Cannabis is awesome. Now, that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. We aren’t zealots who accost you at parties and argue that “you just haven’t had the right strain” when you tell us you aren’t into weed. But, if you enjoy using it, we think you will agree that good weed can absolutely be awesome (even if they banned it at Coachella).
What is not awesome is smoking, which is why alternative methods of using cannabis — like vaping — have grown so popular. A vaporizer simply heats your flower or concentrate, and all the active ingredients are released into the air in a fine mist. No combustion means no smoke, which is good because there are over 100 toxins and compounds in cannabis smoke.
The only trouble? Figuring out what kind of vaporizer to buy can be tricky because they are often quite expensive, so you can’t afford a do-over. That’s why we gathered up ten portable vaporizers and got to work — the work of getting flipping high. It’s a rough job, but we really want to support you. To make things fair, we used the same flower and concentrates for every trial. Lovena Green Farms is a great grower out of Oregon and we loved testing with their Blueberry Blast, to maximize our chances of finding a vape that carries good flavor. For our concentrates, we stuck with a Gorilla Glue strain from Cannabis NW. If you have access to these options, they make a great tasting vape experience.
What follows is our power ranking. You will notice some herb only vaporizers, some concentrate only ones, and some hybrids. We got a varied group together. Check it out and let us know in the comments what your fave portable vape products are.
Exxus GO
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfhR2BzH2os/?tagged=exxus
This concentrate vaporizer is marketed as something to take with you (thus the name GO), but the construction of it makes that seem fairly impossible, because of the quartz glass mouthpiece and the rounded bottom of the base. You literally need the charging stand to keep it upright when you aren’t using it, and the glass is bound to shatter. Hell, even in reviewing it there was glass breakage that required purchasing a new mouthpiece. Maybe if you are gentle and have a deft touch, you can wrestle it without dire consequences, but mishaps are probable. So, popping it in a pocket or throwing it in a backpack seems unrealistic.
This is a real basic vaporizer with a power button alone. There are no other heating options. It’s hot or not. That is a little irritating, but the heat is designed to be ideal for waxy concentrate and for the longevity of the coil, so it’s not egregious. The real issue is that the vapor isn’t yum. It’s pretty harsh at the chosen temperature for casual users and there is a chemical taste to it. If you need things smooth, this isn’t for you. You can get some big ass clouds off of it, but they come at a price.
Vie
This is the affordable option on the list, and often that translates to limited functionality and a general subpar feeling. In this case, the materials that make up the unit do feel cheap, but the vapor doesn’t taste like it is pulling any flavors off of the plastic parts of the unit like many other vaporizers available at a low price point.
The big innovation with the Vie is the use of cartridges, which you pre-pack and drop into a chamber (though you can just drop in a screen and pack it if you are morally opposed to innovations, you damn luddite). Though the weed burns evenly in the cartridge, packing them is a pain and you have to do it ahead of time because once you get super high, fiddling with all of it sucks. Speaking of fiddling, you have to click and reheat the unit way too often. It would be nice if it held the temperature longer, so you could have a solid, long session.
Prohibited in the 5th Degree
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bf6jJjoDHHG/?taken-by=prohibitedvapor
This is a two-in-one vaporizer that handles both flower and concentrates, but unlike others that simply use metal pads on which to place the concentrate, Prohibited offers two magnetic cartridges (one for herb and one for concentrate) that completely change the function of the vaporizer. The concentrate cartridge is freaking rad. It is dual-quartz and titanium and it is the first of this kind. It means that the concentrates are always heated to the right temperature and you get thick clouds of delicious vapor almost instantly. And, the chamber is really big, so you can add a lot of concentrates. The same is true of the herb cartridge, which holds a couple of bowls.
Overall, this is a solid all-rounder. It draws just fine. The flavor of the herb is good. They are really big on branding themselves as a cool kid vaporizer and that sets up some amazing expectations. But, in the end, it’s just a serviceable machine. Perhaps, the only real drawback is that the instructions that come with the vaporizer aren’t super user-friendly. But, a quick YouTube search easily brings up people who walk you through all of it. And you’re high in no time.
Dr. Dabber Aurora
https://www.instagram.com/p/BaZrQwFH0ZD/?taken-by=drdabberlife
This vape pen is designed to be used with solid concentrates and waxes and what makes it special is primarily its abundance of magnets. It has three primary components and they each attach to one another with magnets. Plus, when you put the pen in the charging dock, it also is attached magnetically. It’s magnet madness. For people who like to check the coil after they hit it, not having to unscrew parts is a huge boon. You just pop that shit apart.
Another plus is the inclusion of three of the most popular and best-performing atomizer options on the market. Every one of them is lined with quartz and they all hold a little less than half a gram. But, don’t pack them full to the brim. You run the risk of splatter and clogging. Each of the atomizers is suited to different consistencies, so you know that you are getting the best possible heating for the viscosity of your concentrate. And, when it comes to heat, Dr. Dabber is all about using less heat to maximize flavor. You really do taste the concentrate so much more, so be sure you are using something tasty because getting more flavor with an unappealing strain is no good.
Be prepared to take long draws, you have to keep inhaling for about ten seconds to get a satisfying hit.
Vapium Summit
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFR67kzuoBx/?tagged=vapium
This is the outdoorsperson’s vaporizer, at least that’s the intention. Advertised as the weather-friendly vaporizer, the Summit is made from high-strength/high-temperature polycarbonate and the grip is thermoplastic polyurethane. So, not only is it going to be great in extreme temperatures, you can drop it and be pretty certain no damage will be done. Like… you shouldn’t throw it off a ski lift, but if you did, it would probably be fine.
This is a nifty little vaporizer with a good draw; it’s pretty free-flowing and doesn’t require you to use milkshake-drinking levels of suction. It has eight temperature settings, which give you a moderate amount of control. And, the vapor stays pretty smooth until the last couple of pulls at higher heats. You also get a decent amount of visible vapor which is fun to blow at the ceiling in a long exhalation like a soon to be killed teen in an 80s slasher film.
You get 90 seconds before auto shut-off kicks in and that isn’t a lot of time, so be prepared to take it off stand-by a fair number of times if you are really getting couch locked.
Davinci IQ
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgHhPqXhYwq/?taken-by=davincivaporizer
This small, sophisticated vaporizer is a treat. For one thing, the build is exceptional. The exterior is brushed aluminum. The chamber is ceramic. And, there are zirconia components, which have superior thermal conduction properties. The chamber actually has a zirconia sphere that tamps down your herb, but it also keeps heat distribution even. This makes for absolutely gorgeous tasting vapor and visible clouds of it. There is also a zirconia flavor chamber that you can pack with fresh weed and the heated herb passes through the fresh stuff, which remains unheated, flavoring it more heavily. The fresh herb is essentially in storage at that point, so it can go in the heating chamber when you need it.
Though this vaporizer feels perfect in your hand (you will forget about it at some point and look down to realize you are still clutching it), the flat mouthpiece is a little awkward to use. You have to kind of kiss this flat metal and it gets hot. When it comes to temperature, you have a few options. There is a smart path that gradually increases the temperature as you use the vaporizer, or you can go with precision mode and set the exact temperature you want. There is also a stealth mode that lowers the lights on the IQ to make it less obvious when you hit it in the dark.
The issue with this is that you really have to know all the button combos by heart when you are trying to make things happen in the dark. So, be careful.
Grenco G Pen Elite
Looking for an easy portable vaporizer? Meet one of the easiest. And, the ease in no way compromises functionality. It literally has two parts: a mouthpiece and the body. You remove the mouthpiece to pack a huge oven (the chamber is huge; digging out the used cannabis can be hard because you have to really get in there), and it’s good to go. It has an angled silicone mouthpiece that’s really comfortable to draw from. The body has a single power button and two buttons for selecting the precise preferred temperature. This would be the vape you would give as a gift to people who struggle with tech. Literally anyone can figure it out.
It heats up like a dream. Give it about 30 seconds and you’re good to go. You will wanna play at the temperature until you find the balance of good clouds and good taste. Changing things as you go is easy peasy, and you will see a difference with even a 10-degree shift. Pulling in the vapor is above average in ease, too. In under five seconds, you can get a good volume of vapor.
Dipstick Vapes Dipper
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgNClnVBDQ5/?taken-by=dipstickvapes
If you’ve tried concentrates in the past and found that they tasted chemical-y or strange, this is the vaporizer capable of showing you how amazing concentrates can be. This multipurpose dab pen and straw vaporizer work specifically on wax concentrates. It uses a quartz crystal atomizer that extends like a straw from the vaporizer. You simply press it against the wax and inhale. It may be the fastest dabbing pen on the market. The best part is that the concentrates taste pure and clean. There is no other mechanical taste layered over them like you get with other concentrate vaporizers.
On one hand, this is a great portable vaporizer to toss in a backpack and take with you, but warning: it’s not discreet. If you, say, showed up for a date early and busted it out in your car to calm your nerves, people walking by would see you amongst a cloud of vapor sucking on the sizable metal apparatus. So, if you wanna get a quick hit in a public place, this is gonna get you looks.
The only other possible drawback is that the atomizer can get clogged and you will have to replace it at some point as they wear out. The good news? Tips are only $14.99 for a pair.
Firefly 2
If aesthetics are a concern, this is the most beautiful vaporizer on the list. It’s a convection vape made for herb, but you have the option of using it with concentrates as well, with the implementation of small metal discs in the bowl. This isn’t a vaporizer you are gonna want to bust out to play puff, puff, pass with others because it holds a tiny, tiny amount. Think maybe .15 g at the most. If you invite the party, you are gonna be repacking that mofo as much as vaping out of it. But, it will make the best of what you put in it because it heats on demand, or manually, only heating when your thumb and forefinger are pressed to sensors.
Here is the only genuine issue with this unit: there’s a learning curve. It is not a super free flowing draw. Nope. You must take long slow draws. If you don’t inhale slowly for ten seconds, it feels like you are working your ass off for very little return. And, if you grind the bud down too much, it can clog the screen in the mouthpiece and further disrupt use. But, once you get the hang of the long draw, you are in for a treat. The vapor is smooth and tasty, but it ’s also really potent because the convection extracts everything. A lightweight won’t need to go back many times to get buzzed.
Cloudious9 Hydrology9
Is this a portable vaporizer? Technically. Will you be carting it around? Probably not. But you will want to because it is wonderful fun and efficient, well-designed, and exceptionally functional. When it comes to herb vaporizers, the Hydrology9 is pushing boundaries. Firstly, it uses a hydraulic system, so you get nice, satisfying vapor that is full-bodied and completely cool when you draw. It gives some of the sensations of using a bong, so it might be a good choice for people who like a bubbly sounding draw. Plus, the chamber that holds your flower has a patented stirring mechanism. There is a hook that sits in the chamber and, as you vape, you can twist the hook to redistribute the cannabis. You aren’t going to feel like anything is going to waste.
When it comes to the draw, the Hydrology has two intake vents for air and you can totally adjust the draw preference for yourself. The flow of the vapor through the water filtration seriously provides the cleanest, smoothest hit. But, you do sacrifice flavor. Things are a bit muted, which can be a boon to skunkier, oiler tasting strains. But it’s a bit of a bummer when you have a good Tangie and you really want to enjoy it. The fun really sets in when you activate the vaporizer’s party mode which creates a light cycle of different colors. When you are stoned, it’s a joy and completely unique.
