Vaporizers are nothing new and have been around in their current iteration for the better part of a decade. However, while the general idea hasn’t changed significantly, the rapid rise in popularity has brought with it a vast swathe of options to choose from, each with different uses, applications, and designs (not to mention customizability).
All this has led to a somewhat confusing landscape making it daunting for newcomers to dip their toes into the world. This post will explore the various types of vapes on the market and finish with a few pointers regarding selecting the best one for your circumstances.
Types Of Vaporizers
As alluded to in the introduction, there are numerous styles of vape, each with its own pros and cons depending on your use case and experience, etc. In most cases, you can break them down into three categories regarding how they heat the product, then into further subcategories concerning how they are used.
Moreover, they come in an enormous range of qualities and costs, and as you can see from the mighty vaporizer, the quality, and controllability can be immense if you are willing to Immerse yourself in the culture. Let’s take a closer look at the types of heating you can choose from.
Conduction Hearting
The heating elements will work in much the same way as they do in cooking and kitchenware. When it comes to conduction heating, this essentially means that the product you place in the chamber (e.g., an oil or herb, etc.) will be in direct contact with the heating element.
The advantage of this type of heating is that it can get to temperature rapidly. The downside is that you risk damaging the product through overheating. Nevertheless, these devices remain prevalent among the vaping community because of their customizability and reparability (they usually heat up an easily replaceable coil)
Convection Heating
Similar to how your oven heats the food you place inside it, a convection vaporizer will use hot air to heat the substance, which is typically placed in a chamber above the heating element. This is not quite as popular as other types because it can be tricky to create a constant temperature and tends to consume more energy and, thus, more battery.
Induction Heating
Induction heating is used on more sophisticated and usually larger models. These are typically regarded as stationary vaporizers because they lack the portability of the previous two. Nonetheless, induction offers the most power-efficient way of heating a substance and also provides a highly controllable way to set and manage the temperature. However, with these advantages comes attached a pretty hefty price tag, making it suitable for more experienced vapers than those who are completely green.
Factors To Consider When Choosing A Vaporizer
Now you have a cursory understanding of how these devices work, you may be curious about the things to look for if you are interested in participating. For most newbies, the decision will likely come down to price, but you need to realize that price alone does not a good decision to make, and there are various other factors to consider.
Portability
Unless you have your heart set on a desktop, induction-powered model, you should take into account how you intend to use it. For most folks, portability will be a critical factor because they want to take their vaping habit on the road and not be confined to one location.
This is particularly true of those who plan on vaping marijuana, as these devices are particularly good regarding discretion and the ability to allow you a quick hit without the usual paraphernalia that accompanies rolling and smoking a joint. Consequently, look for one you feel comfortable with and can slip easily into a pocket or bag, ready for use when the urge strikes.
Battery Life
If portability is your defining consideration, then battery life should also factor into your choice. Having a highly portable device is useless, only to find its battery depleted after a few puffs. Moreover, you need to take into account tt the smaller your device, the lower the battery capacity will inevitably be.
This might not matter to some folks, but if you are an avid smoker and you won’t be near places to charge it up, you should opt for a larger model with a higher-capacity battery. One more thing to keep in mind is whether or not your selected vape has a fast charge ability. While this isn’t as common as it perhaps should be, some higher-end models include this feature, making it ar more convenient when on the road.
Temperature Control
As you read earlier in the section about heating elements, each vape uses a technique to get up to temperature. However, the most crucial factor is not how it heats your substance; the primary thing that matters is how much control you have over the heating process.
Different compounds require different temperatures to get the most out of them,m, so having the ability to control this feature granularly will significantly enhance your smoking experience. Furthermore, look for models that include automatic shut-offs so you don’t burn your smokables or damage your vape.
Price
Now you come to the factor that is arguably on most people’s minds…the cost! While this should play a factor in your decision, you shouldn’t let it take precedence over any other factors. Always remember the cheapest devices tend to be cheap for a reason, most likely because they are made using inferior materials, have a minimal feature set, and/ or lack longevity that pricier options will have.
Nevertheless, you must also be aware that massively expensive options aren’t always the best option either. You can spend thousands on the highest-range models, but unless you’re an avid smoker or connoisseur, you will find them overkill. Or most people, the ideal range for a high-quality vape made with the best materials and has decent functionality will range from $100-$600, with most being able to find something fantastic around the $300 mark.
Vaporizers are more than mere devices that you drop in some oil and press the on button. Nowadays, they are sophisticated devices that allow people to enjoy a range of smokables, whether in liquid or solid form.
