Curated by the Angies Boutique buyers. ROOR beakers, straight tubes and artist collabs, including pieces from the original German workshop that is no longer producing glass.
ROOR Glass: German Scientific Bongs, Beakers, Straight Tubes & Artist Collabs
ROOR is the German glass brand that helped define the high-end scientific bong: thick borosilicate beakers and straight tubes with ground glass joints, built by founder Martin Birzle, a trained scientific apparatus glassblower, in Frankenthal, Germany starting in the mid-1990s. Production at the Frankenthal workshop ended at the end of 2024, so original German ROOR glass is no longer being made. Angies Boutique carries ROOR beakers and straight tubes, the Ninety Nine and Intro Collectors series, Crown beakers, artist collaborations with Chase Adams, Eleven30 and Artys Glass, and RooR Tech.
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Brand: ROOR (also styled RooR)
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Founder: Martin Birzle, scientific glassblower
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Origin: Frankenthal, Germany, mid-1990s
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Status: German production ended at the end of 2024
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Known for: heavy borosilicate beakers and straight tubes, ground glass joints, and the giant Excalibur, a bong over six feet tall
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At Angies Boutique: beakers, straight tubes, Crown beakers, Ninety Nine and Intro Collectors series, artist collabs, RooR Tech, worked slides and ROOR cleaner
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Sizes: 14 to 18 inch tubes in 45x5mm, 50x5mm, 50x7mm and 60x5mm
Who makes ROOR glass?
Martin Birzle trained as a scientific apparatus technician, the glassblower who makes precision instruments for laboratories. Instead of staying in the chemical industry, he started making bongs, and ROOR grew from a one-man operation, where he took the orders, blew the glass and shipped it himself, into one of the most recognized names in glass. ROOR's reputation rests on that lab background: thick, even borosilicate walls, precise ground joints and simple shapes that last for decades.
That reputation also made ROOR one of the most copied names in glass. The company spent years taking legal action against stores in the United States that sold counterfeit ROOR.
In late 2024, ROOR ended glass production at its Frankenthal workshop. Birzle cited rising energy costs for glassblowing, a sharp drop in sales and a shift toward electronic devices and cheaper glass. For collectors, that makes German-made ROOR on the shelf a finite supply.
What do ROOR sizes like 50x5mm mean?
ROOR lists each tube as height in inches plus diameter by wall thickness. A ROOR 18" 50x5mm is 18 inches tall with a 50mm wide tube and 5mm thick walls. A 45x5mm is slimmer and lighter, a 60x5mm holds more smoke, and a 50x7mm has thicker, heavier walls. ROOR tubes in this collection take 14mm or 18mm bowls, so check the joint size on each listing before buying an extra bowl, downstem or ash catcher.
Is ROOR worth the price?
ROOR costs more than everyday glass because of thick, even borosilicate walls, precise ground joints and the brand's history. A ROOR tube hits like any well-made straight tube or beaker; you are paying for durability, build quality and a name that holds its value. With German production ended, original ROOR pieces are no longer being made. If you want the best function for the money rather than the name, compare scientific glass from Illadelph and HiSi, or see our scientific vs heady glass guide.
How do I clean and care for a ROOR?
Clean ROOR like any borosilicate tube: 91% or higher isopropyl alcohol and coarse salt, a good shake, and a warm-water rinse, never boiling. ROOR also makes its own ROOR Glass Cleaner. Add an ash catcher to keep the tube clean longer, and store tall pieces in a padded bag. More supplies are in Cleaning Supplies.
What should I know before buying ROOR?
Supply is finite: ROOR's German workshop stopped producing glass at the end of 2024, and most ROOR here is one or two pieces deep. Counterfeits are common: ROOR is one of the most copied brands in glass, so buy from an established shop and be wary of prices far below the market. Check the joint: 14mm and 18mm ROOR tubes take different bowls and downstems. Tall glass needs care: keep 18" tubes on a stable surface and store them in a padded bag. Sold to adults 21+.
Angies Boutique · 838 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012 · (213) 680-0080 · Open daily 11am to 7pm PST · Established 1990 · ROOR beakers, straight tubes and artist collabs in stock · Same-day in-store pickup and same-day delivery in Los Angeles · Ships to all 50 states and worldwide · 21+ only.