Slowly but surely, state by state, the U.S. is becoming more cannabis-friendly. As the number of states where weed is legalized (or at least decriminalized) grows, so too does the number of companies building amazing products for cannabis users.
Got a friend who partokes and lives somewhere cool about it? Why not upgrade their experience with some fancy cannabis-focused tech this holiday season? The following gifts represent a range of products from startups, makers, and housegood companies attempting to break into the massive market.
There’s something here for everyone — from consumption devices to storage containers to coffee table items. None of these fit the bill? Give a pre-roll. Everyone loves a good pre-roll.
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DynaVap
DynaVaps are my go-to. They’re pocketable and produce a great cloud of vapor. Think of it as a one-hitter vape with a thermometer. First heat the tip with a torch or induction heater; the cap will click in about 3 to 5 seconds, notifying the user that the herb is at the right temperature and ready to hit. The cannabis lasts about three to four cycles. Since the cap protects the ground flower from the flame, there’s no combustion or smoke — just vapor — and very little smell.
DynaVap vaporizers are CNC machined in the company’s DeForest, Wisconsin, facility. George Breiwa started the company in 2015 and currently employs around 40 people. The company sells several versions of the little metal vape, starting with the $50 “B” and ending with the $220 titanium Omni.
Word of warning: I’ve given a lot of DynaVaps to friends, and I’ve found people either love it or hate it. It takes a bit of practice to get a good cloud.
Puffco Proxy
Puffco has long led the market with innovative cannabis vaporizers. The Puffco Peak Pro is easily one of the best e-rigs available, and the company just unveiled a new vape called the Proxy. It offers the best of the Peak Pro and can be built into various form factors.
Don’t be distracted by the lovely pipe. That’s just a piece of glass. The Proxy slides into the glass piece. Think of the Proxy as a modular dabbing rig, able to fit into any form factor made for the unit. Bubbler? Sure. Glass beaker? Yep. Pipe? Obviously.
The $299 self-contained rig is about the size of a taller D-cell battery. Inside is the same heating element found in the company’s other flagship product, the Peak Pro. The battery can be recharged over USB-C, and the unit comes preprogrammed with four different heat levels.
Hitoki Saber
Get this: The Hitoki Saber uses a high-powered laser to light a bowl. It’s not cheap, but it’s a great (and fun) alternative to butane lighters. Just hit the button, and a laser shoots into a packed bowl. Best of all, with the right adapter it works with any glass piece. Also best of all, lasers.
The Saber is the second device from Hitoki, which debuted its laser system with the all-in-one Trident rig. The Trident is much larger than the Saber but features an integrated water chamber and mouthpiece.
Lighting your pot with lasers isn’t a cheap solution. Both of the Hitoki products carry hefty prices: The Saber costs $359, and the Trident is $499.(opens in a new window)
KushKards
KushKards are great. As I said above, if you don’t have anything else for the stoner in your life, give them a pre-roll. If you want that pre-roll to look extra special, tuck it in a KushKard.
Each of these clever greeting cards has a special spot meant to hold a pre-roll and is designed around cute one-liners like “joint to the world” or “light up the holidays.”
The cards start at $7 and include the option to bundle a holiday-themed one-hitter.
Houseplant Car Lighter
Seth Rogen’s weed brand makes and sells terrific cannabis products. The best one? It’s the Car Lighter. It’s a fun repurposing of the classic, pop-out car lighter we all burned our thumbs on as kids, now housed in a hefty block that’s perfect for a coffee table. Just push the lighter down — a few seconds later, it will pop up ready to light your next joint.
The Car Lighter is made out of marble and is available in two colors: green and gray. At $280, it’s a bit of a statement piece.
Green: A Field Guide to Marijuana
Green: A Field Guide to Marijuana is a lovely coffee table book filled with beautiful pictures of classic strains. It’s marketed as a go-to guide, but for me, it’s a wonderful book to flip through during a chill smoking session. You’ll learn about the lineage, flavor, and effects produced by 170 marijuana strains. And the photography is exceptional!
For the aspiring weed grower in your life, opt for this book instead. Written by Ed Rosenthal (he’s a big deal), the Marijuana Grower’s Handbook is an all-in-one source for turning a seed into a bountiful harvest.
Storz & Bickel Mighty+
This is the best vaporizer available. It’s reliable, can cook a lot of herb, and produces some of the best vapor from any device. Sure, there are drawbacks — including its large size and $399 price — but it’s worth it.
Storz & Bickel released the original in 2014 and released an updated version in October 2021. The new Mighty+ features quicker heat-up time, USB-C recharging and a ceramic filling chamber that’s much easier to keep clean than the chamber in the original.
A quick tip: The Mighty+ features orange arrow buttons, while the original’s are gray. You want the new one.
Markus Storz started working on a herbal vaporizer in 1996, and in 2002 Jürgen Bickel joined the board, forming Storz & Bickel. The company still sells its original, groundbreaking device, the Volcano, and several less expensive products. The company is based in Germany, where its vaporizers carry medical device certifications. In 2018, Canadian cannabis giant Canopy Growth acquired Storz & Bickel. Jürgen Bickel remains at the company and runs the day-to-day operations.
Want something smaller? The Crafty+ is cheaper and smaller but still packs much of the same power as the Mighty+.
Storage Containers
It’s 2022. Don’t store your bud in a plastic baggie. A proper container will better preserve your green, and you’ve got countless options.
The Libbey BudShield isn’t subtle but features a handsome exterior and an-all glass construction: $35 for 3.
The Staze features a unique design with a smell-proof design and a built-in airtight vacuum sealer: $18.
The Higher Standards Mason Jar is, well, an upgraded mason jar. The 8 oz jar is child-resistant, made in America, and features a Higher Standards-branded koozie made from 100% silicone that wraps the jar: $30.
Jonathan Adler sells trendy house goods; in 2022 few products are more trendy than weed. The houseware company has a line of storage containers that are clearly designed to be displayed, including this lovely porcelain canister with a giant, hand-painted Weed label: $30.
Need to hide your stash? There are countless diversion storage containers on Amazon and Etsy. This Barbasol version is my favorite: $18.99.
(Fake) Pot Plant
Give a Pot Plant this holiday. But not a real one. These are fake plants designed to be displayed. They come in a variety of sizes and faux strains. The Clone (smallest option) stands 10 inches tall and costs $30. It’s subtle because, like an actual clone, the plastic plant is feigning to be in a state that doesn’t feature any buds yet.
The Teen plant is 16 inches tall and features a couple of small buds. The Adult is 22 inches with a few faux-growing buds on its main cola. The $165, 36-inch tall Mother Pot Plant is a monster fake plant with frosty buds growing throughout the plant.
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