FAQ

How do I make an account?

We’re glad you’d like to start an account with us! Simply follow this link and click the red “Create Account” button. You’ll be prompted to provide some information and set a password. Then you’re good to go!

What’s your return policy?

Returns must be within 30 days of delivery. We’ll gladly cover the shipping cost if the return is due to an error we made.

We do not accept returns on:

Pipes that have been smoked or altered/repaired in any way.
Unsealed tobacco tins, cigars (unless in sealed packaging), or bulk tobacco.
Lighters that have been filled (unless they are defective)
Coffee – whole bean or ground

Defective lighters must be returned within 30 days of delivery and must be emptied before returning.

15% restocking fee may apply.

What's your cancellation policy?

Cancellations made prior to package being shipped will receive 100% Refund. Cancellations made after packaged shipped will receive refund when package arrives back minus shipping costs.

What's your privacy policy?

You can read our privacy policy here.

How much is shipping?

Standard shipping for orders over $95 is free within the continental US, with the exception of Value Tobaccos, which will include a shipping and handling charge for all orders. If you’re outside of the continental US, rates vary depending on location. If you would like to know how much it will cost to ship to you:

Create an account or make sure you’re signed in to your existing account
Place an item in your cart
Click “Proceed to Check Out”
Under “Shipping Method” you will see a list of shipping options with the price of each included, as pictured below

Note that shipping costs and delivery dates provided by shipping carriers are estimates based on the chosen shipping option. This is not the official rate and we cannot guarantee the perfect accuracy of the estimate.

Shipping rates for some items are based on weight. They round an item’s weight up to the nearest pound in accordance with shipping companies’ policies.

How long until my order arrives?

We will ship most orders within 24 hours of receiving it (Mon-Fri). If you’re in the continental US, your order should arrive within a week with standard shipping.

Will you ship anywhere?

Most anywhere in the US, but there are restrictions:

We cannot ship pipe or Roll-Your-Own tobacco to Maine, South Dakota, Washington, or Utah.
We cannot ship cigars to Maine, South Dakota, or Utah.
Effective July 1, 2023, we cannot ship any tobacco to Hawaii.

Tobacco shipments to California require an adult signature and an additional $4.99 fee.

International Shipping:

We have suspended International shipping for the foreseeable future. We appreciate the support of our international customers over the years and we will continue to evaluate the possibility of resuming international shipping at a later date.

For all outstanding international shipments:

Once we have shipped the package, we assume no risk. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with your local laws and customs in regard to shipping before placing an order to be shipped outside of the continental US.

Should any issue arise, it is the customer’s responsibility to contact and coordinate with local customs, delivery company, or any other relevant agents.

When you check out from our store, you are agreeing that you will not contest package or shipping related charges.

It is the purchaser’s responsibility to cover any foreign fees, import fees, excise taxes, or duties incurred. Again, we insist you become familiar with any rules, regulations, or fees relevant to your location before placing your order. Packages confiscated or otherwise damaged/destroyed by customs are not the responsibility of Cup o Joes and are not liable for a refund.

We mark all customs forms with accurate contents and values.

Do I cover the tax?

If the standard set forth by state law is met, you will be charged a sales tax. Check your state’s regulations before you make a purchase, as we are not responsible for tobacco tax reporting laws pertaining to online purchases.

States that currently have an OTP tax:

For international orders, any fees imposed by the destination country are typically due upon arrival in the country. Cup o Joes does not bear responsibility for any such additional charges—the purchaser is responsible for ensuring compliance with the laws of the destination country. If the package is refused by customs, the order will not be refunded, nor will be the cost of shipping should the package be returned to us.

Will you price match if I find a lower price elsewhere?

We do price match, with some stipulations. If you do come across a US based dealer advertising a lower price (including shipping, handling, and taxes if applicable) on the same item, we will absolutely try to match it.

Our criteria for price matching:

We do not price match tobacco.
The product in question must be currently stocked and available by a competitor.
Discontinued, close out, and clearance items are not eligible.
The price of the product to which you are requesting we match must be sold by a US retailer.
We will not accept verbal price quotes. It must be published, or you must be able to produce a written quotation for a competitor.
The Low-Price Guarantee only applies to new orders. We will not refund the item if the order has been placed.

*We reserve the right to not match a price if it is set too low. We will absolutely do what we can to work with you and get you the best price within reason.

If you’d like to inquire about a price match, you can reach out to us at 1-888-689-6876 or follow this link to send us an email.

Please include your name, number, the URL to the competitors listing, and any other helpful/applicable details in the email or have such information on hand when calling so that we may expedite the process.

The Low-Price Guarantee cannot be used in conjunction with any other coupon or project pricing offer, nor does it apply to limited-quantity offers, manufacturer's rebates, closeouts, clearances, special, sale, or limited-time discounts, bulk quantity items, or typographical errors. Offer does not include wholesale or "trade," contract or manufacturer direct pricing, or below wholesale cost pricing. Sorry, no dealers please. Offer does not apply to all store items.

*"Same" is defined as an item of the same styling and product by the same manufacturer. Products must be first quality, all new, factory-sealed, of the same brand, style, and SKU.

*Cup o Joes reserves the right to determine which offers are from authorized retailers. In the event that Cup o Joes determines that the competitor's offer does not qualify for the Low Price Guarantee we will notify you and will not be able to fulfill the order.

Can I report an error on the site?

Not only can you, we greatly appreciate it! Try as we try, mistakes happen, and we dread the idea of misrepresenting any information to our customers who we know are often taking all aspects of a purchase into consideration. Please shoot us an email with the URL where you found the error and we’ll see that it gets corrected!

Pipe FAQs

Is the pipe that’s pictured on the listing the one that I’ll receive?

It may be, but not always. We carry many one-of-a-kind pipes—those listings will always display the pipe that will ship to the purchaser. On the other hand, we only photograph one pipe when listing factory pipes, of which we usually have multiples of a single model. However, we totally understand and respect the thorough approach many have to picking out their pipe, so if you find yourself loving a particular model, but want to see the exact pipe you’ll receive, we would be happy to have our photographer take some pictures for you. Just get in touch via phone or email and we’ll help you out!

Do you carry estate pipes?

We do not, all of our pipes are new.

How do you measure the specs in your pipe listings?

With so many shapes that pipes come in, we understand how getting some clarity on how exactly we come to our measurements is important.

Here is our standardized approach to how we determine the dimensions in our pipe listings:

(Using a digital caliper for dimensions, measured in inches, and a postal scale that measures in 0.1-ounce increments)

Length - We measure from the bit of the stem to the far side of the bowl. Of course, with bent shapes, that doesn’t give you the literal length, but the distance from the far side of the bowl to your mouth while smoking.

Bowl Height – Bowl height is measured from the base to the very highest part of the rim. That means in instances such as with the slope-rimmed Nording Freehand seen below, we’ll measure to the highest peak.

Outside Diameter – The wall of the bowl measured at the widest point. Basically, where the space between the chamber wall and side of the bowl is the greatest.

Chamber Depth – Measured from the inside-edge of the rim to the bottom of the chamber.

Chamber Diameter – The diameter of the chamber, measured at the top of the chamber.

Choosing a pipe

What determines the shape of a pipe?

There are many factors that can determine the designation of a pipe’s shape, and the terms are often loosely interpreted.

Often this can be a head scratcher for newcomers, as one can think they recognize a certain shape but see it called something else. For example, take the most straight forward of shapes, a Billiard. You might see a similar design categorized as a Canadian. The distinction is that Canadians feature a long shank and short stem. Then things get even murkier when you realize there are sub-shapes within the Canadian family, differentiated by the shape of the shank (round or oval) and stem.

Seems complicated. How do I choose the right shape for me?

The short answer, pick something you like the look of and that looks comfortable, and your preferences will reveal themselves as you go.

If you’re new to the hobby, don’t worry so much about all the little distinctions in the shapes. Go with pipes that spark your interest and as you go, you’ll start to pick up on what works for you. Maybe you like holding your pipe in your mouth—clenching—and realize bent-style pipes are best for you for their downward weight distribution. You may find that a saddle stem is more comfortable to you than a tapered one. Or that you prefer the flavor provided by an Apple shape’s wide chamber. Many of us discover we like certain attributes for their own specialties, and accordingly gravitate to certain pipes for certain blends or situations. Many pipe smokers never get too invested in it and are perfectly happy with whatever pipe they have. At the end of the day, the only “wrong answer” is ignoring what you like because you’ve been told it’s wrong.

What makes a factory pipe different from a handmade?

As it sounds, handmade pipes are made by an artisan, shaping the stummel (usually with a lathe) and crafting the stem by hand. Factory pipes are mass produced, but still, much care is taken as to the materials used and careful quality checks are administered before the pipe is shipped. Naturally, handmade pipes are generally more expensive, although you can have lower price tiers for these depending on the craftsman’s experience, or with factory pipes, you may have a higher price for lines that use especially high-quality material or are more labor intensive. Essentially, there are no hard rules, and both make excellent pipes.

If I want to start smoking a pipe, what do I need?

As things move forward you might want a bag to carry your pipes in, some jars for tobacco, tools and supplies for irregular pipe maintenance, and so on. But getting started is quite simple, there are really three things most would consider essentials beyond the pipe and tobacco.

Fire source – Ideally a pipe lighter or matches.
Pipe Tool – Having a tamper is probably most important, but we recommend getting a nifty 3 in 1 tool that will allow you to tamp as well as gently excavate the chamber of tobacco/ash, i.e., without hitting the bowl against your hand or some other surface.
Pipe Cleaners – These will allow you to clean out your stem and shank. They're important for keeping the draught hole clear as well as limiting moisture in the pipe.

How can I stay in the know about new pipes being made available?

The best way to stay updated on new pipes, cigars, tobaccos, or anything being added to our site is to:

Subscribe to our newsletter.
Follow us on social media such as Facebook or Instagram.