The vaporizer market is constantly expanding in terms of technology as well as the variety of products offered for consumers of dry herb and concentrates. Although there isn’t a “one size fits all” vaporizer there are vaporizers which will suit your needs, understanding your needs will help you make the right choice of vaporizer for you.

If you are a beginner you may want to choose a more basic unit which offers fewer features, less temperature control and the ability to vaporize a single material such as dry herb, whereas an intermediate user may opt for an “all bells & whistles” vaporizer with full temperature control, multiple material options and a heating method combining convection and conduction.

Budget

Knowing how much you are willing to spend and having an understanding of what you can get for your budget will help you narrow down which vaporizer is for you. Check that the vaporizer allows you to consume your preferred material, so it not only fits you budget but your main requirement also.

With regards to price range, the cheapest vaporizers can be purchased from £20.00, these units will most likely be portable conduction heated vaporizers. These budget devices tend to be limited in build quality, materials used and operating life however can offer the user a starting point into vaping herb.

The mid-range of vaporizers offer a wide range, these products tend to sell between £50 - £150. These devices offer better build quality and various premium features such as isolated air path, precise temperature control, removable batteries and convection style heating to name a few. Some “Elite” vape pens and portable units will be found in this price range as well as a starting point for desktop units.

Any vaporizer which costs in excess of £150 should be considered as an “Elite” vaporizer. Buyers can expect high build quality with the use of superior materials as well as advanced functionality and a comprehensive warranty. These ‘Elite’ vaporizers offer the ultimate vaping experience geared towards experienced users.

Types of Vaporizer

There are two types of vaporizer: desktop units and portable units. Understanding your needs will help you determine which type of device to get. There is no “best” style of vaporizer to choose, just the best one that fits your needs.

Desktop Vaporizers

Desktops vaporizers are intended for use at home and usually need to be plugged in, they are perfect for longer sessions with friends. Generally, they are larger, more powerful, more reliable but also more expensive compared with portable vaporizers. Since they are not constrained by size, shape, weight, or battery life you can generally expect better flavour, denser vapour, and better efficiency from a desktop compared to a portable. The best desktop vaporizers will allow you to use your herb in the most efficient way possible, using less material. Eventually, your desktop vaporizer should pay for itself. Our top picks would be the ‘Volcano Hybrid’ or ‘Plenty Vaporizer’ both from ‘Storz & Bickel’ or the ‘Arizer Extreme Q’ by ‘Arizer’.

Portable Vaporizers

Portable vaporizers are the most popular form of vaporizer, generally they are small, compact and powerful. Over the last five years, the technology for dry herb vaporizers has advanced rapidly. Portable vaporizers come as dry herb vaporizers, dedicated concentrate vaporizers or, all-purpose vaporizers capable of dealing with dry herbs, wax, oil and e-liquids. Our range includes portable vaporizers which are powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and analogue vaporizers that are heated with a flame or torch.

With so many different vaporizers available today, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out which one is best for you. It’s important to decide whether you prefer the convection vaporizers, or if you are opting for a conduction vaporizer. Some vapes actually use a combination of convection and conduction, but different heating methods are suitable for different types of materials. For example, while some are more suitable for vaping concentrates, others are better for dry herbs.

Pen Vaporizers

Vaporizer pens are the newest type of vapes to hit the market. The best vape pens deliver premium vapour on-the-go. They’re pocket-friendly yet powerful, offering advanced settings, heating, and vapour production. And they pack a potent dose that won’t break the bank. Pen vaporizers are much more compact than portable vaporizers - averaging just 4” long, one of the biggest benefits of pen vaporizers is how easily they can be taken apart and maintained. Fewer parts ultimately mean less mess to clean up.

 Some vape pens are designed specifically to work with dry herb, others (also known as dab pens) are meant to work with your thick oils and waxy concentrates. Some are hybrids, meaning that they work with either one. Vaping concentrates or “dabbing” has become significantly more popular in recent years and vape pens offer a perfect solution to ‘dab’ on-the-go, they fit in your pocket, deliver long life without the need for recharging, and you can’t burn yourself with them (well usually).

Other Considerations

Materials & Vapour Path

One overlooked aspect of vaporizers are the materials used in construction, and particularly what is the vapour pathway. Reputable brands will often design vaporizers with isolated airpaths and even state which materials are used, whereas cheaper vaporizers do not isolate the airpath or state which materials are used. Terms such as “medical grade ceramic chamber”, or “borosilicate glass airpath” are indicators and examples of quality materials, there are various other such quality materials used by manufacturers for the air path of vaporizers.

Discretion

Because vaporizing can be easily misinterpreted, some users may be concerned about discretion. Small portable vaporizers are easily concealed, and some are designed to purposefully not to attract attention and even to blend into the décor. If discretion is important to you, consider how easily and quickly the device can be put away.

Convection Vaporizers

Convection vaporizers are slightly more efficient in terms of herb usage in comparison to conduction vaporizers. This is down to the herbs not being directly heated by a convection-based heating system, but rather by heating the air passing through the chamber.

A convection unit evenly heats each mouthful of vapour as you pull, often creating more flavourful and potent vapour.

Conduction Vaporizers

Conduction-based vaporizers create vapour by heating your materials in the chamber, where the herbs are in direct contact with a heating element without reaching combustion temperatures. These units tend to produce thicker vapour compared to convection units, and generally tend to heat up faster than convection vaporizers.

Some vaporizers such as the Storz Bickel Mighty and Crafty+ heat herb using a combination of Convection & Conduction which offers the benefits of both heating methods.

Cloud Chasers

Some vaporizers are considered more efficient than others, but this is typically achieved by keeping the vaping temperature lower and the load small. This improves taste and delivers smoother, tastier vapour. Users who are converting from combustion/smoking often desire the thicker vapour that comes only at higher temperatures, but the disadvantage of this is harsher vapour and faster consumption, this should be considered, especially for those who are new to vaping herb.