What is a Vaporizer?
A vaporizer is a device used to gently heat aromatherapy blends in order to create vapor. The vapor produced by a vaporizer consists of water vapor and essential oils contained in the aromatherapy blend. A vaporizer never com-busts the aromatherapy blend, preventing you from inhaling carcinogens, soot, carbons and other hazardous particles that are detrimental to your health and commonly found in smoke.
How the Heating Works
Vaporizers employ several different methods for creating vapor. All methods rely on transferring heat through the aromatherapy blend. The difference lies in how the heat is transferred.
Conduction heating is the traditional way of heating a material. Conduction vaporizers apply direct heat to the aromatherapy blend and use temperature control in order to prevent combustion. The heat is commonly transferred to the aromatherapy blend using a ceramic, stainless steel or glass heating chamber, into which the aromatherapy blend is placed. The walls of the chamber will become super-heated and transfer the heat directly to the aromatherapy blend. Combustion is avoided by controlling the amount of heat produced. Some vaporizers lets the user control the amount of heat applied, some use pre-configured temperature levels and the most basic vaporizers apply constant heat and the user needs to manually switch the heat off to prevent combustion.
Convection vaporizers use radiant heat and hot air in order to produce vapor. The heat producing source is usually separated from the aromatherapy blend to prevent unintentional vaporization. A convection vaporizer normally employs super-heated air which is pushed through the aromatherapy blend on demand. As the super-heated air passes through the blend it immediately releases water vapor in which the plant’s essential oils are suspended. Besides using hot air, other convection methods include: halogen light bulbs, radiant heat production and electromagnetism.
There are four main types of vaporizers:
E-cigarettes are vaporizers that look similar to cigarettes. They use replaceable cartridges that contain e-liquid. E-cigs are perfect for someone who has little experience vaping or wants to have a look and feel that’s familiar.
- Pocket Vapes
Pocket vapes are smaller vaporizers that are designed for portability and ease of use. They are easy to use and offer better vapor production than e-cigarettes.
- Pen Vaporizers
Pen vaporizers are vapes that come in a spherical shape and resemble a pen. They have two main parts, an atomizer and a battery. E-liquid is placed in a tank that contains the atomizer. The atomizer is then heated by the battery to produce vapor.
- Box Mod Vaporizers
Box mods are the most advanced and complicated type of vaporizer. They feature a large battery box and a digital screen used to change the settings of the vaporizer. Box mods are great if you want to maximize the amount of vapor you’re inhaling. They do require you to adjust some manual settings. The box mods are recommended for those that have more experience with vaping.