I started smoking pipe the second year I started smoking. Quite amazing to find that the pipe tobacco is the most cost-saving solution to enjoy the best quality of tobacco. However the smoking device it self will cost you a fortune should you ever try to develop pipe smoking as a hobby. Any way, it is less costy than cigar toys.

I often class goods into 2 categories: daily goods and lux. I define the two as follows:

Daily goods is the one that you need for everyday life, for example, cloths, water, food, etc. Such things will not cost a fortune if you just want to live with;

Lux goods is the one that you can still live without but will be wonderful having this around, among lux goods are smoking pipes, wines, etc. Such goods will cost you a fortune.

Here comes another comparison: cigarettes, cigars and pipes.
Cigarettes is too addictive so if you smoke it, it became daily goods, so if you are a cigarette smoker, you would probably not care about the quality you smoke. However, cigars and pipes are something you really want to enjoy and even it costs you a fortune, you won't mind because you will enjoy the process.