What should I use as a joint filter tip?

When rolling up, there are many options for what to use as a filter. The best filters provide structure, catch scooby snacks, don’t add interfering tastes, and stay well in the roll. We have seen all sorts of different types of filters, from using the paperboard of rolling papers to beautifully crafted glass tips and even the bold Twizzler filter tip. The options and opportunity for creativity are endless, so we will hit on some of the best filters for you to utilize in your rolls.

What can I use as a joint filter?

For a solid joint filter, you can roll up the paperboard from your rolling papers or use glass tips, silicone tips, pre-rolled paper tips, cigarette filters, or even Twizzlers. We analyzed each of these options and rated them below.  

Joint and blunt filters, ranked

To organize the best filters for joints, we will go through and rank various categories that we believe are important to a high-quality joint experience. We included an explanation at the bottom of this page about each category for your reference.

The best joint and blunt filter tips

1. Self-rolled paperboard tips

OVERALL: 5.2/10

Self-rolled tips are the original go to for many smokers. It can be made of a business card or a chunk of the paperboard from your rolling papers. The main benefit is that these are versatile – as long as you have paperboard on hand, you can use these. They do have a couple of drawbacks. They are tougher to roll with and make rolling take longer. They can also get quite soggy, and it’s tough to roll an XL joint filter with just paperboard. They are also easily littered, which we hope to discourage the majority of smoking deaths are caused by improperly disposed smoking material. These are at the top of the list because of their convenience.

2. Silicone tips

OVERALL: 8.5/10

Silicone filter tips are great. They have the benefits of glass tips, but they are exceptionally easy to roll with and stay in the roll. Custom designs lead to the best possible airflow, and they can’t break.

Inexpensive silicone filter tips should be avoided. Silicone that is not 100%, high quality food grade can contain additives, including plastics, that are not meant to be smoked through. If you’re looking, these silicone filter tips use high quality, safe silicone and have essentially unlimited customization options for those of you interested in fully unique filter tips.

3. Glass tips

OVERALL: 7.3/10

Glass tips are also a great choice. They are fully reusable, easy to clean, and the designs often ensure smooth hits and no scooby snacks. If you are an avid joint roller, there is a good chance you have tried rolling with glass tips. They aren’t the easiest to roll with because of their rigidity and slippery surface. They unfortunately slip out of joints quite easily because of their slippery surface, and it’s a bummer to drop them because the high-quality glass tips are not inexpensive, and they can crack or shatter pretty easily. Overall, they are one of the best options for reusable tips in the market.

4. Pre-rolled paper tips

OVERALL: 5.4/10

Pre-rolled paper filter tips are a relatively common option. They work well, and you can buy a large pack of them without spending too much money. They are not as high of quality as glass or silicone tips and they are not reusable. They don’t slip out as easily as glass tips, but they get soggy easily and add the taste of paper to your rolls. When you use these tips, make sure that they do not have any ink on the tip itself, as ink can leach into smoke.

5. Cigarette filter tips

OVERALL: 4.5/10

6. Twizzler filter tips (use a short Twizzler as a filter).

OVERALL: 4.2/10

There was one time that I was with a friend and we wanted to roll up a fat joint. We experimented with different paperboards, finding that it was tough to get a large filter with paperboard unless we combined multiple smaller filters, which took quite a while. We happened to have some Twizzlers, so we decided to try that out. They were pretty large, and with king sized papers, we were able to roll a joint with close to an eighth of flower in it. We stuck a couple of stems across one side of the opening to prevent scooby snacks from coming through, and it smoked wonderfully. I don’t recommend eating the Twizzler portion that you use as a filter - it tends to have a bit of a smoky aftertaste.

7. 3D printed filter tips

OVERALL: 5.7/10

Some people have spoken about 3D printing filter tips. While the customization and use makes these filters phenomenal, they could be a bit risky. Most likely the safest option would be to use a PLA based filament, which is polylactic acid. While it is biodegradable, it is still a plastic, so we recommend against 3D printing your filter tips.

Explanation of categories

Since some of these categories are not self-explanatory, here are the descriptions that explain how we ranked each. Scooby snack filtration refers to how well filters prevent little chunks of flower from slipping through the filter. Customizability is a reference to the options for having smaller joint filters versus rolling up fatties, and it references the ability to change colors or add designs to the filter. Ability to stay in roll refers to whether or not the filter is likely to slip out. Heat dissipation is a measure of how well the filter handles heat without letting your fingers get burnt. Safety is a check on whether or not the filter is a healthy option that won’t add extra chemicals to the smoke, and it includes whether or not the filter is at risk of being disposed in a way that could cause a fire. I think the rest are pretty self-explanatory, so roll with your gut with those.