When the Vapir Oxygen Mini first came out, there wasn’t much competition in the portable vaporizer market. The Oxygen is one of the most popular portable vaporizers, if not the most popular.

With increased demand for innovative portable vaporizers, there is more competition these day with many new portable vaporizers available. If Vapir wished to remain competitive, they needed to innovate and innovate they did. While there is no doubt that the new NO2 Vaporizer is similar to the Vapir Oxygen Mini, there are several new features that are worthy of consideration.

What’s new with the NO2 Vaporizer? What are the differences and similarities between the NO2 and the Oxygen? Since the Oxygen is less expensive, should you buy it instead of the NO2? Does the NO2 make the Oxygen pointless?

Let’s get started and compare the NO2 Vaporizer to the Oxygen Mini Vaporizer.

New Features in the NO Vaporizer

• New internal rechargeable lithium-ion battery
• Battery life indicator
• Ability to recharge the unit while using it
• Larger chamber – 15%
• Patented stainless steel encased pure brass heating element
• Temperature memory feature – Remembers the last temperature used
• Small design changes (i.e. angle of the mouth piece, ventilation, buttons, etc.)

Vaporizer Similarities

• The design is similar. Vapir’s product line has followed a similar mold over the years, as far back as their Classic Air Portable. I am assuming they have confidence in their design and the shape of their vaporizers
• Many of the steps are similar, like loading the herb and mouthpiece use

Verdict – Which Vaporizer?

One important consideration is price. As I type out this blog post, the NO2 is $179.99 and the Oxygen is $124.99 Are the new features worth the money? Yes. An internal battery is far better than an external battery. This change alone is enough for me to fully recommend the NO2 over the Oxygen. Add in new features like: Battery life indicator and temperature memory and the choice is clear.

More info on the NO2 Vaporizer

The Iolite Portable Vaporizer was introduced in 2008 by Oglesby & Butler. Less than 2 years later, the NO2 Portable Vaporizer was announced by Vapir.

First of all, I am not an expert on the Iolite Vaporizer. I don’t even own the Iolite. However, since friends have asked me which vaporizer I would recommend, I am still going to attempt a basic comparison:

Benefits of the Iolite Vaporizer

• Small – Smaller than the NO2
• Impressive 40 second heat up time
• Holds a charge for 2 hours
• Uses a flameless gas catalytic heater
• Holds a temperature of 374° F / 190° C (accurate within 5° F)
• Powered by butane
• Refillable with additional butane
• Choice of color – Black, Blue, Orange, etc.

Benefits of the NO2 Vaporizer

• Internal rechargeable battery
• Digital temperature display (accurate within 2°-5°)
• Temperature memory
• Battery charge level indicator
• Auto shut off after 20 minutes – Saves battery life
• Stainless steel encased pure brass heating element
• Less than 2 minute heat up time
• Small (larger than the Iolite)
• Less expensive than the Iolite – Saves money

Verdict – Which Vaporizer?

Like I already mentioned, I don’t own the Iolite Vaporizer. Clearly, the Iolite and NO2 are both good portable vaporizers. Many reviews confirm this. That said, if a friend asked me today which vaporizer I would recommend, I would recommend the NO2 over the Iolite.

Here are my reasons for picking the NO2:

1. The Iolite requires butane refills. With the NO2, you only need to plug it into a wall to charge it or use it.
2. Butane can affect the taste of the vapor.
3. I am a fan of the LED digital temperature display on the NO2. I like having choice over the temperature. It is also nice to know when the vaporizer is heated up and ready to go.

Do you own both the Iolite Vaporizer and the NO2 Vaporizer? Do you have an opinion on this topic? Please use the Contact Page and share your experiences.

More info on the NO2 Vaporizer
Read the full NO2 Vaporizer Review on the home page