EHLE Bongs Pre-Coolers And Ash-Catchers

They’re the kind of product you see in ads and then, later on, discover for yourself. They’re called EHLE products, but what is it about them? We’ll tell you everything we know after the jump.

The EHLE bong line has been around since 1996 when founder Eric Hardman created a few prototypes out of his garage to help people smoke marijuana without burning their lungs off with hot ashtrays.

They’re the kind of product you see in ads and then, later on, discover for yourself. They’re called EHLE products, but what is it about them? We’ll tell you everything we know about these unique smoking accessories after the jump…

What Are They?

EHLE stands for “Eric Hardman’s Limited” (or sometimes just “Hardman”), which means that there aren’t too many other companies making similar products right now. As far as recreational or medical marijuana smoking devices go, this company probably makes more than anyone else, except maybe Volcano. But let’s not talk about those guys yet!

EHLE doesn’t make anything illegal by itself, but they make some interesting gadgets designed to keep your joints and pipes clean while protecting them from harm. Here’s how they work:

You put water inside the bowl (called the “carafe”) and heat the metal tube from the top until steam begins pouring out into your sitting room. Then take one end of the pipe and hold it over whatever ashtray you have nearby so the steam can collect all the nasty stuff in the bottom of the pipe and carry it down through the rest of the gadget.

When the steam reaches the base at the bottom of the pipe, it condenses back into liquid form and runs out of the side into a bucket below. This process happens multiple times because the steam carries the ash downwards towards the drain hole at the bottom.

By the time that ash finally hits the ground, most of it should be harmless enough to scoop up and throw away. It will still smell bad, though. That’s why EHL uses glass carafes instead of plastic ones.

So basically, if you’ve ever had problems cleaning a joint, you may want to check out something like the EHLE Pre-Cooler ($150). Even better, try the new EHLE Ash Catcher ($200), which looks like a funnel that collects the ash and drops it into a cup underneath.

If you don’t care much about collecting dust and dirt, you could buy the cheaper version of each, the Clean Water Carafe ($50) and the Stainless Steel Funnel ($75), respectively. Remember that even though the name says “water,” the actual substance inside isn’t supposed to come anywhere near your mouth once it gets going. It creates steam and draws the ash down through the system.

Both versions of the Clean Water Carafe feature built-in temperature controls, but the higher-end model features an extra layer of insulation between the heating element and the carafe, plus larger vents along the sides to speed up the airflow.

Both models use ceramic bowls, including a lifetime warranty against breaking. Since EHLE sells its devices directly online, you won’t need to worry about stores trying to mark up prices—the price listed above includes shipping and taxes.

Here’s another thing you might not think about: There’s no way a person would inhale enough vaporized water alone to cause choking hazards. According to the US Center For Disease Control, the number one reason Americans die prematurely every year in auto accidents. So having someone driving drunk shouldn’t matter anyway.

Are They Any Good?

That depends. Some users say that the Steam Pipe is great for beginners who haven’t tried pot smoking before, although others point out that it’s hard to gauge exactly how strong the hit will be. However, with the Pre Cooler, most reviewers agree it works well.

One user commented that he felt “a little dizzy” after using it, but overall it seemed like a safe alternative to holding onto a traditional cigarette lighter. Another reviewer wrote that it helped him relax, and she said that her friends were impressed by how cleaner her hands looked afterward.

Still, everyone agrees that they’d recommend buying something safer if you plan on doing weed often. In terms of cost vs. performance, EHLE wins. At $150, the Pre Cooler is $100 less expensive than the cheapest bong on Amazon, and it performs almost identically.

If you own a lighter/cigarette holder with a long stem, you can save money even further by getting the smaller stainless steel funnel instead of the bigger one. Overall, EHLE offers a lot of bang for your buck.

My Favorite EHLE Bongs