Welcome to BoB.
Nothing wrong with sticking with cobs until you are fully convinced that pipe smoking is for you. Cobs smoke great and really let you fully taste the tobacco, helping you decide what you like in that department as well. Of course, nothing like the pride of ownership of a nice new briar to build your enthusiasm for your new hobby.
As usual, DocM is spot on suggesting Stanwell and Peterson as good starter pipes. Their bottom line pipes pretty much smoke as well as the better grades, you just don't get as nice grain or finish. Check all the online retailers, every once in a while they have specials. Iwan Ries usually has quite a few pipes on at really good prices in their discount section. JR Cigars also sells pipes online at big discounts from time to time. I dunno if I would suggest an estate for a first pipe unless you get one that has already been refurbished, maybe it is just me but I remember the first time I got a heavily smoked estate, even after cleaning it up it took me a while to actually stick it in my mouth and smoke it. If you buy an estate from a retailer, it should be already cleaned up and probably hard to tell it was ever used. I would stay away from "basket pipes" that you will find at the local B&M, they are cheap but usually for a reason, I would prefer to smoke a cob anytime over most of what I have seen there.
![[3-Size Set] Copper Pipe Cleaner for Drill, Clean 1/2, 3/4, 1-in Copper Pipes & Tubes for Soldering, 3 Tube Cleaning Brushes, Model InerLok050, 075, 100, w/ Stainless-Steel Wire Bristles & 1/4” Shank](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41FEqUv4rNL._SL500_.jpg)
