The world of dabs started off as a complex ritual that looked like a dangerous chemistry experiment to an outsider. Years ago, I was at a party and opened a bedroom door to find a group huddled together with someone heating up a strange glass pipe with a propane torch. I quickly shut the door, confused and worried this apartment was going to go up in flames at any moment. I later found out they were taking “dabs” of concentrates, and it was a totally different experience than hitting a blunt or a bong.
What is a Dab?
Simply put, a dab is a single portion of cannabis concentrate vaporized using a heated surface (like a quartz nail or an e-rig) and inhaled. If you took a poll of concentrate smokers asking "What is a dab?", you'd get a variety of answers. To a beginner, it’s a tiny, highly potent scoop of extract, that they probably had a little too big of scoop their first time. To a connoisseur, it's an explosion of the plant's natural flavors and cannabinoids that comes in a variety of types and textures.
Why Dab?
Dabbing offers a fully customizable cannabis experience with distinct benefits over other consumption methods. Since dabs are the concentrated resin and terpenes of the cannabis plant, they offer a more flavorful taste and a faster onset of effects compared to smoking flower. They provide the strain's peak aroma and flavor before the drying and curing process alters or degrades them. You may only need a small dab to feel the full effect, but the size of your dab is only limited by the size of your banger, your chamber, and your bravery.
Types of Dabs
The Dab Menu
As hardware technology has evolved, making it easier and more accessible to vaporize concentrates, dispensary menus have continued to expand with more and more options. I came into the cannabis industry as a retired flower smoker before the influx of extracts and concentrates, so I know the feeling of being overwhelmed by the processes and terms being thrown at you. Trying to decipher the difference between rosin and resin, live or cured, and how textures alter the experience can make your head spin. So here is a quick breakdown of the most popular cannabis concentrates you’ll encounter, how they’re made, and why they might be the right choice for you.
Live Rosin
How it’s made: 100% solventless, unless you want to argue that water is a solvent. Fresh frozen plant material is washed in ice water to isolate the trichomes (creating bubble hash), which is then pressed under low heat and high pressure.
Why choose it: It offers a true-to-plant, complex flavor profile without a drop of chemical solvents. As solventless producers for Aero Live Rosin, we feel this is what e-rigs, like the Puffco, were practically born to vaporize.
Live Resin
How it’s made: Solvent-based. Similar to live rosin, the plants are fresh frozen at harvest, but the extraction uses a solvent to strip the resin and terpenes from the plant material.
Why choose it: It offers the loud, high terpene taste of a “live” plant but usually comes in at a slightly lower price point than solventless options.
Sauce or Jam
How it’s made: Solvent-based or solventless. The extract is allowed to separate over time under controlled temperatures, causing the THCA to form crystals that sink to the bottom while the liquid “sauce” of pure
terpenes floats on top or is added back to crystals before packaging.
Why choose it: It is arguably one of the most flavorful types of dabs on the market, and because you can scoop up any ratio of pure THCA with the high terpene liquid, it hits incredibly hard.
Shatter
How it’s made: Solvent-based. The extract is spread thin while the solvent is purged away, creating a
brittle, glass-like sheet.
Why choose it: It is exceptionally stable and easy to handle. If you don’t like sticky messes or want to use
a tool, you can snap a piece off by hand without it melting on your fingers.
Wax, Budder, and Crumble
How it’s made: Generally solvent-based. These are agitated or whipped while being purged of solvents or
after curing, which introduces air and changes the texture.
Why choose it: They are the easiest textures to handle on a dab tool while generally being the cheapest options on the market due to their lower potency and terpenes than other concentrates.
Diamonds
How it’s made: Mostly solvent-based. A long, controlled separation process allows large, isolated THCA
crystals to form out of the oil.
Why choose it: For the potency-focused consumer. Diamonds often test near 99% purity. I assume they
taste awful on their own, but they are a great choice if you like to mix them into other flavorful concentrate options or ground flower for an extreme effects boost.
Which Dab is Right For You?
- If you want max flavor and purity: Go with a Live Rosin.
- If you want the strongest possible singular THC effect: Go for Diamonds or Sauce/Jam.
- If you want something affordable and terpene rich: Try Live Resin.
- If you want a budget-friendly option that's easy to handle: Try a Shatter or Budder/Crumble.
The Hardware: Smart technology and 3D chambers
Hopefully you now have the type of concentrate you would like to dab in mind and now we just need to get you a device to dab it. The days of needing your stoner friend as a guide, a blowtorch, and perfect timing just to take a puff have long been over. Like everything else these days, dabbing has gone digital, turning a stressful ritual into something as simple as pressing a button.
My suggestion would be to speak with a Cannabis Advisor at Garden Remedies about all the options that are available. Here are a couple talking points and to the point definitions to help get the conversation started.
What is an E-Rig?
An electronic dab rig, or e-rig, is an all-in-one portable cannabis consumption device that replaces manual torches with digital heating elements. Utilizing a battery-powered base, a ceramic or quartz heating chamber, and built-in water filtration, e-rigs deliver precise, flame-free temperature control for vaporizing cannabis concentrates.
What is a Smart E-Nail?
A smart e-nail (electronic nail) is a digital heating attachment that fastens directly onto a traditional glass water pipe. Powered by a desktop control box or a smartphone app, it uses a wired heating coil to maintain a completely static, user-defined temperature on the dabbing surface, eliminating torches entirely.
Why 3D is the New Norm
If you are shopping for a new e-rig or chamber upgrade, you keep seeing the terms “3D Chamber” or "3D Heating." Here is what it means and why it actually matters for your wallet.
What is 3D Conduction Heating?
It is a vaporization technology where heat is applied directly to the side-walls of an electronic dabbing chamber rather than just its bottom floor.
In traditional quartz bangers and early-generation e-rigs, heat only came from the bottom. When you dropped a cold dab onto a hot surface, the physics of oil took over: it naturally ran away from the heat, climbing up the cold walls of the chamber. This caused uneven vaporization, wasted oil, and left a burnt ring of residue.
By heating the walls instead of just the floor, 3D technology fixes this entirely: You get much thicker vapor clouds from just a small dab of concentrate because none of it is escaping up the walls. Because the heat is perfectly distributed, the oil vaporizes cleanly without hitting hot spots that can lead to burnt terps and a hassle to clean later.
How to Smoke a Dab Using an E-Rig
Now that we have chosen the best dabble concentrate based on your preferences and gotten yourself a new e-rig, here is a quick run-down to give you a head start.
Load the Chamber:
In ancient times, you had to drop your dab onto a scorching hot surface. With an e-rig we recommend what is called a cold start, placing your dab at the bottom of the chamber before heating. This not only eliminates the stress of the dab immediately vaporizing but allows for a gradual and even melt when the heating starts, maximizing terpene preservation and not losing any flavor.
Select Your Digital Temp:
Click the device button or use the smartphone app to dial in your exact target temperature based on flavor versus vapor preference.
- Flavor Chaser (450°F - 490°F)
(Puffco: Blue/Low) Low temperatures can mean maximum terpenes, ultra-smooth vapor, with light, functional effects."Always blue for me, definitely gets the most terps from a cold start without getting hot enough to worry about terpene degradation or any burnt taste and residue in my chamber."
— Jeremy Elfman, Extraction Technician at Garden Remedies - The Balanced Hit (500°F - 540°F)
(Puffco: Green/Medium)This delivers great flavor mixed with thick, satisfying vapor clouds.
"Green is just right for live rosin, the temp is high enough to fully activate the cannabinoids without being too hot causing any changes to the taste… Blue does not give me enough vapor when I take a hit."
— Aaron King, Extraction Technician at Garden Remedies - Cloud Chaser (550°F - 580°F+)
(Puffco: Red or White/High)Thick, heavy vapor and maximum physical intensity. The flavor won't last as long and you need to be careful about burning up your dab, but it will hit hard.
- Flavor Chaser (450°F - 490°F)
Heat and Inhale:
Double-click to start the heating cycle. Wait for the device to vibrate or flash, indicating it has reached the exact temperature, then draw smoothly while manipulating the airflow cap.
Unlike ripping some flower in a bong, with an e-rig you want to take much gentler inhales, by taking a sip off the rig you will get a smoother pull.
Light Cleaning:
While the chamber is still warm, wipe away the thin layer of leftover dark oil with a dry cotton swab. This keeps the chamber perfectly clean without needing to burn off residue.
Deep Clean Tip: Once a week (or every few days if you are a heavy user), let your chamber cool down completely, detach it, and submerge it in a small glass of 90+% Isopropyl Alcohol for 20-30 minutes to dissolve any residue hiding in the airpath. Wipe it down and let it air dry completely before popping it back on.
Ready to Expand Your Mind?
Dabbing doesn't have to feel like a high-stakes chemistry experiment anymore. Thanks to smart e-rigs, 3D chamber technology, and precise temperature control, concentrates are now more accessible, flavorful, and customizable than smoking a joint or ripping a bong. The best hardware in the world only shines when you put the right concentrate inside it. If you're ready to put your rig to the test and open up a whole new world the cannabis plant has to offer, look for Aero Live Rosin at your local dispensary. Crafted completely solventless with cold water, heat, and pressure.
By Bryan Carlson, Amirna Nunez, and Celena Vello from the lab at Garden Remedies
