Even if you like to vape essential oils, wax, or e-liquids, there is probably a place in your heart for dry herbs as well. Giving up cigarettes was a good move and you feel better for it, but there is something almost indefinable about the quality of plants that is missing from any of the other materials besides tobacco. You don’t have to give up plants entirely. Switch to a vaporizer and use dry herbs.
Many Dry Herb Vaporizers
There’s just one problem: the internet is loaded with vaporizers. How do you know which one will do the job or which ones to consider the best dry herb vaporizers? How can you be sure your investment is sensible? Do all vaporizers work with dry herbs?
Not all vaporizers were designed for plant materials. Many work with oils or waxes only. Some accommodate more than one material with the simple switch of a cartridge. Certain devices accept only dry herbs.
As for knowing you made the right choice, take time to research the field, read reviews, and browse in real stores. You are not just looking for the best price, which can lead you down a garden path to the place you drop your kitchen waste: something will definitely be rotten if you are buying only the cheapest gear.
Once you talk to a lot of people, fellow consumers and vendors alike, you can be reasonably certain of identifying four or five decent dry herb vaporizers in your price range and to suit your lifestyle.
Pricing for Vaporizers
Notice that I said four or five would emerge from your criteria. One of those will be the dollar amount you are willing and able to pay. Don’t skimp: a $50 pen won’t last you two seasons. A $400 device, however, might be outside of your budget. There is plenty of middle ground. Set aside about $100 minimum to include the price of herbs to get started with and the vaporizer of your choice. Going higher you will definitely notice an improvement in quality and features, but at the $80 price point you will own a decent portable device.
Lifestyle Choices
Is portability a priority for you? If so, then you can pay up to $250 for an excellent unit. It won’t look like a vaporizer but probably more akin to a cell phone or a handheld radio. You will be amazed at the creativity which has led to the design of high-quality, good looking technology. Portable dry herb vaporizers free you up to go anywhere with a device, but they are limited by the longevity of their power source.
A bigger vaporizer won’t travel with you, or if it does, you have to be sitting in a hotel room to use it because it must be plugged in. Once you find an outlet, the vapor will keep on coming unless you experience a power surge, run out of herbs, or something breaks. You could easily top $200 to buy something worthwhile, but more expensive units are digital and multi-functional.
Multi-functional Products
I’m talking about devices that allow consumers to utilize hands-free or direct draw methods, possibly whip or balloon draw. These three styles address the need for assistance, the ability to draw and stir herbs, or the desire to vape and do something with your hands. The more flexibility you want, the more you will have to pay.
Some Products to Consider
The absolute top herbal vaporizer both price-wise and in terms of effectiveness is the Volcano by Storz and Bickel. Consumers who bought one 5 years ago are still vaporizing with the same machine, having replaced bits and pieces along the way, but never the base unit. By all accounts it keeps producing clean, consistent vapor using the balloon system without a hitch.
But the price for a digital version is over $600 and the analog one is around $500 with the valve system you require. Most people gasp at the kind of price. Even though this represents a lifetime investment, individuals don’t usually have $600 handy.
A compromise, also from Storz and Bickel, would be their Plenty which is handheld but mains-powered. It produces excellent, smooth vapor via a cooling coil. Unique-looking and easy to use, it’s expensive but cheaper than the Volcano and likely to last for years. That’s the way with German engineering.
The Magic Flight Launch Box takes herbal vaporizing completely the other way: from a cumbersome item to something small and delicate in looks, though not structure. The Magic Flight Launch Box is made in the United States from hardwood. Costing just $119, there are no fancy digital features; nothing difficult to learn. Customers love its beauty, reliability, and portability.
The HerbalAir 2.2 is a dual mod device for whip or balloon inhalation. Uniquely among vaporizers, this unit does not require that your herbs be ground. Pack them loosely and go.
An Arizer Solo is small and beautiful; a good machine producing good tasting vapor at a decent price. For portability, it’s excellent, but there are even better portable units if you are willing to pay around $250, like the PAX.
This is a favorite product which heats herbs quickly to create beautiful flavor and a smooth vape.
The Firefly for around the same price is also excellent and innovative. Customers call it classy, sleek, and modern. Like the PAX, its one-piece design incorporates a battery (although the Firefly battery can be replaced) and is rechargeable. Filling and cleaning are easy and the temperature is user-controlled at the press of a button.