There is no answer to the question "what is the best bong", because it depends mainly on your own personal preferences and requirements.
Size is a big factor, some people have bigger lungs or just prefer bigger rips. Some people care about things like design and aesthetics where others care only about function and practicality.
Some people are happy to pay a lot of money to buy something they really want and others just want to pay as little as possible and get something that works.
So I can't tell you what the best bong is, but I can say what is popular and a basic guide on the different types of bongs out there.
Aussie style bongs:
The standard bubble type Aussie style bong with a metal stem and brass cone piece is the most commonly used bong in Australia. In the Agung range you have standard bubble designs that come in a massive variety of sizes.
Sizes between around 24cm and 32cm are the most commonly bought, these are what we think of as standard sizes. A 24cm Agung bong like the 1151 Cheech is a good starter and if you prefer a bit bigger, the 1122 at 32cm is very popular as well.
The image below shows the vast range of sizes Agung offer, this isn't even the full range! But you can see from this that you can pretty much find an Agung bong that perfectly accommodates your size requirements.
Plain Beaker Bongs:
The second most popular style of bong that we sell is plain glass beaker bongs. It's hard to go wrong with a beaker providing you choose a suitable size.
Beaker bongs are simple, they function very well and are easy to clean. Most beaker bongs come with a slit diffuser stem which provides smaller bubbles and therefore higher diffusion.
Typical sizes with glass beaker bongs range from 25cm (8inch) right up to 45cm (18inch) or even 50cm. A 45cm beaker is quite large, so if you are a newbie I would avoid that to start with. A 25cm beaker bong is a good choice for someone who wants to move from a DIY gator bong or a basic Aussie style bong. A 35cm beaker is probably a good option if you are concerned about getting a bong that is too small.
Perc Bongs:
Once we get into bongs with percolators, we are getting in to a far more complex area of the bong world. Percolators come in all shapes and sizes, they all function differently and perform to varying levels of performance.
The idea of a perc is simple, to create smaller bubbles which therefore means higher diffusion and a smoother rip. In theory this is simple!
Perc bongs can be fantastic and the step up from a basic gator style bong to a high end perc can be like a whole new world in terms of smoking experience, but the added complexity of perc bongs usually means a higher price, harder to clean and a poorly functioning perc can add drag.
There are some styles of percs that we typically find function well.
Inline Perc:
It is simple, usually doesn't add drag and creates very good diffusion.
Tree Percs:
Next would be the tree perc, this style of percolator has been around for a very long time but is still one of the best functioning types of perc there is.
Showerhead Percs:
The term showerhead doesn't really describe an exact type of perc, but is a term used loosely to describe percs that have a design that resembles a showerhead. This type of perc can be extremely good, the amount of diffusion depends largely on the amount of slits or holes, but a good showerhead perc can make a great bong.
Others:
The amount of variations in glass bongs, percolator styles, sizes, aesthetic designs etc is endless. If you are new to glass bongs, I would suggest sticking with something simple like mentioned earlier in this post. But people who have some experience and knowledge will acquire preferences over time and some people will want to tailor there bong purchase to something that fits their particular taste and needs.
If you have any questions regarding a bong purchase, feel free to reach out and ask us anything, we will try and help as best as we can.