Advantages of Mini Dab Rigs
Whether you have an extensive collection of water pipes or are searching for your first, buying a new piece is always exciting. While many people focus on the visual aesthetic of water pipes, it is important to know what their benefits and capabilities are.
Mini dab rigs are an excellent choice for your next water pipe purchase. From convenience of size to quality of pulls, there are many advantages to these pieces.
In this article, we will cover what makes mini dab rigs so great and why you should consider adding one to your collection. Plus, we will offer a few product recommendations of the many great mini dab rigs available to choose from!
What is a Mini Dab Rig?
A dab rig is a type of water pipe used for consuming concentrated cannabis. This concentrate differs from flower in that it offers – you guessed it – a higher concentrate of THC. The concentrate itself can vary in its form as well, with several different types consumed through dab rigs.
These include:
Wax/Budder: A soft and opaque extract that is easy to scoop with a yellow or golden color. Waxes and budders are very easy to work with, but are not as long-lasting as other harder types of concentrates.
Shatter: A translucent and tightly packed concentrate with a vibrant amber color. Shatter is harder than wax and has a glassy finish. While shatter can pack a more powerful punch than wax, it also is harder to scoop and can thus make your dab sizes less exact.
Crumble/Honeycomb: Crumble is a different variation of wax that is produced using lower temperatures over a longer period. This type of concentrate is generally regarded as harder to work with than budder or shatter, but advantageous due to its potent flavor.
THC concentrate is not the only thing that comes in different forms – dab rigs themselves come in many shapes and sizes. Though many fans of concentrates are tempted by the extravagance of a larger dab rig, as we cover the advantages of mini dab rigs you will learn that bigger is not always better.
How is a Mini Dab Rig Different from Bong?
Mini dab rigs and bongs are inherently different in that one is designed for consuming concentrate while the other is intended for flower.
While there are some bongs out there on the market that come with dab rig nail-style attachments, most will have the typical bowl piece made for holding bud. If you have never experienced a bong or dab rig before, this difference in accessories is important to note.
Bowl pieces on bongs are simply made to hold flower while it is heated with a traditional lighter. Dab nails, by comparison, are made to be heated to extreme temperatures in order to vaporize the concentrate. This heating process is normally achieved with a torch or electronic heating coil.
Another big difference between dab rigs and bongs is the size. Although bongs can come in mini form as well, more often than not a bong will be significantly larger than a dab rig – especially a mini dab rig.
5 Advantages to Choosing a Mini Dab Rig as Your Next Pipe
Regardless of if you’re a wax connoisseur or are just experiencing concentrates for the first time, choosing the right rig is paramount. When you are shopping in-store or online for a dab rig, large and fancy pieces are likely to catch your eye. This may be your first mistake – overlooking mini dab rigs due to the extravagance of other water pipes can mean missing out on many key benefits.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at 5 major advantages to choosing a mini dab rig:
1. More Potent and Full-Bodied Flavor
When it comes to dab rigs, size matters – and for more reasons than one.
One of the biggest factors that makes a mini dab rig more advantageous is that there is less room for air within the water pipe. Larger dab rigs can hold more water and oxygen, allowing for the concentrate to become diluted.
By comparison, the compact nature of a mini dab rig keeps the potency and flavor of the concentrate intact. This allows you to more fully experience the terpenes that are present within THC concentrates.
Terpenes are organic compounds that give weed both flavor and aroma. These compounds play an important role in differentiating strains of flower. In concentrates, terpenes can be more precisely controlled to give waxes and extracts bold and unique flavors.
This flavor is – in fact – one of the biggest draws of concentrates for many dab rig fans. Thus, a mini dab rig gives the dabber a more authentic and full-bodied wax experience.
2. Easier to Store & Clean
If you have ever tried to clean a large water pipe, you know the task can be tedious. It becomes even more difficult if the design of the internal pipes includes twists and turns that are hard to get to from the outside.
One major advantage of dab rigs in general is that they can be disassembled for cleaning and storage. For mini dab rigs, this disassembly can help make the piece even easier to store, while its small size makes cleaning a much less time-consuming activity.
The cleaning process is relatively simple if you are good about cleaning the piece regularly. Some rig owners will simply use hot water and isopropyl alcohol to do the trick. However, we recommend stronger cleaning solutions like Formula 420.
To clean your mini dab rig, the first step is to clean the nail. Relatively clean dab nails can be cleansed by heating the nail with your torch. If the nail has more residue caked on than the torch can handle, then it should be soaked in a cleaning solution until the residue loosens
Changing your mini dab rig’s water regularly will help reduce the buildup of reclaim significantly and make the cleaning process all the easier.
3. Portability
If you are someone who is constantly on the go, the ability to bring your pieces with you can be massively convenient. This is a key benefit of mini dab rigs, as they can easily fit within bags and be brought along for the ride.
Due to their size, mini dab rigs offer a high level of portability. The compactness of these dab rigs also reduces the chance of breakage when being transported or – heaven forbid – if it is dropped on the ground.
While mini dab rigs are easy to bring along on adventures, we do advise against using these devices while driving. Always wait until you are in a safe and comfortable space to light your torch and enjoy your concentrates.
You can also purchase a variety of pouches and cases to protect your mini dab rig during transportation. This will help to keep it safe from breaks and also allow you to carry it more discretely than simply storing it inside a bag. These kinds of accessories are a great way to optimize your dabbing experience.
4. Better Pulls
Circling back to the topic of larger vs. mini dab rigs, a mini rig does more than just provide a more concentrated flavor. It also allows you to take better pulls and drags compared to larger dab rigs or bongs.
Think of it like this – a large dab rig has more space for air and the vapor has a longer way to travel before reaching the mouthpiece. As you pull, the longer and bigger tubes will require you to have more lung power in order to clear it in one go.
This can result in you having to take more than one pull to clear the vapor from the rig. In the time between your first and second pull, the vapor is given more opportunity to dilute and dissipate – leading to the vapor becoming stale.
It is also worth considering the impact on your lungs that having to take more than one pull can have. With mini dab rigs, you are all set with one hit. This gives your lungs time to clear and recover while you enjoy the awesome lift concentrates give you.
5. Less Expensive
The price of a mini dab rig can vary – as is the case with any water pipe – according to its design and the materials it is crafted from.
However, when you compare a mini dab rig to its larger counterpart that offers the same capabilities, design, and materials, the mini rig will often be less expensive.
This is particularly beneficial if you are searching for a new pipe on a budget. Not only do mini dab rigs offer you a higher quality experience, but they also are easier to find at prices that fit your current needs.
Of course, there are also more expensive mini dab rigs for those of you who are big spenders looking to add luxurious pieces to your collection. It all comes down to personal preference, and mini dab rigs give you much greater options in terms of pricing.
Great Mini Dab Rigs to Consider Adding to Your Collection
How can we make this breakdown of the advantages of mini dab rigs even more valuable for you?
By providing recommendations of our favorite rigs of course!
The following 3 mini dab rigs are available for purchase at SMOKEA®. Each comes with its own unique design and set of benefits. Without further ado, here are 3 awesome mini dab rigs or brands that will make wonderful additions to your growing collection of pieces:
1. MJ Arsenal Mini Dab Rigs
The brand MJ Arsenal is virtually unmatched when it comes to designing awesome mini dab rigs.
One of the best pieces they offer is the Infinity Mini Dab Rig. With a classic fab-egg style percolation combined with the rhythmic double uptake recycler, this product offers you smooth pulls and an elevated concentrate experience.
The Infinity Mini Dab Rig stands at 5.5 inches in height, with a base diameter of 2.375 inches. It is crafted from high-quality borosilicate glass and is designed with a bent mouthpiece and banger hanger.
2. Pulsar 5.75” Mini Aerospace Dab Rig
At a slightly higher price point than the MJ Arsenal Infinity Mini Dab Rig, the Pulsar 5.57 inch Mini Aerospace Dab Rig has a lot to offer.
The first thing that stands out about this mini dab rig is its beautiful and handcrafted form. It comes with a unique geometric design crafted from high-quality borosilicate glass that can make it a wonderful statement piece to add to your collection.
This mini dab rig offers a fixed, diffused downstem, as well as a 45-degree joint and Pulsar decal. The base width of this rig is 4.5 inches.
Plus, it comes in a variety of colors, allowing you to pick the rig that best fits your style and personality!
3. Eyce ProTek Series Spark Dab Rig
If you’re looking for a mini dab rig that that will stand apart from the rest, then the Eyce ProTeck Series Spark is the product for you.This rig offers a unique silicone covered glass body to help prevent accidental breakage. It features a fixed showerhead downstem to provide the perfect amount of filtration and has a bent mouthpiece for a comfortable smoke sesh.
The Eyce ProTeck will not only stand out from the rest of your glass collection thanks to it's colorful silicone cover. It can also be equipped with an LED lighting package to make your dab rig truly shine.
Final Thoughts
Smoking concentrates is highly favored by many THC connoisseurs for both the enhanced flavor and stronger effects.
For the best possible experience with concentrates, using a mini dab rig is the way to go. The smaller form of these rigs drastically reduces the dilution of the vapor, allowing for more flavorful and impactful pulls.
Plus, the convenience of size makes for easy cleaning and storage! So what are you waiting for? There’s no better time than now to become the proud owner of a beautiful new mini dab rig from SMOKEA®.
- SMOKEA Blog