Vaporizing marijuana is one of the most popular marijuana consumption methods.
Vaping is safer for your throat, doesn’t give off that classic marijuana scent, and is a discrete way to consume marijuana. But beginning vapers may have no idea what to look for in a vaporizer.
Compared to traditional marijuana consumption methods, vaporizers are a little more complex. But there are different vaporizers for each consumer, and there’s a general guide to know you’re buying the best vaporizer.
If you want to know the best type of vaporizer, continue reading and know which vaporizer to buy. While all vaporizers are different, this guide will explain the essential qualities your vaporizer should have.
The Different Types of Vaporizers
Before identifying the best type of vaporizer, it’s important to know all about the different types of vaporizers. Each of these vaporizers performs well, but the consumer may have a different experience with each.
Try all of these vaporizers and find out what works best for you.
Dry Herb Vaporizer — this vaporizer uses dry marijuana herb or “flower” instead of concentrate. Rather than heating the marijuana flower with a lighter, the same vaporizing technology heats the herb and creates the vapor you inhale.
Dab/Wax Pens — this is the most famous type of vaporizer.
This product looks like a pen so you can easily hide it in your purse or pocket. You apply a small amount of concentrate in the atomizer, which melts the concentrate and produces the vapor you inhale.
E-cigarette — these are commonly used for smoking cigarette vape liquid, which has no cannabis.
But today, many e-cigarettes are made to also support smoking cannabis concentrate and flower. This option is popular amongst both e-cig smokers and marijuana consumers.
Conduction v. Convention
To understand the vaporizing process, you have to get a little technical. Your vaporizer will either use the conduction or convection heating process. Both are good quality, but many vape users prefer one heating type over the other.
Conduction
This is when the cannabis is sitting directly in the atomizer. The heating mechanism is usually a coil. Both concentrate pens and dry herb vaporizers usually use the conduction heating method.
During the conduction process, the heat is applied directly to the cannabis. This process is called combustion. This process is similar to the traditional cannabis consumption methods, where you’re lighting the cannabis directly with a lighter.
Convection
This process requires you to store your cannabis in a separate compartment. A separate heating mechanism will heat the cannabis indirectly, producing vapor. Many vapers argue this is the best vaporizing process.
When you use a vaporizer made with the convection process, heat is transferred from a different compartment. This is in the form of hot air, which heats up the cannabis.
Most vape users complain about harsh smoke, even in the form of vapor. The convection process produces clean and easy smoke which is popular amongst vapers.
Important Buying Points
When looking for the right vaporizer, here are some key points you should know. Quality vaporizers have certain factors that differentiate them from cheaper and lower quality vaporizers. These include:
Temperature Settings
High-quality vaporizers have a setting where you can change the temperature. You have a wide range of temperatures to choose, from low heat to high heat. This is beneficial for the product, the cannabis, and for the vaper.
Most vapers use the lowest setting possible. Higher heat melts or burns the cannabis faster, which potentially loses product.
Low heat also results in easier tokes, so the vaper isn’t coughing. Lower heat is also better for the product because constant high heat will inevitably damage the vaporizer.
However, some vape users prefer high heat settings. As a beginner vaper, try the lowest setting and increase the temperature if desired.
A Kit
As a beginner, you should try and find a vape kit. Vaporizers are very complex. A traditional vaporizer may require:
- An atomizer
- Mouthpiece
- Battery
- Charger
To vape cannabis, you’ll also need
- A container to store your dry herb or a specialized container for cannabis concentrate
- A tool to break apart hard shatter or hold sticky oil concentrate (only required for concentrate)
If you find a vaporizing kit, you can buy here and get all of these essentials in one purchase.
Over time, you may require a more advanced vaporizer. But a basic kit is great for starters.
On/Off Setting
This may seem a little strange, but not all vaporizers have an on/off setting.
Some vape pens require you to inhale extremely hard to take a toke. Your harsh hit will heat the oil and turn it to vapor. But this is inconvenient for a lot of vape users.
But an on/off setting turns on the heating mechanism and uses powerful heat to melt or burn the cannabis. You only need to slightly inhale to receive a decent toke.
While your vaporizer is off, your vaporizer cools down which increases its longevity.
Material
The material of your vaporizer depends on a lot of factors, but the two main ones are safety, taste and longevity. Here are some materials you should look for:
- Quartz
- Pure Titanium (either Grade 1 or Grade 2)
- Stainless Steel
- Glass
Materials to avoid:
- Titanium Alloy (don’t confuse with pure titanium)
- Copper
- Polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon)
Materials such as quartz and pure titanium have been tested for safety, while random metal alloys are still unknown.
Many vape pens are made of Teflon, which releases dangerous fumes. Taste is also a major factor, which is why quartz is a famous vaporizer material.
With longevity, pure metals are your best bet.
Time to Buy the Best Type of Vaporizer
If you’re a cannabis user who wants to hop on the vape train, knowing which vaporizer to buy can be daunting. There are a lot of products on the shelves but there are a few qualities that make the best type of vaporizer.
Always look for the best materials, such as pure metal or quartz. Look for different qualities such as a temperature setting. If all else fails, buy a good-quality beginner’s kit.
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