Times are changing. Cannabis is evolving. From the oil burner to the cartridge, products made for cannabis concentrates are constantly being introduced to the market, and they all collectively offer an entirely new experience to smoking. In fact, they are so popular now that buying an electric dabber would cost nearly as much as buying a brand new glass rig. And just like glass rigs, there are an abundance of options to choose from. You can buy the G-Pen Roam, a Dr. Dabber, the Pax 3 which allows for both flower and concentrate consumption, and many other products that have become household names in cannabis. However, none compare to the Puffco, which is widely considered the best e-dabber in the market. So, why is the Puffco so popular and is it a better investment than buying a new glass piece at your local smoke shop?
Puffco has been around for nearly a decade and so far, it has become the Tesla of electric dabbers. It's pretty clear why, too. The design is sleeker than its competitors; it's essentially a glass cone with a bowl attached to it. Its size creates a comfortable smoke, especially when you don't have to use a torch. It's portable and just looks polished compared to, for example, their competitor the G-Pen Roam which looks and feels like a black, bulky iPhone with very little noticeable detail to it. The Puffco is like the bubbler for concentrates. It's glass look is patented and the black finish to the product's base is unrivaled. It's small, compact, but gives off somewhat of a luxurious vibe to smoking.
The Puffco is incredibly user-friendly, too. It has one button and just a few major functions to it. You hold the button to turn it on or off, press it once to change the temperature, twice to activate the e-nail for smoking, and three times to check the battery. That's pretty much all there is to know about using a Puffco. The e-nail takes about 10-15 seconds for it to be ready, and a nice glob of wax, crumble, or distillate will allow for 5 or 6 hits. It's also perfect for the on-the-go smoker. Two little pieces have to connect for the Puffco to work (besides the battery being charged, of course), and since there's no torch involved, smoking your concentrates can take as little as 30 seconds to get done. How much easier does it get than that?
Now, this obviously comes off as a sales pitch, but be assured that 1. I'm not being paid to write this, and 2. I LOVE nice glass pieces. I don't have a fancy rig, it's very run-of-the-mill when it comes to a glass piece for concentrates, but with that being said I have a growing interest in glass blowing and crazy looking rigs. If I had the money, I'd invest in some funky looking glass pieces. Yet, I can still appreciate incredibly detailed glass art without the need to own them. Some go for thousands of dollars, and I wouldn't dare to argue why. Glass blowing is an art form. It takes creativity and innovation to a whole new level with cannabis because the art has become as much of a hobby as it is a product for sale. It has created new communities interested in learning a new skill and becoming their own enterprise as they perfect their craft. That is something worth investing in, even if the rig you want/need is some typical $50 piece on display.
When it comes to investing, however, there are many factors worth acknowledging before making a final decision. Questions must be asked: Which option will last longer? How does the maintenance on a glass rig compare to the Puffco? Which option is a bigger loss if either were to break? Rigs and Puffcos do not come cheap! Depending on how frequently you smoke, you'll be using either option for a while after purchase. So, you want to make sure whatever you're spending money on is going to be worth it.
To put it all in terms of investing, let's assume you're looking for a rig or e-dabber for the next 2 years (I think 2 years is a good medium between the glass connoisseur and those who just need a rig, regardless of what it looks like). Which option is better?
A regular Puffco Peak is $250 before any taxes, shipping fees, or whatever discounts you're eligible for. It comes with the manual, charger, carb cap and dabber, and a few cotton swabs for cleaning as well as the instructions for cleaning. With $250, you can honestly get a pretty nice dab rig. For this argument's sake, let's say this is the glass option opposite of the Puffco. You'll need a torch, butane, a dabber, a carb cap, some wax cleaner for the rig, and a banger if it doesn't already come with one. This would more or less match the Puffco's price. Considering you can afford either option, let's look at how some key factors compare to each other.
1. Maintenance
Puffco: It's recommended that after each battery cycle you should soak the glass and atomizer in isopropyl alcohol for 30 minutes. The e-nail is ceramic and a little more difficult to clean if you forget to wipe it after each dab you take.
Glass Rig: If you don't have a terp slurper, expect a lot of reclaim after dabbing a few times. Concentrates stick to the entire piece, even in places that are fucking difficult to reach when cleaning a rig. It's easier to clean glass as opposed to ceramic, though. If you dab a lot, you'll be cleaning a lot.
Advantage: Puffco. It's two pieces you have to clean vs an entire rig. They're easy to remove and it's recommended you clean them after each battery cycle, not necessarily after a few dabs like a rig would need. Though ceramic is a little more difficult to clean, the e-nail isn't exposed. It's more hidden than anything, so whatever concentrates you couldn't clean on the Puffco's e-nail wouldn't look as bad compared to a glass nail.
2. Mobility
Puffco: You can take the whole thing apart and put it in the case the device comes in. The case has spots that specific parts go in, so it's incredibly easy to take anywhere without the worry that it'll break. Just make sure to bring water with you and dry out the Puffco before putting it in the case!
Glass Rig: Unless you buy a separate case for your rig, or have a portable case your rig can go in, you're kind of fucked because simply putting your rig, banger, and carb cap in a bookbag is extremely dangerous. Glass is extremely sensitive. Plus, you have to bring water or else you'll be ripping dry dabs. AND you have to bring a torch, dabber, the fucking wax itself, and cotton swabs if you like a clean banger. EXTREMELY inconvenient.
Advantage: Puffco. When you buy a Puffco, it comes in a case that you can use to move around with. Much more convenient than bringing a glass rig anywhere. No torch, butane, or other inconvenient shit you have to deal with when having a glass rig. Everything can fit in the Puffco case.
3. Taste Outcome
Puffco: The device has 3 heat setting, unless you have the Peak Pro. The Peak Pro allows you to control the heat of the atomizer (e-nail) at whatever temp you want through an app. Fucking awesome. Real connoisseurs will tell you low-temp dabs are best for taste, so this feature comes in handy. The Peak Pro IS a bit more expensive because of this feature. The regular Puffco Peak has 3 heat settings and they're still pretty hot. The higher you go in temp, the harsher the dabs!
Glass Rig: There's two ways to heat up a banger. You can use a torch and determine the heat-level by timing the heating process. Or, you can use an e-nail attachment and there's about a million of them on the market. Glass, however, is much better for taste and even better if your rig is a recycler. The better the glass, the better the taste!
Advantage: Glass Rig. An all-glass rig beats a Puffco because the Puffco needs metal to heat up the ceramic chamber where your wax goes in. And though ceramic is GREAT for taste, the metal that heats the chamber might make it a little too hot. If you know how to heat up a glass banger with a torch, the taste will only get better. Though it's way more tedious to time a heat-up than to press a few buttons, the right temp for dabs will only better your high. LEARN A NEW TRICK AND TIME YOUR HEAT UPS!
4. Warranty
Puffco: One-year warranty. Puffco will replace the product and/or accessory as long as the damage isn't cosmetic, due to neglect, or the part that's defected is some after-market piece. After the first year, it's all up to you to replace it.
Glass Rig: Most smoke shops and online retailers do NOT offer a warranty when buying a dab rig, and all sales are usually final. If you break a piece or the entire rig, you have to replace it yourself and out-of-pocket.
Advantage: Puffco. As long as you don't break the device yourself, it'll be replaced. That beats no warranty.
5. Experience
Puffco: It's entirely different from the traditional rig. To be completely fair, smoking from the Puffco takes away from the art of dabbing itself. With the traditional rig, you have the heat-up, the wait time, and eventually the dabbing itself. You get none of that with the Puffco. There is no build up. You press a couple buttons and it's ready at the perfect temperature. A fraction of the time and no hot lungs (unless you're into that, then the "Peak" setting is perfect for you). The e-nail turns off itself after a few hits, then it's ready again after 5 or so seconds. An incredibly convenient device.
Glass Rig: Dabbing using a rig is a whole experience. You heat the banger with a torch, wait anywhere between 30-45 seconds, take the dab, and anticipate either coughing your lungs out or tasting the rich flavor of whatever it is you're smoking. It, too, is an art form when done correctly. That's the fun in dabbing the traditional way; if you know how to do it right, you'll taste the concentrate and have a smooth smoke without the cough attack. If not and you're an amateur, good fucking luck. But, this way does involve the art of glass blowing and you can really get to appreciate the detail in some distinct pieces.
Advantage: Glass Rig. This really depends on what kind of smoker you are. If you're in a rush and just need a quick high, the Puffco is perfect for you. You can smoke it in the car, in the bathroom, mid-stroke while you're having sex, whatever. It'll take 30 seconds to get high. However, as I mentioned earlier the Puffco does take away from the art of dabbing. Part of the experience is looking at a beautiful piece and seeing how the little tunnels and percolators work. Even if the piece isn't beautiful, torching the banger and waiting for just the right moment makes dabbing feel like a chemistry experiment, as corny as that sounds. It's fun and even more so if you know how to do it well. The Puffco is convenient, extremely convenient. Maybe TOO convenient, but that's what makes it as marveled as it is. Yet, compared to the traditional way, it doesn't compare.
Overview
As consumers, we have the privilege to compare hundreds upon thousands of different products when we shop. Smoking concentrates is no different. If you were to ask me for both short-and-long term, I'd tell you that the Puffco is just the way to go. If you have $250 to drop on a rig, and you need it to last, or at the very least look "nice," it has to be a Puffco. It's the best electric dabber on the market, it has all the right temperatures, and it's so easy to use. The look is sleek, the maintenance is easy, and its size is perfect for the mobile smoker. The pros outweigh the cons compared to a rig. On top of all that, it comes with a 1-year warranty in case you're unlucky and the shit breaks by itself. Even the traditional smoker can agree that using a Puffco is way more convenient, and though it does take away from the art of dabbing, the Puffco still provides the perfect temperatures at a fraction of the time it takes to use a torch. There is ALWAYS the worry, though, about the what if it breaks on the 2nd or 3rd year? question. It's valid. But, if you're as careful with a Puffco as you are with a glass rig, and you follow the steps to maintain it, then you'll find minimal issues. The resell value is also very high with the Puffco. If you maintain your device well enough and decide to sell it, you can easily sell it for the retail price. Obviously, down the road you'll be forced to invest in a ne atomizer or two, but that is no different than a traditional dab rig. The Puffco is the best smoke at the best price, and if you can afford it, then it'd be one of the better investments you make.
Comments