Best E-nails for Dabs

An E-Nail, otherwise known in the streets as an E-rig or a digital nail, is an electrical device for consuming cannabis concentrates at high temperatures. The E-rig started as the use of a butane torch to heat the wax on a nail to vapor. The use of a flame to vaporize wax was, however, not very convenient, and you know what they say: Necessity is the mother of invention, so the electrical counterpart was invented.

The new E-rig that made use of electricity instead of a butane torch flame proved popular as it allowed cannabis enthusiasts to dab wax at consistent temperatures. But the use of electricity was not its only feature; it also included a water bubbler to cool down the hot vaper and deliver pleasant dabbing experiences.

Since the first e-nail, manufacturers have continued to incorporate modern dabbing trends in their devices. Modern e-rigs feature powerful batteries and can clock as high as 1oo0F temperature. They can also be digitally controlled such that the vaper directly sets the precise temperature on the dab rig. But all in all, the basics components of E-rigs are:

• The Body – A metal box that houses the battery and all other e-rigs components. It features a button used to control the temperature and power of the nail.
• The Heating Element – Used to heat the concentrate to vapor.
• The Nail – Where you place the wax, you want to vaporize. It can be ceramic, quartz, glass, or titanium.
• The Mouthpiece – From where you drag vapor to toke on. The Mouthpiece features the cooling water bubbler.

Because of all these components, however, an e-nail may not be as portable as the vape pen. And though they come with carrying cases for transportation, dabbing from an e-rig is more enjoyable when relaxing on your couch back at home. That said, advantages of e-rigs over butane torch powered dab rigs are:

1. It allows users to set and maintain the dabbing temperature as desired.

2. E-nails can be turned off when not in use, thereby minimizing the risk of skin burns.

3. Users can dab at low temperatures and enjoy terpenes that would otherwise disappear at high temperatures.

4. Capable of maintaining consistent dabbing temperatures.

Types of E-nails

There are two types of e-nails, standalone and attachments.

Standalone e-nail kit – AKA E-nail rigs, this kit offers you everything you need to get to dabbing electronically. They’re designed to be portable as they feature rechargeable batteries to store charge for dabbing on-the-go.

Attachment E-Nails – Just an electronic dab nail that you can attach to your traditional dab rig, and enjoy electronic dabbing from your good old bong or pipe. Just watch out for the joint sizes for a proper connection.

When E-rigs first landed in the cannabis sector, they were pricey for the average person. But their price has since come down with various e-nail alternatives in the market. How then do you pick a winner?

1. Your Level of Experience

One thing that’s for sure is e-nails are not for newbies. That’s because they are complex to assemble and also deliver intense high that newbies may not be able to handle. Even the portable e-nails that get marketed as easy-to-use may prove a hassle for beginners. So, consider starting with a wax pen first.

2. E-nails vs. Traditional Dab Rigs

Going for an e-rig guarantees you digital control over the power and temperature. It’s also easier to use than the traditional dab rig and minimizes risks of burns. You will no longer play guessing games hoping the nail heats to the desired temperature, e-rigs produce consistent temperatures. But there’s an advantage in going for the traditional dab rig; it clocks higher temperatures than the electronic dab rig.

3. Type of Nail

E-rig nails are made of various materials to help with flavor. The three common nail types are titanium, ceramic, and Quartz. If you are lucky, your e-rig brand will provide all kinds of nails in the kit. How do they perform?

• Ceramic – Neutral material that’s good at preserving flavor as it hits up evenly although rather slowly. It maintains temperature and is useful in keeping the party going.
• Quartz – Flavor-preserving neutral material but heats up rather quickly, leading to uneven vaporization. It also loses heat faster than all other materials. Useful if you need to dab ASAP.
• Titanium – Heats up quickly and can retain the temperature. However, expect unpleasant aftertaste from metallic residue in the vapor. Why choose titanium? It balances well between heating time and session length.

The Best Dab Nail Material? It depends on personal preferences. Ceramic and quartz nails are flavors preserving, but each has a con: ceramic heats rather slowly while Quartz loses heat faster. Titanium, on the other hand, though a jack of all trades, leaves a poor aftertaste.

4. Size & Portability

The unfortunate thing is e-nails feature various components making them less mobile. Some even lack batteries and utilize raw power from the power source. You can get newer models with in-built batteries and a carrying case, but these too are a bit awkward to transport!
A Portable vs. a regular E-Nail? So, you are torn between ponying up for a regular e-nail or a portable one? Well, it all boils down to what you want: The customization of a desktop e-rig or the convenience and ease-of-use of the portable e-nail?

5. Complete Rig VS Nail only Devices

Rather than getting a complete rig, you can opt to buy an electronic nail and attach it to your traditional rig then enjoy both worlds. The e-nail is electric powered, so no need for the blow torch. That way, the traditional dab rig becomes easy-to-use.

6. Price

Depending on the features you want, be prepared to pay for an e-rig starting at $150 to $700 and even $1000 for the premium e-nails. When it comes to prices, e-nails are no joke. You have to know what features you want to enjoy, make trade-offs, and get something affordable -not necessarily cheap!.

Now that you know how to pick an e-nail that plays ball, let’s look at how to use and maintain it in mint condition.

All e-nails share the same basic components, so operation is a piece of cake.

• Fill the bubbler with some water
• An electronic nail had three pieces: the coil, the heat sink, and the adapter. Slide the coil onto the dab nail and screw it onto the heat sink. Take the adapter and screw it onto the dab nail.
• Connect the e-rig to a power source – Avoid pressing the “Push” button when plugging the XLR cable, the cable clicks into place on its own. But when disassembling the XLR cable, you can press the “Push” button.
• Place you dab into the nail, power on the e-rig, and set your temperature.
• Once the dab nail clocks, the set temperature cap the nail with the carb and begin inhaling from the bubbler.

E-rigs are low maintenance dabbing tools because they heat at quite high temperatures, thereby minimizing resin build-up. And even if there’s residue wax, it’ll get vaporized off next time your dab.

But if you want to go Bree Van de Kamp on it, feel free to scrape off any wax and resin residue after a dabbing session. Use a damp cloth to give the electronic component a blitz – avoid soaking or washing it.

The consensus is that dabbing using an E-rig delivers a rather intense high than vaping from a vape pen. That’s because E-rigs can produce and maintain high temperatures consistently. They’re also more customizable. The only caveat is that they’re not as portable as vape pens and make it hard to sneak in hits!

Guess the answer lies in what you want to get from a wax vaporizer: Do you want the portability and ease-of-use of a vape pen or the intensity and customization of an e-nail?

While you can dab without water in the bubbler, expect the vapor to come in hot at 600F and even higher for most E-rigs. There’s no need to be the high-flying Icarus here; it’s going to be uncomfortable and even unpalatable – cool the vapor man!

That said, what is the ideal dabbing temperature? Where does the sweet spot lie?

Depending on the cannabis affects you are after, you can opt for low, medium, or high-temperature dabs.

Low-Temperature Dab – Somewhere between 315F – 450F. Expect lots of flavors but with rather sparse vapors. And while the hit is pleasantly smooth and easy, the effects of THC take long to kick in. It’s ideal for newbies.

Medium Temperature Dab – Somewhere between 450F – 600F with well-balanced flavor and intensity. However, it delivers less of both than high temp dabbing. Suitable for intermediate dabbers.

High-Temperature Dab – Somewhere between 600F – 900F. Expect an intense high. The vapor comes in hot and harsh, and you’re going to feel the effects of THC quite fast than when in low or medium temp dabbing. This range is all about intensity. The only caveat is flavor is weak as terpenes disappear with all that heat.