Today I want to show you The MiniNail. This has been by far one of my most used concentrate systems and it won my 2019 Vape Award for concentrate product of the year. It’s really straightforward but it’s a super well done system.
ABOUT ENAILS
Consistent and convenient
An enail is an alternative to the traditional torch and banger setup for using concentrates. Some people prefer the ritual of using a torch and a banger, but many prefer a system that is super consistent and always at the right temperature, without the need for any guessing or timers to get there.
One of the best things about a system like this is that they can be left on for long periods of time. My official recommendation is to never leave anything hot unattended, but people have reported leaving their MiniNail on for a year straight with no issues whatsoever. Mine hasn’t been turned off for months, aside from during cleaning.HOW TO ASSEMBLE THE HYBRID COIL
Multiple set-up options
An enail system consists of a controller, a coil, a nail or banger, and then the cabling to make it all work together.
The hybrid nail that I assembled is a hybrid for a couple of reasons. First of all it comes with both a titanium cup as well as a quartz cup, but then you can also use it with a 14 mm female or a 14 mm male water piece.
To assemble it, use whichever cup you want. I used the quartz as I prefer quartz for this setup, and then the heater coil sits right under that. Below that I put the centre post, and then finally screw on either the 14 mm female or male joint depending on what kind of water piece you are using.
With this setup you want to be careful not to over tighten the screw. The quartz dish gets hot, so there is going to be some expansion, if you screw it down too tight you will crack the dish. I have done it myself in the past, but since I figured this out my dish has been going strong for months and months with no cracking.
HOW TO ASSEMBLE
Super easy to set up
The quartz nail kit includes a bubble carb cap and a really cool glass dabber which has a built-in scoop. If you have material that is tough to grab with a traditional dabber, this scoop will make it super easy.
The quartz banger is super easy to set up, simply place the banger into the hybrid coil and then turn the banger so that the coil arm is supported by the little glass piece that sticks off of the banger. It’s a smart design that alleviates a lot of pressure from the coil.
Once you have your system assembled, plug in the mini XLR cable that goes from the coil into the back of your controller. Then plug the three-pronged power cable into the back of your controller and you are all set up.
CONTROLLER OPERATION
Takes about 3 minutes to heat up
To turn the MiniNail on click the switch on the back, and it will automatically start heating up to your last set temperature. On first use the default temperature is set at 600°F, which isn’t a terrible one to start at. It takes about 3 minutes to heat up, although I’d go a bit longer to let the banger heat soak.
The system only draws 89w of power so it’s comparable to a lightbulb, not at all a concern for your electricity bill if you want to leave it on in between uses.
You’ll see the temperature start rising until it hits the set temperature, and then the controller will maintain your set temperature. One of the best parts about the MiniNail is the consistency and accuracy, it does a remarkable job of staying at the temperature that you want to vape at. To change the set temperature you press either the up or down button to dial-in an exact temperature, or you can hold the button to change it much faster.
HOW TO USE THE MININAIL
Great for small or massive dabs
One of the main reasons I like the MiniNail is because it enables low temperature dabs. If you’re a newbie and find dabbing a little too intense or a bit intimidating, a system like this makes the experience more approachable and it’s fantastic for smaller dosing. This system can definitely handle massive dabs if that’s what you’re after, I just prefer doing dabs on the smaller side.
When using the hybrid quartz nail I dab at 560°F, that’s my normal set temperature and definitely one I would recommend you try. I put a small amount of concentrate on my dabber and place it towards the bottom of the bowl so the concentrate melts down into it, then I turn my dabber upside down to use as a carb cap and that starts the vaporization process.
If you put your dab into the bowl and you see immediate huge vapor coming up, that’s a sign that the temperature is set too hot.
When using the quartz banger I like to use a nice low temperature, all the way down to 500°F. I find when you lower the temperature on your dab the effects aren’t quite as immediate and intense, it’s more of a mellow uptake and the flavor is absolutely incredible with high quality concentrate. Once you’ve melted your concentrate into the bowl, use the bubble cap to start the vaporization process, you can also put your finger on the tip of this bubble cap to act as a carb.
CLEANING
Super easy to clean
Your goal with your dab size should be to consume the whole dab and not have any extra concentrate left sitting on your nail when you are done with your hit. If you have any extra left on there, you’re going to get dirty build-up much faster. With my quartz hybrid nail I never swab it out or anything like that after use. The majority of my dab gets consumed, and it’s tricky to get a Q-tip in there anyway. With the quartz banger though, especially if you are doing low temperature dabs, you can get a Q-tip in there to swab out any of the remaining material, this will help to keep it clean.
After a while you will get some build-up, regardless of whether you swab it after every use, so you will need to clean your coil, and with the MiniNail it is super easy. Turn your controller up to 1100°. Don't worry about getting the exact temperature but you don’t want to go much higher than that. Once you’ve set it to that temperature, set a timer for 15 minutes, do not leave it at this temperature for longer than that as it creates a ton of heat. Once it gets to temperature, which will take about five minutes, you can use a dabber to gently scrape off any buildup that has not already burned off, you can get the surface nice and clean using this method. You can also throw it into some isopropyl alcohol when it’s cooled down to help maintain it as well.
Strengths
So what do I love about The MiniNail? Well the first thing is the convenience. This is designed to be a 'set it and forget it' sort of a system. Pick the temperature you want, turn it on, leave it somewhere safe, and it's ready to dab whenever you are.
I really like the build quality of this device. I have used some significantly less expensive enails in the past, the performance was significantly worse and I definitely would not feel safe leaving them on for a month at a time. This is one of those things that is expensive, but the higher build quality makes it a worthwhile investment.
Finally, it is the consistency that the system offers. If you like doing really low temperature dabs, then you can set it up like that and it will never be too hot or too cold. If you want to do massive dabs just turn it up and you can rip the huge snakes. Once you dial into your favorite dab, you are going to have that exact same experience over and over again.
Weaknesses
It doesn’t seem like they have Celsius as a temperature option, as it only measures in Fahrenheit. Not a huge deal, but I don’t know why they don’t have a simple option to switch it over as many people prefer Celsius.
While it is awesome that the controller box is so small, it is also super light. You may find that you have to spend a little time getting it just where you want it as the cords themselves can cause it to stand up or try to move around due to the cord placement. I recommend using the little slab pad that they include to keep your controller on.
It’s definitely not a cheap system. You can find enails for a fraction of this price, but I do think this one is a significant step above in terms of both quality and function compared to any of the cheap ones that I have used.
CONCLUSION
It's found a starting position in my lineup
The MiniNail has been my most used method of consuming concentrate since I got it. I love the convenience of the system, the fact that you can just turn it on and it’s ready to go anytime you want to dab. It is amazingly convenient.
The build quality and the function of the MiniNail are a huge step ahead of the less expensive systems that I have used. I personally wouldn’t trust any of the other enails that I have used to be left on for long periods of time, and that reduces the convenience of those systems drastically.
The consistency of each hit makes it much easier to dial-in your ideal temperature and then replicate that over and over. You will never have a burnt dab, or a dab that barely cooks. They are going to be repeatable and identical so dial it in to your preferred temperature and away you go.
If you are looking for a super convenient and effective way to use your concentrate, I would definitely consider looking at one of these. It's found a starting position in my lineup and you might want to add one to your roster as well.
I hope you enjoyed this look at The MiniNail!
Keep it green, keep it sneaky!
