Time to Become a Volcano Vaporizer Pro!
If you are the proud owner of a Storz and Bickel Volcano Vaporizer, you will want to make sure that you are using it to its fullest potential. In this guide, we will provide tips and tricks for set up, temperature settings, cleaning instructions, and more! We will also share some delicious abv edible recipes that you can enjoy with your Volcano Vaporizer. Let’s get started!
What is a Volcano Vaporizer?
The Volcano Vaporizer is a market leading herb vaporization device. It works by heating up dried herbs, oils, or waxes to a temperature that is below the point of combustion. This produces a vapor that can be inhaled through a balloon or hose attachment.
The volcano has two main parts: the base unit and the balloon assembly. The base unit contains the heating element and controls the temperature of the assembly. The balloon assembly is where the herb is placed and vapor is collected. The Storz and Bickel Volcano Vaporizer can reach temperatures above 440 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) and can be used to vaporize herbs, concentrates, oils and more.
The Volcano has a cult following for its easy of use and durable build. Over the years, Storz and Bickel has made updates to further solidify the Volcano as one of the best vaporizer machines on the market.
The History of the Volcano Vaporizer
The Storz and Bickel Volcano Vaporizer is a desktop vaporizer that uses convection heating to produce dense, flavorful vapor. The Volcano Vaporizer has a strong reputation as being one of the best performing vaporizers on the market and is often used by medical patients who require powerful medication.
The first version of the original Volcano was created in 1996 by Markus Storz by constructing metal housing around a heat gun. In 1998, Storz improved his invention by switching from a heat gun to a three part system containing a heating element, air pump and bimetallic regulator. Over the next five years, Storz worked to improve the Volcano Vaporizer for release on the consumer market. Fun fact, the first 100 Volcanos were created by Storz in his basement!
The Volcano Classic was released in 2003 and is the original consumer model. It features heat and air buttons, as well as a plastic dial on the front of the device to control the temperature. The Volcano classic quickly became known for its durable build and sleek design. However, there were improvements to be made such as lack of precise temperature control and a few minute long preheat times.
In 2007, Storz and Bickel released the Volcano Digit to solve half of this problem. The Volcano Digit featured a digital display with precise temperature control buttons. While both the Classic and Digit are highly effective at vaporizing dry herbs, the Volcano Digit offers more accuracy and control when it comes to temperature settings. As we will learn later, this is crucial to making the most out of your vaporizer experience.
In 2020, the Volcano Digit got an upgrade with Storz and Bickels Volcano Hybrid. The Hybrid is different from the Volcano Digit and Classic because it offers both convection and conduction heating. Conduction heat means that there is direct contact with a heat source, while convection is heating the material with hot air. By combining conduction and convection heating the Hybrid ensures herb is heated evenly and efficiently, resulting in smooth, flavorful vapor.
The dual heating of the Hybrid cuts down of pre-heat time and increases the extraction of the herb. It features a brand new interface that can connect with Bluetooth to a remote application to control temperature settings, as well as heat and air controls. The Volcano Hybrid also comes with a tube inhalation system called the whip which offers a hookah-like experience.
With the invention of the Hybrid, Storz and Bickel have discontinued Volcano Digit Production.
The volcano has two main parts: the base unit and the balloon assembly. The base unit contains the heating element and controls the temperature of the assembly. The balloon assembly is where the herb is placed and vapor is collected. The Storz and Bickel Volcano Vaporizer can reach temperatures above 440 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) and can be used to vaporize herbs, concentrates, oils and more.
The Volcano has a cult following for its easy of use and durable build. Over the years, Storz and Bickel has made updates to further solidify the Volcano as one of the best vaporizer machines on the market.
Volcano Vaporizer Temperature Guide
Now that you know a little bit about the history of the Volcano Vaporizer, let’s talk about how to use it! The first thing you’ll need to do is choose your material to vaporize. You can use either dry herbs or concentrates with the Volcano Vaporizer. Herbs can be placed in the filling chamber on the metal screen, while concentrates require switching the bottom screen with a drip pad. Next, you want to choose the temperature setting for your material.
Herb Vaporization Temperature Guide
One of the great things about the Volcano Vaporizer is that it is so versatile. You can use it to vaporize dry herbs, oils, and even waxes. The key to getting the most out of your Volcano Vaporizer is to find the right temperature setting for whatever material you are using. As a general rule for dry herbs, we recommend starting at a low temperature and working your way up until you find the perfect setting for your material. For oils and waxes, we recommend starting at a higher temperature and then adjusting as needed. The Volcano can be used to vaporize Eucalyptus, Hops, Chamomile, Lavender, Sage, Thyme, and of course… Cannabis.
Different terpenes and cannabinoids are present in cannabis flower, with each having a different vaporization temperature. THC begins to evaporate at 315°F, whereas CBD does not begin to vaporize until it reaches 356°F. Below is a comprehensive list of materials and their vaporization temperature:
Dried Herbs
- Eucalyptus Leaves: 266°F / 130°C
- Hops Cones: 309°F / 154°C
- Chamomile Blossoms: 374°F / 190°C
- Lavender Blossoms: 266°F / 130°C
- Lemon Balm: 288°F / 142°
- Sage: 374°F / 190°C
- Thyme: 374°F / 190°C
Cannabinoids
- THC: 315°F / 157°C
- THCa:220°F / 104°C
- THCv: 428°F / 220°C
- CBD: 356°F / 180°C
- CBDa: 248°F / 120°C
- CBC: 428°F / 220°C
- CBG: 126°F / 52°C
- CBN: 365°F / 185°C
It’s critical for Volcano owners to understand the entire spectrum of terpenes and cannabinoids available in their flower so that they may optimize their heat setting. Setting the Volcano to low temperatures (below 350°F) will cause less of the terpenes to vaporize. This reduces the entourage effect of the terpene blend, delivering less powerful punch. That being said, lower temperature bags tend to have stronger flavor, less potency and cooler vapor which offers a nice introductory experience to a new user.
We suggest varying the temperature through the session, starting between 350°F and 375°F, then raising 5-10 degrees after each filled balloon. Be aware that above 400°F, you will begin to taste a more toasted flavor. This, however, is just one of many Volcano Workflows that maximize terpene extraction. The Storz and Bickel WebApp controller for the Volcano Hybrid, automates these Work Flows for you.
Volcano Classic Heat Setting Guide
For those with the Volcano Classic model, the front knob offers 9 stops of temperature ranging from 266°F to 439°F. Most People use 6 and 7 for cannabis vaporization.
1 : 266°F / 130°C
2 : 288°F / 142°C
3 : 309°F / 154°C
4 : 331°F / 166°C
5 : 352°F / 178°C
6 : 374°F / 190°C
7 : 396°F / 202°C
8 : 417°F / 214°C
9 : 439°F / 226°C
Always Preheat your Volcano Vaporizer
When you use a vaporizer for the first time, it’s a good idea to perform a brief session without herbs or breathing the air to prepare your device. This destroys any residue that may be in there, as well as any plastic vapors. Performing this before your primary usage will eliminate any plastic or chemical flavor from leaching into your vapor. To do this, turn on your machine and turn on the heat for 10-15 minutes, without anything in the chamber.
Before each new session, preheat the device to the desired start temperature. Before placing the filling chamber on the heating element, turn on the air for 5-10 seconds to finish the preheating phase. Allow the filling chamber to sit on the heating element for 5-10 seconds before turning on the air to draw your first bag. This will allow the material to heat evenly and completely.
How to attach Vaporizer Bags to the Easy Valve Balloon Adapter
With the Volcano Hybrid vaporizer, there are two ways to enjoy: whip or balloon. The whip provides a hookah type experience where the user inhales through a hose that connects to the top of the Volcano. This is not the most common way to enjoy the Volcano, but is a fun change of pace every now and then. For the whip, use a coarse grind to minimize inhaling plant matter directly.
Alternatively, you can enjoy your Volcano Hybrid Vaporizer using balloon-like plastic tubing. These bags should be changed bi-weekly to monthly depending on material quality and usage. Check out our guide on how to change a volcano vaporizer bag. Original Storz and Bickel tubing is good but can be hard to come by and overpriced due to S&B being based in Germany. Often smoke shops only sell these vaporizer bags in an expensive starter-kit including the Easy Valve Tips. Because changing the bag on the Easy Valve tips is easy to do, we recommend stocking up on bags and changing them yourself.
Best Boons offers volcano users access to better material and more size options to stock up. Best Boons is the only place where you can buy both pre-cut and pre-sealed bags, and tubing rolls up to 30 feet in length. Best Boons are made in the USA, incredibly affordable and delivered straight to your door.
Before each new session, preheat the device to the desired start temperature. Before placing the filling chamber on the heating element, turn on the air for 5-10 seconds to finish the preheating phase. Allow the filling chamber to sit on the heating element for 5-10 seconds before turning on the air to draw your first bag. This will allow the material to heat evenly and completely.
Step by Step Instructions to Replace Your Volcano Vaporizer Balloon
- Remove the black mouthpiece and lay the orange Easy Valve tip flat on a table with the bag facing up.
- Use a flat head screwdriver to wedge between the orange plastic shell and the clear interior ring, called the valve collar. Ply the valve collar upwards, using the screw driver as a lever, until you can see the black rubber fixation ring.
- Once you see the fixation ring, The unit is loose in enough to pull away with a tug on the ballon.
- Remove the old vaporizer bag from the clear valve collar by removing the black fixation ring. Throw away the old bag. Remove the silicone vapor barrier from the orange casing.
- Soak the valve collar, fixation ring and silicone vapor barrier in Isopropyl Alcohol for 15 to 20 minutes. This cleans the materials and loosens any cannabis residue build up.
- Remove the three pieces from the alcohol bath and use a paper towel to wipe away any cannabis residue. Rinse the pieces in water and dry.
- Take your replacement vaporizer bag and prep the opening by pulling it apart with your hands.
- Fold the open end of the bag enough to slip the fixation ring around the bag
- Insert the valve collar into the opening of the vaporizer balloon with the flat side facing out of the bag.
- Pull the fixation ring over the bag until is settles in the valve collar groove.
- Grab the balloon by the sealed off end and let the newly secured valve collar hang down. Align the tip to be centered with the sealed end.
- Place the silicone vapor barrier on the orange casing and place the valve collar and balloon on top.
- To snap into place, turn the entire unit over so that the top of the valve collar is on the table. Use your palm of your hand to place pressure on the Easy Valve tip until it snaps into place.
Some people are visual learners. If that is you, check out this video tutorial by Planet of the Vapes.
How to Load and Use the Volcano Vaporizer
On the top of the Volcano Hybrid you’ll find the filling chamber. This is composed of two pieces — one orange and one black — which you unscrew to access the inner chamber. Fill the chamber with ground herb. If you’re using dry herbs and want to save the material for edibles, we recommend grinding them using a course grinder. If you are going to throw out the material, grind finely to maximize extraction. Once your material is prepared, it’s time to load the chamber. We recommend packing it loosely so that air can circulate freely. The Volcano Hybrid filling chamber can hold up to 1 gram of herb at a time. There is no need to overfill, but ensure that there is enough, at minimum, to cover the bottom screen. Then screw the top back on and turn it to lock the herb in place.
Next, place the sealed filling chamber on the volcano. Take the black mouthpiece off the Easy Valve Balloon system and place the orange piece right on top of the filling chamber. The tip of the filling chamber penetrates a silicone barrier to allow the balloon to be filled. Turn on the air flow on the Volcano and fill the balloon. Don’t overfill to minimize leaks and ruptured bags.
Replacement Vaporizer Balloon Options
When it comes to Volcano Vaporizer Bags, you have three options that range from cheapest and lowest quality to most expensive and highest quality. The lowest quality option is to go to your local grocery store and buy oern safe turkey bags. This material is acceptable under high heat conditions but is meant for single use cooking. These bags are awkwardly shaped and cheap feeling. This is a last resort option but should be avoided.
The original Storz and Bickel bags are the middle of the road option. These bags were designed for the S&B volcano but are thin, crinkly and turn brown quickly with use. Often they are only sold with the Easy Valve tips in start up packs that can be expensive and only offer small sizes from 18 to 36 inches. When found in rolls, the bags are not presealed and only come in 10 foot rolls. These bags also must be tied together with plastic to secure the end. This ends in leaks over time.
Premium solutions like Boony from Best Boons have all but solved these issues with premium nylon tubing optimized for the volcano vaporizer. They sell pre-cut, pre-sealed bags in multiple lengths as well as rolls up to 30 feet in length. Their product is stronger, softer, and longer lasting than the Storz and Bickel option. Best Boons are 100% made in the USA, allowing for easy shipping and affordable prices.
Next, place the sealed filling chamber on the volcano. Take the black mouthpiece off the Easy Valve Balloon system and place the orange piece right on top of the filling chamber. The tip of the filling chamber penetrates a silicone barrier to allow the balloon to be filled. Turn on the air flow on the Volcano and fill the balloon. Don’t overfill to minimize leaks and ruptured bags.
How to Use the Easy Valve Balloon Tips
Congratulations! You are ready to enjoy your first balloon! Once the balloon is filled, remove it from the volcano and place the black mouthpiece into the orange connector. Using the balloon mouthpiece is easy and natural. Push your lips against the black tip and the silicon barrier will allow vapor to exit the balloon. Once you release the pressure on the tip, the silicone barrier closes and the vapor remains trapped in the balloon. The balloon will be good to use for about 30 minute before losing efficiency.
The original Storz and Bickel bags are the middle of the road option. These bags were designed for the S&B volcano but are thin, crinkly and turn brown quickly with use. Often they are only sold with the Easy Valve tips in start up packs that can be expensive and only offer small sizes from 18 to 36 inches. When found in rolls, the bags are not presealed and only come in 10 foot rolls. These bags also must be tied together with plastic to secure the end. This ends in leaks over time.
Premium solutions like Boony from Best Boons have all but solved these issues with premium nylon tubing optimized for the volcano vaporizer. They sell pre-cut, pre-sealed bags in multiple lengths as well as rolls up to 30 feet in length. Their product is stronger, softer, and longer lasting than the Storz and Bickel option. Best Boons are 100% made in the USA, allowing for easy shipping and affordable prices.
Next, place the sealed filling chamber on the volcano. Take the black mouthpiece off the Easy Valve Balloon system and place the orange piece right on top of the filling chamber. The tip of the filling chamber penetrates a silicone barrier to allow the balloon to be filled. Turn on the air flow on the Volcano and fill the balloon. Don’t overfill to minimize leaks and ruptured bags.
How to Vaporize Concentrates, Dabs & Wax with your Volcano
Can you vaporize dabs with your Volcano? The answer is a resounding yes, but you have to set the scene properly. Follow the steps below to ensure you vaporize your material safely
- To smoke dabs with your volcano, you must switch the bottom screen of the filling chamber with the thicker drip pad. This catches the wax residue as it melts and prevents it from seeping into the heating element.
- For dabs, we recommend setting the temperature as high as possible (446°F) for the pre-heat phase. Next, place the filling chamber on the Volcano without the dab.
- Run heated air for 10-20 seconds through the empty, closed filling chamber to ensure a properly heated drip pad.
- Take the top half of the filling chamber off, exposing the drip pad while still on the Volcano.
- Place your dab on the drip pad and replace the top of the filling chamber.
- Place your balloon on the filling chamber and turn on the air flow to fill the bag.
A couple important notes: Dabs go a long way in the Volcano. Don’t be fooled by the lack of milky vapor compared to vaporizing flower, even clear dab bags can deliver strong effects. Also, the more dabs you pull out of your drip pad, the more potent the bags will become as there is always leftover residue within the pad. Enjoy safely!
How to clean your Volcano Vaporizer
Cleaning your volcano vaporizer will extend the life of the device and is crucial for proper hygiene. When it comes to cleaning the volcano, there are many things we recommend. For a proper volcano cleaning routine, we recommend:
Before Use
Use isopropyl alcohol wipes to clean off black mouthpiece
Inspect ballon bags for discoloration
After Use
Use the included small brush to sweep away any herb material that gets stuck in the heating element, filling chamber.
Wipe down plastic elements with isopropyl wipes
Store in dry place
Other Best Practices
Replace vaporizer bags every 2 weeks to 1 month depending on usage
Replace metal filling chamber screen every 3 to 6 months
Replace the air filter every 6-12 months
Disassemble the upper filling chamber and clean with rubbing alcohol every 3 to 6 months. Video Tutorial here
Use a paper towel and multi-use cleaning spray to wipe down the exterior of the volcano as needed
Use a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to clean around the heating element as needed
How to use the Volcano Hybrid App on an iPhone
For Volcano Hybrid users, Storz and Bickel provides a bluetooth powered application to control your Volcano heat and air settings remotely. Their app is usable on Android devices, however Apple has banned vaporizer related apps from their store. To go above and beyond, S&B provides a web based version that can be controlled from a computer.
If you try to use the Storz and Bickel Web App on an iPhone, you may receive the error “WEB BLE not supported”. You may be asking yourself what is “WEB BLE”? WEB BLE stands for Web Bluetooth Low Energy. This is functionality that allows control of a bluetooth device from a web browser, in this case the volcano, There is a way around this, but it requires downloading a browser called Bluefy from the App store. This browser supports WEB BLE and works great. Make sure your phone’s bluetooth is on and the app should connect to the Volcano. Save the webpage as a bookmark and you have your own custom Volcano App on your iPhone!
The Best Volcano Vaporizer Accessories
Volcano Vaporizers are incredible machines that highlight an intersection between simplicity and quality. Over the years, accessories have emerged to improve the overall Volcano experience. Below are our favorite Volcano Accessories:
Volcano Dosing Capsules & Dosing Capsule Adapter
The Volcano filling chamber can hold up to 1 gram of herb at a time, which is a bit ambitious for a solo session. As an alternative, we recommend buying some Volcano Dosing Capsules and a Dosing Capsule Adapter. The dosing capsules hold up to .15 gram of herb, and can be filled to provide a more efficient heating of a small quantity of herb. The dosing capsule adapter sits inside the filling chamber and holds the smaller dosing capsule in place during vaporization. Dosing capsules are not only great for the Volcano Vaporizer, they are compatible with most of Storz and Bickels products.
Premium Volcano Vaporizer Bags
The most common way to enjoy the Volcano Vaporizer is with the balloon, also referred to as a bag, tube or blimp. The volcano bag provides a laid back experience by holding a large amount of vapor at a time. Storz and Bickel sells starter kits and replacement Easy Valve tips with balloons attached. More rare to come by are old boxes of 10 feet of replacement tubing which can cost up to $15 per box at smoke shops.
There issues with the Storz and Bickel Volcano Bags. First, the plastic is rather thin and crinkly which leads to ruptures and leaks over time. Second, the bags are not pre-sealed and require being tied off at the end with plastic or a twisty tie. Third, S&B only sells in a few sizes which minimizes the customizability of your experience.
Best Boons is the solution to solve all of these problems. Their product, Boony, was designed and tested by volcano obsessed consumers for volcano obsessed consumers. It is made in the USA from FDA approved nylon tubing that feels softer and more substantial to the touch while offering:
- Heat Resistance above 450°F
- Puncture and Leak Resistance
- Pre-Sealed Ends
- Wider 12-inch Diameter
- Multiple Length Options
- Tubing Rolls up to 30 feet long
Fine Screens & Backup Drip Pads
If you are looking to grind your herb fine or if you are looking to vaporize keef, we highly recommend investing in fine screens. This will trap the small particles of flower in the heating chamber to cut down on the inhalation of micro-plant particles. If you are smoking dabs on your volcano, it is a good idea to invest in backup drip pads as they can get sticky and cross pollinated with different strains over time making it difficult to taste each dabs true flavor.
Volcano Tip: Save your Already Been Vaporized herb (ABV)
After you enjoy your Volcano Balloons, be sure to save the heated plant material. This is called ABV which stands for Already Been Vaporized herb. ABV is one of the primary differences between smoking and vaporizing cannabis. When you smoke cannabis, the fire destroys the plant matter resulting in only about 20% of the terpene profile to be extracted and ingested. When you vaporize herb, the cannabinoid extraction increases, resulting in about twice the THC absorbed into the blood stream. Despite the better extraction, the plant matter is preserved for future use. The vaporization process starts a chemical reaction called decarboxylation that activates dormant psychoactive properties of the herb that can be experienced by eating it. ABV has a brown hint and a toasted smell and taste. ABV can be eaten raw, smoked, or extracted into fatty oils to be used in cooking. When selecting an oil to mix the ABV with, keep in mind that THC binds to fat so options like coconut oil with a high fat content will be a better choice than olive oil or low fat vegetable oils.
Best ABV Recipes for Volcano Vaporizer
ABV is great for making cannabis edibles as it has already been decarboxylated by the Volcano. There are fantastic resources online to teach you how to maximize your ABV, here are some our favorites:
Use the Comments to Add Your Favorite Volcano Tip
There you have it, everything we know about the volcano vaporizer. If you have any additional tips and trick that would be useful in the guide, let us know in the comments below. If it is a good tip, we will send you a free 3 pack of 3 foot Boony Vaporizer Balloons and add it to this guide. We want this to be a hub of the best and latest volcano knowledge.
