What is a dab pen? It's a pocket-sized, battery-powered vaporizer made for cannabis concentrates such as wax, budder and shatter. You load a small amount into a heating chamber, press a button and inhale the vapor. You'll also see it sold as a wax pen or wax vaporizer. Here's how the parts work, how to load and use one, and what to expect the first time.
What Is a Dab Pen, Exactly?
A dab pen does the job of a dab rig in a much smaller package. Instead of a torch and a glass water pipe, it uses a rechargeable battery and a small heating element. Unlike a cartridge vape, which comes prefilled with oil, a dab pen is refillable: you choose the concentrate and load it yourself. New to concentrates? Our concentrates guide covers the main types.
The Parts: Battery, Chamber, Mouthpiece
- Battery. Powers the pen. Many have a single button and adjustable voltage or temperature settings.
- Heating chamber or atomizer. Holds the concentrate and heats it with a coil, often quartz or ceramic, or with a ceramic dish.
- Mouthpiece. The top piece you inhale through. It often doubles as a cap that keeps concentrate from bubbling out.
- Loading tool. A small metal or ceramic pick, sometimes called a dabber, for moving concentrate into the chamber.
Need a tool or spare parts? Our cannabis accessories guide covers the basics.
How to Load and Use a Dab Pen
- Charge it. Start with a full battery.
- Turn it on. Many pens switch on with five quick clicks of the button; check your manual.
- Pick the lowest setting if your pen is adjustable.
- Load a tiny amount. Remove the mouthpiece and use your tool to place a dab about the size of a grain of rice, or smaller, on the coil or in the dish. Don't overfill.
- Replace the mouthpiece.
- Heat and inhale. Hold the button and take a slow, gentle draw for a few seconds. Some pens need a brief preheat first.
- Wait. Give that first puff time to settle before you take another.
Temperature Settings: Why Lower Is Smoother
Lower heat vaporizes concentrate more gently, so you usually get more flavor and smoother, cooler vapor. Higher heat makes bigger clouds but burns off terpenes faster and can scorch the concentrate. In a 2017 lab study that recreated dabbing, terpenes broke down into unwanted byproducts at high temperatures, and the hotter the surface, the more of them formed. If your pen has settings, start at the lowest and step up only if you're not getting vapor.
Dab Pen vs. Vape Pen vs. Dab Rig
| Dab pen | Vape pen | Dab rig | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What goes in | Wax, budder or shatter you load yourself | Prefilled oil cartridges | Concentrate dropped on a heated nail |
| Heat source | Battery and coil | Battery and cartridge | Torch or e-nail |
| Learning curve | Moderate | Easy | Steeper |
| Size | Pocket-sized | Pocket-sized | Tabletop |
| Typical hit | Small to medium | Small | Large |
For more on cartridges, see our vape pen guide. Curious which one smells most? Our guide to dab and vape odor compares them.
What the Experience Is Like and How Fast It Arrives
Vapor from a dab pen is usually smoother than smoke and carries more of the concentrate's flavor. Effects arrive fast, often within minutes, because THC enters through the lungs, and they peak in about 20 to 30 minutes. Concentrates are strong, too. In Washington State's legal market, they averaged 68.7% THC, versus 20.6% for flower, so a small draw can feel like more than you expect. Concentrate fans even have their own day, 7/10.
Keeping a Dab Pen Clean and Working
- After each session, let the pen cool, then cap it so dust and lint stay out.
- Clear leftover residue now and then with a short, empty heat cycle at a low setting.
- Replace the coil when hits taste burnt or the vapor drops off; coils wear out.
- Keep the battery contacts clean and dry, and don't overtighten the threads.
- Store the pen away from heat, out of reach of kids and pets.
Age Rules and Legal Basics in Michigan
- Adult-use stores sell concentrates, pens and other accessories only to adults 21 and older, and Michigan stores check ID before every sale.
- Registered medical patients 18 and older can buy at licensed medical provisioning centers by showing their registry card and photo ID.
- Adults may carry up to 2.5 ounces, and no more than 15 grams of that can be concentrate.
- Using cannabis in public places isn't allowed, and you can't use it while driving.
When you're ready, browse concentrates, vape pens and accessories on your store's menu; selection varies by store and changes often. 21+ only. Please consume responsibly.
