It's no secret that vaporizing has caught on as an alternative to smoking cannabis. Vaporizers might be popular among young adults but vaping cannabis is a great option for older users too. You can choose marijuana with either THC or CBD, or a balanced strain with equal amounts of THC and CBD.
There are a lot of different types of dry herb vaporizers out there, which is the best one to get started with? This beginner's guide will help you choose the best weed vaporizer for you. We'll look at the best beginner vaporizers out there, and compare their benefits, power, settings, price, and features.
What to Look For in Cannabis Vaporizers
There are a lot of options out there when it comes to dry herb vapes, and it’s easy to get confused if you’re new to the world of vaping. If you're still asking yourself what a dry herb vape is, don't worry.
Buying a vaporizer can seem daunting at first, but it doesn’t have to be scary, you just have to choose the one that best suits your needs. Here's what you need to consider.
Is the vaporizer portable?
If you’re only looking to vape at home, then you can choose a desktop or tabletop device. If you’re often on the move, and want to be able to vape at any time, look at portable devices.
While most vapes these days are portable, some are small enough to easily fit in your pocket and are very discreet. Others are still portable, but bulkier, and might feel more cumbersome when you’re walking around.
Another factor to consider with portable vapes is how convenient it is to reload, which is often difficult to do in outdoor or public locations. If this is important to you, get a swappable-oven vape like Furna. Then you can load up several ovens at home before you head out, and swap them instantly whenever you want to switch to another oven.
Flower vs cannabis concentrates
The next thing to consider is whether you want to focus on vaping flowers (e.g. dried cannabis) or concentrates. Flowers refer to dry herb whereas concentrates refer to oils and wax. Usually, a vaping device will not be able to handle both types of products.
Some portable vapes, like the Arizer Air, are dry herb vaporizers made for vaping flower. Others are dedicated to concentrates. The Furna vaporizer is a multi-use vape that can make use of two kinds of ovens, one for dried flower and one for concentrates.
When deciding between a vape for flower or concentrates, remember that dried flower is less strong, and better for beginners. If you want more potent options, get a device that works with cannabis concentrates.
The price of the device
If you are okay with vaping concentrates, you can try a cartridge vape - which you can easily purchase for under $100. This is often a suggestion for beginners, but the higher quality products deliver a better vaping experience and are a better investment over the long term. They're more durable so they'll last longer, and they'll get you stronger effects and more value from your cannabis.
If you're looking for an efficient and long-lasting dry herb vaporizer, spend a bit more on something built from quality material that gets good reviews. Spending $200 - $450 on a vaporizer will have better temperature control and give you higher quality vapor. You'll also go through your marijuana slower, because quality vapes are more efficient at vaping cannabis than cheaper vaporizers.
Desktop or tabletop vaporizers
Desktop vapes are designed for use in the home, they’re large and need to be plugged into a wall outlet. These aren't the most popular choice, but they have some advantages. They usually use convection heating instead of conduction, allowing slightly more efficient vaporizing, and they have larger bowls and ovens, making it easier to load a lot of herb in for a bigger session, or for sharing with friends.
If you have a generous budget and want to vape more often, and you don’t plan on using them outside the house, then this is what you need to go for. Desktop vapes can start at above $400 but are long-lasting. You can consume a high-quality concentrate or dry herb in the comfort of your bedroom or your living room.
Check out our beginner's guide to desktop vaporizers to learn more.
Quality materials and battery life
You also want a vape that has a high-quality battery, so that its charge lasts a long time. You don’t want it to die at a key moment when you’re on the go. You also don't want to have to keep replacing batteries over the long term.
Make sure that the vaporizer is built from high-quality materials. Even if portability is your top priority, don't buy the lightest vape you can find. It should be durable and able to withstand some damage - in other words, it shouldn’t break if you accidentally drop it while you're out and about!
Research the popularity of the brand and then the specific device model. If the reviews are positive then consider it an option for your first vape. If they are negative, then move on.
Think about the accessories
You should also think about what accessories you want to purchase along with your weed vaporizer. Some vaporizers don’t come with any accessories, while others have more complete kits available.
You should choose any accessories that enhance the use of your vaping device, for example, a dedicated case, a cleaning kit or supplies, or an additional mouthpiece.
Benefits of Smoking vs. Vaping
Now that you know how to choose your first weed vaporizer, you can make a better decision when you buy a vape for the first time. Whether you're looking to enjoy THC, CBD, or concentrate, vapor is much healthier to inhale compared with smoke from a joint. You'll enjoy the higher quality flavor of this method, and how it saves you money on your cannabis budget.
And if portability and versatility are your top priorities, check out Furna, which features swappable ovens and can vaporize both cannabis flower and concentrates.
