What is a Dry Herb Vaporizer: Key Benefits
A dry herb vaporizer is an electronic device that heats cannabis flowers to a temperature that releases vapor rich with THC and CBD without producing smoke. Compared to bongs and pipes, a vaporizer is gentler on both the lungs and the mind, making it great for beginners.
Dry herb vaporizers:
- Produce vapor, not smoke.
- Healthier than smoking.
- Saves you money and flowers.
- Clear-headed effects
Top benefit: A dry herb vaporizer is completely different than smoking but the main benefit besides less toxins inhaled is a much calmer and gentler effect when compared to smoking which can trigger racing thoughts.
What does a dry herb vaporizer do?
A dry herb vaporizer is designed to heat ground cannabis flowers at lower temperatures (320°F - 390°F). The lower temperatures avoid burning the plant which produces smoke and toxins. The device heats cannabis through conduction or convection heating, which produces vapor for you to inhale.
Dry herb vaporizers are specifically made for plant materials and cannot be used with concentrates or oil cartridges. Check out our list of every type of vaporizer to explore the differences.
What are the parts?
A dry herb vaporizer typically has a plastic or metal shell casing with a small digital screen for adjusting temperature and timer settings. Inside, there's a heating chamber for your flower, a battery for power, a heating element to warm the chamber, and a mouthpiece where the vapor flows for you to inhale.
Anatomy of a dry herb vaporizer:
- Mouthpiece: Where you inhale the vapor.
- Heating chamber: The bowl (usually ceramic) where ground cannabis is placed.
- Battery: Powers the device and sends heat to the bowl
- Heating element: Usually conduction (heated surface) or convection (heat’s air like oven)
- Temperature control: Usually a graphical interface that lets you adjust the heat settings
- Charger port: Typically USB or USB-C charging port.
Additional accessories:
- Screens: Prevents small particles from passing through the mouthpiece
- Bristle brush: Brushes out the screen and bowl to maintain airflow.
- Tamper: Metal device that helps gently pack the bowl evenly.
- Stir tool: Usually found on the other end of the tamper to mix AVB (already vaped buds)
- Charging cable: Plugs into the vaporizer to recharge the battery.
How do they work?
A dry herb vaporizer heats cannabis without fire. First, load your cannabis and set the desired temperature. The device then heats the herb either by direct contact with a hot surface (like a pan) or by blowing hot air through it (like an oven), releasing THC as vapor, which you inhale through the mouthpiece.
- Prepare: Grind your cannabis and load it into the heating chamber.
- Heat: Turn on the vaporizer and set your temperature (recommend 392°F). This takes about a minute.
- Begin inhaling: Once the vaporizer reaches the set temperature it will alert you to begin inhaling. Pull slowly and steadily.
- Enjoy multiple hits: Unlike smoking a bowl, you can get 4-6 hits from a single session. Turn off the device after the bowl is cleared.
Did you know? A dry herb vape is one of the most versatile devices out there. You can set low temps to only extract terpenes from the plant, you can gradually step up to release compounds in layers. Check out our guide on expert tips and tricks with a dry herb vaporizer.
Why do people like them?
People love dry herb vaporizers because they avoid harmful toxins from smoke, are easier on your lungs, and deliver a cleaner high without racing thoughts. One bowl can deliver 5-6 hits compared to 1-2 when smoking, and you can reuse the leftover bud for edibles or tea.
1. Cleaner inhale
The top benefit of a dry herb vaporizer isyou don’t inhale smoke.
Dr. Dale Gieringer’s research found that when you light dry herb cannabis with fire (butane lighter), it releases toxic compounds like toluene, benzene, and naphthalene into the smoke you inhale.
With a dry herb vaporizer, you can avoid smoke and the above toxins entirely, especially with temperatures below 392°F. This releases the good stuff, things like THC and CBD, and avoids the release of harmful irritants.
2. Save money
Another reason people love dry herb vapes is it saves you money when compared to smoking.
When you smoke weed with a butane lighter, it flash burns the cannabis destroying many delicate terpenes and cannabinoids. With a vaporizer, you are gently heating the cannabis which gives you much more out of the cannabis.
- When smoking, one bowl will produce 1-2 hits.
- When vaporizing, one bowl will produce 5-6 hits.
Once the bowl is cleared, the remained AVB (already vaped bud) can be used to make cannabis tea, further stretching even the waste. In short, you get much more out of your cannabis with vaping than you would smoking, which saves you money.
3. It feels better
Dry herb vaping’s high is much cleaner than smoking cannabis.
- Smoking releases all the compounds at once for a very powerful and intense high, similar to the strength of a bong rip.
- Dry herb vaping releases the compounds gradually for a lighter more well-rounded high.
That doesn’t mean that dry herb vaping is weaker. The effects are still strong it’s just more robust, clear-headed, and lacks the jittery and anxiousness that come with smoking. So if you want to skip the racing thoughts and jittery vibes that come with smoking cannabis, dry herb vaping is the way to go.
4. It’s super lowkey
Dry herb vaporizers produce thin, barely noticeable vapor, unlike nicotine vapes that create big clouds. This means you can discreetly vape cannabis without drawing attention or leaving a strong smell.
Why this is awesome: You can vape cannabis in places where smoking usually isn’t accepted. From smoking in hotels, public spaces, or even at home, without worrying about secondhand smoke or getting noticed.
5. It tastes amazing
Dry herb vaping will truly allow you to taste your cannabis strain for the first time.
When you vape at lower temperatures, you preserve the terpenes which are the natural compounds that produce the aromas and flavors.
You can set your dry herb vape to lower temperatures to “terpene surf”, which is just stoner jargon for isolating and releasing only terpenes first.
You’ll get a blast of citrusy zest, earthy pine, and sweet undertones. This is not possible with smoking because the lighter’s flame destroys most of the terpenes right when it touches the bong’s bowl.
6. It’s much cleaner
When compared to smoking a bowl or packing a bong, a dry herb vaporizer is much cleaner.
- No bong water to deal with. With no bong water, you also avoid moldy bongs and nasty smells.
- No burning of plants. With no fire, we avoid ash, resin, and tar. All that’s left in the bowl is ground cannabis turned brown and brittle (AVB- already vaped bud).
After you finish vaping it produces no ash, smoke, or lingering smells. When you clear the bowl you use your brush to clean out and you’re good to go.
Is it right for you?
A dry herb vaporizer is right for you if:
- You want to stop inhaling smoke.
- You want a clear-headed high (no racing thoughts).
- Want to conserve your cannabis (save money).
- Want a more portable and subtle experience with cannabis.
- You want to taste and enjoy the therapeutic effects of terpenes.
It dry herb vape is not right for you if:
- Prefer intense and strong hits.
- You don’t like longer sessions (5-6 hits per bowl).
- Don’t want to invest in a device ($50-400)
How to choose
When choosing a dry herb vaporizer, you’ll run into these main options:
Conduction or convection?
Dry herb vapes avoid smoke by heating gently either by convection or conduction heating.
- Convection:Think of an oven, where hot air moves around and through your ground cannabis herbs, gently releasing compounds
- Conduction: Think of it like a hot pan, where the surface of the bowl heats the ground cannabis herb.
Which one is better? When it comes to dry herb vapes, convection heating is better because it burns the cannabis gently and more evenly. Conduction heating is better for cannabis concentrates in devices like dab rigs or electric dab rigs.
Pro-tip: You can also buy convection and conduction dry herb vapes, which is the best option.
Types of dry herb vaporizers
Dry herb vaporizers usually come in two models:
- Desktop vaporizer: Stationary device that plugs into the wall. You get consistent energy, and stronger and more consistent pulls.
- Bong adaptable vaporizer: These types of vaporizers replace your bong’s bowl, moving hot vapors through your bong’ water for percolator filtration.
- Portable vaporizer:These vaporizers are handheld and usually feature three types of models
- Convection: Your cannabis is heated with hot air (best option)
- Conduction: Your cannabis is heated by the bowl's surface
- Hybrid: Cannabis is heated by both surface and hot air
TL;DR
A dry herb vaporizer is an electronic device that heats cannabis flowers to release vapor, not smoke, making it healthier for your lungs. It avoids harmful toxins, saves you money by stretching each bowl, and provides a clear-headed high without racing thoughts.
The vapor is gentler than smoking, and you can even reuse the leftover herb for edibles and cannabis tea! They typically come in portable and desktop models, and both deliver a cleaner more flavorful experience by preserving terpenes and cannabinoids. If you're looking for a smooth, discreet, and efficient way to enjoy cannabis, a dry herb vaporizer is a great option.
