Cannabis Vaporization: Your Guide to Better Flavor, Less Smoke, and More Control
Curious about how weed vaporizers work…and whether or not they’re worth the hype?
Whether you love cannabis for its euphoric effects or you’re looking to manage chronic symptoms and conditions, there’s plenty of reasons to try vaporizing cannabis, a unique consumption method that many believe provides better flavor, a cleaner experience, and less telltale smoke than combusting it.
If you’re interested in understanding how cannabis vaporization works, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll share everything we know about the THC vaporizer, including potential health benefits and the major product types you’re likely to encounter out in the world.
What Is a Cannabis Vaporizer?
At first glance, using a weed vaporizer looks similar to smoking it through a pipe or joint. But there’s one key difference: Instead of burning cannabis flower, which introduces potentially irritating smoke into your airway and lungs, in vaporization, weed (or a cannabis extract or oil) is heated to the point at which its volatile cannabinoids and terpenes are released as a cool mist. The result? Vaporizing THC is a relatively gentle and—in many consumers’ opinion—highly refined experience.
While the cannabis vaporizers of today are sleek, high-tech pieces of technology, the concept actually dates back thousands of years. In ancient Egypt, various mixtures of herbs and oils were heated over hot stones to create aromatic vapors. And as early as the first centuries AD, smokers in North Africa were using the shisha, a pipe which draws tobacco or cannabis smoke through water to create a vape-like effect.
Types of Weed Vaporizers: Flower Vapes vs. Concentrate Vapes
While there are many types and styles of cannabis vaporizers, the major division is between those devices designed to work with cannabis concentrates and extracts, and those that use ground cannabis flower. Here’s a rundown of each one’s features and attributes.
Concentrate Vaporizers (510 Pens, Dab Pens & Dab Rigs)
Most of the cannabis vaporizers you’re likely to encounter are designed to work with cannabis concentrates. Concentrates and extracts, of course, are the large family of highly potent products that are known by many names including wax, budder, batter, and live resin. Because they deliver such a high dose of THC and flavor, they’re a great match with the naturally cooling mist produced by vaporizers. Here are the major subtypes.
510 Pens: You’ve probably seen these sleek pen-style vapes, known as “510 vapes” for the style of threaded cartridge they use. Portable, discreet, and rechargeable, most are designed to work with cannabis distillate, a consistent, economical, and highly purified format of THC and/or CBD. While they require little upkeep, the 510 weed pen style is vulnerable to clogs. But don’t fret: In just a moment, we’ll share some tips for keeping them working their best!
Dab Pens: Also known as “wax pens,” these specialized devices—while superficially similar to 510-style pens—are designed to work with solid cannabis concentrates such as wax. While they require more upkeep in terms of cleaning and care, many people regard these devices as an upgrade from the more common vape pen, delivering more potent, full-spectrum effects and a more pronounced flavor.
Dab Rig: Designed to work specifically with cannabis concentrates, this specialized device is a bit reminiscent of a high-tech water pipe or bong. Whether they’re heated electrically or require the use of a hand-held butane torch, dab rigs are definitely a step up both in terms of the powerful experience they deliver—and the cleaning, care, and know-how they require to use safely and effectively. But thanks to their versatility and power, dab rigs are considered the ultimate tool for vaporizing cannabis.
Flower Vaporizers: Desktop & Handheld Devices
If you’re considering the purchase of a vaporizer, weed units or flower vaporizers are among the most-loved out there. Why? These specialized cannabis vaporizers work with ground cannabis flower to deliver a uniquely natural-tasting and refined experience, delivering the distinctive flavors and aromas of fresh cannabis flower in a full-spectrum format. There are two major types: Desktop devices and handheld units.
Desktop Units: Generally considered the more deluxe option, most desktop units offer variable temperature controls which allow you to fine-tune your experience. Whether they’re rechargeable or use wall power, they’re generally not meant to be portable. In addition, they demand regular cleaning and maintenance in order to function at their best.
Handheld Devices: Thanks to recent leaps in battery technology, handheld flower vapes have come a long way in the last few years, approaching desktop units in terms of quality of vapor and versatility. The better ones include many of the same features as tabletop models, including variable temperature controls and preheat functions. It’s important to know that, just like desktop units, they do require regular cleaning to deliver consistent results.
Benefits of Cannabis Vaporization
In addition to highlighting the distinctive flavors and aromas of specific strains, many believe that using a vaporizer is better for your health than smoking. There’s some science behind this, too. As one 2021 study found, heating rather than burning cannabis can be a better option for your lungs:
“Vaporizing cannabis has been found to avoid producing undesired toxic by-products…and reduce exposure to carbon monoxide (CO), thereby lowering risks of respiratory hazards as compared with smoking.”
This finding was underscored by a subsequent study, which found that, specifically among medical cannabis users, vaporization is becoming the preferred route of administration due to its health-related advantages over smoking.
Taste and Terpene Retention with Cannabis Vaporizers
We’ve talked about some potential health upsides to cannabis vaporization vs. smoking. But in many people’s opinion, cannabis vaporization benefits also extend to the sensory experience. While smoking—at least for those of us who’ve been enjoying cannabis for a long time—may be the “classic” way of accessing it, the process of combustion destroys delicate terpenes, masking other compounds’ flavor with potentially irritating smoke.
By comparison, vaporizing weed, because it occurs at lower temperatures and without actually burning anything, can deliver a more refined experience, highlighting far more of the plant’s many compounds and imparting a whole new spin on this endlessly fascinating plant.
How to Use a Weed Vaporizer: Tips for First-Time Users
While vaporizers can be considered high-tech devices, they’re incredibly simple to use, making them a great choice for people just beginning to explore the cannabis realm. With that in mind, here are a few tips to get you started on the right foot.
How to Inhale the Right Way: Sip, Don’t Puff
When you’re first learning how to use a weed vaporizer, inhale by imagining you’re sipping a hot beverage. Why? Small, gentle inhales allow for a fuller vaporization of the cannabis distillate, concentrate, or flower.
Keep It Clean: Vaporizer Maintenance Basics
This is one of the most important THC vaporizer tips—and the one most often ignored: Keep your vaporizer clean! If it’s a refillable concentrate or flower unit, clean the chamber regularly by disassembling the unit and cleaning it with a cotton swab moistened with rubbing alcohol.
Use a Grinder for Better Vapor Results
While it only applies to flower units, no vaporizing cannabis guide would be complete without this reminder: Invest in a grinder. Because of the increased surface area, you’ll end up vaporizing more (and wasting less) flower.
Shop the Best Weed Vaporizers in D.C. at Takoma Wellness
If your curiosity about cannabis vaporization has been fired up, we can help you with that! That’s because when they need a THC vaporizer, D.C. residents know to start at Takoma Wellness.
As Washington’s #1 family-run dispensary, we make it our business to stock a wide selection of marijuana vaporizers tailored for every need, every taste, and every budget. We’re dedicated to helping you get the very most from your cannabis experience, and we’re here to help. Interested in knowing more about weed vaporization? Stop by any time!