Wondering which desktop vaporizer to get and you don’t even know where to begin?
Well, guess who’s been in the same conundrum? ME!
Using the desktop vaporizers can be an excellent way to get your daily dose of THC/CBD without the risks of inhaling carcinogens and other unwanted substances.
And the best part is that they’re super convenient to use, offer better flavor and denser vapor than the average portable vaporizer.
Not to mention more efficiency, giving you a better bang for the buck!
In this best Desktop vaporizer guide, I’ll walk you through some of my favorite models. I’ll also break them down into Whip, Bag, and Direct Draw delivery categories. I’ll even talk about the types of heat chambers they utilize, so you know exactly what to buy.
I can personally vouch for these products because:
1) I’ve used them myself
2) Compared them to many others that I’ve used but failed to impress
3) Are all from reputed companies that assure 100% satisfaction
So, keep on reading!
Top 5 Best Desktop Vaporizer Online in 2019:
Volcano Vaporizer | Best Bag Vaporizer
The Volcano Vaporizer is a Bag Vaporizer, which allows the user to take leisurely draws once the said “bag” is filled with vapor. This category of vaporizers is great to use in social gatherings as they can be passed around easily owing to their convenient size and structure.
The Volcano Vaporizer is not only my most favorite but also of other reviewers and critics on the web. Why? That’s because the company has set the bar way up high with both their Classic and Digital Editions.
Quick features recap
Size of bowl: 0.75 grams
Heat up time: 3 minutes
Material compatibility: both concentrates and dry herbs
Temp settings: 104 – 446°F
Construction material: stainless steel
Power: easy wall plug
Type of heat: convection
Ease of cleaning: very easy
Vapor path: stainless steel
What did I like about it?
There’s not much difference between them, just that the Digital version comes with a vape temperature display and auto shut-off feature. The newer edition also gives you the option to choose between the Solid Valve and Easy Valve system, which I’ll talk more about later.
The mechanism of this product is simple: there’s a heater with a fan placed below the chamber, which when placed on the top, blows hot air over your herbs and inside a bag. All you have to do then is detach the bag and take drags from it by pressing your lips.
Since this model also offers both the Easy Valve and Solid Valve system, I suggest you go for the latter as it provides greater flexibility. If you’re a single user, it’ll allow you to modify and shrink the chamber size using the insert.
The Easy Valve, on the other hand, involves little cleaning as all you have to do is buy bags with custom mouthpieces. While both valve types have their own sets of pros and cons, my favorite would be the latter as…as I’m lazy lol. Read the full Volcano review.
Pros:
– Simple user interface
– Comes packaged with 5 balloons
– Convection style heating
– Accurate temperature settings
– lets you smoke both concentrates and dry herbs
Cons:
– Expensive
Verdict?
The cleaning aspect of Volcano Vaporizer is hugely underrated and, in my opinion, something you should examine carefully before buying. Even with the Solid Valve model, you can probably vape over an ounce before having to clean.
With the Easy Valve set, it can easily range between 4-8 ounces. Overall, this product is a must buy if you’re someone looking to use desktop vaporizers for the first time.
Or you want to take your game up a notch!
Best Induction Vaporizer
Dr. Dabber Switch
The Dabber switch is at once a dab rig and also a desktop herb vaporizer. Whether you prefer dabbing or a traditional herb enthusiast, the Dabber Switch has got you covered!
What I really like about the Dabber switch is the versatility it provides. Although not a big fan of dabs myself, I do like the occasional dab especially when I’ve got friends over who are into it.
Quick features recap
Size of bowl: 0.33 grams
Heat up time: 10 seconds
Material compatibility: both concentrates and dry herbs
Temp settings: 25 Different settings
Construction material: metal
Power: internal rechargeable battery
Type of heat: induction
Ease of cleaning: moderately easy
Vapor path: ceramic / glass
What did I like about it?
So, depending on whether you’re smoking a flower or dry herb or concentrated oils, the Dabber switch has 25 separate heat calibration settings to tackle all of them.
If you’re like me, and you like playing with the smoke or watching it float around, then there’s a setting for increased cloud density as well. If you want the flavor to be emphasized, there’s a setting for that as well.
And If you’ve just got a little amount of herb, just turn the heat down a couple of notches.
I don’t know about you, but I really hate waiting around for my vaporizer to heat up. That is why the real game changer for me, in this product, was the quick heat up time. The induction heating technology ensures the dabbers switch powers up in 10 secs or less.
The Dr. Dabber Switch lets you pump up to 150 hits on a single charge. Given that it only takes 60 minutes to charge up fully, it’s a real win in my book.
Pros:
– versatility to smoke both herb and oil
– Multiple heating modes available
– Quick heat-up
– Charges last for a large number of hits
– Rechargeable Battery powered
Cons:
– High-temperature settings sometimes burn the flavor
Verdict?
The quick heat-up and the sleek look is enough to make this a pretty good buy, in my opinion. On top of that, the versatility and different modes, lets everybody get into the party groove, no matter what their toking preferences are.
The glass bubbler at the top also ensures the smoke is not harsh, no matter how much smoke you’re inhaling in one go.
Best Table Top Vaporizer for Dry Herbs
#3 Da Buddha | Best Whip Vaporizer
Da Buddha is an old school whip vaporizer, where you simply have to inhale from the mouthpiece. It is simple and easy to use, without any unnecessary complications. For the life of me, I don’t understand why some newer vaporizers make things so complicated.
To me, figuring out that complexity defeats the whole point of vaping entirely – which is to chill out.
Made by the same people who made Silver Surfer vaporizer, the Buddha is another classic and traditional product which has been around for quite some time now and developed a large following.
Quick features recap
Size of bowl: 0.3 grams
Heat up time: 2-3 minutes
Material compatibility: dry herb
Temp settings: adjustable knob
Construction material: aluminum
Power: wall plug
Type of heat: convection
Ease of cleaning: moderately easy
Vapor path: glass
What did I like about it?
When you look at the Buddha, you don’t see any complicated dials, flashing lights or digital displays. There’s just a strong and durable outer aluminum shell.
Seriously, it’s super strong, and it’s just as heat resistant as well! Even when you set it at the highest temperatures, the surface never gets hot.
Speaking of setting temperatures, you can control the temperature of the vaporizer with an unmarked knob, much like a fan’s regulator. Neat, right? To generate the vapor, the device heats up a ceramic element with the convection method. The heating time isn’t that long; about two or three minutes.
The device is hands-free, as you don’t have to use your hands to hold the whip in place. Simply inhale from the mouthpiece.
Cleaning the vape is easy enough and won’t be too troublesome even if you haven’t cleaned it for a while. However, what I found to be a little annoying is that you have to grind the smoking material as fine as possible to get the best results.
Pros:
– Made out of high quality glass and aluminum
– Durable and heat resistant
– Hands free vaping
– Convection style heating
– Temperature adjustment knob
Cons
– No LED lights
Verdict
All in all, the Buddha is easy to use, and the vapor has a nice smooth and cool vapor. One thing I had a little trouble with in the beginning though was striking a balance between the temperature setting and my inhaling speed.
If you inhale too fast, the herb gets undercooked, and if you inhale too slow, the grass gets overcooked. The right temperature setting takes care of this problem though. I’d suggest keeping it between 12 and 2 o’ clock. It is also rated as one of the best Dry herb vaporizers in the market.
Best Budget Convection Vaporizer
Extreme Q| Best Bag Budget Vaporizer
Arizer Extreme Q is a step-up from the old Arizer model. It’s a multipurpose desktop vaporizer, which has both bag and whip functionalities. Thus you can fill up a bag and pass it around, or your friends can take turns and take drags off the vaporizer if you’re using it like a whip.
It also comes with a ton of hi-tech features some of which are useful, and some of which are pretty useless too, to be honest.
Quick features recap
Size of bowl: 0.5 grams
Heat up time: 2 minutes
Material compatibility: dry herb
Temp settings: 122 – 500°F
Construction material: metal
Power: wall plug
Type of heat: convection
Ease of cleaning: easy
Vapor path: glass/ ceramic
What Did I Like About It?
Look wise, the flat base and cylindrical structure make it totally looks like a coffee maker (hey, I like coffee!). Overall, it looks sleek and sophisticated with the LED screen and all the lights.
The temperature is fully customizable, comes equipped with a timer, and has a three-speed fan, which is surprisingly quiet.
It also comes packaged with a remote control which is fairly useless in my opinion, cause even if you manage to turn it on while laying on the bed, you’ll still have to go there to load the herb and fill up the bag. Sucks!
When it comes to the bag, it fills a lot slower as compared to the Volcano and also doesn’t taste as good. The most noticeable difference though is that the bag on the Extreme Q does not have a valve, so you need to keep your finger over the tube to prevent leakage.
Pros:
– You can do smoke both through the whip and balloon style
– Highly affordable
– LCD digital display
– Looks very modern and sleek
Cons:
– You can only smoke dry herb, not oils or concentrates
– Bag fills slower
– Some maintenance required
Verdict
The Extreme Q isn’t as premier as the Volcano, and you can only vape dry herbs with it; not concentrates. It also requires quite a bit of maintenance.
However, it more than makes up for these flaws in sheer affordability. The super low price tag really seals the deal for me, making this the best budget Bag Vaporizer. If this is your first time buying a desktop vaporizer, don’t even think twice before purchasing this one.
Best Hybrid Desktop Vaporizer
Plenty Vaporizer| Best Home Use Portable Vaporizer
The Plenty Vaporizer was made by the same folks who made the Volcano but is nothing like it in design or functionality. It would have been small enough to be portable, only if it didn’t need to be plugged in for it to work.
From the outside, it looks like a mad science experiment, but well at least it makes for a nice conversation piece.
Quick features recap
Size of bowl: 0.3 grams (with the chamber holding much more)
Heat up time: 3 minutes
Material compatibility: dry herb and concentrates
Temp settings: 266 – 392°F
Construction material: hard plastic
Power: wall plug
Type of heat: hybrid (convection and conduction)
Ease of cleaning: moderately easy
Vapor path: stainless steel
What Did I Like About It?
The taste of the herb vapor really takes the cake for me. It’s strong, smooth, and feels rich, similar to the way combustion feels even though it’s completely vapored. The triple helix cooling coil between the chamber and the mouthpiece also gives plenty of space for the vapor to cool down, so it doesn’t feel hot at all.
Another feature I was really impressed with was that this vape lets you smoke both dry herbs and concentrates. I really don’t understand why some models don’t have this dual feature. I mean, how hard could it be to add this feature?
What could be both a good thing or a bad thing is that the herb chamber is immensely huge. While some might think of the Plenty (aptly named) is a huge herb-hog, others would like the fact that they would only need to load it up once. The machine definitely works better with a full chamber, and you need to at least fill up the lowermost layer for smooth functioning.
It has seven preset heat levels, with the highest heat level going up to a massive 395 F. Rest assured, that this level will go through your herbs like a hot knife on butter. It also makes the device heat up as well.
Pros:
– You can vape waxes, herbs and oils.
– Ergonomic and exceptionally lightweight
– Temperature control via adjustable dial
– Vapor is cool and relaxing
– High temperatures can be attained
– Interesting shape
Cons:
– Not that efficient
– The device might heat up
Verdict
The Plenty has plenty going for it (pun intended) – the superior taste, the amount of herb it can hold, and the high heat levels it can sustain.
However, it does need to be plugged in, limiting portability, despite being pretty lightweight. The product also isn’t the most efficient when you’re running out of herb, and you need to carefully use whatever’s left.
Types of Desktop Vaporizers and their Benefits
The reason people are switching to vaporizers is that they are far healthier than lighting up a blunt or using a lighter to fire up a bong. Vaporizers use convection or induction techniques to heat up the material and turn them into vapor instead of smoke.
Here are the different types of vaporizers available:
- Whip-Style
These kinds of vapors use a structure referred to as a whip. These whips are made of three components –
- The wand (made of ceramic, the bowl or piece where the herb is packed)
- The tubing (usually made of silicon, through which the smoke passes)
- The Mouthpiece (made of glass, where the user inhales the vapor from)
The whip lets a user pull hot air over the herb. This creates a steady stream of vapor while the user inhales. It’s that simple!
This simplicity makes them the old-school choice of vaporizers. Nowadays many vaporizers, however, are outfitted with temperature control, LCD displays and other features.
This kind of vaporizers also usually provide a hands-free method of inhalation. You don’t need to hold the whip in place with your hands, which makes the experience a lot easier.
- Forced Air / Balloon Bag
Bag vaporizers and forced air vaporizers are the new way vaping. In these devices, an internal fan blows hot air over the herb, thereby heating it by the process of convection. This process creates a stream of vapor which can then be drawn into a balloon bag.
Many units also have different speed settings, allowing you to control how fast the herb heats up.
This process is wholly automatic, and the bag fills up with vapor on its own once you turn the machine on. This makes it a much easier method than inhaling air to create vapor like you have to do in the whip-style variant.
Vapes which use forced-air technology tend are generally accepted to be of higher quality because the smoke produced is denser and the herb is burnt more evenly.
- Multifunctional Vaporizers
Some desktop vaporizers feature both balloon and whip-draw inhalation methods. These are the most versatile of vaporizers and are suited for a wide range of smoking situations.
In these multifunctional vaporizers, you can use it in the whip-draw method by simply turning off the fan.
Apart from these general types, vaporizers can also be classified as analog or digital, depending on the way temperature settings are controlled on them.
Analog devices generally use just a knob to control the temperature, whereas digital ones use an LED screen which shows both the current temperature and the desired temperature, much like an AC. No points for guessing which is the more expensive variant.
Final Words: Which Desktop Vaporizer you should buy
All the vaporizers reviewed above score top marks when it comes to vapor quality, vaporizing efficiency of the herb and durability. Give any of these a shot, and you’ll get the best that desktop vaporizers have to offer.
The only decision you need to make is how much money are you willing to shell out on your vaporizers.
The more expensive models are more technologically advanced and provide a much more comfortable and tastier vaping experience.
