How to Choose the Best Dry Herb Vaporizer
Dry herb vaporizers are a staple in the vaping industry with different manufacturers introducing various models that offer likewise various features. Whether it is your first dry herb vaporizer or an addition to your growing collection, we’ll help you find the right dry herb vaporizer.
Here are a few factors to consider.
Vape Heating Technology
At the time of writing, there are two popular means of heating your dry herbs; one is by conduction and the other is by convection. These two heating technologies differ in the way they extract the active ingredients from your botanical but do not significantly affect your overall vapor quality. As long as you observe the proper steps in using both convection and conduction dry herb vaporizers, you can reap the benefits of your ground botanicals without reaching the point of combustion.
Conduction vaporizers heat the herbs using the power coming from the walls of a heated surface, typically the walls of an herb chamber. This can quickly deliver heat, thus, extracting the cannabinoids from your herbs. However, because it can heat the herbs quickly, you can burn your flowers and your buds if you're not careful. On the other hand, using a convection vaporizer lets you use heated air as a medium to vaporize your ground material. It does take a little more time to heat the herbs but it does an effective job of vaporizing your botanicals as heated air can effectively permeate ground material.
Because of the technology involved, convection dry herb vaporizers are more expensive than conduction dry herb vapes.
Temperature Flexibility
It’s not uncommon for dry herb vaporizers to feature a wide variety of temperature settings. The cheaper ones come with preset temperature settings while those sitting in the top shelf are usually outfitted with precision temperature control. Temperature flexibility is important in vaping herbs because it allows you to control what cannabinoids are extracted and what active ingredients are released.
Here’s a quick guide of what cannabinoids can be found from your select dry herb strains and what their boiling points are.
- PINENE - 311° F or 155° C
- THC - 315° F or 157° C
- CARYOPHYLLENE - 320° F or 160° C
- MYRCENE - 334° F or 168° C
- LIMONENE - 349° F or 176° C
- CBD - 356° F or 180° C
- CBN - 365° F or 185° C
- LINALOOL - 388° F or 198° C
- THCv - 428° F or 220° C
Ideally, the lower temperature levels can extract the flavorful active ingredients from your dry herb stains including the terpenes, flavonoids, and the trichomes that give your herbs its unique aroma and flavor. Cranking the temperature settings on the highest settings intensifies the effects of the potent active ingredients giving you the high they’re known for.
In essence, having a dry herb vaporizer that offers some level of temperature control allows you to personalize and customize your sessions.
Vape Battery Life
Another factor to consider is how well your dry herb vaporizer is equipped in terms of battery life. Typically, the higher the capacity (usually measured in mAh) means that the battery can store more power. This means that you can get more substantial results with longer battery life in between sessions. Not only does this mean you get to enjoy your dry herb vaporizer longer but it also means that it can support heating technologies that demand more power - like that of a convection oven.
In the same way, do consider the type of technology used to charge the battery. Old dry herb vaporizer models are outfitted with eGo style chargers that connect to the battery via a 510-threaded connection. More recent models use micro-USB technology which offers faster charging times and more convenient means of juicing up your battery. And those considered as next-gen models use USB-C charging technology allowing you to use the same charger as your tablets and smartphones, while providing you the benefits of fast charging and a more stable power delivery.
Lastly, it’s best to check out how the batteries are placed in your dry herb vaporizer. Some models have built-in and integrated batteries while others use removable ones. Vape batteries that are built-in on the device are sturdier and more hard-wearing having been built directly in the unit. On the other hand, dry herb vaporizers that have removable batteries allow you to take portability to a whole new level. Instead of having to look for the next power outlet when your battery runs out, you can simply swap out the batteries and continue your session from wherever you are. Lastly, it lets you maintain your device without having to spend too much.
Build Quality
When investing in dry herb vaporizers, it is only befitting to invest in a device that will last. Cheaper vaporizers are typically housed in high-quality plastics materials while the more expensive ones are outfitted with better materials like anodized aircraft-grade aluminum. Materials used in herb chambers also vary from stainless-steel to ceramic based heating elements. These materials provide your dry herb vaporizer with different levels of purity and efficiency when heating and vaporizing your select plant matter.
Other Features
As we’ve briefly covered above, different kinds of dry herb vaporizers do offer different features that range from simple airflow control to ones that allow you to use your dry herb vape in conjunction with a bong or a water pipe. Make sure to select a device based on the feature beneficial to you and not because it’s what’s trendy. Investing in a dry herb vaporizer that pairs with a bong only makes sense when you have one laying around or if you’ve got some extra dough to invest in a water pipe. Likewise, investing in a dry herb vaporizer that doubles as a wax vape or a dab pen makes no sense if you do not consume wax concentrates.
And that is it. Some of the most common, but relevant tips in choosing the best dry herb vaporizer. Selecting your next dry herb vaporizer should not be complicated, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be wise about it.
