Written by Joshua Sosin

Dabbing cannabis concentrates is one of the most popular ways to get high. Using a dab rig, you can experience the power of psychoactive cannabinoids like THC like never before, along with the rich flavors and aromas of cannabis terpenes. It’s a potent experience that’s best suited to experienced cannabis enthusiasts.

If you’re just getting into dabbing, you need to know about the nectar collector. It’s a handy tool that will make the whole process much easier, more efficient, and, most importantly, more fun.

Here’s everything you need to know about adding a nectar collector to your dab setup.

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Table of Contents

• First Things First: What Is Dabbing?

• What Is a Nectar Collector?

• The Parts of the Nectar Collector

• Types of Nectar Collectors

• How To Use a Nectar Collector

• The Perks of Using a Nectar Collector

• Cleaning and Maintaining Your Nectar Collector

• FAQs

First Things First: What Is Dabbing?

Dabbing is the term used in the world of cannabis for vaporizing concentrates, which are powerful, THC-heavy cannabis extracts.

The classic way to dab is with what’s called a dab rig, a specialized pipe that’s very similar to a bong. While bongs and dab rigs share many of the same components, the dab rig is unique because of the banger, a heat-resistant piece of metal used to heat concentrates and release their psychoactive effects.

Like a bong, a dab rig features a water filtration system that cools the smoke that you inhale with each hit. The result is a nice, smooth smoking experience that produces an intense high. Many stoners say there’s no better way to enjoy weed.

However, the classic dab rig isn’t the only way to dab. A nectar collector is a smaller, more portable alternative that we’ll explore in detail below.

What Is a Nectar Collector?

A nectar collector — sometimes called a dab straw or a honey straw — is a small, straw-shaped tool that takes the place of a typical dab rig.

While dab rigs require extra gear like a banger and butane torch, the nectar collector is a more compact, user-friendly tool that’s suitable for beginners and seasoned vets alike.

Using a vapor dab straw is relatively simple: you place one end in contact with a bit of concentrate, light it, and inhale through the mouthpiece on the other end. Each hit delivers a high amount of THC to your endocannabinoid system, which responds by producing psychoactive effects.

The Parts of the Nectar Collector

A typical nectar collector features three large and intricate parts: the tip, the mouthpiece, and the body.

• The Heated Tip of the nectar collector is the piece that comes into direct content with a portion of cannabis concentrate. Since it needs to be introduced to extreme heat, the tip is usually made from titanium or quartz. Like a dab nail, you’ll heat the tip with a butane torch to get it to your desired temperature, then place it on the concentrate and take a hit.

• The Body of the dab straw is the main chamber through which the vapor travels when you take a hit. Some nectar collectors feature water filtration chambers in their bodies, which cools the vapor for a smoother hit. These are called water nectar collectors; we’ll cover them in greater detail in the next section.

• The Mouthpiece of the nectar collector is the portion that you use to inhale each hit. It’s only a small part of the overall rig, but its design matters quite a bit for ease of use and comfort.

Assembling and disassembling the dab straw for use and maintenance is fairly easy. We’ll cover it in greater detail in the sections below.

Types of Nectar Collectors

There’s more than one type of nectar collector, and all of them are worth trying. Here’s a quick rundown of how each works:

• Silicone Nectar Collectors: These nectar collectors are the most durable and portable options by far. They’re also very affordable, especially compared to premium electric options. Ideal for traveling and outdoor use, they usually have modular designs that make it easy to swap out and replace certain parts.

• Glass Nectar Collectors: The glass nectar collector is the gold standard, and it’s the easiest to find at dispensaries and smoke shops. These dab straws often include a water chamber like a bong or bubbler, which cools the vapor for smoother hits. However, as you can imagine, glass collectors are the most fragile; even a sturdy glass chamber can break.

• Electric Collectors: If you want your concentrates to heat up to an ultra-precise temperature, the electric nectar collector is perfect for you. With built-in coils that vaporize concentrates on their own, you don’t need a butane torch and can adjust the temperature to your liking to avoid burning dabs.

There’s no best option when it comes to nectar collectors — as is the case with all other smoking tools and accessories. Our recommendation is to try out as many different collectors as you can and see which one appeals to you the most.

How To Use a Nectar Collector

If you already have your nectar collector ready to go, follow these steps for a successful dabbing session:

Prepare Your Concentrate

Before you grab your nectar collector, start by preparing your concentrate. This might be wax, shatter, budder, diamonds, or anything else you have handy. We highly recommend starting out with Classic Hash from the Mood Shop.

Use a dab tool to place a small amount of the concentrate in a specialized dab container if you have one available. If not, you can use a glass dish.

Heat the Concentrate and Take a Hit

Next, you’ll need to heat the tip of the nectar collector with a butane torch. You know you have a hot nectar collector tip when it turns red.

Once the tip is heated up, take a hit quickly — it’ll cool down fast. Gently press the hot tip against the dish of concentrate to vaporize it.

When vapor starts to form, take a small inhale and wait for the effects of dab vapor to kick in. You can start experimenting with bigger hits once you get comfortable with dabbing.

Exhale and enjoy, keeping in mind that the effects of a concentrate are much more powerful than standard cannabis flower. That means you might want to take it slow and wait a while before your next hit.

The Perks of Using a Nectar Collector

There are quite a few big benefits that come with using a nectar collector as opposed to a traditional dab rig or another smoking tool.

These are some of the biggest reasons to consider adding a nectar collector to your smoking arsenal:

• Nectar collectors are incredibly portable. They’re more compact than a traditional dab rig or even a glass pipe, and you can easily fit one in your pocket and take it with you just about anywhere.

• They’re also easy to use and are arguably more beginner-friendly than bongs or dab rigs. Anyone can master this method of smoking weed in just a few sessions.

• Unlike some methods of dabbing, you get more controlled hits from a nectar collector because of the small amount of pre-measured concentrate that you add to tip. By adjusting your servings of concentrate, you can get a more balanced, mellow high — which is ideal for beginners.

In addition, many cannabis fans find that a nectar collector is more efficient way to dab. There’s not as much setup involved as the process for using a dab rig or bong, which means more time spent enjoying the flavors, aromas, and power of your favorite concentrates.

Cleaning and Maintaining Your Nectar Collector

Cleaning a nectar collector isn’t too difficult, but it is an essential part of every dabbing session. If you don’t clean yours, you can expect residue from concentrates to build up over time and detract from the honey collector’s efficiency and the flavor of your concentrates.

Here’s a quick and simple way to disassemble and clean your nectar collector to prevent residue buildup and other issues.

• First, disassemble the nectar collector when it’s cooled down completely after a session. You should be able to separate the tip, body, and mouthpiece from each other for easier, more thorough cleaning.

• Next, soak each of the parts in some isopropyl alcohol to break down any heavier residue. If a bit of leftover concentrate doesn’t come off, use a cotton swab to get rid of it by hand after it soaks.

• Rinse off the rubbing alcohol with some hot water. This step will flush out any leftover debris in most cases, but take another look to make sure no more residue is left behind.

• Finally, dry the individual parts off thoroughly before you put them back together. You can air-dry the components of the nectar collector, but a clean towel works faster.

Cleaning your nectar collector after every use is the best way to make it last as long as possible and lock in the flavor of your concentrates. However, you can get away with a heavy-duty clean after every two or three uses if needed.

FAQs About Nectar Collectors

Q: Are nectar collectors legal?

A: Buying a nectar collector is 100% legal, but there are some potential issues with using yours in public. In general, it’s best to smoke, dab, or vape cannabis in a private space to avoid fines. However, the legality of smoking in public varies by state.

As far as concentrates go, their legality varies as well. Concentrates that contain no more than 0.3% Delta-9 THC by dry weight are classified as hemp under the Farm Bill, which makes them legal to purchase online from many states. All of the concentrates in the Mood Shop are Farm Bill-compliant and third-party tested for quality.

Q: Do you need a dab tool for a nectar collector?

A: A dab tool is always handy when using a nectar collector or honey straw. You can use it to portion out a small amount of concentrate without touching it. While it’s not as necessary to have one as when you’re using a dab rig, you won’t regret picking one up from the Mood Shop to use with your nectar collector.

Q: Are electric nectar collectors better?

A: Electric nectar collectors are precise and easy to use, and there’s no better option in terms of temperature control. However, you can still have an incredible dabbing experience with a silicone or glass nectar collector.

We’d recommend starting out with a non-electric nectar collector, than going electric when you’re ready for a major upgrade.

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