Vape Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Cannabis Vaporizer

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While stoners used to enjoy cannabis exclusively in joints, blunts, edibles, or bowls, many have put those down and picked up vapes instead. They’ve done it for good reasons, too!

But, which vaporizer to buy?

We’ll go over each type of vaporizer you may encounter, and detail their benefits relative to one another.

Why Vape Cannabis?

Why, exactly, should you vape cannabis as opposed to enjoying it in other ways? Ultimately, it comes down to control, comfort, and convenience.

Which Vaporizer to Buy?

There are several different ways you can distinguish between options.

Getting to the core of how these devices work, vapes heat cannabis through one of three mechanisms: conduction, convection, or a hybrid of both. Conduction and convection heating systems have benefits and drawbacks relative to one another, and exploring them will help us start off our review.

• Conduction

If you see someone walking around with a portable vape that isn’t very fancy or expensive-looking, there’s a good chance it heats via conduction.

How Does It Work?

The process of conduction involves heating cannabis via direct contact with a heating element, also known as a coil (an object powered with electricity to emit heat). This process results in the cannabis heating up quickly. It also allows for hotter hits and potentially larger clouds, which often results in a more intense psychotropic sensation.

However, this process will often result in your herb or concentrate being heated unevenly; the closer to the coils, the toastier your weed will get.

That being said, considering how convenient they are in every other regard, their relatively low price point, and the fact that you can control the temperature on nicer ones to avoid burning, conduction vapes are far from a bad option.

Vape Options

You have a lot of options to choose from when looking at conduction vapes, and they're available in an equally wide price and quality range.

Flowermate Aura

If you want the versatility to vape flowers, oils, and waxes, the Flowermate Aura is a super-portable pen vaporizer that can do all three. It offers top-of-the-line features rarely seen in other budget pen vapes. These include a temperature range of 40–230°C, which you can dial in down to the degree. It's incredibly compact—only 15cm in length—and heats up in less than one minute. Made from medical-grade materials with a digital display, the Aura is an affordable option with high-end accoutrements.

Pax 3 Special RQS Edition

On the more premium end, the Pax 3 Special RQS Edition is one of the most intuitive conduction vapes on the market. It warms up in a flash and is specially designed to ensure even distribution of heat. It also boasts a suite of features that can be accessed through a companion app. You can pick the exact temperature you want to vape at, make it shine in different colours with the light settings, and save your exact preferences in the app’s memory!

DaVinci IQC

The DaVinci IQC is a high-tech vape and power bank all in one. It comes in a range of colours to suit any style, and fits snugly in the palm of your hand. Further customise your experience with precision heating: choose any temperature up to 221°C. The IQC works with dry flowers or a pod full of your favourite concentrates. The alumina ceramic conduction oven reaches temp within 30 seconds and can hold up to 0.5 grams of herb. Equipped with removable, rechargeable batteries and built from high-quality materials, this vape is a nice upgrade over entry-level models.

• Convection

This feature tends to be a bit more expensive, but you’ll find that convection heating offers benefits that are worth the extra money.

How Does It Work?

As an alternative to direct heating, convection systems heat cannabis via air that passes through and over it. This, as opposed to a conduction system, warms up your weed indirectly, allowing for cooler vapor that doesn't hit your lungs as harshly. As a result of that heating process, however, you also have to wait a bit longer for your vape to be ready for action.

On the flip side, thanks to the lack of direct contact with the heating element, any cannabis you put in a convection vape will heat evenly. That means there’s no need to shift the weed around after you start vaping, and you don’t have to worry about anything getting burnt up in the process.

Vape Options

So, what vapes out there utilise convection heating?

Volcano Hybrid

Most portable vapes actually utilise convection in addition to a fast-acting conduction system. That being said, there are some vapes that purely utilise convection. They take some time to get started, but they provide the cleanest vapor of any vape you’ll find. Chief amongst them, the Volcano Hybrid is one of the most powerful and reliable desktop vapes out there. You can set the temperature from 40–230ºC (104–446ºF), it plugs into the wall, and you can fill the 6.5cm³ chamber to keep the good times rolling as long as you want.

• Hybrid

If you have a hard time deciding between conduction and convection vapes, you’ll be happy to discover that many utilise both for an optimised experience.

How Does It Work?

Thankfully, they work in tandem quite easily, and many argue that they fit together like puzzle pieces.

Usually, the conduction aspect of the system will serve to jump-start the process, while the convection heater will help maintain the temperature throughout your session. This combined effort allows for quick activation and smooth, sustained, and rich vapor.

Vape Options

While you may have trouble finding these outside of specialty stores, Royal Queen Seeds has a sizable variety of hybrid vapes in stock.

G Pen Elite 2

If you want a dry herb vape that combines portability with a sizeable oven capacity, check out the G Pen Elite 2. This handheld model operates using a patent-pending hybrid heating system. You can pack up to 0.5g of herb into its spacious chamber, and it heats up in just 30–40 seconds. The G Pen Elite 2 comes with custom temperature control, allowing the user to target any temp within a range of 93–220°C.

AirVape XS Go

Looking at the more affordable end of our selection, the AirVape XS Go offers plenty of capability in a portable, pen-like package. You can pick from one of five preset temperatures ranging from 180–215ºC, and it’ll heat up in less than 20 seconds thanks to its hybrid system and high-power battery. It also only takes 45 minutes to fully charge, so you can get up and go quicker than ever.

MIGHTY

Going up a couple tiers, the reputable Storz & Bickel, creators of the famous Volcano vape series, have their MIGHTY handheld vape to offer. It boasts dual battery power and full temperature control, and you can monitor both the temperature and power level with its LED display. The chamber fits 0.3 grams of herb or concentrate, and the efficient heating mechanism will ensure your vape lasts as long as possible.

Dynamic Heating

Dynamic heating is a recent innovation in the vape world. Specifically, the Firefly 2+ uses a form of dynamic convection. That means it heats up for every puff you take—and it heats up fast.

How Does It Work?

Dynamic heating is a type of convection; it heats your herb without making direct contact with a heating element, using airflow. What makes dynamic heating different is that it heats up and cools down super fast with each puff. Rather than needing to heat up your vape for a whole session, you can hit your dynamic vape on demand.

Vape Options

So far, the Firefly 2+ is at the vanguard of dynamic heating, but we expect more products to come out as this cutting-edge heating method grows in popularity.

• Firefly 2

When we said fast, we meant fast. The Firefly 2+ only takes 3 seconds to heat up! It's the only vaporizer that heats dynamically across a vast temperature range of 93–260°C. Control the temp manually or via the app to unlock a full spectrum of cannabinoids and terpenes. The Firefly 2+ works with dry herb and concentrates. It's a high-tech masterpiece, built from innovative, quality materials. The convection chamber is made from borosilicate glass, while the internal body is made from crystal. Luxury, in the palm of your hand.

Some vapes can go anywhere with you, but feature some power and space limitations in turn. Desktop vapes, on the other hand, have to stay near a power source, but offer more power and a longer-lasting session.

• Portable

Need a quick hit while you’re out running errands? Just trying to have a low-key session at home? A portable vape can help you get buzzed without stinking up the area around you.

Pen Vape

Along with being convenient in design, pen vapes tend to be very affordable as well. Make no mistake, though; if you want a premium pen, there are many to choose from.

DynaVap VapCap M

If you’re not impressed by high-tech bells and whistles, and don’t feel like worrying about battery life when you’re trying to get high, the DynaVap VapCap M was made for you. Rather than hitting a button, you’ll need a butane torch to get this vape started. Instead of lighting the weed directly, however, you’ll apply your torch to a surface that heats it in a separate chamber. Its design also allows hot air to pass over the weed, offering the smooth vapor that comes from convection heating.

DynaVap B

DynaVap's entry-level dry herb pen vape proves that you don't have to sacrifice quality in the name of simplicity. It boasts a sleek, straightforward design built from high-quality materials, including a food-grade silicone stem and stainless steel tip. Fill the cap with your herb of choice and heat with a lighter. It's as easy as that. Once you hear a click, it's ready for a hit. Use the condenser to adjust the airflow and vapor density. Then, discreetly pop it in your pocket when you're done. Simply, chef's kiss.

• Arizer Air Max

If you want something portable that can also hook up to a rig, meet the Arizer Air Max. This discreet dry herb pen vape does it all. It's truly a work of art, built from top-quality materials with a hybrid heating system and a frosted aroma adaptor that lets you hook up the Air Max to your favourite glass rig. With a heating time of 60–90 seconds, custom temp settings between 50 and 220°C, fast USB-C charging, and a long-lasting battery, the Arizer Air Max offers full customisation and control over your vaping experience.

Handheld

The term “handheld”, in this context, refers to vapes that fill the palm of your hand. They’re a bit bulkier than pens, but many of them offer more power, a higher capacity, and more features in turn. They can still travel with you pretty much anywhere, and they’ll support a full session when you arrive at your destination.

CRAFTY

Along with offering full temperature control, its hefty steel and aluminum build ensures it’ll endure plenty of active sessions. It also features a cooling unit that vapor passes through before you inhale, making every hit smooth no matter how high you turn up the heat. See, it might be a bit extra to carry around, but it’s not wasted space in your pocket.

• G Pen Elite

The G Pen Elite is the perfect example of why you might opt for a slightly larger handheld model over a pen vaporizer. This dry herb convection vape boasts the largest fully ceramic heating chamber currently on the market—it holds an ample 0.75g of flower. With that capacity and variable temperature settings between 93 and 220ºC, you'll be well on your way to chilled-out bliss after just a single session. At the same time, with dimensions of 114 × 31 × 26mm, this vape will still fit comfortably into the palm of your hand.

• Arizer Solo 2

The Arizer Solo 2 is a dry herb handheld vaporizer that pairs power with portability. It reaches temp in under 30 seconds, thanks to its patented conduction/convection hybrid ceramic heating element. With an intuitive three-button interface, digital screen, and sturdy build, this vape is comfortable to hold and to use. It also offers an impressive battery life of 3 hours! Add to that a sweeping temperature range of 50–220°C, and the Arizer Solo 2 gives you everything you need in the palm of your hand.

• Boundless CFC 2.0

The Boundless CFC 2.0 is a sleek yet sturdy conduction vape that’s perfect for dry herb. Its streamlined form fits discreetly in your pocket, purse, or the palm of your hand. With a textured silicone grip, you can take this vape on the go without fear of accidentally dropping it. The Boundless CFC 2.0's long-lasting battery provides around 10 sessions per charge. It heats up to 200°C in 25 seconds, and 230°C in just 45 seconds. Access a broad temperature range of 60°C to 230°C using the digital interface.

• Desktop

For those times when you want to keep the session going in your domain, a desktop vape will suit you perfectly.

Now, when you’re looking at these online or in stores, you’ll see varieties where you inhale via either a tube or a balloon. There are also hybrid options that allow you to switch between the two for different situations.

Tube

A tube system works pretty much how you’d expect it. Simply enough, a plastic tube is plugged into the vape and allows you to directly inhale vapor from a distance.

Balloon

On the other end of desktop devices, you’ll find some options that fill a balloon up with vapor so you can remove it and inhale the contents. It can fit quite a few hits inside, so you can pass it around easily and take it around your house. When it’s empty, though, you’ll have to plug the balloon back into the machine to fill it back up.

Hybrid

Both delivery methods have their advantages and disadvantages, so you might feel conflicted about having to choose between them.

Volcano Hybrid

Thankfully, devices like the Volcano Hybrid from Storz & Bickel are designed to allow for both types of vapor delivery. Simply switch out the respective parts on the top, and you’ll be ready for whatever type of hangout you’re planning.

Lastly, you can distinguish between vaporizers depending on what form of cannabis you’re trying to vape.

• Dry Herb

The idea of vaping cannabis is often associated with concentrates, but there are all sorts of vapes on the market that are exclusively designed to heat ground-up flower.

What makes it different from lighting up regularly, though? Well, the lower (but still sufficiently high) temperature will fully decarboxylate the weed without burning it.

AirVape XS Go

Dry herb vapes come in all shapes, sizes, and price ranges. If you want a simple, effective pen for instance, the AirVape XS Go will set you right for €59.

Arizer Air 2

The Arizer Air 2 is another excellent pen if you’re willing to put a bit more cash down, as it’s able to stay alive for longer and fit more cannabis in its chamber.

CRAFTY

Out of all exclusively dry herb vapes, though, Storz & Bickel’s CRAFTY remains unmatched. It’s one of the more premium options out there, with a €269 price tag, but it has the power to back up the asking price, along with features like a vapor cooling chamber, full-range temperature control, and a solid steel and aluminum build.

• Concentrates

When you see most people carrying around a basic vape, there’s a good chance it’s meant to heat concentrates.

You can also find some nicer desktop vape setups designed to heat concentrates. However, as we’re about to dive into a bit more, those vapes are usually hybrid devices that can work with dry herb as well.

• Hybrid

Thanks to switchable parts, you can vape flower, wax, or oil, depending on what you’ve got and what you feel like.

Flowermate Aura & Boundless CF

There are some excellent portable hybrid options in the Flowermate Aura and the Boundless CF for €69 and €99, respectively.

• DynaVap VapCap M

If you'd rather not worry about finicky technology or battery life, the DynaVap VapCap M is the vape for you. Heat it up in just 10 seconds using a good, old-fashioned butane torch. This vape is great for dry herb and concentrates (with the addition of an adaptor). It's a perfect combo of simplicity and versatility that never goes out of style.

• XMAX V2 Pro Vaporizer

The XMAX V2 Pro is another hybrid vaporizer that foregrounds simplicity without sacrificing quality. Built with a nickel exterior and ceramic heating chamber, it's durable yet easy on the budget. Choose between vaping dry herb (0.3g capacity) or concentrates (via the included concentrate cup), and five temperature settings between 180 and 220°C. With an exchangeable battery and long battery life lasting 45–60 minutes on a single charge, this vape adapts to any situation.

Pax 3 Special RQS Edition & DaVinci IQ2

If you’re willing to spend a bit more money, however, you can get yourself some of the most celebrated pens in the industry, including the Pax 3 Special RQS Edition (which also features a special Royal Queen Seeds design and a variety of colours) and the DaVinci IQ2. Both options offer full control over your vaping experience, silky smooth hits, and durable designs that ensure you won’t have to replace them for a long while.

Volcano Hybrid

The Volcano Hybrid is also a hybrid vape, so you can fuel your at-home vape sessions with whichever form of weed you feel like.

Another factor to consider when choosing a vape is the speed at which it can get you that first hit. We're talking about heat-up time.

Rapid-heating technology is fast advancing in the world of vapes. Pen-style vaporizers generally heat up the fastest, with optimal temps reached in just a few seconds. Larger handheld units tend to take slightly longer (around 30 seconds to 1 minute) but boast an increased capacity that will give you more out of a single session.

Heat-up time can also vary according to the type of heating used. Manual vapes that use a torch tend to heat up rapidly. Conduction coils often heat more quickly, while convection is more efficient at extracting active substances from the material. Many vapes are hybrid, harnessing the best of both worlds. And, of course, there's dynamic heating—a new type of system that heats up super rapidly with each puff.

• Firefly 2+ Vaporizer

The Firefly 2+ Vaporizer takes only 3 seconds to heat up. It's the only vape on the market that heats dynamically across a range of temperatures (93–260°C). The Firefly 2+'s one-of-a-kind dynamic heating system uses a combo of convection and conduction to heat with each puff, rather than for a whole session. It has an oven capacity of 0.15g and works with both dry herbs and concentrates. Perfect for taking a quick and discreet hit on the go.

• DynaVap B

The DynaVap B is a hybrid manual pen vape that heats up in just 10 seconds using a torch. With a chamber that can hold 0.1g of dry herbs, it's easy to take with you in a pocket or purse. Sleek, discreet, and speedy, the DynaVap B is built from premium-grade materials. And, you'll never have to worry about charging, because it doesn't have a battery.

• XMAX V2 Pro Vaporizer

The XMAX V2 Pro holds 0.3g of dry herb in its chamber. You can also use this vape with concentrates—it comes with an included concentrates cup for exactly that purpose. It uses hybrid heating and reaches temp in just 15–20 seconds. With the V2 Pro, XMAX has focused on quality, simplicity, and a long battery life. It's a perfect budget option if you don't need any fancy LED screens or apps but still want an elegant, efficient, and portable vaping experience.

• DaVinci IQC

The DaVinci IQC takes a little more time to heat up than the vapes we've discussed so far, but it still clocks in at a speedy 30 seconds or less. Plus, you get a ton of other features. This conduction vape is fully customisable—choose from any temp up to 221°C. The chamber holds a respectable 0.5g of herb, and it works with concentrates as well. With graded heating controlled by a user-friendly app, you can choose both your optimal temp and the speed at which it gets there.

• G Pen Elite

If you want a dry herb vape that's portable but lets you enjoy a heavier session, go for the G Pen Elite. It features an innovative 360° heating element and a large ceramic chamber that holds up to 0.75g. The G Pen Elite heats up in just 30 seconds, with the option to target different terpenes and cannabinoids by toggling temps between 93 and 220°C. With its huge loading capacity and rapid heating system, you'll go from zero to euphoria in no time.

• Arizer Air MAX

We finish with a beautifully designed vape that uses a hybrid heating system to heat up in 60 seconds. What really makes the Arizer Air MAX stand out is its versatility. Choose your ideal temp down to the degree (between 50 and 220°C). This vape also works as both an on-the-go handheld model, or at home connected to a glass rig. 

Vape Buying Guide: Which Vape Is Right for You?

With every card on the table, do you have a better idea of which vaporizer to buy? You might need some more time to think about it, and that’s totally okay! It can be a significant investment, depending on what you’re looking at, and it’s worth thinking more to make sure you welcome the right one into your life.

Regardless of which one you choose, we hope this vape buying guide helps you on your journey!