What is the Best E Rig: Puffco Peak vs Dr Dabber Switch

So many people have turned to dabbing to replace smoking flower for a more delicious tasty experience. The very best way to dab has been in a dab rig. However, most people just don’t want to handle a dangerous torch. This has given rise to the concept of an e-rig and the very best e-rigs have emerged. Currently the best e-rigs in the market are the Puffco Peak and the Dr Dabber Switch.

Dabbing can achieve the very most effective results from your medicine. And the best processors can produce dabs and preserve those precious terpenes that give unbelievably delicious hits. But as we have discussed in past blogs, it is much healthier to use water filtration when consuming.

Dab rigs have historically been the best way, however, the torches used can be intimidating and dangerous, especially when you have long hair and even worse when you have a child. For these reasons we are devoting this article to reviewing the very best e-rigs in the market, including the Puffco Peak and Dr. Dabber Switch.

Puffco Peak vs. Dr Dabber Switch

The Puffco Peak is known as the gold standard in the e-rig market. The original Peak came out in 2017 (with a couple iterations since then) and has really revolutionized the market. In fact, this rig is so popular with connoisseurs that there is an entire group of glassblowers dedicated to blowing attachments and accessories for the Peak. This reminds me of the battle of the iPhone vs the top Samsung Android device. The Peak is the more secure intuitive device, while the Switch is the open source versatile product. The Puffco Peak has a whole ecosystem surrounding it, including Eyce silicone attachments, handblown glass attachments and quartz cups. Finally, the prices of those attachments are coming down in price rapidly and some of those add-ons are spectacular. This has taken the Peak to the next level.

Size and Portability - The Puffco Peak wins by a lot  

The peak is very intuitive and almost like the iPhone of the e-rig market. When you first look at the peak you will notice its compact design and unique stylish appearance. This brings us to the first advantage that the Puffco device has over the Dr. Dabber Switch. The Puffco Peak is much smaller (7” high x 2.75” base) and more portable than the Switch. It is far easier for travel. The Dr. Dabber Switch is very versatile and functional. However, it is more of a “table-top” device and is way too big for travel and other mobile use.

Versatility and Heat Settings - Switch for versatility - Peak for Simplicity

The Puffco Peak has 4 heat settings Starting at 450 degrees Fahrenheitand topping out at 600. Here you can see the versatility advantage of the Switch over the Peak. The switch has 25 different settings and can also be used for both dry herb and wax. For me personally, 25 settings is almost overload and sort of frustrates me. Sort of like when you go to a Chinese restaurant and that menu just keeps going on forever, even though you pretty much always order the same thing. If you like options then go with the Switch, but if you prefer simplicity then go with the Peak.

Heat Up Time - Dr Dabber Switch wins

Here is one place where the Puffco Peak has a problem. While your typical dab rig takes about 3 minutes to be ready to smoke, the peak takes about 20 seconds to heat up. However, the Dr. Dabber Switch heats up in a quick 4 seconds and blows the Peak away. In fact recently other new devices have entered the market taking advantage of this on weak point of the Peak. This weak spot is being targeted by cheaper Peak look alikes like the KandyPen Oura and the Focu V Carta, which each sport 4-5 second heat up times (although they don’t provide as good of clouds as the Peak). So if efficiency is your aim and you want to be able to dab almost immediately then go with the Switch. While the peak is much slower, it does have a simple sash mode that avoids multiple heat ups and allows you to either fully utilize your dab for yourself or pass the device around amongst your friends for a better, more social session. Additionally the Puffco Peak has “intelligent temperature calibration,” meaning that it automatically adjusts if the bowl is already hot. That being said this specific category clearly goes to the Switch

Battery Power and Life - Dr. Dabber Switch wins

The Puffco Peak again sort of underwhelms the market by only delivering about 30 dabs on a single charge. The Dr Dabber switch on the other hand absolutely over delivers by providing 200 dabs on a single charge. But you would expect more from such a larger device and you can see where that extra size has gone.

Taste - Puffco Peak wins

Time and time again, dab connoisseurs agree that the peak really provides the best tasting dabs in the e-rig market. The Switch is a close second because with 25 heat setting you should be able to find a temperature that gives you the flavor you like. But you won’t get that level of perfect taste out of a device that is made for both flower and dabs, especially if you smoke both out of it. I would highly recommend that you don’t use the device for both and decide whether you wan to use the Switch for Flower or wax and stick to it before you ruin the taste of your dabs. Once you smoke dry herb through it, it just won’t taste the same again unless you find a much better way to clean it than I’ve ever found.

Charging - Dr. Dabber Switch wins

The Puffco peak comes with two chargers a regular one and a supercharger. The supercharger gives a full charge in only 2 hours. While this is shorter than a typical vape, it is twice as long as the Switch. The switch only takes 60 minutes to charge the battery of that massive device.

Price - It's a tie

Both of these devices are the absolute top of the line e-rigs and they are very similar in price. In fact they are usually the same exact price. Many people find the price point to be too high, but it's hard to say that when they provide the very best experiences in the market. 

Materials - Switch and Peak both lose

This is an area where even people that love the Puffco Peak and Dr. Dabber Switch seem to complain. They each come with two ceramic cups. Any dab connoisseur wants to do their dabs in quartz. Why these top players do not provide a quarts cup or dish I will never know. While the Switch comes with black ceramic bowl that is more porous and claims to allow for a more flavorful hit, I believe they both suck. In fact this is one area that the new entrants are attacking with their new offerings including the KandyPen Oura. Luckily the Puffco is so popular that many people make quartz cups, or even ruby inserts that you can buy for use wth the Peak. But at this price point and quality level you expect quartz. Please Puffco, listen to the market and start selling the device with a quartz cup! The people have spoken.

Conclusion

In my opinion, the choice of whether to go with the Puffco Peak over the Dr. Dabber Switch is a personal decision. For me it all comes down whether you value to the size, portability and flavor of the Puffco Peak over the versatility and multi heat functionality of the Dr. Dabber Switch. I really value the discreet nature and size of the Puffco Peak along with its more developed ecosystem for parts and add-ons. But if you plan to use this only for home and don’t need discretion, you can achieve very similar results from the Dr. Dabber Switch and some believe that it can even take the experience to the next level.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

**The beliefs and opinions expressed in this blog are not those of Waterbeds ‘n’ Stuff.