Ready to dab? Here’s everything you need to build your first dab rig kit now!
A dab rig setup includes 5 essentials: A dab rig filled with water (body), quartz banger (where dabs go), torch (turn the dabs into vapor), dab tool (transfer dabs to banger), and a carb cap (to cover the banger so vapor doesn’t escape).
Did you know? There are 7 different types of dab setups! We’ll go over each one from self-heating nails to torchless set ups.
Classic dab rig setup includes:
- Mini rig: The body (smaller rigs deliver more potent hits)
- Quartz banger: The dab rig’s “bowl” (where the dabs go)
- Butane torch: Heats the banger that holds the dabs.
- Dab tool: Used to scoop and move dabs.
- Carb cap: Controls air flow and stops vapor leak.
How to set up your dab rig
To set up your dab rig correctly, fill water in your dab rig through the mouthpiece or joint with just enough water to cover the percolator slits (water should bubble when you inhale). Insert your banger into the joint (hole), and have your torch, concentrates, and dab tool ready.
Once you have all the above you are ready to take your first dab.
Wait a sec: Keep isopropyl alcohol and q-tips handy to swab your banger immediately after each dab, preventing nasty residue buildup (which burns on the next round and tastes terrible). Use an Isoplex dab station to hold everything in your dab rig setup from banger, cap, dabber tools, pearls, isopropyl alcohol, and q-tips!
What is the best dab rig setup?
There are 6 different types of dab rig setups, but let’s talk about the best one first:
The best dab rig set up includes a mini rig (for max potency), quartz banger (best heat retention), basic percolator (fewer bubbles preserve terpenes), butane torch (heats banger), dabber tool (transfers dabs), and carb cap (locks vapor in).
This classic tried and true set up delivers potent, clean, and smooth dab hits every time.
Below are the core components of the classic dab rig setup:
1. The mini dab rig (foundation)
The dab rig is the key foundation of your setup or kit. It’s where the vapor flows through and filters in the water chamber. Size matters with rigs, and smaller is better.
Smaller dab rigs deliver better hits because the vapor only travels a short distance from the banger (where dabs go) to your lungs. Large rigs force the vapor to travel through winding chambers (more surface area) where the cold glass cools the vapor and some of it turns back into oil, sticking to the glass.
- Make sure your mini rig is made from borosilicate glass. Borosilicate, or “scientific” glass handles extreme temperatures from hot vapor without cracking.
- Make sure your mini rig also has a standard percolator like a shower head or a diffused downstem. You want to avoid powerful percs like UFO and jellyfish because they create too many bubbles which strip the dab vapor of terpenes.
Purpose: The dab rig is where the dab vapor travels through. Hot dab vapor goes from the banger into the dab rig’s body via the downstem (a tube that connects the banger into the dab rig’s water chamber). Inside the water chamber hot dab vapor is gently filtered, cooled, and moistened for a smoother hit.
2. Quartz banger (where dabs go)
Another critical component of your dab rig set up is the quartz banger.
A banger is like a bong’s bowl but shaped like a bucket with a 90° or 45° bend at the neck, that inserts into the joint of your dab rig.
When you use a bong, you pack ground weed in the bowl and light it with a lighter. The flame pulls THC and terpenes from the plant into smoke that you inhale. The banger in a dab rig works differently: you heat the empty banger with a butane torch instead of a lighter, and when it’s hot enough you drop the dabs in and it melts and turns into vapor for you to inhale.
The most important thing is how well the banger absorbs and holds the heat from the torch. This is why we recommend a quartz banger and not a ceramic or titanium nail, because quartz has amazing heat retention, with excellent flavor.
There are dozens of different types of quartz bangers, all to give you a more productive dab hit. While a classic quartz banger is a great option, you can upgrade to a core reactor banger (holds heat longer), or a thermo chromic banger (changes color to signal it’s read).
3. Dab tool (moves dab to banger)
The dab tool is an often overlooked but crucial part of your dab set up.
Right after you heat your quartz banger, it’ll be scorching hot at around 700°F. A dab tool lets you safely transfer your dabs without burning your fingers.
Also, different types of concentrates have different consistencies. Some waxes are brittle and dry, and some are runny and viscous. Dab tools are designed with either a scoop (for wax and oils), a pick (for shatter and wax), or a knife for cutting thicker, sticker dabs like crumble and budder.
An even better option is a dual-sided dabber with a pick on one end and carb cap on the other end, so you can flip it around effortlessly instead of juggling separate tools with your set up.
Aim for quality: quartz, borosilicate glass, or titanium dab wands all let you safely scoop and slide concentrates into your heated banger. All three handle extreme heat without damage, and absorb heat from your banger so your dabs slide off the dab tool and onto the floor of the banger to vaporize.
4. Torch (turns dabs to vapor)
To turn your dabs into vapor, you’ll need way more heat than a lighter can give, and that’s where the dab torch comes into play. A butane torch delivers the perfect amount of heat to vaporize your dabs without damaging your banger or nail.
Remember: You aren’t torching your dabs, you are torching the banger first, and once the banger is hot enough you then drop your dabs in and it melts and turns into vapor for you to inhale.
Culinary torches are weaker and can cause puddling (dabs not fully vaporizing) and propane torches are way too hot and can flash burn your concentrates, instantly destroying THC and terpenes. Not only will you waste dabs, propane torches also can cause thermal fractures in your quartz banger or oxidizing a titanium nail (white, crusty build up that ruins flavor).
When it comes to choosing the best dab torch you’ve got plenty of options:
- Turbo torch: Rapid, high power heating for high-temp dabs
- Mini torch: Discreet yet powerful
- Adjustable flame torch: Precise temperature control
- Angled torch: Good for funky angles
- Childproof torch: Great for family settings
- Wind-resistant torch: Outdoor and camping friendly
5. Carb cap (traps heat for thicker vapor)
Last but not least in your dab rig set up is the carb cap, a dome-shaped piece that fits flush against the top of the hot banger, sealing it shut right as your dab melts and vapor rises.
The carb cap acts like a lid for your banger, sealing heat inside right as vapor starts to form. As you gently rotate the cap, fresh air flows through a hole at the top, swirling vapor evenly inside the banger. This swirling motion fully vaporizes your dab by pushing melted concentrates across every inch of the hot quartz surface.
There are also upgraded carb caps that deliver more intentional airflow patterns. Directional carb caps have angled openings that precisely guide airflow onto specific areas of your concentrates, making sure vaporization is thorough, even with larger dabs.
Twister (or spinner) caps have multiple angled holes that rapidly pull air through, creating a tornado-like motion inside the banger, continuously spinning vapor to fully vaporize every drop of your dab.
Every type of dab rig set up
Now that you've mastered the classic dab rig setup with your banger, carb cap, and torch, it's time to explore beyond the basics. The standard setup above works great for beginners, but eventually you’ll want to customize your experience by swapping key components to achieve smoother hits, more powerful vapor, improved portability, or to simplify the sometimes complex dabbing process.
Here are 7 additional concentrate setups:
1. Terp timer set up
The toughest part of dabbing is nailing the perfect temperature. Heat your banger too hot and you'll scorch those flavorful terpenes. Go too cool and your concentrate won't fully vaporize, wasting product.
A terp timer setup solves this problem by using a laser sensor that points directly at your quartz banger, reading its surface temperature in real time. When your banger cools to that sweet spot between 500-550°F, the timer alerts you with a beep or flash that it's perfect for dropping your dab.
Terp timer setup includes:
- Terp timer: Laser device that reads the temperature of your banger.
- Quartz banger: 90° or 45° angled bucket where your concentrate vaporizes
- Mini rig: Compact water pipe with minimal diffusion for maximum flavor and potency.
- Butane torch: High-output flame to heat your banger.
- Dab tool and carb cap: Transfers dabs into the banger and traps vapor inside for thicker hits.
2. E-nail setup
Want to skip the torch completely? An E-nail setup removes fire from your dabbing routine, giving you push-button control over your dabbing temperatures with digital precision.
E-nails work by wrapping a metal heating coil around your banger or nail. This coil connects to a digital control box where you dial in your exact temperature. Set it to 480°F for flavor or crank it to 600°F for bigger clouds (potency).
E-nail setup includes:
- E-nail controller: Digital temperature box with digital numbers showing your exact heat setting.
- Heating coil: Orange-hot ring that wraps around your banger transferring perfect heat.
- Quartz banger or titanium nail: Your concentrate bucket where your dabs go.
- Standard or mini rig: Water-filtered glass that bubbles as you draw vapor through.
- Dab tool and carb cap: Tools for loading your concentrate and creating pressure for better vaporization.
3. Low-temp setup
Most dabbers scorch their concentrates without realizing it. When you take a low-temperature dab (450-500°F instead of 600-700°F), you'll taste sweet, fruity, or diesel-like flavors that you’d never taste at higher temperatures. You’ll also get much smoother vapor that doesn’t trigger those painful coughing fits.
For a true low-temp dab setup, you’ll swap out your quartz banger with an opaque bottom banger, because an opaque bottom banger heats up faster without getting too hot, which is perfect for lower temperatures.
You’ll also want to swap out the carb cap for a directional airflow cap, because it creates a mini whirlwind inside of the banger, making sure all your dabs gets melted and turned into vapor even at lower temperatures.
Low-temp dab rig setup includes:
- Opaque Bottom Banger: White-bottomed quartz bucket with thick base that glows less intensely but holds heat longer at lower ranges.
- Directional Airflow Carb Cap: Spinning top with angled air channel that visibly moves your concentrate in circles across the heated surface.
- Mini Rig: Any mini dab rig will work
- Adjustable flame butane Torch: You want to lower the flame slightly for low-temp
- Dabber tool: Any standard dabber tool
4. High-temp setup
Want massive clouds and intense effects? High-temperature dabbing (600-700°F) delivers a much stronger experience, but runs the risk of burning off precious compounds, so you’ll want to make sure you use the correct banger and carb cap.
The star of this setup is the core reactor banger. This banger houses a solid quartz core (hockey puck) in its base. When you torch the banger, the intense heat that is normally stored in the wall of the banger transfers into the internal core, which minimizes the risk of burning away compounds.
You’ll also want to use a turbo torch for rapid heating and a bubble carb cap to help push heat and airflow inside of the banger to prevent hot spotting and over heating.
High-temp dab rig setup includes:
- Core Reactor Banger: Quartz banger with solid internal core for steadier heat that prevents over burning.
- Bubble Carb Cap: Spherical cap that creates a strong airflow when rotated on the banger.
- Mini Rig: Any mini rig will work
- Turbo Torch: Higher output torch for rapid heating.
- Quartz dabber: Quartz works best with higher heat
5. Travel setup
Camping trips, music festivals, and weekend getaways used to mean leaving your concentrates at home. Now silicone dab rigs let you travel with your entire set up without the anxiety of broken glass.
Silicone rigs pack perfectly into backpacks or luggage without taking up much space, and survive drops onto rocky campsites or hotel bathroom floors that would shatter traditional glass. You’ll also need a wind-resistant dab torch that lights instantly even on breezy beaches or mountain overlooks where regular torches fail.
Travel-friendly dab rig setup includes:
- Silicone dab rig: Flexible water pipe that packs anywhere without breaking.
- Quartz banger: Heat-resistant glass bucket that detaches for travel.
- Wind-resistant torch: Compact butane torch that lights in outdoor conditions.
- Silicone dab jar: Non-stick storage that prevents leaks during travel.
-
Titanium dab tool and carb cap: Durable tools that won't break in transit.
.
6. Terp slurper setup
Want to get more vapor and flavor from less concentrate? A terp slurper setup extracts every possible molecule from your dabs by constantly bathing them in heat from all directions.
Unlike traditional bucket-style bangers where your concentrate sits motionless, terp slurpers feature a multi-chamber design.
- The top section has a wide, flat dish where you place your concentrate.
- Below this sits a vertical cylinder with precision-cut slits connecting to a small bottom chamber.
When you inhale, your melted concentrate gets pulled through those slits and whips around inside all chambers, touching more heated surfaces than in a standard banger. This movement means you'll get thicker clouds that hit harder with much more flavor!
Terp slurper setup includes:
- Terp slurper banger: Specialized quartz banger that vaporizes concentrate from all angles through its three-part chamber system.
- Marble set: Top marble (25mm-30mm) seals the upper chamber, while smaller ruby, quartz or terp pearls (4mm-6mm) placed inside enhance heat distribution.
- Mini rig: Any smaller rig
- Butane torch: A standard dab torch will work fine.
- Dab tool: Titanium, quartz or glass is fine.
