FlowerMate G3

[Vape Dr.]

Thanks @Vape Dr. for taking one for the team! Unfortunate that Smiss totally cheaped out on this FlowerMate with crappy materials, hopefully the new Vapormax V will do much better than this garbage...

My pleasure @Shit Snacks! The last thing we need is another unhealthy vape!

@KeroZen, the entire chamber is made up of tape that smells horrible. I'm sure its not very high quality tape being a budget vaporizer.

If you notice in these pictures, the plastic chamber is completely sealed when the bottom is snapped on.
This is purely a conduction vaporizer.

If it were a convection vaporizer, we would just be inhaling electronics and battery fumes on top of the mess it already is.

Here are better reference pics for you my friend.

 

[KeroZen]

I don't have a clear-enough view of the air/vapor path, but fresh air has to come from somewhere. If it just passes around the heating element then into the capsule, that would be (mostly) convection but if the heating element makes contact with the capsule to transfer heat, that would be (mostly) conduction... but I'm nitpicking, this vape might be a turd for real.

I just bloody hope that you guyz won't find the exact same shit when you dismantle your INH05!

 

[weenstoned]

Has anyone done a tear down of an Inhalater XP? Cause the heating chamber looks pretty similar, and in these pics the capsule looks closer to the color of the Inhalater capsules. I am kind of inclined to believe that Smiss would just recreate it exactly assuming they have access to the same manufacturers. Once you start substituting parts they become more prone to failure and it becomes less worthwhile to produce a copy.

I got one of the first XPs which failed right away, Inhalater sent a replacement and never asked for the original back. I will do a teardown and post some pics shortly.

 

[weenstoned]

Here are the pics, gotta say I am reasonably convinced that the G3 is the same as the Inhalater. There are a couple of minor differences, but that could easily be explained by tweaks in production between the start of the XP to the INH005. Some of the parts got kind of mangled as I pretty much had to tear this apart to get the heating chamber out (mostly due to the indicator light sticking out the side where on the INH005/G3 it is flush).

As you can see it is the 4th unit:

Here is the bottom knob, had to tear this off as the original XPs could not be unscrewed at the bottom:

Here is the heating chamber together, excuse it being a bit crushed:

Heating chamber outer:

Inner heating chamber part once again excuse the oaf like crushing:

You can see the wires going into the heating chamber which are a lot thinner than on the G3. Wouldn't be surprised if the wires on the INH005 are also thicker and this may be why this unit failed so quickly:

Here is some of the tape holding the inner chamber together as well as the screen:

Got tired of trying to untape it and just cut the inner chamber open and it looks basically the same material as the G3:

Only real differences I could see were that the wires going to the heating element were thicker and protected on the G3, and the XP had no tape on the plastic outer heating chamber. Those could be the same if an INH005 were torn down. A bit of the white heating chamber is visible when looking into the XP though I never really thought about it being plastic and certainly didn't think that plastic was encasing the entire heating chamber. I think both the XP and G3 are probably safe, but if stealth isn't your main concern then you might want to go with something else as it probably won't taste that good. Bear in mind that my XP replacement was one of the "too hot" units, so an improved XP or the INH005 might taste great. Though based on my XP experience and with the member or two who have tried the G3 I wouldn't bank on that.

 

[KeroZen]

My intuition rarely fails... Thank you a lot @weenstoned !

In fact now I recall reading in the XP thread how it was "partly convection" due to its design (but because there's so little space, when it gets hot it doesn't matter any more) This gave me a hint we might be dealing with the same design.

Anyways this is either good news or bad news depending on how you look at it. The inhalater claims "made in Canada" but if they are assembled from parts coming from OEM China (and yes Smiss is doing OEM for many brands) well... either it's all crap (worst case) or the G3 is as good as a Inhalator (best case) or anything in between!

The problem is: unless someone has the time and money to send bits of this plastic "tape" to a laboratory for analysis, we have no way to know if A) inhalater's version is safe B) Smiss version is not safe.

Same for the white plastic around the chamber, it can look the same but be made of entirely different materials with different chemical composition.

Smiss claims it's made with medical grade material and we challenge that, Inhalater claims the same and we take that for granted? Let's try to not be biased but I've always had doubts myself about the INH/XP...

Maybe they are all safe, maybe not, please roll a dice if the result is 6 you lose your health...

 

[jmanrique]

Waow Inhalater and G3 are almost the same.

About that tape. Ive been searching and if it is polyimide its sure its safe. Polyimide can be molded into tape or thermoplastic (kind of plastic material but with resistance to extremly high temperatures and chemicals). It would be nice if we can confirm that the material used is really polyimide but be cant...

As for the fumes some users had it might be caused by a bad insulation of the heating chamber or due to contact with other components... it sure is a high risk

 

[weenstoned]

It's easy to dream up Chinese manufacturers subbing in cheaper materials, but Occam's Razor says that they're probably just the same. The product is already tested and materials would already be sourced. There's still a lot of room to make money by selling a copy for $50 compared to the legit for $250 when you take out R&D costs, advertising, North American employee salaries, etc. Unfortunately the Chinese manufacturers have small companies like Ploom and Inhalater over a barrel unless they want to completely redesign and move manufacturing to North America. They have already paid the big start up manufacturing costs to get a vape made and can't exactly switch factories super easy. Also the Chinese government isn't exactly cracking down on counterfeits. Not much a company can do besides spread some doubt about the safety of the materials, and hope that most consumers either won't notice the counterfeits or want the prestige/safety of owning a legit product.

 

[Mr. Gweilo 420]

well done Vape Dr. I had been meaning to order one earlier this week but no need to bother now. After the Vapormax I thought we could trust these guys but obviously not.

 

[KeroZen]

@Mr. Gweilo 420 : well, the Vapormax wouldn't get a A++ grade in my book either... It appears they did not do apparently awful things, but the same tape is wrapping the exterior of the bowl, there are (insulated) exposed wires, we don't know what metal the screens and mouthpiece base are made off, there's soft silicone and the LED exposed in the vapor path... Not really a panacea!

If people are trusting Inhalator enough and this proves to have the exact same guts, then the G3 might not be that bad... (I'm not touching the moral issues of encouraging IP theft and counterfeiting, but if Inhalater claims to be made in Canada whereas in reality they are just assembling Chinese parts, then I'm sorry but they got what they deserved)

 

[Vape Dr.]

The G3 was bad from the start. It has a horrible taste if you take a blank draw with the unit off.
When I turned my unit on you could see actual vapor coming out of an empty chamber.

There was a hole in the side of the plastic cup the heater sat in, but it drew its air from inside the unit.
There are fake holes on the side. You are drawing air from within the unit when you hit it.

I ran it for at least a half a dozen times if not more on high and the smell never went away. They had tape on tape on tape so it had a tape smell that would not only smell but actually burn. There were gaps everywhere, so the pass through air "smells/tastes?" is not from out side the unit. The only air your getting is passing through the USB hole. This vaporizer was shotty from head to toe.

IMO I don't think your health is worth the gamble with the G3.

I'm sure the Inhalater is a much higher quality vaporizer than this.
Especially the 05. It brings fresh air to pass through the chamber. Not from inside.

I have great faith in the inhalater and hope to have mine any day.
We shall see.

***EDIT IN*** @weenstoned It absolutely looks like the inhalater technology, just a cheap knock off of it. Shame.

 

[weenstoned]

I don't think those airholes are fake, the chamber is taped off but it isn't airtight so air passes through the holes into the chamber then flows down around the plastic and back up through the chamber and mouthpiece. http://www.inhalater.com/technology/ The animation here shows how it works and I am pretty sure the chamber on the G3 works the same.

Also just want to say that at least back with the XP Pharmacor did not recommend a burn off without any material inside and I think said it could damage the heating chamber. So I wouldn't be surprised if you see some fumes with the INH005 if you do an empty burn off. Just don't be disappointed if you look into your INH005 and see the exact same chamber.

 

[Vape Dr.]

I don't think those airholes are fake, the chamber is taped off but it isn't airtight so air passes through the holes into the chamber then flows down around the plastic and back up through the chamber and mouthpiece. http://www.inhalater.com/technology/ The animation here shows how it works and I am pretty sure the chamber on the G3 works the same.

Also just want to say that at least back with the XP Pharmacor did not recommend a burn off without any material inside and I think said it could damage the heating chamber. So I wouldn't be surprised if you see some fumes with the INH005 if you do an empty burn off. Just don't be disappointed if you look into your INH005 and see the exact same chamber.

The inside of the G3 is very different as for air intake. The holes are very much fake. I tried to stick a needle through them. They are blocked, they do not line up or anything.
The G3 does not draw in fresh air like the inhalater does.

 

[mrweed]

oh my god... that's horrible :/
i bet the titan-1/2 does look similar from within.
Now, I really want to see the insides of one of these units, too.

 

[Tiptop]

Makes you wonder though if the Inhalator was just a new unknown vape out of China and it was dismantled to see what made it tick - perhaps folk would be concerned about its components?

 

[Vay-pour]

Received mine today. This thing feels awfully cheap.

The top lid just rattles about like no-ones business its complete rubbish. The same goes for the temp dial , Its so damn loose that when you move the unit around somewhat the dial moves off the set temperature. Poor.

The heating chamber smells pretty awful though i did not get visible vapour from my dry run. but could definitely smell it.

Im going to test it with some herb once its charged, Im not to concerned with the fact I 'may' be inhaling fumes I do not want. I will test the unit regardless.

I shall report back once I have gave it a thorough testing with product. I am far from impressed with the build quality though and i really wanted this to be good. Damn.

Modnote: Back to back posts merged.

Well folks. There you have it.

I have charged the unit fully and followed all the steps in the manual. Yet it produces little to NO vapour at all. Even on the highest setting. I have left the herb in the chamber heating up for around 5 minutes to see if it was perhaps slow to reach the right temp but ... NO.

The herb stayed green ... Oh goody.

It does appear to heat up as i can feel it through the device itself but it just isn't heating enough.

Considering I ordered this from Hong Kong ( i was speaking to a Smiss employee called Ian, Its a female by the way) I do not want to be sending this back to get a replacement etc. I already had to pay an extra £13 for customs charges so the idea of spending any money whatsoever to send this rubbish back is nauseating. How can i go about arranging a refund or other alternative ?

Pretty pissed with this.

 

[mrweed]

paypal dude. if they refuse to send you a free replacement or give you the money back, let paypal handle the case, this thing is supposed to have a warranty and if its broken, you will get it back most definitely. except for custom fee of course

 

[Vay-pour]

paypal dude. if they refuse to send you a free replacement or give you the money back, let paypal handle the case, this thing is supposed to have a warranty and if its broken, you will get it back most definitely. except for custom fee of course

Thanks man, Although what if i am not willing to return the item .. does that affect my right for a refund ?

 

[mrweed]

i don't think they will ask you to send it back. these companys always offer to refund with your next order only.

 

[Snow White]

Thank you @Vape Dr. for your review. You have saved me from wasting my money

It's a shame though, I'm really happy with my Flowermate Vapormax and I was hoping this would be just as good.

 

[Vape Dr.]

Thank you @Vape Dr. for your review. You have saved me from wasting my money

It's a shame though, I'm really happy with my Flowermate Vapormax and I was hoping this would be just as good.

@Snow White You are most welcome my friend. I too am very disappointed that the G3 was not a success. It could have been great, and possibly could be with more R&D. Who knows.

After The Vapormax I was super impressed! I gave that a great review and I still use mine often!

However, I could not in good conscience recommend the G3 to anyone if I myself was leery of even using it myself.

I do not take pride in giving a bad review, quite the opposite. I feel very bad, but I want the consumers to know what they're buying before they may purchase something toxic or unhealthy.

I write my reviews for the true vaporizer connoisseur, not to boost sales for companies. I tell it like it is. Good or bad.


***EDIT IN***
This is why I believe beta testing is so crucial before releasing a product to the public.

 

[Vay-pour]

I have contacted smiss via PayPal requesting a refund , explaining the faulty piece of junk. And lo and behold they have asked me to return the item. At a cost of £18 .... Shambolic service. I may have to elevate this dispute with PayPal.

 

[btka]

Did someone talk to 4he inhalator pharmacor about this ... i would be very interessted what they have to say ... and if they w8rk with smiss... or reciving parts for there inhalators from china... or if they recive the whole thing from china and tell customers that it is made in canada...

 

[stickstones]

I would not be surprised at all if this unit was made of different materials than the INH. They do it all the time.

 

[Vape Dr.]

I got my inhalaters today and they are of much better quality than the G3, I am charging them now. I will be reviewing them further on the inhalater thread.

 

[CG420]

Thank God for forums like these where discussions are held and there are people willing to jump the gun and expose vaporizers. I enjoy seeing new vapes and their insides are all the more intriguing. Then again, anyone who is interested in vaping knows to do their homework. I'm just glad we have a lot of users here for reviewing and putting up their initial impressions and overview. Saves me tons of bucks trying to find the best vaporizer as a portable and desktop. Was gonna buy this vape after finding out the cost and gift it to my brother as a birthday surprise but read through all the pages and it's crazy how it looks decent but performs not up to par. Kudos to you, @Vape Dr. for taking it apart man!