I have a Savinelli rusticated 803 EX Deluxe Canadian that has a large bowl over 2" high and is 8" overall in length that I bought for $75 back the late 90's. It turned out to be as cool and sweet a smoker as pipes I own that cost over $400. I was so impressed by it that I called Savinelli in Italy to try to buy more after every pipe store in Southern California was out of them. Ever since, that pipe is the baseline against which all other pipes in my accumulation are measured for performance. Now, like the rest of you, my eye is almost always drawn to pipes that look great and are almost invariably expensive. But that pipe reinforced what I already knew, that quality of briar combined with design integrity, plus a certain shank length, will yield a comfortable and satisfying smoke every time, no matter how the pipe looks or how much I paid for it. I have three other large bowl Savinelli rusticated Duco pipes (two bents and one Canadian), all of which are surprisingly satisfying at $75 a pop new late last year. And there is the estate Lorenzo Grand Canadian 8.5" rusticated pipe with a huge bowl that smokes as well as the best pipes in my assortment that was bought for $45. And, finally, there is the estate Jobey Dansk (Karl Erik) that I bought in the late 90's for $39 in Newport, which outperforms my Nordings and is bested as a freehand only by my Ben Wade Preben Holm and Tim West.
Now, as nice as the expensive (for me) Dunhills, Don Carloses, Morettis, Ascortis, Chacoms, James Upshalls, Orliks, Tim Wests and Rinaldis may be, I get a special pleasure out of the A-list smokers that came in below the $100 line. I relive the pleasure of the bargain every time I light one of those guys up and reflect upon how one doesn't have to be rich to have a great experience.
Having said all of that, I am not above ordering custom-carved pipes and take satisfaction in how well they turn out. But it's hard to beat a fine-smoking pipe that was also a bargain.
