VaporGenie and VaporStar belong to the most popular lighter powered portable units.
When I came to vaporizing, I and others have suffered from lack of information about both these units in head-to-head. So I went to VaporStar firstly because of its attractive price. First impressions were great and after few sessions, when I figured out the technique well, I knew I'm gonna be a die-hard fuck-combuster. VS was fast, efficient and tasty. Then VaporGenie company released the glass version of their pipe. I could not wait anymore. I've bought GlassVG and my love to vaporizing grew even more.
The advantages of these small lighter powered vaporHighzers are significant comparing to the much more bigger, expensive, technologically complicated, electrically powered vaporizers. You don't have to wait for heat-up which can take several minutes. Just take & vape. Furthermore, the shorter vapor path, the less active ingredients lost. Claims of inhaled butane are irrelevant when torch/jet-lighter is used. Also, with lighter powered vape, you can adjust the temperature to whatever you want according to your experience and extract all the THC and other important cannabinoids which are released at higher temperatures and, moreover, you can get hits with gradually increasing tempterature during inhaling, which you cannot with many others vapes. That is why I see the possibility of combustion as an advantage because if you master the technique, you can vaporize all of the goodness if you exactly know where is the border of combustion.
Lets see how did these two biggest rivals in head-to-head.
Here's my LQ warm-up video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CLSsFDmrlU
VaporStar
Glass VaporGenie
I will share my experiences with you by comparing these two units in several categories.
1. Portability
VaporStar
7.5 / 10
Glass VaporGenie
7.5 / 10
Both vaporizers can be used outdoors but they are not 100% portable units.
You can choose any of the various cool mini bongs to travel with your VaporStar. I have chosen the molino mini bong:
VaporStar is easy to hide in the pocket due to its size: 15g, 7cm long. But bong + mouthpiece + tweezers = that's a lot of things to carry with. I had problems with stucking metal cap in the VS's bowl, but now, sometimes while carrying in the pocket, the metal cap tends to fall out the VaporStar's bowl and the loaded herb as well.
GlassVG is 18 cm long and 10 cm tall and the best way is to carry it in the pouch, which protects the VG pretty well. The top filter-piece do not tend to fall out the pipe while carrying in the pouch. The pouch is pretty big, there is a 16.4" laptop next to the hemp-pouch to compare sizes.
However, I would not recommend to use Glass VaporGenie outside, since I've learnt my lesson. While VS has a lot of accessories, GlassVG is bigger and all glass. I think Classic Aluminum VaporGenie or Bat ownz this issue.
2. Efficiency
VaporStar
9.5 / 10
Glass VaporGenie
9 / 10
Comparing the efficiency rate of both units is pretty tricky. In general, lighter powered vapes are as much efficient as good is your technique. However, the GlassVG has by 50% deeper bowl than regular VG, which is better for bigger sessions, but when you load too much, you have to stir the herb after each hit because the herb is being vaporized from the top to the bottom so the very top herb can be dark while the bottom is still fresh green.
VS takes a lead. VaporStar's efficiency is slightly better because of the smaller bowl, and the material, shape and 'U' design of the VaporStar's metal cap provide vaporizing at more steady temperature. I find the possibility of twisting the bowl after the each hit more like an advantage as a necessity.
I would say you can extract the same amount of goodness from both units but VaporStar makes the loaded herb go brown and powder-like faster.
3. Convenient usage & reloading
VaporStar
8.0 / 10
Glass VaporGenie
10 / 10
Messing with accessories while flying in the clouds is annoying. Here, the GlassVG wins by far. It has cool shape and screen doesn't fall out while emptying the bowl. It stands on a flat surface. Just 2 pieces, no screwing, no tweezers just ligther, you, and your universe
I think there won't be more convenient vape as Glass VaporGenie. It's fantastic!
VaporStar is still easier to use than most other portable vaporizers.
Hint: you can add some hot water into the bong for milder and smoother hits.
Hint#2: The metal cap of VS gets very hot, so advise your stoned friends not to touch it! Use tweezers. The wooden bowl gets hot but it is safe to touch.
Glass VaporGenie is safer. The top filter piece doesn't get hot, just warm. You can reload the bowl or stir the herb right after the session without worries. The hottest part is the bended joint area under the bowl and the bowl itself. But not so hot to burn you. I am actually holding the Glass VG at the joint and bowl to heat my hands when being in a cold environment
4. Stealth
The stealthy usage was the minor priority in designing both units. Thank God. I like when I 'light' my vape rather then heat it somehow invisibly, that's why I don't recommend you to use it in the bus, theatre, cinema or other public places. I vape in close circle of my friends rather than in some public areas.
5. Pre-heating & additional-heating
VaporStar
9.5 / 10
Glass VaporGenie
9 / 10
These units became so popular also thanks to their short pre-heat time. Shorter than many (if not every) other vaporizers. But all I can say is technique. In general, the slower you inhale, the more you heat. The faster you inhale, the more you cool. You have to figure out what's best. But generally, VaporStar is quicker. 7-10 seconds to pre-heat 1st draw. Then 3-5 seconds for additional heatings. It depends on pace of your breath and also lighter used. However, be aware that quick VS's heating times can mean the higher chance of combustion, especially for newbie users.
I've measured GlassVG's timings as 8-10 seconds for pre-heat and 4-6 seconds for additional drawings. It's because the VG loses its gained heat faster due to bigger bowl and also the ceramic heating element doesn't tend to keep its hot temperature as stainless steel metal cap used in VaporStar, but if you've done the technique well, you can reach pretty same timings as with VS.
Both units can provide big hits in really short heating time. If you want really massive hits, I would like to suggest you to use the torch/jet-lighter rather than the regular/bic lighter for both units. However, It's more difficult to learn the technique with the jet-lighter so if you're new, start with a bic and then go for a torch.
Another point which makes me love the torch is, that it creates the airflow itself. You basically don't have to suck the air while heating first second(s) to achieve better results for high vapor/air ratio lovers.
For the best results with VS, I would advise you to point the jet flame vertically to the metal cap's hole but be very careful, since it is very easy to burn the wooden bowl and damage your VaporStar.
Hint: The hottest point of the torch-flame is at the tip of the inner cone, where the pale flame meets the deeper-colored outer flame, but for the fastest heating, keep the whole visible flame above the filter. Try to vary the distance of the flame to the filter while inhaling and combine it with your breath control. I prefer when I get shots with gradually increasing temperature, starting from low temp and ending at higher. After you master the technique, you can achieve big and dense clouds without combustion.
Hint#2: To shorten the pre-heat timing, try to heat the filter units above the flame separately, before the session.
6. Taste & vapor path
VaporStar
9.0 / 10
Glass VaporGenie
9.5 / 10
Both units provide tasty hits. But glass is glass and I find GlassVG's hits more clean. It's like a heaven. AFAIK Glass VaporGenie is the first all-glass vaporizing pipe with convection method of heating. A difference between the taste of using the hempwick and torch-lighter is that the hempwick creates smoother and the torch-lighter cleaner taste.
On the other hand, I don't recommend to use the hempwick or any other candle-flame source with VaporStar. The flame touches the metal cap and produces soot and wax taste.
The torch-lighter completely burns butane so there isn't soot created. Using the torch-lighter with both units is the best way IMO. However, it lowers the lifetime of the VaporStar.
The VaporStar's metal cap is less thermostable than ceramic heating element of VaporGenie. Stainless steel (VS) oxidizes at ca 800C while silicon carbid (VG) @ 1400-1500C. Oxidizing stainless steel can be noticed as a little change of the color of the metal (like when you hold screens above the torch-flame) and releasing minor metal fumes which are not toxic. It's an advantage for the ceramic heating element of VG in terms of the purer air path, but on the other hand, the stainless steel is better at keeping the hot temperatures as I've mentioned above.
The air path of VaporStar goes through the stianless steel metal cap, screen, wooden bowl and glass bong
in case of Glass VaporGenie it's all glass except the silicon carbid filter (+ its stainless steel retaining wire) and screen.
7. Durability
VaporStar
8 / 10
Glass VaporGenie
7 / 10
Although glass can be shattered, it lasts longer than wood. However, VaporStar wins this one. Wood can survive fall on hard surface, glass not. But after a year of usage, mine VaporStar's bowl is burned from inner-side caused by the heat of the metal cap. Moreover, using jet-lighter will decrease the lifetime of VaporStar.
Obviously, both units are not 100% durable, so you have to treat them nicely but there is not need of any superb special attention. Glass VaporGenie is made of high quality borosilicate glass with thickness from 2.5 - 5 mm. So you can handle GlassVG without worries. (lol).
EDIT: Since I broke my second Glass VG, I have chance to play with the Ceramic filter. Although I assumed it to be very durable in long-term, the 'ceramic sponge' is showing a degradation after half year of use. The filter leaves black dust after gently scraping the edge of the ceramic filter with tweezers. This find may relate to others' claims about "shrinking" filters on the VaporGenie thread.
8. Maintenance
Glass doesn't get old and is easier to clean than wood. But I don't find this so important. It should be an enjoyment for a vape-enthusiast to clean his beloved vaporizer
Hint: After 5 sessions, try to do dry runs without the filter but do not let the flame touch anything. This evaporates the sedimentary goodness and you can get usually few really solid hits
After a few weeks, I tried to 'lightbulb style' vaporize the residue in my molino glass bong which I use with VaporStar, and it worked perfectly. It gave me astonishing full 4 sessions of vaporizing!
Hint#2: I suggest for Glass VaporGenie owners to use bic lighter when there are soot/particles visible on the ceramic VG filter. It cleans it better than jet-flame (when the filter remains untached by the flame of course)
Verdict & recommendations
VaporStar
Portability 7.5
Efficiency 9.5
Convenient usage & reloading 8.0
Pre-heating & additional-heating 9.5
Taste & vapor path 9.0
Durability 8.0
Glass VaporGenie
Portability 7.5
Efficiency 9.0
Convenient usage & reloading 10
Pre-heating & additional-heating 9.0
Taste & vapor path 9.5
Durability 7.0
VaporStar = effectivity & value Glass VaporGenie = taste & luxury
I would like to emphasize, that both vaporizers are high-quality and you can not go wrong with either one.
If you are on a budget, have nothing against the wood, prefer maximum efficiency, or have some glass bongs already go with VaporStar which is considered as the best vape in quality/value ratio.
If you are an all-glass lover or want to experience luxurious and tasty vapors with style, go with Glass VaporGenie but you have to be aware that it is breakable.
If you want a vaporizer for outdoor/mountains/snowboarding activities, go with Classic Aluminum or Bat VaporGenie.
BTW, VaporStar plans to make the glass version. What a great news!
Where to buy?
You can buy VaporStar for 20 + any bong you like, but I recommend a smaller one, due to a better breath control.
Official website
http://vaporstar.co.uk/id47.html
Azarius:
http://azarius.net/headshop/vaporizers/portable_vaporizers/vaporizer_vaporstar/
EDIT:
http://www.everyonedoesit.co.uk/online_headshop/Vapourstar__Vapourising_Bowl.cfm?iProductID=4203
Glass VaporGenie is available only on VaporGenie website for $99
https://www.vaporgenie.com/Glass.html
Some pictures
This is what left of my Glass VaporGenie :'(
Another GlassVG disaster
VG holds on rubber bands
Ceramic filter (leftovers)
HempWick and SpaceCase Ti Medium
Chilling with VS
EDIT#5: adaptations of some ratings
Happy cloud tripping
?
When I came to vaporizing, I and others have suffered from lack of information about both these units in head-to-head. So I went to VaporStar firstly because of its attractive price. First impressions were great and after few sessions, when I figured out the technique well, I knew I'm gonna be a die-hard fuck-combuster. VS was fast, efficient and tasty. Then VaporGenie company released the glass version of their pipe. I could not wait anymore. I've bought GlassVG and my love to vaporizing grew even more.
The advantages of these small lighter powered vaporHighzers are significant comparing to the much more bigger, expensive, technologically complicated, electrically powered vaporizers. You don't have to wait for heat-up which can take several minutes. Just take & vape. Furthermore, the shorter vapor path, the less active ingredients lost. Claims of inhaled butane are irrelevant when torch/jet-lighter is used. Also, with lighter powered vape, you can adjust the temperature to whatever you want according to your experience and extract all the THC and other important cannabinoids which are released at higher temperatures and, moreover, you can get hits with gradually increasing tempterature during inhaling, which you cannot with many others vapes. That is why I see the possibility of combustion as an advantage because if you master the technique, you can vaporize all of the goodness if you exactly know where is the border of combustion.
Lets see how did these two biggest rivals in head-to-head.
Here's my LQ warm-up video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CLSsFDmrlU
VaporStar
Glass VaporGenie
I will share my experiences with you by comparing these two units in several categories.
1. Portability
VaporStar
7.5 / 10
Glass VaporGenie
7.5 / 10
Both vaporizers can be used outdoors but they are not 100% portable units.
You can choose any of the various cool mini bongs to travel with your VaporStar. I have chosen the molino mini bong:
VaporStar is easy to hide in the pocket due to its size: 15g, 7cm long. But bong + mouthpiece + tweezers = that's a lot of things to carry with. I had problems with stucking metal cap in the VS's bowl, but now, sometimes while carrying in the pocket, the metal cap tends to fall out the VaporStar's bowl and the loaded herb as well.
GlassVG is 18 cm long and 10 cm tall and the best way is to carry it in the pouch, which protects the VG pretty well. The top filter-piece do not tend to fall out the pipe while carrying in the pouch. The pouch is pretty big, there is a 16.4" laptop next to the hemp-pouch to compare sizes.
However, I would not recommend to use Glass VaporGenie outside, since I've learnt my lesson. While VS has a lot of accessories, GlassVG is bigger and all glass. I think Classic Aluminum VaporGenie or Bat ownz this issue.
2. Efficiency
VaporStar
9.5 / 10
Glass VaporGenie
9 / 10
Comparing the efficiency rate of both units is pretty tricky. In general, lighter powered vapes are as much efficient as good is your technique. However, the GlassVG has by 50% deeper bowl than regular VG, which is better for bigger sessions, but when you load too much, you have to stir the herb after each hit because the herb is being vaporized from the top to the bottom so the very top herb can be dark while the bottom is still fresh green.
VS takes a lead. VaporStar's efficiency is slightly better because of the smaller bowl, and the material, shape and 'U' design of the VaporStar's metal cap provide vaporizing at more steady temperature. I find the possibility of twisting the bowl after the each hit more like an advantage as a necessity.
I would say you can extract the same amount of goodness from both units but VaporStar makes the loaded herb go brown and powder-like faster.
3. Convenient usage & reloading
VaporStar
8.0 / 10
Glass VaporGenie
10 / 10
Messing with accessories while flying in the clouds is annoying. Here, the GlassVG wins by far. It has cool shape and screen doesn't fall out while emptying the bowl. It stands on a flat surface. Just 2 pieces, no screwing, no tweezers just ligther, you, and your universe
I think there won't be more convenient vape as Glass VaporGenie. It's fantastic!VaporStar is still easier to use than most other portable vaporizers.
Hint: you can add some hot water into the bong for milder and smoother hits.
Hint#2: The metal cap of VS gets very hot, so advise your stoned friends not to touch it! Use tweezers. The wooden bowl gets hot but it is safe to touch.
Glass VaporGenie is safer. The top filter piece doesn't get hot, just warm. You can reload the bowl or stir the herb right after the session without worries. The hottest part is the bended joint area under the bowl and the bowl itself. But not so hot to burn you. I am actually holding the Glass VG at the joint and bowl to heat my hands when being in a cold environment
4. Stealth
The stealthy usage was the minor priority in designing both units. Thank God. I like when I 'light' my vape rather then heat it somehow invisibly, that's why I don't recommend you to use it in the bus, theatre, cinema or other public places. I vape in close circle of my friends rather than in some public areas.
5. Pre-heating & additional-heating
VaporStar
9.5 / 10
Glass VaporGenie
9 / 10
These units became so popular also thanks to their short pre-heat time. Shorter than many (if not every) other vaporizers. But all I can say is technique. In general, the slower you inhale, the more you heat. The faster you inhale, the more you cool. You have to figure out what's best. But generally, VaporStar is quicker. 7-10 seconds to pre-heat 1st draw. Then 3-5 seconds for additional heatings. It depends on pace of your breath and also lighter used. However, be aware that quick VS's heating times can mean the higher chance of combustion, especially for newbie users.
I've measured GlassVG's timings as 8-10 seconds for pre-heat and 4-6 seconds for additional drawings. It's because the VG loses its gained heat faster due to bigger bowl and also the ceramic heating element doesn't tend to keep its hot temperature as stainless steel metal cap used in VaporStar, but if you've done the technique well, you can reach pretty same timings as with VS.
Both units can provide big hits in really short heating time. If you want really massive hits, I would like to suggest you to use the torch/jet-lighter rather than the regular/bic lighter for both units. However, It's more difficult to learn the technique with the jet-lighter so if you're new, start with a bic and then go for a torch.
Another point which makes me love the torch is, that it creates the airflow itself. You basically don't have to suck the air while heating first second(s) to achieve better results for high vapor/air ratio lovers.
For the best results with VS, I would advise you to point the jet flame vertically to the metal cap's hole but be very careful, since it is very easy to burn the wooden bowl and damage your VaporStar.
Hint: The hottest point of the torch-flame is at the tip of the inner cone, where the pale flame meets the deeper-colored outer flame, but for the fastest heating, keep the whole visible flame above the filter. Try to vary the distance of the flame to the filter while inhaling and combine it with your breath control. I prefer when I get shots with gradually increasing temperature, starting from low temp and ending at higher. After you master the technique, you can achieve big and dense clouds without combustion.
Hint#2: To shorten the pre-heat timing, try to heat the filter units above the flame separately, before the session.
6. Taste & vapor path
VaporStar
9.0 / 10
Glass VaporGenie
9.5 / 10
Both units provide tasty hits. But glass is glass and I find GlassVG's hits more clean. It's like a heaven. AFAIK Glass VaporGenie is the first all-glass vaporizing pipe with convection method of heating. A difference between the taste of using the hempwick and torch-lighter is that the hempwick creates smoother and the torch-lighter cleaner taste.
On the other hand, I don't recommend to use the hempwick or any other candle-flame source with VaporStar. The flame touches the metal cap and produces soot and wax taste.
The torch-lighter completely burns butane so there isn't soot created. Using the torch-lighter with both units is the best way IMO. However, it lowers the lifetime of the VaporStar.
The VaporStar's metal cap is less thermostable than ceramic heating element of VaporGenie. Stainless steel (VS) oxidizes at ca 800C while silicon carbid (VG) @ 1400-1500C. Oxidizing stainless steel can be noticed as a little change of the color of the metal (like when you hold screens above the torch-flame) and releasing minor metal fumes which are not toxic. It's an advantage for the ceramic heating element of VG in terms of the purer air path, but on the other hand, the stainless steel is better at keeping the hot temperatures as I've mentioned above.
The air path of VaporStar goes through the stianless steel metal cap, screen, wooden bowl and glass bong
in case of Glass VaporGenie it's all glass except the silicon carbid filter (+ its stainless steel retaining wire) and screen.
7. Durability
VaporStar
8 / 10
Glass VaporGenie
7 / 10
Although glass can be shattered, it lasts longer than wood. However, VaporStar wins this one. Wood can survive fall on hard surface, glass not. But after a year of usage, mine VaporStar's bowl is burned from inner-side caused by the heat of the metal cap. Moreover, using jet-lighter will decrease the lifetime of VaporStar.
Obviously, both units are not 100% durable, so you have to treat them nicely but there is not need of any superb special attention. Glass VaporGenie is made of high quality borosilicate glass with thickness from 2.5 - 5 mm. So you can handle GlassVG without worries. (lol).
EDIT: Since I broke my second Glass VG, I have chance to play with the Ceramic filter. Although I assumed it to be very durable in long-term, the 'ceramic sponge' is showing a degradation after half year of use. The filter leaves black dust after gently scraping the edge of the ceramic filter with tweezers. This find may relate to others' claims about "shrinking" filters on the VaporGenie thread.
8. Maintenance
Glass doesn't get old and is easier to clean than wood. But I don't find this so important. It should be an enjoyment for a vape-enthusiast to clean his beloved vaporizer
Hint: After 5 sessions, try to do dry runs without the filter but do not let the flame touch anything. This evaporates the sedimentary goodness and you can get usually few really solid hits
After a few weeks, I tried to 'lightbulb style' vaporize the residue in my molino glass bong which I use with VaporStar, and it worked perfectly. It gave me astonishing full 4 sessions of vaporizing!Hint#2: I suggest for Glass VaporGenie owners to use bic lighter when there are soot/particles visible on the ceramic VG filter. It cleans it better than jet-flame (when the filter remains untached by the flame of course)
Verdict & recommendations
VaporStar
Portability 7.5
Efficiency 9.5
Convenient usage & reloading 8.0
Pre-heating & additional-heating 9.5
Taste & vapor path 9.0
Durability 8.0
Glass VaporGenie
Portability 7.5
Efficiency 9.0
Convenient usage & reloading 10
Pre-heating & additional-heating 9.0
Taste & vapor path 9.5
Durability 7.0
VaporStar = effectivity & value Glass VaporGenie = taste & luxury
I would like to emphasize, that both vaporizers are high-quality and you can not go wrong with either one.
If you are on a budget, have nothing against the wood, prefer maximum efficiency, or have some glass bongs already go with VaporStar which is considered as the best vape in quality/value ratio.
If you are an all-glass lover or want to experience luxurious and tasty vapors with style, go with Glass VaporGenie
but you have to be aware that it is breakable.If you want a vaporizer for outdoor/mountains/snowboarding activities, go with Classic Aluminum or Bat VaporGenie.
BTW, VaporStar plans to make the glass version. What a great news!
Where to buy?
You can buy VaporStar for 20 + any bong you like, but I recommend a smaller one, due to a better breath control.
Official website
http://vaporstar.co.uk/id47.html
Azarius:
http://azarius.net/headshop/vaporizers/portable_vaporizers/vaporizer_vaporstar/
EDIT:
http://www.everyonedoesit.co.uk/online_headshop/Vapourstar__Vapourising_Bowl.cfm?iProductID=4203
Glass VaporGenie is available only on VaporGenie website for $99
https://www.vaporgenie.com/Glass.html
Some pictures
This is what left of my Glass VaporGenie :'(
Another GlassVG disaster
VG holds on rubber bands
Ceramic filter (leftovers)
HempWick and SpaceCase Ti Medium
Chilling with VS
EDIT#5: adaptations of some ratings
Happy cloud tripping
?
you will be more than satisfied
Think I might polish off this last lil .2 nugglet in the VS & save the last gram for later. 
