Best Vapes.

So, you want to vape cannabis instead of bonging / piping / smoking joints? In this article we will look at the essential things to consider when buying your first vape machine, and hopefully narrow your personal choices from a confusing constellation down to a list of 2-3 that might suit you best.

What is a vaporizer?

A vaporizer is a machine that cooks as opposed to burns the cannabis product in a special chamber. It releases vapor from the cooking process and this is what you inhale. This differs from a bong where you are still inhaling smoke, though the smoke has been cooled.

There are four types of vaporizer that we consider below: the desktop, the weed / concentrate pocket vaporizer, the weed only pocket vaporizer and the concentrate only pocket vaporizer:

Arizer Extreme Q

At a price that won’t make you sweat and with different ways of consuming your vapor, this is the best desktop on the market today. Cheaper than many portable vaporizers on the market, the Arizer Extreme Q still offers capabilities that you cannot get from portables. It offers accurate temperature control that allows you to achieve exactly the right cannabinoid and terpene mix from your draw, enabling you to get just the hit or medical value from the vapor. You can also consume virtually any cannabis substance.

Storz & Bickel Volcano Digital or Classic

The original desktop vaporizer, it can tightly control the temperature and, therefore, chemical makeup of the vapor you consume. You can also take several bags of vapor to be used over up to 8 hours away from the machine.

Portable Weed or Concentrate vaporizers

A Weed / Concentrate pocket vaporizer is a machine that runs on batteries and like the desktop machine can cook virtually any preparation of cannabis. Some of the better machines in this category are better than certain desktop vaporizers, and we have found you don’t have to pay out big to get the best.

A next step down is the pocket vaporizer that can cook different types of concentrates. Wax is a solid concentrate that can give a great high. There are also preparations that are similar to the ‘e-juice’ you get for tobacco. Both of these types will have been adulterated with certain chemicals to help them melt in the vape machine, and some people worry about the as-yet-unknown health effects of adding those chemicals.

Boundless CFX Vaporizer

The CFX is one of those machines that break boundaries. Forget the idea you should spend more to get more as this is far cheaper than many other vaporizers yet does a far better job than many more expensive ones! Once more you have a choice of almost any cannabis concentrate or product, and this means you have a pocket sized machine that you can use whatever the preparation you have to hand. We like this vaporizer so much you can read a detailed report here.

PAX 3 Portable Vaporizer from Ploom

Until only recently this was the king of all mobile vaporizers. You will pay a little more for this machine but, certainly, with the complete kit, you have a wide variety of options as to how to use it. If you can handle the price and know what you are doing with vaporizers then do consider this close to the top of your list! We do have a more in-depth review of this vaporizer here.

Storz & Bickel Mighty

The makers of the legendary Volcano desktop vaporizer have just reinvented the pocket vaporizer. With great temperature accuracy it gives you exactly the hit you want. The Mighty is also extremely simple to use and can be used with wax, concentrate or weed as you need.

Arizer Go ‘ArGo’ Vaporizer

Convection heating at a good price point

Convection heating is where air is heated and then surrounds the cannabis product to cook the weed without the risk of burning it. That’s why Arizer, the makers of the best vaporizer of all in this article the Evolution Q, lead the way in weed only vape machines. It also has swappable batteries for those days where you cannot / will not get home for a while. If you have the supply and want a cheeky puff away from home then do consider this as an option!

DaVinci IQ Vaporizer

For discretion and control – the best pen sized weed vaporizer

Want a vape that is very small yet can be finely controlled? Thanks to having a Bluetooth enabled smartphone app, you can finely control the temperature and length of draws on the Da Vinci IQ. This means that it has fewer buttons to fiddle with and can be small enough to disappear when you pop it out of others’ sight!

Arizer Solo II Vaporizer

Much simpler to use than the Da Vinci (and not as pretty!) the Arizer Solo II could well be the machine you use as a quality entry into weed vaping.

Concentrates only

The final and often cheapest variety of vaporizer is the concentrate only vaporizer. These machines are very similar to nicotine vaporizers but are built around discretion – you won’t see someone vaping concentrate with a grenade sized machine outside a bar. Those vaping pen-sized machines outside the same bar, however, may be having more fun than you! You do have to think about the chemicals added to help the cannabinoids vaporise that while not fully understood may have certain adverse health effects from long term use.

Linx Hypnos Zero Vaporizer

In terms of sales volumes the most popular vape pen in the USA, the Linx Hypnos Zero is a great concentrate only pen with a powerful battery, a ceramic bowl for the concentrate and four heat settings so you can get just the draw you want when and where you need it!

KandyPens Prism Plus Vaporizer

At only 4.2 inches long this is a tiny machine with a big blast thanks to its dual coils. It has a huge 900mAh battery to give you hours of outdoor pleasure too.

Why are you using a vaporizer?

• So, now we have considered the machines that are on the market, you need to consider where and how you will consume your cannabis products, and what you can get where you live.
•  Where do you want to use it? If at home then consider a bigger or more expensive one that has better temperature control and more options as to how to use it.
• What’s your budget? A small budget can mean a very ordinary vaping experience – though we have shown you a couple of machines that won’t break the bank that are very, very good!
• What do you want to use it for? If you are a medical cannabis user then do consider a desktop as a priority for home use, but also have a decent weed / concentrate machine to hand. You will find however that there are battery powered machines that are better than some desktops.
• Are you experienced or inexperienced in using a vaporizer? As with everything in life, it may pay to spend a little less money on a new machine than someone might who knows what they want and how to use it. Take your time and see what it is like!
• Is versatility important? Some people have unlimited supplies of a certain product – perhaps if they grow their own at home. Others may live in a state or country where cannabis is heavily criminalised and have an intermittent supply at best. Versatility is important for this group as you may not know what or where you get your next hit from.

First Time Vape User?

If you are new to vaping and want to discover why this has become increasing popular you can read our article Vaping Cannabis.

As always, MaryJane Farmer wants your comments, criticisms and suggestions.  If you have questions, she will try to answer.  If you have photos, send them to MaryJane@420Beginner.com