Dry Herb Vaporizers for pot

Dry Herb Vaporizers can be the safest, purest, most effective way to smoke weed. Medicinally or recreationally. And now thanks to portable dry herb vaporizers or vape pens they’re probably the most convenient way too. Unlike a bulky tabletop marijuana vaporizer or a hookah, they just slip neatly in your pocket—you can take them anywhere. But there are a lot to choose from! So to make your choice a bit easier, here’s our pick of the best portable dry herb vaporizers for weed. And a few useful accessories.

What Is a Dry Herb Vaporizer?

Is Vaping Safe?

No one knows the answer for sure. Just like no one knows who will get cancer from smoking cigarettes. But amidst all the furor about vaping, and the government threats and shutdowns, one thing seemed to stand out to MaryJane Farmer–other countries did not have the problem of lipoid pneumonia like the US. What was the difference. Again, nobody knows–or if they do, they are not saying.

But from looking at what did and did not happen elsewhere compared to the US, it seems like smoking stuff that was not altogether legitimate and purchased from a reputable supplier may have been part of the cause. Is this another example of adulteration of products coming from Asia? Maybe so, maybe not. But there is certainly no shortage of suspect products coming from Asia to the US and it would not be surprising if this is another example (Dank brand vaping oils have been mentioned as a problem.)  Anyway, here is MaryJane’s take on the issue.

Why vape your weed instead of smoking it?

Already convinced of the benefits of vaping? Familiar with the difference between vape pens for dry herb/buds and pens that take cartridges or concentrate? Skip down to our dry herb current favorites.

There are lots of reasons why switching to a weed vape is a great idea:

• Vaporized marijuana is heated, not burned, so there’s almost no carcinogens going to your lungs—vape “smoke” is about 95% pure vapor
• Vaporized pot is way more powerful than smoke from a joint—it’s full of cannabinoids like THC Less smoke from a burning joint means less chance of lung cancer, emphysema, and other nasty things
• Vaping is safer for your mouth, too, so you avoid mouth cancers and dental problems from smoking
• Vape smoke doesn’t smell like a burning blunt so you can keep it on the down low, and some users says it tastes a lot better
• If you vape buds instead of wax or oil, you can reuse the bud to make brownies and other goodies
• Vaping costs less than smoking

So what kind of vaporizer is best for enjoying marijuana? Although there are many kinds for tobacco, not all of those work well for pot. But we’ve come a long way from needing those big, bulky tabletop models. We’ll take a look at the best portable vaporizers for weed below.

Types of dry herb vaporizer

Vape Pens that use a cartomizer or a clearomizer

If you want a strong high, get a vape pen that is an oil vaporizer. They heat up marijuana that’s been packaged as an essential oil cartridge. Those cartridges are the cartomizers and clearomizers.

The main ingredient in these cartridges is Butane Hash Oil, BHO, or “dabs.” This is a product you’ll see at medical marijuana dispensaries. Common vape pen brands are Firefly, Quickdraw M1, and Dr. Dabber Ghost.

They are all available here and there are often discounts or promotions.

Wax cartridges are filled with solid marijuana concentrate, also known as budder, errl, and shatter.

The Atmos Nano Vaporizer is a lower-cost pen that melts the wax in these cartridges so the vapor can be inhaled.

A word of caution: Always check the ingredients of cartridges. Specifically, there is some concern over the safety of inhaling vaporized propylene glycol or polyethylene glycol. Both of these are sometimes used as thinning agents in cartridges. However, the FDA has yet to test the short or long term safety of inhaling them in vaporized form.

Also, recall recent deaths have been attributed to thinning agents, specifically Vitamin E, used in vape concentrate and sold by both licensed and unlicensed vape dealers.  This thinning agent is now known to be the cause of the lipoid pneumonia that killed more than a thousand vapers in a short couple of months.

Some people have called vaping “a chemistry experiment in your lungs.”  Be that as it may, cigarette smoking and vaping both deliver substances, wanted and unwanted, into the body.  So you make your own decisions based on the best information available from MaryJane Farmer and others.

Quick example of a Dry Herb Vaporizer (Pax 3)

Our former number 1 pick is the PAX 3 from Ploom. We love it because we can enjoy buds or oil, depending on our mood and what’s available. A premium vape pen that can handle both extracts and herb is the Ploom PAX 3. It takes 15 seconds to heat up for your first draw. It lights up a discreet green X and vibrates to let you know it’s ready. Then every additional inhalation is ready instantaneously.

You can switch from BHO or wax concentrate to loose-leaf herb by swapping out the insert at the bottom. You can use the PAX app on your phone to set the temperature you want. For example, 338° F is ideal for vaporizing cannabis to get the maximum amount of THC from it.

The best dry herb vaporizers for weed

Best portable marijuana vaporizer: Boundless CFX (Editor’s Choice)

When we first wrote this marijuana vaporizer roundup we hadn’t yet reviewed the Boundless CFX… And now we have—we’re won over.

We think it’s the best value portable vaporizer for weed we’ve seen so far. At least as good as or better than many of the most popular vapes out there—but at up to half the price of something like the Mighty Vaporizer. That’s why we just had to make our Editor’s Choice. Here’s the short version: It’s versatile. Use dry herbs or extracts/concentrate.

Either way, the CFX heats up fast—20 seconds at highest setting—and evenly. So no weed gets wasted and you get an even, reliable, satisfying smoke from start to finish. It charges fast too—30 minutes will give you 10–15 five-minute sessions. And it’s super-powerful. Temperature can be set anywhere between 100–430°F (38–221°C).

But even at the highest setting the vapor always stays cool and smooth. The LED display and timer tells you everything you need to know, from temperature to current battery level.

Finally, it’s easy to clean. And comes with a very respectable 1-year warranty on the battery and 3-year warranty on the unit itself.

Our verdict: Price, (167.09 at VaporChief) versatility and ease of use make the Boundless CFX an excellent day-to-day cannabis vape for both beginners and experienced vapers alike. However, if you prefer something sleek and minimalist…

PAX 3 Portable Vaporizer from Ploom – Beautifully designed all-rounder

The PAX 3 comes in a sleek, brushed steel tube and it’s made from medical grade materials. It runs off a rechargeable battery and has a 10-year warranty. It’s not as fast as some, but 15-20 seconds is still excellent. And the different heating modes allow for different vaping experiences and flavor enjoyment. It has other advantages too, like a 10-year warranty, medical-grade components, Bluetooth smartphone control, and a much more discreet way of heating weed. Plus, it vibrates and looks very cool! You can choose from a number of different colors too if accessorizing your thing. And you get a deal with this complete kit.

Firefly 2+ Portable Vaporizer – Ultra-light, super-fast-heating convection vape

The Firefly 2+ is made for vaping herb, not concentrates. [CORRECTION: The Firefly 2 actually has 5 settings for dry herb and one for wax concentrates.] It’s gotten rave reviews from a lot of well-known sites, it has a 2-year warranty, and it comes in a bunch of different colors.

While we think it looks like we’re smoking a USB flash drive, the Firefly 2+ has certain advantages and improvements over the original Firefly 2. We like the particulate filter in the mouthpiece and we like that the Firefly 2 is ready to smoke in just three seconds. If you install the free app on your phone, you can control the vaping temperature just like you can with the PAX 3 from Ploom. And finally, it weighs just 140g (0.3lbs).

DaVinci IQ

Simplistic yet powerful, the IQ vaporizer from DaVinci boasts the latest in cutting edge smart technology and a minimalist design. This sleek portable vaporizer fits neatly into the palm of your hand for a discreet vaping experience. The IQ is designed for vaping botanical herbs and features DaVinci’s Smart Path Technology, allowing users to select between four precise temperature ranges for a personalized vaping experience, while its Boost & Standby mode is ideal for a quick puff on the fly.

At $229 at Namaste Vapes, the DaVinci IQ is one of the higher-end portable vaporizers available, but it offers innovative features like its Bluetooth-enabled smartphone app allows for mobile device control of vaping sessions. The DaVinci IQ’s industry-exclusive all-ceramic zirconia vapor path is heat resistant, ensuring smooth, clean, and flavorful vapor production.

LowPriced but Good

Yocan Vane Vaporizer

 

 

The Vane Vaporizer is Yocan’s most recent addition in to their dry herb line up This highly portable device is equipped with unique features such as a convection oven and a ceramic heating chamber, which allows it to produce tasteful vapors from your favorite dry herb strains. Additionally, the Yocan Vane Vaporizer is outfitted with precision temperature control that can be viewed and set using its simple and easy settings and through its digital OLED display. On top of all these amazing features, the Yocan Vane uses USB-C charging technology to charge its 1100mAh battery; therefore, it is unlikely to leave you hanging in the middle of your session. However, the Yocan Vane is designed to notify you when it is time for a session and when your herbs are ready for vaping through its vibration feature. . Best of all, It’s only 59.99 at VaporizerChief

Best weed vaporizer on Amazon?

We know a lot of people are searching for queries like “best vape pen on Amazon” or “weed vaporizer Amazon”. Some of you may even have come here after typing something like that into Google… However, many of the best vapes just aren’t on Amazon right now. In fact, there are very few vapes at all on there.

We’re really not sure why but it is likely something to do with the Oligarch’s Fear–Gummint Will Take Away Their Jewels (like Amazon’s virtual monopoly on retailing and Facebrack’s virtual worldwide monopoly on advertising.)

That’s why we currently recommend a specialized seller like VaporizerChief or Namaste. They offer fast free shipping, discreet packaging, live chat customer service to help you find the best weed vape for your needs and budget, the largest selection of vapes on the market—and a 100% price protection guarantee. Find your purchase cheaper anywhere online within 10 days and they’ll refund you the difference.

As this post is going to press, VaporizerChief is offering a 15% discount on top of their already low prices.

Or if you’re in Canada, Namaste Vapes Canada is our favorite option.  Namaste is the world’s largest international online vape retailer. Their Canadian store has a price match guarantee; fast, local shipping with tracking; and free shipping on orders over $100.

For even more information on vaping:

Check out our article, Why Vape Your Weed.

How to use a vaporizer

1. Plug it in. All six of our top selections have rechargeable batteries. Yes, they arrive with some charge in them, enough for a few hits, but please do take the time to put them on the charger for a few hours. On the bright side, any vaporizer pen that uses lithium-ion batteries can be topped off at any time. You don’t need to run down the battery first.
2. Read the directions. Just to be sure you’re not doing it wrong, check out the quick start guide. Read it twice if you’re already buzzed.
3. Burn out the factory leftovers. Take your fully-charged pen outside and let it rip, empty, on the highest heat setting for about a minute. That should clear out any residue from the factory.
4. Load it up. Fill your new vaporizer with ground-up herb or pop in a cartridge.
5. Heat it up. Depending on the model you bought, you might have to wait three to thirty seconds for your first hit. Your vaporizer will let you know with a light or a vibration when it’s ready to smoke.
6. Inhale. This isn’t a joint, this is a much more powerful delivery system. Puff gently a few times if you’ve never used one before. The vapor is almost pure cannabis “smoke” and will get you higher faster than smoking does. You don’t need to hold it in to get the most from it.
7. Clean it up. Every pen pulls apart for cleaning, some better than others. Check the directions that you read back in step 2.

Other types of vaporizers

Other than portable vape pens, you can get high with a number of other kinds of vaporizers.

Medical marijuana users often have tabletop vaporizers that run off electricity, like this beauty, Storz & Bickel’s Volcano.. They might have a mouthpiece like a nebulizer or a bag that fills with vapor. The cost of a good tabletop vaporizer may be three or four times what a good vape pen costs.

Hookahs are technically vaporizers, although they aren’t nearly as convenient to carry around in a pocket as a vape pen is. Plus, you need charcoal and water to do it right. Hookahs filter the vapor through the water but that doesn’t stop all the toxins from entering your lungs. You can breathe in a lot of carbon monoxide with a hookah and that can make you super sick. Vaporizers are much safer.

Bongs are not vaporizers because they burn the herb.  That’s not vapor, that’s smoke–as in joint or cigarette smoke.  Read the article on bongs here.

Accessories for use with your vaporizer

Once you’ve found the best weed vape for your needs, to get the best out of it and keep it in top condition you’ll need a few accessories—like a grinder or carry case. While you can’t buy weed vaporizers and e-cigarettes online at some major retail sites, you can purchase certain accessories. Here are some useful things to make vaping easier and more fun.

Vapes and Wires Hard Carrying Case for Vape Pens

 This 3.5 by 7.5-inch zippered case has three mesh pockets and two elastic bands to secure and protect your vape pen, grinder, and other accessories.

VaporVaultz Box Mod Case for Vaping Accessory Storage

This gear case has a combination lock on it to keep children or other uninvited individuals out of your smokes. It measures 5 by 10 inches. The elastic bands and internal zippered pocket are large enough to hold mods, too.

Platinum Grinders #1 Best Herb Grinder

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This 4-piece grinder is made from aircraft-grade aluminum and built to last. The diamond cutting teeth make quick work of grinding up herbs. The neodymium magnets keep it shut tight so your weed stays fresh inside.

How to prep your own weed for vaping

1. First, grow your own cannabis. We have lots of guides on what you need for the perfect grow setup and how to successfully grow your first crop.
2. Second, harvest it and let it dry. If you have a significant quantity, you may want to use a bud trimming machine instead of doing it all by hand.
3. Third, grind it up. Easy, huh?  Here are some good grinders.

One last note: please don’t make hash oil (BHO or dabs) at home. You have to use flammable solvents to create it and the process is dangerous. Leave the boom to someone else.

More reasons why dry herb vapes beats smoking a joint

• Hack hack cough cough phlegm. Aren’t you tired of that?
• Running around with Glade or Febreeze or lighting candles before your parents come home.
• Not having a match or a lighter when you need one.
• Worrying about lung cancer and other health problems.
• Not being able to smoke when you want because you’re in the wrong place.

In short, it cuts out the little annoyances. And even though there’s a lot of noise about vaping, it’s medically proven to be safer than smoking.

In 2010, twenty weed smokers who toked on a frequent basis switched to dry herb vaporizers for one month. What happened? They got healthier. Here is the study from University of Albany. Every pot smoker in this government-sponsored medical study was able to breathe easier by the end of the month of vaping instead of smoking.

Famous vapers

There’s a whole lot of them! Whoopi Goldberg vapes weed to help control her glaucoma and headaches. Another famous vaper is Leonardo DiCaprio, caught in the act of vaping at the Oscars. You may also see Miley Cyrus, Robert Pattinson, Rihanna, Matt Damon, George Clooney, and possibly Morgan Freeman.

How to make edibles with already-vaped weed

Use the weed you just vaporized to make a base ingredient for treats to continue the high.

You’ll need the following ingredients and tools:

• ½-ounce weed from your vaporizer
• ½-cup of oil (olive, coconut, or canola) or ½-cup of unsalted butter
• Medium-size sauce pan
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Cheesecloth for straining, or a coffee filter
• Container for storing what you’ve made (glass or ceramic, not plastic.)

1. Make a sort of tea bag with the weed inside the cheesecloth or coffee filter.
2. Put the oil or butter in the saucepan with the bag.
3. Heat this mixture on low until it starts to simmer or bubble just a little bit.
4. Keep it going while you stir it off and on for 20 minutes.
5. Let it cool a bit and squeeze all the oil or butter out of the bag.
6. Pour your new special oil into a container.
7. Now, go make brownies or cookies or whatever you like, using your new cannabis oil to add a zing to your meal.

Last Word From MaryJane Farmer

Check back often for reviews of the best products for enjoying marijuana to the maximum. Check out our home page for LED Grow Lights if you’re a grower.

If you are new to growing, get our free Beginner’s Guide here.

And if you have some great photos of your garden, pop them into the electric post office and send them to me: MaryJane@420Beginner.com.

[Editor’s Note: We regularly update this post. If you want to suggest a vape to review, let us know in the comments below. We’re always looking for the best products to add to our reviews.]

 

Last update on 2023-02-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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