All it takes is one quick visit to your local headshop or hitting up an online glass retailer and you will see the term ‘heady glass’ plastered everywhere. It’s very reasonable to be intimidated by it at first – the vibrant colours, unique designs and strange shapes – these qualities alone raise so many questions.

Heady glass has been around for decades and is the cornerstone upon which the modern cannabis industry was built. Each piece of heady glass is like a painting – a unique piece created and interpreted into existence by an artist; in this case, a glass-blowing artisan. One of the many defining qualities of heady glass is this hand-crafted nature which speaks to the vision of these individual artists. 

A beautiful quality of heady glass is the versatile range of available options. However, just as each piece of heady glass varies, so do the prices! 

Finding the right price

The price of heady glass is influenced the same way that fine art is. Since the art of glass blowing is central to heady glass, artists’ creations are priced and evaluated in a similar fashion to a painter and their paintings. The market price is heavily influenced by critics, gallery owners, consumers and third-party vendors. 

You could be spending anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, so it’s important to do your research before purchasing a heady glass pipe. Don’t be afraid to ask your vendor about the heady artist who made the piece that catches your interest. Alternatively, if you are looking online, it’s worth doing a quick search to see if you can find any information on the glass-blowing artist. 

This research is important. The correct choice here could make your heady glass pipe an investment that could potentially appreciate over time. Again, similar to the fine arts world, as a heady artist’s career grows, so does the value of their previous works! 

That said, don’t forget about how the digital era has changed the game across the board. The design aesthetics of heady glass pipes make them perfect for sharing online, and social media has become a critical influencer on the popularity of heady artists

Functional vs. non-functional glass

It is relatively self-explanatory but still important to clarify. “Functional” and “non-functional” pieces of heady glass serve two different audiences. 

Functional glass has been growing predominant in recent years as glass blowing techniques have improved and the total market of marijuana consumers have increased. This type of heady glass is defined by, well… it’s functionality. 

A functional heady glass pipe is created with the intention to be used without sacrificing the aesthetics, unique shapes or hand-crafted quality which defines heady glass. This type of heady glass is designed to be smoked while maintaining its credibility as a piece of art.

Non-functional glass, by contrast, is not meant to be smoked out of. The choice of adding a piece of non-functional heady glass to your collection is best suited for those who either are in it for the appreciation of glass-blowing as art or are looking to build a collection with value.

So be wary! The last thing you want is to purchase a piece of heady glass expecting a functional pipe and you accidentally devalue a beautiful piece of non-functional glass by trying to use it for smoking.

Which type of heady glass is for me?

There are many types of heady glass pipes. This is where the decision as to which type of heady glass to purchase finally falls completely in the lap of the person making the choice. As with any other craft, you need to find which niche speaks to you most. 

It`s okay if you are new to the differences in glass as well. So long as you are aware, don`t be afraid to ask questions. Each piece of heady glass has unique features – different percolators, various sizes of downstems or even whether it uses water or not. 

It could be a quick google search or just a question for your vendor about any unique features of the heady glass pipe which catches you desire. You won`t be shamed for not knowing how each feature affects your piece. 

With time, experience and asking the right questions, you will be able to find the heady glass artist or specific piece that was made perfectly for your tastes. 

Where do I get started?

With all of this info, you should be prepared to start searching for a piece of heady glass that feels like it was made just for you.

If you are looking for a place to get started with learning about the scope of heady glass that is available, check out our heady glass selection. Our selection is sure to give you an idea of what you are about to get into with detailed descriptions and links to more info on the artists who craft the pieces.