Dabbing Rigs - How to choose your first one.

Let’s clear one thing up – we're not talking about the passé dance move here; we’re talking about smoking cannabis concentrates, such as waxes and oils. Dabbing rigs are a great way of getting a smooth and powerful hit from your weed concentrates in a simple and convenient manner. Similar in looks to a weed bubbler, these modified rigs are designed to be used for smoking different concentrates, such as oil, budder, or wax. So, let’s have a look at how these dabbing rigs work, and what to look for when selecting your first dab rig to purchase.

The term "dab" is widely used to mean a cannabis concentrate or a dose of the concentrate. Different concentrates are available, and the method used to vaporise and inhale these concentrates is called "dabbing." Cannabis concentrates are made by extracting cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant matter. This extraction process leaves you with potent and concentrated forms of the herb, often simply called ‘concentrates.’ Smoking these concentrates with the aid of a dabbing rig gives you a strong, yet smooth, hit. The equipment we use for this is often referred to as a "dabbing rig". A dabbing rig will have a few constituent parts, so let’s have a look at those.

At the heart of any dab rig is the glass pipe itself. It’s similar in appearance to a glass weed bubbler but has a slightly modified design. The first thing to do is to make sure the dabbing rig that you are looking into purchasing is made from high quality materials. High quality glass, such as that used by Molino Glass, will ensure you have a dab rig that will last a long time and will be easy to clean, especially if you use a tailor-made glass cleaner. The main glass pipe element of the rig comes in different shapes and sizes to suit your every need. In terms of size, there are larger dabbing rigs for home use and mini dabbing rigs if you need some portability for your rig. Once you have decided which rig you like the look of, it’s time to focus a little more on the details to make sure this is indeed the dabbing rig for you.

On a standard bong or bubbler, we have the bowl – where we place our flower. This will look a little different on dab rigs. This part of the equipment is known as a "banger" or a "nail". When dabbing, the heat is applied to the banger rather than directly to the cannabis materials. We use a torch to heat the banger first, and when we have the correct temperature, we use a ‘dabber’ to apply the concentrate to the hollow banger. This vaporises the weed concentrate, and we use a ‘carb cap’ on the banger and then inhale to pull this vapor through the water chamber of the dab rig to get a nice, smooth hit. These dabbers and carb caps can also be purchased as add-ons or extras, in case of loss or damage, or if you feel the need for a spare.

So which dabbing rig is right for you? If you are looking for a home-use dabbing rig, we can check out the larger ones on offer. If oil is your concentrate of choice, you might want to check out our beautifully-crafted oil rig. Standing at 40cm tall, this bad boy will be the envy of your friends when you invite them over for a chilled evening. It incorporates a simple yet aesthetically-pleasing design, and utilises 4mm Pyrex glass for added peace of mind. The craftsmanship and the end product are flawless—you won’t be disappointed when you get your oil hit through this striking dabbing rig.

Also in the larger category of home dabbing rigs, we have the Mephisto V2 Stemless Oil Rig. This delightful dab rig is also made of high-quality Pyrex glass and would make an excellent center piece for your smoking collection. With two water chambers and three diffusers, this mighty rig will have you marveling at its smoothness. Standing proud at 40 cm tall and with a diameter of 50 mm, this superlative dab rig will leave nothing to be desired.

If portability is a factor in your decision-making, you won’t go wrong checking out the mini dabbing rigs on offer at Molino Glass too. At a more modest 15 cm tall, the Baby Bottle Mini Dab Rig is perfect when you want to get high on the fly, but is equally at home in your front room. The quickest of glances at the design of this beauty will reveal how it got its name. This mini dab rig has been a best-seller for a few years now, and is flying out of the store with its improved design since 2021. One of the great features of this mini dab rig is its versatility—it comes with a banger and a bowl, so you can use it with the raw herb or with concentrates.

The Molino Glass Earth Mini Dab Rig is another mini dabbing rig that punches above its weight. This compact beaker-style mini rig also comes in at 15 cm tall, making it a great size to fit into your bag for excellent portability. With a bowl and a banger too, the Earth rig is also capable of burning either bud or concentrates.

So now we know the ins and outs of dabbing – what are you waiting for? Choose your first dabbing rig, and enter the world of super-smooth concentrate smoking. Whether you choose a larger dabbing rig or a mini dab rig, you will not be disappointed.