The Herbalizer

[Hey Nineteen]

For context, the Herbie was my daily driver for more than 4 years - 1 year on my original unit and 3 more on the replacement. Several pounds went through it over that amount of time and I loved most things about it except the bags (I preferred to use the Volcano rolls).

Having dealt with the company through one replacement, I have every reason to think that they will stand by their products and make things right by anyone who suffers a failure. I personally won’t be requesting a replacement because I’m pretty paranoid about fire and think there may be a bit of a design issue involved, but also because after 4 years I’m simply ready for a change.

While some vaporizers are more combustible than others, offhand I can’t think of any that come without any fire risk. This experience was a reminder to me that I shouldn’t leave them unattended in general because things can go south in a matter of seconds.

Regarding the Plenty, I’m using it as a backup for the meantime while I try to get my hands on a Glass Symphony. Definitely less convenient, efficient, and tasty than a Herbie. It’s very sturdy and quite effective just like the other Storz & Bickel products I’ve had (Mighty and Digital Volcano). It’s a bit of an odd duck but it’s been particularly useful for me in camping scenarios where an inverter or generator is available for power.

Thanks for the input on the Herbie. I was definitely going to buy it, but it was like $700+ when it came out so I went with the Plenty. Lately the price has come down considerably on the Herbie. Yeah the fire thing is scary especially in an illegal state like mine. I am sure the EVO is excellent, but I am also sure I will knock it over and break it as it sits up way to high. I guess I really just have VAS anyway and will keep what I have.

 

[His_Highness]

I have an EVO and a Herbie....I don't leave them on unattended. Come to think about it....I don't leave any of my vapes on unattended. The most risky thing I do is to charge my Solos without keeping an eye on them. If any of my vapes use replaceable batteries I charge them in a well rated stand-alone charger.

I've had my Herbie go into what I think of as a "fan only" error mode at the max temp toward the end of a session when trying to cache the bowl. That fan kicks on and it seems to stop heating and the only way to continue is to turn it off and turn it back on again. This worries me a little more now since reading about the unit melting down.

Still...with the above in mind......

The Herbie is our "medicinal" vape and it's an especially important device for my wife because of the instant speed to temp, smoothness and ability to fill a bag or pair of lungs with that thick cloudy goodness/medicine so quickly and completely.

The EVO is our favorite "recreational- chillin and enjoying the session/taste" vape.

If I was forced to give one up it would have to be the EVO because of how much that Herbie helps my wife medicinally. I'd be in tears as I waved goodbye though.

 

[matey]

Oh man, my Herbalizer died. I took it to a friend's house yesterday and it was fine. So maybe transporting it jostled something loose. Everything about it appears to work except the light bulb doesn't heat up, so the temperature is always cold. About 1.5yrs old I reckon.

I emailed the company. But now I'm thinking I should buy a second one as a backup. Does anyone have a bead on the best deal for an Herbalizer right now? I see that the company is having a sale and I can get one for $431 plus shipping. But just curious if anyone knows of any current deals.

Thanks!

 

[fishkid]

I've had my Herbie go into what I think of as a "fan only" error mode at the max temp toward the end of a session when trying to cache the bowl. That fan kicks on and it seems to stop heating and the only way to continue is to turn it off and turn it back on again. This worries me a little more now since reading about the unit melting down.

This occasionally happened to my unit starting about a year ago. I would say I encountered it every 2 months or so (daily driver use). I only run max temp to heat glass prior to cleaning, so this would happen after sessions in the 300s or very low 400s.

Oh man, my Herbalizer died. I took it to a friend's house yesterday and it was fine. So maybe transporting it jostled something loose. Everything about it appears to work except the light bulb doesn't heat up, so the temperature is always cold. About 1.5yrs old I reckon.

I emailed the company. But now I'm thinking I should buy a second one as a backup. Does anyone have a bead on the best deal for an Herbalizer right now? I see that the company is having a sale and I can get one for $431 plus shipping. But just curious if anyone knows of any current deals.

Thanks!

Refurb units on ebay, direct from Herbalizer, for $275. To save extra, wait for a 10-20% sitewide ebay promo which they've been doing almost weekly these days. At that price (under 250 shipped) I think you don't really need the warranty, which I assume doesn't apply (its not mentioned one way or the other)

 

[arb]

Just out of curiosity and I hope this question does not offend or get deleted by a mod.
Why in the name of science would you buy a product that has combustion issues that could potentially burn down the building and kill everyone in it?

 

[His_Highness]

Just out of curiosity and I hope this question does not offend or get deleted by a mod.
Why in the name of science would you buy a product that has combustion issues that could potentially burn down the building and kill everyone in it?

For me...Same reason I use any vape, cell phone, car, fly.....Each one of these things has the potential to do serious damage. I'm betting on the law of averages.

 

[stickstones]

@ViCKi LEEKX - were you in the habit of using Herbie that way...with it on, next to you for extended periods?

I ask because when I used Herbie for nightcaps I noticed the cooling fan would come on after around 5 to 10 minutes of being on standby. I felt like it was taxing the unit to have it on like that all the time. Since it can heat up to any temp in under 20 seconds, I decided to just turn it off between hits instead of have it on standby. I suggest everyone use it that way.

Not that one should ever catch fire, but I doubt mine will given how I use it.

 

[cpk]

I also keep my Herbie's off when not in use. I also have the lid closed. I keep the whips in a drawer and pull when needed.

For me...Same reason I use any vape, cell phone, car, fly.....Each one of these things has the potential to do serious damage. I'm betting on the law of averages.

Yes that is why it is so important to use fire proof bags for charging. The lipo bag are only $3.00. I was using one with a nitecore charger and had a battery explode in my bedroom. Luckily my wife heard it and unplugged and threw it on the barbeque. It was smoking and only internal damage to the bag.

 

[Vicki]

I still have my Herbie, and got it when they were first released. Granted, it has been packed away for a while, but it still runs great. I haven’t read through all the most recent posts, but did the quality go down? I noticed the price went down significantly from the over $700 it cost when it first came out.

 

[cpk]

I have an older Herbie and a Chong's Choice Herbalizer. They both work great and build quality seems identical except no aroma therapy and storage under the lid of the CC.

 

[fishkid]

Just out of curiosity and I hope this question does not offend or get deleted by a mod.
Why in the name of science would you buy a product that has combustion issues that could potentially burn down the building and kill everyone in it?

A legitimate question that I've been wrestling with myself. But like His_Highness I more or less come down to a matter of risk/reward - is there *any* way to get smoke or vapor into lungs without fire risk? Who hasn't had close calls with combustion methods?

If I could get a pile of money from Herbalizer instead of a replacement unit I would probably just buy a Volcano and be done with it. Since that's not happening I'll continue to think about how I want to use the Herbalizer (if I do at all). I'm guessing that I'll end up just using Herbie but with a simple policy of "close the lid before leaving the room" and with some new accessories like an insulating tile under it and the aforementioned thermal fuse and/or breaker.

 

[arb]

Well I love my volcano deeply but if I thought for half a second it was gonna burn my house down I would toss it without hesitation.
Our house caught fire about twelve years ago a d nightmare is a weak way to describe such an event.
That thing must the absolute bomb dizzle.

 

[matey]

Refurb units on ebay, direct from Herbalizer, for $275. To save extra, wait for a 10-20% sitewide ebay promo which they've been doing almost weekly these days. At that price (under 250 shipped) I think you don't really need the warranty, which I assume doesn't apply (its not mentioned one way or the other)

Thanks for the great tip! Turns out mine is still under warranty for another 2 weeks. So I will be patient and make do until it gets repaired. But I was contemplating disassembling it.

Have a lot of you owners tried to take apart your Herbie? Do I need to rip up the cushiony padding underneath to get to some screws under there?

 

[fishkid]

That thing must the absolute bomb dizzle.

At the end of the day it really is. I've got a custom setup that filters the vapor particulate through water and nothing I've ever tried comes close in terms of keeping my mouth, esophagus, trachea, and lungs happy and healthy. Maintaining my ability to breathe, smell and taste on a high level is very important to me, which is really the only reason why I'd even consider continuing to use the Herbie after an event like this.

Like a few folks here I got unlucky but I guess having a stats background means I'm not keen to generalize based on my anecdote. I find it unlikely that the device would have sold as much as it has, for as long as it has, if this was more than a freak occurrence. We'd have heard about it.

Thanks for the great tip! Turns out mine is still under warranty for another 2 weeks. So I will be patient and make do until it gets repaired. But I was contemplating disassembling it.

Have a lot of you owners tried to take apart your Herbie? Do I need to rip up the cushiony padding underneath to get to some screws under there?

I've contemplated it. I assume that as you said the screws must be hidden below the bottom padding. Is it worth voiding the warranty? Probably not... on the other hand, I'd feel better if I could inspect and/or clean the inside from time to time.

 

[ViCKi LEEKX]

@ViCKi LEEKX - were you in the habit of using Herbie that way...with it on, next to you for extended periods?

I ask because when I used Herbie for nightcaps I noticed the cooling fan would come on after around 5 to 10 minutes of being on standby. I felt like it was taxing the unit to have it on like that all the time. Since it can heat up to any temp in under 20 seconds, I decided to just turn it off between hits instead of have it on standby. I suggest everyone use it that way.

Not that one should ever catch fire, but I doubt mine will given how I use it.

Yes, I used it that way often on weekends.

Turning it off between hits sounds like a great suggestion to me.

 

[fishkid]

@ViCKi LEEKX - were you in the habit of using Herbie that way...with it on, next to you for extended periods?

I ask because when I used Herbie for nightcaps I noticed the cooling fan would come on after around 5 to 10 minutes of being on standby. I felt like it was taxing the unit to have it on like that all the time. Since it can heat up to any temp in under 20 seconds, I decided to just turn it off between hits instead of have it on standby. I suggest everyone use it that way.

Not that one should ever catch fire, but I doubt mine will given how I use it.

FWIW, the near-constant cooling fan only happens to me when I have the vape set at around 415 or higher. At my usual 300s temps, the fan kicks on only occasionally & briefly to enable a temperature sample. So for me, there didn't seem to be that much difference between LidClosed, ScreenSaver, and just OnButNotBlowing - that's why I felt comfortable leaving it running all the time.

 

[stickstones]

Yeah, I end my sessions on 445, so mine gets hot.

 

[MinnBobber]

I'd like to see an "autopsy report" on Herbies that had the problem.
Is it an internal electronics problem or as some have mentioned, caused by
buildup of ABV internally that eventually catches on fire???

I'm "adverse" to loading cannabis directly in Herbie chamber as it stains and creates a
a mess of ABV stuck to the exit screen. After using a buddy's Herbie and finding the chamber
to be a poor design IMO, I've always always always used a miniVAP Flexicone module in various
iterations on mine as it adds a third bottom screen to prevent ABV from falling down into unit.
It also has a top screen and hemp fiber filter to keep those nasty ABV micro-particles from
being sucked into your mouth or bubbler or whip.

I use the stock chamber bottom and the Flexi and find it much much better for my usage.

 

[cpk]

I also run it up to 445F with no baskets.

 

[Hey Nineteen]

At the end of the day it really is. I've got a custom setup that filters the vapor particulate through water and nothing I've ever tried comes close in terms of keeping my mouth, esophagus, trachea, and lungs happy and healthy. Maintaining my ability to breathe, smell and taste on a high level is very important to me, which is really the only reason why I'd even consider continuing to use the Herbie after an event like this.

And this is one of the reasons I wanted a Herbie. I get constant sinus infections and I figured that the vapor would be smooth enough to help me. I am not going to take a risk, but I would think the newer ones may already have the problems figured out. May be my sinuses are beyond help as the Plenty through water is already Plenty dang smooth. Ughh....I want a Herbie.

 

[matey]

Over the years I've refined a technique that gets me amazing results with the Herbie. I'll describe in case any wise gurus have any enhancements to suggest

1. Dry. Leave buds in a sandwich bag or ziploc for a few days or weeks to dry out. I also put some silica packs in there, not sure if it helps much. I guess will depend on your climate and relative humidity.
   
2. Grind. If the material is dry enough, it won't gum up the grinder.
   
3. Scoop. I use a nice half-sphere shaped metal 1/8 tsp measuring spoon to fill up the Herbie bowl to the top, not packed down at all. I have two bowls, so I fill them both up at the same time.
   
4. Blow. Herbie on max temp, blow XL bag. If sufficiently dry, it will extract most of the bowl into a super milky bag. You won't be able to see through the bag at all, even with a bright light behind it.
   
5. While enjoying the first bag, blow another with the other bowl.
6. Dump out contents of both bowls and crush with fingers. Then reload into a single bowl (will be very full).
7. This "ABV" bowl is now good for another decent bag at max temp.

Comments / Observations:

• I attach the bag to my water piece and it makes for a nice smooth experience.
  
• I feel this is the most efficient way to get close to full extraction.
  
• This method is probably wasteful, but I just want a max potency bag to quickly get relief and then I'm good for a spell. Back in the day, I liked to pull the whole bowl through. So this feels kind of similar.

Anyone else do it like this?

 

[fishkid]

matey, I have found that drying the herb out the way you describe is not really necessary (and seems to affect potency negatively). I use 58% boveda packs on my to-be-vaped product (62% on to-be-combusted) and batch grind a small to middling amount at a time. If it gums up the grinder, I put it back in boveda storage for a while till it gets a little drier - I agree that's a good rule of thumb.

I do sometimes dump/crush/repack as you describe but mostly just tend toward very small bowl sizes since they pretty much turn to dust after 2-3 bags - dump and refill.

I do my water filtration before the vapor reaches the bag, rather than after. My bags last for ages this way, and they are more accessible to consume.


As for my melted Herbalizer... I bought it on eBay from a B&M store but that apparently does not qualify for warranty coverage. Nonetheless, I've been granted a rare exception and offered a replacement unit if I cover shipping both ways. Considering that the unit nearly burned down my house I think they could have just covered the shipping, too, but it's not enough of a thing to be mad about. I learned that serial numbers are 4, 5, or 6 digits and that my unit has a 4 digit one. Presumably it was 'old new stock' at the time of sale. Anyone else have a serial in the 9000s? Hopefully someone who bought direct?

 

[cpk]

I have sn 29XX and also a Chong's Choice sn 10,XXX that was bought direct.

 

[matey]

I do my water filtration before the vapor reaches the bag, rather than after. My bags last for ages this way, and they are more accessible to consume.

Wow that's brilliant - how do you water filter it before it goes into the bag? I have a 9xxx bought direct.

I do sometimes dump/crush/repack as you describe but mostly just tend toward very small bowl sizes since they pretty much turn to dust after 2-3 bags - dump and refill.

My goal is to cash the whole bowl in a single bag.

 

[fishkid]

I have a 9xxx bought direct.

When did you buy (approx is fine) the 9xxx serial unit? Just trying to pin down when mine was actually produced...

My goal is to cash the whole bowl in a single bag.

If that was my goal I would put less material, not more. But if you mean your goal is to cash an entire full bowl into a single bag, I don't think Herbie has the fan power. At least not with my setup. The way I look at it is this: comparing the vapor quality even between 1st and 2nd bag you notice a huge drop off. Why do I want to pack more of the less desirable taste and effects on top of the (generally more subtle taste) of the beautiful first run? Just run more bowls and more bags but with less material in each.

Wow that's brilliant - how do you water filter it before it goes into the bag?

I've been meaning to document this for a while so here goes...

The only other modification I made that isn't visible in the pics is that I replaced the top screen with a larger gauge screen (less restrictive on airflow, plus doesn't clog). I cut them larger than the stock screens so that they are convex when installed (pushing down onto the minivap cone to hold it in place).

Most particulates, and some vapor, stick to the first 90 degree bend in the glass "U". What collects there is delicious and potent but I don't care enough about concentrates to harvest. I just clean everything with ISO regularly. The particulates that make it past the bend are largely held in the bubbler's water. I use 2 drops of a product called RezBlock in the water in the bubbler, which supposedly helps keep gunk dissolved in the water rather than depositing on the glass. It does seem to work. I use distilled water in my bubbler and I have to refill it regularly, which suggests that it is rehydrating the vapor a bit - that's my other goal.

My guess is that I lose about 30-40% of potency with this setup but given the low cost and high availability of super strength product, I just accept that as the cost of achieving perfect vapor.

I just blow bags but it is of course trivial to attach a whip or even a (water)pipe after the bubbler.

Basically everything but the "U" is easily replaced at a shop in town, which suits me, since you will break glass parts from time to time. When disaster strikes, you only have 20-30ml of water and it's separated from the Herbie by enough distance that it is really not a worry.

Everything is glass except the tiny bit of silicone tubing that attaches the LoPro adaptor to the herbie bowl. I like that, too.