BEST DAB RIGS

What is a dab rig?

In recent years dab rigs have become increasingly popular due to wax’s potency, efficiency and flavor. Since concentrates need to be heated to much higher temperatures than usual, bongs and other traditional pieces just don’t have the filtration power to cool the vapors fast enough. And thus, the dab rig was born.

How does a dab rig work?

Since dab rigs are a type of water pipe, the bubbles cool, concentrate, and diffuse vapors, much like a bong. Most dab rigs are smaller and more intricate than bongs, often having complex shapes with features which allow more water to flow through in order to cool down the wax faster and protects your throat. You can learn more about these features and the different parts of a dab rig below.

How to use a dab rig

1. Fix nail to dab rig making sure there is no wobble
2. Turn on butane torch and heat nail evenly for 20-30 seconds
3. Allow nail to cool for 40-60 seconds
4. Cover carb cap and inhale 

What is a dab?

A dab is a cannabis concentrate made from extracting the cannabinoids and terpenes for concentrated, fast-acting and powerful hits. It's a different high from smoking flower, given its more immediate high, strong flavor and rich aroma given off by terpenes. Here is a beginner's guide to the seven main types of concentrates:

• Shatter - Think glass. Shatter is brittle like glass and typically golden to amber in color. 
• Budder - Think butter. Budder has an oily consistency and typically yellow to orange in color. While it's mainly used in dab rigs, you can also lather up your joint or blunt, just be careful with the dosage. 
• Crumble - Think honeycomb. Crumble is similar to budder, but with a texture similar honeycomb and less glossy, more matted in color. 
• Sugar - Think brown sugar mixed with a little bit of water, although the consistency and color is not always consistent. Color ranges from bright yellow to dark amber.
• Sauce - Thicker, stickier and more of a mustard yellow, sauce has a more uniform crystallized appearance. 
• Crystalline - Crystalline are white crystals in rock or powder form. 

Why dab?

• Efficient - Waxes are known for creating a more concentrated and long-lasting experience.
• Better for you - Dabbing vapors do less damage to the body than smoking, since they contain fewer toxic particles like ash and tar.
• Portable, small dab rigs - Dab oil rigs are only a fraction of the size of bongs, making them easy to transport. Check out one of our most portable dab rigs, the The Grappa Dab Rig. This mini dab rig fits easily into your purse or pocket.
• Cool, comfy hits - If you always find yourself coughing up a lung when you smoke, dab oil rigs will prove even more comfortable than bongs, pipes, or rolled cigarettes.

Parts of a dab rig:

• Domeless nail - this is the “bowl” of the dab rig, where waxes are placed. Most of our nails are made of quartz, which produces a crisp, clean taste. Titanium is a cheaper alternative to the quartz nail.
• Bangers are a type of domeless nail shaped like a hammer, with a flat bottom that allows you to heat it more evenly and and a curved neck to help control airflow. Check out our collection of dab rig bangers!
• Thermal bangers have a double-walled chamber which helps you control the temperature of the wax.
• Percolators or percs use small holes to create more bubbles, creating additional filtration while cooling the vapors more quickly. There are dozens of different perc shapes and styles, but the more holes, the more bubbles.
• Downstems which connect the bowl to the rest of the rig, are almost always built-in in a dab rig.
• Chambers are often used to recycle water for added filtration and cooling power.
• Joints are where the domeless nail connects to the downstem. These are often (but not always) at a 90° angle on dab rigs.

Dabbing accessories

• Dab torches  - You can choose between a gas or butane dab torch. We highly recommend butane as they burn at the optimal temperature, unlike gas which often gets too hot.
• Carb caps  - Carb caps are placed on top of the domeless nail in order to enhance the flavor of your dabs by preserving the terpenes found in concentrates, reducing airflow to your nail, so it doesn't get too hot.
• Dabbers - An essential dab tool, these are commonly made from quartz or titanium and are used to transfer your concentrates to your nail. There are tons of fun, playful and cool designs worth checking out in our $4.20 store!  
• E-nail - If you don't feel comfortable using a butane torch or just don't want the hassle, an enail is a great alternative which uses electrical current to heat up your nail.
• Dab rig kit - Dabbing kits are great for beginners or if you just want to simplify your life by getting all the dabbing essentials you need. These normally include a carb cap, dabber, torch and nail, but can vary depending on the kit. 

 Other features to consider:

• Splash guards are indented rings that prevent water from splashing into your mouth.
• Ash catchers/reclaim catchers are small containers underneath the banger to help keep the rig clean.

Types of dab rigs

Whether you’re looking for an electric dab rig, glass dab rig, silicone dab rig, enail dab rig, recycler dab rig, mini dab rig or portable dab rig it’s important to first understand the system behind the materials and individual components.

• Recycler Dab Rigs - These rely mainly on a recycling system, usually featuring lots of different tubes and chambers, to create more bubbles which cool and filter vapors. This creates a very neat swirling effect when used.
• Percolator Dab Rigs - These rely mainly on percolators with small holes to create bubbles which cool and diffuse vapors. Percs also add an intricate aesthetic to the rig.
• Cylinder Dab Rigs - This refers to the cylindrical body shape of the rig. These often have inset recyclers or percs.
• Nectar collector dab rig - These are a vertical, smaller and portable version of a dab rig with a straw as the mouthpiece. If you're looking for a msmall dab rig, this is your best bet.

Best electric dab rigs for sale 2020

We've curated a list of the best and most unique dab rigs for sale:

• Kandypens OURA - Life is complicated and butane torches can be intimidating, but the Kandypens OURA e-rig keeps dabbing fun and simple. This beautifully designed electric dab rig gets hot in 5 seconds, can change temperature mid-sesh and makes it easier to dab than ever before. Check out our Kandypens Review to get the dirty on this sleek enail dab rig.
• Puffco Peak - The Peak dab rig is very similar to the Kandypens OURA, which is why we’ve created a Portable Dab Rig Buying Guide to help you decide which works best for you. It’s worth noting that this dab rig kit can be charged with a supercharger and with a full charge equalling nearly 30 dabs, you’ll almost never fret about forgetting to charge this baby!
• Grenco Science G Pen Roam Vape - While tabletop erigs are the jam for home, they aren’t convenient for most dabbers daily routines. This portable electric dab rig was made with on-the-go dabbing enthusiasts in mind with its discreet design, sleek aesthetic and most importantly, full flavored filtered hits on the road. If you’re looking for a slightly less expensive option than the OURA and Puffco and portability is key, at just six inches tall, the G Pen Roam is your best bet. Check out our G Pen Roam Review if you’re still sizing up this high tech smart rig.
• FOCUS V CARTA Electric Dab Rig - If you like to change it up and bring a little spice into your life, the Carta dab rig for wax concentrates and dry herb may be your match made in heaven. With bluetooth capability featuring a dab counter and remote control function you are in full control of your dabbing universe. It also happens to be a slightly more affordable desktop vaporizer than the Kandypens OURA and Puffco. The Focus V Carta Atomizer, Titanium Bucket and Carb Cap are also available in our store if you’re looking to replace these components. See full Focus V CARTA review.

Best cheap dab rigs for sale

• The Grappa Dab Rig is a 6 inch glass mini dab rig that's super lightweight and travel-friendly. 
• The Single Honeycomb Straight Tube Dab Rig is a dab rig with a honeycomb percolator that produces even more bubbles than a standard setup and has a splash guard. 

How to clean a dab rig

Although there isn't as much buildup as with bongs, since dab oil rigs use convection, reclaim can start to accumulate if you don't clean your baby after dabbing a few times. For each hit to be as flavorful as the last we've created this quick guide:

Materials

• Rubbing alcohol
• Plastic bag
• Cotton swabs
• Coarse sea salt

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Torch nail until residue burns off
2. Put nail in bag with rubbing alcohol and salt
3. Pour old water out of rig
4. Put alcohol and salt in rig and shake
5. Rinse rig and nail with water

Dab rigs near me

So whether you’ve dabbed before or you’re just getting started, we hope this guide has helped you learn the basics of dabbing, so you can finally choose a cool dab rig for sale that fits your needs. Feel free to contact us with any questions!