Vaper’s world is overflowing with a large variety of vaporizers. Despite many people who are vaporizing still have no clue what it really is, what it is used for and the differences between the many models out there. Vaporizers are a healthier alternative to smoking because you get all the benefits of the plant as well as the same pleasurable experience as smoking. Portable vaporizers, desktop vaporizers and herb pens are the most popular vaporizers. With so much growth in technology and development portable vaporizers are becoming a big part of the gadget industry.

There’s been some confusion over the difference between a vape pen or herb pen and a portable vaporizer. Well, all vape pens are portable vaporizers, but not all portable vaporizers are vape pens. Portable vaporizers not only include vape pens but more robust vaporizers that are significantly larger than a pen-style vaporizer. These handheld portable vaporizers are compact. But vape pens are more compact. Herb pens represent a quick, discreet and convenient way to enjoy your favorite dry herbs on-the-go. Even more, both have structural and functional differences.

Design
The main distinguisher between a vape pen and portable vaporizer is design. Portable vapes take many different shapes, like the sleek rectangular, wooden box design, asthma inhalers and travel mugs. Vape pens are unique that look like a pen. With the discreet appearance, herb pens typically resemble and feel like an e-cigarette and due to their small size, they hold a smaller quantity of materials. Vape pens are more slender, and therefore a little more discreet and portable, than most portable vaporizers.

Heating System
Because vape pens are slender, their heating systems are in most cases not as advanced as those found in portable vaporizers. Equipped with an atomizer as the heating element, vape pens typically use conduction methods. The atomizer runs out faster than systems used in portable vaporizers ideal for dry herbs. Conduction vaporizers therefore deliver slightly less smooth, smoky tasting vapor.

Conversely, portable vaporizers use conduction or convection as a heating method. Convection vaporizers provide an ideal pick for dry herb vaping due to their highly potent vapor, more smoothness, and aroma.

More Features

Under the hood, portable vaporizers pack more technologies. This makes them multifunctional, unlike a vast majority vape pens. Some portable vaporizers like the Firefly 2 and Pax 3 can even be controlled via mobile app. These are features you’re not likely to find in a vape pen.

Vape pens are generally designed for handling waxy oils. That means their atomizer (the heating chamber) can get spent a lot faster than the heating chambers of portable vaporizers that handle dry herb. This is a blessing and a curse. You have to replace your atomizers here and there. But you can also switch out different types of atomizers to get different vaping experiences from your wax concentrates.

Price Comparison
Vap pens have smaller sizes and less complexity than portable vaporizers so they come at lower a price than the latter.

Durability
Portable vaporizers have a more rigid build, and therefore more durable than vape pens. Portable vapes boast bulkier, tougher and premium materials than the easily breakable sleek components of a vape pen.

Accessories and Parts
Vape pens have standard atomizers easily replaceable and available online while portable vaporizers have retractile attachments and batteries.

When comparing portable vaporizers against vape pens, consider the materials vaped, and convenience. It all comes down to what you vape, how you vape, and when you like to vape it. Vape pens are great for vaping wax concentrates on-the-fly in a very discreet manner. Portable vaporizers give you more options, with dry herb, wax or hybrid models, more advanced features, and better heating systems.