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Vaping is not a new term. It has been around for almost two decades now. Since its invention in 2003, by Chinese smoker and pharmacist Hon Lik, the popularity of e-cigarettes and vaping is on the rise.
However, if you are new to vaping, this is probably the most relevant and detailed piece of information that you’ll find across the internet.
What is Vaping?
Vaping is the phenomenon of inhaling vapors from an electronic device. These vapors are produced by heating volatile sources such as concentrates and dry herbs.
Vaping devices are popularly known as vaporizers. These instruments consist of a power source, a heating element, and a mouthpiece.
- A power source is meant to supply the electrical energy for heating the contents.
- The heating element generates heat until the set temperature is reached for the extraction of vapors.
- Finally, the mouthpiece is used to inhale the vapors. It is often known as atomizer also.
Now that you are aware of what vaping is and the basics, it is necessary to learn what types of vaporizers are available.
Different Types of Vaporizers Available
Since the introduction of vaping as a concept, several producers have developed and marketed their versions of these devices. It is noteworthy that all of these devices are similar in their basic construction. The differences lie in their size and portability. Considering this difference, these instruments can be sorted into two types.
- Portable Type
These are the most common types of vaporizers, usually of the size of a pen. Since they are minuscule, they offer extreme portability. Portable vaporizers are usually powered by a battery source.
- Desktop Type
The other types of vaporizers are desktop ones. These devices are usually large and bulky and powered by an AC power source. Therefore, they do not offer any portability to the user.
Since, we are more concerned about dry herb vaping, the type of technology used in making these devices play an important role.
What are the Technologies Used?
Vaporizers come with a variety of technology upgrades. These include temperature settings, assisted air draw, pass-by usage, etc. But, most of all, these instruments largely differ in two technologies.
- Heating Technologies
Regardless of the type of vaporizer, three types of heating technologies are used prominently. These are convection, conduction, and radiation. As the name suggests, convection technology makes use of a carrier medium to transfer the heat to the contents. Similarly, conduction and radiation technologies make use of direct contact and IR radiations, respectively, to heat the contents. According to this article, Intro To Vaping, convection technology is best suited for vaping dry herbs. Whereas, the other two are more suitable for waxes and concentrates. This is mainly because it works like a convection oven. Therefore, there are minimal chances of burning high-quality herbs. When you are a beginner, the taste is all that matters and a convection-based instrument offers the same.
- Delivery Technologies
The second difference common to all vaporizers lies in the type of vapor delivery technology. Most of the handheld vaporizers offer a direct draw. On the other hand, desktop vaporizers make use of balloon type or aided draw technologies, prominently. But, with the advancement in technologies, some portable vaporizers are also offering an aided draw.
By now, all your ifs and buts must have been resolved. Or are they? You may still be seeking which vaporizer you should buy. Since the market is full of options, it can be a bit complex at times. But, we have taken care of that too.
How to Choose the Right Vaporizer
Here’s a guide to help you choose just the fitting vaporizer for vaping your favorite strains.
- Decide What You Want
The very first step that you must consider is to decide what type of vaporizer you want. Is it a portable pen-sized vaporizer or a desktop one?
- Check for Compatibility
Once you have decided what type of vaporizer you want, the next thing is to look for the ones that are compatible with dry herbs. Certainly, not all vaporizers are meant for vaping dry herbs.
- Look for Additional Features
By now, you must have a list of available options that meet your needs. The next thing you should do is, look for the desired features. For example, you can look for an available temperature range, the type of delivery system, if your device has an LED/LCD display feature, and so on.
- Keep a Check on Your Budget
While you are exploring your options, the available features can easily be overwhelming. But you need to make sure that you keep a check on your budget. After all, it’s your first vaping set, and you wouldn’t want to burn a hole in your pocket. But, at the same time, make sure that you’re not too stringent on your budget, as you may miss out on a better deal.
In the end, it all comes down to what you desire out of your vaping set. As a beginner, your first experience can be a decisive step, and you need to be careful when picking up your first set. If possible, you can explore some online resources as well to help you decide.