So what is the difference between a 30 dollar briar pipe vs an expensive 150-200 dollar pipe. Is it simply the name brand and the person who crafts them? Do your expensive brands have a noticable performance difference?
Cheap vs Expensive Pipes?
- Thread starter frankrem
- Start date
SmokingPipes.com Updates
Watch for Updates Twice a Week
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
- Status
$120 to $170. It is more than possible to get a fine smoking pipe under $50. It depends on your budget and what you're looking for. I've smoked everything from MM (cobs) to $20 seconds to Stanwell, Kaywoodie to Castello and Artisan Pipes. In my younger days, I couldn't afford a $100 pipe much less a $300 and up pipe. I enjoyed smoking the pipes I could afford at the time. I now smoke a few Castellos and otherwise, almost exclusively Artisan pipes.
I believe I can objectively state the Artisan pipes smoke better than anything else I've owned. Worth the extra money? I can now afford it without sacrificing any quality of life otherwise, so I say yes. They seem to be made out of superior briar, they are aesthetically more appealing and they are drilled impeccably. However, if all I could afford were MM and Carter Hall, I'd still smoke and be relatively satisfied with it.
Buy what you can afford in pipes and tobacco, enjoy what you buy. Extending your credit to buy expensive pipes is insane IMHO. I'd have a difficult time enjoying my $400 pipe if I was experiencing anxiety over paying the pending credit card bill or hearing it from my wife.
I believe I can objectively state the Artisan pipes smoke better than anything else I've owned. Worth the extra money? I can now afford it without sacrificing any quality of life otherwise, so I say yes. They seem to be made out of superior briar, they are aesthetically more appealing and they are drilled impeccably. However, if all I could afford were MM and Carter Hall, I'd still smoke and be relatively satisfied with it.
Buy what you can afford in pipes and tobacco, enjoy what you buy. Extending your credit to buy expensive pipes is insane IMHO. I'd have a difficult time enjoying my $400 pipe if I was experiencing anxiety over paying the pending credit card bill or hearing it from my wife.
I have bought some cheap pipes that were obviously seconds for a reason. They didn't pass a cleaner, stems were uncomfortable, one even tasted bad. In my experience, lower grade Stanwell, Savinelli and Chacom are money well spent. They are about 100$ apiece. That's the limit for a good new pipe IMO.
As a disclaimer I have no experience with Rossi or Ropp. They might be great for about half or 2/3 of that price.
As a disclaimer I have no experience with Rossi or Ropp. They might be great for about half or 2/3 of that price.
Pipes like everything else are getting more expensive at what seems to me to be an ever increasing pace..Pay little attention to the hype about new expensive pipes with someones name on them..Only buy what you can afford..You don't need 30 or 40 pipes..A few will do just fine.
Pretty much everything is increasing in price. Even Chinese crap isn't as cheap as it used to be.
The average price for a decent starter briar pipe nowadays seems to be in the $70-$120.
Even cobs are over $10 CAD at my local tobacconist.
Yes, I am not going to argue that good smokers can be found for $50 or less, but the fact of the matter is that a beginner is not qualified to tell the difference betwixt a good 'second' and a dud. Whilst I also understand that someone who's exploring doesn't want to spring for a Castello, it's undeniable that a bad pipe can completely ruin the experience and turn someone away from a highly pleasant activity: he'll blame the whole smoking thing, rather than the real culprit.
The average price for a decent starter briar pipe nowadays seems to be in the $70-$120.
Even cobs are over $10 CAD at my local tobacconist.
Yes, I am not going to argue that good smokers can be found for $50 or less, but the fact of the matter is that a beginner is not qualified to tell the difference betwixt a good 'second' and a dud. Whilst I also understand that someone who's exploring doesn't want to spring for a Castello, it's undeniable that a bad pipe can completely ruin the experience and turn someone away from a highly pleasant activity: he'll blame the whole smoking thing, rather than the real culprit.
If you take a pipe apart and look at the "guts", how the tenon is shaped, how the stem is formed (inside and out). Drilling, how things line up, how smooth stuff is, how much air will flow, how smoothly it flows (more important).... you'll see lots of differences every time you add 100 bucks to the price, up to about 400 bucks.
Stem materials.... cheap vulcanite that turns grey in one smoke vs good quality ebonite that stays black for years. Finishes that peel off because they were quickly sprayed at 500 bowls, vs finishes that last 20 years of handling because they were applied carefully (and are better finishes).
Is every 200 dollar pipe better than every 50 dollar pipe? Sadly no. But if you are careful, spending 200 or 300 dollars, you will usually get a pipe that is a better performer than it's 50 dollar counterpart.
Stem materials.... cheap vulcanite that turns grey in one smoke vs good quality ebonite that stays black for years. Finishes that peel off because they were quickly sprayed at 500 bowls, vs finishes that last 20 years of handling because they were applied carefully (and are better finishes).
Is every 200 dollar pipe better than every 50 dollar pipe? Sadly no. But if you are careful, spending 200 or 300 dollars, you will usually get a pipe that is a better performer than it's 50 dollar counterpart.
My response to this question is always the same. A pipe is worth the value equivalent to that of someone or something under consideration; the level at which someone or something deserves to be valued or rated. Pipe buying and collecting is a nearly pure example of market economics.
As I understand it, there can be a huge difference between a 40 dollar pipe and a 150 dollar pipe (not always mind you, sometimes you can get good'ins for cheep) but, imo after about the 200 dollar mark there *really* isnt that much a difference. I wouldn't really know because I've never had enough disposable income to justify spending more than that on a pipe, but I dont think I would even if I had the money. Spending 300+ on a pipe just seems like overkill to me. Tobacco on the other hand....
I made the mistake and bought two new pipes on ebay that looked ok for a fixed price of about 45$ each.
When I received them they were, as a recent article said, "meant to be sold, not smoked".
I just passed them on for what they were and chalked it up as learning money.
I don't know if brands like Peterson, Savinelli or Vauen sell any pipes that you would be disappointed by?
When I received them they were, as a recent article said, "meant to be sold, not smoked".
I just passed them on for what they were and chalked it up as learning money.
I don't know if brands like Peterson, Savinelli or Vauen sell any pipes that you would be disappointed by?
Whether you are buying pipes by renown carvers for top dollar, or looking for the best forty or sixty dollar pipe, or less on ebay or at a yard sale, much depends on your sweat equity of window shopping and learning about what you are looking at. I've bought a Tsuge and a Peterson, new, each for $40. At whatever price level, you also have to learn about a pipe's smoking characteristics as you go along, for the best smoke possible. I have some "better" pipes, a Ser Jacopo, a Ferndown, and a Nording zebra hunting pipe for examples. They are quite different in smoking characteristics, but each has a ample, trouble-free airway, good balance, a fine appearance and finish, and a great feel. I thoroughly enjoy them, and yet have no problems with most of my "lesser" pipes -- MM cobs, many factory pipes, etc. If you buy pipes on a budget, if you shop well, you can have optimal smoking experiences, in my opinion.
Thank you all for your replies. Are there brands or carvers that you would recommend hands down?
You would be mistaken about the $200 threshold. Not long ago, I thought artisan pipes weren't worth it. I was sorely mistaken.
Daring to spend a bundle on a top-notch pipe is an thrill for sure. Buying a factory pipe or flea market bargain and finding it is an excellent smoker is a different thrill.
I bought a Savinelli as my first pipe and I was damned glad I did. I had a good smoker and it gave me a baseline as to how a good pipe should smoke. When I bought lemons down the road I knew it.
There definitely is difference,also refurbished estate pipes are worth considering especially those higher end ones,often they are more or less affordably priced but as usual not cheap any more today.
Ok I'll jump into the fray. What I usually tell the un experienced pipers is to find an estate(used) Costello They all pretty much smoke well. Smoke the heck out of it . keep it clean and when you decide to move on you will probably get what you paid for it or more. The problem with 40 to 100 dollar pipes is when you move on you can't get anything for them. If an Estate is not your thing than you can't go wrong with a Peterson, Savinelli etc. jim
Comparing my (two) Ashton pipes with James Barber B-Line pipes, I’d say the biggest difference is the quality of the Vulcanite, fit on the mortise&tenon (and drilling), and shaping of the button.
Most of what will practically separate a high end pipe from an ordinary pipe will be in the stem and shank. I know others will disagree but good quality Briar isn’t hard to come by (I should note that I do appreciate Ashton for carrying on the tradition of oil curing. Whatever value it may have it’s at least something different from the rest of the market).
Aside from the stem and drilling, traditionally it’s mostly just a few pits creating aesthetic flaws (and a small possibility of burnout) separating high end and low end pipes.
Most of what will practically separate a high end pipe from an ordinary pipe will be in the stem and shank. I know others will disagree but good quality Briar isn’t hard to come by (I should note that I do appreciate Ashton for carrying on the tradition of oil curing. Whatever value it may have it’s at least something different from the rest of the market).
Aside from the stem and drilling, traditionally it’s mostly just a few pits creating aesthetic flaws (and a small possibility of burnout) separating high end and low end pipes.
I think that the biggest difference with factory pipes and price is likelihood. You're much more likely to get a good-smoking factory pipe from a recognizable brand when you spend $100 to $150 than you are buying a basket pipe. That said, I have a no-name Canadian I bought for $20 over 40 years ago that still smokes like a champ, but that was sheer luck.
Buying an artisan pipe is less of a crapshoot still. Many, if not most of them age their briar for some extra time after buying it, and they tend to be very particular about every aspect of the pipe because their name is attached to it. My buddy, Dan Chlebove (Gabrieli Pipes) spends more time on a stem than a lot of makers spend on a whole pipe. Is it worth the extra bucks to get an artisan pipe? If you can afford it, definitely.
Russ
Buying an artisan pipe is less of a crapshoot still. Many, if not most of them age their briar for some extra time after buying it, and they tend to be very particular about every aspect of the pipe because their name is attached to it. My buddy, Dan Chlebove (Gabrieli Pipes) spends more time on a stem than a lot of makers spend on a whole pipe. Is it worth the extra bucks to get an artisan pipe? If you can afford it, definitely.
Russ
Having been at the hobby for almost 10yrs now expensive has really climbed up for me. I started out thinking $250 was outrageous and these days I'm usually only buying pipes in the $350-450 range. I think when you get from $50 to $150 in factory pipes you're going to see much better fit and finish as well as much better drilling. The more attention to detail will help minimize the bad smokes. You'll typically get a better draw, a cooler smoke, and less gurgling. Grant it, there is the entire other half of the experience being the tobacco itself, its moisture level and what not that will change the experience.
If I could have a do over in getting into the hobby I would go with quality over quantity. I'd load up on some Missouri Meerschaum cobs and then save up to buy $150-$200 briars.
If I could have a do over in getting into the hobby I would go with quality over quantity. I'd load up on some Missouri Meerschaum cobs and then save up to buy $150-$200 briars.
- Status