Dabbing has become the dominant method for recreational and medical users in today's legal market. When you take a dab you are getting a concentrated amount of vapor in each hit. For people that have high tolerances, or are in need of heavy medication, dabbing allows them to not have to spend tons of time smoking to almost get the same desired effects as only one dab can give.
With the influx of new concentrate users into the smoking market the need for reliable, quality, dab rigs under $100 is at an all-time high. Why would anyone want to spend all of their money on an overpriced oil rig when you can get an oil rig under $10, and save that extra money for more concentrates. You can find similar options on cheaper dab rigs as you can on the rigs that sell for hundreds more.
The use of dab rigs grew out of old-timers using the “hot knife” method. The “hot knife” method involved a butter knife, a stove, a straw, and some concentrates. You would use the stove to heat up the end of the knife, drop a small chunk of concentrate on the end of the knife, and then suck up the vapor with the straw. This was one of the earliest forms of dabbing. Obviously this was a dry dabbing method where there was no water filtration involved in the process, thus making it harsher than necessary. It may seem crude, but this process is simple and very effective at delivering potent vapor to the user.
In dab culture, today users that attend events, travel, or need to dab on the go, tend to gravitate toward dab straws and nectar collectors. These are an even more simplified method of “hot knifing”, but with a modern updated twist. With a dab straw or nectar collector, you will use a butane torch to heat the end of the straw, dip the end in the concentrate of your choice, and then inhale through the straw. The difference between dab straws and nectar collectors is that dab straws are typically dry, and nectar collectors can have water percolators built into them. Both dab straws and nectar collectors tend to be smaller and a great choice for traveling, concerts, festivals, camping, etc... They fit easily into purses, backpacks, and even jeans pockets. When using a nectar collector with a built-in percolator all you need is a bottle of water to enjoy smooth water filtered dabs on the go.
A step up from dab straws is sherlock style dab rigs. These rigs resemble the shape of a sherlock bubbler but they have been made with a dome and nail for dabbing wax & shatter. These sherlock style dab rigs will usually have a down stem going into the water to help filter the vapor as you smoke. You can use the standard glass nail & dome, or you can upgrade to a quartz, ceramic, or titanium nail. These Sherlock oil rigs will have different types of percolators built into them. Some of the more basic models will have diffused down stems. A diffused downstem is a downstem with slits cut into it to help diffuse the vapor as it travels through the water. Diffusion will make for a smoother dabbing experience.
More complex dab rigs under $100 will have single percs, double, percs, and really as many percs as you can imagine. These percs will come in basic models like dome percolators, or they could have multiple disc-style percs like a honeycomb, and fritted percs. The more percs you have the more filtration your vapor will have, which means the smoother the dabbing experience. One thing to keep in mind is that some percs will make it a little harder to take a hit, so having strong lungs for multi-perc oil rigs is advised.
When purchasing your oil rig under $100 you will ask yourself, “should I upgrade the nail and dome”? This is a great question and one that has a different answer for everyone. The standard glass nail and dome that comes with oil rigs under $100 will work just fine for most people. The glass snail will retain heat pretty well, and they will work to siphon the vapor down into the rig. For your average dabber, these pieces will function just fine. If you are a more experienced dabbing connoisseur, or a heavy, user you will see the advantage in upgrading your parts to quartz, ceramic, or titanium.
Each of these upgraded materials has its advantages, and everyone who dabs has their favorites, but one is the most popular in today's market. Quartz hands down are the number one selling aftermarket nail that is sold in today's dabbing market. Quartz will heat up evenly and retain the heat for a long enough time to enjoy a smooth even temperature dab. You don't have to worry about taking hot dabs when you use quartz because you won't be in a hurry once it's heated up. You can actually heat up the quartz nail, and then wait a few seconds until it has cooled down to the proper temperature for a proper dab. With glass, this is not the case. With glass you will need to heat up the glass and then immediately dab. Glass does not retain heat as well as quartz.
Of the quartz products on the market, the most bought aftermarket nail is a quartz banger. Quartz bangers are domeless and have a skillet or bucket that you will place your wax or shatter in when dabbing. They can come in different thicknesses, and the joints will come in varying sizes. The standard joint sizes are 10mm, 14mm, and 18mm. These can come in male, and female adapters of all of the aforementioned sizes.
Just because your budget isn't huge doesn't mean you have to sacrifice owning a quality dab rig. Mile High Glass Pipes online headshop has spent years working with vendors to offer you an ever-changing selection of budget dab rigs that won't break the bank, and cost no more than $100. Save the extra money for buying your favorite concentrates. Don't waste it on an overpriced dab rig.
