Vaporbrothers was the first company to introduce the box style vaporizer to the market, in 1999. The unit has been improved since, but the principle has remained the same: a whip is connected to the heating element and the user can draw vapor from the whip. The type we will review is the Hands-Free model, where the whip will stays locked to the unit. Technically, it is a one-hand-free type, since you still have to hold the whip. But more importantly, how does it perform?

The temperature of the Vaporbrothers can be adjusted with a switch on the front of the unit. This button duals as a temperature setting and power button. However, there is no temperature indication. This means it will take some practice to find the right temperature for the herb you are vaporizing. Once you have found out what the best settings is for you, you will have to remember this. What I found out to work best, is to remember the settings as if it were a clock. Which, in the case of Mary Jane, turned out be 12 ‘o clock. After about 5 minutes, the unit was ready to produce decent hits of vapour. Reducing the temperature led to less dense vapour, higher temperatures can turn your herb brownish – a sign that combustion took place.

A major drawback of the VB lies in the design. The heating element sits at an angle, and when placing the whip onto the heater, there is the risk of spilling herb, which can then fall in the inside part of the box – where the wiring is. This opening is needed for air circulation, but I believe it would be an improvement if there was some sort of screen that could prevent anything from falling into this space. To avoid this from happening, tilt the box at an angle when placing the whip onto the heating element.

Compared to some other, more recent vaporizers, the hits that are produced are not as thick, and compared to forced air vaporizers it takes a bit more practice to find out how hard you should draw. However, after using the VB a couple of times, I can’t see why anyone would not like it. The wooden box looks classy (although tastes differ), it produces excellent vapour, and the manufacturer offers 2 years full warranty.