Today's dab pens range from compact, pocket-friendly devices designed for maximum portability to powerful concentrate vaporizers that can produce surprisingly massive hits. Some prioritize flavor, some prioritize clouds, and others are designed around customization, value, or discretion.

We've tested and compared some of the most popular dab pens available today to help you find the right device for your needs.

Whether you're looking for the best overall dab pen, the most powerful dab pen, the best budget option, or the most discreet concentrate vaporizer, these are our top picks.

Our Top Dab Pen Picks

Quick Take: Which Dab Pen Is Right for You?

Want the best combination of size, performance, flavor, and simplicity?
Go with the Puffco Pivot.

Want to customize your setup and experiment with different configurations?
The Puffco Proxy Core is hard to beat.

Want something similar to the Pivot without spending quite as much?
Take a look at the Dr. Dabber Ghost².

Want maximum performance for your money?
The Yocan Black Pocket delivers an impressive amount of technology without the premium price tag.

Want the biggest hits possible from a portable device?
The Focus V AERIS is the powerhouse of this group.

Want something inexpensive and extremely discreet that can also work with cartridges?
The Cartisan Veil Bar Pro EVO is a unique option.

Puffco Pivot — Best All-Around Dab Pen

If we had to recommend one dab pen to the widest range of people, the Puffco Pivot would be our pick.

The Pivot manages to strike an unusually good balance between portability, vapor quality, ease of use, and overall design. It is small enough to genuinely carry in a pocket while still delivering the type of performance you'd expect from a much larger concentrate vaporizer.

Puffco built the Pivot around a quick-release 3D Chamber, four heat settings, haptic feedback, USB-C charging, and a built-in light bar that doubles as a visual dab timer.

Why We Like It

• Excellent balance of flavor and vapor production
• Compact and genuinely pocket-friendly
• 3D Chamber technology
• Four temperature settings
• Haptic feedback
• Simple single-button operation
• Quick-release chamber makes cleaning and replacement easier
• Premium build quality

The Pivot is also remarkably easy to use. There isn't much of a learning curve, making it a great choice for someone buying their first premium dab pen as well as experienced concentrate users who simply want something that works.

The Downside

The Pivot isn't the cheapest dab pen on this list, and its focus on simplicity means it doesn't offer the same level of customization as the Proxy Core.

But that's also part of what makes it so good.

Best for: Anyone who wants one device that does almost everything well.

Our pick: Best All-Around Dab Pen

Puffco Proxy Core — Most Customizable

The Puffco Proxy Core is a little different from the other devices on this list.

Rather than being a conventional pen-shaped vaporizer, the Proxy platform is designed around customization. The Proxy can be paired with different glass pieces and accessories, allowing you to change the way the device looks and functions.

The Proxy Core takes that concept even further by converting the Proxy into a compact, durable setup with an aluminum cup, silicone mouthpiece, and impact airpath. Puffco describes the Core as a portable, high-performance configuration designed to travel more easily than traditional glass setups.

Why We Like It

• Extremely customizable
• Powerful vapor production
• Huge ecosystem of accessories
• Can be configured in numerous ways
• Excellent flavor
• Durable travel-friendly Core setup
• Great choice for people who like to tinker with their setup

The Proxy isn't quite as pocket-friendly as the Pivot, but that's a tradeoff we're willing to make for its versatility.

If the Pivot is the "grab it and go" option, the Proxy is the "let's see what we can build" option.

And that's exactly why we love it.

The Downside

It's bulkier than a traditional dab pen, especially when configured with larger accessories. It's also the most expensive dab pen on the list. Despite that it is currently the most popular dab pen on the market!

Best for: Experienced dabbers who want maximum customization and don't mind carrying something a little larger.

Our pick: ? Most Customizable Dab Pen

Dr. Dabber Ghost² — Best Puffco Pivot Alternative

The Dr. Dabber Ghost² is one of the most compelling alternatives to the Puffco Pivot.

It's designed around a similar concept: a compact, self-contained concentrate vaporizer that can deliver impressive performance without requiring a traditional torch-and-banger setup.

The Ghost² uses radial heating around the chamber, dynamic heating modes, a ceramic vapor pathway, five temperature settings, and USB-C pass-through charging. Dr. Dabber lists the device at 3.5 inches tall and 7 ounces, making it a relatively compact option despite its substantial performance.

Why We Like It

• Compact design
• Strong vapor production
• Radial 360° heating (similar to Puffcos 3D technology)
• Five temperature settings
• Multiple heating modes
• Ceramic vapor pathway
• USB-C pass-through charging
• Straightforward one-button operation

The Ghost² is particularly appealing if you like the idea of the Pivot but want to explore another brand and feature set.

It's a very close competitor in the portable premium dab pen category.

The Downside

The Ghost² doesn't have quite the same ecosystem surrounding it as the Puffco platform.

That may not matter at all if you're looking for a simple standalone device, but it's something to consider if accessories and customization are important to you.

Best for: People who want premium performance in a compact package and are considering something other than Puffco.

Our pick: Best Puffco Pivot Alternative

Yocan Black Pocket — Best Bang for Your Buck

Don't let the price fool you.

The Yocan Black Pocket packs an impressive amount of technology into a compact device, making it one of our favorite options for anyone who wants serious performance without spending premium-device money.

The Black Pocket features Yocan's Cloud 3 ceramic atomizer with 360° heating, an OLED display, adjustable temperature control, and customizable session settings.

Why We Like It

• Excellent performance for the price
• 360° ceramic heating
• OLED display
• Adjustable temperature control
• Customizable session timer
• Compact design
• Pass-through charging
• Firmware upgrade capability

This is the device we'd point toward when someone asks:

"What's the best dab pen if I don't want to spend a fortune?"

The Black Pocket gives you many of the features you'd expect from a much more expensive device while keeping the price considerably more approachable.

The Downside

The Yocan doesn't have quite the same premium feel or polished ecosystem as Puffco.

But at this price point, that's hardly a dealbreaker.

You're getting a lot of performance for your money.

Best for: Budget-conscious dabbers who don't want to sacrifice features or performance.

Our pick: Best Bang for Your Buck

Focus V AERIS — Most Powerful Dab Pen

If your definition of a great dab pen starts with "how big are the hits?", look at the Focus V AERIS.

The AERIS takes the technology behind the CARTA platform and puts it into a smaller handheld device. It features a full-sized Intelli-Core atomizer, 360° heating, adjustable airflow, swappable batteries, wireless charging, USB-C pass-through, and a temperature range extending up to 600°F.

This is not the device we'd choose if absolute pocketability is your number-one priority.

It's the one we'd choose when performance comes first.

Why We Like It

• Extremely powerful vapor production
• Full-sized chamber
• 360° heating
• Swappable battery
• Adjustable airflow
• Wireless charging
• USB-C pass-through
• Wide temperature range
• App connectivity
• Excellent choice for large hits

The AERIS is particularly interesting because it sits somewhere between a traditional dab pen and a miniature electronic dab rig.

It is still portable, but it's built with performance in mind.

The Downside

It's significantly larger than the Pivot and other traditional dab pens.

It's also more device than some people need.

If you mostly want a small device for a quick session while you're out, the AERIS may be overkill.

Best for: Experienced concentrate users who prioritize power and vapor production over pocketability.

Our pick: Most Powerful Dab Pen

Cartisan Veil Bar Pro EVO — Cheapest & Most Discreet

The Cartisan Veil Bar Pro EVO is probably the most unusual device on this list.

Instead of looking like a traditional dab pen, it has the appearance of a compact disposable-style vape. That makes it an interesting option for anyone who wants something extremely low-profile.

But the Veil Bar Pro EVO isn't just about looks.

It combines a 1,000mAh battery, adjustable voltage from 1.8V to 4.2V, a digital display, preheat functionality, and both auto-draw and button activation. It can also work with 510 cartridges and concentrates when paired with its included wax atomizer.

Why We Like It

• Very affordable
• Extremely discreet
• Disposable-style appearance
• Works with 510 cartridges
• Works with concentrates using the included atomizer
• 1,000mAh battery
• Adjustable voltage
• Digital display
• Auto-draw activation
• USB-C charging

If you want one device that can handle both cartridges and concentrates without screaming "I'm carrying a dab rig," the Veil Bar Pro EVO is tough to beat.

It's also an excellent option for someone who doesn't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a premium concentrate vaporizer.

The Downside

The Veil Bar Pro EVO is fundamentally a different type of device than the Puffco, Dr. Dabber, and Focus V options above.

It's more about convenience and discretion than producing the biggest, most flavorful hits possible.

If you're a dedicated concentrate connoisseur looking for the absolute best vapor quality, we'd steer you toward one of the dedicated dab pens above.

Best for: Budget shoppers, discreet users, and anyone who wants one device for both cartridges and concentrates.

Our pick: Best Budget & Most Discreet

Dab Pen Comparison

Still not sure which one is right for you?

Here's the short version:

Best Overall: Puffco Pivot

The easiest recommendation for most people. It's compact, powerful, simple to use, and delivers excellent flavor and vapor.

Most Customizable: Puffco Proxy Core

Choose the Proxy if customization is more important to you than having the smallest possible device.

Best Pivot Alternative: Dr. Dabber Ghost²

A strong alternative to the Pivot with impressive heating technology and a compact form factor.

Best Value: Yocan Black Pocket

One of the best ways to get advanced features and strong performance without spending premium-device money.

Most Powerful: Focus V AERIS

Choose the AERIS when big vapor production matters more than pocketability.

Cheapest & Most Discreet: Cartisan Veil Bar Pro EVO

A unique budget option that can handle both concentrates and 510 cartridges while maintaining a remarkably discreet appearance.

In this guide, we'll compare some of the most popular e-rigs currently available and help you determine which device is right for you.

What Is an E-Rig?

An e-rig, short for electric dab rig, is a battery-powered device designed to vaporize cannabis concentrates. Unlike a traditional dab rig that requires a torch and quartz banger, e-rigs use electronic heating systems to deliver consistent temperatures with the push of a button.

Benefits of e-rigs include:

• Automated temperature control
• Highly portable
• All in one packaging, ready to go out of the box
• Easy to use, small learning curve
• No torch required

What Makes a Great E-Rig?

When comparing electric dab rigs, several factors separate average devices from the best options on the market.

Flavor Quality

The best e-rigs preserve terpene profiles and deliver smooth, flavorful vapor without overheating concentrates.

Battery Life

Frequent users may prefer devices with larger batteries and faster charging capabilities.

Ease of Use

Simple controls, quick heat-up times, and easy cleaning can significantly improve the overall experience.

Vapor Production

Some users prioritize massive clouds, while others prefer smooth and flavorful low-temperature dabs.

Portability

Travel-friendly designs can be important for users who want to enjoy concentrates away from home.

Cost

Finding the right balance between price and performance is important, since the best e-rig is often the one that offers the features you need at a price that fits your budget.

Best Overall E-Rig: Puffco Peak Pro

The Puffco Peak Pro has earned its reputation as the benchmark for modern e-rigs, combining premium performance, advanced technology, and unmatched customization.

Pros

• Bluetooth app with precise temperature control
• Compatible with the high-capacity 3DXL chamber
• Massive aftermarket ecosystem of glass and accessories
• Excellent flavor production
• Proven reliability and industry-leading reputation

Cons

• Premium price point
• Replacement chambers can be expensive
• Smallest battery (1700 mAh)

The Peak Pro strikes an ideal balance between performance, portability, and customization, making it one of the easiest recommendations for both new and experienced concentrate users.

Best for Heavy Users: Dr. Dabber Switch 2

The Dr. Dabber Switch 2 is built for users who take frequent dabs and want a device that prioritizes durability, consistency, and long-term ownership.

Pros

• Induction heating system with no traditional atomizer
• Replaceable quartz cup instead of replacing an entire chamber
• Bluetooth app with precise temperature control
• Exceptional battery life (3000 mAh)
• Large, powerful vapor production

Cons

• Larger size reduces portability
• Takes up more space than most e-rigs

The Switch 2's induction heating technology and replaceable quartz cup help reduce long-term maintenance costs while delivering some of the most consistent performance available.

Best Value E-Rig: Focus V Carta Sport

The Carta Sport delivers many of the same premium features found in flagship e-rigs while maintaining a significantly lower price point.

Pros

• Bluetooth app with precise temperature control
• Intellicore Max chamber supports larger dabs
• Carta Connect removable silicone airpath simplifies deep cleaning
• Excellent vapor quality
• More affordable than most premium competitors
• Impressive battery capacity for price point (2700 mAh)

Cons

• Smaller accessory ecosystem than the Peak Pro
• Less established reputation than some competitors

At around $235 (almost $200 cheaper than comparable e-rigs), the Carta Sport offers premium features such as app connectivity, a large-capacity chamber, and easy maintenance without requiring a flagship-level investment.

Best Budget E-Rig: Randy's Grip+

For users who want a true e-rig experience without spending hundreds of dollars, the Randy's Grip+ offers impressive features at an entry-level price.

Pros

• Affordable price point (around $100)
• Large chamber comparable to premium XL chambers
• Compact and highly portable design
• Built-in water filtration
• Simple operation with no app required

Cons

• No Bluetooth connectivity
• Fewer advanced customization options
• Smaller battery capacity (1800 mAh)

The Grip+ focuses on delivering the essentials—a large chamber, solid battery life, water filtration, and portable design—at a fraction of the cost of most premium e-rigs, making it one of the strongest budget options available.

Are Portable Concentrate Vaporizers E-Rigs?

Devices like the Puffco Proxy and Puffco Pivot are often compared to e-rigs but are generally considered portable concentrate vaporizers rather than traditional electric dab rigs.

While they provide similar electronic heating technology, they use different form factors and are designed for maximum portability rather than replicating a traditional rig experience. Because of these design differences, devices like the Proxy and Pivot are not included in this comparison. This guide focuses specifically on full-featured electric dab rigs that utilize water filtration and are intended to deliver an experience closer to a traditional glass dab rig.

Which E-Rig Is Best for You?

The best electric dab rig depends on your goals.

Choose the Puffco Peak Pro if:

• You want premium performance
• You enjoy customization
• You want access to a large accessory ecosystem

Choose the Dr. Dabber Switch 2 if:

• You prioritize battery life
• You don’t like replacing parts
• You mainly use your device at home

Choose the Carta if:

• You want strong performance at a competitive price
• You are looking for a value-focused option
• You want a device you can truly clean 100% with little effort

Choose the Randy's Grip+ if:

• You're shopping on a budget
• You're buying your first electric dab rig
• You want built-in water filtration without spending several hundred dollars
• You want a simple, straightforward device that's easy to use

Final Thoughts

The best e-rig isn't necessarily the most expensive one—it's the device that best matches your preferences, consumption habits, and budget.

If you want the most established platform with endless customization options, the Puffco Peak Pro remains the gold standard. For users seeking maximum battery life and innovative induction heating technology, the Dr. Dabber Switch 2 is hard to beat. The Carta Sport offers one of the strongest value propositions on the market, delivering premium features at a significantly lower price, while Randy's Grip+ proves that you don't need to spend hundreds of dollars to enjoy a quality e-rig experience.

No matter which device you choose, today's electric dab rigs offer better flavor, convenience, and consistency than ever before. As the technology continues to evolve, there's never been a better time to upgrade your concentrate setup.

Known for massive bubble stacking, low drag, and incredibly smooth function, gridline tubes have become a favorite among both casual smokers and serious glass enthusiasts. But what exactly is a gridline perc, and why do these tubes function so differently from traditional bongs?

In this guide, we’ll break down what a gridline bong is, how gridline percs work, why they stack bubbles so aggressively, and how to get the best performance from your setup.

What Is a Gridline Bong?

A gridline bong is a type of scientific glass bong that uses a gridline perc, sometimes called a gridded inline perc, to diffuse smoke through water.

The “gridline” refers to the rows of precision-cut slits with small bridges of glass between creating a “grid” found along the diffuser. Instead of forcing smoke through one or two large openings, a gridline perc spreads airflow across dozens of small holes for smoother diffusion and reduced drag.

Most gridline bongs are built as straight tube bongs because straight tubes provide a streamlined path for bubble stacking and low internal volume for fast, efficient clearing. This combination creates the low-drag, effortless pull that scientific glass enthusiasts look for.

Gridline tubes are especially popular among flower smokers because they preserve flavor while still delivering strong diffusion and cooling.

What Is Bubble Stacking?

Bubble stacking refers to the dense columns of bubbles that form inside a bong while inhaling. In the scientific glass community, strong stacking is often seen as a sign of good airflow and proper function.

When a gridline bong is functioning correctly, the bubbles rise evenly through the tube in tightly packed layers instead of producing random splashing or uneven chugging.

Good bubble stacking usually indicates:

• Maximum diffusion
• Balanced airflow
• Reduced drag
• Even gridding execution
• Proper water level

While stacking looks impressive visually, it also helps create smoother and more consistent hits.

Why Do Gridline Percs Stack Bubbles So Well?

Gridline percs stack bubbles so effectively because airflow is distributed evenly through many small evenly distributed holes. As smoke passes through the perc, each hole creates a small stream of bubbles that combines into dense, uniform stacks traveling upward through the tube. Most gridline percs are also paired with straight tubes, whose narrow vertical design creates the ideal environment for consistent bubble stacking.

The result is a smooth hit that clears quickly without feeling overly restricted.

Compared to older diffused downstem designs, gridline percs generally feel more open and less “chuggy,” which is one reason they became so popular in the scientific glass scene.

Are Gridline Bongs Smoother?

Yes, most gridline bongs are considered smoother than traditional non-diffused tubes or basic downstem setups.

Because the smoke is broken into many smaller bubbles, there is more surface area exposed to the water. This cools the smoke more efficiently while helping remove harshness from larger hits.

Gridline percs also create a more even and consistent diffusion pattern. Instead of producing a few large aggressive bubbles, the smoke is dispersed through dozens of smaller streams, which helps soften the hit before it reaches your lungs. The result is a cooler, less harsh inhale that still maintains strong airflow and flavor.

This balance between diffusion and airflow is one of the main reasons scientific glass enthusiasts prefer gridline tubes over more restrictive or chug-heavy perc styles.

RIPIT GLASS

Gridline Tube 44mm

$89.00

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DESIGNER SCI

Gridline Tube 50mm

$190.00

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RIPIT GLASS

Dual Gridline Tube 50mm

$99.00

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DESIGNER SCI

Dual Gridline Tube 50mm

$250.00

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ASHME

Heady Gridline Tube 45mm

$350.00

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Do Gridline Percs Reduce Drag?

One of the biggest reasons enthusiasts love gridline percs is their ability to reduce drag while still maintaining excellent diffusion.

Drag refers to the resistance you feel when inhaling. Some heavily diffused bongs can feel tight or difficult to pull through, especially if the perc design restricts airflow.

Gridline percs are designed to maximize airflow by spreading diffusion across many small holes evenly. This creates smoother pulls while allowing the tube to clear quickly and effortlessly.

Many smokers describe gridline tubes as:

• Airy
• Open
• Fast-clearing
• Responsive
• Low resistance

This low-drag feeling is a major reason why straight tube scientific glass became so popular among experienced smokers.

Why Is My Gridline Perc Not Stacking?

If your gridline bong is not stacking properly, there are usually a few common causes.

Too Much Water

Overfilling is the most common issue. If the water level sits too high above the slits, airflow becomes restricted and stacking performance drops.

Too Little Water

If the slits are barely covered, the perc may not diffuse evenly and the bubbles can become inconsistent.

Dirty Perc

Resin buildup inside the slits can reduce airflow and disrupt bubble formation. Gridline percs function best when cleaned regularly.

Uneven Surface or Tilted Tube

If the tube is tilted too far to one side, the water may not distribute evenly across the perc.

Poor Perc Design

Not all gridline percs are created equally. High-quality scientific glass usually functions much better because the slit / grid spacing and airflow geometry are more precise.

Practice Makes Perfect

Getting the best stack out of a gridline tube takes a little practice. Unlike a chuggy bong that can handle aggressive pulls, gridline tubes function best with a smooth, steady inhale.

Think of it like the Goldilocks zone for airflow — pull too hard and the stack becomes turbulent, pull too soft and the perc will not fully activate. The sweet spot is an even, controlled pull that allows the bubbles to form dense, uniform stacks all the way up the tube.

Once you find that rhythm, it becomes easy to see why scientific glass enthusiasts love the smooth airflow and effortless function of a well-designed gridline tube.

How Much Water Should You Put in a Gridline Tube?

The ideal water level for a gridline tube is usually around an inch above the top of the perc. You want enough water to fully activate the diffusion without drowning the airflow.

As a general rule:

• Test airflow before use
• Adjust water levels gradually
• Fine-tune based on your preferred pull

Too much water can make the tube feel restricted and reduce bubble stacking performance, while too little water can create harsher hits and uneven diffusion.

That said, there are no hard rules. Some users intentionally “drown” the perc with extra water because it creates a completely different style of hit — typically more resistance, more chug, and heavier diffusion. Others prefer lower water levels for maximum airflow and cleaner stacking.

If bubble stacking is your goal, finding the perfect water level takes a little experimentation. Even small adjustments can noticeably change airflow, function, and the overall feel of the tube, which is why scientific glass enthusiasts often fine-tune their water levels carefully.

Why Scientific Glass Smokers Love Gridline Tubes

Gridline tubes became popular because they combine strong function, clean aesthetics, and efficient airflow in one simple design.

For many smokers, they offer the perfect balance between:

• Smoothness
• Flavor
• Diffusion
• Fast clearing
• Low drag
• Visual function

The combination of bubble stacking and responsive airflow helped make gridline percs one of the most respected styles in scientific glass.

Whether you’re new to scientific glass or looking to upgrade your current setup, a well-made gridline bong remains one of the most versatile and enjoyable options available today.

Is the Switch GO actually worth buying if you already own a Switch 2?

In this guide, we break down the differences between the Dr Dabber Switch GO and Switch 2 including portability, battery life, vapor production, heating technology, and overall daily usability.

Dr Dabber Switch GO vs Switch 2 Comparison

Does the Switch GO Hit as Hard as the Switch 2?

The Switch 2 is still expected to be the superior device when it comes to maximum vapor production, airflow, and overall heavy-use performance. Its larger size allows for bigger water filtration, larger airflow pathways, and longer extended sessions.

That said, the Switch GO utilizes the same core heating technology, just in a much smaller and more portable package. Because of that, users can likely expect very similar flavor and efficiency with only slightly smaller hits overall. The difference in vapor production probably will not be dramatic for most users, especially during normal everyday sessions.

The real advantage of the Switch GO is convenience. It takes up less space, is easier to travel with, and offers a more compact setup without completely sacrificing the performance that made the Switch platform popular in the first place.

Why the Switch GO Could Be Worth It

The biggest advantage of the Switch GO is that it fills a gap the Switch 2 does not fully cover.

Reasons people may prefer the Switch GO:

• Easier to travel with
• Smaller and lighter
• Less intimidating setup
• Faster casual sessions
• Better for discreet use
• Lower overall cost

For users who already own a larger desktop e-rig, the GO may become the perfect secondary device.

DR. DABBER

Switch Go

$325.00

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DR. DABBER

Switch 2

$420.00

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Final Verdict: Should You Buy the Switch GO?

If you already own the Switch 2, the Switch GO probably is not meant to replace it. The Switch 2 still makes more sense for users who prioritize massive vapor production, larger water filtration, and long at-home sessions. 

The GO, however, seems designed for a completely different purpose — portability, convenience, and fast everyday use. Its smaller footprint and travel-friendly design may make it the device people reach for most often during casual sessions, trips, or quick dabs throughout the day. 

For many concentrate users, the Switch GO and Switch 2 may actually complement each other rather than compete directly. 

If you’re ready to upgrade your setup, explore the full lineup of devices from Dr Dabber Vaporizers to find the right fit for your sessions, whether you’re prioritizing power, portability, or everyday convenience.

In this guide, we break down the differences between the Proxy and Proxy Core, whether the Core hits harder, and if upgrading is actually worth it for everyday users.

Overview: Puffco Proxy vs Proxy Core

Both the Proxy and Proxy Core operate within the same modular ecosystem and share the same core vaporization technology, including Puffco’s 3D chamber system and interchangeable glass compatibility.

The key difference is how the experience is packaged:

The Proxy (V2) is essentially a modular, portable take on the Puffco Peak Pro concept, designed to work with interchangeable glass attachments and a traditional carb cap airflow system. Vapor travels through the included full-size glass dry sherlock pipe (or whatever glass piece you attach). The original Proxy retails at approximately $250.00 and focuses heavily on modular customization.

The Proxy Core is more comparable to the Puffco Pivot, utilizing a specialized vortex mouthpiece directly over the chamber bypassing the need for a carb cap. Its design is focused on portability and simplicity. It also includes a carb cap attachement if you decide you want to throw it in a Proxy pipe or bubbler, but it does not include any glass attachments in the kit. This streamlined kit comes in at a lower price point of $220.00, making it a more accessible entry into the Proxy ecosystem.

While performance is similar at the core level, the Proxy Core is optimized for users who want a more compact, travel-friendly setup without changing ecosystems.

PUFFCO

Proxy Core (Full Kit)

$220.00

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PUFFCO

Proxy Core Conversion Kit

$50.00

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PUFFCO

New Proxy (V2)

$250.00

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Does the Proxy Core Hit Harder?

A common question is whether the Proxy Core delivers stronger hits than the original Proxy.

The answer: not inherently.

Both devices use the same core heating technology, meaning vapor production is fundamentally in the same performance range.

However, the experience can feel different due to:

• A direct airpathway from chamber to mouthpiece
• More compact design with less overall volume
• Improved airflow from the built-in vortex mouthpiece spins terp pearls

So while many users report a “stronger hit,” this is due to small changes with how the device is used rather than increased raw power.

Why You Should Upgrade to the Proxy Core

The answer is simple: the Proxy Core retains all the strengths of the original Proxy while introducing meaningful upgrades in usability and performance.

Where it really stands out is portability—refining the system into one of the most capable travel-friendly concentrate vaporizers available without sacrificing vapor quality or power.

Key Benefits:

• More compact, travel-friendly design
• Same modular glass ecosystem with improved portability
• More options for customization (glass mouthpieces and 3D printed bases)
• Better fuller flavor due to direct airpathway design

In short, the Proxy Core is designed for users who want the Proxy ecosystem in a more refined, grab-and-go format. If you already own the Proxy (V2) you can get a Proxy Core Conversion Kit for only $50.00!

Final Thoughts

Choosing between the Proxy and Proxy Core comes down to use case rather than power.

• Choose the Proxy if you prefer to use the device with full size bubbler or pipe (better for at home use)
• Choose the Proxy Core if you want portability and daily convenience

Both sit within the same ecosystem—the difference is how you want to use it.

Design & Build

Yocan Black Pocket
The Yocan Black Pocket boasts a sleek, pocket-sized design crafted from durable alloy with a sandblasted finish. Its compact form factor makes it ideal for on-the-go sessions. The device features a tethered cap for easy reloading and cleaning access, ensuring convenience during use.

Puffco Pivot
The Puffco Pivot is designed for portability without compromising on performance. Its anodized aluminum body feels solid in hand, and the high-grade silicone mouthpiece adds a touch of comfort. The device's low profile ensures discretion, making it easy to carry around. 

Both devices are well constructed and highly portable, but the Puffco Pivot feels slightly more comfortable in your pocket due to its slim pen shape.

Heating Technology

Yocan Black Pocket
The Yocan Black Pocket delivers full, fine-tuned control over your vaping experience, allowing users to dial in any temperature between 400 °F and 580 °F in 1° increments. Its coil-less, 360° ceramic chamber promotes even heating and helps minimize hot spots, while the angled splash-guard mouthpiece and design ensure stability in flavor across sessions. Because there’s no active feedback system or Boost override, it relies on the consistency of its build and your chosen settings for repeatability.

Puffco Pivot
The Puffco Pivot simplifies heat management by offering four preset temperature levels paired with real-time regulation and a Boost Mode that briefly elevates heat mid-session. Its 3D chamber warms concentrates uniformly from all sides, reducing cold spots and promoting smoother hits. The emphasis is on ease of use and consistency: you select a setting, and the device internally controls the temperature curve, delivering dependable results without needing to micromanage exact degrees.

Battery Life and Charging Features

Yocan Black Pocket

The Yocan Black Pocket houses a 1,400 mAh internal battery, which Yocan and reviewers say is capable of powering up to 15 sessions per full charge under moderate use. Charging from empty takes about 1.5 hours via USB-C. Importantly, it supports pass-through charging, so you can use the unit while it’s plugged in—as long as the battery hasn’t been fully depleted. Real-world use may vary: at higher temps or long sessions, battery performance will drop.

Puffco Pivot 

The Pivot is marketed to support “up to 15 dabs per charge” under ideal conditions. In tests and reviews, it’s reported to fully recharge in around 1 to 2 hours via USB-C. Puffco’s official support page says that you can use it while it’s charging, confirming it also has pass-through charging capabilities. Note that users’ real experience has varied — some report fewer cycles, especially when using higher heat settings.

Aftermarket Parts & Accessories

Yocan Black Pocket
Aftermarket support for the Yocan Black Pocket is limited. While Yocan does offer OEM replacement parts like coils, atomizers, and general accessories, you’ll struggle to find custom or third-party mouthpieces or bubblers made specifically for the Pocket. In practice, that means customization options for the Pocket are mostly confined to what the manufacturer itself provides, rather than a broader glass / accessory community.

Puffco Pivot
When it comes to aftermarket accessories, the Puffco Pivot has a thriving ecosystem. There are countless custom and artisanal mouthpieces and bubblers available—from spinner caps, glass adapters, and full bubblers, to artist-designed pieces that mount over or in place of the stock silicone tip.

Price & Value

Yocan Black Pocket
Priced at $89, the Yocan Black Pocket offers exceptional value for its features. It provides precise temperature control, a durable build, and enhanced vapor quality at an accessible price point. 

Puffco Pivot
The Puffco Pivot is priced at $130, positioning it as a mid-range option. While it comes with advanced features like the 3D chamber and real-time temperature control, its higher price reflects the premium technology and Puffco’s long standing reputation as the #1 concentrate vaporizer brand. 

Final Verdict

• Choose the Yocan Black Pocket if you’re looking for a budget-friendly device that delivers almost everything the Puffco Pivot offers without the premium price tag. It features precise temperature control from 400 °F to 580 °F, a 360° ceramic heating chamber, USB-C pass-through charging, and a compact, durable design—essentially all the core features of the Pivot in a slightly more economical package. For everyday use, it performs just as reliably, producing smooth, flavorful vapor with consistent hits. If you want the same functionality and convenience as the Pivot but want the best bang for your buck, the Yocan Black Pocket is a smart choice.
  
  
• Opt for the Puffco Pivot if premium quality and having “the best” matters most to you. While performance between the two is fairly similar, the Pivot stands out for its refined craftsmanship, real-time temperature control, and advanced 3D heating chamber. Beyond its build, the Pivot also benefits from a massive aftermarket scene—countless companies and glass artists create custom mouthpieces, bubblers, and accessories that let you personalize and elevate your experience. If you value top-tier materials, ease of use, and the ability to fully customize your setup, the Pivot is the clear choice.
  

Ultimately, both devices cater to different preferences and budgets. Consider your specific needs and choose the one that best aligns with your vaping style.

Let’s break down why the Carta Sport might just be your next go-to rig, and how it stacks up against the latest Puffco Peak.

1. Chamber Size & Compatibility: Bigger Can Be Better

Both devices use similar heating technology—a chamber that heats from the bottom and the sides for an even, efficient vaporization. Puffco calls it the 3D Chamber, while Carta brands theirs the Intelli-Core.

• Carta Sport Chamber Size: ~14mm x 13mm

• Puffco Peak 3D Chamber: ~12mm x 13mm

At a glance, the 2mm difference in diameter might not seem major—but when you're looking at surface area, the Carta’s chamber offers noticeably more room. For those cloud chasers, that means BIGGER DABS!

Even better? The Carta Sport supports the Intelli-Core MAXX Chamber, comparable to the Puffco Peak Pro 3DXL Chamber—a serious upgrade only available for Puffco’s more expensive Peak Pro model.

2. Cleaning Innovation: Carta’s Game-Changing Removable Air Path

Let’s be honest—cleaning e-rigs has always been a nightmare. Sticky reclaim in hard-to-reach areas and delicate internal parts often made deep-cleaning nearly impossible without risking damage.

Focus V solved this with the Carta Connect—a removable air path that makes full cleaning easy, safe, and thorough. No need to take your unit apart and hope you don’t break it. Just pop it out, rinse with iso, and reassemble. Pro Tip: Throw it in the freezer and the claim easily peels/breaks off!

It’s a small feature that makes a massive difference in long-term use and flavor purity.

3. Carb Cap Comparison: Titanium vs. Glass

Both units feature joystick-style carb caps for directional airflow, but the materials differ:

• Puffco Peak: Titanium Cap – ultra-durable, modern look

• Carta Sport: Glass Cap – cleaner taste, more traditional vibe

Durability lovers might prefer the Puffco’s cap, but flavor chasers will appreciate the smoother, purer draws from glass.

4. Aftermarket Ecosystem: Puffco Still Has the Edge (For Now)

There’s no denying it—Puffco’s popularity has fueled a massive aftermarket scene, especially for custom glass tops. While Carta has a growing range of accessories, Puffco remains the go-to for glass modding enthusiasts.

That said, the Carta Sport is compatible with a wide range of options, and its ecosystem is growing fast.

5. Price vs. Value: Carta Sport Wins on Features

• Puffco Peak: $220

• Carta Sport: $235

While the Carta is $15 more upfront, the added value in chamber size, upgradability, and cleaning functionality makes it a smarter investment. You’re essentially getting near-Pro-level performance for basic Peak pricing.

6. Battery Life: Carta’s Transparency Matters

Puffco doesn’t disclose battery specs for the new Peak, so a head-to-head comparison isn’t possible. What we do know is the Carta Sport packs a 2700 mAh battery, which is solid and long-lasting. In a market where battery life makes or breaks a session, transparency counts—and Focus V delivers.

Final Verdict: Carta Sport Is the Better Buy

The Puffco Peak is still a solid rig, no doubt. But the Carta Sport has taken key frustrations of the e-rig experience—chamber size, deep cleaning, upgrade paths—and fixed them in smart, practical ways.

If you’re looking for more value, better functionality, and long-term usability, the Carta Sport is clearly the better choice.

To learn more about the Carta Sport, Click Here!

In this guide, we’ll show you how to dab step by step and break down the most common methods beginners use. By the end, you’ll understand how each setup works, what to expect, and which method is best suited for your experience level, budget, and lifestyle.

How to Dab (Basic Overview)

If you’re completely new to dabbing, here’s a simple breakdown of how the process works, regardless of the device you use:

1. Heat or activate your device
   If you’re using a quartz banger, you’ll heat it with a torch. If you’re using an e-rig or vape device, you’ll turn it on and select a temperature.
2. Let it reach the right temperature
   With traditional rigs, this usually means waiting for the banger to cool slightly after heating. With electronic devices, the temperature is automatically controlled.
3. Apply a small amount of concentrate
   Use a dab tool to place a small amount of concentrate onto the heated surface or chamber.
4. Inhale slowly and steadily
   Draw the vapor in at a controlled pace. Avoid rushing—slow inhalation improves flavor and smoothness.
5. Exhale and adjust for next time
   Each session helps you learn your preferred temperature, dab size, and device settings.

Once you understand these basics, the different methods below will help you decide which setup fits your lifestyle and experience level best.

Common Dabbing Methods Explained

There isn’t one single “best way to dab” that works for everyone. The right method depends on what you value most in your experience—whether that’s maximum flavor, convenience, portability, or ease of use. Some users prefer traditional dab rigs for their full flavor and control, while others choose electronic rigs or vape-style devices for simplicity and convenience. Below, we’ll break down each method so you can find the best way to dab for your needs and experience level.

1. Dab Rig Kit: The Classic Experience

What is it?
A Dab Rig Kit typically includes a dab rig (a water pipe), quartz banger, carb cap, dabber, and a torch. Some other useful, but optional, accessories used with dab rig kits are temp gauges and terp pearls.

Pros:

• Best Flavor & Clouds: The Dab Rig offers the purest flavor and the biggest vapor clouds with no flavor loss, delivering a top-tier dabbing experience.
  
  
• Affordable Entry-Level Kits: You can find a good starter kit at an affordable price, making this an accessible option for many.
  
  
• Customizable: The kit gives you room to experiment and upgrade individual parts.
  
  

Cons:

• Noisy: The torch can be noisy, and the process of heating the banger can be intimidating for first-timers.
  
  
• Multiple Components to Manage: With several pieces, there’s more to clean and keep track of, which can be overwhelming for beginners.
  
  
• Temperature Precision Needed: To avoid wasting concentrate or burning it, you need to get the temperature just right. This can be tricky without experience or a separate temp gauge.
  
  

Best For:
People who want the ultimate dabbing experience and don’t mind a bit of extra effort in heating and cleaning.

2. E-Nail Kit: The Convenient Electric Alternative

What is it?
An E-Nail Kit includes a dab rig, a quartz e-banger (instead of a traditional banger), a carb cap, and a heating coil with a temperature controller that plugs into the wall.

Pros:

• No Torch Required: Say goodbye to the noisy torch, as the electric coil heats the banger for you.
  
  
• Consistent Temperature: The e-nail allows you to set the temperature precisely and maintain it throughout your session. No guessing or waiting for the banger to cool down.
  
  
• Convenience: The e-nail stays on, so it’s always ready to go without needing to reheat.
  
  

Cons:

• Heavy and Stationary: The coil is heavy and plugs into the wall, so it limits your mobility.
  
  
• Requires a Sturdy Rig: Not all rigs are designed to handle the weight of the coil.
  
  
• Expensive: While it’s convenient, an e-nail setup can be pricey compared to traditional rigs.
  
  

Best For:
Dabbers who want consistency, convenience, and no torch but don’t mind being tethered to an electric setup.

3. Smart Rig Kits: The Modern Portable Dab Rig

What is it?
A Smart Rig Kit is an all-in-one, battery-powered electronic dab rig with a bubbler. Popular models like the Puffco Peak and Focus V Carta are easy to use and portable, making them perfect for on-the-go sessions.

Pros:

• Portable & Convenient: Since they use a battery, these rigs are highly portable, perfect for traveling or dabbing outdoors.
  
  
• No Torch or Temp Guessing: You don’t need a torch or a separate temperature gauge – just hit the button and go.
  
  
• User-Friendly: These rigs are generally easy to use, with presets that eliminate any guess work or configuration.
  
  

Cons:

• Pricey: High-quality smart rigs start at around $200, which may not be ideal for those on a budget.
  
  
• Harder to Clean: While convenient, smart rigs can be difficult to clean thoroughly, and maintenance can take more time than traditional setups.
  
  
• Less Vapor Thickness: While still producing good vapor, they may not offer the thick clouds of a quartz banger dab. The Puffco Pro 3DXL, however, is a solid choice for thicker vapor.
  
  

Best For:
Those who prioritize convenience, portability, and ease of use without sacrificing too much on performance.

4. Vape Pen (Fill Your Own): Simple and Portable

What is it?
Vape pens are compact, pen-shaped vaporizers for concentrates. With the option to fill your own chamber, these pens are incredibly portable and perfect for beginners who want something simple and easy.

Pros:

• Highly Portable: Small enough to fit in your pocket, making it great for discreet, on-the-go use.
  
  
• Easy to Clean: With fewer parts to worry about, vape pens are much easier to clean than larger rigs or e-nails.
  
  
• No Torch: No need for a torch, and the pen is ready to go in an instant.
  
  

Cons:

• Harsher Vapor: Without water filtration, the vapor may feel harsher than other methods.
  
  
• Thinner Vapor: Compared to other dabbing methods, the chamber on a vape pen is quite small, so the vapor produced is typically not as thick. Note: Puffco just released a new vape pen, the Pivot, featuring their 3D technology and vortex airflow. This Puffco Pivot produces much thicker vapor than the average vape pen. 

Best For:
People looking for a simple, portable solution to enjoy cannabis concentrates without the complexity of traditional rigs.

5. Cartridge Vaporizer: The Ultimate in Simplicity

What is it?
Cartridge vaporizers use pre-filled cartridges of concentrate that screw onto a 510-threaded vape battery. The simplicity of this setup makes it one of the most user-friendly options.

Pros:

• Super Easy: No need to deal with filling chambers or setting temperatures. Just attach the cartridge and enjoy.
  
  
• Convenient: Perfect for quick hits or discreet use, and no cleaning is necessary – just replace the cartridge when it’s empty.
  
  
• No Setup Required: Cartridges come pre-filled, so there’s no hassle.
  
  

Cons:

• Lower Quality Concentrates: Many cartridge concentrates are lower quality, affecting flavor and potency.
  
  
• Limited Variety: Your choices of concentrates are often restricted to what’s available in cartridge form.
  
  
• Waste: If a cartridge fails before you finish it, the concentrate is wasted.
  
  

Best For:
Those who prioritize convenience and ease of use over top-tier performance or flavor.

Final Thoughts: Finding Your Perfect Dab

Choosing the best method for dabbing comes down to personal preference and what you value most in your cannabis experience. Whether you’re looking for portability, ease of use, or the absolute best flavor, there’s a method for you.

• If you want the best quality, the dab rig kit is hard to beat.
  
  
• For ease and convenience, the e-nail kit and smart rig offer excellent performance with minimal effort.
  
  
• If portability is key, the vape pen or cartridge vaporizer may be the right fit.
  
  

Start with what feels right for your lifestyle, budget, and experience level, and soon you’ll find your go-to method for enjoying concentrates!

It's recommended that you clean the Puffco Pivot after every use, so each time you fire it up, you're guaranteed the best flavor, smoothest vapor, and optimal performance. While it may seem like a small task, a quick clean-up after each session goes a long way in maintaining the device and ensuring you're getting the most out of it. Fortunately, the cleaning process is simple, straightforward, and won't take up much of your time. Here's a quick breakdown of how to keep your Puffco Pivot in top condition:

How to Clean the Puffco Pivot:

1. Clean While the Unit is Still Warm: It’s easiest to clean the Puffco Pivot while it's still warm, as residue and buildup are softer and easier to remove. However, make sure it’s not too hot to touch—just warm enough for the cleaning process.

2. Clean the Pearl: If you're using a pearl with your Puffco Pivot, start by dumping it out onto a paper towel. Afterward, wipe the pearl clean using the paper towel or a gentle cloth. This ensures you remove any remaining concentrate or residue, keeping your device performing optimally.

3. Wipe the Chamber Clean: Using a cotton swab or a small, bunched-up paper towel, gently wipe the chamber of the Pivot. Make sure to remove any leftover concentrate or buildup that may have collected during your session. This step is quick but essential for maintaining the cleanliness and efficiency of the unit. Once done, you’re all set for your next session.

4. Deep Cleaning (Optional): For those who want to give their Puffco Pivot a more thorough clean, a deeper cleaning process can be done periodically. The entire silicone sleeve can be slid off for more access. You can wipe the sleeve down using isopropyl alcohol, but avoid soaking it—just use a clean cloth or cotton swab lightly dipped in alcohol to clean it.

If the atomizer needs a deeper clean, soaking it in isopropyl alcohol is an option. However, it's crucial to ensure it’s completely dry before you use it again. This prevents any potential damage and ensures that you're not inhaling any lingering alcohol during your next session.

Why Regular Cleaning is Important:

Regular cleaning not only maintains the appearance of your Puffco Pivot but also ensures that you're consistently getting the best performance from the device. Over time, residue can build up, affecting the flavor and efficiency of your sessions. By following these simple cleaning steps after each use, you'll avoid any issues related to gunk buildup, and your Puffco Pivot will last longer, keeping your sessions enjoyable and hassle-free.

Remember, a little maintenance goes a long way in preserving the quality of your experience. Enjoy your sessions to the fullest by keeping your Puffco Pivot clean and ready for action!

The disappearance of Kandy Boy's product can be traced back to regulatory challenges faced in Florida. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) mandated that Kandy Boy remove THCA products from Florida locations. Due to their headquarters being located in Florida, this decision significantly impacted the company’s operations and revenue, leading to a sharp decline in its ability to serve customers.

In an industry where compliance and adaptability are crucial, Kandy Boy struggled to navigate the evolving legal landscape. The removal of its popular products not only affected sales but also diminished the platform's appeal, as loyal customers sought alternatives. As the cannabis market continues to mature, businesses that cannot adapt to regulations often face severe repercussions.

For those seeking reliable alternatives, trusted brands like KOI and Cookies continue to offer quality Delta 9 and THCA products. Both brands have established strong reputations in the cannabis industry for their commitment to quality and compliance, providing consumers with a variety of options that meet regulatory standards. As the market evolves, these brands exemplify the resilience and adaptability that are crucial for success in the cannabis space.

In this blog, we’ll explore the key upgrades and how they compare to the old Puffco Peak. Let’s dive right into the significant changes from the old Puffco Peak to the new model.

New 3D Heating Technology

One of the standout upgrades in the new Puffco Peak is its 3D heating technology. Unlike the old model, which used a standard ceramic chamber, the new Peak features a ceramic bowl that heats from all angles. This 3D heating ensures more even and efficient heat distribution, which means better flavor and more consistent vapor production with every use. This improvement is particularly noticeable in the enhanced terpene preservation and overall smoother experience.

Faster USB-C Charging

In today’s fast-paced world, waiting for a device to charge can be a hassle. The new Peak addresses this with a switch to USB-C charging. This upgrade significantly reduces charging times compared to the old model’s micro-USB port. With USB-C, you can spend less time waiting and more time enjoying your sessions, thanks to quicker power replenishment.

New Joystick Carb Cap

The new Peak also introduces an updated carb cap with a joystick-style design. This new feature provides greater control over airflow and vaporization. The joystick carb cap allows for more precise manipulation, which enhances the overall dabbing experience by enabling users to fine-tune their session to their preferred style and temperature.

Cosmetic Upgrade

Beyond functional improvements, the new Peak also boasts a sleek cosmetic upgrade. The design is more modern and refined, with an enhanced aesthetic that appeals to both new users and seasoned enthusiasts. The device’s updated look not only makes it more visually appealing but also enhances its overall durability and ergonomics.

Lower Price

Perhaps one of the most welcome changes is the new Peak’s lower price point from $250 to $220. Puffco has managed to reduce the cost while maintaining, and even improving, the device’s performance. This price adjustment makes the Peak more accessible to a wider audience, allowing more people to experience its advanced features without breaking the bank.

Conclusion

The New Puffco Peak represents a significant leap forward from its predecessor, incorporating advancements that enhance both functionality and user experience. With improvements like 3D heating technology, faster USB-C charging, a new joystick carb cap, a fresh cosmetic design, and a more affordable price, the new Peak offers a compelling upgrade for both new and existing users. Whether you’re a seasoned dabber or just getting started, these changes make the new Peak a noteworthy investment in your concentrate toolkit.

New Peak vs Peak Pro 3DXL

Conclusion

The Puffco Peak is a great place to start. It works really well, but doesn’t have all the bells and whistles like the Peak Pro. Connoisseurs might find the standard Peak lacking, so terp tyrants might want to go straight to the Pro with upgraded to the 3DXL chamber right away. The Pro does improve upon the original in several ways. So if you truly want the best experience from the electronic dab rig, get the Peak Pro 3DXL. If you just want something convenient, tried and true, and get’s the job done, stick with the New Peak.  Click here to check out the newest Puffco products at The Dab Lab.

From the early days of torches and rudimentary setups to today’s precision electronic devices, the options have expanded—but most users still come back to two core methods: the traditional dab rig with a torch and quartz banger, or the modern e-rig (electronic dab rig).

At The Dab Lab, we’ve been at the center of the 710 movement from the beginning. After years of testing nearly every setup on the market, we’ve narrowed the conversation down to these two dominant approaches. In this article, we’ll break down how they work, their pros and cons, and help you decide which one fits your style of dabbing.

What Is a Traditional Dab Rig?

A traditional dab rig refers to the classic setup used for consuming cannabis concentrates: a glass rig paired with a quartz banger or nail that is heated with a butane torch.

While modern tools have refined the experience, this method is still considered the original form of dabbing. Early concentrate users experimented with improvised heating methods like hot knives and hookah coals, but dabbing as we know it began to take shape with early innovations like titanium “skillet” style nails that were heated externally.

Over time, this evolved into the quartz banger setup that dominates today. The process remains largely the same: the banger is heated with a torch, allowed to reach the desired temperature, and then concentrate is applied to produce vapor.

What has changed significantly is the precision and quality of the tools—modern quartz bangers, carb caps, and directional airflow accessories have made this method more efficient, flavorful, and customizable than ever before.

Related reading: How to Dab with a Quartz Banger

What Is an E-Rig?

An e-rig (electronic dab rig) is a device designed to vaporize cannabis concentrates using a built-in electronic heating system instead of a traditional torch and quartz banger setup.

Unlike traditional rigs, which rely on external heat from a butane torch, e-rigs use precise temperature-controlled heating elements powered by a battery or electrical connection. This allows users to achieve consistent, repeatable heat settings with the push of a button.

Today, most e-rigs fall into two main categories. The first is a desktop-style system that uses a separate glass rig paired with an electronic heating coil (commonly known as an e-nail). The second is an all-in-one portable design, where the heating element and concentrate chamber are built directly into the device.

Both types deliver the same core experience—vaporizing concentrates without a torch—but differ in portability, convenience, and overall customization. Over time, all-in-one portable e-rigs have become the most popular choice for everyday users due to their simplicity and ease of use.

These first handful of gadgets are for the joint lovers. If you prefer to roll up, check out these items below!

Raw Rolling Machine

These are great if you like smoking joints but don’t like rolling them. No skill required. Just load and roll. It also speeds up the process quite a bit for when you need to roll more than one for an event or trip.

Raw Cone Filler

If you are more of a cone person, these cone fillers make the entire process ridiculously easy. And you can do 6 at a time! This is perfect for the festival and concert goer.

Doob Tubes

Speaking of concert goers, you’ll need something to protect those joints from being crushed in your bag or pocket. A simple, easy, cheap solution: Doob Tubes. Pop each joint in a holder, toss them in your bag or in your pocket and you are ready to go. They come in a variety colors too!

King Palm Flavored Tips

This is a bit of an odd one, but we think this is a really cool idea. These filtered tips have little flavor pop pods in them to add a burst of flavor to your joint, blunt, or spliff. Unlike traditional flavored wraps, the flavor is not burned, resulting in a much cleaner added flavor. If you like flavored papers and wraps, we highly recommend checking these out!

Power Hitter

An old school design that is more useful than ever. Since the pandemic, we have all been much more cautious with sharing joints and pipes. For those hesitant to share but miss toking one up with some friends, this is the perfect solution. Insert a lit joint or blunt and the power hitter delivers a smoke stream into your mouth with no contact. Just squeeze, inhale, and pass da power hitter pon da left hand side.

Whether you are rolling joints, blunts, packing bong bowls, or making edibles, grinders can be super helpful to improve the experience. But everyone has a grinder, so we found a couple that we thought were pretty special.

Wakit Grinder

This is my favorite new device. It works great and eliminates all my complaints of a traditional grinder. It stays very clean, chunks never get stuck in the teeth. It doesn't stick and become hard to grind. It really is effortless to use everytime. The charge lasts what seems like forever (I only charged it once). If you are sick of your traditional grinder, we highly recommend the upgrade. The only con is it’s not very portable.

Pulsar 2-in-1 Grinder

This grinder on the other hand is great for on the go. It features a compartment to store your nug in so everything you need is all in one place!

Between smoking and dabbing it can be a bit of a mess. Ash, resin, reclaim, and even the smoke are byproducts of smoking. It helps to have the proper tools to make it easier to stay clean!

Tap Tray

Every smoker needs an ashtray. But what makes this ashtray special is that it’s made of silicone, features a tap bump in the middle for cashing glass pipes and bowls, and holders for your accessories. This is an ESSENTIAL stoner item.

Toker Poker

A poker is a crucial item for pipe and bong tokers. The toker poker combines a poker, a steel packer (instead of your fingers!), your hempick (optional), and bic lighter into one. It also feels much more ergonomic than a bare Bic. It’s small and inexpensive too, so that makes this a great stocking stuffer item.

Resolution

These bong cleaning caps make cleaning your water pipe so much easier! It can be awkward and difficult to clean a water pipe, especially a larger one, using your hands to cover the openings. These caps secure each open end of a piece ensuring the solution doesn’t splash everywhere as you shake the piece clean. Simple and effective.

Dab Sponge

If you are a dabber you know the difficulties of keeping your quartz banger clean. It can take multiple cotton swabs per dab to clean a banger head effectively. That really adds up. In efforts to reduce our footprint and make the whole process easier, we started using the Dab Sponge. It’s reusable, cleanable, and has replaceable parts. Most importantly, it works great!

Mouthpeace

Similar to the Power Hitter, Mouthpeace allows you to share pipes and joints with friends again! These personal interchangeable mouthpieces also remove harsh resins and tar, creating a smoother and healthier toke. If you cough excessively after a toke, give Mouthpeace a try!

SmokeBuddy

The SmokeBuddy comes in clutch when you need to be stealthy. Whether you are staying at your parents house for Thanksgiving, live in an apartment, or just don’t want your place smelling like weed, the SmokeBuddy does an amazing job of eliminating the smoke and odor. You’ll never get caught with your SmokeBuddy!

It’s always a good idea to protect your investments. Glass pipes can break so having some items that help prevent that is crucial. Or maybe investing in an unbreakable pipe is a better option.

Bong Coasters

Another simple idea that we love very much, decorative coasters for your dab rigs and glass pipes. Coasters are typically used to protect the table from dings and water stains, but these coasters are meant to protect your glass pipes. If you set a piece down on a hard surface too hard you risk chipping, scratching or breaking it. With a heady coaster you soften that surface significantly. They come in a variety of designs and sizes. Many are limited edition too, so they are fun to collect!

Skunk Bags

A bag designed just for stoners. They all feature smell proof technology and are custom designed to perfectly fit all your 420 essentials. They also feature a built in lock zipper to keep unwanted hands out of your bag! Available in a wide variety of styles, sizes, and colors.

Eyce Pipe

The Eyce Pipe is an unbreakable silicone pipe with a built-in poker. This is great for people who have a habit of breaking their glass pipes. It also features a glass insert in the bowl so you still get that same clean flavor as a glass pipe. That piece is breakable, but pretty inexpensive to replace.

Electronic Dab Rigs and Vaporizers have been the new wave for the past few years. This is probably the most saturated area of stoner gadgets. And it’s understandable because these items attempt to make dabbing and smoking as easy and effortless as possible, something we all want.

Leading the pack in this category is…

Puffco (Peak, Peak Pro, Proxy, and Hot Knife)

Puffco has created several mentionable gadgets. Their Peak and Peak Pro E-Rigs are easily the most popular all in one electronic vaporizers on the market. These devices make dabbing a breeze with their fully automated heating chambers. No need for a torch, just load and vape! They also just released a new modular vaporizer that uses the same technology but allows glass artists more freedom to create compatible attachments. We can’t wait to see what people come up with.

They also make this really cool tool that makes it easier than ever to load a dab into a chamber. The hot end allows you to easily cut portions like butter and drop dabs off the end of the tool. No more struggling to get the dab off your dabber!

Thanks for shopping with The Dab Lab!

Things have changed drastically over the past decade. How to dab in 2022 is much different than it was in 2010. And although we have covered some new dabbing techniques and tools, we have not created a fully updated how to dab blog until now. So let’s jump right in…

Before we officially get started with the dabbing process, you’ll need to make sure you have the tools for the job. Below is a list of the items you’ll need to dab.

• Water Pipe (Dab Rig)
• Quartz Banger
• Carb Cap
• Dabber
• Dab Torch 

OPTIONAL ITEMS

• Terp Pearls
• Temp Gauge
• 99% Isopropyl Alcohol (for cleaning)

Once you have everything you need to dab, it’s time to heat things up!

STEP 1

Turn on your torch and point the flame at the bottom of the banger. Point the flame towards the sky and rock back and forth hitting the bottom and side walls of the banger. Heat your banger thoroughly (how long varies from banger to banger) and then wait for the banger to cool to the optimal temperature (around 500-600* F).

NOTE: For safety DO NOT point the flame towards your glass rig, table, or anything flammable. You’ll need to use a timer and a few test dabs to get it perfect or you can just  use a temp gauge tool like the handheld TERPOMETER or the hands free OCTAVE.

STEP 2

Scoop or stick a dab to the end of your dabber. If you're new to dabbing, start small.

STEP 3

Melt the dab into the heady of your banger and swiftly grab a carb cap.

STEP 4

There are many styles of carb caps, but for the purpose of this blog we will keep it basic and use a bubble cap. Place the cap on the banger and inhale while using the spout of the cap to chase the oil around the surface.

That’s it! Now you know how to dab! Don’t forget to exhale ;)

This isn’t the only way to dab! There are a ton of accessories to improve or change the experience. For example  you can use a spinner carb cap & terp pearl. Or you can use inserts to keep your nail as fresh as possible. Some people even do the process in reverse (Cold Start Dabbing)!

STEP 5 - CLEANING YOUR BANGER (OPTIONAL, BUT HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

There are several ways to clean your banger. We cover the 3 best methods below. All methods should be done around 250* F, you can go a little hotter, but keep in mind you might burn the head of your q-tips and vaporize any iso applied.

(A) ISO DIP

Dip the head of your banger in a container of iso. Shake off excess and let the iso evaporate.

(B) ISO SWAB

Dip one side of your cotton swab in iso and swab the leftover oil in your banger. Repeat the process until full clean

(C) ISO RINSE & WIPE

Pour about a ¼” of iso into the head of your banger. Let the leftover oil dissolve and then soak up the iso with a wad of paper towel. Twist it around a few times and pull it out.

Instead of paper towels or cotton swabs you can also use a DABSPONGE that is designed specifically for this process. It really makes everything very easy and they last quite a long time before you need to change your head. This could potentially save you money on cotton swabs and paper towels.

As you can see the process has changed quite a bit from 2010, but so has the experience.

Happy dabbing and thanks for shopping with The Dab Lab!

In this guide, we’ll break down the best dab temperature readers on the market and explain how each one helps you achieve perfectly timed low-temp dabs every time.

Why Low Temp Dabs Matter

Low-temperature dabs have become the preferred method for most concentrate users because they preserve flavor and improve overall smoothness. When you dab at lower temperatures, more terpenes are preserved, which results in better taste and a more enjoyable experience.

Lower temperatures also reduce the chance of burning your concentrate, which means less waste and more efficient use of your material. Instead of harsh, hot hits, low-temp dabs deliver smoother vapor and a more controlled experience overall.

For many users, dialing in the right temperature is the difference between wasting concentrates and getting consistent, high-quality sessions.

Best Dab Temperature Readers Compared

Best All-in-1 Portable Dab Temp Reader

Bear Quartz TRIO (Temp Gauge / Hot Knife / Flashlight)

• Best for users who want an all-in-one portable tool
• Combines multiple tools in one device
• Quick temperature checks for quartz bangers
• Portable and beginner-friendly

The Bear Quartz TRIO 2.0 is a compact all-in-one tool designed for users who want more consistent low-temp dabs without juggling multiple devices. It combines temperature reading, lighting, and a built-in hot knife into a single portable unit.

Its precision infrared sensor delivers quick, accurate readings of your quartz banger, helping you dial in the ideal low-temp dab range for better flavor and smoother hits. The laser guide also helps you consistently target the same spot, improving temperature accuracy.

It’s built for convenience while still helping you achieve more consistent low-temp dab results on the go.

Good for: casual users and travel setups

Best Value Dab Temp Reader

Octave Terp Timer

• Reliable temperature accuracy for home setups
• Easy-to-use interface with preset temp alerts
• Strong balance of price and performance

For those who appreciate precision and premium design, the Octave Terp Timer delivers a refined desktop solution for dialing in perfect dab temperatures. Using no-touch infrared technology, it provides accurate readings without ever needing to contact your quartz banger.

One of its standout features is the built-in laser sight, allowing you to precisely target the ideal reading spot on your banger for improved consistency. The aerospace-grade design is sleek and compact at just 3.5 inches tall,

It also features both audio alerts and programmable temperature settings, so you’ll know exactly when your banger reaches your desired range. With an impressive battery life and a long manufacturer warranty, the Terp Timer is built for consistent, long-term use session after session.

Good for: regular users who want consistency without paying premium prices

Most Professional Dab Temp Reader

Dab Rite Pro Digital IR Thermometer

• Highly accurate infrared temperature readings
• Flexible sensor arm for precise positioning
• Designed for advanced or serious users

The Dab Rite Pro is similar to the Terp Timer in terms of function, but it stands out due to its flexible temperature-sensing arm. This adjustable arm allows for more accurate readings across different rig heights and angles, making it especially useful for setups that aren’t perfectly level or standardized.

While the design is a bit bulkier compared to the sleeker Terp Timer, that trade-off comes with added flexibility and precision in real-world use. Like the Terp Timer, it also features audio alerts when your target temperature is reached, along with a visual light indicator for added clarity during your session.

Good for: enthusiasts who want maximum accuracy and control

Final Thoughts

Achieving perfect low-temp dabs is no longer about timing or guesswork — it’s about using the right tools. Whether you prefer the simplicity of a handheld device like the TRIO, or the precision of a desktop option like the Dab Rite Pro or Terp Timer, these tools make it easy to consistently enjoy better flavor, smoother hits, and less wasted concentrate.

If you’re still relying on timing alone, upgrading to a dab temperature tool is one of the easiest ways to instantly improve your dabbing experience.

The tools and techniques used to take a dab have certainly evolved over the past decade or so, but it is fascinating to see those innovations range from complex electronics to relatively simple borosilicate or quartz accessories – and now, Dab Beads or Terp Pearls.

As tastes evolved, dabbers came to realize that vaporizing their high-grade oils on a blazing hot nail or surface might produce a lot of smoke and a massive lung expansion, but it was greatly degrading the flavor and even the true effects that they expected their experience to deliver.

Once low-temp dabbing became the new jam, those same dabbers realized just how hard it was to time their hit in the ideal zone of a rapidly dropping temperature. Sure, an e-nail helps, but it always seemed as though a true low-temp dab left behind a half-vaped, gooey residue in your banger or nail. A cotton swab might clean most of it out, but what waste!

What if you could just vape it down to the last drop instead? Well friends, that’s where Dab Beads and Terp Pearls come into play and, honestly, it’s pretty crazy that it took so long for us all to figure out this flavor-saving tech. With terp pearls you’ll truly be getting the most bang for your buck out of your top shelf dabs, vaping it all instead of swabbing up puddles of wasted leftovers.

WHAT IS A TERP PEARL

Terp Pearls (Dab Beads, Banger Beads, etc.) come in a variety of names, materials, and even sizes – check out these millie encased boro pearls!

You can find them these days from a variety of brands, but they are, for the most part, mostly the same function-wise.

Typically shaped either as perfect spheres or in an elongated pill shape, Dab Beads and Terp Pearls are most often handcrafted out of borosilicate glass (clear, color, heady, or millies), quartz, SiC (Silicone Carbide), ceramic, sapphire, or even ruby – all favored for their aesthetic appeal as well as their ability to withstand and redistribute heat.

HOW DOES A TERP PEARL WORK

After you stop applying heat to your dab nail or quartz banger, it immediately begins to cool down, right? Though higher quality bangers do a better job or evenly distributing and retaining that heat, some parts of the dabbing surface will inevitably cool down quicker than others.

Terp Pearls solve this problem in a highly effective way.

Pop a pearl or two inside your banger and heat it up with a torch (note: some pearls can melt or can be thermal shocked – continue reading for more special care instructions). Once it cools to the ideal temperature all you have to do is take your dab as you normally would, using a carb cap with good airflow. The pearls will help with heat retention vaporizing more oil at the same starting temperature.

But to get the max potential out of your beads you will need to use a bubble cap, directional flow carb cap, or a spinner cap to move the beads around the nail. As they move around, they are not only helping to distribute the heat of the surface they are travelling on, but they move the oil around as well, ensuring that it will hit the hottest spots on the nail and vaporize much, much more thoroughly.

If using a spinner cap, your Terp Pearls will really come to life, spinning rapidly around the dabbing surface of your nail or banger.

WHICH TERP PEARL SHOULD I BUY

The various substances that Terp Pearls or Dab Beads are made from will also come with a variety of prices. So, while budget should absolutely factor into your decision of which one(s) to buy, there is more to it than that. Let’s look a bit closer and rank each on our exclusive Chazability Scale with 1 being Most Likely to Chaz and 10 being Least Likely to Chaz.

Borosilicate – Redefining the term “better than nothing”, clear glass Terp Beads are the most affordable option and offer the least heat retention but can still provide the added surface area and movement needed to more efficiently vaporize your oil. As with all boro glass, it can and will melt or change shape under intense heat – such as the direct, prolonged flame of a torch - so be aware of that when cleaning your Terp Pearls. Chazability: 1

Ceramic – Ceramic Dab Beads or Terp Pearls offer decent heat retention, similar to quartz, and some argue, better flavor. Much like a ceramic dab nail, Terp Pearls made from this material can be hard to keep clean and are probably the most fragile of all the materials on this list. They cannot be torch cleaned as they will likely break. Allowing them to completely cool down is the safest way to keep them intact, making them hard to keep sparkling clean. Chazability: 3

Quartz – If you are dabbing then you are probably pretty familiar with the pros and cons of quartz. Better heat retention and flavor representation are the two main reasons why your banger isn’t made out of boro, but out of quartz. They are also very resistant to thermal shock, so you can go straight from adab to iso with no worries of breakage. That being said, I would still wait for them to cool down a bit before submerging in any liquid as that will speed of chazzing. They can also be torch cleaned, but again, that will speed up chazzing. Chazability: 5

Sapphire & Ruby – Lab grown sapphire and ruby Terp Pearls are known for their superior heat retention and optimal flavor delivery. Some care must be taken when cleaning gemstone Terp Pearls or Dab Beads. If they are still hot or warm, do not submerge them in iso alcohol as this could cause thermal shock and break or damage your Terp Pearl. Similarly, hitting it with the direct flame of a torch could cause shock the other direction, also risking damage or breakage. Like borosilicate, ruby Dab Beads or Terp Pearls can potentially even melt if put under enough sustained heat. Gentle heat, reliable tweezers, and a dry swab works best. Chazability: 7

SiC –Silicone carbide has been used industrially for over a century, but its use in the dabbing scene came much more recently. Though they are more closely related to ceramic, these Terp Pearls look like metal and enjoy a similarly superior level of thermal/heat conductivity as well as thermal shock resistance. This makes them easy to clean with a torch flame, an alcohol wipe, or pretty much whatever method you want to use. Chazability: 10

Shinju – Made from a ‘sophisticated high temp ceramic material’, Shinju Ceramic Terp Pearls offer the best of all worlds with insane heat retention and the ability to be torch cleaned back to like-new in seconds. The same material appears to be used to make high end chef’s knives, shinju blades stay sharper longer than steel, and that durability definitely carries over to Dab Beads and Terp pearls made from this super-ceramic. Unrivaled heat retention caps off the list of reasons why we love this type of Terp Pearl. Chazability: 10

SIZE MATTERS

The final, and perhaps most important factor to consider when making a decision on what to buy is to figure out what size would be best for you and the glass dab rig, quartz banger, and carb cap setup that you plan to use.

The most common sizes for sphere-shaped Terp Pearls are 4mm, 6mm, and 9mm and then, as mentioned above, you will find some shaped more like a long piece of candy (think Good n’ Plenty) or a pill.

These sizes are optimized for different sizes and styles of quartz bangers, nails, and dabbing surfaces.

4mm - Best for ‘All-in-One’ battery powered dabbing devices like the Puffco Peak, these handheld, portable devices typically have a smaller than usual, built-in dabbing cup or surface. Its miniature size requires a miniature carb cap and so this miniature size of Terp Pearls quite literally fits right in.

6mm – Probably up for debate, but to us this seems like the ideal size for “standard” size quartz bangers. Whether they have a 10mm, 14mm, or 18mm joint, the 6mm Terp Pearl seems to be the best size to keep the terpenes flowing in these quartz buckets… and keep em’ clean!

9mm & Shaped – These oversized versions of what is described above are ideal for you heavy hitters out there who are dropping globs on the regular. Perfect for big ol’ 30mm bangers or the newly popularized Terp Slurper. If using a Terp Slurper, you will need a pill and a 9mm pearl. The pill goes inside the taper and the pearls sits on top of the taper acting as a valve. When you hit your piece the pill starts spinning about and the pearls hops up and down. It really is fun to watch and is extremely effective for vaporizing huge globs!

Picture Source: @_terpslurper

We know as well as anyone that there are a thousand ways to take a dab, but odds are you likely fall roughly into one of the categories above and we all love mouthwatering flavors, intense effects, and big rips. That’s why we made this guide to help steer you toward the best Terp Pearls for your tastes.

Of course, if you’re reading this, you’ve already arrived at The Dab Lab, your one stop shop for all of your dabbing devices, smoking tools, and kickass counter culture accessories!

Users of the Focus V Carta love its lower price point, its wide array of intuitive features, its ease of use, and of course its mobility. No more flames, no more cords, no more timers, no more guessing – just darn near perfect dabs darn near every time no matter where you are.

Once you start dabbing exclusively on an electronic vaporizer like the Carta, you’ll probably wonder how you ever spent so much time and effort with cans of butane and crème brûlée torches. But no matter how convenient technology makes some of our favorite traditions, one thing remains constant, you’ve got to keep your gear clean if you expect it to work properly.

CLEANING YOUR CARTA SHOULD FEEL FAMILIAR

The popularization of the domeless quartz nail, the quartz banger specifically, can be chalked up to two main factors – flavor & aesthetic. Properly heated quartz delivers a much truer terp profile than the titanium options that once ruled the culture and the clear curves of a well-crafted quartz bucket, banger, nail, or trough just look so cool on both scientific glass and heady glass dab rigs… but only if that quartz is clean!

So, if you want your Focus V Carta to not only look as good as the day you bought it, but function that good as well, it is important that you be just as meticulous with how well you clean and maintain it as you would be with any other prized possession.

The Carta comes with an owner’s manual, but that documentation does not really give any useful advice on what the best practices are when cleaning or maintaining the device. It comes with a few alcohol soaked towelettes but no instruction as far as how or when to use them. Your buds here at The Dab Lab have some key tips for both cleaning and maintaining your Focus V Carta to ensure that you get the optimal flavor and effects from every heating cycle.

If you are familiar with the standard procedure for dabbing on a quartz banger these days, you are likely well-versed in “Q-Tip Tech” but if not, it’s pretty basic and it happens to be the best way to keep your Carta bucket clean and clear as well.

Regardless of the temperature setting you use your Carta at, there is almost always going to be some residual oil remaining in the bucket after the heating cycle is complete. If that residual oil is allowed to cool, and compound on itself, you get a charred, or “chazzed’, appearance which not only looks bad, but can affect flavor and function as well. So before the bucket cools, and while and residual oil is still liquified, use a cotton swab like the Crud Bud soaked in isopropyl alcohol to quickly and easily mop up the mess and leave a nice clean surface for the next dab.

By performing this seemingly mundane task after literally every dab, you will greatly reduce the need for deeper cleaning or maintenance but if you use your Carta often, that deeper cleaning will be inevitable eventually.

*** ALERT *** DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THE CARTA BUCKET FROM THE ATOMIZER AFTER THEY HAVE BOTH COMPLETELY COOLED DOWN! 

Residual oil often finds its way out of the bucket and can form a tight seal between the bucket and the ceramic plate of the atomizer once it cools and dries. If you need to remove the bucket for deeper cleaning, do so gently with tweezers like these handy Quartz Tech Reverse Tweezers while both bucket and atomizer are still warm.

The bucket can be soaked in iso alcohol much like you’d do with a pipe, bowl, slide, or downstem. Salt can be added for gentle abrasion to remove stubborn stains or accumulation. Be sure to let it dry thoroughly (a fresh, dry, cotton swab works well to expedite this). The last thing you want is for your next dab to be spoiled by that harsh flavor.

The glass mouthpiece attachment that comes with the Carta, or any custom glass attachment like the ones we offer here at The Dab Lab, are also cleaned like the rest of your functional glass collection – iso, salt, and hot water. Use your trusty cotton swab to clear the port hole near the bottom of the glass attachment.

The connection port where the glass attachment meets the Carta unit itself can be gently cleaned using a cotton swab lightly soaked in iso, then wiped clear with a paper towel. Try to avoid getting too much iso on or near the base of your Carta unit, it can react badly with some of the composite components.

FAULTY ATOMIZER - REPLACE OR REPAIR?

The atomizer is not really designed to be cleaned, but rather replaced. If you are relatively handy, however, you may be able to repair yours.

You will notice a gradual buildup of residual oil – or “reclaim” – on the bottom of your atomizer and in the port that it threads into. The gold colored connections on the atomizer and in the port are crucial for the operation of the Carta unit but introducing moisture like iso alcohol to these parts can often render them busted.

Here at The Dab Lab we offer replacement atomizers (always a good idea to have on hand) as well as atomizer repair kits that will get your Focus V Carta unit functioning again for a fraction of the price.

The process is pretty easy really and involves a simple prying off of a small copper cap on the bottom stem of the atomizer. That will reveal a rubber stopper that is easily removed with a pair of pliers or tweezers. With those removed you will find the wired heating element that you will be repairing. You will use your tweezer tool to remove the wired flat disc recessed down inside the atomizer. Yank that sucker out! Youwill replace it with a brand new one from your repair kit.

Reassemble in reverse order taking care to ensure that the longer of the two wires slides through the tube of the copper pin while the shorter of the two wires rides along the groove found on the edge of the copper pin. With both in place, use your clipper tool to snip the long wire flush/even with the end of the atomizer, reset the copper plug in place and BAM! you’re back in action!

This entire process can be done in less than 5 minutes once you have done it once or twice. The sudden and always inopportune need to repair or replace an atomizer can be frustrating, but with some gentle routine maintenance you can greatly reduce the risk of failure and keep your Carta running reliably.

For some people, a bong is a bong, just pack it and rip it.

Others recognize the benefits of hand blown borosilicate pieces of functional glass that are easier to clean, more satisfying to use, and often nicer to look at than their entry-level counterparts.

But when you get to the upper levels of glass art appreciation, you quickly realize that it presents a whole new world of techniques and terminology that all lead to endless options for the true connoisseur.

Many of the terms used to describe specific aspects of today’s hottest heady glass dab rigs, mini tubes, bubblers, bongs, sherlock pipes and more can be new, confusing, or quite literally foreign to a lot of us so we decided to compile a quick glossary with some shouts out to some of our favorite artists from each category.

After this easy read, you’ll be a more well-informed head and you’ll find plenty of examples to test your knowledge for sale here at The Dab Lab

BOROSILICATE GLASSBLOWING ART TECHNIQUE GLOSSARY

LATTICINOS

Latticino is an Italian term dating back hundreds of years in reference to a style of glassblowing involving the twisting of a colored rod of glass, but even there the style is more technically referred to as Zanfirico. Here in the U.S., most artists have simplified it to be known as “cane” or “twisties”, which is a more literal reference to the technique itself.

By layering patterns of colored glass stringers onto a clear piece of glass, or into a glass tube, artists then heat it all up and begin to twist and stretch it, creating the iconic encased ribbon look found on so many cool pieces of glass art.

For examples of this tech at the highest level, look no further than Colorado-based glassblower Harold Cooney whose exquisite Latticino layering stands as a testament to this time-consuming but utterly satisfying aesthetic style.

THUMBIES / THUMBPRINTS 

When you take a well-prepped twisty/cane and slowly and precisely press it down inside a blank piece of clear glass, you can end up with a heady looking thumbprint design, also known as a ‘Thumbie’.

INSIDE OUT WORK 

Rather than applying Thumbies, Latticino, or fuming to the outer surface of clear glass tubing, Inside Out (our Double Blown) glass art is created when the artists performs these jaw-dropping techniques encased inside of the clear glass, making a deep, dimensional effect. Perhaps the most well-known artist to incorporate this design style is Arik Krunk (AK), whose pieces are renowned for their chaotic harmony which almost always includes an ample amount of Thumbies and Millies.

MILLIES 

Millies are relatively small, often coin-shaped, pictorial glass discs depicting anything from famous characters, to nature scenes, to anything you or a famed Millie glass artist like Dave Strobel can imagine. Millie is actually short for the Italian term Millefiore. This age old technique involves the puzzle-like stacking of tens, or hundreds, or thousands of colored glass rods of varying diameters which, when combined and viewed face-on, create the desired scene or profile that the artist was aiming for. This bushel of vibrancy is usually encased into a long clear tube. When joined together, slices are taken from the tube to create multiple Millies; glass badges ready to be incorporated into glass art in a variety of ways or even kept as collector’s items from rare pulls.

CHIP STACKS 

Similar to a Millefiore, a Murrine is a pattern or image designed into a glass cane that gets exposed when the cane is sliced into smaller chips, with each chip displaying an accurate representation of the main design throughout the cane.

When an artist like Cap’n Crunk (not to be confused with Arik Krunk) melds a series of these chips together, it forms a unique mosaic called a Chip Stack that could be made again, but never made again exactly the same.

WEAVES 

Similar to the Chip Stack, but with the added dimension of weaving longer sections of Murrine chips together in a lattice-like effect, this distinct look has been all but perfected by artists like Cris Carlson whose mind bending work presents an optical illusion that you just can’t take your eyes off of.

LINEWORK 

Most simply put, Linework refers to a tube of glass that is colored or decorated with lines of color applied from smaller rods of colored glass. Of course, as simple as that definition is, the technique itself can vary from beginning blowers experimenting with shaky hands, to incredibly precise, multilayered, and mesmerizing Wig Wag designs from an artist like Jake C. Jake’s swirling, zig-zagging Wig Wags have blown minds for many years with a psychedelic, natural flow that has become a defining feature of truly heady glass.

MULTI-LAYER LINEWORK 

Though many of these techniques date back hundreds, or even thousands of years in some cases, today’s glass artists are building on millennia of inspiration and their own long, hard hours of experience to push the medium to new heights. 

One such artist is Jason Lee who defined his Double layer Linework to us as, “Separate worked elements laid on top of each other to create depth and contrast.” Picture, if you can, intricate line work, encased in dichro, encased with a multilayer Latticino and you begin to realize that, as Jason Lee puts it, “Layering is an endless realm.”

RETICELLO 

One of the most stunning forms of Linework is the fascinating precision seen in pieces that feature the Retticello glassblowing technique. The artist lays down an even pattern of parallel lines using a stringer or cane of colored glass. That pattern is then given a twist while being heated by the flame of the torch, bending those lines evenly. Then, a second layer of lines are laid down – either with the same, or a contrasting/complimentary colored stringer – in a crosshatch net-like pattern opposite of the first set. Again, heat is applied and a twist is given in the opposite direction creating a symmetrical web design that seems too perfect to be manmade.

Top artists like Devol use this technique on its own or as part of a multilayer effect to either add an eye-catching pop to a clear piece, or to completely envelop an entire heady dab rig or glass bong with this look that is sure to turn heads and spark conversation at any sesh. This technique can also be done with fume (mentioned later in this blog) and is referred to as a Fumicello.

FILLACELLO 

Again, never satisfied, artists like Eusheen and Adam Reetz have upped the ante on this high skilled method and honed their talents on a hybrid tech called Fillacello which fills in the clear gaps with complex geometric color patterns. Reetz has been known to fill some of these gaps with gibson opals! Bling Bling!

DRAWINGS / FLIPS

Puntington Rainbow Wig Wag may sound like a mashup of various glassblowing techniques, and it is, but it is also the full title of a legendary glassblower who is more commonly known as another glassblowing term – Punty.

Known as the master of the Disc Flip, or “Cut & Flip”, Punty uses stringers of colored rods to essentially draw or paint a picture using a glass “brush”, with glass “paint”, on a glass “canvas”. You can imagine how skilled one needs to be to pull this off at all, let alone with the meticulousness that he is able to do it with.

By opening up an entirely new medium for skilled illustrators, the Disc Flip aspect of glassblowing is also attracting new artists to the craft. Following in Punty’s footsteps are up and coming creative artists like Windstar Glass, whose illustrative work can be found right here at The Dab Lab. But instead of applying the glass drawing with intentions of flipping it, she draws them directly on the outside of the glass! 

ENCALMO / LIP WRAPS (LIPPIES)

Another old school Venetian glassblowing technique, Encalmo, refers to the careful stacking of varying bands of color which, when done correctly, creates a classy, symmetry-driven, heady appeal.

Perhaps the trickiest part of nailing down this technique is mastering temperature control as each band of colored glass reacts differently to different temps in order to avoid damaging the entire piece. Just as important, looks-wise, is to keep those lines tight and the bands consistently even in thickness.

The word “Incalmo” means “to graft” in Venetian, and that is aproppriate considering the repeated joining of separate bands to create the stacked, even, art deco effect.

This style is demonstrated perfectly in the ongoing work of the Lip Wrap king himself, Vela G, whose flawless Lippies often fetch four figures or more on the glass market.

IMPLOSIONS / COMPRESSIONS

To clear up some confusion in the glass game, technically “compression” and “implosion” refer to the same aesthetic style, they just use slightly different methods to get there.

As one of the craft’s most highly respected teachers of the tech, John Kobuki tells his students that an Implosion is made with a tube, and a Compression is made with a rod.

Most commonly used for pendants or marbles, or non-functional add-on décor for a dab rig, bubbler, or bong, the artist will create a flat boro glass “canvas” to work on. They will then apply their preferred style of design to that heated flat surface using colored rods, dichroic material, etc., slowly building layer upon layer.

Once ready, that stacked design is (com)pressed against another heated piece of clear or colored glass for a backing, imploding the design forward into the clear glass it was previously laid upon, encasing the design between the clear front and the color backing.

Once again, this is one of the first techniques tackled by a new glassblower but it takes thousands of hours on the torch to begin to truly unlock the potential greatness that we see from famed artists like Kobuki’s incredible floral displays or Gong’s iconic Acid Eaters.

DOT TECH

Just when you’d thought you’d seen it all, Junichi Kojima, aka Rose Roads, burst onto the glass scene with his Dot Tech style of glassblowing that took traditional methods of expression to the micro level.

By creating a systematic pattern of hundreds and sometimes thousands of incredibly tiny dabs of colored glass, Kojima demonstrates extreme patience and precision to make stunning geometric patterns and images that give me arthritis just thinking about the process that each piece must undergo.

DOT STACKS

Using a heated, flattened end of a clear or colored tube of boro glass, the artist will use various colored rods of glass to apply globular dots of color to the glass “canvas” they have prepared. Typically, a base layer of one color of dots is applied. Then subsequent layers of different colors of dots are stacked on top of the layer before them. The result is a trippy floral look that is relatively easy to learn, but incredibly hard to perfect.

Designs featuring this tech range from the relatively simple efforts by intrepid glassblowers fine tuning their skills to the multilayered madness seen in the expert work of Kondo Glass and the iconic imagery of Mike Gong’s catalog of wearable and collectable glass art.

FUMEWORK

Glass fuming is one of the first techniques taught to an entry-level glassblower, but it is a skill that they will likely use from time to time for the rest of their career behind the torch.

Using an actual nugget of pure silver or gold, the artist will heat up one end of a clear glass rod and then attach the precious metal to the glowing end. With the pipe or tube that they are looking to enhance heated from the flame of the torch, the artist will insert the silver or gold into the flame allowing the vapors coming off of it to envelop the surface of the pipe or tube in their opposite hand.

When the silver is layered evenly underneath some gold, the result is a dope color-changing array of amber, green, and blue hues that have an almost galactic feel to them, regardless of the style of the pipe, bubbler, or bong they are found on.

For more info check out the blog we wrote back in 2017, What is Fumed Glass?, about Bob Snodgrass and how he ‘discovered’ this fuming tech and how he has inspired so many artists like Lammy, Hefe Glass, and more to find ways to incorporate this timeless technique.

SCULPTING

Solid glass sculptures are as difficult and time-consuming to create as they are spectacular to look at. Now consider how much more skill and planning needs to go into making one of these works of art functional in a way that it can deliver terp-filled vapors to your dome when you take a dab from it.

The freedom of artistic flow and creative design that this style allows has led to some of the highest priced pieces of glass art ever made or sold, and played a major role in elevating functional glass from the traditional tubular bong and pipe shapes to anything you can possibly imagine.

One of the undisputed blackbelts of this craft is Buck Glass out of Oregon. His incredibly life (or death) like anatomically accurate sculptures of various skeletal remains would impress any fan of art even if they didn’t realize that it was made for more than just looking at.

Inspired by everything from H.R. Giger, to robots, to “wook stuff”, Banjo Glass is another highly skilled glass sculptor whose exceptional style has earned him a top shelf reservation in the top glass galleries in the world. His psychedelic tribal warlord motif has fetched five figures more times than we can count and Banjo’s finest has flirted with the $100k mark in the past.

Once a new jaw-dropping design is conceived, the prep work and assembly on these pieces is extensive, which is why the finished product can be expensive. Like a ridiculously fragile jigsaw puzzle, each piece must be manipulated into shape with metal and graphite tools in the flame of a torch and then painstakingly assembled, piece by piece, around a functioning dab rig. Buck had a piece of sculpted glass art that he worked on for over eight years!

COLDWORK

Coldworking borosilicate glass typically breaks down into three distinct post-processing methods that each requires a different set of skills and a different set of tools.

Sandblasting is a technique where abrasive material is forcibly propelled onto a surface (in this case, glass) in order to etch or carve into the material itself. By applying a pre-cut pattern of painter’s tape or adhesive vinyl to the glass before blasting it, deeply intricate designs can be achieved as the tape acts as a stencil to transfer the desired design onto (or rather into) the glass.

The heady collection of spoon pipes, onies, and mini tubes from the revered glass shop Liberty Glass that we have available here at The Dab Lab demonstrates just how much detail and creativity this technique allows for.

Carving glass is very similar in many cases to Sandblasting, but can allow for even finer detail and a more layered, dimensional effect. Using a variety of tools like a Dremel, or even hand carving with a blade, artists like Rye Glass add a truly hand-worked element to their collabs and solo pieces that can be felt as clearly as it can be seen.

Faceting is a skill better known for the production of gems than for dab rigs, but this technique adds a unique and classy appeal to any piece utilizing it. By grinding boro glass at precise angles against a spinning, wet, adhesive wheel, mouthpieces for rigs or bongs, handles for slides or bowls, or geometric designed pendants or paperweights can be formed with a multitude of angular faces all providing a magnified window into the piece of glass itself. Like a hall of mirrors, one embedded opal or millie can be reflected seemingly infinitely due to the refraction of the angles created in this process.

Check out Derek from Boro Boy Glass for a perfect example of how faceting certain features of a heady dab rig can make it stand out in a crowded market.

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Whoa! We went pretty deep there and the crazy part is, we didn’t even get to it all!

The glass art scene is bursting with talent as the experienced artists we all love continue to push the boundaries of what we all thought was possible and continue to inspire the new generation of creators to jump on the torch.

It’s cool to realize that so much of this tech has existed for hundreds of years, but is being reinvented right before our eyes in just the past couple of decades.

At The Dab Lab you’ll always find a heady blend of old school and new as we continue to bring you an unrivaled selection of glass art, hand selected by us and delivered direct to you. 

There are few things in life more inviting than a perfect crystal clear quartz banger heated to the ideal temperature and ready for a dab of some top shelf terps. But, on the other hand, even the best budder, shatter, live resin, dank rosin, diamonds, or sauce will be considerably less appealing if they are presented alongside a cloudy, dirty, or “chazzed” domeless nail.

I’m not sure where the term “chazzed” came from but it refers to the black, sooty, or soiled look that many poorly cared for quartz nails take on over time. I went to high school with a guy named Chaz and he was not cool, and neither is busting out a heady glass dab rig at a sesh just to plop in a blackened banger.

You already know that The Dab Lab is your one stop shop for all dabbing tools and accessories, including an unrivaled selection of quartz bangers, buckets, nails, and attachments priced to please everyone from entry level to cannabis connoisseurs.

So we figured we’d give you... 

5 Tips on How to Avoid Chazzing Your Quartz Banger & Keep It Clean

TEMPERATURE SWEET SPOT

The act of dabbing concentrates has really not been around that long in the grand scheme of weed, but the evolution of the process over the past five years has been incredible to witness.

Gone are the days of heating a titanium nail until it looks like a space shuttle reentering the Earth’s atmosphere and then judging the ideal time to take your dab by the color of the glow of the metal.

One of the best features of dabbing off of quartz instead of titanium is that quartz allows you to efficiently vaporize your concentrates or extracts at a much lower temperature, and the material itself is much more effective at retaining heat longer.

We now know that the perfect temperature for dabbing most forms of concentrates is somewhere between 300-400°F.

Unless you are using an electronic nail or some sort of heat gun, the best way to hit that range of ideal temps is by using a timer of some sort.

For example, you might heat up your quartz nail for 30 seconds and then let it cool for 50 seconds before applying your dab, hoping that the temperature dropped from ‘too hot’ into the ‘sweet spot’. Times will vary due to a lot of factors, including but not limited to: the style of your banger, the quality of the quartz, the thickness of the base of the dish or bucket, the ambient temperature around you, the strength of your torch, etc.

If you wait too long after the heat up, your oil or extract may not vaporize completely – even with the use of a carb cap. This is not the end of the world as you will lose some vapor but will gain a lot of flavor and cleanup is typically a breeze.

If you do not wait long enough, however, and the quartz banger or bucket is still too hot when you apply your dab, this is when discoloration and “chazzing” most commonly occurs. It is most often the result of too high of a temperature while dabbing.

To avoid this, and to keep your banger sparkling, absolutely employ a timer on your phone or watch, and start with a seemingly long wait after the initial heat up. Keep track of the timing and slowly reduce the wait until you hit that equilibrium of complete vaporization without the black charring inside your quartz nail. Make note of that heat up and wait time and stick to it for all future dabs.

ALWAYS BE SWABBIN’

If you told me half a decade ago that an essential tool to have at any dab sesh is a fistful of cotton swabs, I would have told you to stick it in your ear.

Since most dabs are taken while the surface temp of the nail is dropping, there is often a varying amount of residual and decarboxylated oil remaining in the base of the banger well after the rest of the dab has been enjoyed.

This is where a product like Crud Buds comes into play. Before the residual oil in the banger begins to stiffen back up, a thorough mop up with one of these high quality cotton swabs will effectively remove about 99% of any leftover oil.

Not only will this give you a much cleaner palate to taste your terps from on the next dab, but it will reduce charring and chazzing and the risk of a small fire erupting in your banger the next time you try to heat it up.

Some dabbers like to keep their swabs submerged in isopropyl alcohol for the ultimate cleaning power.

GOING DEEP ON SOLVENTS & GLASS CLEANERS

So it’s too late you say. You didn’t see this article in time you say. For quartz bangers or buckets with baked on stains and dark discolorations hope for clarity may not totally be lost.

Quartz bangers can be soaked for extended periods in isopropyl alcohol. This long term saturation can break down the impurities causing the chazzing, and can sometimes restore the nail to a new or like-new condition.

Above we mentioned the cotton swab alcohol dip method, and like with that we know that iso alcohol evaporates so quickly and easily that no residual solvents should remain behind from dab to dab.

If you have your quartz nail hooked up to a competent enail, chazzing should be very minimal due to the precise temperature controls you’ll have. Additionally, you can buy a non-flammable and non-toxic product like Dark Crystal Glass Cleaner and literally just carefully pour some into your quartz banger or bucket, filling it about halfway. Then just fire up your enail and gradually bring the heat up until the Dark Crystal begins to bubble and watch as it magically strips away all the dark nastiness from the base and walls of your quartz.

FLIP THE SCRIPT WITH REVERSE DABS

If you are not already familiar with the concept of “reverse dabs”, well the name is pretty self-explanatory but you can learn about the entire process in an article we recently wrote about it.

Due to the fact that the quartz is never overheated using this technique, the odds of staining or chazzing your banger or bucket is almost non-existent.

This technique can be a bit tricky to get used to but once you have it dialed in you’ll enjoy more flavor, more efficient vaporization, and a cleaner quartz attachment on your dab rig.

BUDGET BANGERS vs QUALITY QUARTZ

We briefly mentioned it above, but two things that you really need to consider when either deciding on which quartz nail to buy or how to keep it clean once you have made the investment are the style of the nail and the quality of the nail.

Quartz bangers now have so many options – each with their own pros and cons – but some far easier to keep clean than others.

We carry quartz products at all price points here at The Dab Lab but it goes without saying that the more an item costs, the higher its quality will be. You will notice that higher end quartz products are easier to maintain and keep clean, but you can still put a lot of miles and a lot of dabs on our entry level options and keep them looking great if you stick to the tips we’ve laid out here.

Pass this article along to that friend of yours who always busts out the blackened banger. 

One of the most popular forms of consumption, dating back millennia, is the use of simple bong tech to somehow filter the hot smoke through a vessel of water before inhaling it, purifying it to an extent and cooling it for a smoother experience.

The history of the bong may date back thousands of years globally, but its history here in the U.S. has been pretty provocative over the past 50-60 years as the telltale silhouette shape of your standard bong has become an icon of the cannabis counter culture.

Facing scrutiny from a Reefer Madness-fueled society and an unforgiving criminal justice system, for many years retail smokeshop and headshop owners often insisted that the word “bong” never be uttered in their store, instead requiring customers to use awkward terms like “water pipe”.

This is our history and we don’t have to excavate ancient tombs to study it. These days, as society has come to terms with cannabis in a more realistic manner, you can walk into most shops around the country and use the word bong without being a buzzkill but there is still one term being used a bit too loosely and it’s high time we clear it up.

STRAIGHT TUBE vs. BEAKER vs. FLASK

Bongs come in quite literally all shapes and sizes these days, but the vast majority of them can typically be assigned to one of two categories – what are commonly referred to as “straight tube” or “beaker” bongs.

The straight tube bong is, as the name aptly implies, usually just a straight piece of tubing with a mouthpiece on one end and a termination into a flat, wide base on the other. Slip a downstem inside and fill the tube with a bit of water and bam, you’re bubblin’!

What a lot of folks call a beaker bong would also have a mouthpiece attached to a straight tube but instead of terminating at a flat attached base, the tube would flare outward in either a straight tapered design or a rounded bubble design. This widening from the down tube allows for a larger water chamber and provides a wider footprint or base for the bong to rest on.

Ok, pretty basic stuff right there – Smokeshop 101, if you will.

But now we are taking you back… way back to Chemistry class for a quick little lesson about scientific glass.

Now I had Advanced Placement Chemistry my senior year of high school, but my lab partner was the county’s leading running back and the teacher was the offensive line coach so, suffice so say, we weren’t made to learn very much that year on our way to easy A’s.

So I had to do a bit of research myself when, after all these years, I got corrected when calling a piece of glass a beaker bong.

The fact of the matter is, if you have a bong that is truly shaped like a beaker, you are going to have a hard time getting baked without looking like a goof.

In the world of scientific glass, a beaker is a cylindrical, straight-sided vessel with a wide mouth equal in diameter to its base, typically with a pour spout indented into it. Once you’ve wrapped your head around that, picture trying to wrap your mouth around it.

The defining aesthetic feature of a flask (scientifically speaking, you lushes) is that the top spout is smaller in diameter than its base, usually with a narrow neck leading down to a tapered form to the base. If you weren’t getting too baked before Chem class or if you didn’t have a bruising tailback as a lab partner, you might remember your teacher calling them Erlenmeyer Flasks.

Which one sounds more like the stereotypical “bong” to you?

It’s strange though, isn’t it?

I’ve bounced around all corners of this grassroots cannabis culture and I have never, ever, had someone pass me their ‘flask bong’… at least, that’s not what I was calling it in my head!

I don’t think I will be that guy cruising around every sesh I’m invited to, correcting people who have the audacity to get their lab glass terminology mixed up, but it does make for a cool piece of trivia and something to talk about next time you and your buds are passing around the ol’ water pipe. 

The most popular style of herb grinder today is the 4-piece grinder. This multichamber marvel of ingenuity features a large lid and loading area for the top chamber, packed with concentric circles of razor sharp teeth in both.

Convenient drop-through holes allow the chopped material to pass down to the 2^nd chamber. This area will have a fine metal mesh screen as its floor. As ground herb is gently agitated across the surface of the screen, shiny golden trichomes are broken off the cannabis material.

These ‘trichs’ are small enough to pass through the micro holes in the mesh screen, but the leafy plant material will not. Not all trichomes will be separated from the plant material. In fact, most will remain intact within the pile of delicious smokable material stored in this 2^nd chamber.

It is from this pile that you will pack bowls, fill papers, or load your vaporizer, but it’s the final chamber below that holds the real treasure.

In the bottom chamber, below the mesh screen you will begin to accumulate a golden dust-like material known as “kief”. This kief is just a mass of ultra-potent trichomes that would likely have been lost to your scissors or fingers had you not had that grinder handy.

Now you have a bounty of flavorful powdered hash essentially, ready to be enjoyed in any number of ways.

There are 2-piece, and 3-piece grinders that simplify the process and slim things down considerably, and each style has its own pro’s and con’s. We have a bunch of quality affordable weed grinders to choose from – heck, we even have a 5-piece grinder with TWO mesh screens!

Of course, there are plenty of ways to pack a bowl or roll something up without an herb grinder. Scissors and buds in a cup can do some work. So can a few shakes with some clean nugs, a cleaner coin, and a plastic container. And who among us hasn’t packed about a billion bowls with nothing but our fingers to bust things up a bit?

So yeah, it can be done, but these methods are far from ideal when compared to the smooth, aromatic results of a top shelf grinder.

FEEL THE BURN

When you are trying to burn anything, surface area is a key factor. Just like a thick wood log will burn very slow, very hot, and with little smoke in a campfire, so too will that tree stump sized nug that you just jammed into your bowl.

Some tokers like to stack it like that and pass the same bowl around all night long.

Personally, I prefer to get a nice fresh, green, tasty rip every time I take a toke. I’d rather not settle for everyone’s leftovers.

Breaking up a 1g bud of cannabis still just produces 1g of broken up bud, but just like kindling in your campfire now it has much increased surface area for the flame of your lighter to interact with.

The finer the grind, the more surface area available.

This is why smoking ground up herb in a bowl makes many people feel the effects much more powerfully than if they had just stuffed in a fully intact bud.

This also allows you to make your meds stretch further for you. Just a pinch of finely ground cannabis will hit you a lot harder than a couple calyxes.

ROLL WITH IT

If you enjoy the ceremonial process of rolling your own joints or blunts, you probably already appreciate the reliable, uniform texture that only a good grinder can deliver. The straightest, strongest, most evenly burning bats, blunts, and doobies all begin with an even grind.

For particularly moist nugs covered in glistening trichomes, a grinder can help keep your fingers from getting too sticky to handle your rolling papers or blunt wraps effectively.

Not to mention, that bottom chamber full of frosty, caked up kief comes in very handy when you’re rolling one up for a special occasion.

THE ONLY WAY TO VAPE

Whether you prefer to use a tried & true tabletop vaporizer unit like the best-selling Volcano, or the feature packed Arizer Extreme Q, or a packet-sized handheld herbal vaporizer like the the Pax or the Firefly, it is absolutely critical that you have a grinder to prepare your cannabis for full and efficient vaporization.

Since you’ll be using hot air and convection to heat your herb, instead of a flame, that surface area science from earlier is even more important now. Proper airflow is crucial and can only be achieved with a uniform grind.

These products often come with an inexpensive plastic grinder or a grinder card, but we recommend that you, and your herbs, stay away from those. Both are typically made from substandard materials and can deposit shavings or chunks of plastic or paints into the same material you plan to smoke.

You deserve better, get yourself a top shelf grinder from TheDabLab.com

YOU WANT OPTIONS, WE’VE GOT OPTIONS

Besides a vibrant array of color options from the bestselling brands in the industry, here at The Dab Lab we have grinders that provide a super-fine, sand-like grind. We have others, like our Phoenician Grinders, which provide a more scissor-like final product that many find ideal for blunts.

Prices range from entry level to connoisseur, with features to match.

Our grinders are precision machined and expertly anodized for years and years of safe, fresh grinds.

When your grinder gets a little sticky and your threads hold more hash than your stash, a simple soak in a bong cleaning solution will have you back to brand new in no time.

When you are ready to upgrade your grinder, and your overall smoking experience, your buds here at The Dab Lab will be happy to take a spin at matching you up with the perfect grind.

UPDATE: In the late 90's, Silica Alchemy decided to make some glass paddles to replace the outdated metal knives from the silverware drawer. He called them "Hüfers" (word play on Huffer and Hoover). This was the first stepping stone to the "Vapor Swing" (mentioned below).

Humans have been making and smoking hash around the globe since at least 100 A.D., and now nearly two full millennia later we are still trying to perfect the method. Although butter knives certainly rocked our world in the 1990’s, it wasn’t until around 2010 that the game really began to change when it came to dabbing and vaporizing cannabis concentrates.

Simply combusting or burning full melt hash or butane hash oil with a lighter cannot generate enough sustained heat to thoroughly vaporize the hash and maximize its effects. As concentrates have exploded in popularity, so too have unique and innovative tools and techniques to take terp tasting to a whole new level, beginning with the birth of the boro glass male joint.

In 1996, California passed Prop 215 which established the world’s first legal major medical marijuana market. Though it took a few years to really get established, the Prop 215 market provided Cali’s cannabis users with access to high grades of hash and cannabis oil previously unseen on the streets.

Prices for these products started to rise along with their demand, and so connoisseurs sought more efficient ways to enjoy every last drop of their dab stash.

Forward-thinking glassblowers and other engineering types started wrapping their creative brains around this hot new trend and soon the age old concept of a vase-shaped bong with a grommeted female joint and a simple downstem was out and the endless imagination of dab rig designs featuring a glass on glass male joint took over.

SWING SETS

The first major evolution in dabbing technology came with the glass or titanium skillet and vapor curve.

The most commonly attributed pioneers of this tech whereas HashMasterKut and his sister, and thus, the HMK Vapor Curve and Skillet remain the most often referenced pieces from the era.

The premise is pretty simple. A glass, or more commonly titanium, skillet or plate is attached to a swing arm. You heat the skillet with your butane torch until it reaches your desired temperature. Then you swing that hot plate back down to the front of the dab rig where it sits directly under the borosilicate vapor curve.

The vapor curve is most often a rounded glass tube with a glass-on-glass female joint on one end, and a flared, bell-shaped opening on the other.

When you apply your concentrate to the heated skillet, the resulting vapors are then drawn up through the bell-like opening above and down into your dab rig on their way to your anxious taste buds.

This process not only did away with the sketchy look of getting high with kitchen knives, it made the entire dabbing process safer and even more sophisticated as glassblowers began to focus as much on form as they did on function.

Additionally, the glass-on-glass female fitting really pushed the glassblowing world to implement male joints into their higher end work for the first time

GETTING DOMED

The vapor curve was innovative, for sure, but it was also bulky and at times cumbersome depending on the style of the rig that it was attached to.

Seeking a more streamlined option, JP Toro of Toro Glass is widely credited for coming up with the traditional dome and dab nail setup that at one point in time dominated the dabbing culture.

Again, the concept isn’t quite rocket science, but this evolution in technique was definitely blasting people off.

By then, the male joint had really caught on in the world of functional glass art and Toro’s new idea became instantly popular as well. Utilizing the male joint on a dab rig, a borosilicate rod with a slightly concave dish on top is inserted. Phalanges on the rod hold the dab “nail” in place on the rim of the male joint.

Then a globe or tube shaped glass dome is placed over the top of the dab nail, sliding down snugly over around the tapered edge of the male joint on the dab rig.

An opening, typically on top of the dome, provides access to the head of the dab nail.

So heat the nail with your butane torch, then place the dome over the top, then apply your dab down through the opening in the dome and onto the warm nail head. The resulting vapors would be contained and condensed by the dome and then drawn down through the male joint and into the dab rig for further percolation and filtration on their way to your brain.

Even safer than the vapor curve and skillet, the dome and nail tech originally hyped by Toro went on to define dabbing for years to come.

Artists incorporated the design of their domes into that of the overall aesthetic of multi-thousand dollar dab rigs. A custom dome was often a conversation starter.

But all good things must come to an end and the days of the dome are definitely numbered, if not gone for good. Some connoisseurs still use them, especially when enjoying an older rig featuring a male joint.

THE TI RENNAISSANCE

Perhaps the most important influence that vapor curves and skillets/swings had on dabbing culture was the introduction of titanium as a more ideal dabbing surface than borosilicate.

Even during the dome days of dabbing, companies like Highly Educated began offering high grade titanium alternatives for dabbing with a male joint.

This upgrade almost certainly extended the window of supremacy for the dome and dab nail tech, but it wasn’t long before Task Rok at Highly Educated Titanium changed the game once again with the invention of the female domeless titanium nail.

This mind blowing new design took full advantage of the vast numbers of heady high end male jointed dab rigs in the market and truly simplified the dabbing routine by eliminating an entire step and moving part – the dome.

The wide dish design introduced by Highly Educated featured a vapor straw downstem in the center of the dabbing surface that would powerfully draw vapors down and into the dab rig before they could escape into the atmosphere.

The bottom half of most of these domeless titanium nails was tapered enough so that they could function properly with a snug and safe fit on either a 14mm or an 18mm male joint.

The fact that titanium doesn’t break like glass, the fact that putting the dome aside saves time and clutter, and the fact that better heat retention and a wider dish lent to fatter and tastier dabs all contributed to titanium being king for so long.

BANG, BANG … THE DEATH OF THE MALE JOINT

During the titanium revolution, ceramic nails made a brief appearance in the dabbing landscape but overall the substance could not keep up with hardcore concentrate lovers.

Over time, an onslaught of cheap, imported, low grade titanium (or worse) dab nails flooded the American market and way too many people fell for it. This led to less-than-desirable dabbing experiences as users would discover layers of built-up carbon deposits on their deteriorated nail head from past unvaped oil and poor manufacturing.

One guy who was several steps ahead of (almost) everyone in the dab game was a super talented glassblower out of Colorado by the name of Joel Halen.

Halen’s Honey Holes have been around since people purged their wax on top of their cable box, and Halen continues to push his creative limits to the max with new designs. What set the Halen Honey Hole apart was the fact that it is made out of high quality clear quartz.

Though it may look like regular borosilicate glass to the untrained eye, quartz is a much stronger material, offers far better heat resistance and retention, and it just so happens to deliver far tastier terps than glass or titanium.

The Halen Honey Hole has long been a favorite accessory on shop dab rigs in glassblowing studios and rumor has it that it was in just such a scenario that the next big thing was born.

As the story goes, a Mothership crew member purchased a few H3’s directly from Joel the first year he brought them out to the AGE show. Now, quartz is strong, but it’s not titanium, and so the tale continues that a Halen Honey Hole in use at the Mothership shop got broken slightly. Soon after, photos of a Frankenstein’d Honey Hole appeared online, but with the top rim sliced down at an angle from back to front.

It wasn’t long after that when the angle top quartz banger became the must-have accessory for any serious terp hunter.

Is that exactly how it went down? Maybe… maybe not…

But we do know that the crystal clear look and distinct profile of the quartz banger lent well to the aesthetic appeal that heady glass artists were trying to convey and soon the simplicity of the banger was driving the creativity of dab rigs.

Though there always have been, and still are, female jointed quartz bangers, you will easily be able to draw a straight line from the birth of the quartz banger to the inevitable final death of the male joint on a dab rig.

Halen is still at it, though he is quick to point out that he wasn’t the first.

He pays homage to another legend in the glass game, Ron over at Pukinbeagle who was creating quartz dabbing devices dating as far back as 2008!

IT AIN’T DEAD YET, BUT IT SURE LOOKS FUNNY…

The fact is, we all got plenty stoned and tasted plenty of flavor off of skillets or domed dabs, and we still can. Some people still prefer these old school methods, whether it be for nostalgic or practical reasons.

At TheDabLab.com, we still have some domes in stock from the glory days, and we still sell one every now and then – believe it or not! Getting a dab rig with a male joint is a great way to save some money! We have a bunch available with heavily marked down prices. We still carry dab nails for male jointed dab rigs too!

But as the entire cannabis concentrate craze goes mainstream, all trends are pointing to simplicity.

Those new to cannabis and concentrates are most often leaning towards vape pens for that very reason so while it may not be totally dead yet, we don’t really foresee the male glass-on-glass joint ever making a substantial cultural comeback. 

As you know, the process of taking a dab these days has become almost a ceremony, with lots of separate moving parts and ticking clocks and a separate heady stash of cleaning supplies.

While there is a time and a place for the full process to play out, many people want a quicker, cleaner, and easier way to enjoy their cannabis extracts and concentrates… hence, the rising popularity of the vape pen. But cold start dabs may just be the solution that a lot of cannabis lovers are looking for.

From boro glass nails and domes, to the titanium revolution and right up until the current quartz banger meta, the gear has changed over time but the basic premise of taking a dab has not…until now.

TRADITIONAL DABBING METHODS

Traditionally, the idea is that you will get your dab ready and waiting on the tip of your favorite dabber.

Then you heat your nail. This might take anywhere from 15-30 seconds of steady torching.

Then, depending on its style, the material it is made from, and your own personal preference, you let the nail or banger cool down a bit. This could take 30-60 seconds.

Then, finally, you apply your dab to that hot surface, inhale the vapors, exhale, and repeat if necessary.

If using a quartz banger, nail, or trough, etc., a lot of care must be taken to keep it looking clear and clean. If you dab on it when it is too hot, it will develop a hard black layer of funk on the walls.

To avoid this, timers are often used to determine the perfect cooldown times. Then, after the dab, a q-tip style cotton swab is used to mop up any excess and unvaped oil that may have pooled in the bottom of the banger.

That’s a lot to do and to remember for the average cannabis user, or especially for someone just getting acquainted with the plant. Now, with cold start dabs, there is an easier way.

COLD START DABS (also known as a REVERSE DAB)

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do a cold start dab, and thoughts on why they’re becoming so popular.

Other than the tools you need for a standard dab using a torch, there are only a couple requirements to do a Cold Start Dab. You will need a Quartz Banger style Dab Nail and some Cotton Swabs for cleaning. 

That’s it! But here’s where the cold start dab – or ‘reverse dab’ – earns its name.

Instead of heating your banger or nail first, and then applying the dab, we are going to reverse that order.

Step 1 – On the base/floor inside a room temperature clean quartz banger, bucket, trough, etc., place your desired amount of extract, hash, or concentrate. We know, we know, just bear with us!

Step 2 – With your glob of wax waiting, place the carb cap on top of the cool quartz banger, bucket or trough. A directional flow bubble cap on a flat top banger is the ideal setup for this method.

Cold cap, cold nail, cold wax… cold start dabs.

Step 3 - Using just the very tip of the flame of your butane torch, begin heating the very bottom of the quartz nail. This entire process should only take roughly 5-8 seconds. You’ll know when to cut the flame when you see your concentrate begin to boil and vaporize inside the nail.

*Note 1* This is why starting with, and maintaining, a clean, clear quartz nail is essential for this tech. You need to be able to see that vaporization process begin.

*Note 2* Focus on using just the tip of your flame on the very bottom of the nail. Avoid letting the flame wrap around or reach the borosilicate carb cap on top of the nail as it could break from excessive heat.

Step 4 – Once the oil is bubbling and beginning to break down and vaporize inside the quartz banger, you are ready to take your dab(s). Consider the fact that you can get to this step in well under 20 seconds, which just makes everything more efficient. With the carb cap still on, and your torch turned off, begin to inhale the vapors and work the directional flow of the cap.

You will be pleasantly surprised at how true the flavor is as the terpenes in your cannabis oils are not tarnished by the guessing game of temperatures that end up too high or too low. There is an exact and ideal temperature that different forms of extracts begin to vaporize, and with cold start dabs you are steadily climbing to that temperature and then taking advantage of it, instead of hoping to catch a small window of opportunity as the temperature rapidly drops.

Step 5 – You will need a cotton swab at the end to do away with any unvaped oil. But you will notice that there is substantially less of that waste, and you’ll notice that your favorite quartz banger, bucket, or trough is staying much cleaner for much longer.

It is not uncommon to have your quartz nail cost as much as your entire dab rig, so it is essential to keep it clean and functioning properly and cold start dabs can help you do that.

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That’s pretty much it! As you can see, you can dab at least 2-3x faster using this reverse dab/cold start dab technique, so it is a great way to keep plenty of heads happy at a party, event booth, or sesh.

One other variation is to pre-load several quartz inserts with your favorite dabs. They work perfectly with this cold start tech and can really help to keep your actual quartz nail looking brand new.

It is pretty remarkable that even after a 5,000 year relationship with cannabis, humans are still coming up with all new ways to smoke, vape, eat, drink, and otherwise reap the benefits of the miraculous plant.

What do you think? 

Have you tried this cold start dab method yet? 

Let us know in the comments and be sure to browse The Dab Lab online head shop for the hottest deals on all of the gear mentioned in this article, and so much more! 

For those of you who love smoking flower, you’re surely familiar with the sticky and nasty brownish-black resin that accumulates in your bong or pipe. Similarly, after just a few dabs of highly potent hash oil, you’ll notice a slightly different type of build-up which is known not as resin, but as reclaim.

If you’ve been smoking cannabis for as long as we have, you’ve probably had one of those rainy days when you were short on money, short on weed, and short on homies willing to come and hook you up. We’ve all been there…scraping away at our favorite glass spoon pipe or bong slide in an attempt to free up some chunky black resin for a desperate toke or two.

That gooey or crusty dark buildup on your daily driver is the result of layers and layers of cannabis smoke residue, and even though it looks pretty disgusting, it is still packed with THC and other cannabinoids that, in theory, can still get you baked. But, more often than not, pipe or bong resin is just going to give you a terrible taste in your mouth and an annoying headache for a few hours.

Recondensed reclaim from dabbing, however, can definitely be worth…well… reclaiming as there are several uses for it once you rescue it from your favorite dab rig or drop down.

WHAT IS RECLAIM?

Reclaim forms from your dabbing vapors first as a thin, golden layer of residue along the inner walls of your glass dab rig. As it gathers, it will eventually break off into the water and typically form into small, smooth yellowish-orange balls that float in your water.

A cannabis testing lab called MCR Labs recently tested several samples of dabbing reclaim and discovered that they not only still had fairly high concentrations of THC (40-50%), but that they were also relatively abundant in at least 4 other cannabinoids, including CBN.

They also affirmed that reclaim is at least 85% decarboxylated due to the high temperatures associated with dabbing. This means that it is very potent when infused or added into food or drinks, and can also be applied topically and be absorbed into the skin effectively.

*Note* Reclaim melts easily into coffee or hot chocolate, and can be applied to just about any food you can imagine. To avoid its spicy flavor and sticky texture, it can be filled into empty gel caps for easy ingestion. BUT, always start slow when eating or otherwise ingesting reclaim. Its effects are quick and hard hitting, then long lasting. You can always eat more, but you cannot undo it.

Of course, you can also dab it again. It will lack a substantial amount of its original terpenes, and due to the elevated CBN ratio it may deliver slightly more sedative effects than you remember from the fresh dabs, but it will give you a much needed head change on one of those rainy days.

HOW TO LAY CLAIM TO YOUR RECLAIM

Reclaim, like pipe or bong resin, is very sticky and unwieldy if you try to manipulate it with your fingers or hands. Just don’t.

Extremely hot water will reactivate it, and if you can loosen and drain some of those large balls or chunks of reclaim onto a non-stick surface like a silicone pad, that is ideal. But water rarely does the trick on its own.

For a crystal clear cleaning, you’ll likely need to resort to a non-toxic cleaner like the ones we offer here at The Dab Lab. Or, for a really sticky situation, perhaps some isopropyl alcohol or grain alcohol.

You really need to consider what your plan is for the reclaim once you have recovered it.

If you plan to ingest it, non-toxic options or grain alcohol is probably your best bet.

Anytime you use a solvent, the reclaim will break down and mix evenly with the fluid solvent that you used. That mixture then must be allowed to spread as thin as possible so that all residual solvent can evaporate out, eventually leaving you with a sticky film of leftover reclaim.

If you really want to smoke or dab it again, the methods above are not ideal, and you should consider investing in a simple  drop down attachment or a reclaimer adapter for your favorite dab rig. A proper drop down will trap a vast majority of your reclaim in a dry chamber before it ever reaches your percolator and your water.

When that trap chamber begins to reach its limit, simply detach the drop down from your rig, flip it over, and apply a gentle amount of heat as you watch the honey-like reclaim ooze its way down and out of your drop down and onto your non-stick silicone surface below.

Since no solvents of any kind (even water) were involved in that process, the resulting collection of reclaim should be safe for vaporizing.

DOWN THE DRAIN

Of course, the most common option is to just rinse reclaim right down the drain with the rest of the solvent and water being used to clean your dab rig. A lot of people feel that the time and effort needed to capture and store reclaim is not worth whatever potency or benefits it still possesses.

That is definitely a personal choice, and we certainly don’t save every spec of reclaim after our seshes, but hopefully we showed you that reclaim does have some value if you are willing to harvest it one way or another.

Do you have a killer edibles recipe using reclaim?
Or some other highest and best use for the sticky substance?
Let us know in the comments!

At the pace we are moving, it probably won’t be too long before heady glass dab rigs and bongs are common fixtures everywhere from tailgate parties to weddings, but for now you could face a steep fine or even a misdemeanor charge and some jail time depending on where you get popped taking tokes in public.

That’s the legal aspect of it, but there is also the social aspect.

Not everyone is as down with the plant as we are. When trying to sneak away from a crowd that joint you rolled might taste like blueberry muffins to you while you hit it, but the stale secondhand smoke can travel pretty far and is not appealing to most folks.

Maybe your mother-in-law is asleep down the hall and you finally have a chance to get your head right. Do you dare bust out the bong and pray that the telltale sound of percolating water doesn’t betray you? Or worse, your dab rig and torch to imitate a military jet taking off as you try heat your quartz banger… no way.

Instead, we’ve got the absolute best options here to toke your terps and dab your dank discreetly. With this undercover gear from TheDabLab.com you’ll be the life of the party and they’ll be none the wiser!

OIL VAPE PENS

Shown Above: GiGi Vaporizer by SeshGear for use with Pre-filled Vape Cartridges (Extremely Discreet)

Recent feedback from states like Colorado, Oregon, and California have shown that consumers are buying and using much less cannabis flower than they used to. Instead many are turning to alternative options like vaporizer pens loaded with high potency cannabis oil.

Oil Vape Pens basically consist of a battery, a chamber or tank for the oil to be loaded into, and a mouthpiece.

High quality options like the Orb XL Travel Kit from SourceVapes or the R2 Rig from #THISTHINGRIPS will offer variable voltage so that you can dial in the temperature you prefer to vape at, as well as adjustable airflow to deliver lung expanding blasts of awesome flavor and effects.

The best part is that when you are vaping cannabis oil, the secondhand vapor is typically very minimal (especially if you keep your voltage/temperatures low) and its aroma is generally very non-offensive. Most extracts or pre-filled cartridges smell nothing like combusted cannabis once vaped and exhaled.

Some people prefer to load their own wax, budder, shatter, or rosin into their vape pen and at The Dab Lab we have an unrivaled selection of the very best options for that use from trusted brands like Pax, Firefly, GPen, Yocan, #THISTHINGRIPS, Wulf Vapes, Magic Flight, Cloud Vapes, Exxus, Atmos, Apollo Airvape, Stag Vapor Co., SourceVapes, and more!

For those who get their oil in pre-filled cartridges we have some cool options to accommodate those as well – be sure to check out the super discreet Selfie Vaporizer from Sutra, the Snap Vaporizer from Exxus, and the Duo Vaporizer from Wulf Vape for a palm-sized, easily-concealed, long-lasting and heavy-hitting option for enjoying your pre-filled carts everywhere you go.

HERBAL VAPORIZERS 

If you absolutely must have some actual flower in your daily routine but you know that the stench of burnt buds is bound to blow your cover, we’ve got your back.

Though not quite as discreet as an oil vape pen, using a handheld herbal vaporizer can put your head in the clouds while keeping you under the radar.

When you use a legit herbal vape like the Atmos Jump (shown above), or the various herbal options that we carry from Wulf Vape, you know that your herb is being heated by convection vaporization, instead of straight combustion like with fire, and this leads to a much less offensive odor from the resulting vapors.

When used at the proper temperature, the amount of vapor exhaled by the user is nearly invisible and carries very little odor.

CHILLUMS

Vaped herb doesn’t float everyone’s boat however, so if you are really craving a taste of some old school herb but you don’t want to make a scene, a pocket-sized one-hitter, or chillum, could be just what you are looking for.

A chillum (or a “onie” as they are sometimes referred to) is a basic pipe usually crafted with a bowl just large enough to jam one good hit into. Simply hold the chillum in your palm and make a fist, totally concealing all but the end you light and the end you toke. Since you are taking the entire bowl down in one rip, there should be little or no residual smoke wafting off the tip of the pipe so whatever you exhale will be the only evidence.

Chillums are quick and easy but, like any pipe, they begin to stink more and more with each use. It’ll do you no good if you sneak away successfully and then come back to the crowd with a resin-coated tube in your pocket. You’ll need to stash it.

STORAGE/TRANSPORT

Just because the vapors from your wax or herbs don’t smell much doesn’t mean that the flowers and extracts themselves don’t. Do not count on a ziplock bag or a scrap of parchment paper. An important part of smoking discreetly is storage – where will you stash your tools and meds when they are not in use?

Especially when traveling it is crucial to have an odor-proof bag or case to not only keep your gear safe, but to keep it a secret as well.

The T Case is a great option that offers rugged hard-shell outer protection, with customizable pluck-out foam padding inside. The best part is that no matter what you put in there, or how bad it smells, that odor will be locked in tight once you buckle down the latches.

Similarly, RYOT cases and bags provide plenty of padding for peace of mind along with activated carbon SmellSafe technology to keep odors in. These are perfect to stash your vape pen, tools, accessories, and whatever you choose to load it with safely and discreetly.

Both brands offer an everyday stylish look with a variety of sizes to choose from.

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There is a time and a place to puff loud and proud, but when discretion is key the proper tools and accessories from TheDabLab.com can make staying baked all day nobody’s business but yours.

Ok, let’s be honest. How many of you really clean your bong after each and every sesh?

Ok, now how many of you remove the downstem completely each time you clean your tube or beaker bong?

If you’ve still got your hand raised, that’s great! But sadly, you are probably one of the few. Most bongs, bubblers, pipes, and heady dab rigs might get thoroughly cleaned once every five, or ten, or fifty seshes.

Even when downstems are removable, they are often ignored as long as they work. But long before the buildup of resin causes a problem with percolation, it may have already created an issue further up the stem.

MY DOWNSTEM IS STUCK – HOW DID THAT HAPPEN

It doesn’t take much sticky residue buildup between the joint on your glass bong and the glass downstem seated inside of it to cause the downstem to become stuck.

During regular use of your bong or bubbler there is a certain degree of heat transfer between your glass bowl or slide and the glass joint and the glass downstem. That heat can activate and re-activate resin buildup in the area creating a dangerously tight seal that can prevent you from being able to remove the downstem without fear of breaking any of the glass parts.

Another common cause for a stuck or jammed glass downstem, ironically, often occurs just after doing the right thing by cleaning your glass bong or bubbler often and removing the downstem to clean it separately.

What can cause a problem is if the glass joint on the bong or bubbler and the outside surface of the glass downstem are not thoroughly dried before reinsertion. Even if they are both perfectly clean, the residual moisture can form a difficult seal making removal a nerve-wracking event.

The third most common cause for a stuck downstem is when it becomes jammed downward by some incidental contact with a table, or elbow, lighter, or anything you can think of really.

DOWNSTEM IS STILL STUCK – NOW WHAT

We asked around on Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, and more on what to do and here are a handful of methods that we came up with for freeing up a stuck downstem on your favorite glass bong or bubbler.

METHOD 1: PIPING HOT WATER

Start by trying to run the hottest tap water from your sink directly over the area where the downstem enters the bong or bubbler. If your hand can stand the temperature of the water momentarily, reach in and firmly (but cautiously) pinch the sides of the exposed portion of the downstem and gently try to twist and pull. With any luck, that combination of heat and water lubrication will do the trick.

METHOD 2: KILL IT WITH FIRE

If that downstem is still stuck due to resin, you can try your dab torch or a triple flame torch. Just quickly apply moving heat to the affected area with the very tip of the flame of your torch. You do not want to hold the flame to the glass for long as you could damage the glass. If there is visible resin or reclaim buildup, you will see it begin to activate from the heat.

Knowing that the glass downstem will be hot from the torch, use a pot holder or heat resistant gloves to try the same technique as above, gently trying to twist and pull the downstem up and out of the bong while the buildup is still boiling a bit.

METHOD 3: SCIENCE!

If the gunk has caked up so bad that those two methods didn’t even make a dent, don’t give up yet! There are some great glass cleaners on the market these days, like Dark Crystal, Grunge Off, or Formula 420. Just fill the water chamber of your bong enough that the downstem and joint are in contact with the cleaning solution and let everything soak.

With any luck the muck will break down and within 24-48 hours you should be able to gently twist and pull your downstem to freedom.

METHOD 4: TAP, TAP, TAP

When your stem is stuck from moisture being trapped between two glass pieces, the ideas above (hot water, tip of the torch) may come in handy. But another option gets brought up often enough by those who know such things that we think you ought to know too.

It sounds a bit strange at first but bear with us. You’ll want a large spoon, preferably wooden. Some folks wrap the spoon in a towel, some use it bare, but the idea is to gently tap-tap-tap the head of the spoon all around the joint where the downstem is stuck.

Surprisingly enough, the subtle vibration from the spoon’s impact can be just enough to shake loose a seemingly stuck stem and this simple yet effective technique has saved many heady bongs and daily driver bubblers from being scrapped.

METHOD 5: LAST RESORT

One final trick that cames in particularly handy when a downstem is just jammed a bit is to find a pair of pliers with the rubber coated handles. You do not want to apply metal to glass with any amount of force, but using the soft grip rubber handles you may be able to grip the neck of the downstem just where it meets the glass joint of the bong or bubbler. If so, slowly and carefully tilt the head of the pliers downward creating a lever action to (hopefully) raise the downstem up/outward.

Of course, all of these methods require extreme caution so you do not damage your glass or yourself.

Not every situation has an easy solution, but based on the causes that we discussed above these tips and tricks might just get that downstem unstuck.

If you managed to loosen things up enough to get your downstem out, congratulations, not everyone is so fortunate. If not, hopefully it will continue to function until, well, it doesn’t. Just clean it up the best you can with the stem in and keep on rippin! 

Thoroughly cleaning and drying your downstem and your bong, bubbler, or dab rig often can go a long way towards prevention.

At The Dab Lab we carry a great variety of scientific glass bongs and bubblers as well as some really heady and affordable glass pieces as well, many of which have the useful option of the removable downstem.

If you recently had to retire a piece due to a jammed up joint we’re sure you can find a new favorite at TheDabLab.com – your one stop shop for all smoking and toking needs. 

Well, glass pipes have not been around quite that long, but the art of glassblowing dates back to some of our earliest civilizations. It was not until the Roman empire of 30 B.C. that colored glass rods and blow tubes started to be used to create valuable artistic hollow glass vessels for the highest members of society at the time.

It took nearly 2000 years for glassblowers to realize that they could fashion this art form into smoking devices, but it was then that the earliest versions of glass pipes emerged, still reserved for the rich and elite due to their rarity.

Eventually, we arrive at the 1970’s where pretty much everything created – like bellbottoms, disco music, and white people with afros – has failed to stand the test of time...everything, that is, except the first patent for glass pipes, which was filed in 1977.

For two and a half decades after that patent was filed, glassblowers enjoyed blazing a new and exciting trail in the fast-growing industry of pipe and bong making, pushing the techniques of the past to new levels.

The Feds began to take notice of the flow of cash rushing into this quasi-legal business model, and in 2003 they launched a sting called Operation Pipe Dreams which targeted headshops, smoke shops, and glass artists nationwide in what was an attempt by law enforcement to curb the illegal sale of drug paraphernalia.

One day in 2003, 100 homes and businesses were raided, and 55 indictments were handed out to suspects. 54 of the 55 indictments resulted in either a fine or a form of house arrest. The 55^th was for the infamous Tommy Chong who was made to be an example, and was sentenced to 9 months in prison for his part in helping to market his son’s “Chong Glass Works” branded bongs and pipes.

These were dark times for glass artists and for their bread n’ butter wholesale customers, but the federal government didn’t have the budget, the manpower, nor the appetite to continue the charade forever. Some of today’s most popular glass artists lived (and worked) through these scary times. Those who took up the trade in the last 10 years or so, however, owe a debt of gratitude to those who stared down the law and kept the art form alive.

There is a fantastic documentary available on DVD and streaming on your favorite sites online titled Degenerate Art: The Art and Culture of Glass Pipes.

Directed by old school legend Marble Slinger and released in 2011, the film combines face to face interviews, historical context, as well as footage of artists creating and showcasing their finished works. If you have not seen it yet, you should look it up right away!

Today’s glass pipes range from super affordable production type pieces, to wholly unique works of art that Picasso himself would be stoked to get baked with. And you know that your buds at The Dab Lab have all of those options, and more, available for you whenever you are ready to support the glass art movement and add to your own collection.

What will the glass pipes of tomorrow look like?

We’re not sure but we can’t wait to see how today’s glass artists push and inspire the next generation, and you know we’ll have the headiest options on deck for you here at The Dab Lab.

The heads of these “trichs” contain the strain-specific blend of cannabinoids – such as THC – that give you the effects that you seek from the plant. So, in other words, it’s not the leaves of the bud that are getting you baked, it’s those sticky icky trichomes and the oils they contain.

For centuries, cannabis connoisseurs have been perfecting the way that they separate those trichs from the plant material, to concentrate the potency of the smoking experience.

When the oils from inside those trichomes are harvested/extracted properly, the end product is what we call a “dab”. A dab is a single dose of this highly concentrated cannabis oil that will vaporize thoroughly when applied to a heated surface, such as a titanium or quartz domeless nail. Those vapors are then inhaled at a potency of anywhere from 60-99% THC, as compared to the highest lab tested cannabis buds which in their natural form might contain 25-30% THC.

Check out our past blog for a detailed look at the different consistencies that your dabs may come in.

These are some of the most common extraction methods in use today:

Water Hash/Ice Water Extract

One of the oldest methods of all, and still very popular among those who are opposed to having harsher solvents used in their process. All this takes is cannabis, ice, water, and agitation. The ice and cold water works to physically break the trichome heads off of the plant matter. Everything is then passed through a series of very fine mesh filters which only allows the water and the desired trich heads to get by. The water is then allowed to dry out and the processed hash is virtually ready to dab. Even the highest quality water hash dabs tend to leave some residue behind when dabbed, but the powerful, natural effect is very unique and refreshing.

Rosin

Relatively new to the dabbing scene is the rosin tech. Rosin is created with no solvents whatsoever, using just heat and pressure. Either a juicy bud, or some select kief or hash, is placed into a fine mesh screen pouch. That loaded pouch is then placed in between two temperature controlled metal plates that are pressed together at extreme pressures. This squeezes the oils from the trich heads and oozes out a clean puddle of fresh dabs.

CO2

Considering the fact that we produce CO2 every time we breathe, it is a virtually non-toxic gas. This makes it very safe to use to extract cannabis oil, when using the proper equipment. The supercritical temps and pressure used by these systems often strips the terpenes which can be added back later on in the process. This gooey cannabis oil is most often used in vape pen cartridges where it works very well.

BHO (Butane Hash Oil)

Probably the most popular, and most common, form of the dab is BHO.

Using the polarity of the pressurized butane and the extremely cold temperatures it is delivered at, the oils are chemically separated from the plant matter when the butane is introduced to the buds. The liquefied butane and its associated fumes are very toxic and VERY flammable, making this process quite dangerous when not done properly.

But, assuming that the process itself goes down without any incidents or injuries, and assuming that the residual or leftover butane is successfully purged out of the extracted oil, BHO can then be made into everything from shatter, to budder, to live resin, and pretty much every other consistency that people enjoy for their dabs.

Proper BHO should give you an amplified version of the strength, aroma, flavor, and effects of the strain of cannabis used in the extraction.

To use dabs you will need some Dab Accessories or an Oil Vape Pen all found here at The Dab Lab. 

The two most common ways to rotate a piece of glass in the flame of the torch are to spin the glass by hand (Hand Spun), or by attaching the glass to a mechanical lathe that will spin it at the artist’s desired speed (Lathe Made).

More often than not, you can tell the difference between the two by looks alone. There are certain tell-tale characteristics of rigs or bongs that are spun by hand versus those spun by machine.

The Lathe Made glass bongs and dab rigs that we have available here at The Dab Lab are a great example.

Take the work that we proudly carry by Rawlins Glass. The crisp, sharp lines and angles and the flawless sizing, spacing, and function of every aspect of his work just shimmers with the perfection of a mechanically spun process. Downstems and percolators are always placed and lined up precisely. Another dead giveaway is the perfectly balanced and extremely thick flared base that you’ll find on many of his taller pieces.

There is really no disadvantage to Lathe Made glass, although the buyer should expect to pay a bit for it to compensate for the added skillset of the artist and the added risk and overhead costs incurred when making such pieces.

Hand Spun glass is usually (but not always) headier than Lathe Made Glass. The straight tube sections are generally shorter on Hand Spun as well, and might not always be exactly straight. Angles get rounded and lines begin to bulge on most Hand Spun glass pieces, but more often than not this only adds to their charm and even their value as they can be difficult to mass reproduce.

Diffusion is often simpler on heady Hand Spun glass rigs or bongs than the intricate percs that you typically see on Lathe Made scientific glass pieces. Experienced artists can hand spin a very well-balanced base, but if they are flared it is usually more like a wine glass, and not as thick or solid as those spun on a lathe.

Hand Spun glass is much more common than Lathe Made glass, mostly due to the fact that a good lathe can run several thousand dollars, used, and as much as a car or truck if you want to buy a new one.

On top of the high cost, they take up a lot of space in a glassblowing studio, and suck even more power which adds to an artist’s overhead costs each month.

But are there advantages of one method over the other? Not really. It’s up to you, and the look and chug that you prefer.

Hopefully, by using some of the pointers and clues that we have given you today, it will help you to decide which style suits you best! 

The effect that you receive from dabbing hash oil is multitudes higher than how you feel after smoking a bowl or taking a toke of cannabis flower.

The strongest lab tested weed is coming back between 25-35% THC, while hash oil extractions have pushed that scale up to nearly pure 99.9% THC.

When you strip away all of the plant matter, properly processed hash oil is full of cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes in an incredibly tasty concoction that packs a punch unlike any bong-load ever could.

Are Dabs Too Strong?

Just because dabs are powerful and potent does not mean that they are only for hardcore stoners or high tolerance hotshots.

Here are a few tips and facts to help you make sure that your dabbing experience is not only safe for you and your friends, but as pleasurable and awesome as can be too!

Lab Testing – Most dispensaries and extractors these days are having their products lab tested before they are put out to the public. Customers are picky as can be these days when shopping for concentrates, so a clean lab test is good for sales. As a dabber, you should demand clean lab tests on the hash oil that you will be vaping. Residual butane in your BHO, or mold in your water hash can be harmful to your health - demand better.

Dosing – Know your limits! It doesn’t matter how delicious that last dab tasted, or if peer pressure is mounting, or if you are trying to make a perfect Instagram video…don’t overdo it! Someone new to dabbing should get at least 40 dabs out of a gram of hash oil. Start small and work your way up, giving yourself plenty of time in between dabs to make sure you are still feeling ok.

Set & Setting – Taking your first dab at a Cannabis Cup or similar event probably isn’t the best idea. Ideally your first few dab seshes will be in a place where you are comfortable, with people who have your best interests in mind. A comfortable seat always helps, as does a glass of water. If the effect of a powerful dab is overwhelming your first time, just remind yourself that it’s all-good and that you are in a good place.

Proper Tools – Here is where we come in at The Dab Lab. What’s the use in seeking out clean, safe lab tested concentrates if you are just going to unsafely vaporize it off of a janky knockoff domeless titanium or quartz nail? Or store it in a low-grade silicone container instead of a platinum cured medical grade option from us? Like you, we take our dabbing very seriously and so we make sure that all of the best and most innovative tools and accessories are available for you here in our store.

Dabbing is an excellent alternative for people who enjoy the effects of cannabis, but do not want to deal with the mess or smell of traditionally smoking weed. The fact that dabs carry a higher potency level should not be a deterrent, or something to be feared, but instead should be respected and utilized to maximize your cannabis using experience.

Dabbing is great for people who have sensitive lungs, but need the effect of THC/CBD quickly. Just a tiny dab will do!

A hemp-woven rope dating back to 26,900 BC was recently discovered in Czechoslovakia, making it the oldest known relationship between the plant and mankind. The oldest known written record of cannabis use comes to us from Chinese Emperor Shen Nung back in 2727 BC.

The fact of the matter is that for the vast majority of human history worldwide, the cannabis plant was not only legal, but a preferred crop for its usefulness in textiles and medicine…and probably a little bit of getting baked. Colonialists arriving to the new world to establish America relied on the fast growing and highly sustainable plant to quite literally outfit the revolution that founded this country. Hell, the Declaration of Independence was drafted on hemp paper!

Throughout the 1800’s, cannabis and various forms of its extracts were used medicinally to help with a variety of ailments. 

In the 1900’s, Mexican soldiers fighting in the Mexican Revolution showed Americans that the plant had recreational value as well. It was literally resentment towards Mexican immigrants that, in part, led to the begging of cannabis prohibition and by 1931, 29 states had outlawed it.

Another driving force was William Randolph Hearst, who owned the prominent news outlets of the day. He used those outlets to help stoke the racist fears. It was his own fear of hemp replacing lumber to make newspapers that truly drove his hatred of the cannabis plant.

In 1937, Samuel Caldwell was the first person arrested under the newly drafted Marijuana Tax Act. He was sentenced to four years of hard labor after being convicted of selling the “evil weed”. 

In 1970, the Marijuana Tax Act was replaced by President Richard Nixon with the Controlled Substances Act, which sinfully placed cannabis at the top of the list as a Schedule I drug allegedly as dangerous as heroin in the eyes of the US government.

And there it sits to this day... But strides have been made!

In 1996, the state of California passed Prop 215 and SB 420, effectively laying the groundwork for the massive medical marijuana movement that would quickly consume the country.

In 1931, 29 states outlawed cannabis. Today, 29 states and Washington DC have robust medical marijuana programs. 8 states have taken the step to legalize marijuana on the recreational level for adult use.

With this rapid acceleration of legality has come a societal acceptance with cannabis and cannabis users that had been unfortunately lost in our culture for decades due to bullshit propaganda. It has also encouraged more experimentation with ways to enjoy cannabis which has led to groundbreaking advancements in topicals, edibles, and concentrates.

4/20 has traditionally been the code for smoking cannabis. You can do it at twenty minutes after four, or on the twentieth day of April, or preferably both, to celebrate the plant.

With the rise of dabs, dabbing, and hash oil, a new code has entered the lexicon – 7:10 

The genius Task Rok of Highly Educated Titanium came up with the concept of looking at the number 710 upside-down to spell the word OIL. So now, like 4/20 before it, 7/10 is the new dabber’s holiday.

We here at The Dab Lab were not around in ancient China or even in the 1930’s prohibition era, but we’ve been around! We’ve seen medical and recreational legalization become a reality and we’ve seen the dabbing revolution take shape and turn into the subculture that it is today and we have been there every step of the way offering you the best gear at the best prices all with one visit to TheDabLab.com

We have found a new high with the innovative new Quartz Insert - options available now here at The Dab Lab from Quartz Tech and Eternal Quartz .

The two questions we get the most about these must-have items is – What is the best way to use it and what size will fit my nail?

First you need to have a Flat Top Quartz Banger domeless nail, such as one of our options from Hoyes, Quartz Tech, Halen, or Mad Rob Quartz. But before you buy one you need to know what size to get.

The easiest way to find the right size quartz insert for your nail is to visit our Compatibility Master List . If you have one of the nails in the list, select it from the drop-down menu and a list of compatible sizes will appear. But if the nail you have isn’t in our list or you just want to double check to make sure you will need to do a little math. 

Step 1

Find out the outer diameter of your nail head. If it was sold as a 25mm Banger, then 25mm represents the outer diameter of your nail head.

Step 2

Find out the thickness if your nail head. You can refer back to where you purchase the nail from or use a pair of calipers to measure the thickness (this will also work for step 1).

Step 3

Now take the outer diameter of your nail and subtract double the thickness of your nail. 

Example: 25mm head – (2 x 3mm thick head) = 25 – 6 = 19

Step 4

The number you get represents the size of the insert you will need. That size should fit, but to be safe, we always recommend getting 1mm smaller. So in the example above, we would have bought a 18mm insert.

Once you’ve got your banger and correct size insert, there are the 3 ways to use your new Quartz Insert to take your terps to the next level!

Option 1

With everything at room temp, place the empty Insert into the head of the banger. Then proceed to heat your banger as you normally would. The heat will transfer from the quartz banger to the quartz dish, giving you an enhanced version of a Thermal P dab nail.

Advantage: Superior heat retention gives you plenty of time to get your dab into the dish or take very large dabs.

Disadvantage: Longest heat-up time

Option 2

With everything at room temp, heat the insert itself, holding it with Reverse Tweezers, then place it into the room temp banger and wait as long as you would on a regular domless quartz nail to apply the dab. Once the vapor has cleared, remove the insert and clean with Tip Tech Cotton Swabs.

Advantage: This can keep your banger head looking sparkling new for much longer. If/when you need to replace something, the insert is much more affordable than an entirely new domeless nail.

Disadvantage: Less heat retention than the 1^st method means you can’t take giant globs without a little waste. Use caution when handling a hot or warm Quartz Insert Dish.

Option 3

With everything at room temp, load your preferred size dab into the insert, and then heat the head of your Flat Top Banger as you normally would. Once you have it at your desired temp, place the pre-loaded insert into the heated banger head (Halen quartz recommends waiting 10 seconds before placing the insert inside the head after heating) and when the oil begins to bubble and boil, carb cap that baby and rip it slow and steady for the ultimate flavor burst.

Advantage: This is the tastiest way we have found to dab from a quartz nail so far. The gradual rise in quartz-to-quartz heat transfer ensures that you are vaporizing your oil at the most ideal and lowest temp possible.

Disadvantage: Not really any so far, unless you wait too long after the oil begins to bubble, which can occasionally result in slightly too hot of a dab.

A post shared by Joel Halen Quartz (@joelhalenquartz) on Oct 2, 2017 at 3:50pm PDT

The Dab Lab brings you the latest and greatest dabbing, smoking, and vaporizing rigs, tools, accessories and everything else that you need to get the most out of your dabs and tokes. Getting the sizing right is crucial on these new Quartz Insert so be sure to check the details on the product pages to get exactly what you need. Still not sure? Hit us up and we will help you figure it out! 

It’s not just chips that started out as a mistake though, Post-It Notes, penicillin, and pacemakers too! Even chocolate chip cookies and color-changing fumed glass pipes! Yep, that’s right. We’ve all hit a fumed pipe or bong, right? It all began as a mistake in the humble studio of the legendary artist, Bob Snodgrass. Ol’ Snoddy accidentally dipped a bit of silver in front of his torch while working away one day and boom, or rather *FUME*, a new style of glass art was created.

Fumed glass is as popular as ever these days. When glass artists place precious metals like gold, platinum, and silver in between their torch flame and the glass they are working with, the ultra-high temp of the flame vaporizes the metals, releasing fumes that are then carried by the flame to the glass to make some awesome looking iridescent designs that are often then encased with more clear glass.

Check out this dope spoon pipe from Custom Creations below, available now in our store. This twisted fumed pipe is thick and solid and is accented brilliantly with a sweet millie cluster mib on the side of the bowl.

Though gold and silver are most commonly used, the skill of the artist can pull a killer variety of shades and hues of colors from the metal into the glass. When you hold your new, or sparkling clean, pipe up to a lighter colored background, you will see the transmitted colorful patterns in the glass. As you darken the background, often those patterns “pop” even more giving the effect of the colors actually changing. This is why as a fumed pipe fills with dark resin, people often talk about the newly visible spectrum of color. Unlike more recently popular UV-reactive glass, fumed glass does not actually “change color”, it just reveals more with use. 

Here at The Dab Lab, we have a heady selection of fumed pipes, bongs, bowls and slides, as well as dab rigs and more, all from the artists you love and prices you love too. Show us your before/after color-changing fumed glass pics on Instagram! #thedablab

If you keep hearing the term “heady” being used to describe a piece of glass, but you see no heads on it, and you are confused, we got your back. The best way to think of what makes a piece of glass art – like a pipe, rig, or bong – heady, is to think of what would make such items the opposite of heady, what we call “scientific”.

Scientific glass is just like it sounds – usually lots of straight lines, beaker shapes, and always clear, colorless glass. So heady glass is the opposite of that! With heady glass, explosions of colors and patterns and designs worked into and onto the glass by experienced and talented glass artists lead to a never-ending medium of art that is getting more and more impressive as today’s artists build on the skills they learned from their predecessors and push it all to another level altogether.

Though there are exceptions to the rule, heady glass pieces are usually not mass-produced, and are typically created from the highest quality materials. The inclusion of precious metals like gold or silver for fuming, shaped or chunks of opals for encasing, or rare millies, add visual appeal to a heady glass piece, but also drive up the price.

Artists spend considerably more time on their heady glass work, which also affects the price tag at the end, but ensures that you are getting a unique and hand-crafted piece of art that often retains value or even in some cases gains in value over time.

Want to see some? Better yet, want to buy some at amazing prices? You’re in luck, you’ve found The Dab Lab! Some heady pipes are intricately sculpted like our lineup from Bard Glass and Jordy Minnick. Others are cold-worked with deep sandblasting or carving like the beauties from Liberty Glass, or the eye-catchers from Pa Jay. And those are just a small selection… of just our dry pipes!

As soon as you start browsing our easy-to-use web store, your jaw will drop from the incredible variety of heady glass pipes, bongs, dab rigs, dabbers, carb caps, pendants, and so, so much more. We’ve got price points and options to help everybody put a little more color into their glass collection. Having a hard time deciding? Shoot us a message with your budget and ideal features and we will pair you up with a perfect piece of heady glass!

Over the millennia, the cannabis plant has taken on many nicknames such as marijuana, weed, herb, bud, reefer, and so many more. But if you thought the plant form had a lot of names, trying to figure out the growing list of types of concentrates and dabs can be a bit overwhelming for those new to dabbing. “Dabs” or “Dabbing” refers to vaporizing the highly potent and flavorful oils that are extracted from the cannabis plant by a variety of methods. Heck, if you squeeze a bud hard enough it’ll ooze out some dabs!

This article will educate you about the many different types of dabs that you may come across, as well as the best type of dabbing tool from our store here at The Dab Lab, so that you can be in the know at your next sesh.

Sap / Distillate 

Best Dabber Style: Flat / Scoop / Spoon

This distilled cannabis oil is typically very low in viscosity, making it runny and gooey, especially when artificial terpenes are added for flavoring. A flat, or spoon-shaped dabber works best for this type of dab, with titanium being preferred since its heat transfer capability will help move the goo off your dabber and onto your nail. Check out these two affordable options from Ti King.

Pull and Snap / Taffy

Best Dabber Style: Ball Point or Flat

When you see an unexperienced person try to get a modest dab of Pull and Snap, it can be hilarious as they entangle themselves in a web of messy waxy dabs…unless it’s your dabs. As the name implies, Pull and Snap, or Taffy, often looks a lot like Shatter, but due to ambient temperature or some different step in the processing of the cannabis oil, it doesn’t shatter and just gets very stringy if you’re not careful. Instead, you just use your dabbing tool to sort of measure off the size of the dab you want, then press down and quickly and briskly pull the dabber away, “snapping off” the desired dab without the mess.

Once again, Ti King has a few variations if you are looking for an unbreakable titanium dabber. We also have some heady boro glass dabbers – like these vibrant boro crayon and pencil style dabbers from Rodz Glass, or Brother Bud’s colorful array of glass Dabbers with built-in Carb Caps - that work great with this taffy-like consistency.

Sugar Wax / Sauce

Best Dabber Style: Flat / Scoop / Spoon

Super hyped right now, this hybrid consistency of runny oil and chunky, potent THC crystals can be a bit tricky to dose for yourself if you don’t have the right dabbing tool. Since this type of cannabis oil is meant to be a terpene and flavor-rich experience, you’ll want low temperature dabs, so this Ti King Flat Titanium Dabber with an attachable carb cap is perfect.

Shatter

Best Dabber Style: Flat / Pointed

With the right dabber, Shatter can be very manageable. Without it, you’ll be finding shards in your beard, car seat, or carpet way too often after your stash literally shatters apart. By using a sharply pointed or flat bladed dabber from The Dab Lab, you can cut off the ideal sized dose, then just stab it and dab it! In fact, aside from the Ballpoint options, every dabber you see in the Dabbers & Carb Caps section of our site works well with proper shatter.

Wax / Crumble

Best Dabber Style: Flat / Scoop / Spoon

Whipped to induce air into the curing cannabis oil, Crumble or Wax is a much drier form of dabs. Super popular until the Shatter era, Crumble is now making a comeback for its ease of use with vape pens and its ability to capture and deliver the essence of the strain used to make the oil. Sometimes, when it is too dry, or too crumbly, you need to use your dabber to mash some smaller pieces together to form a respectable dab. You also don’t want to try to balance Crumble on a pointed or small head of a dabbing tool. So a nice flat head dabber should do the trick. 

Crystalline

Best Dabber Style: Flat / Scoop / Spoon

With lab testing often coming back at anywhere from 99.5% to 99.9% pure THC, this Crystalline form of concentrated cannabis is no joke. However, that steep THC count is usually matched by a steep price, so you don’t want to waste one grain of this sugary looking hash. Since it’s not sticky at all, you want to scoop a decent pile of it onto a  flat dabber, and then just dump it onto your warm quartz bucket or banger, or domeless titanium nail, and then its blast off time! 

THC Diamonds

Best Dabber Style: Scoop / Spoon

This is the newest hype among oil enthusiasts. We're not entirely sure what the process is to make these "gems", so you'll have to do more research to find out that information. This type of dab is hard like rock candy and sometimes comes submerged in extra terpy sappy oil. Towards the end of the extraction process the oil undergoes a separation of THC (the diamond) and Terps (the sappy oil). We recommend a scoop or spoon shaped dabber with a sharp edge, so you can break the THC Diamonds into smaller pieces if need and you can scoop a piece up without getting any sappy oil on your fingers and essentially wasting dabs! 

In fact, we have so many torches that it can be a bit overwhelming to sort through them all if you are not sure what you are looking for. That’s why we created this handy dandy Dab Torch Buyer’s Guide, which should help you determine exactly which torch is best for you.

One thing that all of these torches have in common is that they are all fueled by butane gas, which is of course highly flammable, so always exercise caution and good sense when using your torch. That is really where the similarities end, so we will break down the 4 most common sizes that you will see here in our store, with the pro’s and con’s about each size.

MINI TORCHES

These very small handheld pocket torches aren't really designed to heat a quartz banger. They are best for lighting cigars, joints, and bog bowls. If you are looking for a torch for that purpose, check out Zico Torches here at The Dab Lab. Scroll down to check out the best entry level dab torch!

SMALL TORCHES

Our “small” series of torches from the company Special Blue are perfect for travel. The Special Blue Diablo Torch is very useful for heating quartz bangers. The lowest priced torch in our store, this model features a manufacturer warranty, a flame height adjuster, a removable stand, and more.This torch will take longer to heat the average dab nail than some of our larger options (especially bangers with extra thick 30mm heads), but the price is just so appealing!

MEDIUM TORCHES

The Blazer Big Buddy Torch is the perfect medium sized torch. Blazer is well known for their high quality torches and the Big Buddy is only $40! The medium size makes it good for traveling but still plenty big enough for regular at home use with any size quartz banger. This is the most popular Dab Torch here at The Dab Lab

LARGE TORCHES

For those who want the fastest and most efficient heating time when dabbing, the Blazer Big Shot GT 8000 is just what you’re looking for. The piezo crystal instant ignition ensures frustration-free dabbing, and blazing fast heat-up times on even the largest titanium or quartz nails, buckets, bangers and troughs. The price of this torch is slightly higher than the smaller models, but its high efficiency will save you money on butane over the long run. One of the most popular dab torches on the market today can be yours when you shop online at The Dab Lab.

Most buyers will probably want to browse the products described under the “Medium” and “Large” sections of this Buyer’s Guide, but don’t count out the many uses of the “Mini” and “Small” sizes too!

If you have any more questions about which dab torch might be best for you, feel free to leave a comment below, hit up our Live Chat during business hours, or send us an email or message on social media and we’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.

Herbal vape options and quality have come a long way in the past 4 or 5 years, and here at The Dab Lab we have made sure to always keep the very best in stock for you. Whether you are already on that vape game and are just looking to upgrade, or if you are new to it and looking for a different way to enjoy your herbs, this Herbal Vaporizer Buyer’s Guide will help to answer any questions that you might have when shopping for a new vaporizer in our store. Be sure to click on each product in our store for in depth details about each one.

Handheld or Desktop?

We carry the finest in both pocket-sized handheld herbal vaporizers, as well as proven high quality desktop versions. The real question is, do you plan to use your herbal vaporizer more on the go, or more as a sit down at home and sesh type of tool? You can almost think of it like a spoon pipe vs. a large bong.

Desktop Herbal Vaporizers 

The larger, desktop models like our options from Volcano, Arizer, and Vapir function a bit better than their simplified handheld counterparts, but are meant for home or stationary use.

Yes, the Volcano brand is a bit pricier than the Arizer and Vapir, but as with all things you get what you pay for. There is one major distinct difference between the two brands though. The Volcano units utilize a plastic balloon/bag that collects the vapors as they emit from the unit itself. With the bag full of tasty vapors, you remove it from the vaporizer unit, place your mouth over the opening, and inhale deeply for a great hit. This can be a bit weird for 1 ^st time vapers to see but it is an effective delivery method. The Arizer Extreme Q and Vapir Rise units have a more traditional whip/mouthpiece that connects to the vaporizer unit and delivers plumes of vapor directly to your mouth as it emits from the unit OR you can use a balloon/bag system as well. 

Another highly recommended unit is the award winning VapeXhale Cloud Evo Herbal Vaporizer. Though it is marketed as a “desktop” vape, it is really quite easy to travel with but definitely not pocket sized. It does still need to be plugged into a wall outlet, but with its detachable glass mouthpiece and slender profile it is a perfect blend of great function and portability. If you plan to mostly use your new herbal vaporizer at home or at a buddy’s place, definitely consider spending a few extra bucks on one of these units.

Handheld Herbal Vaporizers

Handheld herbal vaporizers are more portable, more affordable, very discreet, and simple to use. Their main downside is that they usually have limited sized chambers to pack your herbs resulting in only only a few good puffs before you must reload. Ranging in price from around $60 - $330, you will have many options for a new handheld herbal vaporizer here at The Dab Lab from trusted brands like Atmos, Pax, Firefly, Wulf Vapes, Magic Flight and more. But there are certain tradeoffs that you will need to consider.

If you are looking to spend as little as possible, we have some affordable entry level herbal vapes that will save you a bit of money but the tradeoff is that you will not have a full spectrum of digital temperature controls, instead relying on preset temperature levels. The Wulf Vape Classic, Pulsar APX, and Atmos Jump Vaporizer are examples of the type of handheld portable herbal vaporizer that might not have all of the bells and whistles of a more expensive unit, but simply put, THEY WORK GREAT! The Atmos Jump is the least bulky and most discreet herbal vaporizer we carry.

The mid-range handheld units like the Exxus, Sutra, AirVape XS, Davinci Accent and others offer a more intuitive user interface and more options for customizing your vaping experience, but the tradeoff is that they are a bit more bulky and not as discreet. Although, the AirVape XS does have a thin smart phone shaped design (pictured below). 

Our top shelf herbal vaporizers include the FireFly 2, Pax 2 & 3, and the Crafty Vaporizer by Storz & Bickel, the creators of the Volcano Vaporizer. These are the most trusted vaporizer brands on the market. Although the FireFly and Pax units do not let you dial in the exact temperature (instead they feature multiple preset temperatures), they are still considered to be among the very best herbal vaporizers. The Crafty does allow precise temperature control that you can adjust with your smart phone! 

When choosing which handheld herbal vaporizer is right for you, two main considerations should be whether you are trying to stay under $100 or are willing to spend more, and if you are willing to sacrifice some discretion and sneakiness for better function.

When considering a new herbal vaporizer, there are a lot of questions that you need to answer and hopefully this guide helped you do that. One thing that is never in question is that your buds at The Dab Lab will always keep the finest and most highly functional herbal vaporizer options available for you at the best prices.

Oh, and don’t forget to grab a new grinder too for optimal vaping!

The good news is that measuring a downstem is easy. In most cases, you'll only need to determine three things:

• Downstem length
• Joint size (14mm or 18mm)
• Bowl connection size

This guide will show you exactly how to measure a downstem so you can order the correct replacement the first time.

How to Measure a Downstem: Quick Answer

To measure a downstem correctly:

1. Measure the length from the bottom of the ground glass joint to the end of the downstem.
2. Determine whether your bong uses a 14mm or 18mm joint.
3. Verify the bowl size that fits into the top of the downstem.

If your downstem is broken or missing, you can still measure for a replacement using the spaghetti method outlined below.

Measuring Downstem Length

The most important measurement when replacing a downstem is the length.

At The Dab Lab, downstem length is measured from the bottom of the frosted glass joint to the end of the downstem. The frosted joint itself is not included in the advertised length.

Getting the correct length is essential. A downstem that is too short may not reach the water properly, while a downstem that is too long may bottom out inside the bong and not fit at all.

How to Measure a Downstem if You Still Have It

If your original downstem is intact:

1. Lay the downstem on a flat surface.
2. Locate where the frosted glass joint ends.
3. Measure from that point to the tip of the downstem.

The resulting measurement is the replacement downstem length you need.

Note: You will need the measurement in millimeters. If you do not have a metric ruler handy, remember that 1” = 25.4mm

How to Measure a Downstem Without the Original

Broken your downstem? No problem.

The Spaghetti Method

One of the easiest ways to measure a replacement downstem is with a strand of uncooked spaghetti.

Step 1

Insert the spaghetti through the bong joint where the downstem normally sits.

Keep it parallel to the joint and push it in until it reaches the bottom.

Step 2

Break off the portion extending beyond the joint.

Step 3

Remove the spaghetti and measure its total length.

Step 4

Subtract 22mm from that measurement.

The remaining number is the downstem length you'll need.

Example:

• Spaghetti measurement = 122mm
• Minus 22mm joint depth
• Required downstem length = 100mm

If the exact size is unavailable, choose the next closest size down.

Exception for Hand-Worked Joints

Some bongs feature hand-worked joints rather than standard machine-made joints.

In these cases, measure the actual frosted section where the downstem inserts and subtract that measurement from your spaghetti length instead of using the standard 22mm deduction.

How to Measure the Joint Size

After determining length, you'll need to identify the joint size.

Most modern bongs use either:

• 14mm joints
• 18mm joints

To measure:

1. Measure the inside diameter of the bong's joint opening (calipers are the best way to do this accurately)
2. Compare your measurement to the standard sizes.

The Dime Trick

Don't have calipers?

A U.S. dime is approximately 18mm wide.

• If a dime fits into the joint, you likely have an 18mm joint.
• If it does not fit, you likely have a 14mm joint.

This simple trick can help identify your bong's joint size in seconds.

Measuring Bowl Compatibility

Many people overlook the bowl connection size when buying a replacement downstem.

A downstem may fit an 18mm bong joint while still accepting a 14mm bowl.

For example:

• 18mm bong → 14mm bowl (very common, used for most large beaker bongs)
• 18mm bong → 18mm bowl (less common, joint sticks out instead of sitting neatly inside the bong joint)
• 14mm bong → 10mm bowl (rare, used for small mini tubes)

Always verify the bowl size listed in the product description before purchasing.

A Clean Bong Is a Happy Bong – Here’s How to Care for Your Glass

1. Carefully dump out the dirty bong water.Fill with clean, warm water, swish it around, and dump that out. When filling, use both the mouthpiece and the downstem. You can repeat this if you feel that you need to.

2. Pour in your chosen cleaning solution. We are aware that some people still use rubbing alcohol and table salt to clean their glass bong, but we are here to tell you that you do not need to use such harsh products. Dark Crystal Cleaning Solution is 100% organic, made from plant materials. It can be heated up before use to break through the crustiest resin globs, and is reusable. The Grunge Off Super Soaker is a proven product for glass bong maintenance as well, and Formula 420 has been around for more than 2 decades! Not many smoke shop products or brands can say that. These products were formulated specifically for cleaning glass, and they work, and we are proud to offer them to you!

3. Soak n’ shake! If you are dealing with some heavy resin buildup inside the water chamber and/or downstem of the bong, you may want to let the cleaning solution sit and soak in the glass bong for an hour or so. Then a good shake will usually dislodge any and all chunks of nastiness. Here is where the brilliantly simple product Resolution Cleaning Caps comes in so handy. These universal fit silicone caps sit snugly over the mouthpiece and joint of your glass bong after you add your cleaning solution, giving an airtight seal and allowing you to turn your piece upside down and shake-shake-shake without fear of making a huge smelly mess. Particularly stubborn spots – like a dirty downstem - can sometimes be reached with a nylon pipe brush. We’ve got a variety of sizes at rock bottom prices to help you keep your glass looking new.

Still got a hard to reach spot that needs a scrub? Try these awesome Magnetic Bong Scrubbers by SCRUBBERZ. One goes inside the tube, and you hold the other on the outside. The magnetic attraction between the two allows you to navigate the scrubber throughout the chamber and tube of your glass bong, eliminating any tricky stains. Make sure that the Magnetic Bong Scrubber will easily fit inside both the tube and chamber before using it.