Do You Need an Ash Catcher? What It Actually Does

An ash catcher sits between your bowl and your bong, catching debris and adding an extra layer of filtration before smoke reaches your piece’s main water chamber. Here’s whether it’s worth adding one.

What It Actually Does

Beyond catching ash and resin before it reaches your bong’s water (which means less cleaning of the piece itself), a percolated ash catcher like the 14mm 90 Degree Tree Perc Ash Catcher adds a second stage of filtration on top of whatever percolation your bong already has.

Match the Joint Size and Angle

Ash catchers are sized and angled to match your bong’s joint (commonly 14mm or 18mm, at 45° or 90°) — check both measurements on your piece before ordering, since a mismatched angle won’t sit level.

More Percolation, More Cleaning

A heavily perc’d option like the Maverick Glass – Showerhead Ash Catcher filters more thoroughly but adds another piece of glass that needs regular cleaning, since resin builds up in the ash catcher before it ever reaches your main piece.

Worth Adding?

If you want easier bong cleaning and smoother hits and don’t mind an extra piece of glass to maintain, an ash catcher is a straightforward upgrade to an existing bong rather than a full piece replacement.

Shop Ash Catchers

Browse the full ash catcher collection.