UFO vs Matrix vs Tree: The Percolator Head to Head Before Black Friday

TLDR: Pick by what you like most. For the smoothest flow, pick the UFO. For the most bubbles, pick the Matrix. For the fanciest look, pick the Tree. Overall, the Matrix wins first for looks and function, the UFO is second, and the Tree is third. They are all pretty good, so there is no bad pick here.

By Vitae Glass

Shopping for a percolator can feel confusing. You read three guides, you learn how each type works, and you still do not know which one belongs in your build. This guide answers that one question, head to head.

It does not repeat the full explainer for each type. That lives in Percolators Explained. This post owns the decision. It judges the same three types on the same tests, and it gives you a pick for each priority. Every percolator is a trade off, in a good way. More bubbles means a smoother draw. 

A lighter flow means an easier pull. A fancier shape means a build that stands out. The right pick is the trade off you enjoy most. In a modular build, that trade off is easy to change, because the module lifts out and another one goes in its place.

Pick your priority first. Then read only the part that matches it. Most buyers fall into one of these groups.

• Smoothest flow first. You want the easiest, gentlest draw.
• Most bubbles first. You want the most filtering you can get.
• Fanciest look first. You want a build that stands out.
• Easy rinse first. You want a module that rinses fast and comes apart with no fuss.
• Light pull first. You want the pull to feel open and easy.

If two priorities tie for you, read both parts and take the percolator that shows up in both. Or take the one whose strengths you like best. Both buyers are right, because they are buying for different routines.

One more rule before the comparisons: judge a percolator by its openings, not by its size. A tall module with few openings filters less than a compact module with many openings. The water rule from How Much Water Should You Put in a Bong? A Build by Build Guide applies here too. Cover the openings, then stop. A percolator whose openings sit above the water is not filtering at all, whatever its shape.

UFO. A disc with slits around its edge, shaped like a flying saucer in cross section. Smoke exits sideways through the slits, so the bubbling spreads outward around the chamber. That sideways flow is why the UFO gives the smoothest flow in this comparison. The Dual UFO Percolator is the standalone modular version. The UFO is also the signature stage in the Voyager build, which is why it is the easiest percolator to judge firsthand. It is the one most Vitae builds already contain.

Matrix. A cylinder drilled with rows of small holes in a grid around its sides, so smoke bubbles out in every direction. It makes more bubbles than any other type in this comparison, which is why it filters the most and looks so good doing it. The Dual Matrix Percolator is the standalone modular version. Picture its grid when you read the bubbles part below.

Tree, also known as the jellyfish. A central trunk with eight arms branching off it. The arms are fused onto the glass, and each arm ends in a slanted cut we call a diamond cut. The Dual 8 Arm Tree Percolator has eight arms, so smoke splits eight ways before it bubbles. That gives a smooth, rolling draw and the fanciest look in this comparison. The jellyfish shape is the showpiece here.

For the general idea behind all three, Ganjapreneur's percolator guide states the trade off plainly: more filtering creates smoother hits, while less filtering keeps more flavor and gives less cooling. Every part of this head to head is that trade off, applied to three shapes you can actually buy as modules. All three are borosilicate glass, and the Corning Museum of Glass borosilicate story explains why that matters for a piece that is heated, cooled, rinsed, and handled daily. Boron in the glass recipe makes it expand and contract far less than ordinary glass, so complex shapes like a matrix grid or a tree with eight arms hold up to repeated use.

UFO and Matrix are the two smoothest types here, and they win in different ways.

• Smoothest flow. The UFO wins. Its sideways slits give an open, easy flow that feels smooth from the first pull.
• Most bubbles. The Matrix wins. Its grid makes more bubbles than any other type here, so it filters the most.
• Looks. The Matrix grid looks sharp and technical. The UFO saucer shape looks clean and classic.
• Pull. The UFO pulls lighter. The Matrix rewards a slow, steady pull.
• The verdict for this pair. If you want the smoothest flow, take the UFO. If you want the most bubbles, take the Matrix.

Matrix and Tree are the two showpiece types here, and they split on bubbles and looks.

• Most bubbles. The Matrix wins. Its grid makes more bubbles than eight tree arms.
• Fanciest look. The Tree wins. The jellyfish shape, with eight arms fused onto the glass and a diamond cut on each arm, is the fanciest look in this comparison.
• Flow. The Tree gives a smooth, rolling draw. The Matrix gives a deep, bubbly draw.
• Pull. The Tree pulls lighter. The Matrix rewards a slow, steady pull.
• The verdict for this pair. If you want the most bubbles, take the Matrix. If you want the fanciest look, take the Tree.

UFO and Tree are the two easiest types to love at first pull, and they win in different ways.

• Smoothest flow. The UFO wins. Its sideways slits give the smoothest, easiest flow here.
• Fanciest look. The Tree wins. Nothing else here looks like a jellyfish with eight fused arms and diamond cuts.
• Pull. The UFO pulls lighter. The Tree pulls comfortably in the middle.
• The verdict for this pair. If you want the smoothest flow, take the UFO. If you want the fanciest look, take the Tree.

For smoothest flow alone:

• UFO. The sideways slits spread the smoke outward in an open ring, so the flow feels smooth and easy.
• Matrix. The grid makes lots of bubbles, so the draw is deep and smooth, with a slow, steady pull.
• Tree. Eight arms splitting the smoke give a rolling, smooth draw that feels easy and relaxed.

If smoothest flow is your only priority, the answer is the UFO. The companion read is Best Percolator for Smooth Hits, Explained, which covers the smooth hits question on its own.

For most bubbles alone:

• Matrix. The grid makes the most bubbles, and more bubbles mean more smoke touching water, which is how every smoothness claim in this guide works. Ganjapreneur's percolator guide makes the same point in general terms, more bubbles mean more surface area, which gives cooler, smoother hits.
• Tree. Eight arms splitting the smoke give lots of bubbles too, in eight separate paths.
• UFO. The edge slits give a wide ring of bubbles, smooth and even, just fewer than a full grid.

If most bubbles is your only priority, the answer is the Matrix.

For fanciest look alone:

• Tree. The jellyfish shape wins here. Eight arms fused onto the glass, each with a slanted diamond cut, make it the fanciest piece in this comparison and a great centerpiece for a build.
• Matrix. The grid looks sharp, technical, and clean, a close second for looks.
• UFO. The saucer shape looks clean and classic, and it fits the signature Voyager look.

If fanciest look is your only priority, the answer is the Tree.

For rinsing alone:

• UFO. Edge slits need a directed rinse, but the shape is still one piece with no branches, so the rinse is simple.
• Tree. Eight arms to check, but each arm is visible and easy to see, so a careful rinse finishes the job.
• Matrix. A full grid to flush, and a soak makes the job simple.

This is also why the modular system matters for rinsing. A percolator module lifts out of the stack, so it can be rinsed on its own at the sink instead of flushed through a tall assembled build. The Universal Cleaning Caps seal a section for soaking, which turns a matrix grid into a soak and rinse job. All Vitae percolator modules are clear glass cylinders with the real percolator inside and solid bamboo caps closing both ends, so the rinsing job is always the glass inside the cylinder, never a hidden chamber you cannot see.

For light pull alone, lightest pull first:

• UFO. Slits around the edge share the airflow, so the pull feels open and easy.
• Tree. A comfortable middle pull, lighter than a grid.
• Matrix. The fullest pull, by design, because maximum bubbles and minimum pull cannot both win. It suits a slow, steady pull best.

If a pull ever feels tight, try a lighter percolator, less water, or a slower pull, in that order. The water level guide linked above covers the water half of that fix, and this ranking covers the percolator half.

Here is the overall ranking, looks and function together:

• 1. Matrix. The overall winner, for aesthetics and function. It makes the most bubbles, it filters the most, and the grid looks sharp. It is the strongest all around pick.
• 2. UFO. Second, close behind the Matrix. It has the smoothest flow, it pulls lightest, and it has the classic signature look. For many buyers, it is the easiest daily pick.
• 3. Tree. Third, and still great for looks. It is the fanciest piece here, with a smooth, rolling draw and a jellyfish shape that stands out.

They are all pretty good. The ranking is about which one wins overall, not about a bad pick. If your priority is flow, go UFO. If your priority is bubbles and overall function, go Matrix. If your priority is looks, go Tree.

Three builds, one per percolator. All three modules fit the same 50mm modular system, with a bamboo ring at each glass to glass joint, so the build below each pick is a starting point, not a fixed piece.

• The UFO build. Add the Dual UFO Percolator to a base you already own, such as The Swiss Sphere Base or THC Base, finished with The UFO Mouthpiece. Best for a buyer who wants the smoothest flow and the signature Vitae draw, smooth, balanced, and easy to judge by its edge slits.
• The matrix build. Add the Dual Matrix Percolator to The Voyager Base. Best for a buyer who pulls slowly and wants the most bubbles and the strongest overall pick in this comparison.
• The tree build. Add the Dual 8 Arm Tree Percolator to the same Voyager Base. Best for a buyer who wants the fanciest look, a smooth, rolling draw, and a jellyfish centerpiece, and who rinses after every session.

For a smaller first step, the mini versions of all three standalone modules, the Mini UFO Percolator, the Mini Matrix Percolator, and the Mini 8 Arm Tree Percolator, let you test a percolator character in your own build before committing to the dual size. Because the system is modular, a mini that does not suit you can move to a shorter build instead of sitting unused.

One tree planted per module through One Tree Planted applies to every module in this guide, so a build's tree count equals its module count. A three module build plants three trees, a five module build plants five trees.

Stacking works when the two percolators do different jobs.

• Pair different types. A UFO stage below a Matrix stage pairs smooth flow with maximum bubbles, so each stage adds something the other does not. A UFO plus Tree pair works the same way, smooth flow plus a fancy, rolling draw.
• Keep the total pull in mind. Every stage adds a little resistance, so a two stage build should pair a light stage with a fuller one, not two fuller stages. UFO plus Matrix is a better pair than Matrix plus Matrix, and UFO plus Tree is a better pair than Tree plus Tree.
• Fill each stage on its own. The water guide linked above covers this in detail. Fill the base first, then each module in turn, and confirm with a dry pull. A stacked build filled from the top in one pour floods the lowest chamber while the upper module stays short.
• Rinse the stack in parts. Separate, rinse, and reassemble, and the stack keeps the character it had on day one.

The largest Vitae stack, the 23 inch Voyager Dual Perc Bong, shows the pairing rule at full size, with a choice of Dual UFO, Dual Matrix, or Dual Tree as the middle section on top of the Voyager base, finished with a UFO mouthpiece. Its size is the point. A tall build gives each stage room to work.

Buy the module that matches what you want most from your current build, not the module with the best headline.

• If you want the smoothest flow, buy the UFO first, because it gives the easiest, smoothest flow in one swap.
• If you want the most bubbles, buy the Matrix first, because it changes filtering the most in one swap.
• If you want the fanciest look, buy the Tree first, because the jellyfish shape stands out more than any other type here.
• If you are unsure about all three, buy a mini first. A mini module tests the character in your own build, and the modular system means the test is never wasted. The module moves to another build if it does not suit the first one.

Whatever you buy first, buy one module, live with it for a few sessions, and only then decide whether a second stage earns its place. The modular system rewards patience, because every module you add is a module you can also remove, and the best stack is usually the smallest stack that gives you what you want.

Can you put a UFO percolator on any Vitae base? Yes, in the modular system, a Dual or Mini UFO module joins a base with a bamboo ring at the joint, so it fits the Swiss Sphere Base, THC Base, and Voyager Base alike. The base changes stability and water volume, the module changes filtering, and the two choices stay independent.

Which percolator is good for a first timer? Start with the UFO. It pulls light, flows smoothest, and gives a balanced draw. Move to the Matrix later if you want the most bubbles, or to the Tree if you want the fanciest look.

What is the jellyfish percolator? That is the Tree. It has eight arms fused onto the glass, each arm ending in a slanted diamond cut. Smoke splits eight ways, so the draw is smooth and rolling, and the shape is the fanciest in this guide.

Do two percolators help? Yes, when they are different types. Two different types can beat one, because each adds a different kind of filtering. Two of the same type mostly add pull, because the second stage repeats the first stage's work. The pairing rule above, different types, light plus full, is the test to apply before adding a stage.

Does more bubbles change flavor? Yes, in the direction this guide ranks. More bubbles cool more and filter more, which smooths the draw and can soften the flavor profile at the same time. That is why smooth flow buyers pick the UFO, most bubbles buyers pick the Matrix, and fanciest look buyers pick the Tree.

How do you try a new percolator type? A mini module, in the type you are curious about. Minis exist for the UFO, matrix, and tree, so you can test any of the three before committing to the dual size.

How do you know if your percolator needs a rinse? If the glass dirty to a point where the flavor changes. It needs a rinse. Separate the module, rinse it, soak it with the cleaning caps if needed, and reassemble it. A percolator that improves sharply after a rinse was ready for a rinse.

• Percolators Explained
• Modular Bong: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It Lasts Longer
• How Much Water Should You Put in a Bong? A Build by Build Guide
• How to Clean a Bong in Under 5 Minutes: The Modular Routine
• Best Percolator for Smooth Hits, Explained
• How to Stop Bong Splashback Without Killing Flow