Vaporizer Buyer's Guide

By now, most of us are aware of the risks that smoking poses to our health. This knowledge has driven the popularity of vaporizers of all kinds, from pen vaporizers to desktops, to portable devices. Here you will learn the differences between the devices and the advantages and disadvantages of the equipment.

Vaporizer Buyer's Guide: An Introduction to Vaporizers

This Vaporizer Buyer's Guide will help you choosing the best Vaporizer for your personal needs.

Content:

Basically there are 3 types of vaporizers: pen vaporizer, portable vaporizer and desktop vaporizer.

Which vaporizer you should choose depends, among other things, on the type of usage. Other decision criteria may be the size of the storage chamber, replaceable battery, or the materials used.

Desktop Vaporizer

Desktop vaporizers are for users who consume most of the time at home and want the best vapor experience. Desktop vaporizers are designed to work in a location near an external power source. They are usually the most expensive vaporizers, but they can provide the best vaping experience in terms of the quality of the vapor. Those who like to indulge in long vapor sessions should choose a desktop model. These devices are plugged into a power outlet and will evaporate whenever you want to, without having to worry about the battery being sufficiently charged for the next session.

Our recommendation: Volcano Hybrid, Arizer Extreme Q, Herborizer Ti

Portable Vaporizer

Portable vaporizers are bigger than pen vaporizers and usually a bit more expensive. But for this price you get an extended range of functions, such as LED display, replaceable battery, convection heating and the ability to evaporate wax and concentrates as well.

Our recommendation: Mighty+, Pax Plus, Arizer Air MAX

Pen Vaporizer

Pen vaporizers , also called vape pens, are often more greasy and optimized for use with concentrates such as oil or wax. They are light, easy to use and very discreet. Wear and tear, such as atomizers, vaporizer pots, batteries, etc., are used off and must therefore be renewed from time to time. As a result, in the long run, a pen vaporizer may cost more than e.g. a portable vaporizer.

Our recommendation: CrossingTech Lightning Pen, Linx Blaze

What is the difference between On Demand and Session Vaporizers?

A Session Vaporizer vaporizes the entire contents of the chamber. It is not recommended to interrupt the session in order to continue at a later date. The reason for this is the way of heating. The herbs are usually heated by a heating element which comes into direct contact with the tumblers (conduction or hybrid). The chamber therefore takes time to heat up and cool down again. There are, of course, exceptions such as e.g. the Tera from Boundless. This is a convection session vaporizer. When inhalation is stopped, the material continues to be heated until the chamber cools. This results in further extraction of active ingredient from the herbs.

TIP: To prevent the material from continuing to heat, we recommend that you turn of the vaporizer and remove the lid. Thus, the device will cool down more quickly and not so much herbs will be lost. Another loss occurs when you want to continue the session after some time, as the chamber needs to be reheated. Therefore, in order to have the best possible efficiency, the session should not be interrupted on a session vaporizer. Session vaporizers are therefore less efficient because they constantly heat the herbs, even during a break between medication.
Advantage: most session vaporizers may not be redirected during the session. Therefore, they are more suitable for traveling or for enjoying with a few friends. Session vaporizers usually have a larger chamber.

Our recommendation: Crafty+, DaVinici IQ2, Venty Vaporizer

On-Demand Vaporizers share 2 key features: they heat up after a few seconds and just pick up again. The herbs are only heated when the user really inhales. Thanks to these two aspects, the herbs are not constantly heated (in contrast to the session vaporizers) and the material hardly loses active substance, which leads to a higher efficiency of inhalation. Thanks to the rapid heating up and cooling off, the sessions can be interrupted at any time and continued at a later time. The efficiency is hardly affected thereby. On-demand appliances allowed rapid inhalation of the herbs. Perfect for those who like to enjoy a quick train in between.

Despite the high efficiency, on-demand vaporizers also have some disadvantages. The herbs should be stirred for best efficiency during evaporation. Especially when you're on the road, this can be tricky. The chamber is often smaller than in session vapos. In addition, on-demand devices are usually convection vaporizers, so they consume more energy and their batteries thus have a shorter lifespan.

Our Recommendation: Sticky Brick Runt, Firefly 2+

As you can see, both session and on-demand vaporizers have their pros and cons. The choice depends on your preferences. If you enjoy longer sessions with friends, we recommend a session vaporizer. If you prefer the fast hit in between, you should opt for an on-demand vaporizer.

What is the difference between conduction and convection?

Differenz between Conduction and Convection Vaporizer

Conduction: With this heating method, the herbs come in direct contact with the heating element. We recommend to stir the herbs during use in order to ensure even evaporation of herbs.

Advantages:

  • The devices are easier to build and therefore often cheaper
  • Heat-up time is usually faster

Disadvantage:

  • For best results, the herbs should be stirred during the session.
  • More difficult temperature control

Convection: The herbs do not come into direct contact with the heating element. In the heating process, the herbs are vaporized by hot air. Thus, it can hardly come to a burn. With convection vaporizers you should not inhale too fast or too strong. Thus, the hot air has more time to extract the active ingredient. We recommend inhaling slowly, steady and deeply.

Advantages:

  • Convection heats the herbs only during inhalation. As a result, less material is wasted.  
  • Temperature control is easier

Disadvantage:

  • Usually a bit more expensive
  • Heating time is usually a little longer

Which heating method is better for me?

Convection vaporizers are usually preferred because of their optimal use of herbs and the greater control given to the user. Many feel that the taste and vapor experience is generally better. However, this does not mean that conduction Devices have no place in the market; Their lower initial cost and fast heatup time are attractive. These vaporizers can be quite effective and produce good vapor.

Different temperatures during evaporation:

The active ingredients of cannabis are evaporated from about 160 ° Celsius. The ideal temperature for evaporation depends on the personal preferences and the effect of various cannabinoids that one would like to achieve. We recommend a temperature of 160° - 210° Celsius.

Cannabis temperatures and effects:

We have compiled for you an overview of the specific boiling points of the most important cannabinoids (data from Steep Hill Labs). THC and CBD are just an important part of this mix. If you only know these two components, you will get a practical overview with this table.

Evaporation temperatures in cannabinoids

Use temperature as a tool:

You can use the above table to search for specific effects. Start with a low temperature and experiment a bit. Watch for the effects on your body at different temperature levels. Vaporizing relaxes so you can better watch out for the subtle changes in your mind. Smoking in return is harsch and often acts very directly. Vaporizing is a bit more subtle and the effect becomes more intense over time. A balloon of the Volcano e.g. works almost directly but the full effect are felt after a few minutes. Pay attention to the changes and medicinal properties and trie to perceive them. More control over the temperature also means more control over the effects.

Smoking vs. Vaporizing

The boiling point of THC is around 160° Celsius. Effective vapor is formed at a temperature of approx. 110° Celsius. Real combustion starts from about 230° Celsius. Unwanted compounds such as benzene and dioxins are released.

Materials of vaporizers:

  • Stainless Steel: Used by vaporizer manufacturers for all types of parts, from chambers to housings and dosing capsules and is considered Safe. Stainless steel is temperature resistant up to approx. 1100° Celsius.
  • Titanium: Titanium's unique thermal properties enable high performance. It is very sturdy and lighter than stainless steel. The temperature distributes more uniformly. This results in fewer heat spikes, e.g. when using stainless steel.
  • Ceramic: Often used for mouthpiece and chamber. Zirconium is a good insulator and stores the heat better than ordinary ceramics. It is often used with conduction devices because ceramics release the heat slowly. The temperature in the chamber is more stable and it does not have to be reheated as often.
  • Glass (boro silicate): tasteless and is therefore often used for mouthpieces and air ducts. It is easy to clean. Disadvantage: it can break easily.
  • Silicone: Is often used for gaskets and small parts. Silicone is food safe and can withstand high temperatures up to 250° Celsius.
  • Plastic: Finds a lot of use in lower-end devices and sometimes has its own taste but this should disappear with use.
  • Teflon: Has high chemical and thermal resistance. It is physiologically harmless.
  • Aluminum: It is often used for housing and is very corrosion-resistant.
  • Wood: Has a very good heat insulation and a great feel and look.
  • Gold: Gold is a very good heat conductor and also very corrosion resistant which makes it a popular metal for all kinds of electrical appliances.

Sterilization of new devices:

To do this, you can set your brand new vaporizer to the highest temperature and let it run for a few sessions (1-3 times should be enough). This helps to burn everything that might have entered the vapor path during the manufacturing process. It removes residues from production and guarantees their perfect taste and purity. This is especially recommended for low-cost vaporizers.

Maintenance and cleaning of vaporizers:

Basically vaporizers should be cleaned after each use. Often, however, it is sufficient to simply remove the remains of the herbs from the device. Vaporizers that are poorly maintained are less effective. The draw resistance can increase. Oil condenses and can clog the airway. This could lead to overheating. Anyone who cares for his equipment, has more of it. For glass parts and metal, e.g. Isopropyl alcohol. Simply place the parts to be cleaned in a ZipLock bag. Add alcohol and let it soak. Slight shaking helps to better distribute the alcohol. Then simply rinse with clear water and let it dry. For plastic and rubber we recommend sponges or washing powders.

Tips for buying a vaporizer:

  • Think about what is important to you personally: size, battery life, vapor production and cleaning are all important aspects.
  • Portable does not mean discreet: size is an important factor. Not every portable device can be easily put in your pocket, or hide in a closed fist.
  • Filling some vaporizers can be difficult. Often something goes wrong, which can be a bit annoying with repeated use. However, for most vaporizers, there are helpers that make this process easier.
  • Cleaning is especially important. As with bongs cleaning and resin handling of some vapes require thorough cleaning with cotton swabs, rags, tiny scrapers, and ISO alcohol, while other devices are easy to brush clean.
  • Buy only from authorized retailers, like Verdampftnochmal. Portable vaporizers wear out over time and it may require parts such as batteries, screen, mouthpiece and sometimes more complex circuit components to be replaced. Here are the warranty terms of the dealers important and you can be sure of beeing helped by a professional.

We hope the information will help you to find the right vaporizer. If you are still unclear which device is right for you, then you can write or call us. We are happy to advise you. It is particularly important to us that you find the best possible product for you. Only then will you enjoy it for a long time and the likelihood of a "fallback" with tobacco decreases.