The Ugly Truth

[jvnshr]

The $800 pipe might not smoke any better than a $100 pipe, but unlike the cheaper pipe, it will have better looks, better balance, and likely a much more comfortable hand carved stem and bit.
From Sablebrush52 Diaries, December 2017.

 

[davek]

When I want to smoke with little fuss & the likelihood of good results I’ll often grab a cob. I don’t prefer them for every blend, but they do a good job for most of them.

This.
I like cobs a lot and they are my usual smoke. But there is a definite, even dramatic difference in different blends in different pipes. My limited experience and analysis has just found that some things are better in a briar and some are better in a cob. I mix up my own stuff a lot and sometimes if I mix something I don't like in my usual cob I'll try it in a briar (or even a clay) and it will be great.
As said above, cobs are usually good though.