BEST DAB RIGS

The best dab rigs deliver milky vapor, flavorful clouds and are easy to use with minimal maintenance.

Traditional vs electric

Some dabbing connoisseurs say that traditional glass dab rigs offer milkier hits than what you can get with e-rigs. Others vow by their electric dab rig with its precision control heating to reach the perfect temp. At the end of the day, it comes down primarily to preference, comfort and ease. 

Traditional dab rigs  

Traditional dab rigs are simple and sleek with a glass banger, percolator and mouthpiece. They are commonly made of borosilicate glass or food grade silicone. Most traditional rigs can easily transform into a bong, as long as you have a bowl at the ready. This makes it ideal for people who like to dabble between herb and wax. They also tend to be more affordable than e-rigs. 

Electric dab rigs  

E-rigs don’t require a torch to heat up. Instead, the battery heats up the element located in the middle so it’s all contained which removes the main intimidation factor of dabbing. No more butane torch; no more open flame. 

E-rigs offer precision heating, multiple modes and some even allow you to switch between flower and concentrate. They tend to be super convenient and portable with everything at the push of a button. That makes them perfect if you’re looking for ultimate ease and dab on-the-go.

Things to consider when buying a dab rig

Of course, there are a few things to keep in mind, especially if you are new to dabbing.

Mouthpiece size

When you are smoking dry herb from a bong a larger mouthpiece is better so you can take in a larger hit. However, with dabbing, a smaller mouthpiece is preferred. This is because the smaller the mouthpiece, the more condensed and flavorful the vapor will be before it reaches your lips. That’s why the best dab rigs tend to have a characteristically thinner neck and mouthpiece. 

Rig size

Since the smoke circulates continuously inside a dab rig, small and mini dab rigs are actually better because they preserve the flavor. You can experience a loss in potency with larger rigs since the vapor travels through larger chambers. Also, larger dab rigs are harder to clean since there’s more surface area for reclaim to build up.

Percolators

The best dab rigs tend to have just one percolator. The point of bong percolators is to cool and filter smoke for smoother, cleaner hits. Since smoking dry herb from a bong requires burning it, percs help to remove the contaminants and ash from the smoke before it gets to you. However, since dabbing does not use combustion, the point of percs in a dab rig is to cool the smoke, not filter it.

Filtration

Again while minimal filtration is best to preserve the flavor of dabs, it’s still an essential part of cooling down your dab.

Bubbles

Since percolators create the bubbling effect, the style and placement is important. The best dab rigs are made so that the bubbles pop up close to the base of the neck because it will give off a stronger aroma and flavor. Some of the most popular percolators for dab rigs are the honeycomb, turbine, barrel and inline percs. But then again, it’s really about finding out which style is most comfortable for you.

Style

There are many styles of rigs including the e-nail, e-rig, dab pen or traditional rig. Often, there is an intimidation factor with traditional rigs since they require a torch to heat up. So if you want ultimate ease without fear of burning any fingers, an electric dab rig may be the best option for you.

Joint size

Ideally you should choose a 10mm or 14mm. The smaller the joint, the more condensed and flavorful the vapor will be.

Banger vs nail

This is where it can get confusing for new dabbers. You’ve probably heard banger and nail thrown around interchangeably. So what’s the difference really?

    • A banger can be made from a variety of materials, although it is most commonly made from quartz. It has a bucket shape ideal for placing dabs and a swan-like neck that curves and connects with the joint of a dab rig.
    • It can also be called a banger nail but is very different from the classic titanium nail which has a more cylindrical stacked shape. While extremely durable, titanium nails take much longer than quartz bangers to heat up. However, titanium does retain that heat for much longer.
Nail material

Banger nails are commonly made of quartz, borosilicate glass, titanium or ceramic. Each has different advantages and drawbacks. The best overall option is quartz because it is stronger than glass and ceramic, without the potential impurities that a low-grade titanium nail may exhibit. For instance, although titanium is the strongest, it can produce a metallic taste when heated which takes away from the dabbing experience.

Flavor

If you’re trying to preserve the flavor it’s best to use a carb cap in conjunction with quartz banger on a small recycler rig. As mentioned, smaller rigs will condense smoke and flavor more. Quartz bangers will give you the true taste of your terps while a carb cap placed on top will let you dab at lower temperatures. Since high temp dabs degrade terpenes, dabbing at low temps or even cold-start dabbing will bring out the full flavor of your dabs like never before.  

Portability

Desktop rigs are meant for dabbing at home while more portable devices like wax pens are made for the on-the-go dabber. There are also portable e-nails too. This is a style of electronic nail that you can take with you on-the-go and plug directly into any bong or dab rig. But perhaps the best option in terms of portability are silicone dab rigs. Made from food grade silicone these pieces are virtually indestructible. 

Larger dabs

If you are taking dabs for chronic pain or simply out of preference and require larger dabs, using an e-nail is ideal because of how it retains its heat. Once you let that dab melt it’s not going to pool up. Instead, the remaining bits of the dab will vaporize just as evenly as when it first hit the nail.

    • However, e-nails are not built for portability and are meant for long sessions in one place.
    • The best part about e-nails though is just how easy they are to use. All you need to do is plug it in, turn it on and once it heats up after 30-60 seconds you’re ready to dab. Ideally, when using an e-nail you want a larger rig with a thicker base so it doesn’t tip over since there is often a downward pull. This is due to the cord that connects to the box which controls the heating mechanism.