Best Dab Pens of 2023: For Wax and Solid Concentrates
A dab pen is for cannabis concentrates like wax, live resin, shatter, and budder, all forms of concentrated THC, the main intoxicating ingredient of marijuana. Since medical and recreational marijuana became legal in many places, concentrated THC has become more popular, and dab pens are one way to enjoy THC concentrates. They come in different shapes and sizes, but generally, they all have a coil or disc atomizer that vaporizes THC concentrates like an e-juice coil vaporizes e-juice.
James BickfordUpdated: February 24, 2023
Most popular
KandyPens Crystal 2
10/10
Four voltage levels
10-second sesh mode
All-glass, quartz vapor path
The KandyPens Crystal 2 is engineered to perfection. The stainless steel shell protects the delicate quartz bowl that evenly heats all ma...
The KandyPens Crystal 2 is engineered to perfection. The stainless steel shell protects the delicate quartz bowl that evenly heats all material, from wax and shatter to budder and live resin. The Crystal 2 builds on the performance of the original and takes it to the next level with its larger capacity, internal 1200mAh battery, and four unique voltage levels, all controlled with the easily-accessible, single power button. The premium build materials and lifetime warranty should make this an expensive dab pen, but it is hard to find a similar device that combines all these elements at this price point.
Pros:
Convenient, low-profile, and portable (only 10 cm in height)
Excellent vapor quality, the four power settings can let you choose what kind of vapor you want
Long-lasting battery life, but it has pass-through charging too
You can adjust the airflow, something not seen on other dab pens
The Mig Vapor Sol E-Nectar Collector is lightweight but not in performance. The Sol is a portable pen with 2-in-1 functionality, so you don’t have to worry about getting another type of dab pen for a while. The Sol has a quartz-tipped end to heat concentrates instantly and provides unparalleled vapor quality. Still, if you want to use the Sol as a conventional dab wax pen, it also uses a quartz element paired with a ceramic atomizer for all types of concentrates.
The Linx Blaze is fire but in a good way. The Blaze is a premium device for dabs and concentrates that impresses its exterior design and build as much as it blows away with its vapor quality. The Blaze stands tall with a sturdy, all-stainless steel construction at just over 100mm, but its heft is a unique selling point since it feels good to handle, unlike other flimsily-made pens. When you hold and use the Blaze, you feel reassured that this pen with two styles of atomizers – the Ace and Zero – is worth every penny.
Pros:
Apparent design perfection, the clean, smooth look
The two atomizer options offer unique vapor quality
Four temperature settings also let you experiment with the vapor quality
Glass-mouthpiece never gets hot and makes for easy inhalation
The Yocan Evolve Plus isn’t the prettiest device, but it’s affordable and hits like a champ because of the dual-rod atomizer. The quartz rods heat up faster than other devices since the Evolve has direct voltage but no variable voltage. The exterior is all-black and silver and has a cylindrical shape and is nothing impressive, but what does impress is the hidden compartment to store your materials lined with silicone, so it doesn’t stick to your concentrate.
Pros:
Hits hard and fast, so you don’t need to use a lot of material
Battery life is excellent, but it makes the pen bigger and heavier than other pens
Easy loading with tool included in the kit
One-button operation makes it suitable for beginners
Cons:
The atomizer needs regular cleaning because it gets dirty
A better LED since you can’t see when it is on or off
The PuffCo Plus is premium quality without the premium price. The pen has a smooth, shiny exterior – but it also comes in a psychedelic, tie-dye option – that you can’t stop looking at, but it gets even better on the inside. The Plus is 510-threaded so that you can attach other atomizers or prefilled cartridges, and it has multiple voltage levels to perfect your vapor quality. The Plus uses a coilless chamber made with ceramic, so it heats evenly to give a flavorful experience.
Pros:
The built-in dab applicator prevents you from making a sticky mess of everything
The sesh mode makes sure none of your material goes to waste
The clean, glossy look is a great design decision
The simple, three-piece configuration (battery, atomizer, mouthpiece) makes it a perfect pen for newcomers
The G Pen Micro+ is for anyone who wants a high-end premium dab pen but doesn’t want to pay more than $100. The Micro+ fills that void with its high-quality components and outstanding performance. The device features a quartz-lined atomizer with a ceramic plate heating element that draws air in through the air holes surrounding the chamber. The exterior section is pure stainless steel, so it stands up to extended use and is easier to clean than similar devices.
Pros:
Two heating methods give you control over the vapor quality (manual or sesh mode)
Small, portable, and lightweight design that makes you want to take it everywhere
The battery charges fast, and you can use pass-through charging
The KandyPens – Amber Rose collaboration has given us this gleaming dab pen with two distinct atomizers and a 510-threaded, refillable cartridge. The battery matches the versatility of the pen with its four voltage levels that let you find the sweet spot for your preferred oil or solid concentrate. The glass tank can hold 0.5ml, but you can also switch to the other atomizers, one with a rod-based design and the other with a ceramic plate.
Pros:
Good-looking pen, but it’s also technically marvelous because it has three different atomizers
A lot of versatility packed into a small package, four temperature settings, a sesh mode
Comfortable, ergonomic mouthpiece that you can use all-day
One button to control everything makes it suitable for beginners
Cons:
The price is a little high, but you get a lot for it
Voted the “Best Discreet Portable Vaporizer,” the Ares looks unlike any other dab straw you’ve ever seen. The Ares can blend into any environment thanks to its pen-capped mouthpiece that looks normal in any setting, but when you unleash the power inside, the Ares performs better than most other, average-looking dab straws. The Ares has the classically clean steel exterior of all Linx dab pens and has a ceramic-tipped rod so you can suck up all that delicious vapor. But you can also use the ceramic coil-less atomizer to vape your concentrates through a medical-grade vapor path.
Pros:
Discreet, beautiful-to-look-at-design
High-quality components (stainless steel, ceramic) give the pen a luxurious sheen
One-button functionality makes it easy to use for new vapers
A long-lasting battery gives you multiple sessions on one charge
Cons:
The ceramic and glass parts are very delicate so handle them with care
The Dipper Vaporizer is a good choice for someone who wants to experiment with a honey straw but has a coil atomizer as a backup. The Dipper is dual-use, as most honey straws are since most people are familiar with dab pens but not honey straws. This device has a ceramic tip to heat concentrates with the vapor flowing through the pen so you can inhale it like drinking through a straw. But you can replace the cap on the ceramic tip and load the quartz crystal chamber on the other end to enjoy your concentrates that way.
Pros:
You can switch between the two styles easily (put the cap on one end, take the lid off the other end)
The button is large and easy to access
The vapor quality from the straw and coil atomizer is above average
The Releafy Torch has an awkward name, but it makes up for it in other ways, like being one of the first precision temperature control dab pens. You can dial your preferred temperature setting via the device’s central power button and switch between temperature and voltage. The Torch comes with two separate atomizers based on different materials – quartz and ceramic – but are both coilless for improved flavor.
Pros:
Simple, clean exterior that is easy to take anywhere
Two atomizers offer different vaping styles (one more flavor, the other more clouds)
Intelligent battery recognizes new atomizer and changes heating modes
Magnetic cap that keeps the mouthpiece and vapor path clean
The Yocan Lux 510 battery is a big boy and offers 510-cartridge lovers a reasonably-priced, heavy-duty battery to power you through multiple sessions. The Lux looks like an old-fashioned tube mod, but it has no atomizer, just a 510-thread up top so you can fit any atomizer or cartridge you want. A selector ring around the 510-thread allows you to switch between power levels ranging from 2.4 to 3.6V.
Pros:
Easy-to-use battery that also has advanced settings
Functionality is so clean and simple, different from dab pens
Variable voltage levels are easy to change with a rotating switch
Fast charging time for the battery
Cons:
If they made it big and bulky, they should have increased battery capacity
The Boulder W2 concentrate pen is a battery-only device that supports any 510-threaded cartridge or atomizer to transfer any of your favorite atomizers to this device quickly. The W2 has a solid construction and uses a single operating battery to make it effortless to use. It’s a great value for someone who wants a reliable 510 battery and would rather spend money on the 510 cartridges.
Pros:
The no-nonsense battery does one job very well
Good weight and build that comes with four voltage levels
A good user interface with its big, bright LED
Clean, sharp 510-threads take any type of cartridge
The Vessel Expedition is the best way to protect your 510 cartridges since it has a drop-in design that keeps your cartridge safe and intact. The Expedition has a forward-thinking design that looks sleek but also hits all the technical marks with its four variable voltage settings and powerful internal battery.
Dab pens are portable versions of nail rigs, the only way people used to vape concentrates like resin and wax. Nail rigs and dab pens follow the same method: an often-metal heating element gets heated to a point where it vaporizes THC concentrates, making an inhalable vapor.
A dab pen uses this same function with its internal heating chamber. Instead of a sizeable tabletop rig, a dab pen reduces all that into quartz rods and wire atomizers or the more-popular flat-disc heating element made of ceramic. The dab pen’s internal battery heats the quartz crystal or ceramic disc, which heats the loaded concentrate, i.e., budder, shatter, wax or resin.
Dab pen typically has simple three-piece configurations:
Mouthpiece
Atomizer
Battery
The separate pieces have different attachment styles, but the most common one is 510-threading, so you can use pieces interchangeably. You can attach one atomizer to another, more powerful battery or use one battery with several types of atomizer or a prefilled cartridge. Dab pens are very slight and have a low profile, which makes them popular and convenient to use anywhere.
Different Types of Wax Dabs
While a dab and a wax pen are indistinguishable, the waxes have several distinguishing features. Not all resins are the same since every producer uses a unique process to create their product. Like there are several different types of other products, like wine, coffee, or chocolate, producers like to add specific characteristics or features to their products to make them stand out from the crowd.
Shatter
.
Shatter is the name given to cannabis extracts with a glassy, fragile-looking appearance that is almost see-through. Shatter is different from regular wax. It is hard and can break faster than typical wax, which is soft and pliable like any other type. Shatter is often produced via solvent extraction that absorbs all the cannabinoids in raw cannabis flowers.
Pull n’ Snap
Pull n’ Snap is a type of THC extract with a soft, gooey texture that can be pulled apart, much like taffy candy. Pull n’ Snap is also created using the hydrocarbon extraction process. It pushes a solvent through the dried plant material. However, the concentrated oil is then purified from the solvent leaving only the sticky and malleable THC or CBD extract.
Sugar Wax
Sugar or sugar wax is another type of extract with the texture and appearance of wet sugar and appears as tiny, little crystals. Sugar wax can be made in many different ways. But it is typically made with the same extraction solvent as other waxes and extracts. Before, processed cannabis oil often accidentally became crystalline, like sugar. But now, producers have found different ways to create this process rather than waiting for it to happen by itself.
Sauce
The sauce is a type of extract with a liquid texture known for its potency and high-terpene count. The material is made using the same extraction process but can be made using solvent or C02 extraction. Sauces often come with tiny, semi-visible crystals inside the liquid, solid THC particles.
Badder/Batter
Badder or batter is so-called because once processed, it comes to have a consistency similar to cake batter, meaning it is wet, granular, and spreadable. The product uses solvent extraction but is often shaken or mixed with other ingredients to create a different texture. There are many different consistencies of badder as well.
Crumble
This extract gets its name because it has a dry, crumbly consistency and tends to fall apart easily. This feature does not mean that it is of poor quality. Crumble is a dry type of extract since it spends a lot of time heated in a sealed vacuum. This longer extraction time means the end product is much more dehydrated and potent than other types of wax. It is also referred to as a honeycomb because of its appearance and malleability.
Live Resin
Live resin is a kind of cannabis extract that is made with frozen cannabis plants rather than fresh, dried, or cured plants. The freezing process is supposed to retain all the valuable cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and trichomes found in freshly-harvested marijuana or hemp plants. Once frozen, the plants are subjected to different extraction methods depending on the manufacturer. So any time you see “live” before any cannabis products, it often means the plants used to make them were frozen and not fresh or cured.
Bubble Hash
Bubble hash is made using a freezing process that captures the essential compounds of cannabis flowers and then extracted using an agitation process. When smoked, the hash bubbles, giving it its unique name. Fresh cannabis plants are mixed with ice water, which removes the desired components and is then filtered to create the bubble hash.
What’s a Good Dab Pen for Beginners?
If you are a beginner, you can learn about dab pens quickly because they are straightforward. Best wax pens have user-friendly features like one-click buttons and no other controls, screens, or settings. Some dab pens come outfitted with variable voltage, but you can adjust them with one button or have an adjustable dial you can turn to find the best setting for you. But if you want to know what qualities and specifications you should look for or consider when buying a new dab pen near me, then these are the areas you should focus on.
Build Materials
High-end dab pens use many high-quality materials, even medical grade, so there is no risk of burning and inhaling dangerous substances like plastic, glue, or rubber. But the essential build material you should pay attention to is the heating element in the atomizer. The most popular, even standard, the material is quartz or ceramic.
Again, other, more advanced dab pens have pure titanium or stainless steel coils to instantly vaporize THC or CBD concentrates. But those devices are not for beginners and cost a lot of money. If you are looking for a suitable starter device, you can try the Yocan Evolve, which has a simple, three-piece configuration and a dual-quartz rod atomizer.
Battery Life
The battery inside your dab pen matters a lot, but getting a more extensive battery means the device will be larger and more challenging to carry around. You can choose something smaller in size, but the trade-off is that your battery longevity will go down, but if your priority is something portable and discrete, that is the best option.
Price
Price is the primary consideration when you make any purchase, but if you’re a beginner, try going with something that won’t hurt your bottom line. Budget devices perform well and are easy to use, even if they do not have premium components and extra features like adjustable airflow or temperature control. You can graduate to higher-end devices when you are curious about what is out there, know what you want, and have the money. But if you’re happy with your starter device and don’t need to spend money on something else, you can do that too. Also, buy and pay only on trusted official sites.
How to Use a Dab Pen
A dab pen is easy to use, no matter its design or style. They have simple configurations and do not have any complicated controls. Dab pens are meant to be user-friendly, so anyone can figure them out quickly.
All dab pens need to be loaded, and they have screw-on carb caps and mouthpieces that are self-explanatory and easy to navigate.
Dab pens also need to be charged and recharged, which is easy to do with the included charging cables and USB ports that most modern electronic devices have. You should always charge a new device’s battery to ensure it operates properly. Once you have charged the battery, you can start using the device.
A dab pen like the Yocan Plus, PuffCo Plus, or Linx Blaze has its atomizer underneath the mouthpiece, so you need to remove the mouthpiece to load the chamber. After you’ve loaded the material, you can replace the cap, turn on the device and press the firing button to heat the element.
Honey straws like the Linx Ares or the Sol have different operating instructions, but you should only use them if you understand how they work. A honey straw has a hot tip or end made of quartz or ceramic that heats and vaporizes concentrate when it comes in contact with the material. You then inhale the vapor from a mouthpiece, but this hot tip is exposed, so you should be very careful and not touch it when in use or put it on some flammable material.
Best Temperature to Vape with Dab Pens for Wax
All wax vaporizers, no matter what they vape, follow the same principle – more power, more vapor, less power, less vapor. This fact applies to dab pens as well. There are varying temperatures you can vape concentrates, but the higher the temperature, the more vapor, but if you prefer lower temperatures, you will get a different vaping experience.
The ideal range for people who want less vapor but more flavor and a more subtle experience can choose between 290 to 330°F. But people who want a lot of vapor, don’t care about taste, and want to get high faster should try vaping anywhere between 371 and 445F.
But temperature control is a premium feature that most regular dab pens don’t have. Budget or beginner dab pens use direct voltage or on-demand vapor, meaning they press the button and get vapor. Other advanced wax and dab devices have adjustable settings like temperature control, but that usually comes in the form of attaching a 510 wat atomizer to a high-voltage, dual battery mod.
How to Clean a Dab Pens
A dab or wax pen does not often need to be cleaned or maintained, but that depends on your pen. A pre-filled or disposable wax pen does not require cleaning, recharging, or refilling. And it is the most accessible type of pen or vape. Other dab pens use a tank atomizer to vape their material and occasionally need some cleaning.
Cleaning a dab pen can be tricky because of the fragility of the materials inside the atomizer, like quartz, glass, or ceramic. That’s why you should never use metal tools to clean an atomizer. Instead, let it heat and then use a cotton swab to remove the residue that melts away to ensure you are not scratching or damaging the chamber inside.
Is Wax Better than Dry Herb?
Dab pens and dry herb pens are very different. Think of dab pens as your stove-top, but a dry herb pen as an oven; they are both ways to do the same thing – cook – but use different methods. But dab pens and dry herb vape pens are distinct because they vape different materials, requiring different vaporization methods.
Dab pens use direct contact or conduction heating because the material touches the heat source.
But dry herb pens use either style – convection or conduction – even a hybrid of both to vaporize the essential ingredients in raw, unprocessed dry herb.
Another difference between these two methods is that dry herb vapes leave material behind, known as an ABV – already been vaped.
Some dab pens leave behind reclaim, the residue leftover from material that has not been vaped since it has not come in contact with the heating element.
But reclaim is not the same as excess dry herb material, which can accumulate. However, you can smoke or use ABV for other purposes, so it is not entirely useless.
Pros and Cons of Dab Pens
Pros
Dab Pen is easy to use, assemble, and load, even though they might be a challenge to clean
They perform on the same level as huge, elaborate table-top nails and rigs
Wax pen produces excellent vapor quality and has adjustable settings
Dab pen is portable and convenient to use
Cons
They can be messy and difficult to load, especially with concentrates, which are sticky by nature
They can require a lot of cleaning and maintenance
Frequently Asked Questions
Are wax pens and dab pens the same?
No, the terms’ wax and dab are interchangeable. A wax is technically a “dab” since a THC concentrate (wax, budder, shatter, resin) can be used with a dab pen.
What are good dab pen brands?
Some good dab pen brands include
KandyPens
Linx
PuffCo
Yocan
G Pen
They have been leaders in the industry for a long time.
How can you tell the quality of the dab?
There are different ways to tell the quality of a dab, from the size, shape, and design to battery life and vapor quality. You determine the quality of a dab pen and what makes you happy about your device.
How many hits is a gram of dab pen?
A single dab can get you anywhere between 5 or 7 hits per dab if you vape at medium voltage or temperature to make the dab last longer.
Are dabs stronger than carts?
Not really. Dabs have high concentrations of THC (70-90%) but so do THC oils that come inside prefilled 510 cartridges.
Do dab pens smell?
No, dab pens do not smell the same way as joints or dry herb vape pens since they do not burn any material but create odorless vapor.
Why do dabs make me sleepy?
Dabbing THC can cause many different effects, from euphoria and relaxation to hunger and tiredness, so a dab is expected to make you sleepy.
How much do dab pens cost?
Dab pens range in price from reasonable – $30 or $40 – to more expensive – $80 or $100 – but these prices are much less costly than the traditional dab rigs and nails that people used before dab pens.
How long do wax dabs last?
Wax dabs can last long, depending on how frequently you vape. You can use a small amount of wax to great effect, meaning you don’t have to use a lot to feel something.
How long would a dab pen stay in your system?
The length of time THC and other cannabis compounds remain in your system depends on different factors, like what you eat and drink, but usually, THC remains detectable in your system for up to two weeks.
Conclusion
Dab penis is a great alternative to all the other ways to ingest THC, CBD and other cannabis concentrates. Wax pens are easy to use, affordable, and offers varying experiences to experiment with what you prefer. Dab pens do not have complicated controls, and anyone can use them without any previous experience.
Published: November 9, 2018Updated: February 24, 2023
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Posted by
James Bickford
My way of understanding the significance of vaping came not only through the disruption of smoking but its effects on society as a whole. Now I bring people to vaping and bring vaping to people. I love using new gear, writing in-depth reviews and generally nerding out about vaping to like-minded people.
I’m looking for a all day carry as I have high anxiety and like something discreet so I can medicat when needed as of now I only have access to wax what is my best option?
Wow i find this site very informative and helpful for an old school smoker like myself. Thanks Vaping Daily for the educative information about
Dabs Pens
I only use just dab the oils I don’t have the just dab pen but every time I use my pen it makes the taste horrible after 4 or 5 uses then it has a horrible burnt taste. I’ve gone through 6 different pens & I’ve gone through so many just dab oils & it does it every time please help me as to why this keeps happening I only like these just dab oils but I can’t find the correct pen! Please help
Hi Paige,
I find that I have this problem too! It doesn’t happen with nails, though—I think this is because of the nail’s higher temperature compared to a dab pen. Where a nail may get as hot as 600°F when it’s used, a pen may only reach 450°F. This low temperature is what lets the delicious terpenes we love shine through the vapor, but only slowly burns off the last bit of gunk that’s still beneficial but tastes like some doo-doo. Try raising your temperature so that you finish off the load within 1 – 2 hits rather than 4 – 5, this should burn off everything in equal proportions, so it won’t taste as amazing as possible, but it will still be tolerable. And consider picking up a water attachment that will cool down the incoming vapor, that always helps.
Jake Sobyck
October 14, 2019 at 6:53 amI love vaping!
Scott
July 10, 2018 at 8:03 pmI’m looking for a all day carry as I have high anxiety and like something discreet so I can medicat when needed as of now I only have access to wax what is my best option?
Anita Lewis
April 7, 2018 at 4:36 pmI have a pen called oniyo need cartridges for canabas oil with wick
Craig Thompy
March 16, 2018 at 1:02 amWow i find this site very informative and helpful for an old school smoker like myself. Thanks Vaping Daily for the educative information about
Dabs Pens
Paige macey
February 22, 2018 at 11:49 pmI only use just dab the oils I don’t have the just dab pen but every time I use my pen it makes the taste horrible after 4 or 5 uses then it has a horrible burnt taste. I’ve gone through 6 different pens & I’ve gone through so many just dab oils & it does it every time please help me as to why this keeps happening I only like these just dab oils but I can’t find the correct pen! Please help
Mitch Clarke
May 3, 2018 at 4:34 pmHi Paige,
I find that I have this problem too! It doesn’t happen with nails, though—I think this is because of the nail’s higher temperature compared to a dab pen. Where a nail may get as hot as 600°F when it’s used, a pen may only reach 450°F. This low temperature is what lets the delicious terpenes we love shine through the vapor, but only slowly burns off the last bit of gunk that’s still beneficial but tastes like some doo-doo. Try raising your temperature so that you finish off the load within 1 – 2 hits rather than 4 – 5, this should burn off everything in equal proportions, so it won’t taste as amazing as possible, but it will still be tolerable. And consider picking up a water attachment that will cool down the incoming vapor, that always helps.
Pp
October 17, 2018 at 10:20 pmMaybe you should quit
samuel whitman
October 5, 2017 at 11:57 amHey yall . i found the site very informative and helpful for an old school smoker like myself. Thx yall !! take it easy….