Today we’ll be talking about an interesting rising new trend, dabbing, and its tool, the dab rig. Furthermore, this article is going to analyze and cover some of the best portable dab rigs on the market.
What is dabbing?
Dabbing is a street term used to describe the vaping of highly concentrated Cannabis oils. Most of the THC and cannabinoids are extracted from the Cannabis plant using a base solvent (like Co2) and what results is a concentrate which is a viscous oil-like liquid or “dab”.
Dabbing is therefore the most potent method to get a strong hit and a satisfying high. There are quite a few types of Cannabis concentrates in the market that fall under this category.
The most popular types are:
- Budder
- Shatter
- Crumble
- Wax
- Butane Hash Oil (BHO)
What is a dab rig?
As obvious by its name, a dab rig is simply a dabbing tool that uses external heat and water (as a filter) to vaporize Cannabis concentrates. How does it do that?
Well.. for starters, there are two types of dab rigs:
The traditional rigs have stuck around for quite some time now and in all honesty, have started to become a bit obsolete. They do, after all, utilize a blow torch to heat the concentrate. Yes! You heard that right. You heat what is called a “nail” which is actually the heating chamber that heats up the concentrate and then quickly covers it with a dome (for domed rigs) to trap the smoke inside the rig.
To determine if the nail is hot enough to melt the concentrate, you either need a thermometer, or you can use your senses by placing your hand near the nail if you’re a pro (highly discouraged). After time and repetition, individuals will be comfortable with heating the nail and know when it’s hot enough just by feeling.
The vapors then pass through a water bubbler which acts as a filter and rises to the mouthpiece from where you smoke and voila! Get ready to be ambushed by some of the smoothest, strongest hits you’ve ever known.
Most traditional rigs only have a body, mouthpiece, and a bubbler.
Electronic dab rigs or e-rigs were invented as a modern, convenient method for dabbing. They combine the power of traditional dab rigs with the portability and convenience of modern minuscule vaping devices to help you dab the strongest of concentrates. An electric dab rig utilizes electric power from a battery to heat and vaporize the wax in the heating chamber called the atomizer.
The parts of an e-rig include:
- The Mouthpiece: The top piece from where you actually “dab”
- Atomiser: The heating chamber
- Water Bubbler: The water compartment
- Body: The part that holds the battery and supports other components of the e-rig.
- Nail: Where you load the concentrate.
It’s not hard to guess which ones are immovable and loud and which ones can just be the ideal travel companions. Have a look at our top 5 best portable dab rigs below:
The Best Portable Dab Rigs
Since it’s hard to declare one product worthy of being called “the best”, we’ve jotted down a list of note-worthy electric dab rigs out there in the market today. In no particular order, here are the top 5 portable e-rigs we would recommend for you.
Puffco Peak Smart Dab Rig:
The makers of the Peak Smart Dab Rig named it so because they believe that this product is where the Cannabis dabbing technology “peaked”. Curious already? Read on!
With a rugged silicone base and a hand-blown borosilicate glass body, the Puffco peak comes with 4 unique temperature settings that go from 450 F to 600 F.
This “smart” rig does all the work for you at the mere touch of a button which means, “Load. Shoot. Smoke.” That’s it. The smartware also automatically adjusts the temperature of your plate depending on the usage to ensure consistency and to increase efficiency. This feature not only makes the whole process convenient but also incredibly safe to use for beginners.
The Peak is very easy to clean due to its chic, minimalistic design and is perfect for using on the go! At a 100% battery, you can very well use it for 30 dabs at least.
Product Features:
- 7” inch height
- 4 temperature settings
- Sturdy silicone base
- 20 second heat up time
- 2 hours charging time (through supercharging)
- Smart temperature calibration
- LED light band and haptic vibration technology feedback
- Sesh-mode functionality
The peak comes with a carrying case, loading tool, extra ceramic bowl, and cleaning swabs! Oh, and did we mention the variety to choose from? Other than black, it comes in 4 stunning limited editions namely:
-Sunset Peak: A starry night sky base with all colors inspired by the sunset.
-The Vision Peak: A beautiful rainbow gradient.
-The Phantom Peak: Brilliant Black and Golden.
-The Neon Peak: A glow-in-the-dark, neon green, and pearl white.
Priced at $299.99, this award-winning concentrate vaporizer is the definition of luxury.
Pulsar RoK Electric Dab Rig:
Standing at almost 7 inches tall, the Pulsar RoK dab rig can be used to smoke both dry herbs and Cannabis concentrates. All you need to do is switch up the coils when changing the medium. This sturdy piece of metal not only gives you smooth and consistent draws but also makes sure that the Cannabinoids are able to express their full flavor profile during all three voltage settings. The device, which is charged with a USB charging cable (included in the pack), lasts 8-10 sessions on a medium temperature setting and shuts down automatically when inactive for more than a few minutes to preserve battery life.
The only con we could spot so far is that cleaning may be a challenge to some, more so if you use dry flowers instead of concentrates.
Your product will come with a lot of neat items like a dabber tool and wire brushes etc and you can find a manual and videos on how to use the RoK on Pulsar’s website, which is such a help!
Product Features:
- 6.75” in size
- 3 precise temperature settings
- Boro Glass Beaker Filtration Base
- Quartz and Ceramic Atomiser
- Disc Percolator and Carb Cap included
- Compatible with concentrates and herbs
- “RoK Mode” with 30 seconds of continuous hits
And it comes with a 1-year warranty! The RoK is priced at a whopping $250, which we admit, is a bit on the heavier side, but as compared to some other high-end brands, we believe the RoK can withstand relatively harsher usage conditions and thus last longer.
Check out Pulsar RoK’s e-rig in the variety “Alchemist” and the limited edition “Neptune”.
Crossing CORE Portable E-Rig Kit:
The Crossing CORE E-Rig Kit is the answer to all your portable dabbing issues. You can very well imagine its power when we tell you that this product requires only 10 seconds to heat up. Wow, right? You also get three different atomizers to use with different types of concentrates. A quartz coil, a ceramic, and a quartz-less coil chamber. The crossing CORE e-rig utilizes cutting-edge technology with automatic and manual heating controls, four preset temperature settings, to suit an audience with a wide range of preferences and a glass carb cap with directional airflow control that ensures you don’t waste a single drop of your concentrate.
It’s preinstalled riple Titanium with Black Ceramic Coil last for long and ensure a clean and crisp terpene flavor with every hit. The 300 mAh battery lasts for 3-4 days with pretty heavy usage.
According to users, its design makes it very easy to clean; a simple dip in isopropyl alcohol is enough to do the trick!
Product Features:
- 1.75 hours charging time
- 6.83*3.72” dimensions
- 4 temperature settings
- 1 min automatic power off timer
- Haptic feedback
- Borosilicate water bubbler
- Compatible with all Sai Plus and Sequoia coils from Shenzhen Crossing.
- Glass carb cap with directional airflow control
The Core is priced at $200 and comes with a lot of stuff, making it worth the price!
The “Dipper” by the Dip Devices:
The dipper is a multifunctional vaporizer with a pen shape! The replaceable innovative tip atomizer allows you to dab without a rig or torch or any other accessory. Yes, that means that, unlike other e-rigs, the dipper doesn’t use water or external heat sources. You don’t even have to load it like a traditional rig but simply pack and go like a vape pen and enjoy the hits which are flavourful, strong, and crisp every time.
If you do, however, crave a more old-school way of dabbing you can attach the pen with its dip whip accessory that allows you to connect it to your favorite glass rig for traditional glass hits.
The dipper is also the easiest to clean in our list and since the whole design is such that the nectar collector, atomizer, and other parts are all in the same, compact pen shape, there is no chance of wasting any particle of your concentrate.
Product Features:
- Compact design
- Replaceable tip atomiser
- Instant heat coil
- Quartz crystal atomiser
- 4 attractive colours
- 1 year warranty
The dipper comes in 4 varieties, namely charcoal, ocean blue, chrome, and rainbow, and best yet, it is priced at just $114.99!
Dr Dabber “Stella”
If you liked the dipper, you will surely love Stella too. Dr. Dabber is a worldwide trusted, innovative company that delivers next-generation dabbing toys. Stella is surely one of those “wow” inventions of the company. As an upgrade to Dr. Dabber’s award-winning “ Aurora”, Stella has a black stainless steel pen body and has 4 temperature settings ranging from 450 F to 775 F. The temperature range for this little but fierce vaporizing pen is one of the highest we’ve seen.
The vortex airflow due to the airflow inlets in the vaporization chamber makes for an amazing flavor, milky clouds, and a strong hit.
Its TCR heating element automatically senses the current and the required temperature for vaporizing the concentrate to ensure no dry or burnt hits. This consistent voltage not only makes for effective, potent hits but also saves battery life.
Stella’s mouthpiece is extremely comfortable and has a magnetic connection to its coil-less atomizer which further has a 510 thread connection down to its battery.
Product Features:
- 600 milliamp- long lasting battery
- Floating vaporisation chamber
- 4 temperature settings
- Vortex Airflow
- TCR Heating
- Sealed, Ceramic cup atomizer
Priced at just $99.9, Stella is a must-have. Oh, and did we mention its stunning packaging?
Conclusion:
Dabbing on the go is always a great idea. We understand how difficult handling concentrates can be when you’re not in the comfort of your home and we tried to provide you with diverse options, all of which guarantee a hassle-free dabbing experience. Which one is your favorite? Let us know!
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