Let me preface by saying I've always been a moderate, responsible weed-smoker. Who smokes AFTER my medical paperwork-filing job and I'm at home in my rural private property, in which nobody else is being bothered. Nor do I advocate anyone under the age of 18 being a stoner.
At any rate, I've always liked rolling joints so fat they resemble tampons -- I GOTTA smoke my Tampax, lol. Bong hits have their interesting advantages with the smoke-cooling water-elbow, but I haven't had a bong in years so I've been in the habit of rolling my female-hygiene-looking fat joints for a long, long time. I do like the semi-sweet aftertaste that joint/tampons leave.
I always liked a bong. I was much like you, enjoying my weed in the evening after work and responsibilities were done. But now the drug screenings make that a liability, so I gave it up until I retire in about 3 years.
One point to make, don't put cold water in the bong. Put warm water in it. When the smoke goes thru the cold water, it is cooled. Which make the air contract. As it warms in your lungs it expands. Coughing follows. Warm water warms it, and it cools in the lungs.
The bad parts about bongs is their size and the water. One is just old paranoia. The other is one of the nastiest substances on the planet.