Vaporizers 103

 So you've finally decided its time to buy a vape - best decision you ever made! But there are SO many vaporizers out there to choose from, how do you decide which one to buy? In this post we have reviewed 9 popular models of vaporizers, and ranked our top 3 favorites. You'll find out who each vape is made by, the website, price, warranty, manufacturing information, other important details, how to use, pros, and cons. If you have any further questions about these products, don't hesitate to call our resident vape-experts at each store!  

TOP CHOICE #1 THeCan

Made By: Cannavapor

Website: http://cannavapor.com/THeCan.php

Price: $250

Warranty: 2 year, in-store warranty from any Myxed Up Creations location

Manufacturing: Fabricated and manufactured in Denver, CO, made out of high-quality aircraft aluminum, pyrex glass, and industrial-strength ceramic heating element

Details: This vaporizer is electric – comes with a nice 8 ft cord. Vapor is obtained by inhaling through a hose. Temp is controlled by an analog knob on the front. Comes in LOTS of different colors.

How to use: Plug the vape in and turn the knob to high. Let it heat up for about 5-10 minutes and then adjust the knob to your preferred temp. Load your herbs into the bowl, and connect into the vape (glass on glass connection – perfect seal!). Take long, slow inhalations from the mouthpiece.

Pros: One of the largest heating elements on the market, extremely durable, great value, great warranty, comes in lots of colors, easy to use, locally made

Cons: Must be plugged in

TOP CHOICE #2 NO2

Made By: Vapir

Website: http://www.vapir.com/

Price: $130 - $250

Warranty: 1 year manufacturer's warranty

Manufacturing: 8 inch x 1.5 inch plastic body, brass heating element

Details: Internal rechargeable battery, digital temperature readout,

How to use: Turn unit on and set temperature, load and insert the bowl, attach the hose, and take long slow draws once unit is fully heated.

Pros: Very portable, easy use, high quality, can be used while charging

Cons: Temperature drops slightly after each hit, small hose

TOP CHOICE #3 Eclipse Vape H20

(Water pipe not included with vape.)

Made By: Herbal Innovations

Website: http://www.essentialvape.com/

Price: $90-$110

Warranty: Lifetime manufacturer's warranty restricted to normal use.

Manufacturing: Machined aluminum with boro-silicate glass vials, comes with carrying case.

Details: Can be used with essential oils, concentrates, or dry herbs. Can be attached to any glass on glass or standard water pipe. Comes with 2 vials.

How to use: Place essential oils or dry herbs in the glass vial. Screw glass vial into receptor. Connect the vaporizer to your water pipe. Hold a torch lighter under the glass vial (do not allow the flame to touch the glass) and inhale slowly through the waterpipe. Do not heat the vial for longer than 20 seconds at a time or vial could break. When vaping dry herbs, continually move lighter up and down along the vial or the herbs could ignite. Be careful not to touch the hot glass!

Pros: Portable, can be used with essential oils, runs through water, vials are relatively cheap to replace, aluminum body is very durable.

Cons: Glass components are fragile, must be used with a torch lighter, gets very hot & can burn fingers, must be allowed to cool before putting it back in its case, mainly intended for essential oils and concentrates, not ideal for dry herbs.

Eclipse Vape Pipe

Made By: Herbal Innovations

Website: http://www.essentialvape.com/

Price: $90-$110

Warranty: Lifetime manufacturer's warranty restricted to normal use.

Manufacturing: Machined aluminum with boro-silicate glass vials, comes with carrying case.

Details: Can be used with essential oils, concentrates, or dry herbs. Comes with 2 glass vials.

How to use: Place essential oils or dry herbs in the glass vial. Screw glass vial into receptor. Hold a torch lighter under the glass vial (do not allow the flame to touch the glass) and inhale slowly through the mouthpiece. Do not heat the vial for longer than 20 seconds at a time or vial could break. When vaping dry herbs, continually move lighter up and down along the vial or the herbs could ignite. Be careful not to touch the hot glass!

Pros: Portable, can be used with essential oils, vials are relatively cheap to replace, aluminum body is very durable.

Cons: Glass components are fragile, must be used with a torch lighter, gets very hot & can burn fingers, must be allowed to cool before putting it back in its case, mainly intended for essential oils and concentrates, not ideal for dry herbs.

Iolite 

Made By: Oglesby & Butler Ltd

Website: http://www.my-iolite.com/

Price: $250

Warranty: 2 Year limited manufacturer's warranty

Manufacturing: Lightweight plastic casing, butane powered

Details: Comes with carrying case, best results when used with high-quality butane.

How to Use: Remove bowl portion of vaporizer and fill with ground dried herbs. Do not pack tightly or overfill. Place bowl back in vaporizer. Turn the on/off switch to “1”, then slowly push the piezo button forward. You will hear gas filling the chamber. After a few moments you will see an orange glow, which will disappear once optimum temperature is reached. Allow at least 45 seconds for the Iolite to fully heat up. Inhale slowly from the mouthpiece.

Pros: Portable, small/lightweight, lots of colors, no electricity or batteries required

Cons: Butane powered (may not work well in high altitude areas or may give slight butane taste if not filled with high-quality butane), not as simple to use as some vaporizers.

Magic Flight Launch Box

Made By: BlissSville Inc.

Website: http://magic-flight.com/

Price: $140

Warranty: Lifetime functional warranty through the manufacturer

Manufacturing: Made of wood, acrylic, and metal, uses IR heating element

Details: Powered by a rechargeable batterie (2 batteries and charger are included), comes with carrying bag and aluminum case

How to Use: Sprinkle ground herbs loosely into the bowl. Do not touch or press on screen and do not pack herbs tightly. Do not overload. Close the lid and insert the battery as shown in the instructions. Apply firm pressure to the battery to activate the heating element. After 3-5 seconds you will see vapor form in the bowl chamber – at this point you may slowly inhale through the stem. Two-thirds of the way through your draw, release pressure on the battery. This will turn the heating element off and allow you to clear the chamber. Gently shaking the vaporizer side to side (keep it level) will redistribute your herbs and improve taste. Repeat these steps until your herbs are finished. Completely remove the battery before storing your Launch Box.

Pros: Energy efficient, simple to use, small and portable, handmade in the USA with organic, renewable Birch Hardwood, fast heat up time

Cons: Screen is delicate and not replaceable, cannot be used with resins or concentrates, cannot be cleaned with a liquid pipe cleaner, generally only produces a light vapor

Vapir One

Made By: Vapir

Website: http://www.vapir.com/

Price: $150

Warranty: 90 Day Manufacturer's Warranty

Manufacturing: plastic casing

Details: Electric, forced-air system, comes with 6 foot cord, 2 bowls and extra mouthpieces, both a hose and an inflation bag, has a digital temp readout

How to Use: Turn the product on and adjust fan speed and temperature. Remove the bowl from the vaporizer and load with ground herbs. Do not overload or pack tightly. Light will turn green when the device is fully heated. Insert the bowl. If using the bag, attach it, fill it, then turn the vape off and inhale from the bag. If using the hose, attach it and inhale as with any other vape.

Pros: Allows you to choose the hose or the bag system

Cons: a forced-air system through a hose can be wasteful, smoke can go stale in the bag if you don't use it within a few minutes, bag should be changed often to avoid bacteria buildup, you have to plug it in, must buy replacement bowls from the company, not the easiest to use

VaporGenie

Made By: VaporGenie

Website: http://www.vaporgenie.com/

Price: $60

Warranty: Lifetime manufacturer's warranty covering product defects and unreasonable failures

Manufacturing: Wood, metal, ceramic filter, plastic mouthpiece

Details: Flame-powered pipe-style vape

How to Use: Unscrew the top and load the bowl about ¾ of the way with loose, ground herbs. Do not overload the bowl. Screw the top back on. Ignite the lighter approximately a ½ inch above the opening of the top of the vape. When you slowly inhale, the tip of the flame will dip into the opening and heat the ceramic filter. You should move the lighter around during this process to evenly heat the filter. Do not allow the flame to touch the filter, as this will cause soot which will eventually clog the filter and create a bad taste. The temperature may be varied in two ways: the flame may be applied in pulses, or you can inhale more slowly (for hotter temps) or more quickly (for cooler temps). If you do not feel that you are getting any vapor, the temperature is probably too low. Try inhaling slower or using a larger flame. If you are getting actual smoke, the temperature is too high. Getting the right temperature takes a bit of practice, so be patient and pay attention to the flavor and sensations.

Pros: Small and portable, inexpensive

Cons: Can be difficult to get the hang of using it, herbs will burn if you do not use the vape properly, you need a lighter

Vapormatic Delux

Made By: Vapir

Website: http://www.vapir.com

Price: $300

Warranty: 90 Day manufacturer's warranty

Manufacturing: Metal, plastic, ceramic heating element

Details: Digital temp readout, electric – comes with 5 ft cord, hose or inflation bags, forced air system with variable speed fan

How to Use: Plug the vape in and turn it on to desired temperature. Remove the bowl, grind herbs and lightly pack them, and re-insert the bowl. Once the unit has reached the desired temperature, inhale through the hose or fill an inflation bag.

Pros: Unique appearance, can be used with hose or inflation bags, comes with 5 inflation bags

Cons: Expensive, replacement bowls must be obtained from the company, a forced-air system through a hose can be wasteful, smoke can go stale in the bag if you don't use it within a few minutes, bag should be changed often to avoid bacteria buildup, you have to plug it in

To Sum Things Up...

Vaporizers 102

Step by Step Directions For Vaping:

Vaporizers come in hundreds of shapes and sizes. The specific directions will be different for every model. These steps specifically describe the use of THeCan vapor system, but can be applied in a general sense to many vaporizers out there, and give you a basic idea of how vaporizers work.

• Step 1: Plug your power cord into the back of the vape and into the wall.

• Step 2: Turn the vape on using the knob on the front. You will want it on the 'high' setting, which is the first click you hear as you turn the knob clockwise.

• Step 3: Allow the vape to heat up on the high setting for 5-10 minutes. When it is sufficiently heated, you will be able to see the ceramic heating element glowing red (do not touch anything in this area, it will be hot!!). 

• Step 4: While you are waiting for the vape to heat up, prepare your herbs. First grind them in an herb grinder, then lay them on a flat surface. Using the hose like a vacuum, suck the herbs into the 'bowl' end of the hose (the end with the screen inside). You can tap the herbs down a bit with a finger, but do not pack them tightly – good air flow is important! 

• Step 5: Now that your herbs are packed in the bowl end of the hose and your vaporizer is thoroughly heated, slide the bowl end of the hose into the receptor portion of the vape. These pieces have a sandblasted finish for an air-tight seal. You can give them a very small, gentle twist to ensure a good connection. Insert the safety clip to prevent the bowl from being accidentally pulled out. 

• Step 6: Take long, slow draws through the mouthpiece. Inhalation pulls air over the heating element, and through the herbs in the bowl. The slower you inhale, the more vapors you will get. If you inhale too hard or fast, you may cool your heating element. If you hear a whistling noise coming from the vape, slow down.  

• Step 7: You may or may not see a vapor when you exhale. A lower heat setting will produce a lighter vapor, while a higher setting will produce a heavier one. 

• Step 8: When your herbs are spent, they will generally turn a light brownish color and give a taste similar to burned popcorn. At this point, you can dispose of them by gently tapping your bowl, or using a poker to gently scrape them out).

Vaporizers 101

What is a Vaporizer?

A vaporizer is any device which heats dried herbs to a temperature high enough to release active chemicals but does not burn the herbs. Since burning of the herbs does not occur, there is no smoke produced. Therefore, none of the harmful components of smoke such as tar, benzene, toluene, naftalene, nitric oxide, or carbon monoxide are present. 

History

Vaping has been used for the extraction and inhalation of aromatic vapors for centuries, but the method has been increasing greatly in popularity since the early 90's, when several companies began manufacturing commercial vaporizers.

What can be used in a vaporizer?

Vaporizers can be used with all sorts of legal herbs, including tobacco, damiana, wild dagga, lavender and blue lotus.

Types of Vaporizers

Vaporizers use one of two methods of heating plant material: convection or conduction. 

Convection occurs when hot air is forced through the herbs. Convection is usually achieved through the use of a hallogen bulb, ceramic heating element, or aluminum heating element. Heat guns were once popular also, but they have fallen out of use because they are made for industrial use rather than inhalation, and can impart chemicals from the plastics, rubbers and metals used in the gun. 

Conduction occurs when the herbs are placed on a heated metal plate. Conduction is rarely used in modern vapes because of the potential for scorching herbs.

There are 4 basic categories of convection vaporizers:

• Accessories to be used with a water pipe:
  There are many attachments made for water pipes which allow you to vape your herbs, and the vapor is then filtered through your water pipe.
• Portable Glass Vapes:
  These vapes are great in that they are portable, but require a torch lighter and are more fragile and harder to clean that other types of vapes.
• Portable Electric Vapes:
  These vapes require charging or batteries, or sometimes run on butane gas.
• Electric Vapes:
  Most vaporizers fall under this category. They must be plugged into the wall. Electric vapes can be forced air (to be used with a balloon, or hose) or inhalation powered (used with a hose).

Why Use A Vaporizer?

• To quit smoking cigarettes: It is easier to stop 'smoking' than to stop using tobacco all together. Vaping is a much healthier way to ingest nicotine as you wean yourself off of it.
• Efficiency: the high, uncontrolled combustion temperatures which occur while smoking destroy many of the active compounds in your herbs. This means you have to smoke more of your herbs to produce the same effects when compared with vaping.
• Health: Smoke irritates the mouth, throat, and lungs and contains many harmful components which can cause cancer and other diseases. Vaping eliminates these issues.
• Cleaning: Devices used to vape are much easier to clean than devices used to smoke. Smoking produces a lot of tar and resin which gunk up your pipe. Vaping is a much cleaner process.
• Smell: Vaping does not produce any smoke to smell up your house. It doesn't produce much of an odor at all! The whole process is much more discreet than smoking.

Vaporizing Tips

• You get what you pay for: While any vaping is healthier than smoking, a higher quality vape definitely gives you a higher quality vapor. Cheaper vapes can burn herbs, or not get hot enough to release all of the chemicals. High quality vapes have been shown to produce less harmful components and more of the desired active chemicals than cheaper vapes. Plus, spending more money on your vape should be considered a good investment - a higher quality vape will last a lot longer than a cheaper one!
• Grind, grind, grind!! Use an herb grinder to process your herbs before you vape them. This results in more surface area for the hot air to pass over, meaning more active chemicals in your vapor.
• Hose-style vape over balloon-style vape: If you use a balloon-style vape, the vapor must be inhaled relatively quickly, or the active chemicals will settle onto the plastic of the bag. There is also some concern of bacteria buildup within bags if they are not replaced often. With a hose system, you are always getting fresh vapor. Inhalation-powered hose systems are preferable over forced-air hose systems, as they are less wasteful.
• Holding the Vapor: Hold the vapor in your lungs for as long as is comfortable. The longer you can hold it, the more desirable compounds your will ingest.

Coming soon:

• Step by step directions on how to use a vaporizer
• Reviews of common vapes, including our top 3 choices.