Tafée Bowle

Texus

Well-Known Member
Or I could see an adapter like this one that Sticky Bricks makes to avoid inverting the Bowle.

 
Texus,

ezpz

Well-Known Member
What about a stemless WPA? Remove the stem and have a 14mm connection just sticking straight out of the puck. Might cost expensive since they have to machine a new part, but that's nothing new.
 
ezpz,

rowbam

Well-Known Member
The Bowle has landed! Some first impressions after just one session:

My dumb ass put in the potter bottom in my initial ISO bath :hmm: which led to it discoloring white. Saw in the manual after the fact that it kinda says not to do that. Oops.

Unit feels really solid in hand, which surprised me in a nice way.

Vapor quality is impressive so far, just like most people say: crazy good cooling and potent hits. I usually use water when I vape, but really don't feel the need for it with this. Very happy for a faster session than using my more frequent vapes.

I found turning on the unit a little weird, like it didn't want to go to stand by after my initial 3 presses. That's probably on me though, had to do that a couple times in the session.

My grind wasn't fine or full for one pot (so probably a bit sub par), so it took a little to really start putting out vapor. Still hit really nice and terpy.

Being able to pop in another pot so conveniently is pretty cool (and dangerous.) Thanks for reading my high stream of conscious typing.
 

Esquire

Well-Known Member
The Bowle has landed! Some first impressions after just one session:

My dumb ass put in the potter bottom in my initial ISO bath :hmm: which led to it discoloring white. Saw in the manual after the fact that it kinda says not to do that. Oops.

Unit feels really solid in hand, which surprised me in a nice way.

Vapor quality is impressive so far, just like most people say: crazy good cooling and potent hits. I usually use water when I vape, but really don't feel the need for it with this. Very happy for a faster session than using my more frequent vapes.

I found turning on the unit a little weird, like it didn't want to go to stand by after my initial 3 presses. That's probably on me though, had to do that a couple times in the session.

My grind wasn't fine or full for one pot (so probably a bit sub par), so it took a little to really start putting out vapor. Still hit really nice and terpy.

Being able to pop in another pot so conveniently is pretty cool (and dangerous.) Thanks for reading my high stream of conscious typing.
I am happy that you are happy. I think it's a genius device and love it to death. I personally try to weigh my bud before grinding it, as Tafee recommends .4g per grind, or .1g per pot. Sometimes using only .4g makes the pots look less full, but I love flavor, so I would rather take fewer hits per pot but load fresh herb more often. I've never even thought about wanting to run the Bowle through water. The vapor is so damn smooth even on the fourth setting!
 

His_Highness

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king
Needed to grind for the coming week. I keep a ground container marked "day" with a sativa and a "night" container with a indica and usually grind enough of both for 5 days. My go-to grinder needed a cleaning bad and I was feeling lazy. Hadn't been using the metal potter for awhile since I started sharing the daily driver duties between the Bowle, Solo and Evo...... So I thought "Its clean .... I wonder if I could use the metal potter without the pots in it without too much frustration"?

I filled the potter with way more than 4 pots could handle. The resulting grind was somewhere between mid-level and fine which was exactly what I was hoping for. I'd turn it about 10 times, open the bottom and dump it and then put the bottom back on, turn it another couple times and dump it again. Rinse and repeat. It worked pretty well! Its no BCG but it gets the job done...
 
His_Highness,

rowbam

Well-Known Member
I think my puck is bricked. I plug it in to charge, it indicates that it has a full battery then shuts off. Button presses don't trigger anything and I've followed the reset instructions to a T.

Started talking with Tafee CS, will report back how it goes. Not the honeymoon I expected so far.. :(
 

Th1986

Member
Thanks for the responses to my questions. Ordered and received it this past Thursday. Love it so far. Favorite vape I own and will certainly be my daily driver. I don't have a bunch to compare it to but it stands out & shines in every respect in comparison to my others.

In 2010 I bought a magic flight launch box & a herbal aire h2 , both never failed me but this bowle puts both to shame

Impulse bought a pax 2 in 2016 that has hardly beeen used.

And last year picked up a ditanium which I love for dabs , double deckers and I may slightly give edge to the ditanium compared to the bowle in flavor but the portability , on demand and ease of use of the bowle will probably leave the ditanium only being used for dabs & double deckers and if I'm vaping with more then 2 people perhaps.

I didn't think I would use the cup , and the first day with it I didn't. But I tried yesterday and it actually cools the vapor a decent bit and I find sipping from It in between hits is rather enjoyable.

The downside I have found is when using it in the click and inhale mode vs holding the button (which I haven't really tried) that it will shut off , by that I mean going from green to blue before I am done with my pull. It happened more often when the drink was on it but it's happened without the cup as well. I'm not sure if this is strictly user error and I haven't found the proper way to hit it to avoid this or if it's a common issue. Still working my way through this thread , slowly so maybe I'll come across some others having this issue and hopefully a solution.

All and all very happy with my purchase not a lick of buyers remorse. Going to try it out with some kief tonight and hopefully get around to making some bubble hash next week with some fresh frozen material. I heard the bowle is great for bubble. How's it handle rosin/live resin type concentrates? Sandwich it in between flower or place on top? Any tips when it comes to concentrates in the bowle to avoid a gooey mess?

Other then a true portable (hope I can get a firewood 8 when it's released) I think I should be set on any new devices assuming this thing holds up.
 

Two Heads

Well-Known Member
Sorry, I don't follow this thread regularly so my concerns with the Bowle and Tafée's warranty department may have already been expressed but here's my story anyway. I bought my Bowle a little over a year ago and it is without a doubt the best vape I've ever used BUT I was concerned right from the beginning about the very low capacity battery and, sure enough, within six months mine was not charging properly. Tafée was great the first time. They sent me a replacement and a label for free shipping to return my base unit. However recently the replacement started having charging issues as well. This time they suggested I should return it at my own cost and then wait for them to decide if they were going to replace or repair mine. Not wanting to be without, I bought an Arizer Go to tide me over and returned my second unit (they did pay for the return after I complained).

Today I heard back and they are saying it will not be covered under warranty because "the technical team determined the device has failed due to poor physical care and management". They apparently determined this on the basis of scratches on the unit, particularly in the area of the USB port. I am livid with their response but tried to be restrained in my reply when they asked me to describe how I handle the Bowle:

"Wow, I’m astounded to say the least. I’ll share my care and handling of the base unit with you but I can assure you it has not been mishandled in any way. The base unit sits on my desk and is more or less permanently hooked up to the supplied charger plugged directly into a wall outlet. I disconnect it to use the unit and re-connect it after each use - mainly because a normal use (two or three pots) leaves the unit showing at least 50% discharged. I always connect and disconnect by holding the puck in my left hand and the cable in my right - hence the stronger wear patterns to the right of the USB port (when viewed from the button side of the puck). I can only assume it is these wear marks that have caused you to determine it has been mishandled but I would point out that wear marks appear everywhere on the Bowle because the surface treatment on the aluminum is not very durable. You may have noticed the buttons on both units were pretty much completely worn off - and that is just from my fingers. Same goes for my stems (which have not been returned of course). Both stems I now own show signs of wear simply from normal handling. I maintain the same is true of any wear marks you are seeing near the USB port and on the top of my base unit. They are the result of normal use and not in any way indicative of misuse. I mean, seriously, you know as well as I do the surface can be scratched with a fingernail! The marks on the top of my base unit are nothing more than minor incidental contact of the metal of the male end of the cable against the USB port as it is inserted. Something I would not have to do as often if the battery were more robust I might add.

I’ll consider both options for replacement you have offered though I am not pleased with either. To me this is clearly the result of normal use of a product with an inferior coating on the aluminum and an extremely low capacity battery. I’ll get back to you in the next day or two to request a replacement as offered because I don’t want to waste an almost $500 investment but my faith in Tafée is extremely shaken. I took great pride in supporting an up and coming Canadian manufacturer making what is the best vaporizer I have ever used and recommended it highly to friends. I won’t be able to recommend it anymore. In my experience, you have the best product on the market but there are clearly some areas of manufacture that need attention, notably the battery, the USB port, and the surface treatment on the aluminum.

One final question: you mention "internal damages” which, of course, I cannot see. What were those damages and how do you suggest I inflicted them? "

I'm posting this as a warning and to see if others have had a similar experience with warranty claims at Tafée.
 
@Two Heads thanks for sharing - do you mind also sharing what the “two replacement options” they offered were?

I wonder if it’s a bad idea to keep the unit perpetually plugged in when not in use - could be harmful to the battery longevity over time?

I’ve had zero noticeable degradation in battery life since I got my unit in January 2021. Mine is only plugged in for the hour or so it takes to charge. In the beginning I was only recharging when the unit was dead or near dead, but lately I’ll charge it up when I’m down to 2 lights, so after 2-3 bowls. With my usage I end up charging every couple days or so. Just like to stay ahead of it and avoid having the unit die on me mid-session.
 
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Two Heads

Well-Known Member
Their offer is... "we will gratuitously offer you a significantly discounted Puck Base Unit replacement beyond the warranty terms for $79.99 + Shipping. You may also elect to purchase a completely new set at a significant discount for $199 + Shipping."

Not a bad offer if I was past the warranty period but I am barely halfway through and on my second base unit. I too wonder about leaving it plugged into the charger but, when working properly, it appears to be a smart charger and the lights turn off after it is fully charged. Also, the operating manual, which is full of precautions, says nothing about not leaving it on the charger.

In the case of my second issue with the unit, to me it is clear the problem is with the female USB port on the puck. I was able to get it to charge just like new if I used an elastic to hold the cable in just the right position, suggesting the connection is not good. Still, I returned it and now I'll have to pay to get a refurbished or new unit. I'm sure if I simply asked for my puck back and continued to use the elastic to hold the charging cable in place, I'd be paying for return shipping as well.

I'm not trying to be petty about shipping, etc. I just feel this is a premium unit with some clear shortcomings and their warranty department is trying to blame the messenger. I did NOT mishandle my Bowle. If anything, I treated it with kid gloves because it is clearly more fragile than any other vape I've ever used.
 

His_Highness

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king
I've had my Bowle a little over 17 months. I've started to leave the Bowle plugged in as close to 24/7 as you can get. I started leaving it charging like that after running out of juice mid-pot a couple times. It wasn't that the battery had gone bad....it was just the battery life it comes with and me not paying attention or wanting to. The Bowle is a main driver for me and I don't want to wait for a charge so it stays plugged in 90% of the time. It's been great using it this way because when I do use it off charge its full just about every time and usually gets put back on the charger after one pot. The amount of time it takes between sessions is more than enough to fully charge this way.

I'm probably stressing the unit by using it as stated above.....I've read and been told that units that work like the Bowle by using the battery for "use while charging" will switch back and forth between charging and pulling from the battery when it remains plugged in and used. The constant switching between charging and using the battery can stress the battery.

If you are leaving it on the charger without also using it .... I believe the internal software/protection will stop the unit from charging once it's fully charged so this shouldn't cause an issue other than reducing the service life cycles available.

According to the Operating Manual the operating life is 7,000 hours and the service life is 12,000 cycles. The warranty is two years and states "If a defect occurs, Tafee will replace the device".

@Two Heads - The warranty does have an out for damage due to misuse. The question you posed "One final question: you mention "internal damages” which, of course, I cannot see. What were those damages and how do you suggest I inflicted them? " Is a good question and one you deserve a response to and maybe a pic or two.
 

Two Heads

Well-Known Member
Hi His Highness,

They did send some pics but they were all of the outside of the puck. I'd attach their's, and mine, but I can only see an option to insert pics by URL. My puck does have wear marks from inserting the charge cable. Unless I was hammering it in or being very rough and careless (which I have not been) I can't see how they can claim "operator error" over "product non-compliance" to borrow a couple of terms from when I once briefly handled warranty claims for a big bike component company.

I too use (or rather, used) my Bowle daily and I always charged it between uses. I never really did much vaping while plugged in. The cable is plenty long but it just seemed too cumbersome.

It honestly feels like they built a great product with a few weak links and they are scrambling to blame the user for the product's shortcomings rather than absorbing the cost of legitimate repairs and replacements.
 

Two Heads

Well-Known Member
Update: I just got a call from Bruno at Tafée and we have worked out a decent compromise to replace my base unit. Our conversation - and the fact that he called in the first place - has gone a long way toward restoring my faith in the company. There's never been a question whether this is an excellent vaporizer - maybe the best portable on the market - but this is a new company and the product inevitably has some growing pains. I'm more confident after our conversation that the issues are being addressed and I'm hopeful of continuing to use a Bowle for a long time - maybe even a new and improved model down the road.
 

Gnome34

Well-Known Member
I think it would be in their best interest to release an updated and improved model. Specifically better battery and USB C charging.

For me personally that is all I really want to see. I do think this is the best portable on the market and it isn't close. I own all of the top portables and none compare. Just gotta fix the battery issue and you are in the money Tafee!
 

rowbam

Well-Known Member
Don't want to make the thread about me, but since customer service / battery issues are the current topic I wanted to chime in.

I've been in touch with their CS since last week and have been happy with their communication and have sent my puck in with the shipping label they provided. That being said, for a premium device I can't help but be disappointed that I had an issue with the unit after one session. I don't have the biggest collection, but I've never had a problem like this before and baby all my devices.
 
Always sucks to hear about issues with this vape, but I’m glad the CS seems to be good. A call from Bruno is pretty cool.

I never thought the vape with a cup would ultimately become my favorite, but here we are. I don’t see anything else on the market that can give me dry hits this good without having to fiddle with any extra accessories or mods. It’s very liberating not having to deal with water pieces and still getting comfortable outstanding vapor every time.
 

3xFantasyChamp

Well-Known Member
Always sucks to hear about issues with this vape, but I’m glad the CS seems to be good. A call from Bruno is pretty cool.

I never thought the vape with a cup would ultimately become my favorite, but here we are. I don’t see anything else on the market that can give me dry hits this good without having to fiddle with any extra accessories or mods. It’s very liberating not having to deal with water pieces and still getting comfortable outstanding vapor every time.
I feel you on that. The goofiest looking device turned out to be my most used one. I'm a huge fan of hitting out of glass/water pieces as well, so it's surprised me. The vapor production is awesome, and it's cooled down so well. It's become part of my routine to reach for the Bowle after settling down after work. It's such a convenient device to use. I'll be sad if I ever have to replace the thing =(
 

Two Heads

Well-Known Member
Yeah, you don't know what you've got till it's gone. I'm missing my Bowle. The ArGo I bought to tide me over is a reasonably priced, solid unit with an excellent battery. Even once I have my Bowle back I'll probably use it for camping. I just ordered a replacement battery for it for that very reason. I also ordered a water pipe adapter for the ArGo because, well, it just isn't as smooth as the Bowle!
 

Jonesin'

Member
Well, I didn't get a call from Bruno, but I got the same "gratuitously send you a new puck for $79.99"....while I love the Bowle and have been using it for over a year...I'm pretty mad about it. The oven screen had shifted out of the gasket somehow--- which they say would have been covered in the warranty (after I pressed them on it)--- but because I tried to slide it back in....it's my fault. Maybe I'm wrong here, but....I'll check other threads or make a separate post but, any Bowle lovers out there who can think of another device that's even somewhat close to using the Bowle? XMAX V3 randomly got onto my radar as a backup (bc I foolishly didn't have a backup) but now I am thinking of a whole new device. It's too bad as Tafee was my first and really did the job for my needs.
 

vapviking

Old & In the Way
Well, I didn't get a call from Bruno, but I got the same "gratuitously send you a new puck for $79.99"....while I love the Bowle and have been using it for over a year...I'm pretty mad about it. The oven screen had shifted out of the gasket somehow--- which they say would have been covered in the warranty (after I pressed them on it)--- but because I tried to slide it back in....it's my fault. Maybe I'm wrong here, but....I'll check other threads or make a separate post but, any Bowle lovers out there who can think of another device that's even somewhat close to using the Bowle? XMAX V3 randomly got onto my radar as a backup (bc I foolishly didn't have a backup) but now I am thinking of a whole new device. It's too bad as Tafee was my first and really did the job for my needs.
Hey, welcome to FC!
It especially sucks that there's a problem with this, your first(?) vape. I know people who have simply abandoned vaping, back to combustion for just this reason. Hurts more that is an expensive one, I bet.
(I think that sentiment, a disappointing first-vape experience, should be part of your next communication with Taffee.)

Asking about replacement/alternate vape specifics is off-topic, as far as that goes. You can make an inquiry in Ask FC if you like. (but I do think a V3 would make a very good interim, fill-in type backup, it does the job for small $)

Sorry idk anything about the screen issue (did I read somewhere "hey don't fuck with the screen!"? and think that was weird. I think it was in Bowle's literature.) so maybe they're using that clause, but whatever, it sure sounds like you hadn't abused the device. I encourage further discussion with Taffee, they seem to be a stand-up company albeit with some growing pains.

As an aside, I had an identical go-round with S&B over a Crafty warranty years ago. I had sent in my 3rd Crafty on a single warranty and they told me I had put "too many charge cycles" on it, and they wanted $79 to repair it. I argued with them but eventually sent them the $, got a new in-box Crafty. Even that one failed, but that's another tale - ending with a Mighty that lasted almost 5 years, so on balance I feel it worked out in the long run. Even bought a second Mighty, so, it has been a long road with a bump or two.

I love the Bowle and so does my wife; I hope I'm not placed in your situation. The relief this vape has brought our (older) lungs and throats, imo, is better than other other vapes I've used even through water.

I was(!) in an abusive relationship with Hopper Labs (Grasshopper, IO) for years but have finally cut loose of my attachment to that vape, what with the non-existent customer service. Some folks have wanted to start class-action lawsuits against HL, but that's not my style, I was really rooting for their success, wanting to be supportive and willing to forgive a lot because the device is fabulous, when working.

I guess my experiences with those two companies inform as to what I would do in your situation, which is to try pleading the case again, of course in a civil and polite manner. But I think I would probably eventually roll over (unless really insulted) and write it up to the cost of having this wondrous product.

For some reason, this is would not at all be the scenario if my new vacuum cleaner or a TV from Costco failed. I suppose I make some allowances...
 
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