A wax atomizer allows you to turn your vape mod into a miniature dab rig. It screws onto the 510 threaded connection at the top of your pen. The neat thing is that you can use them with any pen that supports a sub-ohm dab tank.

A dab rig might get you more flavor and versatility. But if you want a portable, discreet way to dab, an atomizer and a dab pen are the best way to go. Here’s a complete guide to wax atomizers, along with the best wax atomizers from Dr. Dabber.

What is a Wax Atomizer?

If you want to vape THC, CBD, or other cannabis products using a vape pen, you have a couple of options. First, you can use a sub-ohm wax tank. These are similar to the tanks that are used with a traditional e-cigarette. The only difference is that these are wax tanks that contain cannabis oil instead of vape juice.

A wax atomizer, on the other hand, is meant to handle other cannabis concentrates. You load it with your wax, budder, or other extracts, and vape to your heart’s content.

As we’ll discuss, there are multiple varieties of wax atomizers. However, all of them require a heating element or coil. These can be made of different materials, including ceramic, titanium, and quartz. There can be one, two, or even three coils. Most atomizers will use 510 threading, which is standard throughout the industry.

Different materials and constructions will provide a different vaping wax experience. You may have a ton of airflow, or you might have a tighter draw. You’ll also get more or less flavor and faster or slower heating performance.

What is the Best Wax Atomizer?

There are many 510 wax atomizers on the market. Here, we’ll focus on Dr. Dabber’s atomizers, and why you might choose one over another.

Stella Replacement Atomizer

The Stella Replacement Atomizer is the standard replacement for the Dr. Dabber Stella Vaporizer Pen. This is an all-ceramic atomizer with covered, protected coils. The vaporization chamber has a floating design, which isolates it from the rest of the vape pen. This keeps your pen from heating up and improves the efficiency of the vaporization process.

The Stella atomizer is designed for durability, and to maintain a consistent temperature. You can order it individually, or as a complete kit. The kit comes with a mouthpiece and silicone airflow regulator along with the atomizer itself.

Boost Evo Quartz Atomizer

The Boost Evo Quartz Atomizer is a hybrid atomizer constructed from quartz and stainless steel. The patented IntelliTEMP heating element is fully isolated in a layer between the quartz vaporization chamber and the stainless steel body. This provides an even, consistent temperature inside the chamber.

Meanwhile, a temperature sensor delivers real-time temperature readings to the control circuitry. This ensures that you’ll vape at the same temperature every time you vape. It also has a magnetic cover, so you can reload it without unscrewing it from your vape pen.

Ghost Atomizer

The Ghost Atomizer is the default replacement atomizer for Dr. Dabber’s Ghost vape pen. It has medical-grade titanium coils, with a ceramic chamber-lined vaporization chamber that provides a terpene-rich experience. The ceramic material is also very easy to clean.

Ghost Ceramic Atomizer

The Ghost Ceramic Atomizer is similar to the Ghost Atomizer, but it’s entirely made from ceramic. This provides better temperature consistency than a hybrid design. You’ll get a smooth draw from the beginning of the first hit to the end of your follow-up hit. If you’re willing to pay a bit extra for a premium experience.

Ghost Globe Atomizer

The Ghost Globe Atomizer is a unique animal. It’s an all-titanium atomizer, which we wouldn’t normally advise. Titanium coils can produce huge clouds, but they can tend to feel harsh.

That’s where the Ghost Globe Attachment comes in. It’s a glass globe for the top of your vape that helps to cool the vapor, and it’s designed specifically for use with the Globe atomizer. It turns your vape pen into a mini dab rig. Thanks to the reduced temperature, you can enjoy massive clouds of cool, smooth vapor.

Vape Pens vs Dab Rigs

A vape pen is a small, pocket-sized vaporizer similar to an e-cigarette. A dab rig is a bit bigger, with a larger atomizer that’s enough for multiple hits. Dab rigs also have glass on top, and can be outfitted with bubblers and other cooling mechanisms. As you might imagine, each approach has its benefits and its drawbacks.

The main reason people use a vape pen is portability. Since you can carry one in your pocket, you can use it just about anywhere. Vape pens are also simpler, with fewer complex controls. Finally, a vape pen is discreet. Cannabis might be legal in many states, but you might not want anyone to see you using it. A vape pen just looks like an e-cigarette, so nobody will think there’s cannabis inside. And with standard 510 threading, you can mix and match atomizers to your heart’s content.

That said, vape pens do have their drawbacks. While Dr. Dabber’s wax pens have temperature adjustments, you’ll get more control with a full-sized dab rig. This means you’ll typically get a better flavor.

How to Use a Dab Pen

Most dab pens are straightforward to use. First, make sure the battery is charged, and double-check your temperature settings. If it’s your first time using an atomizer, it’s a good idea to take a dry hit before you load up. Faulty atomizers are rare, but they do happen.

Now, load your concentrate into the atomizer. Gooier wax concentrates will require the use of a dab tool. Crumbly concentrates can be loaded by hand. It’s fine to fill the atomizer most of the way, but leave a bit of space at the top. If you overload it, you’ll cut off all your airflow.

Now just press the button and take your drag. Keep in mind that each dab pen is unique. Always read your owner’s manual before you use one.

Cleaning Your Atomizer & Vape Pen

When you vape, you’ll leave some residue in the atomizer even if they are one of the best wax atomizer options from Dr. Dabber. This is usually easy to clean. Dip a Q-tip in some rubbing alcohol and wipe it out. You should also clean out the mouthpiece; if it’s too small to get a swab inside, you can soak it in a jar of alcohol.

Make sure to clean your pen thoroughly after each session. If you don’t, the residue will build up and you’ll start to get hot and cold spots. Not to mention, a dirty mouthpiece is just plain gross.

Different Types of Wax Atomizers

As we mentioned at the outset, there are different atomizer designs, as well as different materials. In terms of design, they can be coiled or coilless. They can also be made of quartz, ceramic, titanium, or other materials. Here’s a quick overview of different types of wax atomizers.

Coiled vs Coilless Design

A coil is a heated element that warms up the atomizer. Strictly speaking, all atomizers have a heating element. However, a coiled atomizer exposes the heating element directly to your concentrate. In a coilless atomizer, sometimes called a “dish” or “pad” atomizer, the coil is isolated from the inner surface of the vaporization chamber.

Titanium, Ceramic, or Quartz?

Titanium atomizers are more commonly found in full-sized dab rigs. They perform very well at high temperatures, and the metal stands up well to heat-related stress. As a result, they’re very durable. Because of its durability, titanium is used for many ceramic and quartz atomizers, as well. The body is titanium or steel, while the inside of the chamber is lined with ceramic or quartz.

Ceramic provides superior flavor since it won’t overheat your terpenes as easily as titanium. It also provides even temperature distribution, and the material is easy to keep clean.

Quartz is popular because it’s easy to heat up. With a good quartz atomizer, you’ll come up to temperature in two to three seconds. This is great if you don’t like waiting around for your vape to warm up. That said, quartz tends to fail sooner than other materials, so you’ll have to replace your atomizer more often.

What Can You Vape in a Wax Atomizer?

From the name “wax atomizer,” you might think you can only vape wax. You can vape all kinds of cannabis concentrates. But what kinds of concentrates are we talking about?

There are so many types of concentrates that it can be confusing for beginners. Walk into your local dispensary, and you’ll find a wide variety of choices. They have different consistencies, as well as different potencies.

Below is a quick look at what you can put in your wax atomizer.

Wax

Wax is the bread and butter of cannabis extracts. It’s popular for most vape pens due to its consistency. It’s sticky enough that it won’t crumble or fall apart. This makes it easy to load with a dab tool, although you shouldn’t try to load it by hand. Wax is produced using the butane hash oil (BHO) extraction process.

A manufacturer fills a vertical glass tube with cannabis bud and pours high-grade butane into the tube. The butane extracts all the THC, CBD, and terpenes, and flows through a hole in the bottom of the tube. When the mixture dries, it forms a high-purity cannabis wax.

Crumble

Crumble is similar to wax, and is even produced using the same method. However, it’s not just allowed to settle and dry. Instead, it’s whipped during the drying process, which forms a bunch of air pockets. Crumble is light and brittle, with a range of potencies similar to wax. But unlike wax, crumble is easy to load by hand, which is why many people prefer it.

Shatter

Shatter is also made via BHO. But the drying process is accelerated to produce a rock-solid sheet. You can break it into little pieces like glass, which is why it’s called “shatter.” This is the most potent variety of THC concentrate.

Water Hash

Water hash is made by putting cannabis bud in an ice water bath and agitating it. The crystals and other flakes fall to the bottom, resulting in a more potent material than dry bud. It’s not as potent as other concentrates, but it’s also cheaper to make.

Rosin

Rosin is made by putting cannabis bud under extreme pressure and heat. The plant material is destroyed, leaving behind THC, CBD, and terpenes. The resulting product looks and feels similar to shatter, but is less potent. But like water hash, it’s also cheaper to produce.

THC Oil

THC oil is commonly found in vape cartridges and is produced via CO2 extraction. It’s technically possible to use in a wax pen, but we wouldn’t recommend it. It’s easy to spill, and the loading process is messy.

Dab Pen FAQs

What is a dab pen?

A dab pen, or vape pen, is a compact, portable vaping device for consuming cannabis concentrates. Instead of burning the concentrate, it produces a flavorful vapor rich in THC, CBD, and terpenes.

What can you use a wax pen for?

A wax pen can be used with all kinds of concentrates. In addition to was, you can use one for crumble, budder, shatter, and other cannabis extracts. Because you don’t need to carry a torch or a full-sized rig, it’s easy to enjoy your extract on the go.

How do you use a vaporizer?

Every vape is different, but the general process is the same. You remove the mouthpiece, then use a dab tool or your fingers to put the concentrate in the atomizer. Put the mouthpiece back into place, and you’re ready to start vaping.

Do dab pens smell?

Yes and no. A lot depends on what you’re filling them with. Some concentrates are smellier than others. But even the most stinky concentrates will quickly dissipate. They won’t leave a lingering odor like when you smoke dry herb.

Can I put dry herb in my wax atomizer?

We wouldn’t recommend it. While it will technically work, it won’t be a good experience, and you could damage your coil. If you want to vape dry herb, it’s better to buy a vape that’s specially designed for that purpose.

What is a 510 concentrate attachment?

A 510 concentrate attachment is a concentrate attachment that screws into a 510 socket. This is the standard socket size for modern vaporizers, and most 510 attachments are interchangeable.

Why is it called “510”?

510 is a combination of two numbers. The “5” refers to the length of the male connector, which is 5mm long. The “10” is the total number of threads: 5 on the male end, and 5 on the female socket. Combine the two, and you get 510.

Is a wax atomizer worth using?

If you want to vape cannabis concentrate, you absolutely can! You can easily turn your vape mod into a portable dabbing machine. Even if you already own a dab rig, a wax atomizer is a good idea. They’re far easier to use on the go than a full-sized rig.

How long will my wax atomizer last?

Most atomizers last between 4 and 12 weeks. However, this can vary considerably from model to model. Your atomizer will burn out faster if you vape more frequently or at higher temperatures. Lower temperatures are gentler on your atomizer, and won’t burn it out as quickly.

What’s the difference between a dab pen and an e-rig?

Dab pens are designed to be as portable as possible. Similar to electronic cigarettes, they slip easily into your pocket. An E-rig, on the other hand, is a much larger device. E-rigs typically have more settings and more refined temperature controls. They also have large glass bulbs or bubblers to help cool your vapor.