Arizer Air or MFLB?

[Shrinks]

I'm a university student who is now looking for a portable vape that I could take around campus/out for hikes and vape with friends. I own a desktop vape but for paranoid and discreetness reasons I left it at my parent's for my brother and father to use. I'm not looking for a desktop-replacement portable, just something that'll get the job done and that I can take on the go.

I get paid in two weeks and been keen on the MFLB until my brother told me to look at the Air. My only worries are the Air is electrical whereas the MFLB is completely manual. I'm looking for a vape that'll be durable and last me a good while, at or under the price of $160 as that's my budget.

I do have some concerns with both vapes that I'd hope someone would shed some light on, and for the record I don't know anyone with either vapes to just try for myself. The concerns are as follows:

MFLB: Learning curve, not really puff puff pass friendly, deterioration of use over the months
Air: Battery life, electronic parts that may fail, portability (i.e the glass stem, vs MFLB native)

Any pro/cons or additional information is greatly appreciated!

TL;DR: I'm split between these two vapes, but I'm afraid of the MFLB not being the type of vape I want it to be (reliable, durable) and I'm afraid of the Air's electronic parts going bad as well as severe deterioration in battery life. I know no vape is without flaw, but I'm trying to see if the Air would be worth the extra money.

 

[ander]

Hi. I must say I didn't tried any of those (I've a Pax2 that seems out of your range)... but I think that the Summit could be another option you can consider. Good luck!

 

[valleysquirrel]

The mflb is plenty reliable/durable and there's also lifetime warranty with pretty much no questions asked. I've had my box for a long time and only had to replace it once due to my own mishandling.

The only thing that would lower the performance with the mflb is your batteries and technique. In my case, I haven't taken great care of the batteries (left them on the charger overnight n stuff), so they don't hold a charge very well anymore.

Still, I say go for the Air.
The sessions with friends will be easier and as long as you take care of the device/batteries there shouldn't be any problems. If you're concerned about portability, invest in a swaggy case that keeps all of your goodies neat and compact form.

Batteries don't last forever so just keep that in mind. At some point down the road, with either of these devices you will likely end up buying some more batteries.

If you have any other questions or wanna know more specifics about these devices feel free to ask

But yeah if you have the money just get both man

 

[Duncan MacLeod]

I've owned the mflb and the arizer solo. They've both been durable, but I stopped using the mflb permanently after getting the solo. I'd say go with the air hands down. If you have used other vaporizers, the mflb will not satisfy what you are looking for in a portable.

 

[j-bug]

I'd recommend checking out the Firewood 3 it's in your price range and is a really solid vape. It's on demand in a similar way to the MFLB but I think is a bit less demanding of the user. Thers's a slight bit of technique with it but it basically boils down to take a sharp quick inhale once you've set the temperature and inhale slowly when you're taking a draw, but that's how you inhale for most vapes, including the ones you're already considering.

Out of the MFLB and the Air I'd recommend the Air hands down.

 

[lookhigh]

Air by miles.
I would never go back to fussing about with a MFLB.
Battery life is much better in the air and can be swapped.

 

[CarolKing]

I gave my MFLB away because it was too much of a hassle. The battery goes down pretty fast too. I don't want to have to insert a battery every time I want to take a draw. I like to sit back and enjoy my session.

The Air is an excellent choice. It's well made and easy yo use. It's pretty stealth, more than the MFLB. It doesn't use a lot of bud to get the job done. Planetvape sells many different types of mouthpieces for the Air. It also attaches easy to water tools.

The AA would be an excellent choice in a portable.

 

[Stevenski]

Air/Solo + Ed's TNT stem = all a college kid will need

 

[little maggie]

With 2 batteries, a charger and the Air you're pretty much covered for a very long time. Batteries degrade so you might have to buy another battery at some point ($18) but I've had mine for over a year with the same batteries. One is always charging while I'm using the other but if you're going for a trip you can always charge both and switch them out. There are some good mouthpieces as CarolKing said but a wood one might be your best option if you're concerned about breakage. Definitely better than the MFLB if you can afford it- otherwise the MFLB is ok. I gave mine away but I did have an electrical cord for it. If you live in the US- the Air is currently onsale at Puffitup plus they sell wood mouthpieces from Ed as well as some beautiful art glass ones from Joda for it and the arizer charger.

 

[Wesmac33]

Another vote for the Air.
Was my first vape and still find myself reaching for it sometimes over my newer vapes. Can't really go wrong with it IMO

 

[Uzer]

Air...It's not even close.

 

[Hashtag46&2]

If you are coming from a desktop, IMO...The MFLB *might* just aggravate you .

Dont get me wrong, MFLB is a fantastic Vaporizer (As proven through its incredible popularity.)

But, I do recommend the Solo over the Air... I don't own an Air, but have used it in the same rotation with my Solo.

They are really similar, but I feel The Solo is a bit Smoother, I pulled bigger clouds with my Solo, but that can simply be because I am used to the Solo...not so much with the Air.

I liked the flavor more from the Solo as well. (Same Strains were used for a proper comparison.) We used my somewhat Notorious "Blueberry Dream" (Rare cut of Blue Dream that has a heavy Blueberry profile, but the Haze dominates the affect)

At the end..
My friend with the Air, was a bit miffed ...
"I love my Air, but damn.... I'm thinking I should have gotten the Solo."

Both have their advantages as well as disadvantages.

If portability and stealth are priority .. MFLB

Portability, but still pretty Stealth.. Air (Swappable Batteries are an advantage)

Portable with great taste, but not very stealthy(Modifications can be applied for stealth) ... Solo.

Perhaps make a list of the Vapes you are considering, and read the last 20 pages of each of their dedicated Threads, look for common griefs and common joys.
^^^^^ I love this advice which I obtained from @CarolKing ....

Colorado Love..

 

[sativasam]

I own a MFLB and have tried an Air.

Yes the MFLB is tiny, durable, nice materials, easy to use, efficient, life time warranty, I think it is one of the best vapes all things considered - BUT, I don't feel it is very stealthy.

Due to the way the Air looks, I would say it is more stealthy. Could be mistaken for a huge e-cig. I only used an Air once, but I remember the flavour through the glass straw being really very good. I may even dare to say the flavour was better than the MFLB.

I like the MFLB because of it's design and materials. But I think the Air sounds more suitable for you. Especially if it is your only vape; as just an MFLB for months on end will eventually be frustrating.

Edit: In direct answer to your questions...

MFLB: Learning curve, not really puff puff pass friendly, deterioration of use over the months

The learning curve for me lasted 1 day or a few hours.

For people who have not used a vape before the MFLB is not so 'puff pass' friendly. But for e.g my girlfriend learnt to use it in minutes and snatches it off me at will. IMO I would call it puff pass friendly.

Batteries with the MFLB is no problem IMO; just buy more batteries and keep them on rotation. I love the fact that I can just pop down to the local shops and buy some rechargeable batteries for my MFLB. No vape shop needed.

Air: Battery life, electronic parts that may fail, portability (i.e the glass stem, vs MFLB native)

I don't own an Air, so I won't comment on the life of the batteries or the electronic parts. All batteries get weak over time, and all electronic devices will eventually see a final day. Saying this, the MFLB has a life time warranty. Others here may be able to comment further, but my friend who's Air I used and who has used vapes for many years said he feels a vape has a life of 2 years.

The glass stem on the Air gives it great flavour. But I wouldn't be able to tell you much else on the Air's stem. The MFLB stem is easy to transport because it is small. I have never broken it. I often don't bring it with me when out and about as if the police catch you with it they may think you are smoking crack and demand a cavity search; so a wooden stem instead of glass may be a good choice. I used to prefer using the MFLB in native mode. These days I much prefer with the glass stem. In native mode the vapour is hotter and its easier to take bigger puffs. But as I do not like hot vapour the stem is something I am now a fan of, a major plus being I think the flavour is better this way.

TL;DR: I'm split between these two vapes, but I'm afraid of the MFLB not being the type of vape I want it to be (reliable, durable) and I'm afraid of the Air's electronic parts going bad as well as severe deterioration in battery life. I know no vape is without flaw, but I'm trying to see if the Air would be worth the extra money.

The MFLB is reliable and durable. But you must understand it is a different species of vape compared to the Air. I think the Air will be worth the extra money 100%.

I would say though that it is good to have a back up vape. This will calm you nerves about your Air braking; will allow you to change things up a bit; and will come in handy when your Air does finally not perform. Maybe try and get hold of a cheap MFLB at some point. When I was on Vapefiend.co.uk around christmas they were offering MFLBs for the cut price of £60. That's a fecking bargain!

I own a Mighty, Volcano, Lotus; but I still use my MFLB often. And I don't find it to be a fiddly.

 

[horst]

What I love about the MFLB ist the fact that it lacks an important feature most other portables have. Intelligence.
The Air, as most other vapes, are carefree devices. fill it, wait for it, enjoy it, done. The MFLB outsources the control completly to your hands, it requires that you learn how to get what you want from it and rewards it with a versatility most other portables miss.

So I guess it's up to you wether you can enjoy establisihing a ritual with a device or you want something that just delivers when you are in need?
Does it hassle you to cook your meals when you get hungry and prefer the restaurant around corner because of the more consistent results in quality and getting stuffed properly? Choose the Air, you will get stressed with MFLB.
Do you enjoy cooking your meals by yourself and adjusting the recipes to your current mood and appetite, feeling good remebering the first steps in the kitchen, miserable attemps and the way up to the excellent results nowadays? The MFLB is your device, you will get bored with the Air after a few months.

And in terms of stealth nothing can beat a launchbox in the palm of a hand, hitting it native. I haven't seen a vape which can be hitted by simulating a cough and instantly pocketed afterwards except the MFLB.

 

[His_Highness]

I'd go Arizer Solo or Arizer Air versus MFLB. I love the MFLB but for general all around use....Solo/Air.

I use the Solo as my daily driver and use the MFLB for out and about. I will also use the MFLB in house when I just want a quick one or two hits to keep my buzz at a certain level.

 

[max]

I'm afraid of the MFLB not being the type of vape I want it to be (reliable, durable)

They don't come any more reliable or durable, as long as you don't tear up the screen. You do have to keep good batteries going and available for it, and it's not the easiest vape to get the hang of, since multiple factors come into play during use.

I'm afraid of the Air's electronic parts going bad as well as severe deterioration in battery life.

Then you should fear every other battery operated electronic vape on the market. Arizer's been making vaporizers for 10 years or more, and is a solid, reliable company with good products. Of the manufacturers you should worry about, they're near the bottom of the list.

 

[Jsmith7326]

Look, I love my MFLB... but the Air is a game changer... yeah it takes a min to heat up, but you dont really notice and it takes that much time to get comfortable anyway.. ha

 

[Jaydubya710]

Tried a mflb a couple weeks ago that turned me onto vaping, was pretty nice. But after doing the research I settled on a solo for my needs, just got it yesterday and after only a few sessions, I can easily say the solo is so far above the mflb that my friend is probably ordering one now. Heat up time really is minimal (on the solo gonna assume the same for the air) I highly doubt you'll be dissappointed in the air.

 

[Shrinks]

Thanks to all who replied! After serious considerations and looking at some alternatives others posted on here, I've decided to go with the Air. I already have a desktop vape (EQ, actually---so I'm comfortable and happy with the Arizer brand) so this will definitely suit my portable needs

 

[bluenavey00]

Thanks to all who replied! After serious considerations and looking at some alternatives others posted on here, I've decided to go with the Air. I already have a desktop vape (EQ, actually---so I'm comfortable and happy with the Arizer brand) so this will definitely suit my portable needs

Hop over to the Air Thread if you haven't already.

http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/the-arizer-air.16415

 

[howie105]

Here is my take on the MFLB all the concerns listed in the opening post are for the most part manageable or tolerable if one wishes. If on the other hand one is not adaptable or just can't accept the basic primitive nature of the vape then its a match made in hell.

Don't have an Air, do have a Solo so I can make a few general comments. Its decades ahead of the MFLB as far as features go. Ease of use is better then the MFLB for many folks and build quality is good. Shortcomings on the Solo is the size (for a portable) and the glass parts are not what I would have liked. Aside from that not much to complain about.

Both are good vapes, the best one for you is dependent on the you and what you want and can tolerate.

 

[Stevenski]

Thanks to all who replied! After serious considerations and looking at some alternatives others posted on here, I've decided to go with the Air. I already have a desktop vape (EQ, actually---so I'm comfortable and happy with the Arizer brand) so this will definitely suit my portable needs

You will not be disappointed in the Air as it is a mighty fine lightsaber indeed & having a Air/Solo + EQ is a great compliment to each other. Having a solid portable is a great addition & everyone needs a backup vape be it desktop or portable.