One-hitter pipes and chillums offer great advantages, often combining a joint's discreetness with a pipe's convenience. To help you find the best one for you, we'll go through everything you need to know about one-hitters and how to use them.

Let's get started!

What Are One-Hitter Pipes?

One-hitter pipes, also known as bats or tasters, are small pipes that can hold a small amount of herb, usually just enough for a single hit. These horizontal pipes are usually shaped like a tube with a bowl at one end and a mouthpiece at the other, connected by a simple tube for the smoke to travel through. Depending on where you are, users may refer to chillums as synonyms of one-hitters or as pipes with the shape of a one-hitter but with a wider conical bowl.

Since one-hitters have a small bowl, you can reload your pipe by "digging" it into your ground herb. Then, you can light up the pipe like a joint or cigarette, take a hit or two, and reload. That's why some one-hitters come with a dugout system, a case with a small compartment for your one-hitter, and a larger compartment for your herb, so you can easily toke on the go.

The simple tube-shaped design of one-hitters makes them very convenient to clean, allowing you to deep clean several of them in minutes with just a pipe cleaner and some hot water or rubbing alcohol.

How to Use a One-Hitter

Ready to use your one-hitter for the first time? Here's how to use your one-hitter, step by step:

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

The first thing you'll need is to gather your smoking gear. This usually includes your pipe, a lighter, and ground CBD or dry herb. Your dry herb should be in a container that the pipe can easily access, like a dugout chamber or grinder.

Some people like to do everything on a tray, so they can easily scoop up any loose ground herb.

Step 2: Pack your One-Hitter

Loading up your one-hitter is easy. Dip your one-hitter vertically into your herb container, twisting as the bowl end touches the bottom.

You'll have to do it several times to load up a normal-sized pipe.

Step 3: Light Up

Place the one-hitter on your lips as you would a cigarette. Then, light up the bowl end and take a hit. Remove the lighter when you see your herbs turning red or taste the smoke, and keep inhaling to burn up your herb.

Depending on your pipe size, you may have enough herb to take another hit or two before you have to reload.

Step 4: Clear the One-Hitter

Once you've smoked your herb, dump the ash before reloading. You can usually get rid of the ash by tapping the end of the pipe against an ashtray or by blowing through the mouthpiece. Some one-hitters have a self-cleaning mechanism; some dugouts also come with a cleaning tool to fully clear the chamber.

Although you can reload a few times, it's usually better to deep clean your pipe with a cleaning solution to remove any resin buildup and ensure a smooth smoking experience.

How to Get the Best Results with a One-Hitter, Chillum, or Dugout

Here are a few tips and tricks to make sure you're making the most out of your one-hitters:

Choose the Right Pipe

There are many types of one-hitters, chillums, and dugouts for all users. Start by looking at the material. Avoid cheap brandless metal one-hitters since they can be coated with substances you don't want to inhale.

Glass one-hitters are usually a good bet since they're affordable, long-lasting, and easy to clean. If you're looking for quality, you can choose well-known brands like Grav and Roor or buy from trusted headshops (like GrassCity!)

Don't Pack it Too Tight

Don't pack your herb too tight! If you keep packing in your herb, you may clog the bowl and block the airflow. Instead, dip in your pipe until the herb is gently packed into the bowl.

Use the Right Grind

Having the right consistency is key to getting a good hit and making it easy to pack your herb. Finely ground herb will be harder to pack and will not burn well, likely giving you a mouthful of ash at every toke.

Use a loose grind, preferably from a dry herb grinder. If you're going to add kief, sandwich it between two layers of ground herb for a pleasant and quick hit.

Light up Correctly

It's common for beginners to take a while to remove the lighter, making the hit (and the pipe) unnecessarily hot.

To smoothly light up your pipe, place the tip of the flame floating right in front of your bowl. Then, use the mouth-to-lung technique to light up your pipe, remove the lighter, and finish inhaling the rest of the bowl. This will allow the first hit, usually the hottest, to cool off before it hits your throat.

Why Go with a One-Hitter?

As you can see, using a one-hitter differs from using a bong or a regular glass pipe. Here are a few reasons why people love them:

Discretion

Because of their small size, one-hitters are easy to store and pocket. You can even get smell-proof dugouts that pack everything for a quick smoke sesh in a small package to take anywhere.

Plus, since they're not constantly burning like cigarettes, one-hitters produce very little smoke, usually just the smoke you inhale.

Great for Small Doses

One-hitter pipes are perfect for beginners and micro-dosing fans. Since they can only pack a small amount of ground herb, these pipes make it unlikely for someone to consume too much.

One-hitters can also be a good choice for more experienced users looking to reduce their consumption since the slow process of unloading and reloading makes it harder to overindulge.

Conserves your Stash

If it's harder to overindulge, it's easier on your herb reserves! And, unlike cigarettes or joints constantly burning, one-hitters ensure every load gets fully burnt and smoked up.

Offering a more mindful and effective smoke sesh, it's easy to see why people like one-hitters so much!

Final Thoughts

Ready to get your next one-hitter? Check out our collection of one-hitters to pick your new favorite daily piece!