What is vaporizer burning and why is it useful?
Nothing is better than the sweet feeling of unwrapping a brand new one vaporizer. You've placed your order online, waited for delivery, and finally the vaporizer of your dreams is waiting on your desk, ready for your first use. You've even fully charged it, so no unpleasant surprises can ruin your first vaping session... or can they? The first puff tastes special, as do the second and third. What could have happened to your brand new (and probably expensive) vaporizer?
Like most other newly manufactured products, vaporizers can contain residues and oils from the manufacturing process or dust from packaging and shipping. Have you ever eaten the first piece of bread you made in your new toaster or drank your first cup of coffee from a brand new coffee maker? We can assure you it won't be very tasty. All of these devices, including vaporizers, must be cleaned of these initial impurities. In case of vaporizers that means undergoing a very simple process called "firing".
How do vaporizers work?
Vaporizers, whether portable or desktop, can work in two different ways: by conduction or convection. Conduction vaporizers work by directly heating the material, which speeds everything up, while convection pieces heat the air around the material, often resulting in a smoother smoke. Hybrids, which are also very popular, are vaporizers that use both methods, optionally separately in some devices, together in others. Without going into too much depth, we can summarize these processes simply by saying that both generate heat, have oven-like chambers into which to put herbs/concentrates.
It is also important to note that the vaporizer and its components go through several phases during production, and these phases are very likely to leave chemical residues, especially in the chamber and mouthpiece. So how can you ensure that you don't inhale harmful substances when you use the device straight out of the box? Let's find out.
What is vaporizer firing?
Burnoff, or "burning", is the process of eliminating the residue from vaporizer by running "empty" cycles. By the term empty cycle we mean running the vaporizer without any herb or concentrate. As we mentioned, it is quite common for machinery to leave behind residual oils and lubricants during production, and this is often the reason for the strange "new machine" smell coming from your vaporizer.
Why do vaporizer firing?
Although some hardcore users claim that vaporizers are completely residue-free, it's definitely not a waste of time to dedicate 10-15 minutes to a procedure that will ensure your vaping experience is the best it can be.
Burning is a good habit with every new device you own, especially those that come into contact with your body (especially your mouth and lungs!).
How to burn a vaporizer: portable vs. desktop vaporizer
There are not many differences between the two devices, but they are important. With a portable vaporizer, you should fully charge it before using it for the first time, and put a capsule or liquid capsule, if you have any, in the chamber to make sure it won't contain any residue either.
On the other hand, the desktop vaporizer will be plugged into the mains during firing, but to speed up the process we recommend using the fan-assisted function if available, and also connecting a balloon. In this case, we recommend not to run empty cycles for more than 5 minutes as the fan will intensify the firing.
Burning steps
Step 1. After unpacking, fully charge the device before first use, or connect it to the mains if you are using a desktop vaporizer.
Step 2. Add the necessary accessories (capsule or capsule) to the chamber. Set the temperature to maximum and run 1 full cycle (do not exceed 5-10 minutes).
Step 3. Remove all accessories and add the dry herb. This step is optional but will provide even more peace of mind in terms of flavor. Do not use lavender or chamomile, as their flavor is said to linger after a few sessions in the steam.
Step 4. Discard the dry herb.
Step 5. Run another empty cycle at the highest temperature.
Your vaporizer is now ready to give you the best taste!
What to remember after firing the vaporizer?
We strongly recommend doing this procedure every time you buy new equipment, as it will ensure that each subsequent session is safer and tastier. But you can make the cleaning process even better - they say cleanliness is the most important thing. See what you can do.
You're probably familiar with the maintenance that ensures you stay in tip-top shape vaporizer. If you need a quick recap, know that these devices tend to accumulate all those good, sticky bits you love about herbs. To ensure you don't get any unpleasant surprises, and to make sure the flavor of your precious herb isn't ruined, we just want to remind you of the importance of cleaning.
And that's where our last tip comes in: cleaning equipment can involve chemicals or cleaners, often alcohol-based. With this in mind, we strongly recommend a quick 5-minute burn after each cleaning cycle. After all, you don't want to inhale anything toxic!
Cleaning and pre-cleaning are just some of the maintenance procedures for your equipment that will extend its life and save you money in the long run. In other words, you can get the most out of your new vaporizer!