Crafty/Crafty+ by Storz & Bickel

[Stinky]

Sad news here, my crafty died today, after 70 hours of use. My crafty was on firmware 2.08 and serial number 299xxx.
No back to back sessions, always let the unit come back to ambiant temperatures, leaving it on a glass plate for a quicker cooling. Using it two times on a full battery before charging it, never let it depleted, never a cold temperature or an overheating.

This is really sudden, I was finishing a bowl, I turn it off and when I turn it on again there it is : lights of death....But I see it coming, this week Bluetooth has died and vibration was random... That's sad, hope the next one will last longer than four month xD.

In case I would like to replace it by another vape, what would you recommend to me? I already have an mflb, volcano and an aromed (damn VAS !)

Thanks folks

You should be just under the new 80 hour limit for warranty if that is really what is. Let us know what Bickel and Storz say when you contact them.

Ask them to send you a shipping label too so you don't have to pay postage.

I emailed Bickel and Storz about the warranty question but haven't received a response.

Vapornation confirmed that their lifetime warranty does not cover the batteries.

Still haven't got a reply. Has anyone else received a response about this?

 

[Crafty Vaper]

I use the crafty for back to back sessions and drain the battery to 0%. I use this vaporizer outside (-2 to 10°C). I have got the third one. It is 122 hours old. First and second one I used the same way (70 and 210 hours). I can't see a reason why I should use it like a little puppy not like a vaporizer. I cannot understand some of the FC users. We all have the guarantee of 2 years and if we use this thing like it is supposed to we will have no problems with S&B and customer service!

 

[biohacker]

I hear ya @Crafty Vaper ! Some of what some members go through to save and preserve is a little bonkers IMHO, but to each their own. I think alot of us try to preserve that battery as much as possible, and not so much fear the vape breaking down (since S&B will take care of you if it isn't battery related). I also think it's pretty cool of them to offer I think a 50% discount on a new Crafty if you accidentally mess it up by say, dropping it in the toilet? Further to that, did you notice any longer/slower heat up times? I used to not care about battery management with my old Crafty, and definitely noticed its decline in heat up, performance, and ability to hold a temp.

I wonder if these Crafty's are just puking out randomly? At 70, 112, and 210 hours... I don't really see much of a pattern. I still think that our usage patterns has much to do with it. Otherwise, these things are just not built to last.

 

[Crafty Vaper]

I hear ya @Crafty Vaper ! Some of what some members go through to save and preserve is a little bonkers IMHO, but to each their own. I think alot of us try to preserve that battery as much as possible, and not so much fear the vape breaking down (since S&B will take care of you if it isn't battery related). I also think it's pretty cool of them to offer I think a 50% discount on a new Crafty if you accidentally mess it up by say, dropping it in the toilet? Further to that, did you notice any longer/slower heat up times? I used to not care about battery management with my old Crafty, and definitely noticed its decline in heat up, performance, and ability to hold a temp.

I wonder if these Crafty's are just puking out randomly? At 70, 112, and 210 hours... I don't really see much of a pattern. I still think that our usage patterns has much to do with it. Otherwise, these things are just not built to last.

I don't care if heat up time is 1:50 or 2:20...I think the longest time was with my second unit over 200 hours. It was 2:50 min. I think.
But I don't care because what I get after ~2 minutes with the crafty, can't give me any other vape on the market.
Maybe some early Volcano users can tell you if the first two years of the Cano were like the debut years of Crafty/Mighty?! I think S&B products improve all the time until they have got a perfect vape. You can't improve the Cano...it's nearly perfect!

 

[biohacker]

You may not care, but for a product with this price tag, maybe people including myself DO care, very much in fact. A new Crafty heat up to 180c is about 1m:25, so 2m:50s being twice as long to heat up after only a short period of ownership (35 hours for mine). But you're right, the product works amazingly, and i'm willing to put up with it obviously, however I will do everything in my power to keep the shift afloat, but I won't completely obsess about it. Heatup time is just important to me, I absolutely hate waiting and have very little patience in general.

S&B are constantly improving and evolving, and we've seen this in product improvements including the Crafty and Mighty. The Plenty actually used to be bigger in size, and they actually "shrunk" it!

 

[kkaspar]

Hello,

I've been lurking around this forum, looking for a quality portable vape. Crafty has been a potential candidate, but all the reported problems just don't spell out quality.

The warranty reset rumor got my interest and wrote to S&B. I wrote to S&B, and they told me that they don't reset the warranty.


So, no warranty reset. As I see from this forum, no actual meaningful upgrades have taken place. Maybe the toughened plastic housing being the only thing?
Anyway, to me, S&B seems like a typical case when a good company goes bad, since they don't have to sell quality any longer and they have enough hype revolving around them to sell.

If they want serious buyers, then they should at least start to write down the well known flaws and report about the solutions that they find with fixing those flaws.
I would be ready to take the leap of faith and be ready to send my unit for replacement in every 3 months, but if they themselves don't have faith in their product, then I'm out. And if they won't reset the warranty for replaced units, then they clearly don't have faith in their product.

Any recommendations for alternatives? Would be best if the model would have EU warranty support.

 

[biohacker]

Hey welcome to FC, but just a heads up with your reprinting of their email, unless you have S&B permission to post that dialogue, you shouldn't be posting it here (against the rules).

It's a bummer that the warranty does not reset, but I personally did not expect it to. I don't know of any manufacturers that allow this? A 2 year warranty is a 2 year warranty - they will cover you for 2 years, period. If your craps out at 23 months, you will get a brand new unit, and you'll be left with no warranty, but they had you covered for those first 2. I'm happy, could be 1 year like many other manufacturers. If you think the Crafty shits the bed, perhaps try an Inhalater?

They have been updating the firmware along the way, and who knows what else behind the scenes, because we sure don't. As for enough hype revolving around them to sell, how long do you think that will last? I have never seen more brand new members to FC than in this Crafty and Mighty thread. Most lurk, yet read about all the issues, etc. and there are other forums were the problems are complained about greatly. Pretty sure this would be the end of the Crafty and Mighty if the defect rate continues to be so high. I do like how they wrote that the product has been improved since first release....at least they are acknowledging!

S&B do not owe us anything, and they definitely do not have to let us know what the "problems" are or solutions. Sounds like the Crafty is not the portable for you... since I have zero interest in any other portable other than the Mighty, I feel like an alternative recommendation is a complete moot point.

 

[kkaspar]

Hey welcome to FC, but just a heads up with your reprinting of their email, unless you have S&B permission to post that dialogue, you shouldn't be posting it here (against the rules).

It's a bummer that the warranty does not reset, but I personally did not expect it to. I don't know of any manufacturers that allow this? A 2 year warranty is a 2 year warranty - they will cover you for 2 years, period. If your craps out at 23 months, you will get a brand new unit, and you'll be left with no warranty, but they had you covered for those first 2. I'm happy, could be 1 year like many other manufacturers. If you think the Crafty shits the bed, perhaps try an Inhalater?

They have been updating the firmware along the way, and who knows what else behind the scenes, because we sure don't. As for enough hype revolving around them to sell, how long do you think that will last? I have never seen more brand new members to FC than in this Crafty and Mighty thread. Most lurk, yet read about all the issues, etc. and there are other forums were the problems are complained about greatly. Pretty sure this would be the end of the Crafty and Mighty if the defect rate continues to be so high. I do like how they wrote that the product has been improved since first release....at least they are acknowledging!

S&B do not owe us anything, and they definitely do not have to let us know what the "problems" are or solutions. Sounds like the Crafty is not the portable for you... since I have zero interest in any other portable other than the Mighty, I feel like an alternative recommendation is a complete moot point.

Hi, thank you for the tip. I edited their e-mail quote out of my post.
I think that offering a warranty reset would make the purchase more reasonable. Because based on the experiences of people here, it seems that over half of their units fail in the range of 6 months. So, the 2 year warranty basically means a 2 year old lifetime.

Seems like the entire portable vape scene is in a alpha phase, and to get a true quality unit, I should wait a year or two

 

[biohacker]

Such is life my friend... you can wait and wait for the next best thing, but then you will never have anything. As imperfect as the Crafty is, I just can't see myself not having one! Same goes for the Mighty!

 

[kkaspar]

Such is life my friend... you can wait and wait for the next best thing, but then you will never have anything. As imperfect as the Crafty is, I just can't see myself not having one! Same goes for the Mighty!

You would be a great salesman for S&B, since now I'm thinking that maybe I should just buy it for the lulz while I wait for something better

Is reliability difference between Crafty and the Mighty big? I mostly use my desktop vape extreme q, and would probably use the portable for about 10 sessions per week. Crafty is attractive for it's light weight. Size isn't very important to me, but it would be uncomfortable if the weight is dragging my pockets down. What would you recommend for me?

 

[biohacker]

Trust me I have my beefs with S&B, but what can you do other than support and purchase, or not support and not purchase? I choose to support and purchase (now now!).

IMHO the difference in reliability between the Crafty and Mighty is huge, and if size isn't very important to you (giggity!) I would 100% move toward the Mighty light! It's a bit heavier and definitely bulkier, but I pulled it off last summer no problem, but I like having the Crafty for that purpose (stealth).

 

[Mr. Me2]

I wish S&B would give out some warranty stats for these 2 vapes. I think that @biohacker may be right that the Mighty is more reliable, but I think that's mostly based on the postings here. But who really knows what the % of faulty units of each model is (and if those numbers change with more recent versions). All I know is that I haven't had any issues with my Crafty (with fingers still crossed).

Having said that, if reliability is your top concern, seems like you're safer with the Mighty.

 

[vapviking]

I think @biohacker has it right, a 2 year ride is just that.

I'm also efforting to learn first-hand so I might add to the discussion.
The 're-setting' of a warranty could potentially put the company into a perpetual liability. It would also be a great selling point. I believe they'd really be advertising a warranty like that very clearly, and they're not.

My suggestion for @kkaspar is to go for the Mighty!
Hey, here's a minor selling point. When it comes time for new batteries, with Crafty it's 1 for $70, but with Mighty you get 2 for $90! (soldering skills notwithstanding) Plus, the interval between needing the 2 Mighty batteries is twice as long as Crafty's single.

edit; granted, these numbers seem high for a ten dollar battery!

 

[kkaspar]

Thank you for all the information, guys. You've given me a lot to think about.

I have one more question.
Is the stealthiness of crafty also practical? I mean that can you use it in a crowded place without getting attention?
As I currently see it, both crafty and mighty seem like tools that are better used by going around the corner for couple of minutes. Or can the crafty be palmed enough that the stealthiness comes practical in everyday life?

 

[Mr. Me2]

Thank you for all the information, guys. You've given me a lot to think about.

I have one more question.
Is the stealthiness of crafty also practical? I mean that can you use it in a crowded place without getting attention?
As I currently see it, both crafty and mighty seem like tools that are better used by going around the corner for couple of minutes. Or can the crafty be palmed enough that the stealthiness comes practical in everyday life?

So... How big are your hands? I think the Crafty is more portable than the Mighty because of its smaller size, but I don't think it's particularly stealthy.

If stealth is a priority to you, you may want to consider the pax 2. Or if you don't mind waiting, the grasshopper.

 

[biohacker]

@Mr. Me2 nailed it....all depends on the size of your hands. I have big hands so can palm the Crafty pretty well, and it nearly disappears..... the Mighty I can cover decently, but definitely can be seen. Half of the reason I purchased the Crafty is for my wife's smaller hands..... the Mighty just looks too massive in her little hands, and I prefer to have other things look massive in her hands instead! Giggity!

 

[ligi]

I got my crafty back from S&B and have the feeling 2.04->2.08 is a regression:
- I have the feeling I have to push the button to reactivate through a session way more often ( was the timeout decreased? ) - I do not want to rush through a session
- sometimes it does not vibrate

 

[Kaptan]

I received my 5th replacement Crafty last week and it is already not functioning properly. The vibration feedback does not work. I am going to request they ship another replacement before sending this one back as the failure rate on this unit is becoming unacceptable.

 

[Stinky]

I just got off the phone with Christine, a Storz & Bickel rep, they called me back after I had sent an email inquiry on my Crafty replacement and requested a call. I told her I had concerns that in about a years time, I've had to warranty my Crafty 5 times and this seemed excessive. She did advise that their engineers are actively seeking improvements and I should not worry because.....
The 2 year warranty is reset when they send a new replacement Crafty!

I think most here thought and possibly were told otherwise. I told her a different rep had advised me the warranty is only for the initial 2 years only. She repeated herself and assured me that was their policy regarding warranty. So now I am quite happy I did not upgrade to a Mighty.

I also mentioned to her about how @Vambo1980 (I didn't mention specific names) fixed his Crafty to be more reliable with his internal modifications. She did say she would pass the information along to the engineers.

I finally got a reply from Bickel and Storz confirming that the warranty does NOT reset with every warranty replacement.

I really wish they'd stop telling one customer one thing and the next something different. It is causing a lot of confusion in the marketplace.

 

[pday89]

I finally got a reply from Bickel and Storz confirming that the warranty does NOT reset with every warranty replacement.

I really wish they'd stop telling one customer one thing and the next something different. It is causing a lot of confusion in the marketplace.

Experiencing a similar issue. My battery was defective, so I thought I'd contact the S&B support I've always heard great things about. MYTH BUSTED. They are awful. They never answer the phones, and respond to questions/concerns in "form email." I've read all these different accounts of people getting replacements, repairs, etc., and they all seem to be for different amounts of $. I owned my Crafty for 6 months, handled it very delicately, and all of a sudden a message appeared on the app telling me my unit was defective. After this, the unit wouldn't even turn on. S&B wants me to pay $70, not including $10-$15 shipping and handling, and is saying it's just "wear and tear."

So, be advised- you'll likely have to spend $70 every 6 months for what they refer to as "wear and tear." Otherwise, "your product's performance will continue to worsen over time"...before seizing to work, at all, again.

 

[biohacker]

How many hours on the Crafty did you have? Welcome to FC!

 

[pday89]

You would be a great salesman for S&B, since now I'm thinking that maybe I should just buy it for the lulz while I wait for something better

Is reliability difference between Crafty and the Mighty big? I mostly use my desktop vape extreme q, and would probably use the portable for about 10 sessions per week. Crafty is attractive for it's light weight. Size isn't very important to me, but it would be uncomfortable if the weight is dragging my pockets down. What would you recommend for me?

Neither of these products are reliable. Look at all the people who need 4-5 replacements. I treated my unit delicately, and after 6 months it just stopped working (a message appeared saying it was "defective"). Now, S&B wants me to spend $70 to replace a battery (including $30 in labor) for something they know is defective. They won't respond to any of my calls- nobody even picks up the phone! On top of that, they just ignore any particulars that you bring up in email, and give a "form response." I've never been so disappointed with customer service. You hear all these great things about S&B standing behind their products- maybe they did that 10 years ago, but I assure you they are not doing it anymore. They can't even pick up the damn phone.

 

[ginolicious]

Thank you for all the information, guys. You've given me a lot to think about.

I have one more question.
Is the stealthiness of crafty also practical? I mean that can you use it in a crowded place without getting attention?
As I currently see it, both crafty and mighty seem like tools that are better used by going around the corner for couple of minutes. Or can the crafty be palmed enough that the stealthiness comes practical in everyday life?

If you are looking for stealth. Check out the Elevape Smart Vaporizer

 

[pday89]

How many hours on the Crafty did you have? Welcome to FC!

So that's part of the issue- I had 120 hours on mine, but that's largely because it would take FOREVER to heat up. Then, it would often just overheat (red and blue lights would start flashing), and I'd have to wait for it to cool off before trying to use it again. So I'd basically use the entire full-charge on a single pack. By the way, I had firmware V02.05. Read that a lot of people had issues with that firmware and associated heat/charging units, as well as the fragile external housing.

Oh, and the icing on the cake- they want me to pay $30 in LABOR. Just really sticking it to me in a way I never imagined from S&B. Aside from the Crafty, I've purchased 2 Volcanos over the past ~9 years, as well as hundreds of dollars in accessories. Never sent in a single product for repair. Always "bragged" to friends that, in the need of a repair, S&B wouldn't slap me around like some of the other "stoner-gadget" companies might. Now I just feel like a total fool- especially when my friend just sent in his defective PAX2 and received a brand new one for free (didn't even have to pay for shipping).

 

[biohacker]

IMHO only, it sounds to me that you torched your battery. I would be able to get half of 120 hours, lots of people have brand new Crafty's that shit the bed in less than 30 with the newest firmware. It's just the name of the roulette game with the Crafty. I totally disagree with you that the Mighty isn't reliable, but they have only been out for just over a year. You don't see what you see here in the Mighty thread, not even close. Regardless, maybe your best bet is to just pay for the battery? You will receive a brand new Crafty, and then you can sell it! I'll buy it!