Once you read this article, expect to write a short-list of items that could fit your needs. Picking just one could be difficult, but I recommend leaving out pen vapes. They aren’t terrible, but when you pay $40, only expect $40-worth of service. Pen vapes are nice starter models; they would suit someone who merely wants to try this form of alternative nicotine delivery before committing to the method or even giving up cigarettes altogether.
Right away, several items are off of your list. Here is another way to filter choices: create a budget for yourself. It isn’t necessary to pay $400 for a quality machine. Then again, a $100 item might not have what you want. Unless money is no object, prepare to make some compromises.
As you get carried away picking out devices that are good-looking and in your price range, don’t forget that they usually vaporize only certain materials. That is, a number of units were made for dry herbs only. Read these details before selecting a mod. Most vape stores give you filters which include the material or materials you want to vape. If it’s a priority that devices can be used with multiple materials, that changes criteria too.
Convection isn’t usually possible in a portable device. Most units utilize conduction heating. There is limited space inside a compact unit made to be taken to work or on a hike. When a device is bulky but still portable, there is hope of convection heating. This is more efficient while, with conduction, there is the risk of combustion.
Digital controls make life easier too; you can be far more precise about temperature setting and see more details about the way your mod is operating. Some units display your actual temperature, the setting you chose, plus battery power. Many portables come with pre-set temps or they only reach one temperature, but they usually do this within 90 seconds or even just a few seconds.
All of the best units feature a rechargeable battery except one which employs butane as a source of fuel. Generally, people seem to feel safer with batteries. It’s still important to treat batteries with tremendous care. Keep ventilation holes open, so they can let out heat. Recharge batteries regularly. Keep them in a cool, dry, shaded place and don’t over-use a machine. Give it time to cool down, so batteries pose no threat from overheating.
Top portable vaporizers offer either replaceable or built-in cells, but power is long-lasting. A unit will work, when fully charged, for at least 2 hours continuously. Some of them can operate for up to 4 hours. A large chamber limits how much emptying and filling you have to do.
Great models are easy to clean and to fill. You can see the inside rather than fishing around for left-overs using special tools. When you maintain a machine, you can see that the vapor pathway and chamber are made from ideal materials like ceramics and glass. Plastic is not desirable as it leaves a strange flavor behind.
Top Models of Portable Vaporizers
The Davinci Ascent has been a long-standing favorite with vapers who like concentrates and herbs. The pivoting bottom chamber allows you to get right inside and clean properly. Vapor follows a glass pathway. A digital display shows your precise settings and the battery’s charge level. A big bonus in the case of this perennial favorite is that there are several choices of pattern and color which enable one to personalize the Ascent. It would be a stunning gift.
Storz & Bickel’s Mighty portable mod uses vibration and a display screen to tell consumers when their mod is up to the right temperature for vaping. This is probably the most expensive vaporizer you can buy for mobile use, but the built-in battery is long lasting. Ventilation is good. A swiveling straw is tilted to a natural angle. The unit is made for durability: drop it and don’t worry about scratching any fancy paintwork. Though bigger and heavier than most, the Mighty also features convection heating.
An Arizer Solo handheld vaporizer supplies seven heat settings in a light, compact format. The cost is under $200 — affordable for a unit of this quality. Heat herbs with a ceramic element but inhale through a glass mouthpiece. It’s possible to continue using the Solo while it charges.
The PUFFIT, also for herbs but concentrates as well, resembles a standard inhaler. This discrete shape is also fitting in that it is perhaps the only handheld mod to offer a small amount of assisted vapor delivery for people with lung problems such as asthma. It’s very small with a removable cell.