Your Complete Vaporizer Buyer’s Guide

Looking for guidance on selecting the right vaporizer for you and your needs? This ultimate vaporizer buyer’s guide is here to help!

It’s no surprise that vaporizers have quickly become one of the most popular devices for consuming botanical dry herbs, concentrates, and CBD vape oil. Those looking to benefit from the natural balancing properties of cannabinoids like cannabidiol (CBD benefits) tend to be more conscious of their health, and vaporizers offer an efficient yet safe and lung-friendly way for taking cannabinoids.

Vaping” has completely changed the way people inhale and enjoy botanical materials.

With all the vaporizers now available on the market, understanding the types of vaporizers are available and figuring out which is best for you and your needs can be overwhelming.

Here we offer an easy-to-digest overview of the various available vaporizers, offering up the pros and cons of each and giving our recommendations so that you can find the right one that works for you.

What is a Vaporizer?

A vaporizer is a personal inhalation device that precisely and evenly heats cannabis materials – including flower, waxes, oils, juices, and concentrates – to produce a pure and cannabinoid-rich vapor that can be inhaled.

While vaporizers heat up the botanical materials, they never reach high enough temperatures to cause combustion, effectively eliminating the harmful toxins that are created when smoking. Instead, vaporizers use convection or conduction heating methods to safely heat up your dry herbs or oils to their respective vaporization points to release their compounds in a vapor.

Vaporizers come in a wide array of sizes, allowing you to choose between more portable designs for on-the-go vaping or larger, at-home units that offer greater functionality and precision.

vaping outside

Benefits of a Vaporizer

If you are looking for a safe and efficient way to discreetly enjoy the natural benefits of cannabinoids, you’ll be happy to hear that vaporizers offer the following benefits:

Lung-Friendly

Among health-conscious consumers, vaporizing has quickly emerged as a preferred method for CBD consumption. Because vaporizers heat botanical materials only to their vaporization points – a temperature cooler than the point of combustion – they produce a pure clean vapor, rather than a harmful smoke.

In other words, with vaporizers, healthy consumers to enjoy the natural health benefits of oils, dry herb, waxes, and concentrates while avoiding the toxins, carcinogens, and respiratory irritants that come from smoking and harm your lungs.

Quick Effects

Vaporizers produce the same yield of active compounds to the bloodstream and deliver the same level of biological effects. Inhalation is an ideal method for enjoying the effects of botanical herbs and oils as quickly as possible.

When you inhale the clean vapor produced by a vaporizer, the active compounds are quickly absorbed through the alveoli in the lungs and almost immediately reach your bloodstream where they can interact with receptors of the endocannabinoid system.

Discretion

For those looking to enjoy their botanical materials without disturbing those around them, vaporizers offer a level of discreteness unlike smoking.

The vapor produced by vaporizers is almost odorless and dissipates quickly, eliminating any concern that the smell of the vapor will linger in the air or stick to your clothes or other fabrics.

man vaping

Types of Vaporizers

Vaporizers come in an array of designs, offering various features to align with different needs, lifestyles, and budgets. There are three different overall types of vaporizers you can choose from:

  • Tabletop
  • Handheld
  • Portable

Tabletop Vaporizers

Tabletop vaporizers are larger desktop vaporizers that plug into a power source. They typically employ convection heating method and feature greater and more precise temperature control. These premium vaporizers do require a greater initial investment, but offer unparalleled functionality, precision, and efficiency.

Tabletop vaporizers usually feature a hose-like draw tube called a whip or a detachable balloon bag that collects the vapor to inhale over time, while some offer dual functionality. Most tabletop vaporizers have the capability to produce vapor from various botanical materials, including dry herb, concentrates and waxes.

Those looking for the most reliable and best quality vapor, including those engaging in regular wholesome botanical vaping for medical purposes, often prefer tabletop vaporizers.

Buy Tabletop Vaporizers


Portable Vaporizers

As their name suggests, handheld vaporizers are designed to fit in the palm and take on the go. Unlike tabletop vaporizers, handheld vaporizers are battery powered. They typically feature draw tubes from which you inhale the vapor.

While more wallet-friendly than tabletop vaporizers, these smaller handheld vaporizers still feature a chamber that works with dry herb or waxes, and offer greater temperature control.

Buy Portable Vaporizers


Vaporizer pens

Slim as a writing utensil or stylus, portable vaporizers – also accurately referred to as “vape pens” – offer the ultimate in discretion and portability. Portable vaporizers are the most popular type of vaporizer because of their mobility and ease of use.

Available at a more affordable price, battery-powered vape pens consist of a mouthpiece attached to one end and a vaporizer battery. Vape pens are often limited to working with concentrates and oils. Most vape enthusiasts use vape pens with cartridges prefilled with botanical oils or juices.

Buy Vaporizer Pens


Materials for Vaping

When selecting a vaporizer, you’ll want to be sure that you choose one that works with the forms of botanical materials you plan to use. While some vaporizers work with multiple materials, others are limited to one type.

Depending on the design and model, vaporizers may work with:

  • Dry herb
  • Concentrates (wax and waxy oils)
  • Oils or e-liquid (e-juice)

Dry herbs are plant material that’s been dried and cured. Most dry herbs will need to be ground to a find consistency using a special grinder. For stronger effects, concentrates are waxy oils extracted from dry herb. E-liquid, or e-juice consists of botanical oil like CBD oil blended with some type of vegetable glycerin or propylene glycol base.

Some vaporizers feature a cartridge that can be refilled with herb, concentrates and liquids. Others, most often portable vape pens, are designed only to be used with pre-filled e-juice or oil cartridges.

Choosing the Best Vaporizer for You

When trying to decide which design of vaporizer is best for you, you’ll want to ask yourself a few questions:

  • Will I be using my vaporizer at home, on the go, or both?
  • Is my main consideration the vaporizer’s price or performance?
  • What type of material will I be vaporizing? Dry herbs, concentrates, or e-liquids?

Now that you’ve thought about what you’d like to see in your vaporizer, here are our suggestions for the best vaporizer based for your needs, budget, and lifestyle.

Best Vaporizer on the Market
Storz & Bickel: Volcano Classic Vaporizer – $380

Priority: performance
Works with: dry herb and concentrates
Designed for: home use

Is performance you’re number one consideration? Touted for its reliable and impressive vapor production, the iconic Volcano Classic Vaporizer from Storz & Bickel remains the market’s best vaporizer. If you’re looking for an easy-to use yet full-fledged botanical vaporizer that can handle both dry herb and concentrated waxes, you’ve found it with the Volcano Classic.

The Volcano’s patented true convection heating system produces pure clean vapor, and its iconic balloon and valve system allows you to collect and enjoy your vapor at your own pace.

Designed and manufactured in Germany, the Volcano Classic is the result of 12 years of research and development. The tabletop vaporizer is one of the few to have earned the distinction of being a medical grade device.

Buy Volcano Classic Vaporizer


Best Tabletop Vaporizer
Storz & Bickel: Volcano Digital Vaporizer – $500

Priority: performance
Works with: dry herb and concentrates
Designed for: home use

An update of Storz & Bickel’s iconic Volcano tabletop vaporizer, the Volcano Digital offers new technological advances like a full digital screen for complete temperature control. The Volcano Digital gives you total control of vapor production by allowing you to easily select a precise temperature —  between 104°F to 446°F — using the digital display’s up and down arrows.

Like its predecessor, the Volcano Digital is equipped with a unique 100-watt electromechanical heating element that safely heats both dry herb and waxes through convection heating, producing for a pure and clean vapor that is free of harmful toxins. Its forced air heating system pumps the vapor into a reusable, detachable balloon for effortless delivery.

With its high quality construction, large digital LED display, precise temperature control, and powerful convection heating system, the Volcano Digital is touted as the most well-respected and effective concentrate and dry herb tabletop vaporizers around.

Buy Volcano Digital Vaporizer


Best Handheld Vaporizer
Magic-Flight: Launch Box Vaporizer – $129.00

Priority: portability and affordability
Works with: dry herb only
Designed for: home and portable use

With its handcrafted maple box, Magic-Flight’s Launch Box Vaporizer is one of the most well-known and recognizable portable vaporizers on the market. Users tout the USA-made portable vaporizer’s fast heat-up time, impressive vapor production, and its simplicity of use.

Rather than using butane like most portable vaporizers, the unique Launch Box utilizes alkaline batteries for ultra-fast heating. It also comes with a water pipe adaptor for users interested in sending their vapor through a water filtration system.

Extremely economical and user-friendly, the Launch Box is an attractive option if you’re looking for a top-performing dry herb vaporizer in a compact design.

Buy Launch Box Vaporizer


Best Portable Vape Pen
KandyPens: Gravity Vaporizer – $129.95

buy gravity vaporizer

Priority: portability and affordability
Works with: concentrates only
Designed for: portable use

Want the best-of-the-best vape pens? Standing out from the saturated vape pen market is the finely crafted Gravity pen from KandyPens. Designed specifically for vaping solid concentrates, the Gravity’s interchangeable quartz crystal and coilless ceramic chambers and four preset temperature settings to give you greater control over your vapor preferences.

Simple to use, the Gravity’s single-button operating system allows you to turn on the heating element and adjust the temperature simply by toggling. Its elevated airflow system prevents clogging and leaking.

The sleek Gravity vape pen packs top performance in a slim, portable unit designed for health-conscious cannabis users needing to vaporize on the go.

Buy Gravity Vaporizer


Best Vaporizer for Dry Herbs
Storz & Bickel: Plenty – $299

Priority: performance and portability
Works with: dry herb and concentrates
Designed for: home and portable use

With its powerful convection heating and efficient cooling whip, the handheld Plenty vaporizer from Storz & Bickel is known for producing cool, aromatic vapors from dried flower. Using the same patented full hot air convection heating technology as the revolutionary Volcano, this handheld features an extra wide filling chamber to pack your dry herbs.

The Plenty’s spiraling steel helix Cooling Coil cools the vapor before it reaches the mouthpiece, ensuring smooth airflow and clean clouds of vapor. It’s easy to use temperature dial and analog temperature gauge allows you to adjust and find the most ideal heat to produce the effects you’re looking for.

Buy Plenty Vaporizer


Best Vaporizer for Concentrates and Oils
Firefly: Firefly 2 – $329.95

buy firefly vaporizer

Priority: performance and portability
Works with: dry herb and concentrates
Designed for: portable use

If you’re looking for an on-the-go and versatile vaporizer that will never let you down, here it is. With its on-demand instant convection heating and sleek handheld design, the Firefly 2 Vaporizer is always a top seller. The lightweight and portable vaporizer is made from aerospace-grace materials and features touch sensor activation.

While it can easily handle dry herbs, the Firefly 2 Vaporizer truly shines when tasked with vaporizing waxes and concentrates. It comes with three reusable Concentrate Pads to evenly distribute your marijuana material. Users are always impressed with its fresh, clean and flavorful clouds of vapor.

Featuring a mobile app for more precise temperature control, the “iPhone of vaporizers” offers a super efficient and clean method for vaporizing concentrates from the palm of your hand.

Buy Firefly 2 Vaporizer


Best Budget Vaporizer
KandyPens – K-Vape Vaporizer – $99.95

buy kvape vaporizer

Priority: portability and affordability
Works with: dry herb only
Designed for: portable use

Watching your wallet but still value quality? High performance at an economical price tag is what you get with the K-Vape Vaporizer from KandyPens. Its True Convection TechnologyTM and 30 second heat-up time offers a dependable and well-trusted herbal vaporizing experience that would satisfy both beginners and vaporizing veterans.

Despite being a portable vaporizer, K-Vape’s stainless steel heating chamber, designed for dry herb, holds an impressive 0.6 grams. The unit’s 3 temperature settings ensure your marijuana materials are heated to their optimal level.

Housed in an elegant, all-black plastic and rubber design, the K-Vape is easy to use to clean, quick to charge, and is among the most trusted portable herbal vaporizers.

Buy K-Vape Vaporizer


Get Started with a Vaporizer

Medical Marijuana, Inc. has curated a selection of the top vaporizers in every category so that you can find one that fits your needs, preferences, and price range.

Visit our online store to shop for great vaporizer options, and to learn more about vaping, head over to our Vaping 101 section.

The vape products and vaping advice featured in Medical Marijuana, Inc. posts are specifically for people looking to support their health with legal natural botanicals and are not created with nicotine or tobacco users in mind.

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