Interested in joining the move from smoking weed to vaporizing your herbs? Good call! Vaping your cannabis instead of smoking it has a bunch of benefits. Modern online head shops like dankgeek.com provide so many options. How do you decide which one is right for you? Don’t worry – we’ll break things down step-by-step so you understand it all.
Types of Weed Vaporizers
First up, you need to choose what style of vape you want. There are two main categories:
- Portable vaporizers – small handheld devices you can easily take anywhere or pack for travel. Battery powered.
- Desktop vaporizers – larger home units that need to be plugged into a wall outlet. Offer stronger, more powerful heating.
Then, within those types, there are two main methods to vaporize your weed:
- Convection heating – hot air flows through the chamber
- Conduction heating – material touches a hot surface
Many devices will use a combo of both.
Key Features To Compare
Shopping for a new weed vaporizer can quickly get confusing when trying to balance portability, price, heating style, etc. Here are the key factors you should consider for any vaporizer you’re evaluating:
Heating Method
As we mentioned above, the two heating methods used in dry herb vapes are convection and conduction.
- Convection vapes blow heated air through the material, which produces cleaner-tasting vapor that highlights terpenes and flavors. Convection heating is usually better for enjoying those tasty notes from your weed.
- Conduction vapes work by directly touching the material against a hot surface. It provides thicker, denser draws, but be aware it can produce some heavier flavors. Go conduction if you just want maximum impact from your herb.
Most modern weed vaporizers use a hybrid approach combining aspects of both. Look at any vape’s heating mix when deciding if flavor or density matters most to you.
Temperature Control
A key benefit of vaping weed instead of smoking is precise temperature control. Combustion from smoking happens at 400°C+, whereas vaping temperatures usually range from 180°C to 220°C.
Why control temp? Because various active compounds like THC, CBD, and terpenes vaporize at different temperatures:
- 120°C to 150°C – more delicate terpenes providing flavor
- 150°C to 185°C – THC will now vaporize, leading to light cerebral effects
- 185°C to 220°C – heavier sedative cannabinoids become available
Having precision control over your vape allows customizing effects to your needs. Session style or quick extraction? Relaxed mood or maximum impact? That’s the advantage temperature flexibility offers over just blazing a joint.
Heating Time
Closely related to temperature control is heating time, meaning how rapidly the device reaches your target temp. This speed determines if the vape provides:
- Session style – Slow, steady heat over 10+ minutes for sipping gentle draws over time
- On-demand – Aggressive heating in seconds for heavy rips when you want them
Neither approach is necessarily “better” but matches personal preferences. Plan your intake goals appropriately – a party night out may want on-demand vapor, while Sunday afternoon chilling may warrant a session vape for more balance.
Efficiency
A major point in vaping weed’s favor is increased efficiency over combustion methods like smoking joints. More cannabinoids will enter your lungs via vapor inhalation instead of being lost in excess heat from burning.
- Good units extract 80% to 90% of available compounds
- Top-tier models reach over 95% efficiency
While the initial cost may be higher, an efficient vaporizer pays for itself over time in weed savings. Just don’t forget your ABV for edibles later!
Build Quality
This modern cannabis tech gets advanced, but at the end of the day, you need your device to work consistently and handle frequent use. Key aspects to evaluate build quality:
- Durable outer body and buttons
- Responsive/accurate heating controls
- Strong battery (for portable models)
- Overall craftsmanship and attention to detail
A cheap vape often has more delicate internals prone to failure. With build quality, don’t be afraid to pay more for proven reliability. It ensures consistent performance you can count on.
Top Devices To Consider
Alright, here are our top picks to consider across portable and desktop styles:
Portable Dry Herb Vaporizers
Mighty by Storz & Bickel
- Full convection heating plus conduction
- Precise temp control from 104°F to 410°F
- Medium heat-up time, good for both sessions or quick draws
- Extremely efficient, extracts over 95% of compounds
- High-grade plastic and stainless steel design
If money isn’t an issue, Mighty is the absolute top portable vaporizer in terms of quality and performance.
PAX 3 by PAX Labs
- Hybrid conduction and convection heating
- Temp ranges from 360°F to 420°F
- Rapid 30-second heat time for on-demand hits
- Solid 80% efficiency
- Sleek minimalist style
For discrete portability, nothing beats the PAX 3. Fits in your pocket and heats lightning-quick.
Crafty+ by Storz & Bickel
- Identical heating and temp control to Mighty
- Boost mode cuts heat-up time dramatically
- Top tier 95% compound efficiency
- Lighter and better battery life than Mighty
- Feels slightly less rugged due to more plastic
Think of Crafty+ as basically a more portable version of Mighty. Extreme performance with improved portability.
Desktop Dry Herb Vaporizers
Volcano Hybrid by Storz & Bickel
- King of all desktop vaporizers
- Combines convection heating with classic balloon bag or direct draw whip system
- Advanced temp modulation from 104°F to 446°F
- Unmatched flavor and vapor density
- Medical-grade materials, including aluminum housing
- Classic analog knobs match digital precision
If you want the absolute best desktop experience money can buy, this upgraded Volcano Hybrid is the vape for you.
Plenty by Storz & Bickel
- Full stainless steel convection + conduction heating
- Set exact temps between 266°F and 374°F
- Whip system with fast heat-up time
- Efficiency around 90%
- Solid, durable build
- Ergonomic grip handles vapor density
For heavy-hitting convection vapor that requires no glassware, the iconic Plenty delivers massive rips every time.
Arizer Extreme Q
- Glass components for all vapor paths
- Convection/conduction ceramic heater
- Wide spectrum from 104°F to 395°F
- Balloon bag and whip flexibility
- Above average 90% efficiency
- All glass airways provide pure flavor
If taste is paramount above all else, the Arizer EQ emphasizes glass vapor transmission for unmatched purity.
Time To Vape!
There’s no single “best” weed vaporizer overall. Just find the one most optimal for your preferences that balances portability, heating method, temp control, speed, efficiency, and quality to meet your goals. Then, you’ll enjoy tasty terpenes and consistent effects every session!