One of the concerns about the speed at which legalization efforts have ramped up in the US, with nearly 1/5 of the States (also nearly 20% of the total US population) now having access to legal weed, is that we may be vulnerable to a public health concern similar to the decades that it took to uncover the ill-effects of tobacco consumption.
In many of the studies done thus far, it seems like the health benefits of cannabis and related products have the potential to do more good than harm, though we require much more study before drawing a conclusion.
As tobacco sales continue to recede, the rise of affordable weed vaporizers has given consumers another cannabis consumption method, this time touting scientifically backed study showing vaporizers remove much of the known carcinogens present when you combust and inhale plant matter.
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Types of Vaporizer
Complementing the rise of the concentrates industry, vaporizers are likely to continue to expand as a category. Though the technology may end up becoming cheaper as this continues, for now, let’s just define what current functions an affordable weed vaporizer may include:
Conduction or convection?
Vaporizers work in one of two ways: through convection — to pass heat through oxygen gas in the air to vaporize or through conduction — to pass thermal energy via direct contact between a heated element and a substance. Both principles of vaporization can apply to weed vaporizers currently available, through convection is typically far less portable than a conduction based methods. As a result, convection vaporizers are typically a bit more expensive.
Temp control or no temp control?
While affordable is subjective, temperature control is more of a personal preference. Though it seems logical considering cannabis is well-known for being smoked, studies have revealed that the effects of cannabis are potentiated by heat and oxygen.
Furthering this idea, we have been able to study the boiling point of individual cannabinoids, exacting a precise range of temperature at which the most of your cannabinoids and terpenes will be vaporized, giving you both a cleaner consumption experience and maximizing effect. While some allow you to control the temperature, though budget options often require the user to just make an educated guess, but, again, affordable vaporizers for weed are a matter of personal circumstance and are subjective.
At home or on the go?
Knowing where you are going to be doing your smoking, even if on day by day basis, can significantly impact what weed vaporizer choice is best for you.
Convection, by virtue of having to push warm air through your cannabis, requires a chamber, a fan, and a heating element that can warm the air to nearly 400 degrees Fahrenheit. With this in mind, convection vaporizers — such as the Volcano — often lack the portability (or discreteness) of their conduction-based brother.
Since conduction just requires heat be transferred directly to a substance, companies have popped up that utilizing a replaceable coil heating element, which you toss your flower or concentrate upon, not only making weed vaporizers more affordable but also vastly enhancing discretion — while maximizing the effect.
Low-Cost vaporizers:
Weed vaporizers do not need to be expensive to work great. Check out these few that come in under $50 dollars:
The O2Vape Slim Pack: Designed for simplicity, this buttonless conduction weed vaporizer is both affordable and effective. Each cartridge fill lasts between 300-400 puffs and the battery can last several days, depending on use frequency.
The Hookahzzz EVOD starter pack 900: Priced at $24.96, this starter comes with a 800 puff refillable cartridge and a 900 maH battery. It has five voltage settings, and is made specifically for oils.
Mid-range vaporizers:
Dryonic Fresh Herb Vape Pen by O2Vape: Where most pens do not accommodate anything but oil or wax products, this pen utilizes conduction to heat a chamber that you fill with freshly grown cannabis. Coming in at $79, it’s a perfect way to get all the cannabinoids without burning the buds.
Hookahzzz Wax Vape Pen: Priced at $119, this conduction pen has three temperature settings, a 10 second auto-shutoff, a titanium coil, and a polished look and sturdy feel.
High-end vaporizers:
The Dabsolute Pen: Boasting a price tag of $150 dollars, this stainless steel vape pen is solid in every way from function to feel. The battery allows you to adjust the wattage at will, in turn with the best temperature for flavor and effect.
The Firefly 2.0: At a price of $329.95, the Firefly utilizes convection to pull warmed air through the plant material (or concentrate) and into your lungs As I mentioned, convection is expensive.
Costs and Comparisons:
As you can see, the fluctuations in price vary greatly company to company. These variations in price, however, do not communicate an inferior product. The first low cost option, for instance, cost double the second and does not allow you to adjust wattage on the battery. Affordable weed vaporizers shift with the ebb and flow of one’s own income, and that is likely part of the reason that the prices vary so greatly. You may always get yourself a dab rig, as dabbing is a form of conduction vaporization. They also vary in price and are less portable than many of the vape pens available on the market currently.
