Portable & Desktop Vaporizers - Who made the list?

In the past year we have seen the demand in the legal cannabis market continues to increases and customers are becoming more aware of the benefits of dry herb vaporizers instead of combusting their herb in paper or via water device. As with any industry the end users of the different cannabis products are becoming more sophisticated and vaporizer manufactures have been able to create a lot of great devices that fit the needs of many different lifestyles and preferences.

Most people are aware of the two main chemicals in cannabis (THC & CBD), but what many other are not aware of are the different kinds of terpenes found in cannabis.

Terpenes are a large and diverse class of organic compounds produced by a variety of plants. Cannabis in particular has 5 that are most common.

Myrcene, Pinene, Limonene, Linalool, and Beta-Caryophyllene. While we are not going to get into the details of each one, in a nutshell they represent different flavours and effects in the cannabis.

For example Linalool, a common terpene found in lavender, may be associated with relaxation. Just like anything else terpenes have boiling points.  Staying with Linalool, it has a boiling point of 176° C.  Meaning if you light it on fire you will not get any of the effects, benefits, and taste of the Linalool.  

Imagine you just spent over $50 on 3.5 grams of cannabis because you want to experience Gabriola (Frost Monster) by Broken Coast and you just burnt past the BEST terpene profile because you exceeded it's boiling point.

This is where the dry herb vaporizer comes in. Apart from extracting up to 98% of the active chemicals like THC from the herb as opposed to paper, which only gets about 10-15%, with precise temperature control you can take advantage of the effects and benefits of the terpenes in your herb making your sessions last longer and be more in depth.

In order to give our customers as much guidance as possible and remove much of the confusion around dry herb vaporizers we at Budders have come up with a list of the best devices in a variety of categories.

Keep in mind there are no bad devices on this list.  We don’t support devices that we do not believe in.  It's our opinion that all these cannabis vapes are awesome to own.  

We will briefly highlight where they differ in capabilities and functions, making it easier for you to find out which one is more suitable for your individual needs. This list focuses on vaping dry herb but all most all of the vaporizers on this list can be used with dry herb or concentrates.  Some devices occupy more than one spot on our list. Enjoy!

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• Best Portable Dry Herb Vaporizer: Mighty Vaporizer 
• Best Desktop Dry Herb Vaporizer: Volcano Hybrid
• Best Portable Vaporizer for Flavour: Arizer Solo 2, Arizer Air 2, Arizer ArGO
• Best Budget Desktop Vaporizer: Arizer Extreme Q
• Most Compact Portable Vaporizer: DaVinci MIQRO
• Longest Battery Life in a Portable Vaporizer: Mighty Vaporizer
• Least amount of maintenance for a dry herb vaporizer: Arizer Extreme Q, Arizer Solo 2, Arizer Air 2, Arizer ArGO
• Most Features and Functions: DaVinci IQ2
• Best Concentrate & Wax Vaporizer: Dr. Dabber Switch
• Best NEW Portable Vaporizer: Crafty +(plus) by Storz & Bickel
• Best Entry Level Vaporizer: Arizer Solo
• Best Vaporizer for under $100: XVAPE Starry 3.0

 

Best Portable Dry Herb Vaporizer: Mighty Vaporizer by Storz and Bickel

Storz & Bickel continues to impress with their well-made and durable devices. And the Mighty dry herb vaporizer is no different. Made in Germany and using a patented hybrid heating system and double battery the Mighty consistently produces dense clouds of vapour. The cooling unit ensures a smooth draw and no draw resistance, allowing the user to take as much vapour as they can handle. With exact temperature control and a digital screen the Mighty is a fantastic portable dry herb vaporizer. The Mighty can be used with weed or shatter.  The vaporizer is very easy to use, it's super easy to clean and maintain and it has a lot of functionality.  

The accessories really make the Mighty even more fun to use.  Many of us choose to use the dosage capsules or filling-aid to make things go smoother.  The Mighty does take 60 seconds to heat-up, but the vapour produced on your very first few hits is the most tasty and perfect thing you can do with your day.  I often use other vaporizers but I always crave for the Storz and Bickel quality and simplicity after.  If you buy the Mighty, I cannot see you needing to use another vaporizer again.  Unless, you are a collector.  It really does not get better than this in our opinion.  If you want the best portable vaporizer, you have to check out this vaporizer. 

Are you considering the Crafty Plus or the Mighty Vaporizer?  Check out the Budders Cannabis Youtube video on Crafty Plus vs Mighty

Best Desktop Dry Herb Vaporizer: Volcano Hybrid

This category again is held by Storz & Bickel. This is of no surprise since the Volcano Hybrid desktop vaporizer is a titan. Most people are familiar with the original Volcano which continues to be an amazing and durable device, but the Volcano Hybrid is the newest and best device in the Storz & Bickel desktop line up.  Using a digital screen for exact temperature control, a powerful fan, and the benefits of a whip or balloon, the Volcano Hybrid is the ultimate desktop vaporizer on the market today. The only criticism being price. Apart from previous statements about price it should also be noted that Volcano Hybrids are built to last just like the original Volcano, many of which are still going strong after 20 years of continues use.   The Hybrid is designed to be used with cannabis or shatter, making it that much more fun!  

We reached new peaks in our own cannabis experiences after using the hybrid desktop.  It's next level.  If you feel like you've hit a plateau, you need to try the whip + fan combo.  Every single hit is as reliable as the last, providing amazing flavour and packs a punch with the vapour density.   The Extreme Q does have a whip + fan option, but it does not even compare to what the Hybrid is hitting you with.  The extra spend can be justified on that one feature alone in my books.  I really didn't realize how much draw resistance the Extreme Q had, until I experienced the open air-flow in the Hybrid.  That's also a complete game changer for me right there.  

The Hybrid's heat-up time is insane.  You can literally be using this thing within a minute.  Drawing on a smooth and tasty vapour.  Many of us loved passing around the bags with the original Volcano vaporizers and now you can do that with the Hybrid whip.  You can pass the whip around effortlessly, without worrying about it getting tangled up.   The Hybrid is also super fun if you are trying to geek out and explore the workflows.  We are releasing a Hybrid review soon and it will detail all the best practices and our favourite workflows with our Hybrid desktop vaporizer. 

Best Portable Vaporizer for Flavour: Arizer Solo 2, Arizer Air 2, Arizer ArGO

Arizer, which is a Canadian company has been making some of the best dry herb vaporizes for many years. The Solo 2, Air 2, and ArGo produces tasty and consistent vapour. This is achieved by use of the hybrid heating system and glass mouthpieces.   The glass allows the vapour to be cooled on its way up and gives the user a great flavour experience. These devices are all very well made and durable.

All Arizer vaporizer products have digital screens, precise temperature control  and come equipped with removable batteries. The main difference between the three vapes is going to be portability and battery size.

The Solo 2 has the largest battery out of the three, and the ArGo is the most portable. The main criticism here is also one of their strengths, the glass mouth piece being glass is obviously breakable hence customer should consider buying extra mouthpieces to have just in case.

Arizer is a great budget friendly option to it's competitor Storz and Bickel.  Their vaporizers produce amazing flavour and are effortless to maintain.  The Arizer vapes will be popular with cannabis users who are looking for a smooth draw, functionality, durability and ease of use.  If you are seeking a vaporizer that has a slow draw and a cooled delivery, look no further.

Please check out our Youtube Channel for the Arizer Product Review Videos

Best Desktop Vaporizer for Flavour: Arizer Extreme Q

 

Staying with Arizer for flavour, the Extreme Q is considered to be one of the best if not the best desktop vaporizer available. Even though it is significantly less expensive then the Volcano Hybrid it narrowly misses the top spot. Where it has no competition is the flavour. Like its smaller siblings the Extreme Q uses a glass cyclone bowl to allow hot air to pass threw the herb, giving you dense and tasty vapour. The vapour then continues threw glass connections to reach a balloon or wipe. A Digital screen and remote control allow the user to precisely control the temperature and a variety of settings. Making the Extreme Q a perfect personal or party device wrapped up in a very cost effective package.

The Arizer Extreme Q is great for anyone in Canada who is looking to stay home and vape.  It's particularly useful if you don't want to be bothered with having a portable vaporizer that requires a charge from the battery.  The Extreme Q vaporizer is functional and long lasting simply from plugging into an electrical outlet.  This constant source of energy is what allows the Extreme Q to deliver consistent tasting vapour.  It's very smooth coming in and Arizer products are built with draw-resistance.  Meaning, you will not be overwhelmed with the sensation of vapour coming into your lungs.  It's a slower and longer draw that usually takes about 10-15 seconds to " cook up. " 

The flavour in the Extreme Q stays consistent when using the bags or whip.  Though the whip + fan combo is not as intense as the Volcano Hybrid, it's still an amazing experience.  

Be sure to check out the Arizer Extreme Q Review on Youtube!

Most Compact & Portable Vaporizer : DaVinci MIQRO

 

The DaVinci MIQRO takes the most compact portable title due to its very small size, but apart from its small stature it is a very capable device. Made from very high grade materials like ceramic zirconia, it putts a lot of technology in a small package. Exact temperature control, Smart Path technology, and removable/replaceable batteries make it the perfect device for the person on the go, who wants a good looking, discreet, and capable device.

The MIQRO vaporizer uses convection heating and has a adjustable “Pearl” to allow the user to control the amount of herb in the oven. The Davinci MIQRO vaporizer producers some of the most tasty vapour you can find out there.

The Davinci MIQRO vaporizer is great for a first time cannabis user.  The Smart Paths are pre-set temperature ranges that take away any worries on, " How do I use a vaporizer."  Each smart path is designed for a particular desired mood and you can find more information on how to use smart paths and understand how terpenes impact your high here. 

The main criticism is the vapour can be denser and that the battery life only lasts about 3 bowls.  Keep in mind it is not designed for long and extended sessions, meant to be used for personal sessions. If you want to have longer sessions, you can get a extra battery or consider upgrading to another davinci vaporizer product. 

It's big brothers the DaVinci IQ and DaVinci IQ2 are slightly larger versions with even more built in features and cool technology, along with larger batteries for extended use.

Longest Battery Life in a Portable Vaporizer: Mighty Vaporizer 

This is the second spot held by the Mighty from Storz and Bickel. One of the reasons it hold the best portable dry herb vaporizer spot is the battery. The Mighty takes advantage of two large lithium ion batteries.   Although they are not replaceable the batteries give the Mighty 90 minutes of continues use, can charge quickly, and can even be used while charging. One thing that is not mentioned very often about the Mighty is that even when the battery is very low the heat up times do not change while in other devices the heat up time becomes longer as the battery life goes down.

Battery life in a vaporizer will be important if you get annoyed with constantly having to charge your device to use cannabis or if you are constantly on the go.  You should ask yourself if you will be vaping at home or away mostly.  Vaporizer battery life is important and you should really consider this in your purchase decision.  Some products only last a few bowls and this can be very irritating if you are constantly consuming throughout the day.  I personally love the long battery life because I can take it on hikes, bike rides and share it with a group of friends.  All without worrying about the device dying on me.   

Least amount of maintenance for a dry herb vaporizer: Arizer Extreme Q, Arizer Solo 2, Arizer Air 2, Arizer ArGO

As with everything else in life, dry herb vaporizers have to be cleaned and maintained. Some people have no problem with this and clean their devices thoroughly and regularly. Others will try to avoid it as much as possible, for those people the Arizer dry herb vaporizes are for you. The glass connections and mouthpieces can be submerged in Isopropyl alcohol and rinsed in hot water. And that is it, no scrubbing and brushing, no pipe cleaners, nothing. In fact because most customers have additional mouthpieces for their devices, they can continue to use the vaporizer while the other mouthpiece is in the alcohol. This is as maintenance free as you can get.  

It's important to remember that all the best cannabis vaporizer brands cost some money.  You want to ask yourself how you are going to protect and maintain that investment.  If you know you aren't the type of person that wants to get their hands dirty and continually go through cleaning vaporizer parts, get an Arizer vaporizer.

Read our Complete Arizer ArGO Vaporizer Review

Vaporizer with the Most Features and Functions: DaVinci IQ2

As with its smaller sibling the DaVinci IQ2 has a lot of technology put into a compact functional device. The list of features and capabilities are long but a few items of note. Made from Ceramic Zirconia, removable/replaceable batteries, exact temperature control, smart path technology, a flavour chamber allowing the user to change the flavour of their herb, and a new feature being the draw resistance control dial. These are just some of the main features, the device has much more and produces tasty dense vapour suitable for both experienced and novice users alike.

The Ceramic Zirconia flavour chamber allows the cannabis to cool on it's way to you but it also provides a great functionality for odourless vaporizing.  The Flavour Chamber can be filled with lavender, mint, etc to help mask the smell of cannabis.  Considering most people are currently in isolation and some of them aren't allowed to consume cannabis indoors.... this can be a great option for them.  We aren't suggesting you illegally vape indoors by the way.  We are just advising that the IQ2 can mask the smell of cannabis and that we haven't seen another vaporizer be able to do that.

The Davinci IQ2 Vaporizer is also dual use, meaning it can handle cannabis and shatter.  That's a BIG feature and can also save you money if you are considering getting a vape pen just for shatter.  The IQ2 is now toe to toe with Storz and Bickel with it's dosage pod.  You can now pre-load your sessions and take them on the go with you.  All you have to do is pop a dosage capsule into an oven, hit the on button 5 times and within a minute, you are having a good time.

The IQ2 also has very little draw resistance and this is huge for me.  I like open airflow vaporizers because they give you more of a smack in the face, quickly.  I don't really enjoy drawing for 10-15 seconds when I know I can get that same hit, in less time.  Shoutout to Davinci for bringing in the rotating air dial so that I can adjust my airflow preferences.  

Best Concentrate & Wax Vaporizer: Dr. Dabber Switch 

The Dr. Dabber Switch is advertised as a portable vaporizer it can be used with dry herb or concentrates. While this may be the case because of its large size it is more like a desktop vaporizer and is more suitable for concentrates than dry herb. It has a massive battery, allowing the user to not charge the device for weeks. A glass mouthpiece and bubbler give out tasty dense vapour that the most experienced user will be impressed by. Has exact temperature control and a variety of settings and functions, can even be used like a lava lamp.

Using the SWITCH for shatter is truly mind blowing.  Ask anyone who transitioned from using a dab rig and they'll tell you their lives have changed for the better.  It takes away so many annoying things that you previously would have to do.  For instance, butane torches.. GONE.  You don't have to put butane into your lungs, wait 1 minute to heat it up and then put a timer on for 30 second cool down, just to hit your dab. The technology in the SWITCH is insane.  You can program this vaporizer to do so many things, it's mind-blowing.  Any temperature and workflow can be mapped with the device.  You can hit every terpene profile and experience every flavour with the SWITCH.  Dabs are expensive, so you may as well use precise temperature control to hit the correct boiling points, instead of guessing with butane and a timer.

Hate cleaning your dab rigs? No problem.  The Dr Dabber SWITCH cleans itself.  Hit a button and the unit is burning off all the gunk.  All you have to do is clean the bubbler.   It's good to note that many people do use the SWITCH as a portable vape pen.  It's not that big and can be moved around very easily.

If you haven't tried vaping shatter and wax with the SWITCH, do yourself a favour and do it ASAP.  It's easy, tasty and as good as it gets.

Be sure to check out our Youtube Channel for the DR. Dabber SWITCH Review by Austen Alexander 

Best NEW Portable Vaporizer: Crafty +(plus) by Storz & Bickel

As we have come to expect from Storz & Bickel, this manufacturer holds multiple spots on our list. The Crafty +(plus) is a fantastic new addition to the Storz & Bickel line-up. With an enhanced motherboard, longer battery life and a slew of new features the Crafty +(plus) is the best new dry herb vaporizer on the market today. Like the Mighty the Crafty +(plus) uses a hybrid heating system, can be used for dry herb and concentrates, and produces dense consistent vapour with no draw resistance.   All in all the Crafty +(plus) is a capable and easy to maintain device.

You should get the Crafty Plus vaporizer instead of the Mighty if you don't mind the shorter battery life and smaller size.  I would even go as far as saying that the Crafty plus hits just as well as the Mighty.  The only real difference I see between the two is the extended battery.  So, if you aren't super big on having the longest battery life, get Crafty plus vape.

Precise temperature control is available on the web app if you really need it.  You should ask yourself if you plan on constantly changing and regulating the temperature on your vaporizer.  If that isn't fundamentally important to you, the Crafty plus is a great choice.  Storz and Bickel has 3 pre-set temperatures and if you want to make your own, just use the web app.  

I love the palm size feel and amazing draws that the Crafty+ delivers, hit after hit. It's s consistent and I really appreciate a vaporizer that can enhance the flavour of my cannabis.  It's amazing when you get the same vapour density and terpene profile throughout the session.  Other brands, like PAX, loose the flavour after the first 2-4 hits.  I'm not a fan of that and that is why I love Storz and Bickel products. 

Read the Complete Crafty Plus Review

Best Entry Level Dry Herb Vaporizer: Arizer Solo

This category is for those still on the fence about buying a dry herb vaporizer. For many selecting a dry herb vaporizer is intimidating, so many choices and many are not cheap. So to gain some experience and not break the bank we suggest the original Solo by Arizer. This device is very easy to use, reliable, maintenance free and wont break the bank at less than $150. Giving the less experienced person a great device, producing great vapour. There are obviously more capable devices that have been mentioned above and to be honest many of those devices are better in different ways but the Solo gives new users a great experience, until they are ready to upgrade. For those who want to jump a few steps we suggest looking at one of the other devices mentioned in our list to see what best suites your lifestyle and needs

 

Best Dry Herb Vaporizer for under $100: XVAPE STARRY 3.0

This category is very closely related to the previous one, but for some customers price is the most important factor. For those people we suggest the Xvape Starry 3.0 - This dry herb vaporizer has a large oven, some temperature control settings, in a compact design. It is a fairly capable device at very low price of just under $100. There are cheaper devices but if you go much lower the quality and capabilities will be lost. The XVAPE STARRY 3.0 can be a good entry-level device but if price is not the primary factor we suggest spending a bit more and getting a more capable and reliable device. 

The Starry 3.0 features haptic feedback, precise temperature control, an industrial strength magnetic mouth piece, and removable battery, all wrapped up in a sleek black, anodized aluminum shell.  Similar units from other manufacturers cost $200 or more! The XVAPE Starry 3.0 offers all of the features at half the cost.