Buyer's Guide: The Types and Styles of Quartz Bangers
Posted by Jack Daniels (Edited by Jay Dreadhead) on 2nd Aug 2018
The way that we dab concentrates, and the tools that we use to do it, have changed quite a bit just in the past decade. Domes and swings are rarely seen at a sesh anymore, and even once-popular domeless dab nails crafted from Grade 2 titanium and high quality ceramic have been bumped by the new must-have item – the quartz banger.
The dish of a quartz banger is heated with a torch, allowed to cool down slightly for a pre-determined amount of time, and then globbed with a dab of your favorite oil, wax, rosin, or hash to deliver top notch terps to your taste buds every time.
Quartz is preferred mostly due to how well it translates flavor, but it is also revered for its heat retention, its ability to be heated and re-heated without cracking or shattering, and for how easy it is to clean.
With such high demand has come a fresh new supply of different styles of quartz bangers from a variety of artists, each with their own benefits and occasional drawbacks.
Of course, The Dab Lab always brings the heat when it comes to providing proper quartz nails and accessories, so we figured we’d bust out this useful guide to help you decide which style is best for you.
Angled Top Quartz Banger (OG Banger)
The Angled Top Quartz Banger was popularized by Quave and their iconic QCB (Quave Club Banger) that is credited with helping to kick off the quartz era in dabbing. There is no doubt that the angled top is aesthetically pleasing, but in most scenarios, the flat top is more functional.
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Quick to heat up
- Visually appealing
- Great for small to medium sized dabs
Cons
- Requires a specific style of carb cap to work properly (doesn't work with bubble caps and spinner caps)
- Outdated, not often produced anymore
Flat Top Quartz Banger
The Flat Top Quartz Banger is probably the most popular profile seen in quartz nails today. There are many different variations, which we will cover below. But for most dabbers, the flat top is the preferred style for form and function because it's simple and works great!
Pros
- Compatible with the widest range of Carb Cap styles (bubble caps and spinner caps)
- Great for virtually any sized dab
- Simple, easy to use and easy to clean
Cons
- No inherent flaws in this style
Round Bottom Quartz Nails
This was the first variation of a flat top quartz banger. The always innovative Joel Halen has popularized this style and has once again changed the quartz game by cutting the corners, literally! The round bottom quartz banger allows dabs and terp pearls to move freely around its smooth interior.
Pros
- No corners means your oil moves freely and vaporizes more efficiently
- Very easy to clean!
- More even heating due to the round shape
Cons
- Does not work with standard dish inserts
- The round shape can make it easier for oil to creep up into the neck
Flared Bottom Quartz Bangers
Evan Shore has earned a reputation for producing some of the finest quartz bangers in the industry. His signature bell-shaped dish design isn't just visually distinctive—it also enhances performance. The flared base creates additional surface area, allowing concentrates to spread more evenly for improved vaporization, better flavor, and a more efficient dabbing experience.
Pros
- Helps prevent oil from splashing into the neck
- Provides more surface area for larger dabs
- Compatible with both bubble caps and spinner caps
Cons
- The flared edges are harder to reach, so cleaning is a bit more challenging
Thick Bottom Quartz Bangers
A common complaint from those just starting to use a new quartz banger is how hard it is to get the dish of the nail to the right temperature. Of course, that temp is different for everyone depending on their tastes. Many people prefer lower temperature dabs, but by letting your dish cool down so low, you run the risk of not having enough heat to properly vaporize your oils. A Thick Bottom Quartz Banger is a great solution. With a double layer thickness of quartz in the bottom of the dish, you can hit and sit at your target temperature longer.
Pros
- Superior heat retention
- Ideal for low temp dabs
- The new standard for flat top bangers
Cons
- Will take longer to initially heat up, compared to thinner bangers
Opaque Bottom Quartz Bangers
The newest hype to hit the quartz banger game brought to your by Highly Educated is the Opaque Bottom Quartz Banger. As the name suggests, the bottom of the dish is crafted from machined opaque quartz, giving it a foggy or even sandblasted look in the dish. The opaque nature of the design improves thermal conductivity.
Pros
- Heats up faster & stays hotter longer than standard “clear” quartz of the same dimensions
- More efficient vaporization (bigger dabs, less waste)
Cons
- No inherent flaws in this design
Hybrid Bottom Quartz Banger
This banger is a hybrid of the flat bottom and round bottom quartz banger. It has an ultra thick flat bottom on the outside, but rounded on the inside.
Pros
- Has the sleek look of the classic flat bottom banger, but functions like a round bottom
- The ultra thick base holds a ton of heat for extra large dabs
Cons
- May be too heavy for smaller rigs
- Takes a long time to heat up due to the extra thick bottom
- Rounded interior makes it easier for dabs to creep into the neck
Splash Guard Quartz Banger
This banger was designed for people who like to take extra large dabs. It features an extra tall head with a taper in the middle to prevent oil from creeping up the nail head and into the neck. Make sure you don't waste dabs with a splash guard banger!
Pros
- Helps prevent your dabs from being sucked up and wasted in the neck of your banger
- Bigger head = bigger dabs!
Cons
- The taper in the middle makes it a bit difficult to clean
- Spinner carb caps aren't quite as effective
Cold Start / Long Bottom Quartz Banger
This banger features an extra long head with a round bottom. It's intended to be used with the "Cold Start" dabbing method where you load the concentrates into the nail first and then carefully heat it from the bottom. It's very long to prevent the oil from creeping up the nail head and into the neck.
Pros
- Can be used as a standard banger or with the "Cold Start" method
- If using the cold start method, it's much quicker as you do not need to wait for a cool down like the traditional dabbing method
Cons
- Requires a carb cap with an extra long spout
- The narrow head isn't compatible with most aftermarket carb caps
- Takes some practice to use properly
Auto Spinner Quartz Banger
Spinner carb caps have been one of the hottest dabbing trends of the past couple years, but it can be hard the find one the works effortlessly with your banger as the specs can vary from banger to banger and cap to cap. The Auto Spinner banger makes things a whole lot more simple. It features to angles holes on the side of the head. All you need is a marble cap to seal to top and watch your terp pearls ZING around!
Pros
- Doesn't require a fancy cap to spin terp pearls
- The spinning action does an amazing job of spreading the oil across the surface of the banger which makes it extremely efficient for vaporization at low temps
Cons
- It's a bit restricted of a pull, which may not be ideal for some dab rigs
Terp Slurper Quartz Banger
This style of banger was invented by Toro Glass. It features a spout at the bottom of the banger head with 4 angled slits and a dish weld to the bottom. For best function, this nail is paired with an insert set that features a marble top, a marble "valve" that sits at the top of the spout, and a "pill" that sits inside the spout. When in use the pill zings up and down the spout hitting max surface area offering amazing vaporization at low temps. This has was easily the most popular quartz banger design of the past few years.
Pros
- Huge dabs at low temps! With the proper insert set, there is no better draw feel as the pill quite literally zings about inside the spout
- It just feels right!
Cons
- It takes some practice, if you pull too hard oil can leak into the neck
- It's also the hardest design to clean especially with use of an insert set as there are many parts
Blender Quartz Banger
The Blender Quartz Banger was the next iteration in dab bangers after the Terp Sluper. It's similar to the terp slurper banger as it features a dish with "slits" where the dish meets the bottom of the banger head. It has a larger head and dish than a terp slurper and doesn't have a taper (the spout and head are the same diameter).
Pros
- Can be used with many types of inserts and terp pearls
- Doesn't require a "valve"
- Very efficient vaporization at low temps
- Effortless spinning action much like the Auto Spinner Quartz Banger
- Much easier to clean than a Terp Slurper Banger
Cons
- The large dish can take awhile to heat up
- Harder to clean than a traditional flat bottom banger
Control Tower Quartz Bangers
The Control Tower Quartz Banger is another design from Highly Educated. It’s a variation of a Terp Slurper featuring a tall straight barrel with a dish on the bottom. Unlike the Terp Slurper, this design does not require a valve. It is used with a pillar insert that vibrates and slides up and down the barrel, maximizing surface area contact with your dabs.
Pros
- Excellent heat retention and tons of surface area for massive dabs at low temps
- A bit easier to clean compared to a slurper as the barrel is completely straight
- The long barrel also prevents oil from reaching the top and spilling into the neck
Cons
- Requires a marble cap and pillar setup for optimal performance
- Harder to clean compared to traditional flat top bangers, but easier than a terp slurper
- A bit too large for some dab rigs
Thermal P Quartz Bangers
Originally introduced by Pukin Beagle, the Thermal P Quartz Banger is an honourable mention. The Thermal P was introduced to solve the issue of oil spilling into the neck of the banger and provide and extra layer of heat retention with its double wall design. But with the release of new designs like the terp sluper and control tower, this style banger is no longer as popular as it once was.
Pros
- No more oil spills! The dual wall design keeps the oil in the dish, not in the neck/joint
- Double wall design offers insulation increasing heat retention
Cons
- Very difficult to clean
- Limited options for carb caps
Of course, this is not a complete list of every single style of quartz banger, but for the most part, every other design on the market incorporates one or more of the features discussed above.
The best quartz banger for you ultimately comes down to your dabbing preferences. If you enjoy simplicity and easy maintenance, a traditional bucket banger may be all you need. If you're chasing maximum flavor and efficiency, terp slurpers, blenders, and control towers offer unique advantages that have made them favorites among experienced dabbers.
No matter which style you choose, investing in high-quality quartz and using proper dabbing techniques will make a bigger difference than any single design feature. A well-made banger retains heat more evenly, delivers better flavor, and provides a more enjoyable experience overall.
Ready to upgrade your setup? Browse our selection of premium quartz bangers from the industry's top brands and find the perfect match for your rig and dabbing style.