Just got the solo 3 yesterday and my first impressions are not very positive. The reviews are correct in that it produces very thick and tasty vapor (it feels like a regulated Milaana - this is a huge compliment as it is the best tasting portable I have), it feels very sturdy and well built in the hand, the battery life is amazing, heat up time short. This is all true but some relevant problems are keeping it from shining,
First thing I noticed is a strong machining smell, like rubber or oil, that has not gone away at all. I have done about 5 burn offs, 3 iso cleans of the chamber and o'rings, and used the vape about 5 times, and the smell is still there with no sign of it going away. This can be tasted even while vaping material, not just during test puffing, it is faint, but definitely detectable. The PEEK material of the Crafty has always bothered me, but this bothers me much more than that. It is strange that there is no mention of this in any online comments.
I am also not enjoying the all glass vapor path that I believed would be a game changer for me as I am all about purity of materials used, and have a very discerning sense of taste to things that are off. Problems are the glass feels thin and cheap and sort of wiggles in a way that makes one conscious when drawing from it, and not relaxed, especially since the unit is so solid and has some heft to it, makes the glass contrast more. The vapor after some use comes out very unconditioned and hot, like sucking in hot air from a hair drier. I used to have the same critique of the Crafty, and in general vapes that use only or too much convection, but this is on another level, I believe the fact that the heater is so powerful does not help it. Going back to the Crafty it feels like a very conditioned vapor. However there is one strange difference, on the Crafty the vapor comes cool and misty, but tickles the back of the throat, while on the Solo 3 it feels more direct and raw, however there is no throat tickle...
I have bought a longer cooling dimpled stem and a sidecar bubbler for it but these should be an extra comfort measure, I need the device to be usable as is, with the more practical stock stem. But what I enjoy the least is when a crumb falls in the oven and completely burns your throat in one go. Happened to me yesterday and my throat is still hurting, I am still trying to determine if the hotness of the normal vapor also contributed to the sore throat or if it was just the combustion. If you pack it too tight then there is draw restriction, if too loose, crumbs fall in the oven. I ended up using a screen at the end to prevent the material from falling in the oven, but that just makes it impractical with one more thing to keep in mind and potentially lose. I would like the vape to be something I can carry outside for a short walk and not worry about losing small little bits, I like it when it is self contained in a way.
The fact that the menu is poorly designed is understated by the reviews, they really did not do a good job, small details like the fact that the brightness adjust does not affect the main menu where you pick session or on demand... not practical, not a deal breaker either, but would be nice to have a one button press to get to your mode, I mostly use session mode at the same temp every time and it seems silly that I can't get there through a single button press from the unit being turned off, it feels that they built a flexible interface but did not use it to the fullest.
I am still deciding if I should return it, the only others in consideration would be the Venty and the Bakx, however I fear the Venty might not work through dry sift concentrate (my main use) in a satisfactory way (not enough conduction), and the Bakx is impossible to get where I live. Because all in all, the Solo 3 is the only electronic portable unit I have tried that actually has enough power (plus the radiant conduction heat) to really successfully vaporize traditional dry sift in vape wool until it is completely spent. The flavor and evolution though the session feels a lot like the Vapman, again this is a compliment of the highest order, however there is always that "dirty air path" taste behind this.
I will do some more burn off and cleaning today, and will experiment with vaping at lower temperatures as I have been using 210c same as I use on the Crafty, seems like the Solo does not need such high temp to get the same roasting. Any tips are appreciated.
. Small portions produce tasty rips. I've used shatter, sugar wax, and budder all with good results 
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