Conduction or Convection Vaporizer?
You can heat using various techniques. If the heating source is in direct contact with the herb chamber or the concentrate, the substances evaporate by means of conductivity. Or with a more convenient word: conduction. Convection vaporizers allow hot air to flow past and through the contents of the vaporizer when you take a puff. There are various advantages and disadvantages of both vaporizers, but as a rule of thumb the most important differences are the heating time, purity of flavour and completeness of vaporization of the contents.
- Convection vaporizers often give the purest taste. Especially with an insulated vapour channel.
- Conduction vaporizers often have a shorter heat-up time than convection vaporizers, making your device ready for use faster.
- There are also hybrid vaporizers that use both techniques. This allows them to heat up even faster, and the taste of the vapour is retained longer in subsequent sessions. However, these vaporizers are often more expensive. These vaporizers are mentioned in both categories.
- The cheapest vaporizers use a simple statement: "No need for electric heating". Flame against it and go! Such a simple glass or metal vaporizer prevents the herbs from burning when you hold a lighter to it, but you have no control over the vaporizer temperature. You'll also find these vaporizers in the conduction category.
How does a Conduction Vaporizer work?
A conduction vaporizer works through conduction of heat. The heating elements in the vaporizer heat the herbs or weed because the substance lies against it. Often there is some sort of separation between the two. The wall or bottom of the herb chamber often separates the heating element from the contents. The material of this "separation" is of great importance in the vaporizer world. This has to do with the preservation of taste. A cast iron or steel herb chamber is valued less than for instance a herb chamber covered with gold leaf. There are for instance ceramic, metal and glass chambers in all kinds of qualities.
Advantages of Conduction Vaporizers
A conduction vaporizer has a number of advantages compared to convection vaporizers:
- Full and dense vapour clouds, even at lower temperatures.
- Often cheaper than convection vapes or hybrid vapes.
- Often more economical on energy and so the battery may last longer. In practice, the batteries tend to be smaller and thus whether or not a battery charge lasts longer varies from vaporizer to vaporizer.
Disadvantages of Conduction Vaporizers
- Uneven heating can lead to less accurate temperature control, especially in larger herb chambers. For that reason, the herb chambers are often smaller.
- As a result, the vaporization is more uneven and it’s a bit difficult to work out exactly which substances are released.
- Can be harder to clean because your herbs are in direct contact with the hot surface for a prolonged time.
Hybride Vaporizer
With both conduction and convection techniques, hybrid vaporizers are a combination of the two. As a result, the herb chambers are often larger in size. Are these units the best option then? Check out the pros and cons and make up your own mind:
Advantages of Hybrid Vaporizers
- Both pure vapour and dense clouds. Hot air ensures that all the contents are heated evenly and the direct heating produces the powerful hit that smokers find great.
- You regulate the intensity of the hit by means of reliable temperature control.
- Modern models can even be very small.
- High-quality device and easier to clean than conduction vaporizers.
Disadvantages of Hybrid Vaporizers
- Expensive price range.
- Limited choice of different models.
Conduction vaporizers do not always have to be the cheapest option. That is a myth. However, in this category there is perhaps the greatest variation in price. Some conduction vaporizers are, as far as design goes, very simple. As long as the flame does not directly touch the herbs, you can also vaporize with a glass weed pipe and a lighter. Make sure you choose a lighter with a blue flame.
In the end it is about heating but not burning your weed, hash, herbs or extracts. That's why you'll find some real entry-level models in this category that bridge the gap between weed pipes and vaporizers. Without batteries and without adjustable temperature. On the other hand, you'll find luxury portable vaporizers that taste just as good as convection vaporizers, but heat up super fast. To sum up: be well informed through our extensive product descriptions and use the filters on the page before buying a vaporizer.