One of the biggest positives about the Dr. Dabber Switch 2 is that it does not require any atomizers or chambers. You don’t need to worry about connectivity issues, inconsistent heating, burnout or warranty downtimes. The Dr. Dabber Dabber Switch 2 (and little bro Switch GO) use inserts which will never short circuit on you or need to be sent in for warranty. While you can argue pros and cons of chambers vs. inserts, this post is simply to go over the Dr. Dabber Switch 2 inserts to explain the different properties, features and help you decide if you need to spring for the more premium ones. We are using the Switch 2 as the bell weather since the qualities offered by the premium inserts are more pronounced on the Switch 2 over the GO.
Quartz Insert
This is the standard insert which comes with the Switch 2 and GO. Quartz is the perfect starting point for the Switch 2. Quartz is a pretty poor thermal conductor compared to ceramic but it does heat up much faster and emulates the basic glass banger of the traditional dab rig.
The Quartz insert being chemically inert offers terp preservation and the heat up time is next to none. This works great in a fast heat vaporizer like the Dr. Dabber Switch 2. Quartz heats up quickly, but it also sheds heat quickly. Even with the Switch²’s omni-directional heating, that fast thermal response can produce a sharper, harsher hit at higher temperatures because vapor is generated so quickly. The upside is exactly the same thing. You get fast, powerful extraction and a lot of vapor all at once, which can make the stock quartz insert hit extremely hard—especially with the Switch²’s large 20mm chamber. Personally, I found it a little too harsh, but if you prefer big dabs, high temperatures, and strong, immediate vapor production, the stock quartz insert may be exactly what you want.
Titanium Insert
For added durability and even quicker heat up times there is the titanium insert.
The main benefit of the titanium insert is that it is nearly impossible to break or crack and will serve the heavy daily user well with repeated use. To coincide with this heavy repeated use, the titanium insert also does a better job of reaching temperature quicker than quartz. This more efficient heat transfer will also give you bigger hits than quartz. So for those who want something that offers even more cloud potential the titanium is a great add on and at only $25 more won’t break the bank either.
Sapphire Plus Insert
Sapphire is one of the most premium materials you can use for dabs. It is highly inert giving the user the best terpene profiles from their concentrates. It has better thermal conductivity and heat retention over quartz, titanium and even ceramic.This in turn gives the user the most even heating for their dabs than the quick heat and cool down.
Then there is the upgraded design Dr. Dabber added with the second edition plus insert. The first Switch 2 Sapphire Insert was just like the quartz and titanium with a smooth bottom. The Sapphire Plus added and etched criss cross pattern which act as nucleation sites. This gives more even vapor production by pooling off your heated liquids into small micro zones across the bottom of the insert instead of a flat surface where your liquid could pool in one area of the insert giving inconsistent vapor.
The Sapphire Plus was the most premium insert for the Switch 2 until Dr. Dabber announced the limited edition custom drop of the Highly Educated Quartz Insert.
Highly Educated SE Quartz Insert
Having not used the Highly Educated custom built quartz, I would think the Sapphire Plus insert would be superior given the material. However if you compare the surface engineered floor of the Sapphire Plus insert versus the High Educated Quartz Insert it is hard to argue the engineering of the Highly Educated SE Insert is not levels above the Sapphire Plus insert.
Then there is the fact it is made by Highly Educated, a company who have been designing hardware for concentrates and dabs since 2010 with 0 outsourcing. Highly Educated takes it to the next level with advanced materials research, working with university nano-fabrication and materials science labs to develop highly functional surface technologies. I would assume going with sapphire here may have been a cost constraint as the Quartz Insert comes in at $250, over half the price of the Switch 2 Vaporizer itself.
It will be interesting to see if Dr. Dabber rolls out any other inserts for the Switch 2 and Switch GO. The current line up suit the devices well. We wrote a post about the Original Dr. Dabber Switch induction cups years back. The OG Switch required a stainless steel jacket to conduct heat into the inserts and those were much smaller in size. Whereas here with the larger Switch 2 20mm inserts costs and function could be an issue for materials such as the AlN or SiC.
If you add some aftermarket inserts for your Switch 2 or not , one thing is for certain the Switch 2 is one of the best concentrate vaporizers currently on the market.
