Top 3 Best Dab Pen Choices for your Concentrates
Ranking top 3 Best Wax Vape Pens on VapeBatt
No.1 The Extreme Wax Vaporizer Kit
If you look around online and browse some of the independent reviews it isn’t hard to see that people love this extreme kit. Not only does it fit all of our categories for what makes the best dab pen but it also shatters them (that is not a concentrates pun…OK maybe). This unit has the highest MAH battery in class, giving it one of the best capacities on the market so we are talking days of dabs on one charge. The Extreme wax cartridge comes with 2 coil options. Triple Quartz Coil and a Ceramic Donut Coil option. The triple quartz allows for high watt monster hits, while the donut coil dials in on flavor. Both coils options provide good flavor and power but the Tri-coil is power focused and the donut is flavor focused.
In terms of power, the Extreme wax vaporizer carries the highest power output set we could find that will fit into your pocket. Its quality, build, materials, and looks are top tiers, competing with pens that cost double that it does and digital adjustability is very user-focused. Mega-hits flow silky smooth through this unit and the bowls are rather large and can fit a substantial amount of concentrates. It does win our award for #1 wax pen out there, but if we have to be picky and list a negative trait it is the following…..it is still able to fit into your pocket or purse however because of the power and capacity this is a heavier unit and wider than many competitors within the class of ‘vape pens’. This is not a complaint as many of our staff rocked it in a purse or pocket without issue and has a great feel/fit in average-sized hands, but if the lightweight on-the-go extreme lifestyle is your thing you should consider that before buying.
No.2 The Aficionado Wax Pen
Coming in at number 2 was the Aficionado Wax Pen. This unit for a pen-style wax/dab pen had an amazing feel for our reviewers. The way the parts screwed together, and the solidness of the unit and fit and finish really won our heart….and it looks super cool. However, the beauty of this pen runs deeper than the surface and it provides great hits and flavor with is quartz or donut option heaters. We like the fact that it came with 2 mouthpieces also a wide bore and a hookah tip. The Aficionado dab pen is not too long and a very perfect thickness so transport and fit were well thought out.
The pen operates smoothly and has 5 temperature options which are more than most pens that usually have 3. The one negative is that we wanted a little more battery life out of the battery, we always had it last throughout a day of use but some of the competitors would get 1.5-2 days of use on a charge. To combat that it has an industry topping rapid charge port option that uses an iPhone lug to give a full charge in just 15 minutes in the event it runs down. All of this considered we thought the Aficionado was a great contender in the small wax pen category and a great unit for those who want compact quality in a vape pen.
No.3 The Nano Dabber
This pen that came in 3rd place, would have come in 1st if this was the Best Wax Pen for your Dollar test because it provided Big Mod Box performance and quality feel for a budget price. This dab pen for money is one of the industry’s best-kept secrets period. Quality and feel are top tiers and the look and finish are comparable to luxury European writing instruments. The vape pen is slim yet has a big bowl providing tons of flavor, rapid heat-ups, amounting in tasty powerful rips.
The Dabber battery has 500mah capacity providing a good length of high hits between charges. It has a twist knob allowing you to adjust the power to dial in on your intensity level. This is great for the pocket or lanyard easy to carry and we dropped it plenty of times to say it checks the box for rugged. For the money, we don’t think the wax pen can get any better, so if you are on a budget but want something that is connoisseur grade, check out the Nano Dabber.
Characteristics of the best dab pen
The best dab pens will carry certain characteristics that are ‘must-have’ in order to be considered a top tier or the best in class. However, before we proceed to list them and discussing them, some dab vapes will focus or excel in specific areas more than others. That is a user-specific preference and won't be considered. So for judging the best wax pen we look for vape pens that check all these boxes with an above-average score. We want to select an all-around best in the class vape pen for wax concentrate.
1. Hard, consistent hits
First off it has to rip hard with consistent hits. Vaporizer, without having any vapor power or giving off very weak hits, cannot be considered a top wax pen. It affects activation and ruins the experience if you can’t get a good, powerful smooth pull from the concentrate you have.
2. Taste & flavor of dab concentrate
Taste and flavor are next on our checklist of traits. If the wax pen gives the concentrate a bad taste like the burnt, or metallic taste it is a clearly badly constructed vape and can turn any vape sesh sour, very quickly. It can leave bad notes on your pallet, affect your medication, and definitely make you feel like you just wasted money on concentrates.
A Wax pen that doesn’t provide a good level of flavor through its vapor, can make really great concentrates into a bad experience. To be considered the best dab pen we expect the vape to allow the tastes of the concentrates to come through pure and without burning or artificial tastes.
3. Vape pen size does matter
Next on this list, we will combine size and appearance into one category because they do have a high level of subjectivity. The whole purpose of having a dab pen is so it can be on-the-go or transportable, somewhat concealable, not too heavy. If the unit restricts you to a tabletop or you need a suitcase to carry it you should probably be using a rig/torch or e-nail for your concentrates. That type of vape we won’t consider a “pen”. The good dab pen should easily fit into a pocket or purse and moved/passed around without difficulty. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder when it comes to looks, but some wax vaporizers are objectively ugly or made of cheap materials and for that reason cannot be considered the best in the class.
4. Wax pen battery
Battery life, our next criteria to be considered for a top tier wax vape. Your pen battery needs to last throughout a day of use and not live on the charger. If a dab pen battery constantly needs charging then it cannot be considered the best in class, because then it is competing with a more immobile unit and not ‘pens’. Dab battery capacity/endurance is measured by the MAH of a battery.
Its capacity can be affected by the chips/programming/ wiring of the vaporizer unit as to how efficiently it can maintain power. To be considered the Best, it should be charged at night and (at least) be in use all day without re-charging. If this criterion is not met it cannot be considered a top tier wax pen.
5. Look and feel
Lastly, quality and feel need to be attained to be considered a top choice for concentrate vape. If construction or materials are subpar it will affect the durability, longevity, and appearance of the unit over time. If a dab pen has loose parts, bad button resistance, cheap spring pins, or fragile materials it cannot reside in the best vape pen for wax category. To pick the best in show vape, you have to at least check the above boxes with above-average performance.
How to use a dab pen?
Wax vape pens are pretty simple to use and much easier to operate than dab rig or bong. The units are usually made of two parts which are the dab pen battery and the wax cartridge (tank or atomizer). You need to make sure that your wax cartridge, more precisely its heater/bowl, is filled with concentrates. (look for details on how to fill a wax cartridge below).
You need to make sure that it is securely screwed onto or in some cases inserted into your battery so that the battery connectors make a secure connection with the wax cartridge contact. Once this is done you need to turn your battery on (ensure it is properly charged before operating). You are now ready to Vape.
How to fill the wax cartridge
Filling a wax cartridge is rather simple. Most dab vape tanks consist of two parts the heater assembly and the tank/ mouthpiece portion commonly referred to as the ‘body’ of the wax pen cartridge. In order to fill the cart, these two parts need to be separated from one another. For several tanks, this is done by simply screwing or pulling the 2 parts away from each other. Once they are separated, you need to take a close look at the heater assembly as this is what you will fill. This assembly will consist of a bowl and a heater coil(s) or plate at the bottom of the bowl.
Take some concentrates and gently place them using a dab tool onto the heater. Make sure to be very gentle around the heater(s) as they can easily be injured with force. Also, be cautious not to fill above or outside the perimeter of the bowl. Now, you can reattach the heater assembly to the body, and your wax cartridge is filled.
How to hit a dab pen
How to hit a dab pen takes 3 steps of preparation and 1 step of execution:
1. PREPARATION
- Make sure your vape battery is charged.
- Make sure your wax cartridge is filled.
- Make sure your battery is attached to your wax cartridge and unlocked (unlocking is usually a 5 times rapid consecutive push on the button)
2. EXECUTION
Push and hold the button for half a second, continue holding the button through the duration of your inhale. Release the button when you are done inhaling.
! CAUTION !
- DO NOT set your wax pen battery to higher wattage/output power than recommended for dab cartridge you are using. It will shorten the life of the heater or burn the coil.
- If using the coil type dab atomizer make sure you place your concentrates gently over the rod/coil. This element is usually very fragile and easy to break with eg. dab tool during the refill process