(...) it is definitely possible that there are malfunctioning units of a new portable
We're not talking about malfunction here. Some people can taste metal straws and bowls some don't. Some people taste plastic even cold and some never will because they have a different sensitivity.
I never tested the S&B portables but I sure know that every other portable I own (excepted the Firewood) had a new vape taste at some point, and even overwhelming for me at times, and many other FC members reported zero taste/smell in the same threads I post to with these same devices. This is clearly the proof we are not created equal when it comes to taste buds...
For me nothing beats glass for purity and ease of cleaning, period.
I know it's OT but after having followed both S&B threads for a short while, I was really under the impression people were trying to justify by all means possible having spent such a premium on their device. I had a good laugh today when someone posted in the Grasshoper thread after seeing the recent video update "those clouds are on par with what I get with my S&B portable", when most other users were like "it's wispy and shot under best possible conditions etc"...
To the OP: the Ascent was an attempt at "all glass vapor" path but in practice we still have silicone and plastic exposed. That being said a lot of people agree it's one of the best tasting portables, including one of our mods who tested a hell lot of vaporizers. I also heard a lot of people saying the same about the Firefly... did you test any of them
@herbivore21 ?