Interested in vaping your weed? You should be. Not only is vaping weed way better for your lungs and overall healthier than smoking flower, but it’s way less inconspicuous when smoking in public. If you’re someone who likes taking your weed along with you and don’t want to be that obvious stoner when out in public, a vaporizer can become your new best friend. Much like many things marijuana-related, the vaping scene has literally exploded over the past few years. For people accustomed to smoking flower, vaping can take the experience of smoking weed to an entirely different level.

How Do Vaporizers Work?

Rather than burn the cannabis directly with a flame, vaporizers use one of two different types of heating methods that remove the active ingredients of weed (without burning them) and turns them into a vapor. Cannabis begins to vaporize at 285 degrees. It begins to combust at around 392 degrees and higher. The ideal temp for vaping weed is right around 340 degrees.

You can, however, adjust the heat of your vaporizer to experience different effects. Controlling the temperature allows you to control the number of cannabinoids and terpenes that are released.  The lower the temperature, the milder the effects you’ll feel. Turn up the temp on your vaporizer and you’ll feel stronger effects.

Conduction vaporizers

Conduction was the first method of heating to be used in vaporizer technology. This method places the flower material or extracts directly onto a surface that is heated up electronically (usually a hot plate or screen). It heats the surface to the desired temperature, then converts the cannabinoids and terpenes into vapor that is inhaled. This method can heat your cannabis more quickly but comes with an increased risk of combustion since the heat is in direct contact with the material.

Convection vaporizers

Convection heats cannabis indirectly with hot air. A screen or piece of gauze keeps the cannabis separate from the heating element. When the air heats up to the desired temp, it is then moved into the chamber that holds the cannabis through inhalation or an internal fan. Convection allows for more precise temperature control and a more even distribution of vaped cannabis.

Why Use a Vaporizer?

To vape or smoke your stash? Good question. If you’re a person who loves to smoke flower, vaping is kind of similar sort of and can open up a whole new world.

Taste

For one, there’s the taste. Vaped weed has an amazing flavor. It’s light and tastes much different than cannabis that’s been burned. This is because vaped cannabis is heated at a much lower temperature, preserving the terpene profile and offering a more flavorful hit of weed. While some people don’t like the taste of vaporized weed, there are countless who contend it offers a fuller taste profile. It all comes down to personal preference

Health

For another, there’s the whole health aspect. Combusting cannabis (putting a lighter to your bowl or joint and setting it on fire), releases toxins. Some of these (like carbon monoxide) are considered carcinogens and can be seriously damaging to your health.

Were you aware that burning marijuana has been known to create over 100 different toxins? A 2007 study found that vaporizers offered the same effects as smoking “but without the inhalation of the toxic products in smoke.”

While smoking weed every day isn’t nearly as bad as smoking cigarettes, smoking anything day in and day out is going to take a toll on your health. Vaping however, let’s you “smoke” weed without the production of harmful toxins because it’s heated at a much lower temperature.

What Type of Vaporizer is Right for You?

If you’re in the market for a vaporizer you’ve got a few different options to choose from. Vape pens are the most portable option, allowing you to vape on the go anywhere you please. Portable vaporizers are undoubtedly the most popular, with several options to fit your consumption needs. Some are designed to vape flower, while some are designed for the vaporization of cannabis oils.

As far as portable vapes go, we’re particularly fond of the Pax for its smooth hits and enhanced flavor. It also comes with a phone app that allows you to pinpoint your optimal smoking temperature. 

There are also larger vaporizers that are best used at home. There are typically two options for vapes used at home: bags or whips. Bags use a balloon-type bag that attaches to the heating chamber of the vaporizers. The bag fills up when heated and then the vapor is inhaled. A whip-type vaporizer has a tube that connects from the heating element to a mouthpiece where vapor is inhaled once heated.

When it comes to home vaporizers, the Volcano is hands down one of the most popular options available. Consistently rated across the board as one of the best desktop vaporizers available, the Volcano is easy to use, heats up in about 3 minutes, and one of the most efficient available on the market.

Using a Vaporizer

If you’ve never used a vaporizer before, you’re likely to love it once you try it. Not only are they easy to use but are easier on the lungs and offer a smooth smoking experience. Working to heat up your weed without burning it, vaping is an awesome way to get your weed on.

You can control the temperature which lets you control your high which isn’t only super cool but allows you to hit that sweet spot without overdoing it. Learning to use a vaporizer is easy and offers an awesome alternative to packing a bowl, rolling a joint, or hitting the bong…especially when you’re puffing in public.