Various techniques are provided to implement a desorber of a sensor detector device that permits manual operation and is completely detachable from a main body of the sensor detector device. In one example, a device includes a desorber. The desorber includes an inlet comprising a fluid path configured to receive samples vaporized from sample media. The desorber also includes a cap configured to slide toward the inlet in response to a manual actuation of the cap performed by a user to transition the desorber from an open position to a closed position. The desorber further includes a heater configured to slide with the cap toward the inlet in response to the user actuation and vaporize the samples while the desorber is in the closed position.