Cannabis Vaporizer 101

So you are thinking about vaporizing cannabis and are wondering where you should start. Well you came to the right place. This post is intended to be a sort of guide into the awesome options available when you decide to put that lighter down.

So first off, you should know that there are thee general categories of Cannabis vaporizers: dry herb, wax extract and oil. These categories refer to the physical form of your Cannabis and require different methods of vaporization. Each category has some benefits as well as some draw backs that I will cover in this post. So sit back, enjoy and welcome to the world of Cannabis Vaporization.

Lets start by discussing dry herb vaporizers. Dry herb (or flower) is the most readily available and in some cases, the most affordable option for vaporizing. There are two sub categories of dry herb vaporizers: Conduction and Convection. So what’s the difference?

Conduction heat is like a stove top. The pan on the stove is being heated through direct contact with the flame or heated surface. The same is true with a conduction vaporizer. The heat source is actually touching the oven which heats the Cannabis in your vaporizer. Some notable models include:  DaVinci IQ and the Pax 3.

Convection heat is more like an oven. The pan in the oven does not come into contact with the heating element. Instead, the heating element heats the air inside the oven compartment, increasing the temperature within and slowly cooking what’s inside. The same is true with a Convection vaporizer. The heat source does not touch the oven, instead the air is heated and passed over the flower, vaporizing your cannabis. Some notable models include:  Linx Gaia,  Boundless CFV and the Firefly 2.

While both methods work fine with respect to cannabis vaporization, you will find that there are some pros and cons to each. Some of the pros for conduction include a longer battery life and an increase in visible vapor production. The cons include a decrease in flavor when compared to convection and a tendency to char the cannabis when operating at high temperatures. Some of the pros for convection include better flavor and more consistent cooking of the flower while some cons include a shorter battery life, less visible vapor and a much higher price tag. If none of these methods suit you there is a third option, Hybrid heating. Hybrid heating is the best of both worlds combining the benefits of both conduction and convection with none of the drawbacks. There is one final pro for all of these flower vaporizers and that is the AVB byproduct. AVB (Already Vaped Bud) can be consumed as is and can get you high all over again. Some notable models include: Boundless CF and the Flowermate Hybrid.

Extract vaporizers offer a much different experience. Wax extracts, if you didn’t already know, are a concentrated form of Cannabis made through either BHO extraction or a rosin press. These wax extracts can be loaded into an Extract vaporizer (wax pen) and enjoyed at low or high temperatures. The vapor produced at lower temps is very flavorful and the smell of Cannabis dissipates in the air in a matter of seconds. Some of the pros of using an Extract vaporizer include the discretion of the session, the ability to try different extracts and of course the flavor…oh man, the flavor. Some of the cons include the higher price tag when compared to cartridges and the fact that you have to load every time. Also, keep in mind not all atomizers are created equal. Coiled atomizers offer a stronger hit, good for someone who wants to feel that lung hit and medicate quickly. If you are like me then you probably enjoy the flavors of Cannabis more so than the lung hit. A true Terpene Connoisseur. For us there are options like a ceramic plate atomizer. I suggest purchasing the Linx Hypnos Zero. It uses low temps and a ceramic plate atomizer to slowly boil the extract with in, releasing the wonderful flavors locked within. Other notable models include: Puffco Pro 2 , and Dr Dabber Aurora.

Finally we have oil cartridge vaporizers. You have probably seen these in your local dispensary. All you need to purchase is a battery. Most cartridges have whats called 510 threading which means you will want to purchase a battery that is also 510 threaded. These cartridges are self contained and have a built in atomizer. Some of the pros of oil cartridges include the ease of use and the discretion. Some of the cons of oil vaporizers include the price per cartridge, and the fact that you are stuck with whatever is in the cartridge. One environmental note, the production, use, and disposal of all these spent oil cartridges adds that much more waste. I prefer to extract vaporizers because of this but to each their own.

An honorable mention is the Honey Straw Vaporizer. These are a new breed of vaporizer that have recently sprouted up. Picture a metal straw that has a tip that heats up. You put that straw into some wax concentrate and inhale. Linx Vapor makes one of these too, check out the Linx Ares when you get a chance.  Honey Straw Vaporizers are an innovative glimpse at what is possible in an industry as dynamic as Cannabis. Some other notable Honey Straw vaporizers include: The Dip Stick and Boundless CF 710.    

This has been a quick look into the world of cannabis vaporizers. From here you might want to start doing some research and watching some review videos. It’s time to put that lighter down and grab yourself a vaporizer.

Thanks