The Volcano Vaporizer by Storz & Bickel is a German-made desktop vaporizer that uses a balloon as its vapor delivery medium. It relies on convection to heat the contents of its oven to the point of vaporization, at which point, as vapor is created, it pushes the vapor along with the heated air used to vaporize the blend into its balloon where it is stored until it’s ready to be inhaled.

For those unfamiliar with what a vaporizer is, a vaporizer, or “vape” as some refer to it, is a device that applies heat to a material until the material vaporizes, releasing vapor which is then released in an ambient fashion or captured via a delivery system such as a bag or tube.

For power, the Volcano relies on an external power source – an electrical outlet. Plug it in, turn it on, and flick the switch to begin the heating process. Once it has reached the desired temperature, load your blend, turn on the fan, and wait for the bag to fill. Remove the bag, attach the mouthpiece, and begin inhaling at your leisure.

The Volcano comes in two different styles. First, there was the original, which is known as the Volcano Classic, which came out well over a decade ago in the year 2000. This version is basically identical to the latest version, the Volcano Digit that was released in 2007, only it weighs 200 grams less and lacks the Digit’s digital display and temperature controls – instead offering a simple temperature adjustment wheel that is rotated to adjust the temperature.

Volcano vaporizers are intended for use with a range of different types of blends, which include dry blends as well as extracts. In order to vaporize concentrates, it relies on its liquid pads.

Both variants have an approximate temperature range of 104 to 446 degrees Fahrenheit.

For balloons, there are two types available, both of which work with either version of the Volcano. The Easy Valve has pre-made balloons which are cut to size upon arrival. There’s no adjusting the length of the bag, just use it and when you’re done, toss it. The other version, the Solid Valve, allows you to choose the capacity of your bags by cutting them to the length of your choosing. Its valve is intended to be reused over and over again, as opposed to being thrown away once dirty like the Easy Valve. The Solid Valve, financially speaking, makes more sense in the long run as you get that much more use out of it, but it’s also more work to keep up with as it requires regular cleaning. Between the two, the Solid is the more sturdy, as its durable construction is intended to last whereas the Easy is intended to be tossed.

While the Classic lacks an automatic shutoff feature, the Digit comes equipped with just such a feature, which turns the unit off after 30 minutes.

Both are covered by a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty.

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