoke funnel around in the helix shape design and then releasing my finger for a powerful blast of THC. Since the hits were a bit cooler and stronger, I truly felt this was the winner as far as best steamroller pipe is concerned.

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Amazing functionaility

This amazing Helix steam roller pipe came equipped with many other great features that made it such a functional and easy device to use. They have little “feet” on the pipe so you can lay it flat on a table with marijuana inside and not have to worry about it rolling off the table. Not only that this premium steam roller comes equipped with a pinch bowl design for easy lighting and an amazing built in ash catcher to prevent ash from entering into your lungs. While this cannabis steamroller did not win as far as portability (you cannot fit this in your pockets) it was overall the best designed, strongest hitting, and coolest smoke.

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