What Is a 3rd Generation Vaporizer?

Modern vaporizing of dry herb has been a long-term endeavor, the roots of which can be traced back to as far as 1993 when the Shave and Vape was first made to reduce the harmful effects of smoking. From there on vaporizers improved in leaps, each leap giving birth to a new category.

Below we will shed light on the generations, what consumer problems they solved and which product can be considered as part of that generation of vaporizer.

The 1st Generation of Vaporizers: Desktops

Soon after, the 1st generation of vaporizers made their way to the commercial market as Storz & Bickel found a way around this problem by developing the original Volcano desktop vaporizer. 

Relying on an AC power supply, desktop vaporizers were one of the first modern dry herb vaporizers that featured temperature control that could be easily dialed in at a moment’s notice. It wasn’t without its shortcomings however as the stationary nature of the desktop vaporizers prevented any form of portability.

Desktop vaporizers aren’t completely out of the game since they can be very useful in some settings, as some desktop vaporizers provide very powerful hits due to their bigger size. 

To see a full list of the best-ranking desktop vaporizers, check out our ranking list here. 

The 2nd Generation of Vaporizers: Portables

2nd generation vaporizers solved the portability issue with the use of butane and lithium-ion batteries as a power and heat source. 

While these were relatively more convenient due to their more compact and inherently portable form factor, there was still the issue of conveniently measuring, grinding, and loading the requisite dry herb into the vaporizer’s heating chamber. 

3rd generation vaporizers have solved the issue with the time it takes to load and use your device which you will read about below but another important thing to mention is that 2nd generation vaporizers usually need to be cleaned quite frequently for proper use.

2nd generation vaporizers had the drawback that it was inconvenient to empty and refill the device with dry herb while on the go. It would require one to have dry herb pre-ground in a container on hand and a discrete area to refresh the load. So in essence they enabled portability, but not fully as each load would require prep, even while on the go.

You can follow our full list of the best-ranking vaporizers, for both dry herb and concentrates.

Enter: The 3rd Generation Vaporizer

3rd generation vaporizers effectively solve all these issues mentioned above. The process of carefully measuring, grinding, and loading dry herb into the vaporizer’s heating chamber has been streamlined, simplified, and overall optimized for the utmost convenience for the end-user, whether they be a beginner or long-time enthusiast.

It’s like the difference between drip coffee machines and Nespresso coffee machines. With a 3rd gen device, one can just pop in a pod with dry herb and start a session, rather than using a 2. gene vaporizer, in which one had to empty a load of dry herb and then reload with fresh dry herb, after grinding it and cleaning up the mess of the used herb. The process is just so much simpler with a 3rd generation vaporizer. 

An excellent example of this are the Zeus ArcPods which when used in conjunction with a Zeus Xtruder, allow the end-user to effortlessly prepare their dry herb and vaporizer for quick and straightforward sessions without all the hassle.

How Do 3rd Generation Vaporizers Work?

One of the first 3rd Generation vaporizers, the Zeus Arc GTS Hub provides everything one would need to conveniently set up their dry herb and vaporizer for use even when on the go. The process of loading up an ArcPod with dry herb is as simple as grinding pepper. One of the best-known opinion leaders in the sector, Tools420, referred to the sessions one can have with a 3rd gen vapes as “the most convenient sessions”. 

Zeus ArcPods are designed from the ground up to work perfectly in conjunction with the Xtruder. Simply attach an ArcPod to the Xtruder, then grind away and watch as the dry herb seamlessly feeds into the ArcPod, which automatically ejects once it reaches its maximum dry herb capacity of 0.3 grams.

What Are the Advantages?

Aside from the more convenient grinding and loading process provided by a 3rd Generation vaporizer setup, the use of an Xtruder and ArcPod totally eliminates the need for a flat surface or table. This enables easy refilling of ArcPods even when on the move.

Since the ArcPod also automatically ejects once fully loaded with 0.3 grams of dry herb, this also ensures a more consistent vaping experience between sessions, without the need to measure the amount of dry herb.

With the quick and convenient process that a 3rd Generation vaporizer such as the Zeus Arc GTS Hub provides, filling up multiple ArcPods in succession becomes a straightforward and more enjoyable process. This also means that users will be able to easily vape multiple sessions in a row, only needing to swap out the ArcPod instead of having to manually refill the heating chamber with dry herb.

Another important thing to mention is that over the years and different generations, vaporizer companies have been able to make their units cost less, if we look at desktop units, they are usually on the more expensive side due to their size. Now that being said vaporizers by themself help you save money in the long run.