The two general categories of vaporizers are desktop and portable.
Desktop vaporizers were the first mass-produced dry herb vaporizers that connected to household power. They have efficient heating systems and offer greater temperature control during sessions. These units were the first to be used for medicinal purposes.
Portable vaporizers have gained immense popularity in recent years.
There are pen-style vaporizers, which are the most discreet and easy to use. These devices heat up quickly and generally offer single-button controls. There are also portable vaporizers that are more powerful than pen-style vaporizers and offer more control over temperature selection, allowing the user to enjoy the various effects and flavors of their preferred materials.
E-Nail vaporizers fall into both categories. These devices deliver enormous amounts of vapor from concentrates, but instead of requiring the user to burn their materials, they offer convenient electric heating. Some of these vaporizers are portable with vapor production similar to a desktop unit.
E-Rigs also fall into both categories and are primarily used for concentrates; most have rechargeable batteries and offer water filtration for vapor, which significantly reduces vapor temperature. They generally have a glass piece that holds water.
Types of Heating
There are three main heating methods in vaporizers: conduction, convection, and induction. The preferred heating method will depend on the user's vaping needs. If you are a user on the go, a conduction vaporizer will give you the fastest heat-up time. On the other hand, convection heating releases more flavor and effects with less smoke. Finally, induction offers an extremely stable and precise temperature.
Conduction Heating
In conduction vaporization, the herbal material comes into direct contact with the heat source to produce vapor. As the plant material heats up in the oven or chamber, vapor is produced, which the user then inhales through the mouthpiece. Although this vaporization method has the fastest heat-up time, it can also lead to combustion if not used correctly. Older desktop vaporizers used this method, although it is no longer common. Most pen-style vaporizers use this vaporization method.
Convection Heating
In convection vaporization, the herbal material does not directly touch the heat source. Instead, vaporization is achieved by hot air flowing over the material, extracting the active ingredients.
Convection vaporizer types have expanded tremendously since desktop units were the only ones to use this method. There are a multitude of portable vaporizers for both dry herb and concentrate that feature convection heating, giving you unprecedented flavor quality. This is the preferred heating method for people who want to get the most flavor out of their material.
Induction Heating
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Induction heating is similar to convection in that your material is not in direct contact with the heating element. Vaporization is achieved when current circulates through a conductive coil material, which generates an electromagnetic field.
Although not as popular as convection or conduction, induction heating is a new vaporization method that gives you the best of both worlds. An incredibly fast heat-up time is combined with an oxygen-free environment to allow for 100% flavor extraction from your material.
The best induction vaporizer is actually one of the first mass-produced units, the Dr. Dabber SWITCH offers a lot of temperature options and can vape both dry herb and concentrates.
Dynavap Vaporizers also feature induction heaters for all their models.
What are you going to vaporize?
When it comes to vaporization, there are a variety of materials that can be used, such as dry herb, concentrates, extractions, distillates, or oils. The material being vaporized will affect the vaporizer you want to use, as not all vaporizers work with all substances. It's easier to decide on a vaporizer when you know what you plan to vaporize most often.
Dry Herb
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This is dry and cured plant material. Different temperatures release different effects and flavors. Low temperatures achieve calmer effects, and high temperatures work for more intense experiences.
Concentrates
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Consists of compounds extracted from dry herbs. Concentrates have much more intense effects than dry herb due to the higher percentage of psychoactive properties.
The ideal temperature range for flavor experiences is 162 °C (325 °F) and to enjoy the full effects of your concentrate, switch to 205 °C (400 °F).
E-Liquids and oils
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These are liquids used in e-cigarettes. Also distilled oils with different concentrations of THC or CBD. Some flavored liquids may contain nicotine. Vaporizers used for e-juice/e-liquid are sometimes called "mods" due to their customization capabilities and have a higher temperature range for vaporization.
Benefits of using a Grinder
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Having a good dry herb vaping routine is a crucial step to enjoying your vaporizer. Before vaporizers came onto the scene, dry herb users had to use scissors or their fingers to chop or grind dry herb, resulting in ruined scissors or sticky fingers. Fortunately, when vaporizers emerged, grinders were already considered a crucial tool for any dry herb session. Many types of grinders exist, so we will highlight the two most popular.
The most common dry herb grinders for vaping are the 2-piece grinder and the 4-piece grinder. Two-piece grinders are the simplest available. They are the most discreet with only a top and bottom piece. The dry herb goes in the middle, and in a few twists, you get finely ground dry herb.
4-piece grinders are deeper. There is a top compartment where the dry herb is initially placed. Once ground, the dry herb falls into a central compartment with a screen separating it from the bottom compartment. This screen sifts the pollen from the outside of the dry herb to save and store it for later.
The ideal vaping routine
If you're spending a good amount of money on a piece of equipment, you should make sure to use it correctly, right? To get the most out of your vaporizer, you'll want to start with a good grind in a grinder. Loading the ground herbal material in the right way allows the vapor to be more abundant, potent, and smoother than unground dry herb. Different heating styles of vaporizers work best with different consistencies.
For dry herb users who enjoy a conduction vaporizer, we suggest grinding their dry herb as finely as possible. In a conduction heating system, the dry herb is heated by direct exposure to the heating element. The finer the grind, the more particles will be exposed to the hot surface or oven walls. We suggest loading the dry herb into the vaporizer with a little pressure inside the oven, this will help with heat transfer and prevent you from having to open the vaporizer and stir the dry herbs to ensure they are fully vaporized.
For those who prefer convection, grinding the herb to a medium, fluffy consistency is the best way. Convection heats the dry herb with hot air, so you'll want to maximize airflow within the chamber. If you use a fine grind, airflow will be restricted due to the stiffness of your dry herb. If you have a grinder that fluffs your dry herb, you can maximize the capabilities of your convection vaporizer. This leaves the hot air with more surface area to come into contact with, ensuring that 100% of the dry herb is vaporized. Induction vaporizers do not have an ideal grinding style. The electromagnetic heating field will vaporize any type of ground dry herb in the same way.
Temperature Controls
Controlling the vaporizer's temperature is key to achieving the most efficient vapor production. There is a range where the herb will begin to release its active ingredients, and if the herb is not hot enough, no vapor will form. On the other hand, if the temperature rises too high, the herb will burn, nullifying the entire purpose of vaporization.
There are vaporizers with digital screens that give you the exact degree at which you will vaporize, and those that have preset temperatures with a different colored light assigned to their respective temperature level.
Common Desktop, Induction, and E-nail Temperature Controls
Image: Classic Volcano, Hybrid Volcano, Dr. Dabber Switch, Any E-nail.
Desktop vaporizers have two possibilities: preset temperatures chosen by the manufacturer or precision temperature control, where the temperature is chosen by the user.
In the first model of Storz & Bickel's revolutionary Volcano vaporizer, a rotary dial allows users to choose between 9 different settings, allowing for slight temperature changes. Later in its lineage, Storz & Bickel produced a digital display model with buttons to allow the user to choose how far they would like to vaporize the dry herb, also known as precision temperature control.
The Dr. Dabber SWITCH uses a light meter for temperature levels, and each of the 25 available temperatures has a different number of colored lights assigned. Most desktop units have full precision temperature control with a digital readout of the selected temperature.
E-Nails exclusively use precision temperature control to allow users to have full control over their concentrate sessions.
Portable Vaporizer Temperature Controls
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Portable vaporizers have a similar distinction to desktop units in terms of temperature management. Again, this will come down to the user's personal preferences. The two different heating styles are preset temperatures or precision temperature control.
Portable vaporizers with preset temperatures generally feature one-button control, making them slightly easier to use than a precision temperature unit. Users will click the button to turn on the vaporizer and toggle between temperature options. Preset temperatures are optimized for the most popular vapor profiles: low temperatures for flavor, high temperatures for large vapor clouds. This style is used by those who want quick draws without having to overthink the temperature choice.
With a temperature-controlled portable vaporizer, you can choose the temperature degree by degree. These vaporizers typically have "up" and "down" buttons to help the user toggle between temperatures. A wider range of temperature options means you can explore different flavor profiles and customize sessions based on flavor, size, or density of the load. Most portable vaporizers feature LED screens to assist in temperature control.
Pen-style Vaporizer Temperature Control
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Most pen-style vaporizers are controlled with a single button. The small size and sleek designs of these vaporizers are intended for easy on-the-go use, and single-button controls provide the fastest and most sensible way to deliver vapor.
Just because pen-style vaporizers have a single button doesn't mean they can't have multiple temperatures. If a vaporizer has an optimized temperature, your experience will be easy. It only takes a few clicks to turn the unit on, then hold down the button while drawing vapor. In pen-style vaporizers that have a variable voltage battery, multiple temperatures (usually 3) are offered; users will turn on the vape and then click the button multiple times to toggle between temperatures.
Pen-style vaporizers have a limited temperature range compared to portable vaporizers and desktop units, due to their focus on portability.
Optimal Temperatures for Vaporizing
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The standard temperature for vaporizing dry herb ranges from 160°C to 205°C, however, each vaporizer is different and has its own optimal temperature. Finding the perfect temperature requires some work and can vary depending on the specific material being vaporized. Drier herb will begin to vaporize at a lower temperature, while wetter herb will require more heat to produce vapor.
Starting at a lower temperature and slowly increasing it releases a variety of effects as different active ingredients evaporate with each increase. Everyone has their personal preferences, and this information should be considered a guide to finding the best starting temperature.
Heat-up Times
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- 10 seconds or less (Dr Dabber Light or Ghost, Dynavap Omni, Firefly 2+)
- 20 to 60 seconds (Boundless CFX, Davinci IQ, Arizer Solo II)
- 2 to 4 minutes (Arizer XQ2, Volcano Hybrid, Dintanium Vaporizer)
In addition to choosing temperature control, it's good to consider how long it will take the vaporizer to go from cold to hot and be ready to vaporize. The heat-up time of each vaporizer is different. However, pen-style units are generally the fastest, followed by other portables, and finally desktop units (which require more power).
Power Sources
There are several different design factors that determine how a vaporizer's heat source receives power. Ultimately, this will be achieved through a plug-in, mains power, USB port, or battery. For analog vapes like Dynavap, they use external heaters (flame or magnetic induction heater).
AC Power
Desktop vaporizers usually plug directly into a wall outlet or are charged that way. Some desktop and portable vaporizers feature "pass-through charging," which allows for use while the battery is charging.
Batteries
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Battery-powered vaporizers are typically portable or pen-style units. Elite portable vaporizers often have easily interchangeable batteries. Most battery-powered vaporizers will have internal batteries housed within the unit. Some use external batteries, meaning the charged battery must be inserted into the vaporizer to begin heating.
Warranty on your purchase
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- 1 year: Gpen elite
- 2 years: Arizer Solo II
- 3 years: Storz & Bickel Mighty
- 5 years: Davinci IQC
- 10 years: PAX
- Unlimited: Airvape Legacy
When it comes to vaporizers, warranty periods can vary quite a bit. Generally, desktop vaporizers have the longest warranties, as they are designed to stay in one place; pen-style vaporizers have shorter warranty periods. However, there are portable units such as the Airvape X that are covered for life. Make sure you fully understand the warranty terms before making a purchase.
When considering the warranty duration, also look at what aspect of the vaporizer is actually covered. Not all components (such as glassware, atomizers, and wear parts) are necessarily protected by a warranty. These additional components may be available for purchase if something breaks or burns out.
Price Range
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Less than 250:
- Kandypens Slim
- Dr. Dabber Light
- Kandypens Rubi
250000 - 500000
- Dynavap M 2021
- Airvape Xs Go
- Gpen Elite
500000 – 900000
- Arizer V-tower
- Airvape X
- Davinci Miqro
900000 - 1400000
- Pax 3
- Plenty
- Firefly 2+
1400+
- Switch Dr. Dabber
- Volcano Hybrid\
Less than $250,000
If you're looking for a pen-style vaporizer, this is the category for you. Oil or concentrate users can check out our selection of affordable vaporizers that are perfect for vaping on the go. The vast majority of these units will be conduction heated.
Between $250,000 – $500,000
Users who want more temperature flexibility and enhanced warranties for concentrates will find what they need in this category. This range also includes portable devices for beginners in herbal vaporization. The vast majority of these units will be conduction heated.
Between $500,000 – $900,000
This is the price range where you'll start to see desktop vaporizers available. The fact that they are on the more affordable side of desktop units doesn't mean they can't perform well. Most vaporizers in this category will use hybrid heating (conduction and convection), convection, and precision temperature control.
Between $900,000 – $1,400,000
If you've enjoyed our vaporizer lesson and are ready to dive in, this range won't disappoint. The units available in this category offer you the first "elite" vaping options. High-quality construction materials, advanced functionality, and enhanced warranties come with your desktop or portable vaporizer.
More than $1,400,000
Any vaporizer you buy in the 350USD range will have unparalleled vapor quality, construction, and warranty options. Most vaporizers costing more than 350USD are desktop units, including the iconic Volcano Vaporizer and the innovative Dr. Dabber SWITCH. It's important to thoroughly analyze your vapor needs and exactly how a vaporizer in this price range works before making a purchase at this level.