Discontinued FlowerMate V8.0 by Smiss

furiousfil

New Member
In my experience as long as you give it a minute after reaching temperature. It's given me smooth and almost resistance free, tasty vapors. Considering the temperatures your herbs are reaching the vapors are pretty cool. I pressume this is down to the distance it has to travel (approx 6-8 inches depending how far the mouthpiece is extended). Little visible vapor at low temps (still tasty) but the higher you crank it the more intense visible vapor is produced.
Not being used to vaping and normally smoking with tobacco (I'm English), the flavours produced seem very intense and compliment your choice of herbs very nicely. That being said other vaporisers could produce better vapors.
 

KeroZen

Chronic vapaholic
Here's my second FM8 pre-review:

I received the second sample this morning before going to work. I was able to test it once briefly and this time it seems to be all good! I will need to use it more in order to issue my final verdict but so far I'm pleased overall.

First of all, right after unboxing I couldn't detect any bad smell, excepted the tobacco they used (I used to smoke cigs in the past, but oh man I don't know what they used, must be some brown pipe tobacco or something as it was really of the strong kind! I imagine you could get an instant nicotine overdose with that stuff!) The silicone smell was almost non existant and quite neutral, strictly no glue smell, no polymide smell either. The device felt so safe to use I didn't do any empty burn-in before testing it this time. As they promised this problem was solved, now let's see how they did it!

I opened the device and immediatly saw two important structural changes:
- There is no internal glass straw anymore, no telescoping stuff. The air tunnel is completely empty and wide open. I wasn't able to determine what material it is made of as I was in a hurry, but it looked shiny. This means no risk of breaking the glass and now it's quite easy to clean the device (up to the bowl junction that is, see below)
- The bottom screen (on the lid part) facing the bowl has been replaced with a metal one with a few holes, and I think there might be another screen below. It makes the draw noticeably more restrictive. It was not an issue during use but I can imagine that some users will want to drill it more or enlarge the holes (or remove it completely?) to improve air flow (as in the FM5 or Indica) I don't know yet if this screen can be removed or not.

I loaded the bowl with some low grade stuff and used the FM5 tamping tool to make a little compact puck. I started the device, and before I was able to set the temperature to 185°C it was hot and running already! Yes it's really that fast! It reaches set temp in a few seconds at most.

Afterwards I started taking hits in series without inhaling: took a hit, exhaled, took another hit immediatly, back to back, etc. I wasn't able to overwhelm the device. Every hit whatever the size produced plenty of vapor with zero wait/recover time. I can't do that with my Ascent. I'm really impressed!

I continued until depleted, raised to 195°C and continued until depleted, then raised to 222°C and to my surprise there was much much more vapor than what I can get with the FM5 and Ascent set to high temp. Usually when I do temperature levels with my other vapes, when I reach high temp there are only a few hits and they tend to be less dense. I was suprised to see that much vapor after having cashed the low temps so much beforehand.

Exactly like in my Ascent, vapor color turned whiter when I passed the 200°C mark and the ABV/popcorn taste started to appear. Note that I can't review the device taste for now as the tobacco taste was too much present and tainted the experience.

I tried taking hits with the lid closed and opened. It changed the draw resistance but as expected it didn't change the vapor/air ratio. You need to draw slightly harder with the lid closed but you get the same vapor density. Now it's too soon to tell if the path really allows for more convection or not, but it proved that you could very well remove the lid entirely and use any other kind of bowl cover and it would work perfectly.

So far most of my concerns have been addressed, the only problem left I could see is the junction after the bowl screen leading to the air tunnel. For some reason the vapor path is not straight. If you shine a flashlight from the top of the air tunnel or from the bowl, you can't see it from the other side. I don't know why they did this. Maybe it's just a remnant of the internal straw shape they planned to use initially, but I can't see no good reason to keep that.

Ideally you would want to see the rear of the bowl screen at the bottom of the air tunnel, this way you could clean both sides easily. This is my last concern with the device, but I must admit that at least the removal of the internal straw was a good move. Let's say 95% of the vapor path can now be cleaned easily, it's quite an improvement already.

I will do some extra runs to remove the tobacco smell completely, then I'll use the device for some days before issuing my final review.
 

furiousfil

New Member
@KeroZen Glad they managed to get you one that works! Also from your description they have made quite a few changes. At the same time as I feel a little gutted, It also makes me feel even luckier, with the now obvious 'pre-production' model I recieved a couple of weeks back.

I'm glad I don't have the glue taste, but on the otherhand I wish mine had the improvements you have described in your post. I'm looking forward to reading your review. This thread has given me enough concern that I picked up a Vapir No2 on the cheap, so I could have something to judge against. The Vapir No2 has not arrived as of yet, but I expect it this week.
 
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furiousfil,
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Raistlin

I didn't realise you said "peanuts". Oops.
@KeroZen Glad they managed to get you one that works! Also from your description they have made quite a few changes. At the same time as I feel a little gutted, It also makes me feel even luckier, with the now obvious 'pre-production' model I recieved a couple of weeks back.

I'm glad I don't have the glue taste, but on the otherhand I wish mine had the improvements you have described in your post. I'm looking forward to reading your review. This thread has given me enough concern that I picked up a Vapir No2 on the cheap, so I could have something to judge against. The Vapir No2 has not arrived as of yet, but I expect it this week.

Seems like it's actually a mixture of improvements and regressions. I think you might have the best of both.
 

furiousfil

New Member
Well I shouldn't have bothered! I should have read up on the Vapir No2 here at FC before my purchase!
As you may have guessed my Vapir No2 turned up! In my brief Flowermate v8 vs Vapir no2 test. The Flowermate is in a different class, much quicker to heat, it's a much better quality build and most important of all the taste which pure sweet herbal flavours. The Vapir No2 seems to have an annoying plastic sort of taste underlying the taste of your herb as you vape (it's not that unbearable but it's noticable to me). I had made sure that I did a 30 min empty burn in (although it tasted of plastic before heating first time, it is made of plastic and rubber tubing above and surrounding the metal chamber). Shall have to put that down to experience and for emergency use!
 
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NickDlow

Log Hog
I wonder if anyone has compared this to the Mighty. I'm not saying they're in the same class or anything but physically they are similar. My V8 from MD hopefully is shipped close to the approximate date and I ordered the mighty yesterday n should be here Friday. I'm interested if they can compete or should I say if the V8 can keep up.
 

max

Out to lunch
I wonder if anyone has compared this to the Mighty. I'm not saying they're in the same class or anything but physically they are similar.
They're both big. That's about it IMO. To me, they have nothing in common, looks wise. Personally I think Smiss copied the original DaVinci with the V5 and the Ascent with the V8 (the glass mouthpiece design more than anything, but also the housing shape). As big as the Mighty is, I think I'd be much more likely to carry it as a pocket vape, vs. the FM V8, which I'd put more in the Solo category (non stealthy portable).
 
max,
Here's a comparison I can offer without having yet tried either one:

$80 vs. $450

Experience tells me that I have to assume the $450 one will beat the $80 one hands-down. But then, as a MD buyer of the V8, I am much more willing to take a chance on a blind buy of an $80 unit with potential and see what happens before shelling out $450 on a unit that is still a relative unknown.
 
TheDudeNextDoor,
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KeroZen

Chronic vapaholic
I think the Mighty is very ugly and not stealthy at all, but that's only my humble opinion. The FM8 tries to look "classy", the design is smooth, but it tries to mimick an alcoohol flask (precisely the thing you can't bring into many places) and it's also not stealthy (too big, plus bright OLED screen) Both can be "transported" in a large pocket but you would definitely feel their presence... I plan to use the FM8 as a desktop-like unit, leaving it either at home or at the office, I'm not decided yet.

Talking about dekstops, I realize my previous post could sound overly optimistic: don't get me wrong, big power output or not, this is still a portable unit and not a desktop. There is a lot of power available but the heating element and bowl are very small. I think it's mostly conduction, meaning there is a limit imposed by the bowl surface area and the fact it is ceramic etc. If you ommit the air intake pre-heating, it's a very simple design quite similar to the FM5, and I think the Mighty "engine" is more complex and better engineered. They are not in the same price league though.

I need to use it more before I can comment further. But the second time I tested it, I expected more vapor and was a bit worried... The 3rd and 4th times were better though. I'm starting the 5th session as I'm typing. This time I'm trying a loose packing, started directly at 195°C (blue setting on FM5 to compare with) taking longer hits than on the FM5 or Ascent (but shorter than on the Firewood) and I get good clouds that feel satisfying in the lungs but cooler and less throat irritating than the FM5. The vapor is cool like on the Ascent, I wish I could compare the taste but there is still a tobacco aftertaste covering the fine nuances...

The following might sound strange and non rational, but I have the impression that my Ascent thrives at low to medium temps (170°C to 195°C) but struggles above 200°C, whereas the two FMs work better at medium to high temps (and the FM8 is particularily impressive at 220°C) but I need to test it at low temps a bit more to be sure. Let's say this is just a rough first impression...

EDIT: I'm trying to take giant hits but it's hard for me as I'm not used to it and I have lungs in a rather bad shape (had two surgeries), plus I think clouds on exhale are a waste (but this is another topic!) I was nonetheless able to pull very good rips but maybe someone using large watertools daily would find them ridiculously small? I don't know but for me the FM5 was already very satifying vapor-density wise (and all my friends are able to get large hits with it easily) and this one is at least equal, that's for sure, and possibly even better.... TBD
 
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Accuphase

Sorry for my basic English
and this one is at least equal, that's for sure, and possibly even better....


Since the V8 has the same heating chamber as the V5, only a larger airpathway and a different Draw Resistence through it´s new design,
I expect the vapor expansion to be about the same as the V5. Don´t know how the new 3 cell Li Po Battery differs in energizing the heating
chamber except for heating it up quicker. The Li Po cells have a way higher max Current output than the Lithium cells in the
previous Models. Btw Li Po Batteries are very dangerous above 70°C (158°F) and under 0°C (32°C). I´m wondering if they really put Li-Po´s in there or if they stayed with the Lithium Battery.



Could anyone who already recieved a V8 please post the Spezification on the Charger?
(Voltage and Current)
 
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Accuphase,

KeroZen

Chronic vapaholic
I don't think they are LiPo, just 3x 2000mAh Li-ion's. I posted the charger specs already, it outputs 1A @ 15V. But Li-ion also don't like low and high temps, maybe they are less susceptible to swelling/puffing though.

The heater can peak at 120W (the Mighty one peaks at 30W only in comparison) but I think it's limited by the surface area of the bowl. It can produce plenty of energy but that energy must still be transferred to the load inside the bowl, via the ceramic which is not the best conductor in the world...

What is sure on the the other hand, is that it allows incredibly fast heating times, better than anything I own and heard about. That being said, the Elevape looks to heat pretty fast too, seeing it's advertized as "on demand heating". Halogen based vapes could compete too. But out of the classic bowl+nichrome wire conduction vapes, this one is the speed champion.

EDIT: first reviewer said in the Mighty thread it needs approx 90 sec to reach 375°F, here it's under 20 sec. This is in line with the 4x higher peak power output figure.
 
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Raistlin

I didn't realise you said "peanuts". Oops.
Well I am testing out my new unit now. I don't know what is going on as far as consistency with the units because I seem to have the best of all. Mine seems to be the newer pathway (bent w/ stainless steal) but with no draw resistance. And I had no burning off smells during burn in tests I did before using herbs. The heat up time is crazy fast. Initial cleaning is easy (we will see after some weeks if that is still the case). This is strongly looking to be my daily machine with all others relegated to the emergency backup pile.

That being said, if they jack up the price based on my one glowing review when there are many units out there being reviewed less favourably, then I would think twice. If they can get every unit was the same quality as mine then they are on a winner. I don't have experience with the Solo or any of the more expensive competitors - and if this thing lasts for a decent amount of time, then I probably won't bother in trying any others. If it ends up the price of a solo or similar competitor then I would think more about it.

I got great deal from the arigato_books on eBay. I contacted him when I heard good things on here from other users about their dealings. Thanks.
 

ominosity

Well-Known Member
Hi, I'm new on here and a first time vaper after decades of combustion. I just bought and received the Vapormax V8 (ebay). Obviously I can't compare it to any other devices as this is my first but I can give my impressions anyway. The build quality seems excellent and it feels nice in the hand. I know it's on the large side but I don't mind as I'll be using it in the house mostly. I seem to have one of the newer models but maybe not the newest. It has the metal screen on the bottom and the metal tube inside. There is no funny tastes or anything like that. In fact the taste is superb, I've tried two strains so far and am getting the unique flavours of both coming through very strong. The only down side for me is the draw which is very tight and slow. I'm actually getting a head rush from oxygen starvation as it takes so long to draw a lungful. This is a pity as I'm loving everything else about this device. It sounds like they've maybe sorted out the draw on a later model. I'm hoping someone might be able to advise on a mod to increase the airflow on mine. It seems to make no difference whether the bottom is open or closed. Exactly the same airflow. I even totally covered the bowl with my finger but this didn't change the airflow either which makes me wonder about the air pathway? Anyway, despite the slow draw I'm still enjoying vaping on this and if I can fix the draw then it'll be perfect!

Here's a pic I took of the inside of the main tube.
lrWLpgH.jpg


Modnote: Edited to display image
 
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hukhuk

Member
Wait a second.. this thing works with the bottom open? Does this feature makes it able to dab?
 
hukhuk,

max

Out to lunch
That being said, if they jack up the price based on my one glowing review when there are many units out there being reviewed less favourably, then I would think twice.
No offense, but do you really think any company makes a pricing decision based on a single review, from anyone, no matter who it is? That would not be smart.
 

Raistlin

I didn't realise you said "peanuts". Oops.
No offense, but do you really think any company makes a pricing decision based on a single review, from anyone, no matter who it is? That would not be smart.

I was referring to retail sellers, not Smiss. On eBay the retail price has varied wildly and changed suddenly without explanation. In that case, you give companies too much credit as though every decision they make is logical and correct. Saying no company has ever done such a thing seems rather ignorant. No offence meant of course. I've watched eBay items go up in price as soon as the seller finds a good review to use as marketing or their own reputation has increased enough that they feel they can increase the price and still make sales.
 

max

Out to lunch
I was referring to retail sellers, not Smiss. On eBay the retail price has varied wildly and changed suddenly without explanation. In that case, you give companies too much credit as though every decision they make is logical and correct. Saying no company has ever done such a thing seems rather ignorant. No offence meant of course. I've watched eBay items go up in price as soon as the seller finds a good review to use as marketing or their own reputation has increased enough that they feel they can increase the price and still make sales.
I disagree that anything said on any forum has anything to do with retail pricing, when it comes to on-line dealers. Unless they're stupid, they pay attention to their costs and the existing selling prices. eBay sellers are a mixed bag. Some are actual on-line dealers with a website. Others are Joe Blow, selling from the kitchen table.

Saying no company has ever done such a thing seems rather ignorant.
If you're gonna call me ignorant, then get your facts straight. I never said it hadn't been done. I said if anyone bases pricing on a forum review, then they're stupid.
 
max,
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