This is an article for those still on the fence. For those who are having trouble deciding to get a portable or desktop vaporizer. This is a piece that serves up the pros and cons as well as food for thought on how to make the right choice for YOU.
There are many factors at play when making the decision on which vaporizer to buy, as I have discussed in one of my previous posts.
For now, however, I like to focus on just one aspect on that list: the choice between a stationary table vaporizer or one that you carry along.
So, what are the pros of having a portable vaporizer?
Let’s start with the positive side of handheld vaporizers such as:
Portability:
Kinda obvious, isn’t it? It’s in the name. You can take it anywhere you want to have a vaping sesh. But, even portable vapes come in all shapes and sizes. So, you’ve got to ask yourself this; “Do I want the most powerful vaporizers with extended battery life like Storz & Bickel’s Crafty+ or Mighty? Even though they might not fit in my pocket. Or do I want true pocketability and sacrifice (a little) on operational time and heating prowess? If that’s the case you’re better of with a PAX3 or Dynavap.
Discretion:
Sadly, for many of us vaping is still better done away from the public eye. That’s why small handheld vaporizers are ideal for situations where you don’t want other people to know what you’re doing.
In these cases, the Tinymight, PAX3 or even the Glow are excellent examples of discreet vaporizers that either look like regular e-cigarette devices or can be completely obscured by the hand that holds them.
Okay, so what are the negative aspects of portable vaporizers?
Are there any? Unfortunately, yes. And those might just be the ones that refrain you from getting one, in favour of a desktop vaporizer.
Batteries:
Aarrhhgg! Having to charge your batteries before you head out is the bane of any vaper on the go. “ Did I remember to charge in time or will I run out of juice halfway through my journey?”. Battery management is a stressful business. Unless you go for a flame-operated vaporizer that is.
A smaller bowl or oven:
The biggest drawback of having a smaller vape is having a smaller load capacity. For those heavy hitters amongst us, wanting to consume large quantities of herb, this will mean frequent reloads and the need for even more battery power. A classic catch-22 scenario that you won’t have with a desktop vaporizer, seeing they have bigger bowls that allow more herb to be vaped in one sesh.