Over the past few years, we’ve reviewed A LOT of vaporizers. More often than not, we can tell how good (or bad) a vaporizer is going to be before even taking it out of the box.

For instance, when we receive a product from Arizer (whom we consider to be one of the top vaporizer manufacturers), it’s a pretty safe bet that it’s going to be a solid, well-built unit that performs at a high level. However, when we receive a product from a company like Vaporblunt, we have to flip a coin to see who has the unlucky task of testing it out.

To be fair, every so often we are pleasantly surprised by the latest offering from a manufacturer we were close to losing faith in - Vapir being a perfect example. While we’ve always been keen on their desktop unit, the Rise, their portable offerings have been less than stellar. Our expectations weren’t very high when it came time to test out their latest portable, the Prima. Doubts quickly turned to praise during our first session, as Vapir exceeded our (and maybe everyone’s) expectations, and had us rethinking everything we thought we knew about Vapir.

So what’s in a name? When it comes to vaporizer manufacturers - a lot. While you shouldn’t judge a book by its over (or its title), we’ve found that preconceived notions in this industry and more often accurate, than not. With that said, we’d like to share our thoughts on some of the top vaporizer manufacturers in the business.

 

5) Vapor Brothers

Commonly referred to as the “originators” of vaporization, Vapor Brothers’ trademark angled wooden box vaporizer was the first of its kind back in 2001, and helped them to become the first nationally known brands. Their iconic whip-style desktop unit comes equipped with a lifetime warranty, and remains one of the most popular box vaporizers on the market.Staying current with the times, their line of VB Eleven Pens (or VB11) are some of the most reliable and well-made wax pens around, even earning High Times award for “Best Stanard Pen of 2014″. Vapor Brothers is now venturing into unexplored territory with their newest top of the line innovation for herbal extracts: the VB2. After 16 years, VB is still one of the most trusted names in the industry, and continue to go above and beyond for their customers.

 

4) Magic Flight

By offering affordable, handcrafted products, Magic Flight has become one of the most well-known (and most respected) names in the vaporizer world. Unique and innovative, the Launch Box’s (their flagship unit) simplistic nature lends itself well to longevity, so much so that MF covers it with a lifetime warranty. Handmade in Southern California, their line of ‘green’ products are sourced from natural and renewable materials.

More than the vaporizers themselves, Magic Flight offers a plethora of premium ‘essentials’ are affordable and stylish alternatives to the poorly constructed, mass-produced accessories produced by less reputable manufacturers. Water filtration devices, grinders, power adapters and work surfaces all feature Magic Flight’s trademark styling, and are built with the same level of quality and craftsmanship as their vaporizer units.

 

3) Vapir

Vapir has been on the forefront of digital vaporizer innovation since 1997. Since then, they’ve offered some truly unique units that have helped vaporizer technology get to where it is today. While they’ve been a bit inconsistent with over the years with their designs (the NO2 and Oxygen Mini are far from aesthetically pleasing), quality and dependability have always been the foundation of who Vapir is as a company - and is why they’re still considered one of the more reputable names in the business.

We recently reviewed their latest offering, the Prima, which we feel sets a new standard for the portable vaporizer community. Build quality is well above average - while also receiving high marks for visual appeal, vapor production and battery versatility. Much like the Rise, their popular desktop unit, the Prima is easy to use and priced competitively with others in its class. Vapir offers some of the most comprehensive warranties in the industry - and employ a very friendly, knowledgeable customer support staff.

 

2) Storz & Bickel (Volcano)

While it should come as no surprise to find Storz & Bickel on our list of top manufacturers, it may come as a bit of a surprise to some that they’re not at the top. As someone who used to work in the customer service department of a large vaporizer retailer, I used to do my best to push S&B products, because I knew that the chances of the customer experiencing any issues (and in turn me having to deal with a warranty claim) were extremely low. Their products are extremely well built and function at a very high level. In fact, I know many people who have owned their Volcano units for nearly ten years, and they’re still functioning perfectly.

However, we’re now seeing more and more stories from folks on reddit and FC who have had less than stellar encounters with S&B customer care. Most of these issues are related to their popular portable unit, the Crafty, which the company is blaming on a ‘defective bunch’. My feeling is that S&B has had to field so few complaints over the years, they were a little overwhelmed when the flood gates finally opened. It’s not looking like claims and issues are being handled with more care and urgency, and with a track record like Storz & Bickel’s, we feel pretty comfortable giving them the benefit of the doubt.

 

1) Arizer

When it comes to quality products that are built to last, no other manufacturer can hold a candle to Arizer. While lifetime warranties are not necessarily unheard of (also offered by Magic Flight and Vapor Brothers), it’s rare to see said warranty offered on more advanced units that feature a lot of moving parts. Yet, that’s exactly the type of peace of mind that Arizer offers across their entire line of products. You’d be hard pressed to find another company that stands by their products the way that Arizer does, and is why we consider Arizer to be the top vaporizer manufacturer in the business.

Designed and built in Canada, Arizer spares no expense when it comes to producing the highest quality products possible. Something they do skimp on, however, is packaging. I have to applaud them for that, as they seem less concerned with the glitz and glam, and more concerned with offering their customers reliable, well-made products that will stand the test of time. Would you rather have a sub-par unit that comes to you in a pretty box, or a vaporizer that functions on a high level which comes in a plain brown box? We’ll take the latter, thank you very much.