Things to consider when purchasing your first vaporizer

Things to consider when purchasing your first vaporizer, in what I consider to be order of importance.

Price
How much does price drive your choice? You can get a very good vaporizer for as little as $150, or you can spend upwards of $700 if price is of no concern. Just remember, more expensive does not equal better in the vaporizer world.

Delivery system
In what social settings will you vaporize the most? If you're a big party user, then consider a bag delivery system (Ion, Extreme, Volcano, Herbalaire, Vapormatic, etc.). All of these units also have an option to use the whip, except the Volcano (we're still waiting for the whip attachment on the Ion).

Efficiency
Do you have tons of herb and just want the biggest hits attainable, or are you more concerned about making your herb last, or are you somewhere in between?

Manufacturer
Make sure to buy something from a reputable manufacturer (the straightest answers on the web to this question are right here on fuckcombustion.com). Don't buy something because it's cheap when you don't know where it came from. Chances are it's from China, where it has been confirmed that some vapes are made with lead paint in the vapor path, and/or reliability is poor.

Stealth
How discreet do you need to be? Some vaporizers are easy to put away in a closet. Others stay out in the open and look like a potpourri warmer, etc. Some scream of paraphernalia.

Learning curve
Do you want something easy to use (usually means less temperature and delivery options, but not always), or are you comfortable with a steeper learning curve? Bag delivery is simple and easy. Thicker hits are available with direct draw.

Temperature control
Do you want a digital control with the temp readout, an analog control with just a dial, or no control using a unit that is preset at the factory? Any vaporizer worth its salt will produce vapor regardless of the temperature control feature, but more control can be good if you will be vaporizing different types of herbs or for different effects.

I suggest you sit down and answer these questions yourself before buying anything. Start with price, because if it's out of your price range, none of the other variables matter.

Once you have answered the above questions, it's time to start reading about different vaporizers on this forum. Don't jump to a thread and post your questions without first reading the thread or at least using the search function to find answers. Most of your questions have already been answered in these threads. If you can't find the answer to your question, go to the 'Ask FC' forum and post it up there. Most of the members here want to help you, but don't want to clutter up model specific threads with repeated questions.

Here are my opinions on the units I own to give you an idea of how to think about a vaporizer when purchasing it:

Note: The following list is outdated with some of the models no longer in production. The point that there is no one size fits all solution remains as true as ever.

Purple Days

• Pros: Great company, great price, unbeatable efficiency, very stealthy.
• Cons: Not the best party vaporizer, but it can be done.
• Neutral: It has no temperature control, which I personally think is a good thing. The lack of a temperature control makes the learning curve easier, but makes it less adaptable for other herbs.

Ion

• Pros: Easy to use, quick heat up time, great temperature accuracy and a good bag valve enclosure.
• Cons: Still no whip available for dual use, big and conspicuous.

Extreme

• Pros: Has a whip and bag delivery system, great customer service, very versatile with tons of bells and whistles like a remote, moderately efficient.
• Cons: Is not the best on the market for either whip or bag delivery, but is great at doing both.

Silver Surfer

• Pros: Cool design, good price, some of the thickest hits you can get, customizable.
• Cons: Low stealth

LaunchBox

• Pros: Cool design, good price, extremely portable and stealthy, lifetime warranty.
• Cons: Rechargeable batteries can be an encumbrance for heavy users.

VaporGenie

• Pros: Good company that will send free replacement screens and mouthpieces, truly portable and does not need electricity, great price, moderately efficient.
• Cons: Can use up a lot of butane, can burn your herb, semi-steep learning curve.

Iolite

• Pros: Easy to use, portable and stealthy.
• Cons: Expensive, company is still working out reliability issues.

This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of good vaporizers or their features. I own all of these vaporizers, so the points made here are from my experience. This list was done to give you an idea of how to best think as a newbie to vaporizing. Good luck, and remember to post a review of whatever you buy, especially if we don't already have one on the site for the model you chose!

(Last edited on 2010-09-25)