The Best Dab Rigs Worthy to Vaporize Your Extracts 2023
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Best Dab Rigs 2023
The best dab rigs of 2023 are little engineering marvels that let you dab with just a turn of a dial or a click of a button.
It’s getting much harder to buy a bad dab rig, but what separates the best rigs from good ones is how they balance filtration, convenience, cooling, and of course the quality of dabs.
The top concentrate rig should have amazing filtration to deliver you a smooth, terpene-rich, cough-free experience. If glass, your rig should be made from medical-grade borosilicate due to it’s higher thermal shock range. Finally what truly sets apart the flagship dab rigs from the mediocre is its ability to eliminate steps (such as the torch) allowing you to dab without all the tedious set-up that most traditional dab rigs are known for.
From cult classic glass to one-button dabs, these are the best dab rigs for you to vaporize your cannabis concentrates.
FYI: We really tested these products. Meet your dab rig expert below.
Best dab rigs 2023:
- Best overall: Puffco Proxy ($299)
- Best glass: HAMR ($129)
- Best no cough: Freeze Klein ($299)
- Best beginners: Stache RIO ($150)
- Best travel: Eyce Sidecar ($89)
- Best space saver: Mini Jig ($149)
- Best aesthetics: Aerospace rig ($100)
- Best modern: Contact 10 ($50)
- Best stealth: Genius rig ($120)
- Best premium: Puffco Peak ($400)
1. Best overall dab rig
Who this is for: You want consistently powerful and tasty dabs with just a click of a button and endless body upgrades.
Why it’s the best: The embedded heat tracers in the atomizer only vaporize THC when you inhale, preventing overburning, underburning, and dab waste.
My thoughts: No matter your level of experience, dabbing with a torch takes a bit of finesse. It’s easy to overheat and ruin your dabs when using a torch, but the Puffco Proxy gives you THC-rich hits, every time with zero effort. You can run your fingers inside the 3D chamber and feel the heating wires embedded into the coil walls. These heat tracers allow the coil to disperse heat evenly in your dabs compared to bottom-up heating in standard glass rigs. This prevents the oil extracts from boiling off before you inhale, which saves you money each time you dab by giving you the maximum cannabinoid count with minimal effort.
Not into the pipe design? You can upgrade the body to 4 different styles including a water rig, bubbler, Sherlock pipe, and add travel mods (photo example below). There is even a strong community of custom glass blowers for the Proxy as well, so you can use the water set up at home and the pipe set up when on the go. I literally just slide the proxy out of the pipe body and slide it right into the bubbler body and it’s good to go.
After dabbing from the Puffco Proxy for about 2 weeks, I noticed that it is incredibly easy to use and provides a similar dab yield to its predecessor, the Puffco Peak. Before you go rushing to buy one, the downside is the dab cycle is shorter on the Proxy, allowing for only six dabs before I had to recharge. Additionally, there are no customization options for heat settings compared to the Puffco Peak. If you prioritize longer dab cycles and more precise temperatures, then I would run with the Peak ($100 more). On the other hand, if you prefer a classic rig where the torch is automated check out the HAMR ($170 cheaper).
- The Proxy is a cold start dab rig.
- Perfect if you are a beginner.
- Great if you struggle with torches
- Buy this if you want simplicity in steps.
- This is amazing if you dab on the go.
- One-click and a gentle pull gave me a powerful terpene-rich dab.
- The heat tech only vaporizes when you inhale giving you the most efficient dab every time.
- I can dab in under 60 seconds – anywhere.
- The Proxy can fit in your jacket pocket or purse with zero mess.
- I wanted to see precise heat control like their other Puffco models.
- I got some reclaim leaks when taking extra large dabs.
- I could only get about 6 dabs per charge cycle.
- I wish they had some type of prevention for the reclaim spilling into the atomizer.
2. Most recommended glass rig
Who this is for: You want an entire dab kit in the palm of your hand.
Why it’s the best: The engineering is unparalleled. Imagine a glass rig, now imagine every element of the rig from banger to torch was re-engineered to give you a better dab – oh yeah, and the torch is hands free.
My thoughts: Over the last few years, Myster’s HAMR dab rig has been recommended to us more than any other glass dab rig. A favorite of veterans, beginners, and for smoking DMT. What makes this rig better than all the other glass rigs is the craftsmanship and attention to detail. American-engineered and constructed from medical-grade borosilicate glass with an anti-microbial silicone base that holds your bubble cap, quad torch, and dab wand. This makes the HAMR the first glass rig to place an entire dab kit in the palm of your hand allowing you to dab hands-free of a torch.
The SABR torch that comes with this dab kit uses 4 quad outtakes to deliver flames so strong I could hear my dabs pop and sizzle even on a reverse dab. If you run your fingers on the side of the quartz banger you’ll find a clever surprise: a carburetor hole that allows air to flow in during your vaporization inhale. The extra airflow prevents dabs from being sucked into the water chamber which is a common issue I found when testing almost every dab rig. The fact that this doesn’t happen with the HAMR is sort of one of its most overlooked features. The result is you get an over-achieving dab with zero waste, clean up, and all done faster than traditional glass rigs.
While I did love just about everything about the HAMR I did have a few issues with the torch on set up. I had to tweak the flint just a bit to get the quad flames to work to their full glory. Also, be warned, the butane torch eats up a ton of lighter fluid. I feel the torch is why I get such explosive dabs so I’m ok with the trade-off. If you love glass and want a zero cough experience check out the Klein ($200 more) and if you want a torchless experience with a little bit more color check out the RIO ($30 more)
- The HAMR is a cold start dab rig.
- Perfect if you like your dab kit organized.
- The carry case makes this great if you need to travel.
- Great if you struggle with torch angles.
- Amazing if you love cannabis flavonoids.
- The sturdy base makes this a great social dab rig for your house guest.
- I loved how the entire torch process was automated.
- The base of the water chamber is slanted and it makes the bubbles really stack for cooling.
- The finger banger’s unique thin design gave me some of the best-yielding dabs.
- The carb hole on the banger’s side prevented me from having to scrape reclaim from wasted dabs.
- The quad butane torch eats a ton of lighter fluid.
- Sometimes the butane torch malfunctions (play with the flint it’s an easy fix).
- I don’t like my dabs on the walls of the banger and it takes some focus getting dabs into the slim banger shape.
- When I pinch the neck of the banger it does feel delicate so just be careful when handling.
3. Cough free dabbing
Who this is for: If you struggle with asthma or coughing with dabs.
Why it’s the best: The frozen glycerin cools your dabs by 300° giving you a buttery smooth dab with zero coughing.
My thoughts: If you dab frequently as I do, the hot vapors can bring a lot of stress to your lungs. Coughing fits can make your dabbing experience a dreadful process and it doesn’t have to be that way. The 12-inch tall Freeze Klein can do what no other dab rig can because of its rare three-stage cooling system (percolator, recycler, and glycerin). Let’s take a closer look at how your dabs are actually cooled.
Your hot dab vapors must travel through an explosion of water bubbles from the laser-cut percolator, and then flow up and down the water recycler on an infinite loop back down into the bubbles until you decide to pull the banger. This would be enough cooling for most but once you remove the banger the vapors shoot up through a borosilicate coil that is surrounded by frozen glycerin cooling dabs an additional 300°! My first time dabbing with the Klein I honestly thought I did it incorrectly because it felt like I didn’t really dab. The dabs don’t have a harsh kick in the back of your throat, it just feels like tasty air, in my opinion.
I own a few Freeze Pipe products (some I bought and some sent for testing) and I can say all of them are beautiful but extremely delicate. I handle all Freeze glass rigs and glycerin bongs with extreme care. I would say that’s the only downside besides the fact that there is no way you can travel with this. The price is a bit steep but worth it if you want to eliminate coughing. You can opt for their cheaper model that still delivers smooth rips and is half the price ($150 cheaper) but it won’t be as smooth so coughing can still occur on a minor level. If you want a glass recycler that’s much smaller and affordable try the Mini Jig Dab Rig ($230 cheaper), but you won’t get dabs as smooth as the Klein.
- Get this if you want to stop coughing.
- Perfect daily-driver rig for home use.
- Great if you struggle with asthma.
- Buy this if you want to focus on flavors not coughing.
- Perfect for taking extra large and hot dabs with zero stress.
- I loved that I can enjoy dabs for their flavor now not the coughing.
- The glycerin coil takes away that pinch and tickle that makes you want to cough.
- It’s just fun to watch all the vapor move through the intricate glass pathways – almost like watching a tropical storm.
- You have to freeze the glycerin coils before use each time.
- The build is beautiful but very delicate.
- There are a ton of pieces so you need a dedicated space for this.
- The glass recycler arm is very delicate tuck that side facing the wall to prevent accidents.
4. Best rig for beginners
Who this is for: You want a beginner-friendly dab rig that is also portable.
Why it’s the best: The RIO’s torch is factory set at the most optimal angle to deliver consistently productive dabs perfect for absolute beginners.
My thoughts: The RIO is similar to our #2 HAMR but instead houses a smaller borosilicate water chamber that functions more like a bubbler. The RIO’s torch is factory set to the perfect angle, letting me dab without having to stress about whether I have my torch too close or too far from the banger. This made the dabbing process extremely simple for me, so simple I believe it’s the best concentrate rig for absolute beginners.
The RIO is portable and comes with a matching color travel case. Speaking of portability, as a glass rig the RIO is extremely easy to handle. Holding a glass rig outdoors is nerve-wracking and I found I could grip and press my fingers into the silicone base which just makes handling a bit more light-hearted. The dab rig’s base also lets you slide out the butane torch for easy refilling, you just click the black button on the right side next to the butane dial, and the butane tank slides right out. A little hidden gem is when you open the travel case, beneath the EVA foam you can find water plugs so you can even travel with the water inside your rig.
The RIO’s downside is the bubbler chamber is much smaller. A smaller water chamber means less water filtration, which ultimately means a hotter dab. The hot vapors have less movement which means the dabs did make me cough here and there. If you want the same hands-free torch experience but with smoother dabs then choose the HAMR ($30 cheaper) and if you want something that still looks beautiful but is simpler I would suggest the modern ice rig: Contact 10.
- The RIO is a dab rig bubbler rig.
- Great if you are a beginner dabber.
- Amazing if you struggle with torch angles.
- Great if you travel or are on-the-go.
- Perfect if you want some color options.
- I loved how firmly I could grip and handle this rig due to the silicone base.
- If you feel the bottom of the banger there is an extract stage that helps to evenly distribute heat for powerful dabs.
- The torch does well on butane and the dial system is easier as I could use my knuckles to turn the dial when holding a dab wand.
- Larger dabs definitely made me cough but not every time.
- I had to clean after just a few dabs due to the smaller water chamber.
- I got reclaim leaking when reclining on my couch dabbing (must dab with device horizontally)
- The core quartz banger’s curved neck feels really fragile.
5. Best travel dab rig
Who this is for: You want a dab rig that you can take with you anywhere and it won’t break.
Why it’s the best: The rotating mouthpiece can move up for dabbing over a table, horizontally for dabbing while sitting, and can even go lower if you need to dab laying.
My thoughts: I’ve owned this silicone dab rig for over 4 years now, and it’s about time I made the long-overdue recommendation. Even though the RIO and the HAMR are portable rigs they are not truly travel-friendly. The Sidecar is made from medical-grade platinum silicone which means it’s the only rig that’s truly travel friendly. The rotating arm lets you dab no matter your position, this makes it the perfect rig to pass around between friends around a campfire or just lounging on the couch.
There is a built-in dab jar at the top, and a poker slot in the base so you get everything besides the torch. When I need to travel I just pop the bottom off, dump the water, and slide the banger in the water chamber and I’m good to go – no travel case necessary. Literally just toss this in your purse, bag, or car and it’s good. Silicone is anti-microbial which means even if this is sitting in your car with dab water, it’s still much cleaner than glass.
While this silicone rig is amazing for travel, you won’t get all the fancy bells and whistles that many of the premium rigs on our list feature. I couldn’t see the filtration in action because silicone is not translucent, but judging from the muffled sounds the filtration is a bit mediocre. The dabs are hotter, especially on the 2nd and 3rd dabs. I found a way around this over the years by putting this silicone rig in the freezer for an hour before use. You get much smoother hits and use cold water for filtration.
- The Sidecar is a platinum silicone dab rig.
- Perfect if you are prone to accidents.
- Great if you are hiking, traveling, or camping.
- Buy this if you want less bacteria in your rig.
- Perfect if you dab sitting, laying, or reclining.
- I loved that the rotating arm lets me dab while sitting at the desk or laying in bed without dab and water leaks.
- I can grip, drop, and easily handle this rig without stressing as I do with glass.
- There are over 20 beautiful silicone marbling colors and matte color options for you to choose from.
- The silicone percolator in the water chamber is weaker than a glass percolor (less cooling).
- The dabs were a little hot so you can expect to cough here and there on larger dabs.
- The dab lid for the storage jar is extremely hard to pull off, I had to really press my fingers in there.
6. Best mini dab rig
Who this is for: You want a mini dab rig that delivers big results.
Why it’s the best: This 6-inch rig delivers you dabs as smooth and powerful as a 12-inch rig – but for a fraction of the price.
My thoughts: A mini dab rig may seem like the obvious choice because they save you money and a ton of space. The downside is mini rigs usually deliver very hot vapors and are known for splashing dab water back into your mouth. The Mini Jig stands apart from all other miniature rigs because it uses water recycling to recirculate your dab vapors increasing distance time for as long as you like. I let the vapors recirculate for a good 3-4 seconds which gave me much smoother dabs similar to rigs twice the size as the Mini Jig. The unique hourglass build allows water to fall back down preventing any splashback in your mouth as well. Smaller dab rigs are much easier to handle, save you space, and can easily be stored in your cabinets due to their low height.
There is a dab jar suspended over the borosilicate water base, so it was really cool to watch the bubbles pop in the recycler all around my dabs. Because the dab jar uses a cork versus a lid, I could really press my thumbs into the cork to get an air-tight seal on my extracts. When you pop the top off you can really hear the air pressure release, so it’s a nice comfort knowing my dabs are sealed air-tight, as oxygen is known to degrade the cannabinoids in your extract
While the Mini Jig saves a ton of space, the smaller size does come with a few issues. First, I found that after a few dabs, this rig got dirtier faster than my larger glass rigs. Less water means the water gets dirtier quicker. Expect a higher level of hygienic maintenance if you buy this rig. A cheap fix for this is by attaching an ash catcher which keeps your rig clean and your rig water pure. The smaller size and less water also mean the Mini Jig is lighter and much easier to tip over. If you are prone to accidents and want something built to sit stable and has more water storage check out the Pulsar Aerospace ($10 more).
- The Mini Jig is a miniature dab rig
- Perfect if you are a minimalist
- This rig is under $90
- Get this if you want to save space
- Great if you want a rig you can easily hide
- Great for personal use at home
- I loved that this is handblown glass for under $90
- First dab jar I’ve seen to use a cork system for airtight sealing.
- This is the first mini dab rig I’ve tried that delivers smooth dabs.
- This is also the first mini rig that prevents splashback
- I love that I can just tuck this away in my kitchen cabinet
- It’s much lighter so you have to be careful with accidentally tipping it over.
- You have to clean this dab rig pretty often.
- Due to the smaller water chamber, you have to change the water just about every other day.
- When I took more than 3 dabs back to back the vapors get increasingly hotter.
7. A dab rig you won't be hiding
Who this is for: You want a dab rig that saves space and sits sturdily.
Why it’s the best: What this rig lacks in performance it makes up with aesthetics. This is a dab rig you can easily hide – but you probably won’t.
My thoughts: Dab rigs can be expensive and they break often due to their vertical designs. The Aerospace rig has a much wider base and it’s the only glass rig that I can leave on my coffee table and not worry about anything knocking it over. The design is modern so if you have guests come over just dump the water and remove the banger and it looks like something you got at Home Goods.
The larger bubble base gives much more room for water filtration, which helps to smooth dab vapors for less coughing. Don’t expect dab vapors as smooth as the Klein but it’s still a pretty decent piece for a fraction of the price. Best of all, it looks like hand-blown glass art, all for under $100.
The dabs were definitely hotter here so if you don’t like coughing I wouldn’t recommend this product. Also when I run my fingers against the triangular glass arm bars, they seem extremely delicate same as the quartz banger’s neck. Also if you want a cheaper solution to increasing filtration and cooling just attach an ash catcher. If you love the aesthetics of this dab rig but want something a little more modern try the Contact 10 ($20 cheaper).
- The Aerospace is a glass dab rig.
- Perfect for living space aesthetics.
- Great if you need a rig you can hide.
- Looks amazing displayed.
- Perfect if you are prone to accidents.
- I love the triangular build because it can’t be knocked over.
- I loved hearing and watching the bubbles stack and pop due to the larger water base.
- The triangular glass bar made it super easy for me to handle and clean.
- I just love how good this looks, even just as home decor.
- Dab vapors were fairly hot for me but tolerable.
- Not a fan of the small hole mouth piece, but it does prevent splash back.
- While the base sits sturdy the triangular arms are still delicate.
- There is no way to reclaim dabs here so only dab with this horizontally (try not to tilt it back).
8. Dabbing with ice cubes
Who this is for: You want a beautiful accent piece rig that delivers icy smooth dabs.
Why it’s the best: The ice pinch lets you place ice cubes in the neck for super smooth dabs all for under $70.
My thoughts: While the Contact 10’s luxe gold designs are beautiful the reason this rig actually made our top 10 list is due to the build and the ice catcher. While most dab rigs are made from borosilicate glass, many are made so thin that they break with just a tap against any hard surface. Famous Brandz is known for making extra thick borosilicate glass which means even if this tips it’s much less likely to break compared to any other glass rig on this list.
The triple ice pinch lets this 10-inch dab rig deliver extra smooth hits. If you feel the center of the tube’s neck there are three inverted notches, and I got about three ice cubes to fit. Like any ice bong, I always rinse the ice cubes to remove any ice shards. Inhaling ice shards is something you definitely want to avoid. Taking a dab with ice cubes delivers a much smoother dab. I still felt the need to cough but was able to fight it off because of the reduced vapor temperature in my lungs.
Famous Brandz is known for making quality glass so as far as build, everything is exceptional. I’m not a fan of shallow bangers so definitely swap the banger to something that has a bit more depth and won’t give you extract loss. Also when dealing with ice cubes, the ice melts increasing the water in the rig’s base. Over time this will cause splash back so you should be changing the water every two days if you are using ice. It’s not really a hassle because for me I just dump the water in the sink and fill it back up all in less than a minute due to the wide opening at the top of the tube’s mouthpiece. Famous Brandz pieces are often sold out but you can find many more here.
- The Contact 10 is a straight tube dab rig with an ice catcher
- Perfect if you struggle with coughing
- Great if you want to spend less than $75
- Buy this if you want super thick and sturdy glass
- Perfect for roommates and dabbing at home
- My wife and I just loved the design, even with a little resin staining it looks beautiful on our kitchen countertop.
- The ice cubes made the vapors smooth enough where I didn’t cough.
- I could change the water much faster than any other rig on this list because of the wide opening at the top.
- Cleaning this rig was much faster as well than any other rig on this list.
- The slits in the downstem are really small and can get clogged after 2 weeks (if you dab everyday).
- This is an ice rig so keep water levels low or else the ice melts and raises water levels causing mouth splash back.
- Not a fan of the tiny red logo at the top sort of throws the black-and-gold aesthetics off.
9. Finally a stealth dab rig
Who this is for: You want a dab rig that is waterless and fits in your pocket.
Why it’s the best: The patented waterless filtration delivers smoother dabs, which means less coughing.
My thoughts: The Genius Rig is made from anodized aluminum and uses millions of micro vortices (tiny dimple shapes) that filter and cool your dabs with zero water. Water filtration actually reduces THC transfer rate to your body, so this dab rig is actually the better option if you want stronger dabs, similar to the Proxy.
Stealth dabbers, you get a dab rig that looks nothing like a dab rig and it requires zero batteries and no water. It’s very easy to hide making it great if you need to dab in a more covert manner. The anodized magnetic cover slides with just a little force from my thumbs, and has a built-in dab wand and grinder – I had no idea until I actually read the manual. If you buy this, you can swap the taster dish (banger) out for a bowl and can easily smoke dry herb flower’s as well.
While the small size made it great for travel, trying to torch so close to my hands was a bit tricky. I recommend this dab rig for more experienced dabbers who are comfortable with torching titanium nails. Titanium nails take longer to heat up and slower to cool down. The dish was blazing hot after so just watch your fingers because I grabbed it too soon after the dabs. If you know what you are doing this dab rig is amazing and there is literally nothing like it out there. If you like the idea of smaller dab tools I would recommend checking out a nectar collector as they are similar in shape and covert appeal.
- The Genius rig is a waterless dab rig.
- Perfect if you want something truly portable
- Great if you struggle with coughing.
- Buy this if you hate dealing with dab water.
- Perfect if you need a rig you can hide.
- If you pull gently you get amazing dabs with no coughing.
- When you slide the magnetic cover open their is a dab wand and grinder built in.
- I loved how you can pop the taster dish off without touching it (far too hot).
- Insanely easy to clean, I just wiped the dimple vortices with some Isopropyl alcohol and let air dry.
- Since this product is one of a kind it has a slight learning curve
- Torching so close to my fingers was a bit tricky and hard to maneuver.
- The dabs are smooth but can get hot really quickly on the second dab.
- I wish it came with a bubble cap of some sort to make the dabs more productive.
10. Best premium rig
Who this is for: You want the absolute best dab rig on the market and don’t mind the price tag.
Why it’s the best: If you dab you know that each form of extract requires a different heat setting and this is the only rig where you can fine-tune precise temperatures.
My Thoughts: The Puffco Peak is something like the Tesla or Apple of the cannabis industry. The Peak is actually on our list for #1 best electric dab rigs but I left it at the bottom here not because it’s the worst, just because it’s the most expensive. The Peak Pro is actually a smart rig and has an app where you can control your dab temperatures in real time. If you pop the atomizer off and feel the bottom you will find three metal sensors that work as a temperature regulating system to optimize your heat settings to prevent you from overburning and wasting your dabs.
The Peak Pro is my daily driver rig, only because it just absolutely transforms the dabbing process. The more you play with this dabber rig the better you will get at dabbing – I promise. For example, when I was dabbing some White Truffle strain shatter, I experimented with lowering the temperature to 480°F and the terpenes and flavonoids exploded in my mouth compared to 600°F (recommended temp). The more you play with this the more beautiful the world of dabbing concentrates become.
There are no major flaws unless you hate tech products and charging, otherwise, the price is the only downside. If you buy this rig you can expect it to last a few years especially if you commit to maintaining and cleaning the atomizer (lots of Q-tips). I honestly encourage more people to move to E-rigs over torch rigs simply because of precise temperature controls. If you don’t want to drop $400 you can check out more affordable electric dab rig options tested by our staff, or go for the Puffco smart rig ($200 cheaper).
- The Peak Pro is an electric smart dab rig.
- Perfect if you are a brand-new dabber.
- Perfect if you are a veteran dabber.
- Amazing for fine-tuning your custom dab settings.
- Great for anyone that travels
- Good if you love a simple and seamless product
- The Peak communicates through LED light and vibrating – sometimes I talk back.
- It takes me less than 60 seconds to complete a dab (heat-up time included)
- The carrying case is one of the most beautiful cases I’ve ever seen.
- Every month I learn more and more about extracts because of the Puffco Peak Pro.
- The price tag is mighty hefty: $400.
- The smartphone app took a while to set up. Apparently, I had some caching issues but this is how you fix it.
- Like all electronics eventually the battery begins to lose integrity. After 2 years of using this, it still works fine but I have to charge it more often.
Understanding your dab rig
If you are brand new to the world of dabbing trying to find the best concentrate rig can seem a bit daunting.
In this section, we cover all the basics so you can find the best dab rig that works for you.
What is a dab rig?
A dab rig is a water pipe that is used for vaporizing and inhaling your cannabis concentrates, otherwise known as “dabs”.
What are dabs?
Dabs are the concentrated form of the marijuana buds that is made through various extraction methods.
Similar to orange juice, where the juice is extracted and the remains discarded, the oils are extracted from the cannabis flower and the remains discarded.
Extracts are commonly named after how they look. Each extraction method delivers different consistencies (runny, oily, thick).
For example: Wax looks waxy, shatter looks shattered, crumble look crumbly, budder looks like butter, cannabis oil is oily, and rosin looks … rosiny – well you get the point.
Bong vs Rig - Key Differences
A dab rig and a bong are both water pipes, but a dab rig uses vaporization and a bong uses combustion (smoke).
This makes dab rigs much cleaner because you are not inhaling all the impurities such as the leaves, only the cannabinoids.
One major difference is the loading element where you place your cannabis or extracts.
- In a dab rig, you load dabs into a glass banger.
- In a bong, you load the dry cannabis herbs into the glass bowl.
Another key difference is how you light your wax rig.
- In a dab rig, you light the glass banger with a butane torch. This heats the glass up to a point the cannabinoids within the extract vaporize for you to inhale.
- In a bong, you light the actually dry flower with a regular lighter or match.
Save money: Did you know if you already own a bong you just have to measure the bowl size and order the same banger size and voila! You just converted your bong into a wax rig!
How to find the best dab rig
When you are shopping for a dab rig there are a ton of things to look for. In this section I’ll share what are some of the key features I look at in determining whether or not a dab rig is even worth reviewing in the first place.
Material: If you want a glass dab rig make sure that the glass is borosilicate. If silicone make sure your dab rig is platinum-cured not tin cured. I would stay away entirely from acrylic as the plasters tend to leach into the dab water.
Water chamber size: The bigger the water chamber the smoother and cooler your dabs will be, meaning less throat and lung irritation. The smaller your water chamber is the hotter the dabs become and this leads to coughing. There are two more elements that dictate how hot the dabs are and they are the dab’s travel distance and filtration.
Vapor travel distance: the longer your dab vapors have to travel the cooler they become. So with smaller dab rigs, the travel distance is shorter so this means hotter dabs once again. Some people can handle hot dabs but I personally avoid them because I can’t stand the coughing.
Water filtration: If you look in the water chamber of your dab rig there is usually a glass straw that touches the bottom with tiny slits in it. This glass straw is what you call a downstem. When you inhale the tiny slits create bubbles in the dab rig’s water chamber. The hot vapors glide across the bubble’s surface, cooling your vapors significantly.
Percolators: Sometimes you can get upgraded filtration so instead of tiny slits there will be hundreds of laser-cut holes. This upgrade is called a Percolator and there are many variations of it such as the Shower Head percolator, tree percolator, disc percolator, and barrel percolator. These are all just fancy names for more bubbles because the more bubbles there are the cooler and smoother your dabs become.
Banger: Most dab rigs come with standard bangers. The banger is where the actual vaporization of the extracts happens in order for you to inhale the cannabinoids. By heating the quartz banger with a butane torch the glass gets hot enough to agitate your extracts and eventually boil off the cannabinoids. Once boiled the cannabinoids (THC, CBD, CBG, etc) evaporate into vapors and is inhaled through the dab rig. I recommend finding bangers that have a deeper bucket. Standard bangers are pretty shallow and what happens is as you dab and inhale you accidentally pull concentrates into the water chamber, this is literally wasting dabs. You can easily upgrade your banger for just a few bucks so this isn’t a deal breaker when I’m reviewing dab rigs.
Your guide to concentrates
When you are buying dry cannabis herbs from a dispensary, the common THC% is around 10-20%.
Marijuana extracts (dabs) are much higher in THC levels, ranging from 50-80%.
The psychoactive components are much stronger, but dabbers agree: the high is much cleaner.
Here is a quick breakdown of some of the most popular and common concentrates your dab rig is compatible with.
Cannabis oil: Often referred to as distillate. Distillate has a thick, liquid consistency making it ideal for THC carts (vapes). The extraction process for distillate is very harsh, which strips vital cannabinoids giving you a rather bland high when compared to the other forms of dabs on this list.
Wax: Wax describes any dabs that have an amber hue with a waxy consistency such as budder and crumble (two forms of wax). This is a solvent-based extract using butane, CO2, and ethanol, which preserves all the flavonoids, terpenes, and critical compounds giving you a flavorful yes powerful dab.
Budder: One of the most popular extracts that have a butter-like consistency. Budder is famous in the dabbing world because it can hold a 99% THC purity. This is possible due to the whipping motion during the production process, which can be quite a bit of work. You can expect this extract to be expensive and potent.
Crumble: Exactly what it sounds like, this yellow concentrate looks loose and crumbles like dry dirt. With ideal THC potency levels at affordable prices, the only downside to crumble is it’s very annoying to handle.
Shatter: This cannabis concentrate is completely flat with a very translucent hue. Shatter is widely known for being incredibly clean and potent and due to its popularity there are many different grades of shatter (usually identified through the colors).
Live Resin: One of my personal favorites. The cannabis is frozen once harvested to suspend the cannabinoids and terpenes, so the result is a much more potent and flavorful dab. If you want to feel your strain’s full range of benefits then I suggest live resin!
What we tested for
Here is a full break down of our dab rig review scoring system.
Below you will find why I docked stars and why each of the four scoring components was essential qualities for an amazing dab rig.
Score 1: Easy to dab
I rate dab rigs I test based on how easy the entire process was. Was the torch automated, how many steps were there, was the dab rig easy to hold and torch, and how comfortable was it (neck strain, eye strain, hand burns). If there was anything that made the process harder I docked a star.
Score 2 - Full dab kit?
There are lots of tools you need in order to complete a dab. With classic dab rigs, you need a bubble cap, dab wand, torch, dabs, dab jar, and your dab rig. The jar and dab is obviously not what I’m looking for but what I do want customers to know is whether or not you are receiving everything you need. A star will be docked if the torch, dab wand, or bubble cap is not included.
Score 3 - Dabs Smooth?
A smooth dab means less irritation for your lung and throat. This means less coughing and fewer chest pains in the long term. I look for dab rigs with powerful filtration and cooling such as glycerin coils, recycler systems, percolators, and even waterless filtration. Docking a star here was my way of letting you know that this device may or may not make you cough, depending on your respiratory health.
Score 4 - Quality build?
Glass dab rigs break often and they can be fairly expensive. The Quality Build score lets you know whether or not the product is durable and made from the highest standards. I look for thick and durable borosilicate glass, anodized aluminum if it’s metal, and platinum-cured silicone if it’s silicone. If the dab rig has excessively delicate features then I’ll dock a start to let you know it’s prone to accidents.
Meet your expert
Jake Dela Cruz
Organic cultivator
Finding the best dab rigs was a challenge in itself. Not because testing dab rigs was hard, but because I blew my tolerance through the roof. One thing is for sure, I did have a blast testing each of the concentrate rigs.
My name is Jake Dela Cruz and I’m an organic cannabis cultivator, and I also make my own extracts using my hand-dandy rosin press. All the dab rigs were tested by our staff (mainly me) and even the concentrates we used were made by me.
I’ve been dabbing for well over 20 years now, and have tried just about every dab rig from glass, silicone, ceramic, and even anodized aluminum.
While there are thousands of different wax rigs on the market, I tried to choose the best concentrate rig for each demographic. Whether you want the best glass, smoothest dabs, the best beginners, or just the best overall I’m confident there is an oil rig on this list that you will love. I know what makes a dab rig great for one person may not be the same for someone else. During my 16 years of overburning so many extracts, I’ve used just about every dabber rig so I hope my personal experience with these rigs will help you find the best one for you!
