Thicker glass isnt necessarily a good thing,it depends on who is making the product,but id never buy a bong online. A glass piece needs to be able to be inspected visually,and of course you wanna know how it feels.Get a glass on glass one. It doesnt have to be a roor, or phx or some other big brand name to be good. like str8 said,look for stability,thats the first thing I look for you dont wanna knock over that bad boy easily,next look at the where the neck and base are connected and look for obvious weaknesses.The rest is all about feel,how does it feel in your hands. The last bong i got was made by a local glass blower its around 13 inches tall and I like it,it does its job. id never pay 140-160 for a bong or any piece for that matter unless it was completely custom and hand made by someone I knew was really awesome. Try and go to a local shop they generally get their stuff from local blowers,at least here in Sacramento they do.:jointsmile: