One small complaint about the great SSV I wish the nob was on the same side as the element. Maybe I should have got a dbv. However I love the look of the unit and the spherical ground glass joint is amazing. It's NBD just wondering if anyone agreed?
Yeah that's an SSV quirk. I think the overall unit is an elegant solution for looking clean in front with a downward-angled heater cover. This is what the slanted tube design is all about. If the tube wasn't slanted, or didn't have a cut-out (which wouldn't look as slick as a bullet-tube), the heater cover would have to stick out like a faucet so you could get under it. This would look goofy (we could call it the gonzo tube) and would be hazardous to have hot glass protruding from the design.
Another benefit though is that the logo/front looks super clean with no heating element or cord, and maybe kinda discreet too depending on your colors. Can't really tell what it is unless you're 420 smart and you recognize the blown glass, and then you can only suspect unless you inspect it or know the SSV already.
I'm still waiting for mine. I think I'll be turning it 90 degrees (sideways - left hand knob, right hand wand) for vaping, and squaring it up again when done... we'll see.
If you don't care about the SSV downward design, maybe you shoulda gotten a DBV
... BUT BEFORE YOU GET SICK WITH REMORSE, enjoy the downward design - you won't be fighting gravity as you try to keep herbs spread evenly on your wand's screen (no spin just to avoid mess) - and the SSV's heating element has a greater surface area, it has aluminum housing, hand-blown glass parts... you got the pimp vape.
edit: idea: put the SSV on one of those lazy susan spinning things?