Vaporizers, although not new are starting to gain more traction than ever. With the amount of people trying to be healthy mixed with the more open use of cannabis, vapes are gaining more traction than ever. Nowadays it seems like every other person is blowing a vapor cloud. They were created in the mid 2000’s but the technology was really outdated. It didn’t start becoming a big hit until around 2011 and has taken off since then. Since the first device, technology has advanced, the kind of materials you can use have changed and the designs are much different.
What are Vaporizers?
Vaporizers are electronic devices that are used to vaporize herbs or concentrates, be used as a smoking cessation product for tobacco or as a portable hookah. Vaporizing is when you heat up the material just enough to reach below the point of combustion. In other words, you heat the surface just enough to release the active ingredients without burning the substance. This not only makes sure you are not inhaling extra harmful toxins but it encourages the raw flavor and taste of the herbs. Since so many materials can vary including different herbs, they all have a different temperature at which they vaporize at. Technological advancements have made sure that you can change the temperature at which the chamber heats up too.
Vaporizers Pens
Vapes come in three forms; portable, pen-style and desktop. If you are not sure which one you would want, check out our Vaporizer Buyers Guide. They all vary from one another but we are going to go in-depth into vape pens which are the most popular. They are the sleekest and thinnest from all vapor pens and they contain a heating coil system. Usually the coils are disposable after they burn out which usually lasts about 2-6 weeks.
Generally most pen vaporizers come with a 510 threading connection. 510 thread is almost a universal thread that when it comes to connecting your tank or atomizer to your battery. The tank is where you place your herbs, waxes or liquids/oils inside. This connects to your battery and in order to have it be replaceable with the plethora of other replacement parts, it's best to go with a 510 thread.
One thing to look out for when choosing your vapor pen is whether it is a conduction heating method or convection. The difference between the two is that conduction heating is when your herbs get heating with direct contact on the coil. This will burn your herbs rather than vaporize it which is counter intuitive. Convection heating is where the herb vaporizes through the heat surrounding the herbs.
Vaping has many benefits to it than just the main ones you hear. One of the being that vaporizers are healthier. Even though we don’t have the government’s word on this many well-respected places have come out for vaporizers. The Royal College of Physicians has even produced a reported in 2016 saying vaping is 95% safer than smoking.
Benefits:
·Discreet
One of the most asked questions we get is “Will the vape pen smell?” While it may smell a bit, it is nothing compared to smoking. The smell is much less than most people would notice. On top of that, it looks like a pen most of the time so whether it’s in your hand or on your desk, it won’t be noticed most of the time.
·Save Money
Buying a vape is the only big upfront cost. Instead of continuously buying lighters, joint wraps, rollers and all that, you just buy it one time and enjoy it. On top of that, vaporizers save more herbs because you are using less. The same herb while smoking from a pipe will last you 3 times longer with a vapor pen.
Dry Herb Pens
A dry herb vaporizer is quickly becoming the most popular way to consume herbs due to less restrictions on recreational and medical marijuana across the U.S. Medical marijuana users are more keen to using pen style units because of the health benefits they have over smoking. Smoking can cause irritation in their sensitive lungs or throat. On the other hand, vapor is much thinner in viscosity. It also does not contain any extra toxins that you would find in smoke which is the burning of materials. One thing to always look out for is a temperature control setting. This gives your battery the option to heat up the chamber to a higher or lower temperature depending on your herbs. Some materials are more moist or dense so they will require a higher temperature to heat it up and vaporize. This might need a bit of a learning curve until you get used to it because if you heat it up too much, you will be burning it.
How Dry Herb Vaporizers Works
Herbal vape pens are quite easy to understand as there is not much to it. There are two kinds of vape pens for herbs. One is a convection heating style and the other is a conduction heating. The conduction heating is almost like smoking from a vaporizer because it burns the product and emits smoke. The way it works is that your material gets placed directly on a coil which heats up to a certain temperature. When your herbs are touching the coil, that is when combustion occurs and burns it. Sometimes placing a vaping glass screen will solve the issue but other times it won't.
Convection heating is the process of your dry flowers being vaporized through the warm air that surrounds it. The flower is usually placed inside a chamber which has holes around it. The pen vaporizer is set to a specific temperature if the unit provides the ability to change temperature. The heat from the chamber fills up the chamber which vaporizes your herbs.
How to Use
Simply grind up your herbs in a vape grinder to make sure it will get an even heat distribution. What this means is you don't want to have one side of your materials to be vaporized while the other parts are untouched from the heat. That will be a waste and trying to re-vaporize it will be a waste also. Once its ground up, load about .1-.2 grams inside the chamber, put the mouthpiece on and turn your vape on. Set it to your desired temperature and let it sit for about 30 seconds to 45 seconds to get a nice heat inside the oven.
Price Range
Price can vary from around $10 all the way to $200 for an herbal vape pen. The lower the price, the more it is aimed at starters. If you're just starting out, going with the middle range is probably the best.
Recommendations
Beginners
Being a beginner, you do not need to splurge on an expensive unit. You don't even know if vaping is right for you. Going with a simple device will be more than enough. The Atmos Jump is a great one to start with. It doesn't have the temperature control option which is the main drawback but everything else is pretty much solid. The exterior shell is made from carbon fiber which makes the pen very light yet durable. When you look inside the herbal chamber, you will notice an anodized finish with a blue color that adds to the style.
Advanced
Most people who have been vaping for a while know how different vapes taste, hit, how to work it for optimal efficiency and so forth. If you're one of those and you want to jump ahead of the curve then the X Max V2 Pro is your go to weed vape pen. It has a temperature control option that ranges from 356°F to 374°F to 392°F to 410°F to 428°F. It also has the ability to replace the 2200mAh battery incase your batteries charge runs out. The X Max V2 Pro can also vape all three materials from herbs, to concentrates to oils all with one unit.
Dab Pens
Wax Vape Pens are slowly becoming one of the most purchased items from Haze Vaporizers. Consumers have opened their eyes to the advantages of a dab pen over a dab rig. A dab rig is a water filtered glass piece that is used in conjunction with a torch to smoke your concentrates. The benefits of a wax vaporizer over a dab rig is the fact that it's portable, discreet, safer as far as vapor over smoke, no glass to worry about, and easier to use. The convenience factor blows a dab rig out the water (no pun intended). Wax also goes by other names like shatter, concentrates, rosin, budder, BHO and even dabs.
How Wax Vaporizers works
The way it functions is very similar to a weed vaporizer pen however there is no need to grind anything up. Most pen vaporizers for concentrates will come with a dab tool which is a short metal rod used to scoop up your material. Scoop it up and dab it directly onto the coil. Make sure it is not off to the side because it will definitely run onto the sides of the chamber after you heat it up. When it does spread, simply use your dab tool to scoop it up and dab it right back onto the coil. Some units will have the option to change temperatures on the battery. The ideal temperature to be on is anywhere between 400°F to 500°F.
Coils
Coils are very important in vaporizers. The type of coil you use will result in the outcome of the taste and efficiency of your vapor.
·Titanium
Usually a safe bet, titanium is a good choice. It might give of a weird taste at first but after a couple uses the bad taste will cease. The only downside to using titanium coils is the fact that it become brittle after using it for a few weeks.
·Quartz
One of the best is the quartz because of its high temperature resistance. They do not burn off any toxins but the quartz does not absorb any wax. This mean you will need to load it each time you want to use it.
·Ceramic
Ceramic is another one that is resistant to high temperatures which is why it is widely used. High temperature resistant is good because it will prevent from cracking or burning off toxins.
·Silica Wick
Out of all the atomizers, the silica wick is used the most and can be good in some cases. The great thing about it is the fact that it absorbs your wax so you can use it a few times before you need to load it up again. It is generally a good idea to replace it after a couple weeks of use.
Price Range
The cheapest out of all the devices are the wax vapor pens. They start from around $10 and go all the way to $200. Most of the prices are around the $30 to $80 prices.
Recommendations
Beginners
When you're starting off, it's good to make sure you get something that can help you understand the experience and be cost effective. The glass globe vaporizer is one of the first dab vape pen we started off with and has been one of our best sellers ever since. It comes with a 1100mah eGo-t battery with a carry case and a charger. The atomizer is a glass globe and it comes with the option of a ceramic or titanium coil. You can always get the vubbler water filter to create efficiency in your wax vaping.
Advanced
For wax vape pens, you don't have to spend big bucks to get the best one. The Linx Hypnos Zero is the ideal dab pen to do what the most expensive ones do. It has a great price point at $74.95 that's ideal for a newbie. The Linx Hypnos Zero comes with a ceramic disc plate which is ideal because it has a bigger base that's great for when your concentrates starts to run around the atomizer. Another great feature is the temperature control feature which lets you toggle through four different heat settings.
Electronic Cigarettes
Electronic Cigarettes are an electronic device that hit the market to promote smoking cessation. Eventually it was seen as a good use for a portable hookah. E-cigs use vape juice or e-liquid which contains nicotine. You can change your dosage depending on what you're comfortable with and slowly start to ween off the nicotine as you get used to it. E-cigarette pens. E-juice come with a variety of flavors and aromas. Some range from sweet dessert flavors to sour fruit flavors and even regular tobacco flavors that you're used to smoking.
The benefits of using an electronic cigarette over regular smoking is that you will not be inhaling smoke but rather vapor. Other advantages are that you won't smell like an ashtray and you can pick how much nicotine you want. The convenience aspect beats regular smoking because most places accept vapes.
How an e-Cig works
The way e-cig pens work are pretty simple and straight forward. Different batteries have different power outputs and may last longer but functionality is the same through out all of them. Start off by pouring your liquid vape juice into your tank. Tanks can vary your vapor production from how dense the vapor is is to the taste but a disposable clearomizer will still do the trick. When pouring into the clearomizer, make sure to tilt it and pour so you do not get any ejuice into the middle needle. The vapor soaks into the bottom atomizer and then heats up to create vapor through the needle so clogging it can cause it to close up. In the case it does get clogged up, simply wash out the vape tank, let it fully dry out then start over. Once you successfully have poured it inside, let it soak into the cotton or wick for about a minute. Now you are ready to vape.
Vape Mech Mods
Take all the information about electronic cigarettes and imagine it on steroids, you end up with a mechanical vape mod. It is everything an ecig is plus more. All the functions are the same but the amount of vapor production is more because it's a powerful unit. The power starts from the battery since it gives a higher voltage output because they have variable voltage batteries. This is followed by an atomizer that can handle the voltage output. Vape mods are not the vaporizer you want to start out with because you want to get used to vape pen starter kits first.
Vape Tanks
Vape tanks are tanks that come in different sizes and have two main purposes. The first reason is to hold your ejuice inside the tank for e-cig vapors. The second reason is for the atomizer or the heating element that is located underneath the tank. The atomizer heats the liquid oil and vaporizes it into vapor. There are several kind of atomizers and they range from beginners to advanced and we will discuss them in that order. The power output is divided into two separate power sources; variable voltage and variable wattage. Variable voltage controls the power output to achieve the vapor production you want. Variable wattage increaes or decreases the resistances (OHMs).
Cartomizers:
Back when vaping wasn't well known, e-cigs were being produced as cigarette look a likes. These vapor cigarettes were one solid piece of plastic on the outside with a cotton on the inside. The cartomizer was easily able to screw on and off to soak the inside cotton with your liquid. It was very easy to use but it didn't produce great tasting vapor. It also ended up being expensive and better options came along. Cartomizers became obsolete when better options came along.
Clearomizers:
Clearomizers are the starter kit atomizer. They are very easy to use, inexpensive, and disposable. However, they do not give off the best taste for all liquid flavors and can sometimes be too harsh. Clearomizers require attention when filling up because if the liquid oilvape juice goes down into the middle needle, it can get clogged up. A simple fix is too wash it out thoroughly to make sure its clean before you let it dry off. Always tilt it to the side when pouring it to allow it to slide down the sides.
Sub-Ohm Tanks:
Sub-Ohm Tanks are similiar to clearomizers but differ greatly at the same time. The main difference is the tanks reservoir capacity. Sub ohm tanks hold more volume of liquid than other atomizers (2mL to 5mL) and even have a higher performance coil. The coil produces the result of the vapor production from taste to the vapor density. Some sub ohm tanks even allow you to control the airflow going in and out.
Rebuildable Drip Atomizers (RDA):
The latest advancement in vaping mod parts are rebuildable drip atomizers which allow you to drip your flavored liquid oil directly onto the cotton rather than inside the reservoir tank. This is the best way to go about it because of the taste being so pure. The coil is specially built, whether it's by you or a professional. Different coil set ups will produce different results. Coils are usually Kanthal wire, nichrome, titanium or stainless steel. Once you're ready to fill it up with vape juice, drip it directly onto the cotton, let it soak in, put the mouthpiece on and vape away. It is preferably used with more powerful batteries that support the rebuildable atomizers.
Rebuildable Tank Atomizers (RTA):
RTA's are very similar to RDA in the fact that they work the same exact way. The only difference between them is that instead of dripping your liquid onto the cotton like you do with rebuildable drip atomizers, you fill it into the tank. Just like sub ohm tanks, rebuildable tank atomizers come with the glass encasement. So you can fix and rebuild your coil and even close it with the glass tank. You fill your liquid into the glass. A rebuildable tank atomizer is almost a hybrid of RDA and sub-ohm tanks.
Price Range
Electronic cigarettes vape starter kits can start around $10 and go upwards of a few hundred bucks for mech mods or advanced vaporizers, depending on what you're looking for. There are a lot of one-off or higher priced mods that are collectors editions that have been seen to sell for upwards of thousands of dollars.
Recommendations
Beginners
When starting out, it's good to have a vape starter kit that can still give you the experience of what a vape box mod will give you. The eGo-C twist vaporizer pen is the ideal kit to start off with. It comes with a 1300mAh battery that is perfect enough tolast longer than the juice capacity in your clearomizer. It comes with a carry case, charger and a Ce5+ clearomizer which holds 1.6mL of eliquid. The battery is variable voltage which lets you adjust from 3.2V to 4.8V.
Advanced
A very well known brand that has been around for a long time is the Kamry K100 mech mod. It is a telescopic mod which means you mean make the upper half longer or short depending on the battery you want to use. It comes with 2 batteries. The bottom is where you lock or unlock it with the power button activation. You can add your own atomizer to it and make it a RDA or RTA.
Buyers Guide: Choosing the Right Vape Pen
It seems like a huge feat trying to look through the entirety of vaporizers on the market nowadays. Instead of confusing yourself or getting in over your head, check out this list we’ve compiled to help you figure out where to start in your hunt for the perfect vape pen.
What Do You Want to Vaporize?
The first step in finding the perfect pen for you is to figure out what exactly you’re trying to vaporize. Today’s vapes can heat concentrates and wax, oils, dry herbs and essential oils. Some are capable of vaporizing anything and some can only vape one type of product. Once you’ve decided what content you’d prefer your vape to have, finding the right one for you will be much easier.
I wouldn’t recommend a wax vape for a beginner vaporizer unless you have made up your mind that you only want a wax vape pen. Dry herb vaporizers are the best way to go. For patients looking to replace dry herbs for a with heavy pain relief, wax may be the best option for you.
Conduction or Convection?
This is more of a lesson than anything, convection is generally what you’re going to want. Conduction heats the herbs that the product is in in order to heat it, and ultimately creates smoke. Convection heats the air and passes the heated air through the product to properly vaporize the wax, oil or flower. The true method of vaporizing is the convection process which really vaporizes the active ingredients and does not burn anything.
The only way to properly vaporize is through convection, conduction simply bakes your herbs. It’s not only unsatisfying but it simply wastes your flower. Go with a conduction style if you absolutely have to but if you can, grab convection for the best use of your product. Conductions tends to be a bit cheaper in price.
How Important is Portability?
There are some amazing options for vapes, and they’re separated by table desktop at-home vapes and portable pieces. Desktop vaporizers are great for the vaper at home, someone who only wants to use their vape while they’re in the comfort of their living room. Generally they plug directly into the wall and have either a whip/tube to inhale your vapor out of or a balloon bag attachment that fills with vapor.
Portable vaporizers are wonderful for the vaper that wants to travel with their piece. Usually they will charge about 1-3 hours and then have a full battery that can get you sometimes up to 15 vape sessions before it needs to be recharged. There are a few vapes like the Arizer Solo 2 that is actually portable but can also be used while plugged in. Deciding which of these options works best with your vaporization lifestyle will allow to you to narrow your search for the perfect vaporizer.
Don’t Forget About Customization!
Almost all vapor pens, portable vaporizers, and desktop vaporizers have hefty customization options. Find out which bells and whistles fit your needs, don’t bother with pieces that have customized options that aren’t necessary to you. Some things that are definitely worthwhile are temperature settings since different cannabinoids burn at different temperatures. Having the ability to set and change the vapor temperature allows you to get the most out of your product. LED light indicators, auto shut-off and definitely a good warranty are all the customization that a beginner would need.
Warranty
Warranty is saved for last because its the best reason to choose a vape. If it has a long time warranty, you know the manufacturer is not worried because they stand behind their products. This also gives you a peace of mind knowing if anything was to happen to your vape pen you will be fine. Obviously most companies will not honor problems that occurred from your end like dropping and breaking the vape pen or using it too roughly. It mainly covers manufacturers defects.