What Is a Zubbler? The Zong® Hybrid Explained

Every piece in the Zong Glass® lineup makes sense immediately when you see it. The Z-shaped neck on the waterpipe. The horizontal tube of the steamroller. But then there’s the Zubbler — and first-timers almost always stop and ask: what is that exactly?

It’s a fair question. The Zubbler doesn’t look like a standard bong, doesn’t look like a pipe, and doesn’t look like anything else on the market. That’s because it isn’t. The Zubbler is a Zong Glass® original — a hybrid design that combines the low-profile horizontal format of a steamroller with the water filtration and inline percolation of a bong, in a single piece that’s more stable and more approachable than either one alone.

Here’s the full breakdown.

The Zubbler Design — What Makes It Different

The Zubbler sits horizontally — like a steamroller — rather than standing vertically like a traditional bong. This immediately gives it a lower centre of gravity and a wider footprint than any equivalent vertical piece, which means it’s substantially harder to tip over during a session.

But unlike a steamroller, the Zubbler has a water chamber built into the body and a custom inline percolator. The inline perc is a horizontal tube with a series of slits running along its length, submerged in the water chamber. As smoke travels from the bowl through the downstem into the water, it’s forced through those slits and broken into hundreds of tiny bubbles — the same diffusion principle that makes percolated bongs hit so smoothly.

The result is a piece that hits with the directness and efficiency of a horizontal pipe, filtered and cooled to the standard of a percolated waterpipe. It’s a genuinely different smoking experience from either format alone.

The Four Zubbler Sizes

Zong Glass® produces the Zubbler in four sizes, each suited to a different type of smoker:

Nano Zubbler 19mm — The most compact piece in the Zubbler range. 19mm diameter, minimal footprint, genuinely desktop-friendly. The inline perc is sized proportionally — smooth filtration in the smallest possible package. Available in the full colour and fuming range. The right choice for solo smokers who want maximum filtration in a piece that takes up almost no space.

Micro Zubbler 25mm — A step up in diameter from the Nano, the Micro Zubbler offers a slightly larger chamber volume and a more substantial inline perc. Still compact enough to live on a desk or small shelf. The 25mm diameter produces a denser hit than the Nano while remaining manageable for solo sessions.

Zubbler 45mm — Built on the same 45mm diameter tubing as the Skinny Series bong range. The jump from 25mm to 45mm is immediately noticeable in hit volume — the Zubbler 45mm fills with significantly more smoke per pull and the inline perc has more surface area for diffusion. This is the most popular Zubbler size for everyday use — large enough to deliver a genuinely satisfying hit, compact enough to sit comfortably on any surface.

Zubbler 50mm — The flagship Zubbler, built on the Fat Series 50mm tubing. The widest chamber, the most substantial inline perc, and the densest, most thoroughly filtered hit in the range. If you’ve experienced the Fat Series Zong® and want that same chamber volume in a horizontal, percolated format, the Zubbler 50mm is exactly that.

All four sizes come with a 14mm bowl and downstem as standard, the full colour palette (Amber, Black, Light Blue, Cobalt Blue, Green, Pink, Purple, Clear), and both silver (.999) and gold (24ct) fuming options. Every piece is hand-blown to order in Phoenix, Arizona using German Schott borosilicate glass.

How the Inline Perc Works in the Zubbler

The inline percolator in the Zubbler is a custom-designed horizontal tube with precision-cut slits along its length. When you draw smoke through the piece, it travels from the bowl down into the water chamber, enters the inline perc, and is forced through the slits in multiple directions simultaneously.

This horizontal diffusion pattern is one of the key advantages of the inline perc over vertical percolator designs. Because the slits run along the length of the tube rather than in a cluster at one point, the smoke is distributed evenly across the full length of the water chamber — maximizing the surface area of the bubbles and the contact time with the water.

The practical result: the Zubbler hits smoother than a non-percolated piece of equivalent size, and does so with lower drag than many tree or matrix perc designs. The inline perc produces a gentle, even pull that’s approachable at any tolerance level.

The Zubbler vs the Standard Zong® Waterpipe

The most common question: how does the Zubbler compare to the standard Zong® waterpipe?

Smoke cooling: Both use water filtration for cooling. The standard Zong® also uses the Z-neck for additional smoke path cooling. The Zubbler uses the inline perc for more thorough water-contact filtration. Both are smooth — they get there differently.

Stability: The Zubbler wins clearly. A horizontal piece is inherently more stable than a vertical one. The Zubbler’s low profile means it’s harder to tip and less dramatic if it does get nudged.

Footprint: The Zubbler sits flat and low. A standard Zong® takes up less surface area but stands vertically. Which is more practical depends on where you keep your piece.

Cleaning: Broadly similar. Both use the alcohol-and-salt or Grunge Off Super Soaker method. The Zubbler’s horizontal format requires tilting rather than shaking, which is slightly different technique but no more difficult. The inline perc can accumulate resin in its slits over time — a flexible pipe cleaner helps here.

Aesthetic: Different silhouettes, same Zong® DNA. The Zubbler is compact and bold. The standard waterpipe is tall and iconic. Plenty of smokers own both.

Who the Zubbler Is Built For

The Zubbler is particularly well suited to:

Smokers who want maximum smoothness in a compact format. The combination of inline perc filtration and horizontal design delivers a remarkably smooth hit in a piece that doesn’t need a dedicated tall storage space.

Desk smokers. The Zubbler sits flat and low — it’s one of the most practical pieces in the Zong® lineup for someone who keeps their glass on a desk or workspace. The stability means it can live there without anxiety about it getting knocked over.

Anyone who finds vertical bongs unstable. If you’ve tipped a bong before, the Zubbler’s geometry fundamentally changes that risk. The low centre of gravity and wide footprint make it genuinely difficult to accidentally knock over.

Smokers who want a percolated piece without the complexity of tree or matrix percs. The inline perc is one of the simplest percolator designs to clean and maintain. It delivers meaningful filtration without the delicate structure of tree arms or the fine-hole congestion of honeycomb designs.

New smokers who want an approachable entry into percolated glass. The Zubbler’s smooth, low-drag hit is forgiving for newer smokers, and the horizontal format is intuitive to use.

Setting Up Your Zubbler

Setting up a Zubbler is simple — but slightly different from a standard bong:

Water level: Fill the water chamber until the inline perc is submerged, but not so high that water can travel back through the bowl when you draw. The right level sits approximately 1cm above the inline perc slits. Too little water and the perc isn’t fully submerged; too much and you risk splash.

Bowl pack: Same as any 14mm bowl. Pack loosely enough to allow airflow through the material — an overpacked bowl produces more resistance on the pull. The replacement bowls available from Zong Glass® are sized for the 14mm joint on all Zubbler pieces.

Drawing technique: Cover the carb (if present) or hold the bowl in while you draw, then remove the bowl to clear the chamber. The horizontal format means you’ll be drawing from the side rather than the top — it feels natural after one session.

Keeping Your Zubbler Clean

The same principles apply as any Zong® piece: change the water after every session, quick warm water rinse daily, and a proper deep clean weekly with isopropyl alcohol and coarse salt, or Grunge Off Super Soaker.

For the inline perc specifically: if resin accumulates in the slits, a soak in Grunge Off for 20–30 minutes before rinsing is the most effective method. The soak loosens resin from the slit interiors without requiring mechanical scrubbing that the slits’ geometry makes difficult.

Adding a Z-Catcher ash catcher upstream of the Zubbler also helps — catching ash and debris before it reaches the inline perc reduces buildup in the slits and extends the time between deep cleans.

The Zubbler in One Sentence

It’s a Zong® — horizontal, percolated, stable, and smooth — in the most compact form the brand makes.

If that sounds like what you’ve been looking for, it probably is.

Shop the full Zubbler range: Nano Zubbler 19mm | Micro Zubbler 25mm | Zubbler 45mm | Zubbler 50mm | Grunge Off Glass Cleaner | Z-Catcher Ash Catcher | Browse all Zong® pieces