I've had one for years. It's not my primary piece but one that I do use regularly. They really do taste like a blunt as you smoke them. Just no tobacco. For the few dollars that they cost it's worth it.
It's the way the weed resonates as you smoke it because the smoke is passing over the weed. Hard to explain but it really does taste similar to a blunt.
No placebo. I'm no rookie Smoker. Have you ever smoked out of one? If not I don't think you have any basis for opinion. OP did ask for people's "experience" with them. This has been my personal experience.
really grinds my gears when people call them glass "blunts". they're simply extended glass pipes. there is absolutely no blunt wrap/tobacco leaf involved.