I started smoking clay pipes because I heard they provided very dry, clear, "exact" smokes. After a year of smoking them I would agree with that statement, and the best smokes (dry, cool etc) I've ever had were in my clay churchwarden. I also smoke a falcon pipe because I suffer from PAD so I just buy bowls to satisfy my cravings. That also provides a fairly cool smoke I find and I find maintenance to be a breeze. The best thing is being able to take the bowl off halfway through a smoke, wipe away moisture, clear an obstruction and get back to business without worrying about damaging the pipe. They're very robust so that helps if you drop pipes a lot like me.