Purchasing a Vape..NEED ADVICE!!

My girlfriend and I want to purchase a vaporizer and we have about $500 to spend. I've been looking around at different models and I'm wondering what gets the best bang for the buck. The volcano is the best in my opinion, but the budget isn't there for it. My friend has a standing wooden vape (I think vaporbrothers?) with a whip and dial to change the temperature From the times I've used it, it has worked well. Some of the vapes that i am interested in are:

The Silver Surfer
VaporBrothers
Zephyr
Predator (just because it looks different)

Out of those vaporizers which would be the easiest to use, maintain and clean???

Where to start?

There are numerous considerations that differentiate the vaporizer market: efficiency, portability/home unit, appearance, fixed temp, variable temp, butane powered, elec. powered, battery powered, etc. Most folks around here are reluctant to say that any vaporizer is the best, but rather, that different vapes are appropriate for different circumstances. Thus, it may be better to describe what your vaporizing needs are: 'the with whom, with what, where, and why'. Choosing a vaporizer because it looks different may be problematic, unless aesthetics are a top priority.

IMO, you needn't spend anywhere near $500 to get a quality vaporizer - the volcano is good at what it does but is needlessly expensive.

Silver Surfer (SSV) - High vapor to air ratio = thick hits. A home based unit. A variable temperature unit. Produces clouds and is a good vape for those transitioning from combustion. highly regarded amongst the FC community. Reputable manufacturer.

I do not own the other three you mentioned, others will chime in.

If you can spend $500 I'd consider two vapes... One for at home and a portable if you need mobility.

If you need to stretch your herb supply I'd recommend a log vape like PD/MZ for at home. Conservative but delivers thick vapor hits and stretches herb supply quite amazingly.

If you want big ass bong style vape and less worried about conservation I'd consider the DBV or SSV for at home.

For mobility I would say the Magic Flight Launch Box for the win. Couple extra batteries and you'd be mobile. Lifetime warranty can't be beat. You could also use it at home and even purchase the power adapter for it.

Good luck and happy vaping! Plenty of threads around to read up and see what fits your bill.

Zephyr was shut down for awhile so there is worry about getting parts or warranty support...not sure if they're back open but I'd consider checking on that before purchasing a Zephyr unit.

IMO with the list you stated -

SSV > Predator > VaporBros > Ion

The ONLY reason the Ion is at the bottom of the list is because of all the trouble they have had recently (not necessarily their fault)

If that wasnt the case they would be a close 2nd/3rd.
Predator has a lifetime warranty
SSV gives you 3 options for your wand/heater cover - The Predator and VB only have 1.

SSV- great vape. I've been using one for years. Customizing can really drive the price up though, so I'd stay basic with this one. You have to be prepared to do a little work during hits, since the air stream is narrowly focussed. Gives you great ability to control the density of your hits, but you have to use that control all the time, to avoid overcooking a part of the bowl (think focussing sunlight through a magnifying glass).

VaporBrothers-it'll save you some $ vs. the SSV, but I hate the heater angle. I'd rather pay the extra $ for the SSV, or if you want to stay under $200 the DBV gives you SSV components and quality with a ground glass (hands free) connection.

Zephyr-great dual mode vape, but I don't think they ever came out with the promised whip (you'll have to buy your own) before they had the bad fortune to get raided by US Customs. They've been shut down for months and warranty service and parts are a no go, for now anyway. A real risky buy right now.

Predator-considerably cheaper than when it was introduced, maybe because nobody's buying it. Doesn't get much interest here.

If I were you, I'd visit http://vapexhale.com/ today and register for a Cloud at the pre-order price of $349. You can always decline to order when the time comes, but being able to get a great vape like this for this price is a one time deal. Monday the price goes up an additional $100. You get great hits, great glass, and no learning curve. Search youtube for stonemonkey55 and you'll find multiple videos. Beta testers, including FC staff, are all addicted to it already. The only downside is that you'll have to wait a while for delivery. It's well worth the wait. Buy a Magic Flight box to hold you over and you'll have a nice portable with a life time warranty.

^^^
I second that recommendation. Get a launch box with the power adapter...will set you back about $160. Get registered for a Cloud at the discount price. When that comes in you will have the best vape I've ever used and the launch box with power adapter will take care of you in the meantime. All the while you have a fantastic portable unit.

Out of the vapes you've mentioned, I'd go with the VaporBrothers. I would have picked the SSV, but 7th Floor (the company) is a bit sketchy and quite unprofessional. The VB also offers a lifetime warranty and uses completely safe parts in their design. I'd also get a Magic Flight Launch Box to complete your vape collection

check out the EQ, i absolutely love mine

out of the ones you list, i think SSV. its probably the best whip-only vape imo, the downward facing heatercover opening is much nicer than the angles of the VB or others. The heavy base and big grippy rubber feet also make it stable as hell, nearly impossibly to knock off your desk or whatever.

but i've gotta suggest looking at the Herbalaire. it vapes the shit out of anything you put in it, whole nugs, whatever.

I vote for a DBV or an SSV, both great products, both have much better heater angles then any '[wooden]box vape' and better quality parts as well.

Thats it, if you want a good whip type vaporizer, see 7th Floor, plain and simple.

Sky Flower said:

The VB also offers a lifetime warranty

Click to expand...

Not really.

steiner666 said:

out of the ones you list, i think SSV. its probably the best whip-only vape imo, the downward facing heatercover opening is much nicer than the angles of the VB or others. The heavy base and big grippy rubber feet also make it stable as hell, nearly impossibly to knock off your desk or whatever.

Click to expand...

Agree, and the SSV also has a cleaner air path going for it than the VB which draws air from under the vaporizer.

The VB also offers a lifetime warranty

Click to expand...

The Vapor Bros 'lifetime warranty' is only lifetime if you redefine warranty to mean you have to pay for the repair. And if you do that, then doesn't that mean that all warranties are lifetime? It does to me. It clearly states on the VB site that you only get free repair for the first year. In year 2 it's a $10 charge. Years 2 -5 you have to pay a certain amount for repair, currently $35. After that I assume it's more, but they just say "a discount price" for upgrade or replacement. Calling this crap a lifetime warranty is a flat out lie IMO. And you think 7th Floor is "a bit sketchy"?

http://www.vaporbrothers.com/repair/index.html

SSV, purple days/woodeez, extreme Q (200 range)
evolution v7, vaporfection stealth novus (500 range)

roadrunnerpoker said:

SSV, purple days/woodeez, extreme Q (200 range)
evolution v7, vaporfection stealth novus (500 range)

Click to expand...

Great recommendations for the $200 range(maybe bit cheap for ssv but close enough), but the $500 range makes me feel dirty just reading it. Reminds me of that horrible HIGH TIMES vaporizer review that is linked to their website.. So many better ways to spend your 500 vape-dollars.

So true, if your talking about $500 on a vaporizer, you will probably be looking at two different units.
or one plus some glass

Nycdeisel said:

So true, if your talking about $500 on a vaporizer, you will probably be looking at two different units.
or one plus some glass

Click to expand...

yeah at least 2. personally id get a launch box for.portability, a log vape (zap/pd/wdz) for daily driver (if you care about conserving and can get dank herb esp), and a Herbalaire for a bag/bong/group vape and it will extract practically anything the other 2 leave behind in abv as well as milking a lot of vapor out of even midsty herb.

imo this is an awesome lineup that covers all needs. if you get HA through ebay new and call vapeworld for FC discount on LB, and get whichever log, youll still have enough money left over for a months worth of vaping (estimating vapes total around $420 and assuming you can get 7g for $80, and that your tolerance is close to mine).

but, either way, youre making a good decision to buy any of the mentioned vapes in this thread. theyll all do the job well enough, im just speaking from my own exp and all the trading in vapes for diff ones until my needs were totally met and i settled in on these ones.