Empire Glassworks Pineapple Paradise Mini Rig Review
Tue, May 14, 19
With an inviting, whimsical name like Pineapple Paradise, we expect an easy, fun dab rig that’ll take us away from the world’s problems. And thanks to Empire Glassworks, we got exactly what we were looking for in terms of style, ease, and quality.
The mini rig category fills an interesting niche. More advanced than a basic spoon pipe, these bubblers can be filled with water for filtering and cooling the smoke or vapor from your favorite dry leaf or concentrate. They're smaller than a bong, however, ideal for smokers who don't favor huge, deep lung rips.
Empire Glassworks Pineapple Paradise Mini Rig Overview
In this review, we’re taking a look at this cocktail-themed rig’s design, performance, and of course functionality.
Design
This blown-glass water pipe is fashioned after a tropical drink you'd find at a beach resort served in a hollowed-out pineapple, complete with fruity garnish. In a clever nod to these vacation refreshments, the "straw" serves as the draw tube.
The pineapple chamber is textured to the touch for those who love the extra ‘oomph factor’ with the most succulent looking kiwi and cherry we’ve seen on a rig so far.
If you’ve never seen a pineapple quite like this, there’s a good reason for it: Empire Glassworks pieces are hand-blown, meaning each and every piece is unique by nature and incredibly detailed, with color all around except for the clear stem featuring an inline diffuser and 14 mm glass-on-glass bowl.
Performance
The diffuser stem really makes a big impact on filtering and cooling smoke in this otherwise diminutive little pipe, which stands at just six inches tall. That said, expect performance more in line with a bubbler than a bong due to the limited amount of airflow that can pass through the straw-shaped mouthpiece.
There's also not a lot of room for water in the chamber, nor is there an easy way to add ice for cooling. You're going to want to change the water out every few bowls to keep your flavor crisp and your smoking experience within the realm of a true Pineapple Paradise.
Drawbacks
We've mentioned the Paradise is on the small side, and it's rather pricey for what it is. For huge rips and minimal maintenance, a traditional bong is going to give you a lot better bang for your buck.
But Empire Glassworks isn't strictly chasing function here. The Pineapple Paradise isn't just a smoking appliance, it's a work of art. That means you're going to have to put some work into keeping it clean and presentable, but if you do that you'll have a beautiful showpiece that would add prestige to any glass collection.
Takeaways
Honestly, we believe this Paradise Mini Rig could be a perfect companion to someone who wants to stand out at the next pool party. It's a great fit for tokers who love collecting novelty items that remind you of warmer, simpler times. The detail is stellar and clearly identifiable, even from a considerable distance, and the one-off nature ensures you'll receive a hand-blown masterpiece that's literally unlike any other.
However, beginners and the frugally-minded should take caution. The Pineapple Paradise rig is a beautiful collector's piece and a fun novelty, but it's probably not going to be your go-to gear for daily use.