The 10 Best Portable Vaporizers of 2019

First published on Vaped.com

[Canniseur: Although updated in mid-September, it’s not too early to start thinking about gifts for for the cannabis lover in your life. There’s some interesting vaporizers in here and note they are all FLOWER vaporizers, not oil. So all are safe to use as long as your cannabis flowers are nice and pure. I might even get a new favorite from this article.]

Published on March 29, 2018
Last updated on September 17, 2019

If you’re looking for the best portable dry herb vaporizer, you’re in the right place! We’ve tested hundreds of different portable vaporizers and whittled them down to 10.

2019 has been an an exciting year in the world of dry herb portable vaporizers so far. We’ve seen them get smaller but still manage to deliver outstanding vapor quality and pack a ton of technology inside.

Top 10 Portable Dry Herb Vaporizers for 2019

1. Mighty

Although the Mighty has been available for almost four years now it still reigns as the best portable dry herb vaporizer. Its vapor quality is on par with high end desktop vaporizers which is really saying something. The pulls are smooth and flavorful which is exactly what you’re looking for in a good portable vaporizer.

Not only is the vapor quality amazing, but it’s super easy to use. There’s a screen on the unit with easy up and down controls for the temperature. It also has a built-in safety feature which automatically turns it off in case you forget.

The Mighty uses a mix of both conduction and convection heating techniques which is patented by Storz & Bickel, the maker of the Volcano and Mighty. They also built in grating on the side which cools down the vapor (which is important since it’s in your hand).

The Mighty already had one of the best battery lives of any portable but it was updated in 2018 with 20% more battery life. That means you can use it for almost two hours without plugging in which can last you a weekend or longer. It also features pass through charging which means you can use it while it’s plugged in. That comes in handy when you

While it may not be as portable as other options, it doesn’t need to be. It’s small enough to take on trips and is the perfect size for at home use. It isn’t cheap, but you really get what you pay for. The Mighty is an investment that will pay off in the long run.

2. Arizer Solo 2

The Arizer Solo 2 is the follow up to the mega popular Solo. Arizer is a world renowned brand for a reason: they make stellar dry herb vaporizers that work well for a fair price.

The main reason the Solo 2 comes in second is because of its impressive battery life. When fully charged it runs for almost three hours non stop without needing a charge. That’s probably the longest battery life of any portable vaporizer you can find in 2019.

Not only is the battery life stellar, but the vapor quality is fantastic. It features a hybrid ceramic/stainless steel heating system which delivers delicious and thick vapor. The vapor itself stays cool due to the long glass air path.

Don’t worry if you’re in a rush too! The Arizer Solo 2 heats up in around 20 seconds which means you can go from dry herb to vapor in no time. The digital controls are sleek and simple to use.

Just like the Mighty, the Arizer Solo 2 isn’t quite pocketable since it has a glass tube that you pull from, but the battery life and vapor quality more than make up for it. If you’re looking for an awesome portable vaporizer at a fair price, definitely consider the Solo 2.

Also we didn’t include the Arizer Air 2 in this list but it deserves a mention. It’s essentially a smaller version of the Solo 2 with a worse battery life.

3. Firefly 2+

When the original Firefly hit the market it blew a lot of people’s minds. It’s a convection herb vaporizer that heats up in a couple seconds that has cool, thick vapor. There were a few complaints around the size, lack of temperature control and battery life though.

They fixed that up in the second version. The Firefly 2 is over 30% smaller, 50% lighter, with advanced temperature controls and has a much improved battery life. You can now pick from six temperature settings between 338° and 437° Fahrenheit which let’s you get the perfect vapor density. Just make sure you have a smart phone because that’s all controlled by the Firefly app!

They then released an even bigger improvement on that Firefly 2 with the new Firefly 2+ (Plus). The most notable improvement is the charging and battery life. You can now charge to 80% in 20 minutes, which lets you get up and running quick. The dock makes it easy to remember to leave to charge too. Although the battery is small, they’ve expanded the life span through tech innovations and you can also replace it on the go.

Because it uses a convection heating system it delivers some of the best vapor quality out of any of the portable vaporizers on this list. While you need to learn how to take a slower draw to use it properly, it’s not that difficult to pick up and learn. The Firefly 2+ also heats up almost instantly—no waiting around for it to heat up.

Due to its design the Firefly 2+ is also super easy to clean and maintain. It not only looks good, but it’s functional. That’s smart design!

4. Ghost MV1

The Ghost MV1 is a new entry in to our rankings. Ghost came out of nowhere with a vaporizer that rivaled the best in the business. The first version of the MV1 had a few flaws but they’ve improved it since. Now with the fixes, it’s one of the best portable vaporizers you can buy.

Although the MV1 is up with the Solo 2 and Mighty, they’re not exact comparisons. The MV1 is an on-demand vaporizer, meaning you get instant heat up and instant gratification. Most others in this list (apart from the Firefly 2+) are session vaporizers, meaning you need to wait for bowl to heat up. Being on-demand is a good thing if you want short sessions.. This also allows you to micro-dose your herbs since you can have short, quick sessions with a small amount.

The real reason that the Ghost MV1 is near the top of the charts is due to the vapor production and quality that you can get out of it. It is pure convection heated bliss. The first few draws from each crucible are some of the best tasting we’ve tried from any vaporizer. It can also handle concentrates if that’s your thing.

Just like most units that top this list, the MV1 also has an accompanying bluetooth app that you can use with your Apple or Android device. This allows you to pick the exact temperature you want and edit specific settings to suit you personally.

While others have complained about the crucibles being hard to maneuver, we’ve found them pretty easy to get used to. There is a bit of a learning curve but it’s not impossible to use. We just wouldn’t recommend it to an elderly person, or someone who isn’t dexterous. Overall though, it’s an awesome portable vape and we’re having a lot of fun with it.

See our full Ghost MV1 review if you want more info on it.

5. Healthy Rips Fury Edge

Healthy Rips entered the fray a few years ago with the Fury vaporizer. They promised to deliver food-grade air paths that use convection technology to heat the herb, and they’ve delivered. While their first few vaporizers were great, they’ve released a true winner in the Fury Edge.

The most notable part of the Healthy Rips Fury Edge is that it delivers (mostly) convection in a small package. Until this point if you wanted a portable vaporizer that fits in your pocket, you were most likely using conduction. While there’s nothing wrong with conduction, convection is generally more efficient and delivers better flavour.

They’ve also packed a 2300 mAh battery in to the Fury Edge which is a very decent battery. Our main complaint with the Fury 2 was that it wasn’t truly portable since the battery was so small (and not replaceable). That’s fixed and the Fury Edge runs for over an hour in use which is great. Not only that, but they’ve implemented USB-C charging. It charges quickly and USB-C doesn’t wear out like a mini USB.

Last but not least, one of the main reasons why the Fury Edge is nearing the top of our list is because of the price. Sure, the Mighty and Ghost MV1 have less draw resistance and have better flavour, but they’re double the price. If you’re looking for an affordable, portable, unit you should definitely check out the Fury Edge.

P.S. The Healthy Rips Fury Edge also gives you a variety of attachments you can use. If you want to throw it in your pocket there’s a plastic mouthpiece, or you can use a glass one while at home – totally up to you.

6. Davinci IQ/MIQRO

Davinci has been making vaporizers for over five years now. They started off with the original Davinci Vaporizer and followed it up with the solid Davinci Ascent. Their third product is certainly their best portable vaporizer yet.

Perhaps the best thing about the Davinci IQ is the design—it just looks downright sexy. It has a super sleek design with a beautiful LED grid display. It looks like it could be an Apple device if they decided to dip their toes in the vaporizer market.

Not only does it look great, but it performs great too. It delivers tasty vapor from its ceramic heating chamber which is a conduction heating system. It also includes a ‘flavour chamber’ which lets you vaporize dry herbs without having to grind them up.

If you’re looking for a true, pocketable, portable vaporizer you’re in luck. The Davinci IQ is small. It only weighs around 145 grams which is tiny compared to many other portable units. You can easily throw it in your pocket along with your phone.

The battery will only last about an hour of use though, so be wary. The batteries are replaceable so consider picking an extra one up if you’re going with the Davinci IQ. They’re easy to swap in and out!

New in 2019: Davinci released the MIQRO vaporizer, which is very similar to the IQ but has a smaller size and comes in at a lower price point. While the battery lasts a little bit less than the IQ, it’s an amazing little conduction vaporizer. If you want a small unit to throw in your pocket, you should definitely take a look at the MIQRO.

5. Pax 3

Along with Volcano, Pax has been the face of vaporizers for a little while ago. The original rendition had a unique, sleek design that really helped it stand out from the crowd. The Pax 3 looks even better with new matte colours and has some big improvements to boot.

The best thing about the Pax 3 is probably it’s size. There are smaller vaporizers available, but Pax has really nailed it with the perfect size for activities. It’s awesome for hikes, skateboarding, snowboarding or anything else outdoors. It weighs only 93 grams which is pretty insane for all of the technology they pack in to it.

The Pax 3 also heats up quickly in around 15-20 seconds. It uses lip sensing technology to tell when you’re using it, so it can heat up the chamber which is super dope. The vapor you pull from the unit is surprisingly good too! It does run on a conduction oven which won’t deliver the subtle flavors of a convection vaporizer, but that won’t matter for the majority of people.

They’ve also improved the battery life with the Pax 3. You can use it for around an hour an a half before having to recharge. Even charging is cool with the Pax 3 with the innovative charging dock. You can tell that a lot of engineering went in to it.

8. Crafty

The Crafty is the nimble little brother of the Mighty that’s sitting up at the #1 spot. Depending who you talk to, and what you’re looking for, the Crafty could take the top spot as the best portable vaporizer.

It is cheaper than the Mighty which is great, but there are a few downsides. The battery life lasts about half as long as the Mighty (around 45 minutes of use) and doesn’t feature a display. You need to control the temperature settings from the app connected to your smart phone.

The latest versions of the Crafty feature a 20% better battery life though, which means you get around an hour of use without having to plug it in. And it also features pass-through charging so you can use it while it’s plugged in.

If you’re looking for a true portable unit though you’ll want the Crafty over the Mighty. It weighs in at just around 135g which makes it discreet and can easily fit in your pocket. The Crafty is built tough too which means you don’t really have to worry about it rattling around a bit.

Just like all Volcano products, it has amazing vapor quality. It has a hybrid convection heating system which is impressive for a vaporizer of this size.

9. XMAX Starry V3

The XMAX Starry is the cheapest vaporizer on this list, but it doesn’t perform like the cheapest. It’s an awesome little vaporizer that is perfect for beginners looking for a starter, or veterans looking for a super portable unit.

The XMAX Starry is the perfect size to be taken out of the house on an adventure. It weighs around 120 grams which is at the smaller end of any portable vaporizers you find. It’s easy to throw in your pocket and fits perfectly in the grip of your hand. Just be careful because the mouthpiece can get hot after prolonged use.

It heats up pretty quickly in around 20-30 seconds. The XMAX Starry offers a full spectrum of temperatures to pick from the OLED display. You can play around and find the best setting. It is a conduction vaporizer though, so don’t expect incredible flavor.

The V3 has an improved battery life which lets you use it for around 80 minutes of use. The batteries are also replaceable, so you can keep extras with you for longer excursions. They’ve also added a bigger bowl and new mouth piece which are definitely nice to have too!

10. Boundless CF/CFX

Boundless has released a couple cheap products that have taken the dry herb vaporizer world by storm. The CF/CFX are essentially a poor man’s Crafty/Mighty: they are hybrid convection, they look similar and they have similar sizes. Considering they’re half the price of their Volcano counterparts—the CF/CFX are pretty impressive.

The Boundless CF is the smaller of the two. It’s a relatively small size and features five different temperature settings. The battery is non-replaceable and will last you around 50 minutes of use.

The Boundless CFX is the big brother. It’s bulkier, but features a nice OLED display which lets you pick your exact temperature. Like the CF, the batteries are non-replaceable and will last you around 60 minutes of use.

What really sets these two vaporizers apart from the crowd is their vapor quality. They have the best vapor of any cheap vaporizer available right now. It’s not quite on par with the best, but it’s definitely better than most. If you’re just starting out with vaporizing, or can’t afford a more expensive unit, you won’t be disappointed with either the Boundless CF or CFX.