Terp Pearls Guide 2026: Sizes, Materials

Terp pearls (dab beads) are tiny balls that spin inside your banger to move oil around, reduce puddles, and help you get tastier, more even hits, as long as you keep up with clean dab tools and basic dab maintenance. If your setup is dialed, they can feel like a cheat code for flavor. If your setup is sloppy, they’ll just fling reclaim everywhere and annoy you.

I’ve been using pearls for about six years now, across cheap import quartz, nicer quartz, and a couple different terp slurper styles. I’ve cracked a few, chazzed a few bangers, and learned what actually matters. Spoiler: size and airflow matter more than whatever gem name is trending on Instagram.

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What do terp pearls actually do in a banger?

They agitate your concentrate while you inhale. That’s the whole magic.

When you pull air through your cap, the pearls spin and “stir” the melt. More surface area touches hot quartz, so vapor production is steadier, and you usually end up with less leftover puddle.

They also help with heat distribution. Not in a “physics lecture” way, more in a “my rosin didn’t just sit in one sad corner and burn” way.

Where they really shine is medium to low temp dabs. On a hot dab, everything is already blasting off, and the pearls can feel like unnecessary chaos.

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Which terp pearl material should you pick (ruby, quartz, ceramic)?

Material matters, but not like people argue online. The biggest differences you’ll feel are heat handling, durability, and how annoying they are to keep looking clean.

Here’s how I break it down after a lot of trial and error.

Ruby (synthetic ruby / corundum)

Ruby pearls are my favorite for daily driving, especially for terp slurpers and blenders. They hold heat well and stay consistent through longer pulls, which is nice if you’re the type to take a slow, flavor-chasing rip instead of a 5-second lung punch.

They’re also dense, so they tend to spin reliably with the right cap.

Downsides:

They show residue fast. And if you torch-clean them too aggressively, they can get cloudy or “cooked” looking over time. They still work, they just stop looking cute.

Quartz

Quartz pearls are the simple, reliable pick. They’re usually cheaper, they match the banger material, and they’re easy to find in common sizes.

If you’re starting out, quartz is a safe choice. You won’t feel bad when one disappears into the carpet dimension during a sesh.

Downsides:

Some cheap quartz pearls are rough or slightly out of round. That can mean less spin, more scratching, and a banger that gets dirty faster.

Ceramic

Ceramic pearls are kind of the “quiet” option. They’re usually affordable and they don’t scream for attention. Spin can be good, but it depends a lot on the cap and the banger shape.

Downsides:

I’ve had ceramic pearls that picked up stains that never fully came out. And some ceramic feels lighter, so it can spin less aggressively unless your airflow is dialed.

Here’s a quick, real-world comparison, without the hype.

Budget-Friendly ($5 to $12 for a set)

• Material: Quartz or ceramic

• Best for: Newer dabbers, backups, travel kits

• Vibe: Works fine, don’t overthink it

Mid-Tier ($12 to $25 for a set)

• Material: Better-cut quartz, basic ruby

• Best for: Daily dab rig setups

• Vibe: The sweet spot for most people

Premium ($25 to $60+ for a set)

• Material: High-quality ruby, sapphire, specialty cuts

• Best for: Terp slurpers, flavor chasers, people who baby their glass

• Vibe: Nice, but not mandatory

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What size terp pearls should you use (and how many)?

Size is where most people mess up. Too small and they barely spin. Too big and they hog space, splash oil, or smack the walls and leave gunk lines.

Here’s what’s worked best for me across different setups.

Common sizes (in millimeters) and where they fit

3mm

• Best for: Terp slurpers with tight channels, small inserts

• My take: Easy to lose, kind of fiddly

4mm

• Best for: Slurpers and blenders, especially with multiple pearls

• My take: Great “movement” size

5mm

• Best for: Most 25mm bucket bangers

• My take: My go-to size for a normal dab rig

6mm

• Best for: Bigger buckets, people who take slightly larger dabs

• My take: Can splash if your cap is aggressive

8mm and up

• Best for: Big novelty buckets, slow heavy pulls

• My take: Usually overkill, and it can bully your melt around

How many pearls should you run?

Most of the time, one or two is plenty.

• 1 pearl: cleaner, simpler, less mess

• 2 pearls: more agitation, better for bigger buckets and wetter concentrates

• 3+ pearls: only if your setup is built for it (usually slurpers)

If you’re using a regular bucket banger, two 4mm or one 5mm is a clean starting point.

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When should you use terp pearls (and when should you skip them)?

Pearls aren’t an “always” accessory. They’re a tool. Sometimes they help a ton, sometimes they’re just extra moving parts to clean.

Use pearls when:

You dab low temp or cold start a lot

Cold starts love pearls. The oil melts gradually, and the pearl keeps it from pooling in one spot.

You’re chasing flavor on rosin or live resin

Steadier vapor, less scorching. That’s the goal.

Your banger is 25mm and your cap can actually spin them

Airflow is everything. A spinner cap or a directional cap you can control makes pearls way more useful.

You’re building a neat dab station

If you’re the organized type with a dab pad, q-tips, ISO, and tools laid out, pearls fit right in. A silicone dab mat or concentrate pad keeps them from rolling into oblivion when you set them down.

I keep my whole setup on an Oil Slick Pad because I got tired of sticky tools touching my desk. Simple quality-of-life upgrade.

Skip pearls when:

Your bucket is tiny

If you’re rocking a small banger, pearls can crowd the melt and make cleanup worse.

You’re taking super hot dabs

You won’t gain much, and you’ll burn oil onto the pearl faster.

Your cap doesn’t move air right

If the pearls just sit there like decorative marbles, they’re not doing anything.

You’re using a vaporizer or e-rig that doesn’t need them

Some electronic rigs have their own airflow and heating behavior. Pearls can help in a few, but in others they just rattle around and stress you out.

And yeah, pearls are fun in videos. But your lungs don’t care about the spin shot.

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How do you clean dab tools and terp pearls without ruining them?

This is where most people either get lazy or get weirdly aggressive with a torch.

My rule: clean early, clean gently, and don’t turn every cleaning session into a science project. If you already stay on top of clean dab tools, pearls are easy.

The easy method (ISO soak)

1. Grab a small glass jar with a lid (old concentrate jar works).

2. Add 91% or 99% isopropyl alcohol.

3. Drop in pearls, carb cap, and small dab tools (not plastic).

4. Soak 15 to 45 minutes depending on how crusty things are.

5. Swirl, then rinse with warm water.

6. Dry completely before using again.

If the pearls still look cloudy, repeat the soak or use a fresh ISO bath. Old ISO turns into dirty soup fast.

The “I want them spotless” method (ISO + heat cycle)

After soaking and drying, you can drop the pearls into a warm banger for a short cycle. Not glowing hot, just warm enough to burn off a whisper of leftover film.

Then swab the banger like normal.

This works great for quartz pearls. For ruby, I keep it gentler since overheating can change how they look over time.

Ultrasonic cleaner (the lazy genius option)

If you dab daily, an ultrasonic cleaner is kind of amazing. I bought a small one a couple years back, around $35, and it’s been a steady win for dab maintenance.

Use warm water with a tiny amount of dish soap, then rinse and dry. For really stubborn residue, you can do a short ISO soak first, then ultrasonic.

What I don’t recommend (but people do anyway)

Torching pearls red hot is the classic mistake. It can work, but it also bakes residue into crust, makes pearls look hazy, and increases the odds of thermal shock if you cool them too fast.

If you’re torching to “sanitize,” ISO and warm water already handle real life dab grime.

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What kind of banger and cap setup makes pearls worth it?

Pearls only perform if your airflow setup is right. Otherwise they’re just little expensive BBs you clean for no reason.

Spinner caps vs directional caps

• Spinner cap: easiest way to get consistent spin. Great for beginners.

• Directional cap: more control, better for certain bangers, but you have to actually steer it.

I like directional caps for buckets because I can push the melt where I want it. For slurpers, a spinner style is usually the chill option.

Bucket bangers vs terp slurpers vs blenders

Bucket banger

• Best pearl setup: one 5mm, or two 4mm

• Best for: daily driver rigs, quick cleanup

Terp slurper

• Best pearl setup: two or three 3mm to 4mm (plus a valve marble if you run that style)

• Best for: longer pulls, big flavor, people who don’t mind extra pieces

Blender

• Best pearl setup: usually 3mm to 4mm

• Best for: aggressive vapor, strong spin action

If you’re mostly on a classic dab rig, a bucket and a single pearl is the least annoying path. Terp slurpers rip, but they add parts. Parts mean more cleaning.

And if you’re switching between a bong, pipe, and dab rig depending on the day, keep your dab setup simple so you actually use it.

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What are the most common terp pearl problems (and quick fixes)?

“My pearls don’t spin”

• Try a different cap. Seriously.

• Check if your banger is level. A slight tilt kills spin.

• Use one pearl instead of two. Overcrowding can stall them.

“My dab splashes and gets messy”

• Go down a size, or use fewer pearls.

• Inhale slower. Hard pulls can make oil climb.

• Don’t overload the banger. Pearls aren’t a license to drop a glob the size of a blueberry.

“My pearls are cloudy”

• Soak longer in fresh ISO.

• Stop torching them nuclear hot.

• Accept that some materials stain. If they still spin, they’re fine.

“I keep losing them”

Yep. Welcome.

Use a concentrate pad or dab pad with a little lip, or keep pearls in a closed container when you’re not actively using them. I’ve found pearls in hoodie pockets. I’ve found them under a grinder. One showed up inside a random shot glass. No idea.

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Conclusion: pearls are great, but keep them clean

Terp pearls are one of those dabbing accessories that feel small until you try a properly dialed low temp dab, then you get why people bother. Pick the right size for your banger, don’t overdo the quantity, and focus on airflow first.

And keep your routine tight. If you already care about clean dab tools, pearls won’t add much effort, they’ll just slide into your normal dab maintenance. If you don’t, they’ll become one more sticky thing rolling around your dab station.

If you want a couple good next reads, check out our guides on setting up a dab station, choosing the right dab pad or silicone dab mat, and getting your dab rig clean without chazzing your quartz. For deeper nerdy stuff, manufacturer spec sheets on quartz and corundum heat tolerance are worth a look, and lab-grade ISO handling guidance is helpful if you keep alcohol around the house a lot.