Vaping cannabis concentrates is a fun and effective way to enjoy your dabs. Sure, smoking dried bud has that classic feel and look, but vaporizing extracts provide unique advantages over the traditional flower experience.
Vaping cannabis concentrates is easier than ever. Whether you’re vaping shatter, wax, crumble or live resin, concentrate vaporizers are sleek and user-friendly tools that allow you to get the most flavor and potency out of your extracts.
Benefits of vaping concentrates
Cannabis connoisseurs favor the almighty vapor over dry herb smoke. Smoking flower is easy and practical. A small investment in a pipe, rolling papers, a lighter and some bud is easy for anyone to enjoy.
Vaping cannabis concentrates offers an elevated experience for medicinal and recreational users alike.
Inherently, cannabis concentrates contain a relatively higher potency than flower. A single puff of extract vapor contains a significantly higher level of cannabinoids than a hit of your pipe. If you’re looking to amp up your tolerance or you need a high dosage for your medical condition, concentrates can provide a small and potent dose.
Vaping concentrates also allows you to reap the strain’s natural terpenes. Experience a world of aromas and flavors through vaporization only. Smoking flower or even concentrates burns off many of their pungent aromatic oils. Vaporization offers a less intense and more effective heating method to maintain those flavors.
On top of the improved flavor profile, vaporization provides a smoother hit over the harsh and acrid smoke. For users with sensitive airways, vaporization’s gentle heating produces a vapor that won’t lead to a coughing fit.
Last but not least, vaporization gives you a stealth way to enjoy your dabs. No longer are you given away by a plume of smoke or a pungent smell of skunk. All dab vaporizers produce a less cloudy and gray smoke and more of a subtle and pleasant vapor.
Concentrate vaporizer types
In a world full of various consistencies of cannabis concentrates, you’re going to need to choose the right vaporizer to get the job done.
Dab pens
Dab pens are the perfect choice for new users. Their user-friendly design allows beginners to simply load the wax into the heating chamber and puff away. Concentrate pens’ simple design is comprised of a battery to power the atomizer (heating element) and the mouthpiece to collect the vapor.
While they don’t give you the ability to control temperatures to a precise degree, they are an affordable and effective option for those starting out vaping concentrates. Wax pens have a preset voltage setting. However, they may come with different coils, each with its own unique heating potential.
Desktop vaporizers
Desktop vaporizers provide the ultimate in heating power and flavorful vapor. Intended for large group sessions, some desktop vaporizers plug into a wall or are powered by batteries. Because of their energy source and size, these bad boys are better left at home.
Desktop vaporizers usually feature a tube, also known as a whip, to deliver the concentrate vapor. Some desktop vapes use the classic balloon-style delivery where you inhale the vapor collected in a large balloon bag.
Portable vaporizers
Portable wax vaporizers combine the convenience of dab pens with the power and efficiency of desktop vapes. These battery-powered devices are the best option if you’re always on-the-go. Portable vapes provide a quick heat-up time and preset temperature levels for easy puffin’.
How to use a concentrate vaporizer
How you use your concentrate vaporizer depends on the type of vape you have. Generally, however, vapes follow a simple set-up formula that’s easy to remember.
- Power the vape: Charge your vape with a USB charger until it indicates full power or plug it into a power outlet if you have a desktop vape.
- Prepare the unit: Once your vape is charged, you can attach your dab pen or portable vaporizer battery to its atomizer until tightly fastened. For desktop units, you may need to attach the whip or balloon-style bags to the main unit.
- Set the temperature: After you’ve turned on your vape, choose your desired temperature or temperature preset. Dab pens only have one temperature level.
- Load the chamber: Prepare your dab extract and place it inside the heating chamber of your portable or desktop vape using a dabber. Place your dabs directly on your atomizer to heat it evenly. Make sure you don’t overfill the heating chamber.
- Get ready to vape: When loaded, screw the mouthpiece back onto the battery/heating chamber.
- Inhale and enjoy: Press the button on the unit or battery to heat your concentrate. Inhale when the concentrate has been vaporized. Release the button on dab pens or portable vape pens when you’re done inhaling. Desktop vapes usually have a set temperature to vape at. All you need is to load your chamber again and you’re good to go.
Which is the best concentrate vaporizer for you?
If you’re stuck on choosing between the different types of vapes, don’t worry. It’s pretty common to think you need all types of vapes. Ideally, having one of each gives you a range of options to vape out of depending on the situation.
If you’re on a budget and can only afford one, then you must consider your preferred vaping habits and unique lifestyle. Are you mainly at home or on-the-go? Do you vape alone or with groups? Do you require precise temperature control? There are various factors to consider.
Here are just a few of the most important considerations.
Portability
Lugging around your desktop vape is doable, but it’ll get old fast. Instead, opt for a dab pen or portable vaporizer. These lightweight and powerful devices can easily fit inside your pocket and allow you to dab nearly anywhere. Plus, their compact size allows for discreet and stealthy vaping.
Concentrate vs flower vaporizers
Are you planning on vaping flower or concentrate more? Luckily, you don’t have to choose between either. Some vaporizers are capable of working with both dry herb and concentrates. However, dry herb/extract vaporizers are less common than standalone ones.
If you want more functionality, efficiency and power from your vaporizer, we suggest choosing one built for either flower or concentrates.
Budget
Finally, everyone must consider how much they want to spend on a vaporizer. If you want a low-risk way to try dabbing, a simple and cheap dab pen can do the trick. However, if cannabis is used for medicinal purposes, investing in a portable or desktop vape might make sense. Vaporizers can provide you with more of the therapeutic compounds over traditional smoking methods.
How to clean a concentrate vaporizer
Part of owning a concentrate vaporizer requires maintaining and cleaning it. Until self-cleaning vapes are invented, it’s up to you to keep your baby clean. Luckily, cleaning your vape isn’t rocket science. All you need is some isopropyl alcohol, cotton swabs, water, soap and a brush.
How often you clean it depends on the frequency of use. If you’re vaping non-stop, you may need to clean it once a day or week. If you’re using it sparingly, cleaning your vape every few weeks or months can work. Generally, when you feel like you’re vapor tastes harsh or grassy, it might be time for a deep clean.
Start by cleaning the main part of the vaporizing unit. For this part, you won’t use any harsh chemicals or cleaners. Instead, use a soft cloth to remove any obvious dirt and grime.
Make sure to clean your dab pen’s threading to maintain a clear connection every time. A brush can help you clean in those hard-to-reach spaces including your portable and desktop vaporizer’s filter screens that go within the heating chamber.
Dabbing a cotton swab in isopropyl alcohol can help your break down the concentrate build-up on the threading and chamber of your dab pen and vaporizer.
Vaporizers vary in size, shape, quality and cleaning practices. For instance, desktop vaporizers may have several more components than dab pens or portable vapes. Glass pieces such as tubes or mouthpieces or even filter screens may be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol or warm water and soap.
Troubleshooting: Why is my dab vaporizer not working?
As a vape user, there’s nothing worse than hitting your vape pen and getting no vapor. If your vaporizer isn’t working, here are some of the common issues that face users:
- Empty Cartridge: Pre-filled vape cartridges that stop producing vapor means you’ve consumed all of the oil inside. Puffing any more won’t get you anything but a headache.
- Bad connection: Cartridges on dab pens can get loose through regular use. Make sure you’ve screwed in your cartridge or mouthpiece on your battery. Don’t screw it on so tight that you strip the threading.
- Push button not working: Dab pens or portable vaporizers with a faulty heating button may be due to user error. Read up on your operator’s manual to find out how to take draws. Some vapes offer on-demand draws while dab pens require you to press and hold the button to heat the oil.
- Dead battery: Battery life varies by vape. If your vape isn’t powering on, make sure it’s either plugged in or your battery has been sufficiently charged. Remember, cold temperatures can reduce battery life.
- Bad coil or battery: If you’re not getting any vapor, consider using a different battery to see if the problem is the atomizer or cartridge. Some cartridges can have a defective coil.
As you can see, vaping concentrates is a fun and easy way to enjoy cannabis extracts. Choosing the right type of vape can enhance your vaping experience wherever you are.
Are dab pens worth it?
While you’ll always get the best flavors and effects out of your concentrates with a dab rig, dab pens still have a place in your arsenal. Dab pens are way more discreet when you’re on the go since they’re practically odorless, but more importantly they don’t take anywhere near as much effort to use. Dab pens are perfectly portable and still offer great flavors and effects when you’re on the go or don’t have the time to rip a full dab.
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