One of the major advantages of vaping weed or hemp flower is having control over the temperature. When you smoke, there is nothing stopping that bud from reaching temperatures as high as 1200° F (or around 650° C).
What’s the best temperature for weed, then? In this article, we will detail three main temperature ranges, highlighting their differences and advantages.
Keep in mind that everyone’s experience can vary based on a few key factors. For example, two weed vaporizers set to the same temperature can sometimes produce a different type of vapor. Additionally, each strain contains different levels of terpenes and cannabinoids, which contribute to their smell, taste, and effects. These organic compounds volatilize at various temperatures and will alter the experience.
Don’t worry; you won’t need to graduate weed college for this. Just use this guide and play around with different settings.
THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, has a boiling point of 315° F (157° C). You don’t want to go much lower than 325° F (163° C), especially if you want to really feel something. Low temps might appeal to you if you want the best flavor from your bud. It produces a fresh taste, with citrusy and/or piney undertones.
The vapor will also be much cooler, and less harsh on the throat, so you probably won’t cough as much. The possible side effects like paranoia, red eyes, and cotton mouth will be less severe. If you’re a wake and baker, low temp vaping can give you the feeling you want, without burning you out for the day. This is also the ideal setting for newcomers and lightweights who don’t want to get too intoxicated.
Terpenes: A-pinene, β-caryophyllene, β-myrcene, d-limonene, citronellol
Cannabinoids: Δ8THC, Δ9THC, CBD, CBG, CBC, THCa, CBDa
This is a safe place to start while you’re still experimenting with marijuana or legal CBD cannabis. In this range, you still get plenty of terpenes, but now with more access to cannabinoids. The vapor is thicker and warmer. You’ll also taste more of the cannabinoids, which can give it a richer flavor. The warm vapor is satisfying for transitioning smokers.
The psychoactive effects will be noticeably stronger at these temperatures mostly because more THC is being volatilized. It can be relaxing and euphoric and put you in a meditative state without feeling drowsy. This temp range is an excellent middle ground for the best of both worlds between effects and flavor.
Terpenes: d-limonene, terpinolene, linalool, humulene
Cannabinoids: Δ8THC, Δ9THC, CBD, CBN, CBG, CBC, THCa, CBDa
For maximum cannabinoid extraction, this is the range to be in. The vapor will be hotter and less flavorful, but you will feel the strongest psychotropic effects. This range is best suited for nighttime sessions because of its ability to induce lethargy, also called the dreaded “couch lock”. The activation of compounds THCv and humulene can actually suppress appetite and prolong the inevitable munchies.
At these temperatures, many terpenes will be depleted fast. If you’re a real terp connoisseur, then you might want to reserve this range for the end of your sessions, for when you really want to blast off. This is the closest you can get to combustion without actually smoking, though it can still induce coughing.
Terpenes: humulene, phytol, caryophyllene oxide
Cannabinoids: Δ8 THC, Δ9THC, CBD, CBN, CBG, CBC, THCa, CBDa, THCv
Here are the average boiling points for THC, CBD, and the most common terpenes and cannabinoids found in cannabis. Each organic compound has its own unique function, so you can check the profile of your strain and decide what the perfect temperature is for exactly what you’re trying to achieve with it.
The myriad cannabinoids and terpenes in cannabis have different boiling points. Here’s what you need to know to be able to activate these compounds.
Cannabinoids:
Terpenes:
(Source: Medium/MarijuanaBreak/Leafly)
Still not sure what temperature to set your vaporizer at? It can be difficult to find the setting that works best for you. The best way to experiment is to start in the 350-400° F (177-204° C) range and then work your way up or down by 5-10° (or 1° C) at a time. Play around a bit, and eventually, you will find the temp that is just right for you.
Hey Dave. Thanks for sharing all this great information for us. I’m from Canada and I’m quite fine with Fahrenheit. It’s not hard to convert. I mean it’s really not hard to convert. The answer is Just a few clicks away. Thanks again for this.
Pete, I wouldn’t like converting every temperature from Fahrenheit to Celsius, if he did not do it, 50% of people wouldn not read this. Cheers
Thanks Pete, I’m glad you found it helpful. I ended up adding the conversions anyways due to overwhelming demand, so I’m glad we could save a few people the trouble of converting it. Vape on!
Thank you very much , I am older now been puffing weed , concentrate, ect for longer than ppl been alive. New to vape weed bought mighty , temp setting goes only to 410 F maybe it goes higher actually but digital read out don’t register ?? Anyways terpenes seem to be the buzz word , so many different weird names , they need to simplify shit. It ain’t all bout high thc content need that and terpenes .
Hey Kevin! You’re very welcome. I’m actually working on a review for that device at the moment so stay tuned for that in the near future. And you are correct, the Mighty only goes up to 410 F while other vapes can go up to 435 F. And I agree about the terpenes, they don’t just influence the flavor but also contribute to the overall experience by interacting with each cannabinoid, so there’s a lot going on there. If you’ve ever tried pure THC distillate, it doesn’t even have much of a taste. So, the terps are a huge part… Read more »
Do you think the mighty is the healthiest vaporizer? I have been using it for quite some time, do you think it is better for lungs than smoking?
When it comes to inhaling things into your lungs, we don’t use terms like “healthy” or “safe.” But inhaling anything that is not combusted is always healthier than inhaling something that is. It is smoke itself that is the major risk of smoking.
And heat – that’s true for smoking and vaping, but vaping is prolonged heat.
What is the risk of the heat used in cannabis vaping, and how is it prolonged? In most vaping devices, the vapor is cooled before reaching the mouth.
Very thoughtfull Dave.I really fealt that bro , was too bored to convert.
You’re welcome, enjoy and vape on Giannis!
Great article but would have been even better if you also include Celsius degrees
The temp conversion is the chart.
Hey Shy, I did consider including the Celsius values, but since our audience is primarily American, and it looked cleaner and more concise that way, I kept it consistent with Fahrenheit. I’m glad you enjoyed the article and I appreciate the constructive feedback!
I ended up on this site because the first site I went to used C (I prefer F). How about a button on the top of the ENTIRE site (not just the article) to toggle your preference between C and F? Convenience of technology.
Hey Bliz, that’s a good idea, thanks for the suggestion, I will consider it.
I’m perfectly happy without the Celsius values. Merica
Your happiness is all that matters here. Also Murica
Hey Dave, thanks for the article, by the way, i am from Italy. Celsius would be greatly appreciated 😉
Thank you Jody! I will take that into consideration next time, most of our readers are from the US, so that’s why it was done this way. In the mean time, you can use Google to do the conversion. Thanks for the comment.
or you could learn to convert the problem instead of downvoting a genuine reply from the author
C to F is (F-32)/1.8 = C
I.e. Boiling water
212-32=180
180/1.8=100 ??
For us fellow Americans , who have to do this all the time, here’s our arduous equation.
Its the sum of c times 1.8 plus 32
I.e. the freezing point
0x1.8=0 plus 32 ??
Cheat codes:
100×2= 200
200-10% or 200/.9 = 180
180+32=212 ???
Celsius conversions are now just a mental math problem away.
we all have phones with easy app access for converter
Nice Devon, I love it! Not everyone is as savvy as you when it comes to that stuff, so I ended up adding both C and F for those stoners in a hurry. I’m glad you enjoyed the article, vape on!
I’m from the US, and I would also appreciate Celsius values. That’s the scale I use on my vaporizers.
Hi Chris, thanks for the feedback. I will consider editing the piece and including those values in the future. Vape on!
Fahrenheit scale is used by around 4% of us, there is nothing to „consider”.
Write your own article, Jane.
so, i believe this has been solved
I’m a beginner with medical marijuana and had a lot of questions. I came across your site in my quest for answers. I found the right place. Many thanks for making this information available for us novices. I’ve bookmarked your site for future reference and will send a few friends your way.
Hey Brad, thanks for taking the time to let us know. If there are any other questions you might have, or topics you would like us to cover in the future, please let us know. Thanks for bookmarking and sharing the site, we’re glad to hear that it was helpful for you!
I love the writing style, keep it up
Do you have to grind the bud before loading into vap?
Hey Gringo, to answer your question, typically yes. Some vapes might perform better than others with whole buds but grinding is going to increase the surface area of the flower for optimal vaporization. Using a grinder is the easiest method but some vapes might allow you to use your hands if you prefer that.
Nice article man love it …period ??
Thank you MadHatter, vape on!