Here are my very first impressions of the silver Firefly unit I just received:
The packaging is very Apple-esque, nice presentation. The build quality of the unit is good. I like the size and weight of it in my hand. My only nitpicks so far would be that the heating button feels a little cheap for the price, and the battery door could close more securely. Also, the screen seems to move around easily, and there's a slight gap between the glass bowl and the (ceramic? stainless steel?) plate the screen sits on. This seems like a potential spot for bud to get stuck in, but I'll have to read up on the design more to understand better. The 45 minute charging time was impressive.
I ground up .1g of Bubblegum to the same consistency I always use (medium fine from a small Space Case). I loosely packed it in the bowl and turned the unit on. I first held the button down for around 8 seconds to preheat the device, followed by a second button push where I waited a few seconds and then inhaled for around 10 seconds. I took 7 or 8 draws in total, slightly varying the amount of time I held the button down, as well as my draw speed, each time. I tapped the unit a few times throughout the session to promote even extraction. Does anyone think doing this could potentially mess with the heating coil alignment?
Overall, I got solid clouds, and the flavor was good. On some hits, I think I pushed the button a bit too long for my liking, resulting in vapor that was a little too hot and a little too toasted taste wise. I did not seem to approach combustion temperatures at any time. The resulting ABV was pretty evenly cooked, and there was no charring. I'd say it was fairly similar in appearance to ABV from the Herbalizer.
Perhaps most important is that the effects have been profound. I'm actually a bit too stoned for my liking right now, which is what would have happened if I took the same amount of hits in a row from my Herbalizer. I'm sure the unfamiliar vape signature is playing a role here, as well as the fact that I haven't used marijuana in nearly a week (I typically vape daily), but it's impressive nonetheless. It does appear as though the unit is utilizing a significant deal of convection, which is much more efficient than conduction IME. I wouldn't have been anywhere close to this high if I took 7 draws from my Solo.
I feel like keeping the unit 100% spotless will be a challenge, as bud seems to make its way into all the little crevices in the bowl and lid. However, it'd be pretty quick and simple to wipe the unit down after each session. Is it no problem to wipe the device down with some ISO on a microfiber cloth? It looks like the magnetic lid features some sort of rubber (or is it silicone? either way, I'm hoping the material used is high temp resistant), so I wonder if getting ISO on that part could become an issue. For now, the brush works well enough for cleaning. I already use a similar brush that came with a beard trimmer.
In sum, my initial impressions are pretty positive, and I'm looking forward to experimenting a bit more. Will report back.
Although I suppose they don't want especially curious owners taking stuff apart and then not being able to put it back
