Crafty/Crafty+ by Storz & Bickel

[pday89]

How many hours on the Crafty did you have? Welcome to FC!

So that's part of the issue- I had 120 hours on mine, but that's largely because it would take FOREVER to heat up. Then, it would often just overheat (red and blue lights would start flashing), and I'd have to wait for it to cool off before trying to use it again. So I'd basically use the entire full-charge on a single pack. By the way, I had firmware V02.05. Read that a lot of people had issues with that firmware and associated heat/charging units, as well as the fragile external housing.

Oh, and the icing on the cake- they want me to pay $30 in LABOR. Just really sticking it to me in a way I never imagined from S&B. Aside from the Crafty, I've purchased 2 Volcanos over the past ~9 years, as well as hundreds of dollars in accessories. Never sent in a single product for repair. Always "bragged" to friends that, in the need of a repair, S&B wouldn't slap me around like some of the other "stoner-gadget" companies might. Now I just feel like a total fool- especially when my friend just sent in his defective PAX2 and received a brand new one for free (didn't even have to pay for shipping).

 

[biohacker]

IMHO only, it sounds to me that you torched your battery. I would be able to get half of 120 hours, lots of people have brand new Crafty's that shit the bed in less than 30 with the newest firmware. It's just the name of the roulette game with the Crafty. I totally disagree with you that the Mighty isn't reliable, but they have only been out for just over a year. You don't see what you see here in the Mighty thread, not even close. Regardless, maybe your best bet is to just pay for the battery? You will receive a brand new Crafty, and then you can sell it! I'll buy it!

 

[pday89]

So... How big are your hands? I think the Crafty is more portable than the Mighty because of its smaller size, but I don't think it's particularly stealthy.

If stealth is a priority to you, you may want to consider the pax 2. Or if you don't mind waiting, the grasshopper.

The crafty, in my opinion, isn't too stealthy- it's pretty big and clunky, and produces big smelly clouds that are certain to garner attention. The crafty is basically between the ultra-portable units, and the plug-in units like the Volcano. It's not nearly as small, light, or concealable as the PAX2 and doesn't have as great of a battery, and compared to units like the Volcano, isn't even a fraction as reliable. I was very happy with my Crafty purchase 6 months ago, but considering that PAX seems to stand behind their products more than S&B now, the Crafty is simply not worth the extra money. If I could change the past, I would have purchased a PAX2.

IMHO only, it sounds to me that you torched your battery. I would be able to get half of 120 hours, lots of people have brand new Crafty's that shit the bed in less than 30 with the newest firmware. It's just the name of the roulette game with the Crafty. I totally disagree with you that the Mighty isn't reliable, but they have only been out for just over a year. You don't see what you see here in the Mighty thread, not even close. Regardless, maybe your best bet is to just pay for the battery? You will receive a brand new Crafty, and then you can sell it! I'll buy it!

Sorry if I was unclear- all of my comments have been about the Crafty, in particular. I've only heard better things about the Mighty (aside from the larger size, which I guess can be good/bad, depending on user preferences).

It just sucks to be in this position after spending $330 on the unit, as well as probably $50-$100 on accessories (extra mouthpieces, chargers, battery packs, etc.)...my options are to spend ~$80 [$10-15 on shipping, plus $70 (including $30 of labor) for repair], or have a unit that is totally unreliable, and now with a worse battery life- a battery life that was already subpar to begin with. And I've only had the unit for 6 months...It's clear now that this product should be seldom-used, and cannot/should not be used as your primary "tool." In other words, this product isn't your everyday car, it's the car you take on a Sunday stroll every so often. For $330, that's just a joke.

 

[skyvaper]

The crafty IMO is about average in size and not big and clunky. The crafty IMO is more stealthy than a pax. EVERYONE knows what a pax is and what it looks like and what its for which kills its stealth appeal. If the argument is how easy it is to conceal a pax then unless its transforming or something before Its being slipped in a pocket or being covered up its not that much more concealable. If you dont want clouds that bring alot of attention then dont blow out large clouds or hold your hit in. This goes for any vape. In my experience when Ive had issues with my unit it is sent in and replaced each time. Ive called on a couple of occasions and spoke with different people in oakland and got my questions answered or a call back within minutes once the answer was found. Yes the unit does have issues and each time I have been taken care of with great service. For those that get different treatment than most Ive seen on here what kind of customer are you because there is such a thing as a bad customer? I work in CS industry and there are horrible customers that just dont get the same level of service that Ill gladly give to someone who knows how to be a good customer.

 

[vapviking]

Neither of these products are reliable. Look at all the people who need 4-5 replacements. I treated my unit delicately, and after 6 months it just stopped working (a message appeared saying it was "defective"). Now, S&B wants me to spend $70 to replace a battery (including $30 in labor) for something they know is defective. They won't respond to any of my calls- nobody even picks up the phone! On top of that, they just ignore any particulars that you bring up in email, and give a "form response." I've never been so disappointed with customer service. You hear all these great things about S&B standing behind their products- maybe they did that 10 years ago, but I assure you they are not doing it anymore. They can't even pick up the damn phone.

Defective unit and bad battery are two different things. One is warranted and the other isn't. Have you sent the device in for evaluation?
It's seems from what you've written that you may be speculating?

 

[Stinky]

Experiencing a similar issue. My battery was defective, so I thought I'd contact the S&B support I've always heard great things about. MYTH BUSTED. They are awful. They never answer the phones, and respond to questions/concerns in "form email." I've read all these different accounts of people getting replacements, repairs, etc., and they all seem to be for different amounts of $. I owned my Crafty for 6 months, handled it very delicately, and all of a sudden a message appeared on the app telling me my unit was defective. After this, the unit wouldn't even turn on. S&B wants me to pay $70, not including $10-$15 shipping and handling, and is saying it's just "wear and tear."

So, be advised- you'll likely have to spend $70 every 6 months for what they refer to as "wear and tear." Otherwise, "your product's performance will continue to worsen over time"...before seizing to work, at all, again.

If you ask them they will send you a shipping label so you won't have to pay for postage. They don't offer this and only do it for customers who are savvy enough to ask.

Be careful about breaking the "company bashing" rules here. You are only allowed to bring up a problem once and if the company don't reply then you are not allowed to bring it up again. Bickel and Storz don't comment publicly as they don't want their products to be associated with Cannabis so it can cause issues here.

Welcome to FC mate

 

[kkaspar]

Ok, guys, I don't think that it's one of my smartest purchases, but I just ordered myself a Crafty

I thought that even if I have to send the unit in more often then the Mighty, I can still use my desktop anyway. Crafty just had it's "small cool gagdet" thing going for it, that I was currently looking. I'm doing the thing where I'm ignoring my temporal emotional problems by buying things, so I needed to buy a vape that at least feels special at first

I'll keep posting about my experience and see how it will go.

 

[biohacker]

It's clear now that this product should be seldom-used, and cannot/should not be used as your primary "tool." In other words, this product isn't your everyday car, it's the car you take on a Sunday stroll every so often.

Exactly, this is the only reason i'm buying it, for the odd use outside of my home when I really need something pocketable. The Mighty is fantastic around my house. With the Crafty I will only plan on doing 1 or 2 loads, since I don't like to push the battery to its limits (especially when the vape is hot), and if I needed more than that i'd consider taking the Mighty.

 

[vapviking]

I posted this in Mighty thread a few minutes ago.
Would have just linked to it, but I got confused, sorry:

"and about the 2 YEAR WARRANTY;
I have asked and received answer, including a clarification about S&B's warranty.
There is one 2 year time period during which they will repair or replace a defective device. It begins on the day S&B first receives a returned defective device. Sounded odd at first, so I asked for an explanation. I'll try to illustrate my understanding of the policy with an example.

Example; Buy a Crafty or Mighty on Jan. 1st, 2015. Happy camper for 5 months, say, til June 1, and it stops working (assuming not a battery wear & tear issue). It is returned in mail and received by S&B on June 6, and they examine and determine that the problem is defective and as such, covered. They send out a replacement device on June 7. In this scenario, June 6, 2015 has become the begin date of the 2 year warranty period. It will never reset, regardless of how many subsequent devices fail or are upgraded or returned or shipped out."

 

[Stinky]

I posted this in Mighty thread a few minutes ago.
Would have just linked to it, but I got confused, sorry:

"and about the 2 YEAR WARRANTY;
I have asked and received answer, including a clarification about S&B's warranty.
There is one 2 year time period during which they will repair or replace a defective device. It begins on the day S&B first receives a returned defective device. Sounded odd at first, so I asked for an explanation. I'll try to illustrate my understanding of the policy with an example.

Example; Buy a Crafty or Mighty on Jan. 1st, 2015. Happy camper for 5 months, say, til June 1, and it stops working (assuming not a battery wear & tear issue). It is returned in mail and received by S&B on June 6, and they examine and determine that the problem is defective and as such, covered. They send out a replacement device on June 7. In this scenario, June 6, 2015 has become the begin date of the 2 year warranty period. It will never reset, regardless of how many subsequent devices fail or are upgraded or returned or shipped out."

I posted this reply to you in the Mighty thread:

In your scenario if the June 6 2015 date becomes the beginning date of the two year warranty after the warranty return then the warranty does reset. The warranty definitely doesn't reset as has been confirmed by Bickel and Storz.

If you want your warranty to reset then do what I do; firstly find a good retailer. Then buy a new second unit outright every time your first unit fails. When you receive your new unit send the defective one back for a full refund. You will then have a full 2 year warranty for the new unit.

 

[Mr. Me2]

I posted this reply to you in the Mighty thread:

In your scenario if the June 6 2015 date becomes the beginning date of the two year warranty after the warranty return then the warranty does reset. The warranty definitely doesn't reset as has been confirmed by Bickel and Storz.

If you want your warranty to reset then do what I do; firstly find a good retailer. Then buy a new second unit outright every time your first unit fails. When you receive your new unit send the defective one back for a full refund. You will then have a full 2 year warranty for the new unit.

Regarding the term or starting of the warranty period, the Crafty instruction manual states:

"The warranty period for the CRAFTY Vaporizer begins on the date when the Product is physically delivered to the Customer’s site, and is valid for twenty-four (24) months thereafter."

Does that help? Unfortunately, it does not sound like what @vapviking was told...

 

[vapviking]

Regarding the term or starting of the warranty period, the Crafty instruction manual states:

"The warranty period for the CRAFTY Vaporizer begins on the date when the Product is physically delivered to the Customer’s site, and is valid for twenty-four (24) months thereafter."

Does that help? Unfortunately, it does not sound like what @vapviking was told...

This (above), from the manual, sure seems to be in contradiction to what was written to me.

I like @Stinky 's workaround, but it's not addressing the point I'm drilling down on, which is about S&B's policy.

The word "reset'" doesn't appear in any of the literature; I think it probably is adding to confusion.

I have been given a date-certain that constitutes the beginning of a 2 year clock. It is the date S&B received my first (defective, returned) Crafty. When that 2 years is over, S&B's obligation will be over. It is not the same as the date ordered by me nor the date received by me. The rest is semantics. Still a little confused, but I have an answer and like Hank Snow, I'm Movin' On...

 

[Mr. Me2]

This (above), from the manual, sure seems to be in contradiction to what was written to me.

I like @Stinky 's workaround, but it's not addressing the point I'm drilling down on, which is about S&B's policy.

The word "reset'" doesn't appear in any of the literature; I think it probably is adding to confusion.

I have been given a date-certain that constitutes the beginning of a 2 year clock. It is the date S&B received my first (defective, returned) Crafty. When that 2 years is over, S&B's obligation will be over. It is not the same as the date ordered by me nor the date received by me. The rest is semantics. Still a little confused, but I have an answer and like Hank Snow, I'm Movin' On...

I think it worked out great for you. And their stated warranty information is not the clearest. For example, the above language doesn't say WHICH Crafty (the original or replacement). AND, from posts here, it's pretty clear they have not been uniform in their treatment of warranty claims. Oh well...

 

[pakalolo]

You are only allowed to bring up a problem once and if the company don't reply then you are not allowed to bring it up again.

This isn't quite correct. If the company does not respond you can report that, but only after a reasonable time has passed. In other words, a couple of days isn't nearly long enough, but a month would be.

 

[MinnBobber]

If Vapviking answer is indeed true/official, then the warranty will RESET ONCE, at the time of the first warranty service/replacement.

But with S & B, the problem has been consistency of answers-----is that answer the real answer OR is it based on who happened to answer the email that day, and what mood they were in

 

[justcametomind]

If Vapviking answer is indeed true/official, then the warranty will RESET ONCE, at the time of the first warranty service/replacement.

But with S & B, the problem has been consistency of answers-----is that answer the real answer OR is it based on who happened to answer the email that day, and what mood they were in

Other than that, for once and for all, US members should specify IF they refer to the US version, especially when dealing with a EU based vaporizer manufacturer.
IF their RMA is taken care by S&B USA or by S&B in Germany, because there are different legislations and it's apples and oranges if we don't specify which region we are talking about.
Same for europeans (and aussies?), but I suspect by the post count that the US vape users is well represented here, to the point that many users don't even specify they are yankees.

The Crafty has his flaws, but something to take in consideration is the (I suppose) HUGE amount of RMA coming from fresh teens who could barely legally acquire cannabis and want to have it new for free, given the many flaws that . There are many weed users in Europe. I suspect many more weed users in US or Canada where half of it have it legalized. But regardless, this forum in particular is 75% yankee at least.
Nonetheless they don't represent the entire pie.

 

[psychonaut]

My crafty is out for delivery today. I wonder if it's repaired or replaced. Can't wait to get it back. I've been missing it this past week =(

UPDATE: New Crafty came, so this is my 3rd since Nov 2014. Wish it wasn't so fussy! Very glad it is here now though =)

 

[biohacker]

Has anyone received a repaired Crafty? I thought they were all replacements, no?

 

[kUsHkInG]

Has anyone received a repaired Crafty? I thought they were all replacements, no?

I had sent in my Crafty for repair back in September of this year and after they had inspected it, was determined that a whole-unit replacement was necessary. At no time did they ever mention repairing my actual unit, so one could assume they ship out refurbs as replacements?

I loved my Crafty when I first got it, was a definite upgrade from the original Pax I bought and the vapor quality that Storz & Bickel achieves in such a small device cannot be compared, IMHO. I did however, have a few issues with mine that I've come to read is a common theme with the Crafty, so I'm not surprised I had to send mine in for repair so soon after buying it. I wasn't impressed with the battery life, although the pass-through charging was a bonus as the Pax doesn't offer that--but still only getting about 3 full sessions on a $400 unit was quite disappointing. The unit also did run quite warm when compared to the Pax, but not a big enough deal for me to be overly concerned. The one thing that drove me bonkers with the version of Crafty I had was the sporadic disconnects on BT that made it impossible for me to toggle the temperature settings. I didn't have BT issues with my iPhone as I used it to connect to other devices as well, so it could only be the Crafty itself.

Aside from that, both the Crafty and Mighty are still the go-to portable vape's on my list--and I've tried quite a few.

 

[justcametomind]

I don't know if it was my fault or any update took place, but I reinstalled the official app on my phone and it works again with 2.05 version in my possession. After the 5.1 android update it didn't connect anymore and I was contemplating the idea of sending it back ever since. Possibly choosing an update to a Mighty.
Outside, I hope to be well served by the Elevape Smart I'm waiting for. If it goes as it should, it should become my non-session, one hitter, non smelly, load-just-a-pinch new Crafty.
.. And I forgot the longer lasting battery, lifetime* warranty and the sale price:
-25% applying current sale+fc discount code which is VAPOBUST on www.vaposhop.com

* Elevape could go tits up tomorrow and that's has been considered as a con.

 

[psychonaut]

Both of mine that I've received back were replacements, their RMA form does indicate possibility of repair and cleaning of units, along with replacement if necessary.

I couldn't tell if they were refurbs, honestly both of them looked new/sealed in the box.

Either way, S&B's warranty is gold IMO.

 

[kkaspar]

How long did it take S&B to ship out your unit?
I made the order yesterday morning, but the order isn't showing in my account order list and haven't received a reply about their dispatch time.

 

[vapviking]

How long did it take S&B to ship out your unit?
I made the order yesterday morning, but the order isn't showing in my account order list and haven't received a reply about their dispatch time.

If I were you I'd be asking S&B!

 

[kkaspar]

If I were you I'd be asking S&B!

I asked yesterday by mail, but haven't gotten an answer.
Now the order showed up at my account on their page and is marked as complete. Do you know if this means that it's also shipped out?
I'm asking because I'm a little anxious to get to play with the unit on this weekend, and the page says that shipping should take 2-3 days, so it will be close

EDIT: So, it's not shipped yet, so I probably have to wait for next week.

 

[Kaptan]

Following up on my previous post regarding my interaction with S&B. I had sent them an email on Monday advising that my Crafty that was received the previous Thursday does not consistently give the vibration feedback when reaching temp or turning on and off. I requested they ship a new Crafty before I send this defective, but still working Crafty back so I would not have to wait another two weeks to get a working unit. Surprisingly, I received an email from them that a new unit is already on its way to me and to ship the defective unit back with the label included in the package. Finally I can say, customer service is stepping up!