Dabbing Demystified: Discovering Your Ideal Rig for Maximum Impact

What Type Of Rig Is Best For Dabs?

If you prefer concentrates instead of herbs, dab rigs are definitely your thing. Dab pens could help indeed, but the hit will not be as exciting as the proper dab rig. As there are various types of dab rigs, here are some short descriptions of each to help you find the suitable one.

What Is A Dab Rig? 

At a glance, a dab rig and a bong are similar visually. Yet the main difference lies in the part where the cannabis products are burnt or vaporized. Bongs mostly use bowls which are dishes to hold the burnt herbs, while dab rigs use nails or bangers which will be heated to vaporize the wax/concentrate. For other parts, a dab rig has similar parts such as a downstem, mouthpiece, neck, water chamber, and base. Then depending on sizes, designs, and materials, those dab rigs vary as listed below.

Glass Dab Rigs

As the most common type, you can find it in every headshop offline or online. Just like its name, it is made of scientific glass or borosilicate glass that can endure heat and high temperatures. The material is a good conductor which melts and vaporizes your concentrates instantly. They come in various sizes ranging from 6 to 12 inches tall.

Pros:

• Various sizes and designs
• Flexible as they have various parts and accessories that be added or replaced to
• Long-lasting materials that are thick and high-quality types of glass
• Available in many options and prices
• Provide consistent and strong hits as well as satisfying dabbing experience

Cons:

• Easy to stain on the glass surface especially
• Need regular maintenance to avoid stinking
• Require certain steps of cleaning/hard to clean

Silicone Dab Rigs

Since the glass dab rigs still have the potential to break, it will not happen to the silicone ones. Its parts are easy to break down and rebuild. More than that, it has other advantages as well as disadvantages as listed below.

Pros:

• Easy to clean as you can disassemble the parts and put them in the dishwasher, or you can scrub the parts by yourself
• Travel-friendly since it has lightweight and malleable parts, you can pack it in any available spaces inside your bags
• Durable and indestructible materials
• Cheaper prices compared to types

Cons:

• Less flavor on hit since the produced vapor is not that much
• Requires percolators that some may not fit your silicone dab rig

Mini Dab Rigs

As shown by its name, mini dab rigs are the shorter version of any type in this list. It usually stands below 7 inches and might be made of glass or silicone. As it has shorter necks, the hit slaps more than other types do. You need to be quick! Some versions come with more curves so vapor could run longer.

Pros:

• Fine smoking quality and smoother hits
• Varied prices which mostly are relatively reasonable
• Portable and easy to carry
• Having various choices for percolation and accessories

Cons:

• With the smaller size cleaning can be more difficult than cleaning other types
• Too short neck takes more time to cool the vapor down

Recycler Dab Rigs

This type of dab rug is best known for its sophisticated design and smooth hit. Its name describes the design itself where various tubes and percolators will recycle the vapor before being inhaled. Due to the design, the smallest size is eight inches tall and mostly made of glass. Watching how the vapor goes through is another interesting aspect of the rig.

Pros:

• Durable and enchanting design
• Some dab rig producers receive custom orders
• Some versions can be taken apart which allows easier cleaning
• Smoothest and purest hit which is good for new dabbers

Cons:

• As the vapor becomes purer and smoother, it loses some flavor
• With its big sizes, fewer accessories and spare parts that could fit your dab rig
• Relatively more expensive especially custom-made ones

E-Rigs

For those who always forget to bring a match, e-rigs with rechargeable batteries allow you to heat the concentrates instantly even to control the temperature. So, the electric part is fixed inside the whole rig. The size is also relatively small, and it is very convenient to carry around. On average, the batteries could last for more than eight hours.

Pros:

• Heat up quickly
• Easy to carry and light
• Exact temperature control by degree

Cons:

• Accessories and spare parts that fit your e-rig might be hard to find
• Cleaning requires certain steps due to its small size and electric parts
• Without proper care, the battery will run out easily causing the owner to charge the e-rig frequently

Electric Dab Nails or E-Nails

Also called an e nail dab, you might wonder about the difference between e-rigs. As the e-rig has the battery and electric parts placed inside the rig, the only electric part in an e nail dab is the dab nail. There is a cord connecting the e nail dab and temperature control box which is separated from the rig. Certain versions of electric dab nail are built with a battery also, but others require to be plugged into the wall.

Pros:

• More consistent temperature as well as quick heating or no more heating more than once
• Easy to control the temperature whether you prefer hot or cool hit
• Less butane so it is less dangerous
• An electric dab nail is accessible to use in more locations as people do not need to refill the butane often.

Cons:

• Rare to find since most people prefer the conventional ones
• Pricey with the cheapest ones mostly start at $200
• Not so portable since it has the controller box apart from the rig itself. Moreover, you need to find an electric socket to use an electric dab nail without a battery.
• Hard to clean also as the electrical parts cannot touch alcohol

Conclusion

Those are several types of dab rigs. Each of them might be the best for certain conditions. So consider your budget, dabbing skills, preferred hit, size, weight, and environment for dabbing. Since there are various dab rigs that can suit your conditions, so choose well!

You can also read about >> Should You Buy An Electric Dab Rig or E-Rig?