The different types of vaporiser

For anyone looking to use tobacco or aromatic herbs differently, the vaporiser is one of the available options. Simple to use, it is a device that may well surprise you. Here is what a vaporiser is, and what types of product exist on the market.

What is a vaporiser?

Many people confuse it with the electronic cigarette, yet the two are quite distinct objects. Only the design might suggest they are the same accessory, and even then barely. The vaporiser lets you use your tobacco or your aromatic herbs without combustion. Although its name might suggest some chemical or physical process turning a liquid into vapour, that is not the case.

The vaporiser needs neither liquid nor paper to work. A heating element simply brings the product to around 180 °C so that you can inhale the vapour released from it. Simple and effective.

What are the two vaporiser systems?

There are a great many models and brands of vaporiser on the market. There are, however, only two families, defined by the way they heat the product.

The conduction vaporiser

On this type of model, the herbs and oil are heated in a ceramic chamber. Heating is almost instantaneous and the temperature is set automatically. Easy to handle, it is a good starting point for beginners.

The convection vaporiser

With this system, the herbs are heated by very hot air. There is no heating element in contact with the product. These are slightly more technical models, since the temperature can be adjusted. They are therefore better suited to people already familiar with vaporisers. They are also considerably less affordable.

How do vaporisers work?

Now that the two families have been covered, it is worth knowing that there are 3 ways of powering these devices.

The battery-powered vaporiser

Most vaporisers running on removable batteries are conduction models. You can use either standard or rechargeable cells.

This category also includes vaporisers with a built-in battery, which are more often convection models. Once flat, the battery has to be recharged from the mains before the device will work again.

The mains-powered vaporiser

Some models plug straight into the mains. They are larger, as desktop and home vaporisers tend to be.

The gas vaporiser

A few vaporisers run on gas. Here it is a flame that heats the aromatic herbs so that they release their aromas. When the gas runs out, the device has to be refilled.

The different vaporiser formats

Here again there are three main families. Depending on what you need, one category will suit you better than another.

The desktop or home vaporiser

This is the most expensive type of vaporiser on the market, and for good reason: the quality of the vaporisation is far above the rest. It is a mains-powered model and remains fairly substantial in weight and size. Desktop vaporisers come in forced-air versions (with an internal fan) or passive ones (closer in principle to a hookah).

The portable vaporiser

As the name suggests, the portable vaporiser travels. It goes with you anywhere and slips into a pocket or a bag. Its price varies by a factor of three, since it comes in both conduction and convection versions. It runs either on a built-in battery or on removable cells. As for design, there is something for every taste.

The pen vaporiser

At a glance it looks like an electronic cigarette. Discreet and practical, it slips into a jacket or shirt pocket. These vaporiser models run on removable cells or on a built-in battery. They too have a heating chamber. Pen vaporisers are very affordable.