bubbler

Bubbler is a term with multiple meanings in English. In North America, particularly in Wisconsin and parts of the Midwest, bubbler refers to a drinking fountain. The name is thought to come from the bubbling water that emerges from the nozzle, though the exact origin is not definitively established. Outside that region, the term is less common and most people simply say water fountain.

In smoking culture, a bubbler is a compact water pipe designed for consuming tobacco or cannabis. It combines a bowl, a stem, and a small water chamber to cool and filter the smoke. Bubblers are typically made from glass, though plastic, ceramic, or silicone variants exist. They are usually smaller and more portable than traditional bongs and may include simple filtration rather than elaborate percolators.

In scientific and industrial contexts, a bubbler is a device used to introduce gas into a liquid as bubbles. Submerged diffusers or spargers release air or another gas to aerate liquids in laboratories, aquariums, wastewater treatment, and fermentation processes. Bubbler systems range from simple diffusers to multi-port assemblies connected to a gas supply, and they may be used for measurements of dissolved oxygen or for maintaining oxygen levels in a reactor or tank.

The meaning of bubbler is highly context-dependent, so the term can refer to a drinking fountain, a small water pipe, or an aeration device. See also water fountain, smoking pipe, sparger, and aeration.