KandyPens Crystal 2
The Crystal 2 is a high-end, durable Dab Pen. The "Coilless" quartz bowl and the glass mouthpiece produce flavorful vapor that remains pure and tasty throughout the entire session. It also has adjustable airflow and a large (1200mAh) battery that outlasts "thinner" pens. The Crystal is simple enough for beginners and powerful enough for advanced users, making it the best wax pen of 2021.
Dr Dabber Stella
Dr. Dabber Stella is a sleek-looking vape that produces stellar vapor flavor. It features a Temperature Coefficient Resistance which prevents the wax from getting burned. Also, the ‘floating coil' design helped with dispersing the heat properly. For a $100 vape, this is suitable for both newcomers and experienced vapers who prefer vapor flavor above anything else.
Ceram-X
The O2Vape Ceram-X is a Dab pen with a unique design. It is shorter and wider than what we've used to and fits discreetly in the palm-of-your-hand. It uses a ceramic coil that produces smooth and tasty hits, but the vapor may be too soft for some users. Its simplicity may be an advantage for users looking for a basic pen, and a drawback for vapers who like to customize their experience.
Puffco Plus
The Puffco Plus is a heavyweight when it comes to producing smooth and tasty vapor. It's a sleek-looking vape that features a dab tool built into it, which means there is one less accessory for you to carry around. The battery life is a little disappointing, but the short charge time makes up for it. For $90, this is probably the best price to performance ratio you'll find, making it an incredible value.
Yocan Regen
The Yocan Regen is an affordable concentrate vaporizer made for the hard-hitters. It includes two different quartz coils that produce intense vapor and big clouds. The vapor quality is good but not great, so anyone who is into flavor over clouds should look elsewhere.
A$AP Rocky
The A$AP Rocky vape pen is one of the best looking vape pens I’ve ever used, but fortunately it’s a lot more than that. It is also impressively versatile and delivers a great vaping experience, especially with the ceramic coil. I definitely recommend it, but only if you can afford it.
Linx Blaze
The Linx Blaze is a straightforward and simple vape that provides great vapor quality for its price. It features interchangeable coils (Quartz and Ceramic), a glass mouthpiece, four temp settings- all optimized to produce clean and delicious vapor. Overall, the Linx Blaze is capable of satisfying vapers who prioritize discretion and vapor flavor.
Dab / Wax Pen Buying Guide
What are dab pens?
Dab Pens are also known as Wax Pens or Weed Pens and are compatible with CBD/ THC shatter, extract, Wax, concentrate, dab, etc. On this list are the best dab pens of this year, in different categories. We posted links to authorized stores and coupon codes where available. We update the list as we test new pens.
Things to consider when buying a Dab Pen
1. The CBD/THC Extracts
The CBD/ THC Extracts are available in dispensaries within legal states. These concentrates can be up to 95% THC, and give instant results on demand. If you don’t live in a legal state, you can purchase CBD dabs, such as the one from Steve’s Goods (Visit Store) or from In-Hemp (Visit Store). These are derived from hemp so they are legal in all states.
2. Coils: Quartz VS Ceramic
You can read this post for the full rundown. But basically- Quartz is typically intense (more vapor, less flavor), and Ceramic is usually soft (better flavor, less harsh). Some Wax Pens (KandyPens Amber, Prism) come with starter kits that include both atomizers so you can try and see which one suits you best.
3. Vaping Dabs VS Dry Herb
The sweet spot vaping temperature of THC Dabs starts around 410F and goes up to 500F. The good news is that to reach that temperature for a few seconds, to heat very little material, vape pens do not need a lot of power. This means that vape pens can be small and discreet, unlike dry herb vaporizers. Dry herb vapes need to stay at a high temperature for an extended “session” and require a large battery and involved usage. Dab pens are more practical and easy to use.
4. Wax VS Oil vape pens
CBD/ THC Wax (also known as crumble, shatter, dab, concentrate, etc.) is solid at room temperature. It can sometimes have “honey” like consistency, but it is not “oily.” Oil is a liquid in room temperature and has a similar consistency to olive oil. Oil usually comes in pre-filled 510 cartridges, like these from Medix CBD. Read this post to understand the differences between Cannabis Oil and Wax.
5. Price Point
As you notice at the list above, vape pen prices can vary dramatically (KP Amber- $148, GP Nova- $35) and wonder what may be the difference. Typically, with higher-end vape pens, you’d get a better battery, better kit (includes more coils, oil compatibility). The build quality may be better, keeping the air-path pure from plastic or silicone. And they would also last longer. Cheap vape pens can be good for travel or as a backup, but if you’re serious about dabbing, you should invest in a good pen.
FAQs
These are a subset of wax pens, but the main difference is that the Wax isn’t placed inside the atomizer. Instead of an atomizer, concentrate straws have a heating tip on one end and the mouthpiece on the other. The tip is placed into a shallow dish of Wax when it heats up, it melts and vaporizes the Wax. The vapor is inhaled through a small opening in the tip and up into the mouthpiece. Concentrate straws are a little easier to use than dab pens since you don’t have to worry about loading your Wax into them. However, you do give up the portability of wax pens with concentrate straws.
Quartz atomizers typically heat up faster than Ceramic, and the vapor they produce tends to be harsher and denser as a result. Ceramic atomizers heat up more slowly, and their vapor quality tends to be more palatable. Ceramic atomizers tend to produce thinner clouds. If you’re a beginner, we recommend starting out with Ceramic.
There is a marijuana smell since Wax is a concentrated form of marijuana after all; however, it dissipates very quickly and doesn’t stick to clothes or hair.
Since Wax is a concentrated form of marijuana, the high it gives you is faster and more intense than what you would get from dry herb.
Some dry herb vaporizers include an accessory that allows you to use Wax. However, dry herb vapes do not tend to reach the high temperatures necessary to provide a good vaping experience. A dedicated dab pen is the best way to use Wax in a portable device.
Only solid extracts can be used in wax pens. So extracts like Wax, crumble, or budder should be used. Some Wax pens are 510 thread, and therefore, they are compatible with 510 pre-filled cartridges.
Even though they are created using similar extraction methods, Wax and oil are different when it comes to consistency. Wax is either a semi-soft substance or a hard, brittle substance, while oil is a thin, liquid substance.
THC extracts are available in dispensaries within legal states; it cannot be purchased online. CBD extracts and CBD infused products can be purchased from online and brick and mortar smoke shops and dispensaries since CBD is legal in all 50 states.
If the vape pen battery and the oil cartridge are both 510 threaded, then the cartridge can be attached to the vape pen battery. However, you should not put oil in a vape pen’s atomizer because it is not designed for use with that substance.
Glossary
- Dab – This is the amount of Wax placed in the atomizer of the wax pen. The size of the dab depends on the size of the atomizer.
- Atomizer/ Coil – This is where you place the Wax in the dab pen. The atomizer heats up the Wax and turns it into vapor.
- 510 Thread – A type of threading that is the industry standard. It is used for connecting the battery to the atomizer. Devices with 510 threading are compatible with each other, so a 510 threaded atomizer can work with any 510 threaded battery.
- Sesh Mode – Most vape pens automatically shut off after a certain amount of time. Some dab pens have a sesh mode that overrides the automatic shut off time and allows users to keep vaping for longer.
TVG is a small team of cannabis and vaping enthusiasts that came together to create a vaping guide that's accessible for everyone. Over the past seven years, we have collectively tested hundreds of vapes for performance, build and vapor quality, as well as ease of use and overall value. We are also passionate about graphic design, videography & video editing, fitness, food & wine.