Pipes for Beginners - What to Consider When Buying

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In addition to aesthetic considerations, there are other important criteria to keep in mind when purchasing your first pipe. These include the length, height or depth, capacity, and shape. Other factors include the surface finish and the type of mouthpiece. Even though it may sound amusing: A pipe is like a piece of clothing—it should also suit the smoker visually.

Pipes in General

In general, a beginner's pipe should not have walls that are too thin or too thick, so you can sense if you’re smoking too hot.

The pipe bowl should have a diameter of 30–40 mm and a height/depth of 40–50 mm. The tobacco chamber should be 20–22 mm wide, allowing your index or ring finger to fit comfortably. These are approximate values meant only as a guideline!

Regarding the surface of the pipe bowl, you can choose between smooth, sandblasted, or rusticated finishes. The latter two provide better cooling effects due to their larger surface area and remain cooler in the hand.

General rule: If the pipe becomes hot in your hand, set it aside to cool down.

If you prefer a smooth bowl finish, choose pipes with waxed or oiled surfaces. These are easier to care for and can tolerate occasional overheating, which beginners often experience. With lacquered bowls, there’s a risk of the lacquer chipping or forming bubbles if the temperature gets too high.

Looking inside the pipe bowl, you’ll notice that most are coated with a black substance called a carbonizing paste. This paste helps create an even layer of carbon during the initial smokes, protecting the wood. High-quality bowls with beautiful and even inner grain patterns often skip this coating.

Choosing a Pipe Shape

For beginners, the classic shape known as the Billard has been a proven choice for years. The Billard is a classic, simple design with a straight shank.

Pipe Models

As an alternative to the classic Billard shape, the slightly bent version known as the Prince is also recommended. Another alternative to the Billard is a pipe shape called Apple. Yes, you read that right—and no, it doesn’t refer to an iPhone app.

The classic Apple shape is well-suited for beginners because it strikes a balance between not being too thick- or too thin-walled. The Apple’s bowl is rounded, with medium-sized bore and height. Structurally similar to the Billard, it appears slightly more compact.

As a general guideline for pipe shapes:

Straight pipes: Tend to smoke drier.
Bent pipes: Tend to accumulate moisture in the bowl, which can result in bitter notes while smoking.

Filter Pipes or Filterless Smoking

The question remains whether to smoke your pipe with or without a filter. Our advice: Start with a filter (9 mm). This moderates the tobacco’s strength, and a filter pipe allows you to smoke both with and without a filter by simply leaving the filter out. However, a pipe without a filter chamber cannot accommodate a filter. Filters are particularly effective at absorbing moisture when smoking flavored tobaccos.

Overview of Pipe Shapes

A pipe’s shape is generally determined by its bowl, which falls into three main categories:

Straight: Pipes with a straight mouthpiece
Half-Bent: Pipes with a slightly bent mouthpiece
Bent: Pipes with a strongly bent mouthpiece

The previously mentioned Billard, the archetypal classic pipe, is easy to smoke and recommended in medium sizes for beginners.

A true classic is the Canadian, known for its elegant, oval, long shank. Another member of the long-shank family is the Lovat, distinguished by its short saddle bit. Similarly, the Liverpool has a round shank but no saddle on its short mouthpiece.

The Pot is another shape derived from the Billard. It features a short, flat-topped bowl with a rounded bottom. Its thick walls make it an excellent smoker.

The Dublin is another variation of the Billard. Its defining feature is a straight, upwardly tapering, funnel-shaped bowl. The funnel-shaped chamber creates a unique effect: the flavor collects at the bottom of the bowl, gradually intensifying. A careful break-in period is essential for this shape.

The aforementioned Apple has a lower, rounder bowl with a slightly flattened appearance. Its shank can range from straight to slightly bent. It shares the same smoking qualities as the Pot but is more comfortable and ergonomic in the hand.

Prince pipes feature a slightly squat, flat, and round or tomato-shaped bowl. Similar to the Apple, the Prince has asymmetry at the front and back of the bowl. Its short, round shank makes it one of the slimmest and lightest pipes.

Bulldog, also known as Rhodesian, are pipes with an angular shank and a beveled bowl.

Pipes with push-fit stems are referred to as Army; if bent, they are called Bent Army. This name likely comes from their military use, as their durability made them ideal for field operations.

Overview of Mouthpieces

Along with the bowl, a pipe’s mouthpiece greatly influences its appearance and smoking characteristics. The mouthpiece draws smoke from the tobacco chamber into the mouth. In the past, mouthpieces were made of natural rubber. Dunhill pipes and Freehand pipes still use this material today. Most mouthpieces, however, are now made of acrylic, a heat-resistant plastic. Acrylic resists discoloration and is hard to bite through. Advocates of rubber mouthpieces, however, argue that they feel more comfortable in the mouth due to their softness.

There are several types of mouthpieces. The most common is the Fishtail shape, named for its resemblance to a fish’s tail. These wide and flat "fishtail" mouthpieces are easy to hold in the mouth, protect the teeth, and reduce jaw fatigue.

The Saddle mouthpiece features a “step” in its design. It matches the shank’s diameter but then flattens abruptly.

An Army mouthpiece has a metal-reinforced end, protecting the shank when inserting or removing the mouthpiece.

The Spigot mouthpiece features metal ends on both the shank and mouthpiece, often made of silver or gold for an elegant appearance.

Mouthpieces also differ by bite type. Mouthpieces designed to hold the pipe with your teeth are known as Normal bite. These direct the smoke to the tongue, which is sensitive to heat and taste.

With a Lip bite, the smoke exits at the top of the mouthpiece, directing it along the palate. This prevents direct contact with the tongue, making it ideal for sensitive smokers. Brands like Vauen and Peterson are known for their lip bite mouthpieces, which are also teeth-friendly.

For those unsure where to start, beginner pipe sets with filters are available:

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