Quartz inserts are a new way to enhance the experience of low-temperature dabs without chazzing your expensive new quartz. You’ll spend less money replacing inserts than you would on quartz bangers. Many connoisseurs rebuy their expensive quartz nails once the flavor and aesthetics start to go. Inserts offer quartz protection and versatility by introducing a superior new way to low-temp dab: the insert drop technique.
Insert Techniques
There are two ways to use a quartz insert. The first is done in the same way as any other low-temperature dab out of a quartz banger with slightly different results. The second method heats your dabs from a low temperature to a high one. Some terpenes and cannabinoids are boiled off at far lower temperatures than THC. When you go into a dab from hot to cold, some of those therapeutic components are being boiled off immediately. By starting at a lower temperature and working your way up, you get to experience cannabinoids and terpenes at a wider temperature range.
Long Cooldown Technique
The first way to use an insert is by leaving it in a banger and heating it up like you would normally with a low temp dab. However, using the insert in there will grant you way more heat retention than usual. We found that the insert retained heat for at least two minutes on bangers that normally held heat for a little over a minute. So on top of protecting your bangers from permanent stains, inserts help to provide the longest heat retention we’ve seen on a nail.
Insert Drop Technique
The second way to use a quartz insert is where things get really interesting. You can pre-load the insert and set it aside while you heat up your banger alone. Depending on the amount you pre-loaded and the banger you’re using, you can drop the insert within five to thirty seconds after removing the torch flame. If things burned up too fast, wait a little longer. And if you wish there was less of a puddle at the end don’t wait as long the next time around. Once you master the technique, you’ll hardly find yourself reheating a stale tasting puddle to prevent waste.
With this second method, it takes time for the heat to transfer from your banger through the wall of your insert. As a result, your concentrates are heated from low to high temperatures. When timed right, the first hit or two are packed with flavor while the next few hits pack straight punches of milky potency.
Where To Get Quartz Inserts
Certain artists that also design quartz nails have inserts specifically designed for their bangers. However, Eternal Quartz is the original quartz insert for quartz bangers and they invented the insert drop technique mentioned above. Their inserts come in all different shapes and sizes to fit the widest range of quartz banger designs. Whether you have a slanted 20mm banger or a 30mm flat-top, there’s an insert for you at Eternal. They use high-quality quartz that actually retains flavor better than some of the most popular quartz nails in the game. They come through with flawless function, versatility, convenience and quality control.
Eternal’s durable quartz inserts retain heat and enhance flavor. They have a reverse tweezer with silicone tips for easy insert removal and cleaning. There’s also a metal dab tool with one end for lifting slitted inserts. You can call your local smoke shop to see if they carry them or order them online.
Cleaning Your Quartz Insert
Just because a quartz insert is easier to replace than an entire banger doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be cleaning it regularly. If you don’t, you’ll be tasting the burnt off remnants of previous dabs.
With a small jar of isopropyl alcohol nearby at all times, cleaning your quartz inserts will be a breeze. Immediately after a dab, Q-tip what you can. The insert might follow the direction you move the Q-tip in so you’re better off using a twisting motion rather than a stirring one.
Once you’ve Q-tipped what you can, use a tool to lift the insert out of the banger and drop it into the jar of alcohol. When it’s done sizzling, remove the insert from the alcohol and wipe it all clean. You can also hit your nail with a wet Q-tip to make sure nothing splashed out of the insert and onto the walls. Now, you’re ready for your next dab.
Splash Guard Inserts
To make cleaning even easier, Eternal Quartz has just came out with inserts that have splash guards. The lip at the top of these inserts caves up and inward to prevent any oils from splashing out of the cup. That means less oil shooting down the neck of your banger and there will also be less to mop up in your bucket when you remove the insert for cleaning.
Quartz Inserts Pros & Cons
Pros:
- You can pre-load the insert before even heating your banger so you don’t have to try to load the right amount of “sauce” onto your tool at the last second.
- With a pre-loaded insert set aside, you finish your dabs faster than usual. You can drop it five to fifteen seconds after getting your banger hot all around. That means there is less of a wait time. Most of the bangers on our list will have you waiting well over a minute after heat up. Not to mention, most of them will leave behind a large puddle. Reheating in those situations will usually result in a combusted or stale dab hit.
- The pre-loaded insert allows you to experience your concentrates at a new range of temperatures. Normally low-temp dabs are done from a high to low temperature. Dropping a pre-loaded insert into the hot nail forces concentrates to constantly rise in temperature. If timed right, you should have experienced more flavor than usual. To top it all off, you’ll be leaving less oil behind for the Q-tip. In fact, your third hit should be milkier than your first.
- You don’t have to use the insert drop tech. You can just leave the insert in while you heat your nail and use it like normal. There will be more heat retention than normal. So you will have a wider window to get the perfect temp dab when dropping big globs.
Cons:
- There is a small learning curve. Once you figure out the technique of using an insert you won’t want to go back though.
- There is the extra step of getting the insert out of your banger and cleaning it in iso. However, it quickly becomes a habit. The tiny bit of extra work is worth it to keep your expensive quartz nails fresh as day one.
- If you choose to leave the insert in and heat it up like normal, there is an extra-long cooldown time. With the insert left in, it should take about two minutes of waiting or longer. Then, you can drop a comfortable low-temperature dab.
Final Hit: What Are Quartz Inserts?
Quartz inserts are an innovative way to low temp dab with their own set of pros and cons. Depending on your preference, you have two options. The classic heat-up and long cooldown–or use the insert drop tech for a faster, more satisfying dab. A proper insert drop provides an unparalleled experience in less time than a classic low-temperature dab. Regardless of your preferred technique, your quartz nail will stay fresh AF if you’re using an insert.
