With so many units out there, we often get asked what’s the best vaporizer, and this year, what the best vaporizer 2012 is. If you are not familiar with how a vaporizer works, check out the wikipedia vaporizer page or our own vaporizing intro article for a good summary.  We have done a lot of vaporizer reviews over the last year but there has never been a question as to which one is best.  Along the same lines, we also frequently get asked what is the best cheap vaporizer, and what is the best portable vaporizer, and recently, what is the best vaporizer 2012?

best cheat vaporizers

Most people in the vaporizer industry agree on the answers to these questions and time has proven that these models are here to stay as the most popular units for vaporizing.  Obviously personal preferences can vary from person to person, but this can be a starting point and you can decide for your own based on the reviews.

The Best Vaporizer:  

Volcano Vaporizer Rating by v8vantage: 5.0 stars *****

The best vaporizer in the world is the $500+ Volcano Vaporizer.  It is made in Germany and nobody dispute it’s quality.  There are plenty of vaporizers on the market but if you want the best, the Volcano is what you get.  It has never been contested, and we doubt it ever will.  Quality comes with a price, and in this case the Rolls Royce of Vaporizers is the Volcano.

The Best Vaporizer For The Money aka the Best Cheap Vaporizer-  Magic Flight Launch Box

vaporizersThere are plenty of mid-high range vaporizers that are a great deal in themselves, but we are talking the best vaporizer for the money and that usually doesn’t involve a higher end vaporizer.  By far, the most popular cheap vaporizer is the Magic Flight Launch Box Vaporizer.  For around $120, you can have a totally stealth vaporizer that fits in the palm of your hand and is portable.  Because of it’s price combined with a killer warranty, this unit is actually one of the best selling vaporizers on the market for those who have a lower budget in mind.  While you can’t expect BMW quality for a Kia price, it gets the job done and is night and day healthier than combustion smoking.

wispr vaporizer

The Best Portable Vaporizer 

If you are looking for a high end portable vaporizer, odds are you are going to be considering either the WISPR vaporizer or the Arizer Solo Vaporizer. Both units are in the $260 range.  The Wispr uses butane, while the Arizer uses a rechargeable battery. The Wispr is a all in one unit where the whip folds into the body for transportation.  The Arizer on the other hand, uses a glass whip which while higher quality, is separate from the unit when transporting.   Also feel free to check out another article I wrote on the best portable vaporizers.

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Volcano Vaporizer Review

Volcano Vaporizer Review

by v8vantage on January 25, 2012

The Storz & Bickel Volcano Vaporizer.  In doing the Volcano Vaporizer review, you need to know that whether analog or digital, this is the Rolls-Royce of vaporizers with a price tag to match so before you decide to buy volcano vaporizer, read my Volcano Vaporizer review and get educated before you make this big purchase. Storz & Bickel is a German company whose quality and precision workmanship are unquestioned. They invest plenty in R&D and it shows. The fact that they call this vaporizer Volcano is appropriate given its power.

I could write an entire article on how the interior parts of this vaporizer is far better than any other vaporizer in the world, and explain the engineering and heating elements and what its made out of and all that stuff, but it would just be confusing and boring.  The bottom line is that there is a reason this vaporizer is expensive and it is because the stuff inside costs a lot.  You will find no “made in china” sticker on these units, these are made in Germany whose reputation precedes itself when it comes to engineering and quality.  In my opinion, I’d rather spend more and know that when I’m inhaling things into my body that it is going through the safest, healthiest, and best quality method.

Volcano Vaporizer

Both Volcano Models

There are two models: analog and digital. Digital Volcano Vaporizer costs $130 more and gives you the option of selecting an exact temperature. The analog model features a dial for choosing heat adjustment from 1-10. Otherwise, there are few differences between the two.

You also need to choose between the “easy” and “solid” valves. The easy valve, as the name implies, is simple to handle and requires minimal maintenance. It comes with the balloon already attached, perfect for those who aren’t into cleaning the valve and mouthpiece or attaching a new balloon. When you can’t use the easy valve any more, you simply replace it, and clean and re-use the filling chamber.

The solid valve is reusable but requires occasional cleaning. Since it doesn’t need to be replaced it’s more cost-effective but demands some labor. In all other respects, the two valves are identical.

volcano vaporizer

Our Review

The Volcano really does kick you in the face and I love it.  You can tie off the bag as big or small as you want but of course most people are so excited when they receive it they just fill the entire balloon. Let’s just say it does its job very well.   Super high quality thick vapor goodness.  I have yet to use a vaporizer that produced a better quality vapor than the Volcano.

An often forgotten fact about all vaporizers, and especially the volcano, is that you use much less herb. The volcano is the king of efficiency, more so than all the other vaporizers. For me personally, I use 50% less herb when I use the volcano as opposed to when I use a water pipe. Anyone planning on vaporizing over the long term can really justify this product’s high cost, relative to how much further you’ll be able to stretch your medicine and save accordingly.

Using it is super easy.  Plug in, turn on, wait 3 minutes for it to warm up, load the bud, flip a switch and watch the bag inflate with vapor. Pull the balloon off the unit, and inhale.  The valve only lets vapor out when it touches your lips so you don’t have to worry about holding anything shut.  This is very convenient especially if you are passing it around with friends.

To sum the Volcano Vaporizer up-

-Superior, unmatched quality
-Precision European craftsmanship
-Amazingly efficient use of herb
-Option of using “easy valve”
-Volcano Vaporizers come with a Three (3)-year warranty
-Quiet to operate
-Universally acclaimed by users and reviewers

As we said, this is Rolls-Royce Range. There’s only one real con:

The price of getting the best, as with any high-end product, is steep!  There is no cheap Volcano Vaporizer.  This bares repeating.  You will not be able to get the Volcano Vaporizer cheap.  If you plan on vaporizing a significant amount and a actually do the math out, the longterm cost of getting the best vaporizer in the world isn’t all that much.

Volcano Vaporizer Rating by v8vantage: 5.0 stars  *****

Best Current USA Price Analog: $539.00 at VapeWorld (includes free overnight shipping)
Best Current USA Price Digital: $669.00 at VapeWorld  (includes free overnight shipping)

Best Current Europe Price Analog: € 497,50 at Vaposhop (includes free shipping)
Best Current Europe Price Digital: € 397,00 at Vaposhop (includes free shipping)

 

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WISPR Vaporizer Review

WISPR Vaporizer Review

by v8vantage on January 24, 2012

New For Review: The WISPR Vaporizer. This brand-new portable butane unit is getting a lot of hype and just came out so a wispr vaporizer review is due so my readers can get the information they need before they buy wispr vaporizer.

The portable WISPR vaporizer is made by the same company that makes the Iolite Vaporizer, so right there you know you’re dealing with a reputable firm. Oglesby & Butler have over 27 years’ experience dealing with heat controlled units.

wispr vaporizer

  • 1 can of butane
  • instruction manual
  • moisture condenser
  • heater mesh screen
  • 7 dot filling chamber
  • flexible mouthpiece

This WISPR Vaporizer is basically a newer and smaller version of the Iolite model. Because it’s new, it’ll set you back a little more than the Iolite. You can expect to fork over $250-$300 for the WISPR. Is it worth it?

The manufacturer states that the WISPR features an upgraded butane delivery system as well as mouthpiece, both of which have been patented. The way the unit is designed, you’re able to stand the WISPR up as well as hold it at any angle. Another big plus is the butane fuel level that you can check at any time. (Speaking of butane, when getting refills down the line, please remember to use a high quality butane with any vaporizer. This is very important!)

As with the Iolite, the WISPR boasts a long continuous vaporization time. The manufacturer claims that because of their charge, you can use the WISPR continuously for up to three hours. Pretty good.

 Our Testing

wispr vaporizer review

In terms of quality, we found that the WISPR does indeed seem to produce a higher quality vapor as compared with the Iolite. Is it enough of a difference to warrant the higher price? We say “YES” with this footnote: If money is really tight for you, buying the Iolite remains an legit choice. Both are very solid units from a reliable company. Either will suit the needs of anyone looking for a small, portable, high quality vaporizer. That being said, this WISPR unit is just a step up.  It is awesome and I personally use this as my portable vaporizer of choice.

We will put the WISPR vaporizer in the same category as the Iolite, so: BMW Range it is.  This is the b est portable vaporizer on the market right now.  The WISPR comes in five (5) different colors, so you can have the same fun of picking your favorite color as you would in buying a car.

EDIT:  Recently, there has been huge press about the WISPR in a lot of big name publications including wired and gizmodo.  The articles are just little blurbs and don’t give any real good info, but it is cool to see that the popularity of the WISPR is exploding as more and more people buy wispr vaporizer. To read a blurb I wrote about this recent explosion, click here

Wispr Vaporizer Rating by v8vantage: 4.5 stars  ****1/2

Best Current USA Price: $269.99 at VapeWorld
Best Current Europe Price: € 199,00 at Vaposhop 

Currently, the best USA price for the WISPR Vaporizer is from VapeWorld, a trusted and well known online Vaporizer Store that I have been dealing with for a long time.  To see details on this unit simply click the link above or the graphic below.  Vape World has free shipping  for this unit and includes a FREE can of premium butane.

For those of you in Europe, the best price we could find is at VapoShop which also happens to be one of the most popular online vaporizer stores in the Europe area.  They also have free shipping when you purchase the Wispr Vaporizer. 


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Magic Flight Launch Box Review

Magic Flight Launch Box Vaporizer Review

by v8vantage on January 23, 2012

The Magic Flight Launch Box is a small portable vaporizer and is considered the best cheap vaporizer on the market.  Overall it is most commonly used as a portable vaporizer for someone who already has a primary vaporizer at home but wants a cheap portable unit.   It is also popular for people who don’t vaporize very often as well as those who don’t want to spend a lot of money.

This is a unit that hovers around $100 give or take $20 so you can’t expect to get a Volcano Vaporizer performance out of it.   This is, pure and simple, designed to be the a cost effective ultra portable vaporizer.

magic flight launch box

The Magic Launch Box is small, real small.  It is a very impressive 2.5 x 1.25 x 0.9 inches which makes it as stealth as it gets. Nobody can complain about it’s size, so lets move on.

In terms of speed it is literally the fastest vaporizer on the market for heat up time.   From the time you put the battery in, the unit is ready to go in 5 seconds.  That is incredible.

The design of  this unit is very unique which isn’t always a good thing.    In the picture you see, the metal looking thing sticking out of the top is a AA rechargeable batteries that come with it (along with the recharger of course).  Each battery lasts about 8 pulls before needing to be recharged.  The reason it is able to use batteries is because its basically a box made of wood with a screen that is then attached to wires who make contact with the battery to create heat.

You will not, and should not expect, to get high quality vapor comparable to a wispr, arizer solo, or volcano.   This is built for efficiency and price and in that respect it does very well.  The vapor is is real, as is the effect.

You do need to read the directions, which are direct and to the point.  It is important to remember to take the battery out when done, because inserting it activates the unit.  There is no on or off switch. It is easy to get the hang of and pretty straight forward.

One of the big pluses of the magic flight launch box is their unlimited warranty.  If it stops working for any reason they will replace for life which is impressive because no other vaporizer has a warranty that lasts longer than a year or two.

So, if you are looking for the smallest and cheapest portable vaporizer on the market and can’t have anything else, then get this.  Otherwise for better overall quality check out our other portable vaporizer reviews.

For the record, while this will indeed get a lower score then many of the higher quality units we have reviewed, it should be stated again that this vaporizer is meant for a very specific use and situation so in that sense it is legit.  Also for what it is worth, there are plenty of good peer reviews of this unit online by people who bought them for the right purpose and are very happy with them.  For people on a tight budget, this works, and many people own them.

Magic Flight Launch Box Rating by v8vantage: 3.5 stars ***1/2


Current Best USA Price: $119 at VapeWorld

Current Best Europe Price: € 99,00 at VapoShop

The price of the Magic Flight Launch Box is pretty stable, and the best price I could find on it is currently at VapeWorld who will also include free shipping and a free gift.   

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Extreme Q Vaporizer Review

January 22, 2012
Thumbnail image for Extreme Q Vaporizer Review

  The Extreme Q Vaporizer came out in early 2008 and was manufactured by the Canadian company Arizer who also happens to make the V-Tower model.  The Extreme Q is one of the few 3 function units with a digital temp LCD control that uses forced air, direct inhalation, and also a balloon fill type Click for more>

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Arizer Solo Vaporizer Review

January 21, 2012
Thumbnail image for Arizer Solo Vaporizer Review

Today we are conducting a Arizer Solo Vaporizer Review.  This vaporizer is a new portable unit that just came out recently that is trying to fight for a spot at the top of the high end portable vaporizer market. When we heard of this unit our first thought was “seriously, how many more portable vaporizers are Click for more>

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DaVinci Vaporizer Review

April 20, 2012

After what seemed like an eternity, a new Vaporizer finally showed up at our door to be prodded, tested, and reviewed.   Newly released is The DaVinci Vaporizer. The DaVinci is a high end portable vaporizer designed by Karma Classic and I’m pretty impressed with it.  There are some very cool features of this vaporizer that do not exist in Click for more>

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