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If you’ve ever shopped for a dry herb vaporizer, you’ve probably seen words like conduction, convection, and hybrid thrown around. Like describing the engine of a car, these words tell you what kind of engine the vaporizer is running with. These different heating methods determine how your vapor tastes, its density, and even the efficiency of your sessions.
Let’s break down what each one means, what it feels like in practice, and how to pick the right style for you.
What is a conduction vaporizer?
Conduction vaporizers heat your herb by direct contact, the same way a frying pan heats food. The oven chamber gets hot and cooks from the outside in.
These vapes are easier to use, very consistent, and less taxing on the battery, so they tend to last longer as well. They’re popular among light sippers and medium users, but they cook your herbs between hits and lose taste quicker.
Pros:
- Easy to master. Just pack them tight!
- Easy on the battery
- Very consistent
Cons:
- Not as tasty as other options
- Not very herb efficient. Will cook your herbs in between hits
Popular conduction vapes:
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PAX Plus / PAX Mini – Some of the sleekest vapes we carry, these PAX vaporizers deliver high-quality conduction vapor with a simple one-button setup and excellent battery life.
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POTV XMAX Starry V4 – This vaporizer delivers solid conduction vapor with adjustable airflow, precise temperature control, and a removable battery.
What is a convection vaporizer?
Convection vaporizers use hot air to heat your herb instead of direct contact. When you draw, hot air flows through the material and vaporizes the active compounds. It only vaporizes as you inhale.
Convection heating produces the tastiest vapor, heats up very quickly, and is much more herb efficient, but can drain a battery quickly and require a stir or shake to fully extract your herbs.
Pros:
- The best flavor
- Very efficient. Doesn’t cook between hits
- Fast heat-up times
Cons:
- Taxing on the battery
- Usually more expensive
Popular convection vapes:
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Tinymight 2 – One of the hardest-hitting portable vaporizers we carry, the Tinymight 2 heats up near instantly and delivers punishing clouds.
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POTV XMAX V3 Pro – Like the Tinymight 2, the V3 Pro delivers flavor-first sessions with a suite of excellent features.
What is a hybrid vaporizer?
Hybrid vaporizers combine both conduction and convection for the best of both worlds. The oven preheats your herb (conduction) while hot air passes through it (convection) to deliver dense clouds and balanced flavor.
This combo creates dense vapor with great flavors and even extraction. They’re easy, very consistent, and produce world-class sessions.
Pros:
- Balanced flavor and vapor density
- Consistent and efficient extractions
- Complete vaporization in less time
Cons:
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Can chew through herbs very quickly
Popular hybrid vapes:
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POTV Lobo – Our flagship Lobo vaporizer combines top-shelf vapor with the customizable fun of glass accessories.
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Mighty+ – As one of the most popular vaporizers of all time, the Mighty+ delivers rich, decadent vapor that users all over the world swear by.
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Arizer Solo 3 v2 – The Solo 3 combines signature Arizer vapor, known for its flavor and consistency, with dual session & on-demand modes, larger oven chambers, and speedy heat-up times.
Which heating style is the best?
It depends on what kind of sessions you want:
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Conduction: Laidback sessions similar to a roll-your-own, great for light sippers and occasional users.
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Convection: The best choice for flavor enthusiasts. However, some desktop vapes like the Arizer XQ2 deliver both great flavor and punchy clouds.
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Hybrid: A great balance of flavor and clouds. The ideal choice for medium users and heavy hitters.
If you’re unsure where to start, a hybrid vape like the POTV Lobo or Mighty+ offers the most flexibility. You’ll get great flavor with enough punch to satisfy even the most cloud-hungry sessions.
Tips for the best results
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Grind matters. Finer grinds favor conduction; medium or coarse grinds let air move freely in convection and hybrid vapes.
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Pack matters. Conduction vaporizers thrive with tight packs, while hybrid and convection heaters work best with looser packs.
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Play with temperature. Lower temps bring flavor while higher temps boost the clouds.
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Keep it clean. No matter the vape, a clean oven and mouthpiece make a world of difference.
Ready to choose your vape?
Whether you’re chasing flavor, clouds, or convenience, there’s a perfect heating style for you. Explore our full lineup of Portable Vaporizers and Desktop Vaporizers, or grab an Accessories Bundle to keep your setup running like new.
Vaporizer Heater FAQs
Q: Does convection always taste better?
A: Pretty much! It’s the most gentle heating method, and it preserves many of the flavorful compounds that are typically lost with other methods.
Q: Which style produces the biggest clouds?
A: Hybrid vapes, such as the Mighty+ or POTV Lobo, strike a sweet spot between flavor and cloud production. However, portable convection vapes like the Tinymight 2 and Tafee Bowle, and desktop convection vapes like the MiniNail Flower Wand and Arizer XQ2 have proven that they can bat with the heaviest hitters.
Q: Do conduction vapes waste more herb?
A: Conduction vapes take a lot longer to cool down, so your herbs will still cook minutes after you turn them off. Take a few hits after you turn it off if you want to save every last bit of it.
Q: Can you tell which type of heater a vape uses by looking at it?
Not usually. The chamber design and airflow path may hint at it, but checking the specs on the product page is the best way to know for sure.
