Desktop Vaporizers

Here at Tools420, we only carry the top dry herb desktop vaporizers that we have tried and put to the test for ourselves. In this category, you’ll find quality brands including Storz & Bickel and Arizer. These are manufacturers that you can trust for their products and customer service reputation.

If you're looking for a powerful vaporizer that you'll only be using at home, then a desktop vaporizer might be the right choice for you.

In 2023, there is now a wide variety of different models which means there will be a price point for everyone, from budget-friendly to premium. Read on if you're interested in learning more about how they work.

How do desktop vaporizers work?

Desktop vaporizers work the same as their portable vaporizer counterparts with key components like a loading chamber, a heating element, and a mouthpiece in the form of a balloon or hookah whip to inhale from. However, they will typically have much more power and faster heat-up times with improved taste and vapor quality as a result. As a side note, this makes them perfect for sharing at parties, especially through their included balloon bag accessories.

More Powerful Heating

Although most desktop vapes use convection heating to heat their chamber, there are two other kinds of heating including conduction, and hybrid which is a combination of conduction and convection. The Volcano Classic was the first mainstream desktop vaporizer and relied purely on convection to extract the chamber's THC. Similarly, the Arizer Extreme Q and XQ2 models use hot air to run through the chamber and heat your ground cannabis.

Conduction desktop vaporizers like the Dr. Dabber Switch and Focus V Carta 2 will have your loose flower directly contacting a hot heating element to produce your vapor. While it's not the best option for performance, they can do a great job if you've correctly tightly packed the bowl.

The Volcano Hybrid to this day is the best desktop vaporizer on the market thanks to its hybrid heating system. It uses metal in its chamber system that adds conduction to the convection air pump system. A hybrid heated desktop vaporizer will have more powerful heating and can provide more potent vapor.

Desktop Vaporizers vs. Portable Vaporizers

As desktop vaporizer chambers tend to be larger and have more powerful heating elements, they're often a better choice for heavy medicinal users or for those that want to share vapor at a party.

Seeing as most portable vaporizers can fit into a pocket, desktop vaporizers are quite a bit larger on average and are made to be used on a tabletop only.

One of the biggest, the Hybrid Volcano, weighs seven pounds and is over a foot in height and width. Oftentimes, the power cable will be around six feet long, so you'll have a bit of wiggle room as to where you want your setup.

Better Temperature Control

While desktop vaporizers only get marginally warmer than portable vaporizers, the whole point is to avoid the combustion of cannabis below 440 Fahrenheit. Combustion of the cannabis flower destroys a lot of the therapeutic elements of the THC or CBD that you're after. Most of the headrush that you get from a joint or bong hit is the carbon monoxide that the smoke releases. By having more temperature control from digital user interfaces or remote control, you'll easily be able precisely to control the temperature of your bowl with the click of a button.

Do Desktop Vaporizers work with concentrates?

If you'd like to vape concentrates out of the box with ease, your best bet will be the Dr. Dabber Switch. It has a bucket atomizer made specifically for dry herbs, but also one made for concentrates so that you'll be able to vaporize dry herbs and dabs equally as effectively. Coming in at second place are the Volcano Classic or Hybrid thanks to their included liquid mesh pads in their kit which will provide equal vaporization as your concentrates melt. A third option is the Focus V Carta 2 because you'll be able to either tighten or loosen the atomizer to activate either flower or dabbing mode, which will change the heat settings to better vaporize your chosen material.

Whip and Balloon Systems

Some desktop vaporizers are made to be compatible with balloon accessories that you can fill with high-quality vapor to share with friends or to conveniently save for yourself.

Vapes like the Arizer XQ2 and Arizer Extreme Q are perfect examples of this and have options of using a whip (a silicone hose) or direct draw-through glass if balloons aren’t quite your thing.

A desktop vape matched with a vaporizer bong or bubbler is a match made in heaven, allowing you to get ultra-smooth yet powerful clouds of vapor. This may require you to buy a matching WPA (water pipe adaptor) to use, however. Arizer models are a good brand for water pairing because their balloons come with a 10mm mouthpiece that can be easily used with bubblers and bongs.

Choosing a Desktop Vaporizer

If you have any questions about what is a dry herb vape or want help finding the best herb vape for you, then feel free to drop us a line and we’d be glad to personally help you out! Feel free to reach out on any social media or by e-mail and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!

Why buy a desktop vaporizer from Tools420?

All of the desktop vaporizers that we have for sale are tried and true units that we have extensively researched and put to the test ourselves. As such, we only have top brands and units that will last you the test of time. We've been in business since 2016, and have built up a stellar reputation thanks to our customer-first motto. If you want to know more information, you can also check out our in-depth desktop vaporizer reviews or our Tools420 YouTube Channel which has acquired over 7000 subscribers on our non-biased video reviews of the top vaporizers.

Desktop Vaporizer Pros 

Improved Vapor Quality

Hookah, Balloons, & Bong Adaptable Oftentimes

Great for Parties and Sharing

Often Built to Last

Desktop Vaporizer Cons 

Require a Constant Power Source

Requires a bit of a Learning Curve

Not Portable

Often more Expensive

Desktop Vaporizer FAQs

Which desktop vaporizer has the best performance?

To this day, the Volcano Hybrid is the best-performing unit on the market thanks to its fast heat-up times and potent vapor quality with smartphone app integration.

How much do desktop vaporizers cost?

Desktop vaporizers will cost between $100-$600 depending on how premium you want your device to be. The more expensive your unit is the faster heat-up times and better vapor quality you'll have in general.

Who are desktop vaporizers best for?

Desktop vaporizers are best for two groups of people:

1. High tolerance connoisseurs
2. Social session enthusiasts

For people with high tolerances where portable vaporizers no longer satisfy their demands, the larger chambers and more vapor output of desktop vaporizers will be a great next logical step, alongside wax vaporizers. Extroverts will also love being able to use hookah or balloon bags while at parties with their friends.

Are desktop vaporizers better than portable vaporizers? 

Oftentimes, entry-level desktop vaporizers will have better vapor quality than the most premium portable vaporizers, but that doesn't mean that it's necessarily better, just that it has more room for heating elements because it no longer has to be portable. With a portable vaporizer, you're paying for the convenience of having high functionality from the comfort of your pocket, whereas with a desktop vaporizer, you're paying for the best vapor quality you want to afford.

Should I buy a desktop vaporizer?

You should buy a desktop vaporizer if your portable vaporizer or 510-thread battery is no longer cutting it and you need a better THC delivery. Desktop vaporizers have larger chambers and more powerful heaters so that even the heaviest of users will still get a good high from them.

How do you know when you're done vaping weed?

You'll know a session is done when the vapor quality begins to decline in terms of production or taste. For whips and balloons, this means that the normally thick clouds will begin to become wispy once your chamber's herb is close to fully cooked or start to have a 'burnt popcorn' type of taste. If you're at a high temperature, you might still be getting god clouds, but you'll notice a big decline in taste. When either of these things starts to happen, it might be a good indication that your chamber needs a reload.

How much does a desktop vaporizer waste while its on?

A desktop vaporizer that uses a bowl system will quickly waste your weed while its on and you are not hitting it. Make sure that you are nearby and are ready for your session when you turn your desktop vaporizer on.

How hot do desktop vaporizers get?

Most desktop vaporizers will reach a maximum temperature of 450°F −  232°C / 500°F − 260°C, which is a bit above the combustion point of cannabis flower. We suggest sticking to a temperature below 400°F − 205°C for this reason.

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