VapeNation

Herbalizer Vaporizer Review

Medical marijuana patients know consistency is hard to achieve, but Herbalizer changes that with near-instant temperature adjustments and versatility, making it the best medical-grade cannabis vaporizer.

Updated January 29, 2018: Little has changed in the two years since my last update, Herbalizer has done little to improve the product besides slightly improve the quality of their bags, and offer a medium size. I have reached out to Herbalizer to get an update about their build quality and price. In the mean time I stand by the the Volcano, which is built like a tank and works with minimal hassle for maximum value.

Updated November, 14, 2015: Downgraded from 95% to 85%. I’ve updated my review and no longer recommend Herbie based on problems with my unit after about 6 months of heavy use. Other online forum complaints also support Herbalizer reliability problems. Try a classic Volcano, which is built like a tank, and often works for ten years or more.

The Herbalizer Vaporizer, opened up to show the storage compartment and color screen.



The Herbalizer, or Herbie for short, is a high-tech medical device for cannabis patients seeking consistency in dosage and effects. Achieve consistent and precise temperatures to heat specific cannabinoids for your desired medicinal effects.

Since 2001 the Classic Volcano has been the desktop vaporizer of choice. Then the Digit set the standard for precise temperature controls on a desktop vape in 2007. Now the Herbalizer raises the bar for desktop vaporizers with what they call “the world’s first smartvape.”

Very fast relief

Herbalizer is ready faster than any other plug-in we’ve tested — 7 seconds from a cold start to max temperature (445 degrees) and the manual says to expect 17 seconds. If you seek a low temperature for more uplifting effects the Herbalizer is ready when you press the “vaportherapy” button; get instantly medicated. Feeling nauseated or having a seizure? Flip on Herbie and get fast relief using the whip tube.

How to Use the Herbalizer

  1. step 1:

    Grind your cannabis a medium to fine grind works great in the Herbalizer.

  2. step 2:

    Fill the bowl half way or less, overfilling makes it harder to stir and work less efficiently.

  3. step 3:

    Place the bowl over the heating element and the magnet will lock in place.

  4. step 4:

    Set the temperature between 290-445 degrees — see how fast it reacts! 290 degrees is ready instantly, and fully heated from a cold start takes about 7 seconds; impressive compared to 3-5 minutes for most other vapes like the Volcano and Da Buddha.

  5. step 5:

    Press the fan button and wait 90 seconds to inflate the bag.

  6. step 6:

    Inhale and enjoy the cool vapors. The fan stops automatically, or you can press it to toggle on/off.

  7. step 7:

    Or use the whip with or without fan assistance and inhale.

  8. step 8:

    The fan + whip delivers a steady stream of vapor which is perfect for people with lung and breathing problems who need assistance.

How it Rated: 85%

Medical-grade consistency in temperature and quality. Herbalizer isn’t for casual smokers, but it’s the best vaporizer for your money if you use medical cannabis on a regular basis.

$729 $599 is a big investment, but you’ll save that in the long-term. The bowl is about 1/2 the size of Volcano’s, and I load less than .1 gram of finely ground herb. It’s very efficient, even more than Magic Flight since Herbie’s computer heat sensor responds so quickly and keeps air temperatures steady and consistent throughout inhalation and fan blowing.

Fast and accurate temperature controls are easy to use with plus and minus buttons. Buttons are all easy to press and see in the dark. The LCD is a welcome addition as color helps show the temperature ranges and heating/cooling indicators. Also the random start-up messages are details that give Herbie a personality.

The design is clean, modern and inoffensive. Inside looks like nicely designed hospital equipment. Design detail: the magnetic bowl works really well. I took points off for design flaws like the clam shell not locking/closing shut and the rubber mouth piece on the bag feeling cheap. Also the bags become very sticky from resin inside and become unusable after a few dozen uses, which is poor design. Bags are not as high quality and leak-proof as the Volcano bags or mouth piece unit.

I’ve said before it’s medical-grade because it feels sturdy and reliable, but my use over a year proved otherwise. I had to return my Herbie for repairs and I’ve read numerous forums online reporting similar problems after heavy use. I’ve recently downgraded my review of this unit due to serious reliability concerns. The pieces are well-considered and the NASA engineering claims are true, Herbalizer has a lot of time into the production and design of these vapes, but I believe they still have a few miles to go before it’s more than an expensive beta unit.

1. Plug it in and push on. Don’t miss the fun random message on the screen! 2. Press the vapor therapy button. 3. Set your temp and fill a bag with the fan button. 4. Medicate. We prefer bags, but the setup process is easy for whips or aromatherapy, too.

The little ceramic herb basket is well-designed and coated in rubber so it’s easier to touch when hot. Screw/twist it open/closed in a half turn or so. I load between .05 and .1 grams per bowl and can get 2-3 bags of effective vapor.

Unmatched. I’ve had other friends try Herbie in the last few weeks and they can’t believe the feeling. It’s much stronger than other vaporizers because the temperature heater is so close to the herb, but also so tightly regulated. The effects are very strong and potent. Use with caution! Volcano bags aren’t as heavily-filled.

Emptying the bowl is a snap, sometimes you need to use the brush, sometimes you don’t. If you’re lazy just close the lid and clean up next time. Or try for another bowl later! Over the long-term clean-up is slightly more of a pain, the white parts on Herbalizer get easily covered in cannabis oils from heavy use. The mouth tube is constantly sticky and oily, so that requires frequent cleaning as well.

Herbie appears to be as efficient as the Magic Flight Launch Box, which is known for being among the most efficient vapes around. I’ve done over 30 hours of research online and other people appear to have the same results, Herbie is super efficient. Some people use .03-.05 grams of herb in a bowl and feel great.

Use the nice cleaning brush when the bowl is hot and you’ll have no problem keeping the basket clean. Replace screens as needed, but usually swapping the top and bottom screens and using the vape a few times will blow it clean. Regularly clean the whip tube and bowl stem area. Bags don’t last as long as the Volcano bags, and become too sticky after a few dozen uses. Also the connection to the rubber mouth piece may leak before the bag is done. Volcano still makes better bags (and a better desktop vaporizer) as of this update.

Already Been Vaped (ABV)

This single bowl was vaporized four times, increasing the temperature each time:

What’s this game-changing feature?

Simple technology that lets medical cannabis users blow off the THC (using the fan at specific temperatures) and so you’re just left with medicine that’s rich in CBD without having to buy special strains of marijuana like Charlotte’s Web (which is sold out everywhere and very hard to come by). This medical point can’t be overstated for users who need this medicine daily: people with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) or Epilepsy will really appreciate this one-of-a-kind feature.

“Earlier this afternoon I found myself in a position where I needed to medicate, but couldn’t be high. So what did I do? I loaded the Herbalizer and turned the fan on at 415F until I didn’t see any vapor blowing out. Then I upped the temp to 445F and filled a bag. It effectively medicated my body with minimal cerebral effect. Thank you, Herbie.”

green2brown

Control and consistency

Control is only one part of delivering consistent temperature. The Volcano can’t react like Herbie’s fine heat sensor, because as the bag fills, or as you pull air using the whip, Herbalizer smartly detects minor changes in temperature and makes micro adjustments, so you’re getting very consistent and dialed in heat to match the airflow. This is where the nickname smartvape comes from, because our friend Herbie is the first vaporizer to maintain such tightly consistent temperatures; this is a medical-grade feature you expect from hospital-quality equipment.

Herbie temperatures can be tightly controlled between 290F and 445F, but the huge deal is how Herbie responds to temp changes in airflow, no matter the speed of inhale, the temperatures are so precise you can target specific cannabinoids based on their boiling points for really dialed in medical effects ranging from uplifting mental highs, to balanced in the middle, to intense body highs.
“Having the laser-like temperature control opens up some exciting possibilities, such as boiling off compounds at 350F using the fan assist and then vaping only the higher boilers, isolating precisely the desired compounds and effects. It could be done before, but not with this level of precision and repeatability. More than any vape I’ve used before it felt like I was using a scientific instrument or medical device. Or maybe a Star Trek prop. Vapor production from the unit was excellent. Extremely consistent, dense and flavorful.”

vtac

The Downsides

The high-pitched fan isn’t silent, especially if you’re used to silent vapes like the Magic Flight or Pax, but it’s hard to call Herbie noisy, the Volcano is much louder vs the Herbalizer. Regular use requires light but regular cleaning of the tubes and bowl to keep things humming along smoothly. Not a big deal, but other vaporizers with fewer features require less maintenance.

Maintenance

Here is a nice summary of cleaning the Herbalizer. I’m writing an article about how to properly clean Herbie for maximum efficiency.

“Herbie is a snap to clean. Bags don’t get cleaned and re-used. I use the same bag on Volcano for almost a year now. When bags are done serving purpose and are retired they are great to clean and reclaim. The other parts use Iso… The chamber itself should not need cleaning unless abused. The way it heats lets you empty it of dry abv, and there is not tackiness left. You can use Iso wipes.. or an Iso rinse, but nothing there needs to be “soaked” in Iso. The silicone whip, after pulling out any beads of resin from inside, can be rinsed and agitated in Iso (not soaked), and then washed out with dish soap and hot water before being rinsed well and vacuumed dry. Some folks love to whine about “Soap… yucK!”, but those are the steps I take and my silicone and all tubing lasts longer than anyones that I know. Invariably folks in person say it feels and tastes clean too.”

vitolo

What’s in the Box?

The Stats

Herbalizer: $599


Herbalizer Reviews across the interwebs

“Loaded .2 into the bowl and went straight to 445F because I require high temp vapor. Smoooooth and flavorful. The whip length really allows for the vapor to cool down and the flavor is strong and pure. Hitting it through glass is almost a joke. It’s like breathing air. And with the fan assist, all you have to do is get the perc going and Herbie does the rest. Effortless hits every time. And I’m not sure how or why, but .2 out of the Herbalizer has me feeling much more medicated than .2 out of the Cloud, my former daily driver.”

green2brown


“Actually, there really isn’t much I can say that hasn’t already been said, this little guy performs better than any vape I have ever laid my hands on. I have no regrets whatsoever. Quite the opposite” “I’ve been trying REAL HARD to convert several combusting friends for a couple years and this just may be the ticket.. Habits die hard but Herbie performs so well and is so versatile that I think it will finally open some eyes.”

toros23


“Fast fast FAST! Heat up time is less then 10 seconds from a cold start in my very cold east coast Garage! I cranked it straight to 445 and proceeded to get super milky vapor instantly! Did I mention instantly! And I really like the fan assist. You can literally let it fill your lungs like a bag…just stick the whip in your mouth and press go. There is nothing this fast that I can think of.

Your Highness


“So Herbie has arrived. I am blown away. I’ve been a vaporist for the better part of 4 years and in that time I’ve owned over 30 vaporizers from logs, to pens, to the EVO. In my honest opinion, nothing comes close to this.

I love how when you change your temperature setting not only is quick but it actually gives you a read out of what medication state you’ve chosen from uplifting to intense. I can’t seem to understand how some people aren’t grasping how huge that is! I think that’s where you can differentiate from the cloud chasers trying to get high versus a vapor enthusiast. By all means, nothing about this product from the marketing to the engineering to the final product is meant for the cloud chaser crowd. This mother fucker is for the connoisseur looking for the perfect vaporizer.

After hours I start Herbie at 375, I usually get 5,6,7 nice hits between 375 and 400 before moving into the fog machine zone.From 400 to 450 I can pull anywhere around 4 – 6 more hits before the taste of a spent load kicks in.

Now, with that being said, all herb is not created equal. I’ve had strains that just won’t fucking give of clouds and others that start the steam at 350. I think what Herbie is proving to us, the vapor nerds, is that the density of a cloud doesn’t really matter at all. It’s purely extraction!

mvapes

But I found mvapes to have an even more special story:

I have a condition too, mine is Parkinson’s Disease. I find that the lower temperature control of Herbie helps alleviate my tremors for a little while. I’m 40 years old and currently take over 30 pills a day. Most people don’t understand PD, even doctor’s have been unable to answer certain questions due to limited knowledge on a disease I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.

Parkinson’s is debilitating, I have what’s known as the European version of the disease, much more aggressive than the American one. Even as we speak my disease is outgrowing my meds like Sinamet and Requip and I will be up another 5 – 10 pills within the next 6 months. I imagine at some point this is going to start damaging my kidneys.

Why am I telling you this? Because cannabis is proven to aid in neurological disorders derived from the Vegas system in you head. This is why I set out to try and treat appropriately using cannabis therapy to try and cut down on or hold off and more pills. I’m a fighter, and between the Herbie and evo I now have been afforded to make my odds better.

Check out the full details on Herbalizer.com

The Bottom Line

We appreciate the up-front cost is very high at $599, but the long-term value is higher if you’re the right type of medical marijuana patient. Herbalizer delivers medicine in seconds, not minutes; the warm-up times will forever ruin all other vaporizers as being slow. Volcano fills bags faster, but Herbie’s bags are more potent, so you spend less time trying to get medicated and more time enjoying it, that’s not insignificant time for heavy users. Using the whip makes it possible to get medicated within 10 seconds of hitting power, that’s a life-saver for some patients.

About my Herbalizer vaporizer review

You made it to the end—I appreciate that! I worked hard to make this Herbalizer vaporizer review the best on the internet through careful research, taking helpful photos and lots of personal hands-on testing over months of regular medical marijuana use. If you like my work, consider buying from my referral link so I can keep this site going. Herbalizer has good customer service and I recommended shopping with them so you get a legit warranty.

—Vape-Nation

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