There are so many different vaporizers out there that choosing the perfect one can definitely be a little overwhelming! I know I sure was confused when I went to purchase my first vaporizer. I ended up choosing too quickly and regretting it! So, to prevent any of you going through what I went through, I decided to put together a little guide for the new vaporists out there.

We can categorize vaporizers into two main categories: Portable vs Non-Portable. The Portable Vaporizers category includes herb vaporizers as well as oil vaporizers. The Non-Portable Vaporizers category includes Desktop Vaporizers and Handheld Vaporizers.

Portable vaporizers, as you can probably tell by the name, are designed for on-the-go action. They are powered via an internal battery, an external battery, butane, or even a lighter. Some portable vaporizers are only compatible with ground herb, some are only compatible with oils or hard material, and a very small amount of them can do both. These vaporizers are great for vaporizing anywhere, however short battery life and inconsistent quality means the majority of them will end up frustrating you more than helping you — so definitely read the reviews!!! Some popular portable vaporizers include the Arizer Solo Vaporizer, the Vapir NO2 Vaporizer, the Magic Flight Launch Box Vaporizer, the Palm Vaporizer, and the Vapor Genie Vaporizer.

Non-Portable Vaporizers utilize a power plug. The majority of them are considered Desktop Vaporizers. A few popular Desktop Vaporizers are the Hot Box Vaporizer, the Vapor Brothers Vaporizer, and the king amongst all Desktop Vaporizers: the Volcano Vaporizer. Desktop Vaporizers are designed to stay put, and the vapor is inhaled using an extended rubber whip or a detachable inflatable bag. Some Desktop Vaporizers (like the Natural Goods Vaporizer) even have fans inside them that propel the vapor through a whip and into your lungs, perfect for patients with lung issues who have trouble with extended intakes of breath. One subsection of Non-Portable Vaporizers are Handheld Vaporizers, which have a wall plug like other Non-Portable Vaporizers, but are designed to be picked up and used somewhat like a portable vaporizer. One popular Handheld Vaporizer is the Life Saber Vaporizer. Regardless of which style of Non-Portable vaporizer you choose, they tend to be sturdier and more powerful than Portable Vaporizers, and last much much longer.