If you’re looking for a new way to experience the best flavour and effects of cannabis, concentrates are the very dab. Over the last few years, dabs have gone from an underground curiosity to one of the most talked-about ways to get the best cannabis exeperience. What not so long ago was a cloud of smoke in a basement or garage is now becoming a mainstream means of getting a high dose of quality THC, and whether you’ve seen it on social media or heard friends raving about next-level flavour and potency, dabs promise a concentrated experience – fast, intense, and highly flavour-forward. For a newcomer, that sounds exciting, sure – but maybe a little intimidating.
This guide unpacks what dabs are, why people use them, how they’re made and how to dab safely, along with the practical basics you actually need to dab right.
What Are Dabs?
“Dabs” is kind of a catch-all term for cannabis concentrates that are vapourised and inhaled rather than smoked as flower or hash. The category includes shatter, wax, budder, live resin, rosin, and distillates – each with a different texture and production method, but with a similar aim – isolating cannabinoids (mostly THC) and terpenes into a sticky, potent product you can vapourise on a hot surface (such as a “nail”) or in a vape designed for concentrates. These products are commonly referred to as concentrates or hash oils.
What’s The Appeal of Dabs?
The appeal of dabs is easy to understand - they deliver intense potency and flavour, alongside efficiency. With dabs, a little goes a long way, so many users like the near-instant hit and strong effect compared with the process that goes along with combusting flower. For enthusiasts and connoisseurs chasing terpenes – the aromatic oils that give cannabis strains much of their flavour – low-temperature dabbing can preserve and highlight flavours noticeably better than smoking.
For medicinal users, concentrates can offer rapid onset and predictable dosing when compared with methods like edibles. That said, the intensity is a double-edge: the experience is signifcantly stronger. And dosing mistakes are not uncommong among newbies to dabs.
How Are Dabs Made?
Concentrates are produced either with solvents or with mechanical methods that involve heat and pressure.
Solvent-based extracts use butane, CO2, ethanol or similar solvents to pull cannabinoids and terpenes from plant material, then the solvent is purged. That produces shatter, wax, budder, and live resin – highly potent products prized for their retention of a strain’s unique terpene profiles when done correctly. All of this sounds extremely appealing, but there is a caveat: Solvent processes should only be carried out by professionals because of fire and contamination risks [1].
Solventless methods of creating dabs include rosin and traditional hash. Rosin is made by applying heat and pressure with a press – or if you’re a keen follower of cannabis culture on socials, you may even have seen hair straighteners used – to flower or kief. These methods are more accessible to hobbyists and avoid solvent hazards, although yields and texture differ from solvent extracts.
Further Reading:Making Cannabis Extracts: A Guide
If you’re serious about DIY, rosin is the recommended route – it's the safer at-home method and gives a really tasty concentrate without dealing with flammable solvents. You can read a guide to growing cannabis for bubble hash rosin here.
Are Dabs More Potent Than Flower?
Generally yes. Concentrates commonly test on the upper end of the percent range – as high as 90% in some cases, while typical smoked flower hovers in the mid-teens to mid twenties percent THC, depending on the market and strain[2]. This difference means that the same gram for gram intake of concentrate delivers significantly more THC than cannabis flower. Blood level studies show higher THC exposure after concentrates compared with flower, and population studies report higher potency in concentrates overall. So if you’re going to go down the road of dabs, be mindful: labeled potency can sometimes be inaccurate, so start low [3].
How To Dab Safely
Learning how to dab with cannabis concentrates safely is mostly about two things: how the concentrate was made and how you heat it. Avoid homemade solvent extractions (butane hash oil made in kitchens). Those DIY solvent processes are highly dangerous and have led to many examples of fires and explosions. Only buy from licensed producers in legal areas as they test for residual solvents and contaminants, or if pressing rosin at home, follow safe electrial practices. Never try to evaporate solvents indoors.
For Safe Dabs, Control Temperature
High temperatures destroy terpenes and can produce nasty byproducts. Research shows that excessively high temperatures – especially the “cook it til it glows” approach – can form harmful compounds from terpenes. Many experienced dabbers and recent studies point to low-temperature dabs as the way to preserve flavour and reduce toxicant formation. Electronic nails and precision dab rigs make temperature control simple. If you’re torching a nail for dabs, practice and patience are your friends: heat, let cool a bit, then touch a small dab and adjust.
Always Dose Dabs Conservatively
Because dabs are so potent, you should be using much less than you’d expect. A ‘microdab’ (roughly equal to a fraction of a grain of rice) is sensible for first-timers. Wait and assess the effects of your dabs before taking more as the potency may be overwhelming. Inhaling doesn’t amplify the experience linearly and can cause dizziness, nauseas, and anxety.
Use Clean Equipment For Your Dabs
Residue builds up on dab nails and hangers and can alter flavour and burn your concentrates. Clean regularly with isopropyl alcohol for glass and follow manufacturer instructions if using e-nails and cartridges.
Consider Your Setting And Tolerance
Dabs hit fast and hard. Don’t drive, don’t operate machinery – actually, maybe just don’t make any major plans, especially if you’re a newcomer to dabs. If you have a history of anxiety or heart issues, dabs may not be for you. If you’re considering dabs for therapeutic relief, consult your GP first.
Technique And Temperature For Dabs
One of the biggest variables in dabbing is the temperature - it shapes not only the flavour but the entire character of your experience - i.e. your high. Connoisseurs love dabs because they allow you to experience the full flavour of those incredible, delicious cannabis terpenes, so if you’re aiming for flavour, cook your dabs accordingly by aiming low and slow. Here's how the temperature spectrum breaks down:
Lower Temperature Dabs (155-230°)
Low temperature dabs are perfect for those who value flavour and smoothness. At these temperatures, terpenes remain largely intact, producing rich, nuanced taste profiles and providing gentler inhalation. The vapour is less dense and may produce a slower onset, but the effect can feel more balanced and clear-headed. This is the preferred range for chasing flavour or for anyone new to dabbing.
Medium Temperature Dabs (230-315°C)
This range is often considered the sweet spot between flavour and intensity - think of it as the "Goldilocks Zone". You'll still taste terpenes, but you'll also get a thicker cloud and a quicker, stronger hit. The vapour is warm but not scorching, and many dabbers find this range gives the most satisfying mix of potency and taste. It's a good middle ground for those who partake in dabs regularly.
High-Temperature Dabs (315°C and above)
HIgh-temperature dabs produce big vapour clouds and rapid THC delivery, but they come with some trade-offs. Terpenes burn off quickly, often leaving a harsher, more acrid flavour - which seems counter-productive as much of the beauty in dabs lies in the purity of those wonderful flavours. At very high temperatures, the breakdown of terpenes can create unwanted byproducts like benzene and methacrolein, making ultra-hot dabbing less appealing from a health standpoint. But if you want a big hit with a fast onset every once in a while, high-temperature dabs will do it.
Modern e-nails and electronic rigs let you experiment with dabs very precisely; start with a low temperature and raise it gradually until you find your sweet spot. For concentrates with a more viscous texture (like live resin), slightly higher temperatures may be needed to get proper vapourisation. Glassy shatter or distillates, however, work fine with slightly lower temperatures.
The golden rule of cooking dabs is less heat = more flavour, more heat = faster effect but a harsher hit.
Further Reading:A Guide To Dabbing WIth A Nectar Collector
Storing Your Dabs
Store your dabs somewhere cool, dark, and airtight – heat and light degrade those vital terpenes and cannabinoids over time. For short-term handling, wrap your concentrate in parchment paper and store in silicone concentrate jars. For longer-term, amber jars stored in a cool pantry or a fridge are ideal for minimising degradation - but take care to ensure your storage space doesn't suffer from wild temperature fluctuations.
Dabs 101: Final Thoughts
Dabs are a legitimate and thrilling way to enjoy cannabis. Concentrated flavour, efficient dosage and consumption, and the kind of immediacy that flower doesn’t always offer. But the practices that make dabs great – careful production, clean equipment, and temperature control – are the same steps that keep it safe. If you’re trying dabs for the first time, pick a lab-tested product or a solventless rosin, use a small dose, control your temperature, and take your time to let your dabs experience unfold slowly. That way you get the best of what dabs promise: clear, potent, flavourful highs that reward patience more than bravado.
Happy Dabbing!
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References:
[1] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6220730/
[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9878551/
[3] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6220730/
[4] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5623941/
