Nectar collectors offer a seamless dabbing experience that bests even most traditional dab rigs. However, much like you have to be knowledgeable about certain aspects of the dab rig, you have to know exactly what each part of your nectar collector does and what you should be looking for if you want a high-quality dab every time. Given that most of the dab straw’s body is dedicated to the percolator and vapor path, the most important part is the smallest: the tip. In this guide, will take a closer look at nectar collector tips, how to find the best one for you, and how you can begin using the tip on your mini nectar dab kit.
What Is a Nectar Collector Tip/Coil?
The tip of the nectar collector is the small cylindrical piece at the bottom that is responsible for heating and vaporizing your wax concentrates. Much like you would heat a nail on a dab rig, this piece is heated so that you can enjoy all of the benefits that your wax concentrates have to offer. But what types of tips should you be looking for, and what does it matter in the dabbing experience as a whole?
Different Materials
There are three main types of materials that dab tips are made out of. These include:
Titanium
Titanium dab tips are known to be the most durable of all dab tips, giving you the peace of mind needed to take your dabs at whatever temp while also giving you the ability to take faster dabs due to the quick heat-up time (as well as take lower temp dabs as the tip cools down).
Pros
- Titanium can withstand high temperatures, making it the perfect product for those who want a tip that will not be breaking anytime soon.
- Heats up faster than the average tip so that you can take quicker dabs, which is especially helpful on the go.
- Is resistant to corrosion so that your tip will last longer.
- Is very light and is perfect for individuals who want hotter dabs and a tip that will retain heat extremely well.
Cons
- Being able to withstand higher temperatures means that you could potentially end up with an overheated tip, which is neither good for the concentrates or the surface that you are placing your concentrates on.
- Titanium tips that get too hot are known to impact the flavors of your concentrates and can actually burn them if the heat is high enough.
Ceramic
Ceramic tips are said to be the best out of all of them. Although there are some drawbacks, they offer an incomparable flavor experience that will really allow you to unlock the flavors of your wax concentrates.
Pros
- Ceramic tips serve to preserve the flavor of your concentrates, resulting in a smooth flavor experience each time you dab.
Cons
- Are the least durable of the dab tips and can break if overheated.
- Does not retain heat well.
Quartz
Quartz could be described as the Goldilocks tip for dab enthusiasts. Offering a temperature range and durability between the two tips listed above, quartz tips provides you with a smooth, flavorful experience each time.
Pros
- Provide users with a steady temperature that does not stay too hot nor cool down too quickly.
- Preserves the flavors of your wax concentrate.
- Can withstand heat that ceramic dab tips are unable to.
Cons
- More durable than ceramic but less durable than titanium, which means that it can still break.
Different Sizes
The size of the tip that you choose can make a difference. If you choose one that is too small, it could become clogged during use. If you choose one that is too large, you may end up taking far bigger dabs than you intended. Here are the most popular sizes available that you’ll see when shopping for a dab straw.
10mm
The 10mm size tip is perfect for those who want to take smaller dabs but who are looking to avoid some of the common problems offered by sizes even smaller than 10mm.
14mm
The 14mm size dab tip is great for average dabs, sitting between the two other sizes listed here.
18mm
Are you someone who enjoys taking massive dabs? If so, you are going to want to purchase an 18 mm dab tip!
How to Heat the Tip
Knowing how to heat the tip is essential if you wish to avoid causing damage to your tip. If you own a manual honey straw, you will want to apply the flame from your dab torch in a brushing motion across the surface of the tip. After a few seconds of brushing the very end, apply direct heat (where the blue part of the flame meets the red part of the flame) across the end of the tip until the tip has a faint orange glow, wait about three seconds, then dab!
If you have an electronic nectar collector, you will not need to worry about heating your tip as your device will do it for you.
How Do You Clean the Tip?
Cleaning your nectar collector tip is far easier than heating it. To clean the tip, take it off, rid it of any excess water, and then soak it in a cleaning solution (you can use one on the market or one that consists of salt and rubbing alcohol, for example), ideally overnight. Once it has soaked for long enough, rinse the residue off and gently scrub with a Q-tip, if necessary.
Tips vs. Coils
This is a common question that is asked by those who are new to dab straws. The tip of a dab straw is one that is heated directly then dipped into concentrates in order to vaporize the substance directly. Meanwhile, coils are part of your everyday vape device that do not serve the same function. Coils are only on electric nectar collectors. If you are shopping for a dab straw, you will only run into the latter term.
Knowing which tip you have on your nectar collector and what you want will make it so that you get the best experience possible. To become better acquainted with nectar collector tips, use the guide above to learn more about which types are available and what it means for your dabs!