When it comes to dry herb vaporisers, Storz & Bickel’s Volcano range stands out for its exceptional quality and performance. It’s hard to argue that any brand has done more for the advancement of dry herb vaporisers than Storz & Bickel, which is why their range of vaporisers often sits on top of recommendation lists for both medical and recreational cannabis consumers alike. At leafie we are huge fans of the Volcano, we have both the Classic and Hybrid and they are both amazing desktop vaporisers, our own Classic Volcano has been going strong for 20 years now, so how does it stack up against the newer Hybrid Volcano?
What is a Volcano vaporiser?
The Volcano is iconic in many ways, it represented a major leap in vaporiser technology when it was released in 2000 and its unique, volcano shape has come to define what many people think of first when they think of a desktop vaporiser. If you’re unfamiliar with the product, it is made up of three parts, the base, the heating chamber, and a bag. The cone-shaped base is where the product gets its name, as it resembles a Volcano. It’s this base and the flat-topped chamber on top where the magic happens. The base contains the electronics that pump air through the heated chamber, usually loaded with ground cannabis, into a bag. The bag collects vaporised cannabinoids and terpenes which the user then inhales at leisure via a smart valve.
Device controls
Looking at the Volcano Classic vs The Volcano Hybrid, there isn’t much difference in size or design, but there are some key differences in the way they are used. Firstly, the heating chambers operate in slightly different ways. While the capacity of both is similar, the Classic has a click lock that holds it in place when attached to the device, while the Hybrid has a newer, screw lock mechanism, making it a little bit more secure.
The Hybrid is heavier than the Classic, and when you compare the controls to the Classic, the difference becomes more obvious. The Volcano Classic is an analogue device, with a temperature control dial that ranges from 1-9. This dial adjusts the temperature of the heating chamber. Temperature changes the cannabinoids that are vaporised and while it’s possible to excerpt a decent level of control with the Classic, the Hybrid clearly has much more accurate control with its precision digital display that can be adjusted in 1-degree increments.
Heating times
A significant difference between the Classic and Hybrid Volcano is the time it takes for the heating chambers to come up to temperature. Storz & Bickel put a lot of work into improving the heat-up time with the newer Hybrid vaporiser. The Classic uses a convection heating method and can take up to 5 minutes to become operational, whereas the Hybrid uses a patented convection & conduction system. Thanks to this newer technology, the device comes up to temperature much quicker, depending on your desired level of heat, the Hybrid is ready to use in less than 120 seconds. In testing with our preferred temperature settings, we found that the Hybrid was good to go even faster than advertised, from room temperature to 180°C in just 45.1 seconds!
How to use a Volcano vaporiser
It wasn’t just the innovation and build quality that thrust the Volcano to the top of the vaporiser market on release. Both the Classic and the Hybrid are remarkably easy to use.
The Classis is incredibly simple to operate, with few parts and an intuitive temperature control dial that increases or decreases the level of heat applied to the herbs. One downside of the Classic is that you need to reference a chart or guide if you want exacting control over the temperature. The Classic features chunky, backlit physical switches for turning the device and pump on and off, so filling the vapour bags is incredibly easy.
The heating chamber is equally simple, load your ground herbs into the oven, connect the bag and flick on the pump once the light indicates it is hot. You can then switch the pump off when the bag is full.
The Hybrid has a greater degree of accuracy, and so the controls are more complicated. The Hybrid is controlled by an LED display and two sets of buttons. The buttons are still fairly intuitive, the plus and minus buttons increase and decrease the temperature, while the air and heat buttons control the air pump and the heating chamber as you would imagine. The display has two readouts, one showing the actual temperature of the heating chamber and one showing the user-set desired temperature.
When it comes to vaporising your buds, the devices work almost identically, once up to heat, the pump pushes air over the heating chamber, extracting the vapour from the plant material. Both devices pump the air into a bag, or balloon, which has a valve that stops the vapour from escaping until the user places it in their mouth and inhales. As mentioned, the Hybrid has a twist lock for the chamber where whereas the Classic just has a simple click lock, and the Hybrid can also be used with a ‘whip’ which is simply a long tube that allows for direct inhalation without the bag.
Differences in the vapour produced
Both the Volcano Classic and the Hybrid produce excellent vapour, which is ultimately why consumers love these devices. Each model fills the balloons with a consistently thick and dense vapour full of flavour and important cannabinoids and terpenes. The Hybrid does have a slight advantage over the Cassic thanks to the mixture of convection and conduction heating, and this is where it gets the Hybrid name. Both devices have great temperature ranges, meaning as a user you remain in control of your session and desired effects. The differences in the end result are negligible in comparison, the Hybrid can produce a slightly harsher vapour when used at the higher temperature range thanks to the added conduction heating, but this is a small sacrifice for the quicker heating times.
Which vaporiser to buy? The Volcano Classic or the Volcano Hybrid?
Ultimately, both the Classic and Hybrid Volcanos are brilliant devices that are built to be used over and over again for a lifetime. When it comes to making a decision on which of these vaporisers to buy, consumers have two considerations.
Firstly, the price of the Volcano Classic is much cheaper, with an RRP of £369 vs the Hybrid with an RRP of £529. Secondly, if you require pinpoint accuracy over temperature control for medical reasons, the Hybrid’s digital control is far more precise. The heating time on the Hybrid does make it more convenient to use, but generally speaking, desktop vaporisers are designed for slower, more relaxed sessions. If you’re happy to wait for your vapour, the Classic is a solid investment, but if you’re looking to be able to consume quickly and accurately, then the extra outlay on the Hybrid will make perfect sense.
