Albert Hofmann said:
meatballvaper said:
what size or diameter, or would it be better to just buy one online made for the iolite?
The thought occurs to me that you could possibly measure the thing. Or just take 1 of your extra mouthpieces to your local homebrew shop, where they generally stock all different types of food grade tubing for use in siphoning and such, try em out till you find the one that fits.

ya i might do that. but i was also thinking of this one website had a 15 in silicone tube with a glass mouthpiece for like 10 bucks. might just get that and the optimizer for it.
 
meatballvaper,

VaporNation

Vaporizer Superstore
Retailer
meatballvaper said:
Hey guys, i am a new (active) member to your site. I have been reading alot about this vape and decided to get one not too long ago. I read pretty much every single post on this thread along with the no2 one. However instead of going with the borderline cult following of the mflb (I dont like the shape, seems more likely to combust potentially) i got the no2, which broke on me after a month :mad:

which puts me in this thread. my anger with vapir made me want their competitors product, enter iolite. I know I may not have much credibility, so you can listen to what i say as much or as little as you want, but in my defense, you have to start somewhere, and i do intend to be more active in this forum (as i begin to actually have something to say/contribute).

Allright so here it goes my first review. Enjoy
Intro
The Iolite is my second vape ever used, any comparisons i have are with the NO2. In the begginnning i liked the NO2 alot more for many reasons. It for one, had a whip. I wanted one. 2, it had batteries that i could charge and not waste money on butane, 3 it had a digital temperature read out/control. Also all the bad things i read save for 2 people had problems with vapirs past products, not this one.
So my no2 broke. the digital read out in it just flashes whenever i try to turn it on when its plugged in, when its just the battry i dont even get that. so for the next vape, i figured the iolite wont have those exact same problems.

Iolite the Begginning
So once i get it, im excited, ive read more online about this thing than you could ever imagine + every youtube video i could find multiple times. I was aware of the good aswell as the bad. My 1st time using it was me and 2 friends w/ some pineapple kush. After 2 bowls i was only feeling it only a little bit more than a buzz. i was like wtf.

Iolite: THe beginning of the end
Sad that while it worked, it didnt work as well as the no2, i kept experimenting and finally ii had a revelation. I was hitting it way too hard. once i started hitting it slower and amazingly i got 4 times as ripped as i wanted to be (had to go to dinner with the family). So ya there is a learning curve, but once you got it down, half as much does twice as much as the no2 did.

Now i need your help!
Like i said earlier i liked the whip. I see some similiar attachments for the iolite, but you guys are the experts, what would you recomend for a whip for the iolite?


Yah...I also prefer the NO2 Vaporizer to the Iolite because of the whole battery/butane issue. However, although the NO2 rips much better than the Iolite, it still puts off a plastic taste that is hard to handle. When your using the Optimizer with the Iolite, it rips much better..but still not the kind of rips I'm hoping for.
 
VaporNation,

smartfast

Well-Known Member
here are my mods to my iolite. Just two.

One- heat shrink tubing holding the stem pieces together. I have a habit of grabbing it / holding it from the stem. The first 20 times this means I dropped it onto the ground. Once the stem was held together:

Two- I had the same problem with the chamber separating from the body, dumping plant matter everywhere. Did this 5 times before I put one of the gf's hair ties aruond the stem, holding the chamber to the body.

I really dislike how you have to plan almost a minute ahead. This is a great item for 2 people to enjoy together, lots more vapor and therefore more effect in less time vs the MFLB. But for every other situation (personal use), the MFLB is orders better in my book. Still like the iolite, though. Goes well with a glass of wine :)

Pics:
tNwSy.jpg

huYBi.jpg

z6LCy.jpg

Vx4mZ.jpg


The very bottom length of mouth piece can still be seperated from the upper porition for cleaning and insertion / removal of the little metal water vapor reducer thingy. Just have to pull apart and push back together with some force.

Once I break this stem, my new ones will all be modded the same way.

No other problems with this thing, other than its refusal to start in the cold of winter. A simple slide-lock for the upper chamber would have been appreciated from the manufacturer, though
 
smartfast,

keifrichards

Shh! I'm Taping Here
went to the dead movie on 4/20.. the cops came in with the movie management and said no funny business! my buddy and I proceeded to vape with the iolite for the whole show non stop with no problems... with the cops in the place... We got very very very vaped.. :-)

We were the only ones partaking in the place... Priceless... used a small amount of herbs and blew all night... The thing works... one push on the ignition and a way we went..

I got the Optimizer for it and it made a big difference much more vaper and better extraction with limited to no stirring...

I just loosely scoop and tap to fill the bowl and put the optimizer into the bowl points down. then slide the bowl onto the body and poof away we go. With the Optimizer the 3rd pull starts the bigger vape. Got a good 10-12 pulls on a bowl. we filled 3 x for the whole movie and we were damaged LOL..

I am ordering the incogneto with the pps option on Wednesday. I thing the wingteam will be the first to have it.. Hee Hee.. Looks great. I will post a review after the first fog.

The iolite will never go out of use for me for the real stealthy missions though. its so small and looks just like a Cell. We passed a cop with it an my friend put it to his ear and started talking he didn't look 2x.. ;-)

I liked the MFB as well but the temp regulation was an issue. as you pass it around it always seems to go into combustion. I like the fact that the iolite has an auto temp regulator even though you cant control it.. IMHO

I got an NO2 but I suffered the dreaded plastic smell so I returned it.
 
keifrichards,

Drops

Vaporist
meatballvaper said:
Albert Hofmann said:
meatballvaper said:
what size or diameter, or would it be better to just buy one online made for the iolite?
The thought occurs to me that you could possibly measure the thing. Or just take 1 of your extra mouthpieces to your local homebrew shop, where they generally stock all different types of food grade tubing for use in siphoning and such, try em out till you find the one that fits.

ya i might do that. but i was also thinking of this one website had a 15 in silicone tube with a glass mouthpiece for like 10 bucks. might just get that and the optimizer for it.

I am 90% sure I got my optimizer and tube from the same place, the tube was cool for a bit, but to be honest I went back to the normal stem. The tube is nice, but seems to catch a lot of the condensation that I would rather have in my lungs.

Also 1/4" (ID) should work fine if you want to just get a hose, the stem is slightly larger so would fit nice and tight. As for the Optimizer, I highly recommend it.
 
Drops,

spleep

Well-Known Member
just ordered the optimiser and a few other bits and bobs including the fine mesh screens, anyone tried them out? i'll know soon enough i spose!
 
spleep,

Surf Monkey

Well-Known Member
So, my Iolite works pretty well, but it's always delivered pretty thin hits. The gas delivery is inconsistent too, but even when it sputters it seems to heat up the chamber pretty well. My MFLB will be here soon and I'm hoping it delivers a better experience, but I'm wondering if I should give up on Iolite or try the optimizer to see if it helps? I mean, the Iolite is fine, but it could be better. Is the optimizer legit or is it a gimmick?
 
Surf Monkey,

Drops

Vaporist
spleep said:
just ordered the optimiser and a few other bits and bobs including the fine mesh screens, anyone tried them out? i'll know soon enough i spose!

I like the "Fine Screens" better, at 1st I tried it with the other screen in the thing with the 7 holes, then tried the "Fine Screen" on top of that. That did not work as good as just putting in the fine screen and the retainer ring, with the optimizer I get the best hits that way.
 
Drops,

Janky

Member
Hi everybody... I'm writing this to explain the problems I've had with
Iolite and to strongly warn anyone considering purchasing their
vaporizer to reconsider.

I bought the device roughly 4 months ago. I've only used it on
occasion, about 7 times if I had to guess.

The device randomly just stopped working. When turning the switch from
0 to 1, nothing happens. It just literally DIED and does not work.

I attempted the 'troubleshooting' listed on the website, however it was
merely "let the unit warm up for 60 seconds before igniting" or "use
better butane" or "depress the fill valve and then use better butane".
The troubleshooting states to depress the valve with the included hand
tool, which BARELY fits into the opening, and is a flat surface.
Pressing a valve with a flat surface allows nothing to escape and is
pointless.

I was instructed to depress it using a ball point pen, which also did nothing.

I attempted to email customer service twice, and got nothing but a questionnaire about my living altitude and type of butane used.

I answered the questions fully, twice, and when I finally DID get a response, I was told that they do not fix the units at all, or issue replacements unless I still had my receipt. Most people don't keep receipts lying around for months and months after the unit works initially, so that basically meant "fix it yourself or you're S.O.L."

I was then told after contacting customer service again, to depress the valve FIRMLY with the ball point pen. I tried a FOURTH time, using more pressure, and the valve broke completely off.

So now I have a non-functioning (not my fault), broken (due to customer service's poor troubleshooting advice), iolite vaporizer sitting around. Iolite will do nothing to fix it or even replace it, despite my numerous attempts through email and their customer service line.

Looks like I'm out $100, and the company selling these faulty devices will do nothing to back them at all. Their customer service and troubleshooting are atrocious to say the least. If their product is so cheaply manufactured that it can only handle one type of butane, they clearly need to state that all over their advertisements to avoid customers thinking it will function normally (imagine that)!

To anyone considering an iolite vaporizer, please don't. They're cheaply manufactured plastic toys that are flimsy and barely even operate. Furthermore, if anything DOES go wrong, their customer service has a complete "Too bad, sucks for you. Figure out how to fix it" attitude.

If for some reason you are absolutely compelled to purchase one, PLEASE, PLEASE keep your receipt. Forever.

I'll be filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, and if nothing gets resolved I guess I'll just be throwing the unit in the trash and accepting that I'm out a hundred bucks.
 
Janky,

max

Out to lunch
Surf Monkey said:
So, my Iolite works pretty well, but it's always delivered pretty thin hits. The gas delivery is inconsistent too, but even when it sputters it seems to heat up the chamber pretty well. My MFLB will be here soon and I'm hoping it delivers a better experience, but I'm wondering if I should give up on Iolite or try the optimizer to see if it helps? I mean, the Iolite is fine, but it could be better. Is the optimizer legit or is it a gimmick?
Thin hits is relative, really. I think it delivers pretty good ones, considering the design. You can't expect big whip/bong type hits from a little portable. As for the LB vs. iolite, most prefer the LB, but the iolite has its pluses for portable use too. I use the LB more often, but in some situations the iolite is easier to use. I've heard the optimizer is a waste of money, but I don't know how universal that opinion is.

Janky said:
I was told that they do not fix the units at all, or issue replacements unless I still had my receipt. Most people don't keep receipts lying around for months and months after the unit works initially
Most people who want to secure warranty service understand that it's the buyer's responsibility to provide proof of purchase. Always keep your receipt.

If for some reason you are absolutely compelled to purchase one, PLEASE, PLEASE keep your receipt. Forever.
How about just for two years, since that's the warranty period.

To anyone considering an iolite vaporizer, please don't. They're cheaply manufactured plastic toys that are flimsy and barely even operate.
Although the iolite has reliability issues, it's far from being a cheaply manufactured, flimsy toy. They use two different types of high quality plastic that I seriously doubt you'll find in any other vaporizer, and the company has a long history of producing quality, butane powered tools. I bought one of the first ones to hit the market, and have a later version as well. Both are still operating just fine after a good deal of use.

Looks like I'm out $100, and the company selling these faulty devices will do nothing to back them at all.
Since this is a $200 model, you might want to make sure, in the future, that you're actually getting a valid warranty when you buy a product for half price. The biggest problem with this company's product, IMO, isn't the product itself, but the way the company handled distribution, and the resulting warranty change. As is noted in the 1st post of the thread, units purchased after Feb. 1st, 2010, must have been bought through an authorized dealer to have a valid warranty. Since everybody's selling these now, including fakes (alibaba.com), you have to be careful who you buy from. It's always best to check a company's policy on warranty status, since some do have tighter restrictions than others. Unfortunately, O&B changed their policy with little to no notification. For that, they get a big thumbs down from me.

I'll be filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, and if nothing gets resolved
If you're looking for the BBB to take any action on your part, you'll be wasting your time. You can register a complaint, but that's about it. And since your complaint is that O&B won't give you warranty service without proof of purchase, you really don't have a leg to stand on.
 
max,

Surf Monkey

Well-Known Member
Yeah, don't get me wrong. I've had all the little niggles people have with the Iolite, but I still like it. In fact, I think mine has performed better than what some report. It's a pretty swell little unit. I'm very curious to see what they did with the WHSPR though...
 
Surf Monkey,

Janky

Member
max said:
Most people who want to secure warranty service understand that it's the buyer's responsibility to provide proof of purchase. Always keep your receipt.
I can understand where you're coming from, and yes that is a valid point. What about fixing products that break in minimal amounts of time? Most companies I'm aware of would be able to have you ship the unit back, repair it because of manufacturing errors, and send it back to you.
I'm not asking for freebies. I'm asking the company to take responsibility for a broken product I paid good money for.
Also, I get what you're saying, but let's be honest - who do you know that would hold on to a vaporizer receipt for 4 months after it worked initially?
Although the iolite has reliability issues, it's far from being a cheaply manufactured, flimsy toy. They use two different types of high quality plastic that I seriously doubt you'll find in any other vaporizer, and the company has a long history of producing quality, butane powered tools. I bought one of the first ones to hit the market, and have a later version as well. Both are still operating just fine after a good deal of use.

Wouldn't "reliability issues" constitute a crappy product? What you're telling me is "It's made of top notch plastics from a company with a great history, even though it rarely works!"
Not a great sales pitch, friend. Just sayin...
Although, you did say you have two models that work fine, so I'm wondering if maybe I got a bad one?
I understand no company is capable of producing 100% quality, and every now and then a bad one slips through the cracks.

My problem is that after receiving a bad one, the company refuses to do anything but give me advice that did not remedy the problem, and actually broke the device further. After that it's basically SOL.

I think you can agree no customer in my shoes would be happy.

Since this is a $200 model, you might want to make sure, in the future, that you're actually getting a valid warranty when you buy a product for half price. The biggest problem with this company's product, IMO, isn't the product itself, but the way the company handled distribution, and the resulting warranty change. As is noted in the 1st post of the thread, units purchased after Feb. 1st, 2010, must have been bought through an authorized dealer to have a valid warranty. Since everybody's selling these now, including fakes (alibaba.com), you have to be careful who you buy from. It's always best to check a company's policy on warranty status, since some do have tighter restrictions than others. Unfortunately, O&B changed their policy with little to no notification. For that, they get a big thumbs down from me.

I did some searching because I felt $200 was a little much. I'm aware of the device's MSRP, Im also aware if you look around you can usually find it cheaper. I bought it from a local smoke shop that was selling them brand new in box for $120.
If you buy a cell phone brand new (regardless of retailer or price) it's still covered under the same manufacturer's warranty. I don't see how this should be any different. My problem is not the warranty, since I clearly don't have the receipt, but the fact that they're not willing to repair the unit (since it obviously can't be replaced due to me assuming I wouldnt need a receipt 4 months later).
If I had a fake, I would agree with you 100% and accept that I bought a crappy knock off. That's usually what happens when you skimp. Problem is, I didn't. I bought a legit Iolite model.
It just drives me bat shit that the product would just randomly cease to function, and the company that makes it will do NOTHING about it.

I'm sorry, but telling me to use better butane is not "troubleshooting". When you buy a car it doesn't ONLY function of premium octane gasoline or it dies. That's ridiculous.
And in doing some research, this is a pretty common issue with these devices. Perhaps I should have paid more attention to the recommendations on the webpage about butane brands, and bought some gucci ass $15 bottle of butane just to use the device, but that seems excessive, and also I have a feeling it wouldn't have mattered much in the end.

If you're looking for the BBB to take any action on your part, you'll be wasting your time. You can register a complaint, but that's about it. And since your complaint is that O&B won't give you warranty service without proof of purchase, you really don't have a leg to stand on.

You're right, and I've accepted that I'm SOL and out the money I spent. I can't get it fixed, I can't get it replaced, and it's in my trash as we speak. The only thing I can do is warn other vaporizer enthusiasts that this Iolite CAN be a total POS and waste of cash.
Obviously yours worked great for you, so I can understand you backing the device. Mine did not, so you should understand why I'm upset.
In addition, can you imagine how pissed I'd be if I had spent full retail on this junk? I've seen these go for upwards of $300!
 
Janky,

Lo

Combustion free since '09
I have 3 Iolites and one is nearly 2yrs old now... Still working fine. I have always used quality butane and vented tanks here and there. While the IO is not my favorite vape it has a place in my arsenal. Great for out in boat, etc.

I understand people have had troubles with them but there are also many functioning units, I would not call it a POS personally. From the people I have helped troubleshoot issues over time I have found most of the issues were caused by using poor quality butane. I think super refined is key for these units.
 
Lo,

frogbmth

Well-Known Member
I get a lot of messages from people via my youtube videos, they are a mix 50/50 between happy owners and people with problems. The issues are almost exclusively gas blockage problems. I tend to send people here to chat about issues. It is true that people are much more likely to post about issues than good experiences, but I agree with Lo, mostly we see issues with people using rubbish lighter gas. The IO is not a lighter, O&B's main business is to make gas tools like soldering irons (under the Portasol brand), they all need very pure butane.

I too have had good luck with both my I-Inhale and my IO, never used crap butane and they just keep on going. The construction is zenite inside and ultem 1000 for the body. This is a very good heat insulator. The IO would be way too hot to hold if it was cheap plastic.

Regarding price, in the EU it is not expensive for a portable vape. The MFLB is $150 here, the vapir NO2 is $280. I do understand that European products are not cheap in the USA.

I feel for anybody with a duff unit. I think it is perfectly reasonable for O&B to ask for a purchase receipt for warranty repair, but I think it is poor show that they will not offer a paid-for service.
 
frogbmth,
With all due respect, I think that even a 100% functioning Iolite still has problems which are worth complaining about, most notably clock-radio build quality and always-on conduction vaporization, occurring whether or not you are inhaling. This stands in contrast to another portable conduction vaporizer, the MFLB, which rapidly heats to vaporizing temperature and then almost instantly falls from that temperature once the battery is removed, so that unwanted and wasted vapor is reduced to a bare minimum.

So, in my opinion, even if the Iolite didn't stink (if you use gas which has aroma), didn't have reliability issues, and didn't look as shoddily built as a Communist-era Lada, it would still be a very distant choice due to its always-on conduction vaporization which inevitably leads to poor efficiency.

As for price, Puffitup.com and other retailers have MFLBs for like 80 bucks some times, I can't imagine the shipping accounts for much more than that, it's a very small package afterall. I think this is the sort of thing where we need to be smart consumers, ordering online and not buying in some random headshop. Some B&M stores try to sell Iolites for 300$ American for chrissakes, you can get them for like 140 online.
 
charliedontsurf,

realvapedman

Well-Known Member
NuttinOnYoFace said:
I have a quick question about bud. I know a lot of people have been saying that the drier it is the better it will be in the vape. I was wondering if if would be a benefit to buy say an oz and just save it. Would it still be good in the vape say a month or even 6 months from now since it extracts the THC?
Actually if its too dry it wont vape properly either. It should not be too dry. You need a tiny bit of moisture for it to vape properly. If its too moist thats not good either. If you read up on how to properly store cigars in a humidore you can pretty much apply the same concept to storing bud. It should have some moisture and be kept in an airtight dark container. You can moisten a cotton ball with a little distilled water (not drenched but alittle moist) and put it in with your bud if you plan on storing it for a fair amount of time. This will stop your buds from completely drying out and keep them in prime vaping condition. When I pick buds for vaping I pinch a small nugget with my fingers to feel if they are not too dry. It should feel squishy and sticky. If it feels dry and makes crackling sounds then I dont buy it because I know it aint no good for vaping.
 
realvapedman,

zach

Member
I've had my iolite for about 6 months now, and before ordering the vape, I read about removing the moisture condenser. I've searched and read through about 70 pages on the forum, but I can't find the answer to this question: On the newer model of the iolite, does the condenser come placed in the unit, or do I have to insert it myself? I have an oddly shaped metal piece that came with the vape that I can only assume is the condenser. I don't know what else it could be.

As a followup, does the mouthpiece unscrew from the herb chamber on the newer model? There are some guides online that talk about removing the condenser by unscrewing the mouthpiece from the herb chamber. I've tugged, pulled, twisted, and heated the damned thing, but I can't get the mouthpiece to unscrew. I've removed the screen, then tugged, pulled, and twisted. Again, to no avail. Even if the condenser is no longer placed in the mouthpiece by default, I'd still love to unscrew the mouthpiece for easier cleaning.

Am I a moron or am I just missing something?
 
zach,

WatTyler

Revolting Peasant
^ try twisting the mouth piece off when the unit is hot. It's threaded. The oil/resin sometimes glues the threads in place when it's cooled down. To make it even more tricky, you might have to actually hold the metal piece of the herb chamber still to stop it twisting around with the mouth piece- use something to grip it if it's hot.

The moisture condenser is just a spiral channelled piece of metal a few mm long, with a hole through the centre. This piece fits between the two plastic parts of the mouthpiece. You should be able to see if it's in there, certainly at least when you've got the stem off. Sounds like you have it and it's not in there though. Good luck.
 
WatTyler,

Contalyst

Member
Hey all, first post here...

I bought my Iolite about a month ago and it is my first vape ever and I use it as my only source.
After cleaning for the first time, my bowl now rotates rather freely in the removable piece making it difficult to unscrew my mouthpiece even when warm. Is this a common occurrence or something I should be concerned about as I cant remember what it was like new.

So far I have really enjoyed the Iolite but I recently had surgery and am looking for more of the pain killing effects of my product and now wondering what is the best way to obtain that specific quality, any help is appreciated as I am new to vaping in general. (Sorry if this question is out of place)

Thanks! And hope everyone else can enjoy their Iolite as much as I have, its awesome for taking the dog for a walk thru my residential area.
 
Contalyst,

anivape

Well-Known Member
Hey Contalyst,

Yes it is normal for the metal part of the removable mouthpiece to become "unglued" from the ceramic insulation part.
I take it out and let the metal soak in iso with the screen(already separated), then gently tap/snap the metal back into the ceramic after cleaning. It should fit snugly. I'd suggested having 2 or 3 spare mouthpieces, while one or two are being soaked/cleaned the unit can still be in action.

as for pain relief, I'm no expert, but I'd suggest getting an extreme or volcano with temp readout.
Great for using iolte leftovers, and you'll soon find the temps needed for whatever. I did that, but have
fell back to just the iolite, cause it's the easiest.

time for me to take the iolite for a walk with he dog...
peace
 
anivape,

KC Dog

Member
Wow,

First post. What a Trip it has been reading this thread. It seems to fade into vaportraillllll...sszzzzzzz.
First got the Iolite last week, newest model, then started doing everything wrong, put some gas in it, turned on, imediately started hitting ignition many times thinking it had to have an orange light instantly, then hit it imediately very hard like a bong and got almost nothing. Decided to read the instructions then it worked a little better, then READ this thread. After following everyones tips and suggestions this thing works Great. It took a week to read the thread complete.
Here's what I have leanrned so far from reading here within;

Gas: Use only premium, Vector or Calibri in The US refined 5 times (refer to Iolite web site for approved butane in Europe). Never use ronson in the US. Fill 3 to 5 seconds until it spits back. Bleed dry and refill occasionly (or if you have problems with ignition).
Warm Up Time: After turning unit on wait a few seconds then slowly pull igniter (on mine a blue light glows to show gas flow) it may take a few times. That's normal. Orange light lets you know it is heating. Let it heat to 2 to 4 cycles before ready to hit. 1 cycle = orange light comes on then off, then on again) before vaping.
Mixture: Fine grind and let dry a few minutes for best results.
Amount: Load bowl (in stem) 1/2 to 3/4 full. Do not overfilll or pack.
Draw: Draw lightly, very lightly, long and easy for best results. If you can hear noise when drawing, draw a little slower. Let unit cycle once or twice between draws. (After orange light comes on take a draw and wait for orange light to come on again and then draw). Expect 6 or 7 good draws per bowl. You can refill many times per butane charge (1 hour to 1 3/4 hour). Be Carefull refilling bowl as unit is very Hot (400 degrees F) and will burn (experience talking).
When completely finished, turn unit off.
Hissing: This is normal, does it after you turn it on, on and off during operation, and even when you turn it off. All this is normal.

Now I have great results. Thanks again everyone that took the time to make sure the rest of us get the best results. For those that have issues, try trouble shooting using this thread and ask questions. If needed Use the warranty when you can (save your reciept or register the thing).

Use any of above tips if it helps and ignore, add, or delete any as well. Good Vaping. The lung you save will probably be your own :>)

KC Dog
 
KC Dog,
Janky said:
max said:
Most people who want to secure warranty service understand that it's the buyer's responsibility to provide proof of purchase. Always keep your receipt.
I can understand where you're coming from, and yes that is a valid point. What about fixing products that break in minimal amounts of time? Most companies I'm aware of would be able to have you ship the unit back, repair it because of manufacturing errors, and send it back to you.
I'm not asking for freebies. I'm asking the company to take responsibility for a broken product I paid good money for.
Also, I get what you're saying, but let's be honest - who do you know that would hold on to a vaporizer receipt for 4 months after it worked initially?
I still have my receipt, it is in the bottom of the cool tin it came in. I use mine almost every day since Febuary, and I still love it.
Although the iolite has reliability issues, it's far from being a cheaply manufactured, flimsy toy. They use two different types of high quality plastic that I seriously doubt you'll find in any other vaporizer, and the company has a long history of producing quality, butane powered tools. I bought one of the first ones to hit the market, and have a later version as well. Both are still operating just fine after a good deal of use.

Wouldn't "reliability issues" constitute a crappy product? What you're telling me is "It's made of top notch plastics from a company with a great history, even though it rarely works!"
Not a great sales pitch, friend. Just sayin...
Although, you did say you have two models that work fine, so I'm wondering if maybe I got a bad one?
I understand no company is capable of producing 100% quality, and every now and then a bad one slips through the cracks.

My problem is that after receiving a bad one, the company refuses to do anything but give me advice that did not remedy the problem, and actually broke the device further. After that it's basically SOL.

I think you can agree no customer in my shoes would be happy.

Since this is a $200 model, you might want to make sure, in the future, that you're actually getting a valid warranty when you buy a product for half price. The biggest problem with this company's product, IMO, isn't the product itself, but the way the company handled distribution, and the resulting warranty change. As is noted in the 1st post of the thread, units purchased after Feb. 1st, 2010, must have been bought through an authorized dealer to have a valid warranty. Since everybody's selling these now, including fakes (alibaba.com), you have to be careful who you buy from. It's always best to check a company's policy on warranty status, since some do have tighter restrictions than others. Unfortunately, O&B changed their policy with little to no notification. For that, they get a big thumbs down from me.

I did some searching because I felt $200 was a little much. I'm aware of the device's MSRP, Im also aware if you look around you can usually find it cheaper. I bought it from a local smoke shop that was selling them brand new in box for $120.
If you buy a cell phone brand new (regardless of retailer or price) it's still covered under the same manufacturer's warranty. I don't see how this should be any different. My problem is not the warranty, since I clearly don't have the receipt, but the fact that they're not willing to repair the unit (since it obviously can't be replaced due to me assuming I wouldnt need a receipt 4 months later).
If I had a fake, I would agree with you 100% and accept that I bought a crappy knock off. That's usually what happens when you skimp. Problem is, I didn't. I bought a legit Iolite model.
It just drives me bat shit that the product would just randomly cease to function, and the company that makes it will do NOTHING about it.

I'm sorry, but telling me to use better butane is not "troubleshooting". When you buy a car it doesn't ONLY function of premium octane gasoline or it dies. That's ridiculous.
And in doing some research, this is a pretty common issue with these devices. Perhaps I should have paid more attention to the recommendations on the webpage about butane brands, and bought some gucci ass $15 bottle of butane just to use the device, but that seems excessive, and also I have a feeling it wouldn't have mattered much in the end.
Peace of Mind in Missoula, MT sells the right kind of butane for $6 a can, and I have had the can since Feb when I bought it and it gets used once a day.

If you're looking for the BBB to take any action on your part, you'll be wasting your time. You can register a complaint, but that's about it. And since your complaint is that O&B won't give you warranty service without proof of purchase, you really don't have a leg to stand on.

You're right, and I've accepted that I'm SOL and out the money I spent. I can't get it fixed, I can't get it replaced, and it's in my trash as we speak. The only thing I can do is warn other vaporizer enthusiasts that this Iolite CAN be a total POS and waste of cash.
Obviously yours worked great for you, so I can understand you backing the device. Mine did not, so you should understand why I'm upset.
In addition, can you imagine how pissed I'd be if I had spent full retail on this junk? I've seen these go for upwards of $300!
 
harleyamazon,

Alan

Master JedHI
Manufacturer
I wanted more air flow and to eliminate the plastic mouthpiece on my Iolite. So, I modified it. The bowl was re-tapped to accept my glass Toasty Tube mouthpiece. It hits really well now.

I have also started refilling the butane each time I use it. The hits are always as strong as they can be and ignition much more certain. One stir of the bowl halfway through seems to reduce any grassy taste. I do enjoy my Iolite much more now.

toastytubeiolite.jpg
 
Alan,
Top Bottom