Arizer Solo 3

[Postlark]

I also had issue with the smell from the oven... Did like 10+ burnoffs in session mode at max temp and still couldn't burn it off...
Finally decided to return device and now thinking about getting Venty that I have tried before and it was fine, but still this vape have so much plastic in it...

I'm very unhappy with Arizer, everyone says it's cleanest portable vape but unfortunately it's not true at all, taste is fine, but the smell is horrible (and it's not only me, as others smelled it too), my dynavap is much better in that aspect. - taste much worse but no any smell.

Also I don't think Arizer will do anything about it as they seem to not see any problem at all.

Yeah I am on the same boat. I have always been very concerned about material use. There really isn't on the market an all encompassing solution yet, in terms of usability and clean path. Arizer is pretty close though with this one, if they work out the air path and get a more even roasting in the XL stem (maybe it needs more heat from the oven sides and less from the bottom), this could be considered the perfect at home portable vape.

Modnote: Edited to remove material safety and OT discussion

 

[modernblacksmith]

The solo 3 has a much more offensive smell and taste when used empty than the Crafty. Solo 3 is all glass from the heater onward, crafty is all plastic. Air path is just as important as vapor path, and arguably one can get exposed to a much greater variety of toxins in the air path then in the vapor path (no one is placing PCBs, solder, etc, in the vapor path)...

Completely agree.

Modnote: Edited to remove material safety and OT discussion

 

[Old Stoner1958]

I did 3 burn offs and mine has no smell or taste at all.

 

[vpr85]

Yeah I am on the same boat. I have always been very concerned about material use. There really isn't on the market an all encompassing solution yet, in terms of usability and clean path. Arizer is pretty close though with this one, if they work out the air path and get a more even roasting in the XL stem (maybe it needs more heat from the oven sides and less from the bottom), this could be considered the perfect at home portable vape.

Modnote: Edited to remove material safety and OT discussion

Arizer service is great, just press them a bit and say you did the burn off and the smell is still there, I would guess they'll take care of it. Most people do not seem to have the smell problem. If yours does have a smell issue I'm sure they'll take it seriously. Worth reaching out IMO

 

[vapin_penguin]

Mine did have a very faint smell for the initial burn off and possibly the first session. I’ve been using it all week and the smell is completely gone. I feel reassured enough given the company has been around a long time that they wouldn’t compromise the users health by using crappy parts.

 

[Ray11]

After using the Solo 3 for over a week and being really impressed with it's performance with both flower and hash, even whole buds it goes through with ease, I decided to test it again with an empty and clean stem to see if I could detect the machining smell again. And I definitely can, it happens when the heater gets up to temperature and is quite noticeable (not so much with a loaded stem). Just for reference I tried my Milaana with an empty stem and all you get is heat, but no flavors. Even the Crafty with all it's plastic only has a very slight taste when run empty, but it's mostly heat. With the solo I get a very noticeable taste of machining oil, heated plastic, chlorine, something along these lines that does not feel natural. There are no comments here on FC about this and only a few on Reddit including someone that got an exchange from Arizer that had the exact same smell/taste... I am wondering if anyone has tried running it with a clean empty stem and inhaling when the heater is ready.

Hey! Really appreciate you posting your feedback. It's especially nice seeing it from a well known member here and really cool to see all these various reactions.

And howdy all! New member here. Finally decided to create an account. Been using Dry Herb Vapes since 2016-17 and my first ever device was the Boundless Cf then Fury, Dynavap, and since then I've acquired a few S&B Mighties both OG and Plus along with a FP/CH ball vape.

So yeah, I've been lurking here for a few weeks to observe and learn more about this device. After finding some reviews on here, Reddit, and on YouTube (even if they are mostly sponsored or affiliated) that spoke positively of it I decided to go for it. Having spent a week with it doing some extensive testing, I totally agree with @Postlark 's reaction related to the strange smell as it is spot on from my experience as well.

"With the solo I get a very noticeable taste of machining oil, heated plastic, chlorine, something along these lines that does not feel natural." - This line really relates to me as well sadly, and I was super dumbfounded and confused myself having discovered it initially and even after cleaning it multiple times and doing over a dozen burn offs to still notice that odor. It did cause a little bit of light headedness as well sometimes while testing it by inhaling the heat up vapor unfortunately...

I do have a fairly good sense of smell (non smoker, no disabilities) and I did multiple comparisons against both the Mighty plus (over a year old) and the OG (over 4 years old) by turning on the heater without any materials then sniffing/observing, and while they did produce some typical heat up scent, none of them produced such an off putting odor similar to what user Postlark and a few others have mentioned.

It really threw me off tbh, but I'm still pushing myself forward in using it - The trick I found that kind of works is the smell is especially noticeable from a cold start, but gets a lot better 2-3 mins in so I've been using this method and plan on doing more regular cleanups and burn offs for a week more hoping the smell will subside for good, but only time will tell...

Now don't get me wrong folks - I'm still learning more about it and seems to be a good device in the sense that it performs well like I'm truly impressed with the On Demand Mode, but this few factors like the strange smell, how hot this device gets, the wobbly buttons, slow start up are a bit of a drawback in all honestly.

For the time being I will still continue to utilize it for a few more days (and hoping and praying the strange odor will go away) to decide if it's truly worth keeping for the long run or not because it is a bit worrying having to deal with some of these downsides. Just my 2 cents.

Sorry about the wall of texts, and thanks y'all for bearing with me reading. Actually I'm feeling like so much weight is lifted off me just by writing and posting about my observation here as it was so bottled up these last few days inside thinking am I the only one? I will try to provide more updates in the future. Much love vapents!

 

[Postlark]

Hey! Really appreciate you posting your feedback. It's especially nice seeing it from a well known member here and really cool to see all these various reactions.

And howdy all! New member here. Finally decided to create an account. Been using Dry Herb Vapes since 2016-17 and my first ever device was the Boundless Cf then Fury, Dynavap, and since then I've acquired a few S&B Mighties both OG and Plus along with a FP/CH ball vape.

So yeah, I've been lurking here for a few weeks to observe and learn more about this device. After finding some reviews on here, Reddit, and on YouTube (even if they are mostly sponsored or affiliated) that spoke positively of it I decided to go for it. Having spent a week with it doing some extensive testing, I totally agree with @Postlark 's reaction related to the strange smell as it is spot on from my experience as well.

"With the solo I get a very noticeable taste of machining oil, heated plastic, chlorine, something along these lines that does not feel natural." - This line really relates to me as well sadly, and I was super dumbfounded and confused myself having discovered it initially and even after cleaning it multiple times and doing over a dozen burn offs to still notice that odor. It did cause a little bit of light headedness as well sometimes while testing it by inhaling the heat up vapor unfortunately...

I do have a fairly good sense of smell (non smoker, no disabilities) and I did multiple comparisons against both the Mighty plus (over a year old) and the OG (over 4 years old) by turning on the heater without any materials then sniffing/observing, and while they did produce some typical heat up scent, none of them produced such an off putting odor similar to what user Postlark and a few others have mentioned.

It really threw me off tbh, but I'm still pushing myself forward in using it - The trick I found that kind of works is the smell is especially noticeable from a cold start, but gets a lot better 2-3 mins in so I've been using this method and plan on doing more regular cleanups and burn offs for a week more hoping the smell will subside for good, but only time will tell...

Now don't get me wrong folks - I'm still learning more about it and seems to be a good device in the sense that it performs well like I'm truly impressed with the On Demand Mode, but this few factors like the strange smell, how hot this device gets, the wobbly buttons, slow start up are a bit of a drawback in all honestly.

For the time being I will still continue to utilize it for a few more days (and hoping and praying the strange odor will go away) to decide if it's truly worth keeping for the long run or not because it is a bit worrying having to deal with some of these downsides. Just my 2 cents.

Sorry about the wall of texts, and thanks y'all for bearing with me reading. Actually I'm feeling like so much weight is lifted off me just by writing and posting about my observation here as it was so bottled up these last few days inside thinking am I the only one? I will try to provide more updates in the future. Much love vapents!

I have been trying the same method as you describe, letting it heat up or burn off first without the stem and with the top cap open, and leaving it for a couple of minutes before using. It really does seem the offensive smell peaks around the same time as the heater reaching vaping temperature, and then tapers off. If this is the case then on demand mode would be the worst choice in terms of trying to avoid inhaling during the burn off period. More testing needed but I did have some free time today and did a cleaning of the crafty and smelled it again when heating up and my impressions match yours, it does not smell like air, there is something to the heat, but much much less perceptible than on the solo.

 

[TigoleBitties]

I think the Solo 3 might be the best device for vaping whole nugs that I’ve ever tried. I’m mostly using the xl wpa, with the glass screen intact (!). Just stuff a nug in there, maybe break it apart a bit by hand so the air doesn’t have an easy path around it, set to 373*F, let it heat soak for 30 seconds or so, go to town.

So yeah, I've been doing more of this lately and I may continue to go a while without grinding. The taste is so good and it keeps everything cleaner. I've been using the XL WPA and just tearing little weed chunks off and stuffing them in there with a little room for airflow.

The S3 is already really good at preserving flavor until the end of a bowl with ground flower but with this method, I find I don't even get a hint of popcorn taste. The flavor just fades very gracefully.

 

[Old Stoner1958]

So yeah, I've been doing more of this lately and I may continue to go a while without grinding. The taste is so good and it keeps everything cleaner. I've been using the XL WPA and just tearing little weed chunks off and stuffing them in there with a little room for airflow.

The S3 is already really good at preserving flavor until the end of a bowl with ground flower but with this method, I find I don't even get a hint of popcorn taste. The flavor just fades very gracefully.

I agree 100%. I tear down a bud and the flavor is anazing. I like whole buds also, but I turn the bud half way thru. I always end it with ODM on level 3 to finish it off. The S3 is a beast!

 

[vpr85]

Ray11 & Postlark -- if the smell doesn't go away with a couple burnoffs email Arizer and tell them!!! It seems like most people don't have this problem, so I think they should help you out with this under warranty

 

[Ipe17]

I ordered mine and awaiting delivery. Kind of scared now. Never had anything from arizer, but i sold my TM1 after 2 weeks of heavy use trying to get rid of the "fishy" smell it had and only a couple of guys were reporting it. I really tried but could not use it anymore.
So now with some of you reporting this machined smell i am worried if my unit smells i will not be able to use it for very long. I will report in this regard once i receive it (out of stock in the shop i bought, so dont really know when it will be delivered).
I have to say i am smeel sensitive as some vapes when i crank them up i cant use them for that "heating" smell (dreamwood 14 is an example) just out of the heated metal...fingers crosses

 

[Shit Snacks]

I ordered mine and awaiting delivery. Kind of scared now. Never had anything from arizer, but i sold my TM1 after 2 weeks of heavy use trying to get rid of the "fishy" smell it had and only a couple of guys were reporting it. I really tried but could not use it anymore

That was only a problem with early runs of the TM, it was the linseed oil they were using to finish the oak wood and wherever they sourced it from... That was resolved and TM2 uses a completely different variety of wood FYI (off topic and unrelated here)

So now with some of you reporting this machined smell i am worried if my unit smells i will not be able to use it for very long. I will report in this regard once i receive it (out of stock in the shop i bought, so dont really know when it will be delivered).
I have to say i am smeel sensitive as some vapes when i crank them up i cant use them for that "heating" smell (dreamwood 14 is an example) just out of the heated metal...fingers crosses

Units like these that are mass-produced internationally assembled often have a break in period when brand new and some are much more susceptible to off odors and flavors than others, no reason to worry

 

[Shorner]

VAS got the better of me on this one, ordered one it should be here Wednesday, first Ariser product too for me!

 

[Ray11]

I have been trying the same method as you describe, letting it heat up or burn off first without the stem and with the top cap open, and leaving it for a couple of minutes before using. It really does seem the offensive smell peaks around the same time as the heater reaching vaping temperature, and then tapers off. If this is the case then on demand mode would be the worst choice in terms of trying to avoid inhaling during the burn off period. More testing needed but I did have some free time today and did a cleaning of the crafty and smelled it again when heating up and my impressions match yours, it does not smell like air, there is something to the heat, but much much less perceptible than on the solo.

Yep agreed, that method is the way to go for now to get rid of the stench.

For the On Demand mode, I'm also first doing like a 10 to 15 second cycle or two with an empty chamber before plugging in the stem to take a hit. Worse case a session for few minutes or burn off like you said to make it bearable (as the smell inside may/can build up if you're not iso/water qtip wiping right after a few sessions, but then again needs another burn off to properly evaporate everything).

Sadly a bit of a chore for me personally the time spent to use this device, but when things are aligned it's a beast for sure. I even ordered some backspacers and dosing capsules that just arrived as I was keeping such a positive mindset about it (still do somewhat). So gonna really get into it this next few days to test and find out more. Also good to know your Crafty comparison was similar to my Mighties.

Ray11 & Postlark -- if the smell doesn't go away with a couple burnoffs email Arizer and tell them!!! It seems like most people don't have this problem, so I think they should help you out with this under warranty

Yeah it seems like a few peeps are affected by it. I think we may be more sensitive to smell, but it is a genuine issue for the small number of users it seems.

From the earlier replies it looks like User moderblacksmith was also affected by it along with a couple others I've noticed in the earlier pages and on Reddit. Still seems like a small percentage thus far so hopefully like many mentioned it could just be a bad batch being a mass produced device from China. Fingers crossed.

Also I think Postlark emailed them as per the reply from the previous page, and they sent him a response assuring it's normal and there are no problems.

I actually bought mine from Sneaky Pete's store so will reach out to them to deal with Arizer if I'm not satisfied completely and think about returning or exchanging it for the same or something else possibly the TM2 or Venty. Let's see how it goes wishing for the best

 

[vpr85]

Yeah it seems like a few peeps are affected by it. I think we may be more sensitive to smell, but it is a genuine issue for the small number of users it seems.

From the earlier replies it looks like User moderblacksmith was also affected by it along with a couple others I've noticed in the earlier pages and on Reddit. Still seems like a small percentage thus far so hopefully like many mentioned it could just be a bad batch being a mass produced device from China. Fingers crossed.

Also I think Postlark emailed them as per the reply from the previous page, and they sent him a response assuring it's normal and there are no problems.

I actually bought mine from Sneaky Pete's store so will reach out to them to deal with Arizer if I'm not satisfied completely and think about returning or exchanging it for the same or something else possibly the TM2 or Venty. Let's see how it goes wishing for the best

the others you mention are strong contenders but I have had warranty issues with both of them. none seems to be immune to having some problems. c'est la vie. hopefully arizer takes care of it for you, but if not you've got some decent options to consider like you mentioned

 

[Shit Snacks]

Everything is random luck, variable, also pure personal taste, immeasurable subjectivity

 

[Ray11]

the others you mention are strong contenders but I have had warranty issues with both of them. none seems to be immune to having some problems. c'est la vie. hopefully arizer takes care of it for you, but if not you've got some decent options to consider like you mentioned

That's what kept me off initially from directly going for one of those two.

TM2 with the charging port, buttons, etc. and Venty with the error code issues. Although I've never encountered a single problem with either my Mighty OG (4+ years strong) and Plus (over 1 year), but this was before S&B got acquired by a corp lol... And even after that I believe there are still a lot of satisfied Venty users so I'm not completely ruling it out coz like you said could be a draw of luck/life lol

So yeah, the struggle was real to find the true upgrade to the Mighty + so I ended up settling with the Solo 3 based on Solo 2 and other related products which stood the test of time, and it's fantastic minus the smell issue with the model I got. Some learning curve to it for sure with the glass stems and the UI is cool with customizations especially when it flips that is different from what I'm used to with the Mighty so I'm digging the new features.

As a last resort I've also recently ordered a Tiodw plus for an improvement that should be similar to the Taroma 360 that I'm really looking forward to if none of these portables fully ends up working for me, or I might just also settle for the one of them POTV portables haha!

Everything is random luck, variable, also pure personal taste, immeasurable subjectivity

Is that why Solo 3 is not bolded (yet) in your device ownership list ? LOL jk =P

 

[Shit Snacks]

That's what kept me off initially from directly going for one of those two.

TM2 with the charging port, buttons, etc. and Venty with the error code issues. Although I've never encountered a single problem with either my Mighty OG (4+ years strong) and Plus (over 1 year), but this was before S&B got acquired by a corp lol... And even after that I believe there are still a lot of satisfied Venty users so I'm not completely ruling it out coz like you said could be a draw of luck/life lol

So yeah, the struggle was real to find the true upgrade to the Mighty + so I ended up settling with the Solo 3 based on Solo 2 and other related products which stood the test of time, and it's fantastic minus the smell issue with the model I got. Some learning curve to it for sure with the glass stems and the UI is cool with customizations especially when it flips that is different from what I'm used to with the Mighty so I'm digging the new features.

As a last resort I've also recently ordered a Tiodw plus for an improvement that should be similar to the Taroma 360 that I'm really looking forward to if none of these portables fully ends up working for me, or I might just also settle for the one of them POTV portables haha!

FWIW I've never had any issue with any of my TM, there are many others with the same experience, so again I say it is all relative... There are many more options for high quality have you hitting vaporizers aside from these you list, better for a topic within ask FC to discuss further all of these more broadly... Has here we need to focus on the Solo3

 

[Durbandream]

Yep agreed, that method is the way to go for now to get rid of the stench.

For the On Demand mode, I'm also first doing like a 10 to 15 second cycle or two with an empty chamber before plugging in the stem to take a hit. Worse case a session for few minutes or burn off like you said to make it bearable (as the smell inside may/can build up if you're not iso/water qtip wiping right after a few sessions, but then again needs another burn off to properly evaporate everything).

Sadly a bit of a chore for me personally the time spent to use this device, but when things are aligned it's a beast for sure. I even ordered some backspacers and dosing capsules that just arrived as I was keeping such a positive mindset about it (still do somewhat). So gonna really get into it this next few days to test and find out more. Also good to know your Crafty comparison was similar to my Mighties.



Yeah it seems like a few peeps are affected by it. I think we may be more sensitive to smell, but it is a genuine issue for the small number of users it seems.

From the earlier replies it looks like User moderblacksmith was also affected by it along with a couple others I've noticed in the earlier pages and on Reddit. Still seems like a small percentage thus far so hopefully like many mentioned it could just be a bad batch being a mass produced device from China. Fingers crossed.

Also I think Postlark emailed them as per the reply from the previous page, and they sent him a response assuring it's normal and there are no problems.

I actually bought mine from Sneaky Pete's store so will reach out to them to deal with Arizer if I'm not satisfied completely and think about returning or exchanging it for the same or something else possibly the TM2 or Venty. Let's see how it goes wishing for the best

You'd have to be crazy to suck hot air from a device that consistently smells like chemicals and artificial material. Just send it back and get something with a history of clean performance like the TM2.

 

[kimura]

I still detect a faint smell when the unit is hot, that I can only describe as "hot metal" smell. I'm not going to make assumptions about other folks experience, but I think, to my nose, what I'm smelling is the hot oven or perhaps the heating element itself. I'm not getting plastic/chem notes.

however it is clear that the airpath isn't totally isolated, as I can hear/feel air pass through the USB port when I take a test draw. I might slap a piece of tape over the USB port between charges

I'd definitely like to see a tear down

 

[Ray11]

You'd have to be crazy to suck hot air from a device that consistently smells like chemicals and artificial material. Just send it back and get something with a history of clean performance like the TM2.

Buddy you have to be crazy to suck anything from any devices other than air. LOL.

There is a method to my madness, but yeah in all seriousness let's not act like the TM2 is flawless because I observed just as many posts on it related to smell and other stuff similar to this device, and it's coming from a small group so far so not a major issue by any means for both of these units.

Also on the Solo 3 it's the smell from a heat up with a cold start that's kinda odd, but not that bad if you know what I mean as it dissipates within a few minutes, and not really noticeable even if your stem is plugged in from the get go is what I observed. Just when you are comparing without any materials on an empty chamber that's when it's noticeable. And looks like it may be starting to decrease with further usage so I'm going to report back in a few and stay focused for now hehe =D Cheers!

 

[TigoleBitties]

Also on the Solo 3 it's the smell from a heat up with a cold start that's kinda odd, but not that bad if you know what I mean as it dissipates within a few minutes, and not really noticeable even if your stem is plugged in from the get go is what I observed

Yup. I can confirm this exact behavior. It's definitely there during heatup and then it dissipates quickly. I also had a clean stem in and tried drawing during the heatup but couldn't taste or smell anything.

Once the oven heats a bit and the smell is gone, I either detect no smell or just a slight hot metal type of smell from the oven. I guess I never noticed this temporary smell as I usually turn the solo on and let it heat up while I'm loading a bowl. By the time I grab the solo I suppose any smell is gone by then.

 

[Shit Snacks]

I actually noticed a worser smell when I was heating up once, if not crumbs or residue burned on the visible plate, there could be condensed vapor or such underneath around where you cannot see inside? So perhaps initially that is burning off at first in some cases, possibly another reason to warm it up and then insert the stem to begin any use... or yeah it could just be the nature of the metal alloy when it is heating up from cold perhaps, if not noticing it really otherwise? or other materials and still breaking in is all...

 

[Ray11]

there could be condensed vapor or such underneath around where you cannot see inside? So perhaps initially that is burning off at first in some cases, possibly another reason to warm it up and then insert the stem to begin any use... or yeah it could just be the nature of the metal alloy when it is heating up from cold perhaps, if not noticing it really otherwise? or other materials and still breaking in is all...

I think you might be onto something there...

 

[Durbandream]

Buddy you have to be crazy to suck anything from any devices other than air. LOL.

There is a method to my madness, but yeah in all seriousness let's not act like the TM2 is flawless because I observed just as many posts on it related to smell and other stuff similar to this device, and it's coming from a small group so far so not a major issue by any means for both of these units.

Also on the Solo 3 it's the smell from a heat up with a cold start that's kinda odd, but not that bad if you know what I mean as it dissipates within a few minutes, and not really noticeable even if your stem is plugged in from the get go is what I observed. Just when you are comparing without any materials on an empty chamber that's when it's noticeable. And looks like it may be starting to decrease with further usage so I'm going to report back in a few and stay focused for now hehe =D Cheers!

I wasn't around for the introduction of the TM2 so I'll believe you on that, but my point still stands that if the device you're vaping from tastes and smells like dangerous chemicals/material you should probably ditch it. They're your lungs, though, and I am morbidly curious how it turns out so if you're fine being the experiment I'll be watching your progress with great interest!