DaBuddha Vaporizer Has Arrived!

June 22, 2014

My brand new Da Buddha Vaporizer is here!

It is a lot bigger than I expected, and I am pleasantly surprised at the packaging: it comes in a really fluffy padded carrying case.

Everything about the DBV feels very sturdy, hefty, and high quality. Stay tuned for the full review in the next few weeks.

Volcano Digital Knockoff, The Phantom Vaporizer - Would You Hit It?

June 26, 2014

I saw something funny on Rakuten today. It's called the Phantom Vaporizer, and it is a blatant made-in-China knockoff of the Volcano Digital. It appears to come with the Easy Valve balloons, but its hard to tell from the picture.

I was thinking about buying one just to try it out, but then I was thinking... do I really want to breathe in the potentially toxic vapor from this thing?

And I'm surprised Storz and Bickel, the inventor of the Volcano, hasn't sued them yet...

Has anyone tried the Phantom before? If not, would YOU hit it?

VapeXhald Cloud EVO on Sale for $449 @ Massdrop: 6 Days Left!

June 23, 2014

Massdrop is running a HUGE 42% off sale on the VapeXhale Cloud EVO. If you are not familiar with Massdrop, it is a group-buy website---the more people that order a product, the cheaper the price gets.

You must sign-up for a free account in order to see this deal.

This VapeXhale package includes:

    VapeXhale Cloud Evo 110V (MSRP: $449.99)
    2 EZ Load Bowls
    2 x VapeXNails Essential Oils attachment (MSRP: $49.99)
    Swagger SideCirc or SideTree HydraTube (MSRP: $249.99)
    HydraFoot stabilizer (MSRP: $19.99)
    Power cord
    Instruction manual
    Warranty: 1-Year Protection (3 year on electronics)

Act soon, because this deal expires in 6 days.

New Review of Cheeba Chews Medicated Taffy

June 17, 2014

I have posted my review of Cheeba Chews, the medicated taffy. It is a great edible with reliable and consistent dosages.

My Da Vinci Ascent Has Arrived

June 09, 2014

I just got my Da Vinci Ascent today from Massdrop. I think portable vapes are the future, and this one got my attention because it has an all glass vapor path (like the Arizer Solo). I will play around with the Ascent and post my review in the next few weeks.

The Evoke, an Induction Powered "Smart" Vaporizer

June 11, 2014

Someone sent me a link about the Evoke, an induction powered vaporizer. You can't buy it yet, because it is still in the design stage, and they are trying to raise $70,000 USD to manufacture a prototype. Nevertheless, I am excited because The Evoke uses induction heating---something no one has ever tried before in a vape.

By now, if you have been reading my reviews, you have heard of convection and and conduction heating. For those who don't know:

• Convection means that hot air is used to heat your material (herbs). The Volcano and VapeXhale Cloud EVO are good examples of a convection heating system.
• Conduction means that your material is heated thru physical contact with a heat source. The Pax by Ploom uses conduction heating.
• Induction means that an electrical alternating current is passed through a copper coil, which generates a magnetic field. A piece of metal with high electrical resistance is placed within the coils, and the magnetic field induces currents to run within the high-R metal. When electricity flows through metal with high-resistance, heat is generated.

Although the Evoke (designed by Loto Labs) is still in its design stages, I am excited to see new innovation and technology coming to the vaporizer industry.

Take a look at the Evoke team's lab video to see how induction vapes work:

New Review of the VapeXhale Cloud EVO

June 01, 2014

I have added my review of the VapeXhale Cloud EVO.

Long story short, it is the funnest vaporizer I have played with and it delivers thick clouds of vapor. The only bad thing is that it the heating unit gets so hot that it burns your hand. Oh yeah, and it is really expensive.

VapeXhale Cloud EVO Has Arrived, And It Rocks!

May 16, 2014

My $549 VapeXhale Cloud EVO (Extreme Vapor Output) has arrived, and I have been playing with it for the last few days. For those who don't know, it is a desktop vaporizer with a water pipe that cools down the vapor tremendously.

This thing is a MONSTER. It generates really THICK clouds of vapor.

Stay tuned for the full review in the next couple weeks.

Arizer Solo vs the Firefly Vaporizer Comparison

April 15, 2014

Both the Arizer Solo and the Firefly are portable convection vaporizers. They are roughly the same size and weight, but in my opinion, the Arizer Solo is better in pretty much every aspect, except for stealth.

Reasons why the Solo is better than the Firefly:

• Vapor quality on the Solo is better.
• Solo has 7 temperature settings. Firefly has zero.
• The herb cooks more evenly on the Solo.
• Battery life on the Solo lasts longer.

Reasons why the Firefly is better than the Solo:

• The Firefly fits in your pocket more easily.
• Using the Firefly is better when stealth is needed.

Arizer Solo vs Pax by Ploom Comparison

April 01, 2014

Both the Arizer Solo and Pax by Ploom are two of my favorite portable vaporizers. Both vapes have a really high-quality fit and finish.

The Arizer Solo has superior vapor quality, but the Pax is better for portability and stealth.

Reasons why the Arizer Solo is better than the Pax:

• The Solo has better flavor thanks to its glass vapor path.
• The Solo's heating design cooks herb very evenly to a golden brown.
• The Solo wastes less herb because it uses a combination of conduction and convection heating while the Pax uses purely conduction.
• The Solo has 7 temperature settings vs the Pax's 3 settings.
• The Solo has nearly double the battery life as the Pax.
• The Solo is easier to clean.
• The Solo is cheaper.

Reasons why the Pax is better than the Arizer Solo:

• The Pax is smaller, lighter, and stealthier to use.
• The Pax is prettier and comes in 4 colors.
• If you grind your herb too finely on the Solo, small bits of herb particles might get in your mouth. This is not an issue on the Pax.

Firefly vs Pinnacle Pro by Vaporblunt Comparison

April 01, 2014

Both the Firefly and Pinnacle Pro by Vaporblunt are pocket-sized vaporizers, but in my opinion, the Pinnacle Pro is a better device and also nearly $100 cheaper.

Reasons why the Firefly is better than the Pinnacle Pro:

• The Firefly has a better fit and finish: Firefly is metallic and dense, while the PnP is molded plastic.
• Firefly has a 5 year warranty while the PnP has a 1 year warranty.
• Vapor on the Firefly is cooler because the vapor path of the Firefly is longer.
• The Firefly has a glass + mesh heating chamber while the Pinnacle Pro has a stainless steel chamber.
• The Firefly arguably conserves herbs better because it barely cooks the herb unless if you are taking a puff.

Reasons why the Pinnacle Pro is better than the Firefly:

• The design of the Pinnacle Pro's heating chamber is superior. Herb cooks very evenly in the PnP and unevenly in the Firefly.
• It is easier to get thick clouds on the PnP.
• Small particles of herb don't get in your mouth on the PnP because there is a micro-mesh screen at the bottom of the mouthpiece.
• The PnP can be used with both herbs and concentrates.
• The PnP has 5 temperature settings. The Firefly has no settings.
• The PnP is easier to use. Once the heating light stops blinking, the vape is good to go and will reliably deliver thick clouds.
• Cleaning the PnP is easier because of its bullet loading system.
• Battery life on the PnP seems better.
• The PnP has an optional water filter pipe to cool down the vapor.
• The PnP is nearly $100 cheaper.

Pinnacle Pro vs Pax by Ploom Comparison

March 31, 2014

The Pax and Pinnacle Pro are currently my 2 favorite vaporizers for stealth usage (if you don't need stealth, I recommend the Arizer Solo). They are approximately the same size and weight, and conceal easily in the palm of your hand for discreet vaping.

You can't really go wrong with either, but here are some of my thoughts to help your decision.

Reasons why the Pinnacle Pro is better than the Pax:

• The PnP has a better designed heating chamber, so herbs cook more evenly.
• The PnP seems to conserve herb better because its heating system utilizes both conduction and convection.
• The PnP can vape both herbs and concentrates.
• The "bullet" loading system of the PnP makes loading and cleaning easier than the Pax.
• The Pax has higher draw resistance than the PnP. The PnP feels like you are sipping soda while the Pax feels like you are sipping a milkshake.
• The PnP has an optional water pipe attachment that cools the vapor down.
• The PnP is about $70 cheaper.

Reasons why the Pax is better than the Pinnacle Pro:

• The vapor of the PnP occasionally gets too hot and harsh on your throat because the mouthpiece is really close to the heating chamber.
• The overall build quality of the Pax is slightly higher.
• The temperature settings of the Pax seem more consistent.
• The Pax has a longer warranty.
• IMO, the Pax looks prettier.
• Pax seems to have slightly longer battery life.

Firefly Vaporizer vs. Pax by Ploom Comparison

March 28, 2014

A common question that I get is which is better, the Pax or Firefly?

Theses are currently the top 2 most expensive portable vaporizers (as of March 2014), and are engineered to be luxury-class devices that fit in your pocket.

I will judge these two products by the following criteria:

Stealth - Pax wins!

The Pax and Firefly are designed to be pocket-sized stealth vapes, but the Pax does a much better job at being stealthy. It is smaller and lighter, and it is more natural to hold (*ahem* conceal) in the palm of your hand. The Firefly seems like it was designed so that you should hold it with your fingertips. It is difficult to hold the Firefly naturally while holding down the heating button without blocking the air-intake vents.

Herb Conservation - Firefly wins!

The Firefly does a better job of stretching your herb because it cooks primarily by convection, meaning it only heats the herb when you puff. The Pax, on the other hand, heats by conduction, so your herb is being cooked even when you are not puffing.

Battery Life - Pax wins!

Not much to say here, but the Pax has slightly better battery life.

Ease of Use - Pax wins!

Also, I need to point out that the Pax has 3 reliable temperature settings (~355F, 395F, 415F) while the Firefly has no temperature control (it simply maxes out at 400F). Temperature control is a big deal for me because vaping your herb at different temperatures has different effects.

Ease of Cleaning - Pax wins!

Cleaning any vape is a PITA, but I think the Pax is easier to clean than the Firefly. To clean the Pax, wet a pipe-cleaner and floss it thru the metal vapor path. Then wipe down the chamber and mouthpiece with rubbing alcohol.

The Firefly is more annoying to clean because a lot of residue builds up on the vapor paths of the magnetic lids. It is difficult to get into every nook and cranny of that vapor path.

Warranty - Pax wins!

The Pax has a 10 year limited warranty while the Firefly has a 5 year limited warranty.

Value - Pax wins!

As of this writing, the Pax costs $249 and the Firefly costs $269. The Pax is a better value for the money.

New Review of the Firefly Vaporizer

March 25, 2014

I have posted my review of The Firefly. I really wanted to like it, but unfortunately, I am not impressed.

New Review of the Arizer Solo 2014 Edition

March 23, 2014

I have posted my review of the Arizer Solo 2014 Edition. The 2014 has a few important fixes.

• You can use the Solo while it is charging
• The airflow is improved
• The heating crucible is changed from ceramic to stainless steel.
• The glass stem has 4 air-holes instead of 2.