Major breakthroughs in dry herb vape tech have pushed performance to new levels of potency and power. At-home vaporists are experiencing stronger, more flavorful sessions than ever before, and a new level of cannabis extraction has emerged.
What Is a Ball Vape?
Ball vapes are a newer type of dry herb vaporizer that can deliver a dab-like flavor and intensity using small doses of dry herb. They’re like a tiny espresso machine, but for weed vapor. Instead of hot water, these vapes use super-heated air. Much like espresso, this vapor can be thick and potent.
Ball vapes use powerful convection to vaporize dry herb without combustion. Tiny glass or ruby balls inside the convection heater increase surface area and maximize heat transfer while maintaining high airflow. The result is a fast, open, direct-inhale vaporizer designed to extract 0.1–0.3g of dry herb in a single session.
There’s no secret about what makes these vapes work. The technology was developed by vape enthusiasts and DIY builders seeking more performance than the broader vape market offered. Glass or ruby balls were initially added to existing vapes to increase thermal mass and power. The technique first appeared around 2017, and by 2020, a new category of dry herb vaporizers had emerged.
Most ball vapes are desktop vaporizers designed for use with a water piece, as their vapor is often hot enough to benefit from additional cooling.
How Ball Vapes Work
The heated balls never touch your herb. Instead, they heat the air, and that air passes through a small pressed puck of dry herb. Trichomes absorb the heat and release vapor as the air moves through.
Much like an espresso machine, a finer grind and a perfectly tamped bowl yield the best results.
Modern ball vapes use a coil heater to warm a ball-filled …
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Author: High Times Contributors / High Times
