The High Tech vs. Low Tech Vaporizer Debate

[stinkmeaner]

This is a thread and story about my opinions on different vaporizers, high tech and low tech. Throughout the article I will use examples and while I did not want to focus on a specific brands or models, but it was inevitable considering the pictures I found of a particular model, my statements are not to question owners for their product choices but instead highlight the construction or manufacturing style and make people aware of how some vaporizers are really constructed. I will apologize in advance for my writing, I hope this is okay to read considering English was not a favorite subject.

I have been meaning to start this topic this for a while now considering be have so many vaporizer choices available and soon to be released, it can almost be considered a more in depth buyers guide for new users as well as old to determine the best option for their vaporizing needs. The purpose of this article is to give my general theory on the subject and to hear other vaporists voice their opinions.

Throughout the course of my vaporizer use I find myself bypassing more complicated vaporizers like the Volcano in favor of simpler and traditional vaporizers like the Supreme. My first vaporizer was a Volcano because I am the type of person that obsessively researches a product before I buy and strive for the best and usually the most expensive items money buys or that my meager salary can afford at least. Here are my thoughts on vaporizer pricing after several years and several vaporizers models; sometimes expensive and best goes hand in hand but I find it not so true with vaporizers, I do not think many will dispute the fact that a $60,000 BMW is built better than a Ford Escort, but with vaporizers it seems like a small amount of coin gets you a damn efficient and sturdily built vaporizer. I think many of the veterans will agree considering I see many of them selling off or mentioning that they rarely use the more complicated vaporizers and switching to the simpler vaporizer models like simple analog whip vapes, log vapes, and Supreme vapes. I think that is why the log vapes are so popular, because they are no nonsense, get the job done vapes.

Today after many bags of um.....research, my best vaporizer in my line up is the Supreme, I use caution using words like best and use it loosely because best is really just an opinion anyway and my best will most likely be different from yours. Though there are some pitfalls of this model I think overall it is relatively well designed, durable, and you would be hard pressed to find a more efficient and satisfying vaporizer. I think it is great for an ex smoker because the fact that it more closely mimics the old ritual of a smoking session when you compare it to a typical whip or bag vape, I will say that log vapes and most other lighter powered vaporizers stand true in that regard.

When a newcomer to vaporizing looks at some more complicated vaporizers with more so called technology they probably think that it is going to work better than the cheaper, less complicated vaporizers but usually they are wrong and some models actually preform worse and pose a potentially greater health risk than the cheaper simpler vaporizers. I will have to use the Extreme for example and risking an all out battle with Extreme owners which it seems will defend them till their last dying breath, I do not want to upset or discourage any Extreme owners so I will say first that the Extreme works as intended, I have used the original model myself. The Arizer company would have you believe from their advertisements and product description that this device was methodically engineered to be a vaporizing powerhouse but when take a look at the inside a Extreme from an engineers perspective it is built like a common household electronic device, no more sophisticated than a common soldering station, certainly not a medical device. Examine these internal pictures from someone who took one apart you will clearly see the air path travels through a small PC fan and circuit board.

I find it kind of funny actually that so many people are always questioning other vaporizers for their health hazards, for example the Myrtlezap for its use of brass, but they never give a second thought about an electrical monstrosities like the Extreme when the log vapes do not have any complicated electronics, only a single resistor. I think most people at first glance look at the pictures below of the Extreme and think to themselves "Wow, this is well engineered and sophisticated, look at of all the cool wires and electronics!"; without realizing or just do not care that all these electronics are right in the middle of the air they are breathing.

I am not implying that all digital, electronic based vaporizers are bad nor do I not think it is necessary to have an air filter in every vaporizer like the Volcano, I just think that you should not have exposed circuit boards and other electronics in the vapor path. I know others share my opinion considering the development of such vaporizers as the Bud Toaster that our member Hippie Dickie built with a separated vapor path, and the soon to be released VapeXhale Cloud which stresses the separation of electronics and the vapor path.

Compare these two popular models, look at the path in which the air travels through and decide for yourselves which you would rather inhale from. I am not saying the SSV is the best, I chose the picture because it was just a good example of a short, simple, and visible air path design.

Versus

 

[lwien]

... the Supreme...... you would be hard pressed to find a more efficient and satisfying vaporizer.

While I've never used the Supreme, what I have heard is that it is VERY satisfying and can milk a bong with the best of them.......better than most, but "hard pressed to find a more "efficient" vape?
Wouldn't it be fair to say that the PD/Zap vapes encourage efficiency much, much better?

 

[tdavie]

Thanks stinkmeaner. I'm an Extreme owner/user (about 1 day per week I use it), and I'm not offended. As a matter of fact it gives me an excuse to go out and buy something new

I primarily use a Launch Box but really do enjoy the complex, bells n whistles digital models. But that's just me. I thrive on feedback from the gadgets that I use and really do use a temperature display. I do know that there is more that can go wrong with them though and accept that as part of the cost of owning complex devices.

Tom

 

[B.]

for example the Myrtlezap for its use of brass

I believe the brass you refer to has been removed from the MyrtleZap, it is now rohs compliant.

I never really thought about it in these terms, but my actions support your pattern. I went from digital vapes to my current daily MZ/LB with an occasional SSV rotation. When I was new to it I thought I needed to see a readout of the temp, but I've found once I get to know a vape and how to control its temp I have no need.

I still want an ION tho.

 

[max]

... the Supreme...... you would be hard pressed to find a more efficient and satisfying vaporizer.

While I've never used the Supreme, what I have heard is that it is VERY satisfying and can milk a bong with the best of them.......better than most, but "hard pressed to find a more "efficient" vape?
Wouldn't it be fair to say that the PD/Zap vapes encourage efficiency much, much better?

I agree lwien. I bought The Supreme years ago. It was one of my first vapes. While I admire its quality and performance, I found it a pain to use. Between the torch and exposed element, you have to watch what you're doing to avoid burning the wrong thing, and that gets harder (at least it did for me) after you get high. What this model does really well is provide big hits. It can be used efficiently, but like most big hitters, using small amounts or taking small hits is not as enjoyable. The PD/MZ design, with set temp and tiny bowl, is much easier to be efficient with, while still providing enjoyable hits.

 

[B.]

with set temp and tiny bowl, is much easier to be efficient with, while still providing enjoyable hits.

agreed.

 

[stinkmeaner]

... the Supreme...... you would be hard pressed to find a more efficient and satisfying vaporizer.

While I've never used the Supreme, what I have heard is that it is VERY satisfying and can milk a bong with the best of them.......better than most, but "hard pressed to find a more "efficient" vape?
Wouldn't it be fair to say that the PD/Zap vapes encourage efficiency much, much better?

The Log vapes are great as far as efficiency goes but both in different ways, the bowl in a Log Vape is smaller so it you use less product but the Supreme drains the material far more thoroughly, in fact I used to take the AVB from my old Myrtlezap and recycle it in my Supreme and get a couple more good sized clouds.

for example the Myrtlezap for its use of brass

I believe the brass you refer to has been removed from the MyrtleZap, it is now rohs compliant.

I never really thought about it in these terms, but my actions support your pattern. I went from digital vapes to my current daily MZ/LB with an occasional SSV rotation. When I was new to it I thought I needed to see a readout of the temp, but I've found once I get to know a vape and how to control its temp I have no need.

I still want an ION tho.

The Ion uses a diaphragm pump like the Volcano and is supposed to have an air path isolated from the electronics and from the pictures posted a while back it seemed to be well built. With that in mind the Ion appeared to be a viable alternative to the Volcano and at one point when they first came out I considered replacing my Herbal Aire with the Zephyr Ion until a few red flags stopped me.

I agree lwien. I bought The Supreme years ago. It was one of my first vapes. While I admire its quality and performance, I found it a pain to use. Between the torch and exposed element, you have to watch what you're doing to avoid burning the wrong thing, and that gets harder (at least it did for me) after you get high. What this model does really well is provide big hits. It can be used efficiently, but like most big hitters, using small amounts or taking small hits is not as enjoyable. The PD/MZ design, with set temp and tiny bowl, is much easier to be efficient with, while still providing enjoyable hits.

I can see where some would find it a pain in the ass with the scrorching hot exposed element and the use of a torch to heat it but for some people it can actually be an enjoyable process, I was a die hard smoker like I mentioned earlier it really mimics the old ritual I had of smoking.

Efficiency to me is how well the vaporizer uses the material in addition to the size of the bowl or loads you put in, for instance the Supreme accepts fairly small amounts such as maybe 3 Log vape stem fulls, this maybe a little more than some are used to consuming but you can stop session at any point, and one thing is for sure, if you finish the bowl off, it is finished and your herb is drained. So the efficiency of the Supreme is not only the amount used but the fact that it extracts more of the active ingredient from the material than many other vaporizers.

 

[lwien]

The Log vapes are great as far as efficiency goes but both in different ways, the bowl in a Log Vape is smaller so it you use less product but the Supreme drains the material far more thoroughly, in fact I used to take the AVB from my old Myrtlezap and recycle it in my Supreme and get a couple more good sized clouds.

That may have been true of the older Zaps, Stink, but the new ones seem to running much warmer. I know with my cherry PD, after 4 to 5 hits from one stem, the ABV is a uniform very dark brown, about the color of dark chocolate, just a shade or two above black. I can't fathom how any vaporizer could drain any more out of it. But yeah, I know my ash PD runs cooler and I know the older Zaps do also, so with them, you definitely can get more by going at a temp that is higher.

Maybe it's the way I hit it too. 2 good bong rips, then 1 hit directly thru the stem, empty out bowl in hand, crush bud between fingers and reload for another hit or two.

 

[max]

Efficiency to me is how well the vaporizer uses the material in addition to the size of the bowl or loads you put in, for instance the Supreme accepts fairly small amounts such as maybe 3 Log vape stem fulls, this maybe a little more than some are used to consuming but you can stop session at any point, and one thing is for sure, if you finish the bowl off, it is finished and your herb is drained. So the efficiency of the Supreme is not only the amount used but the fact that it extracts more of the active ingredient from the material than many other vaporizers.

The debate about defining efficiency will continue, I'm sure. I figured you were looking at it from that aspect. The Supreme may well be more efficient than others in that respect. Perhaps it has to do with the heating chamber location, chamber size, what the load does when you hit it.

 

[Hippie Dickie]

I thought I needed to see a readout of the temp, but I've found once I get to know a vape and how to control its temp I have no need

That's what i thought, too ... but i've changed my mind -- after having models with thermometer both attached and remote, the digital thermometer is now firmly attached to the Bud Toaster. Because, suppose you want to increase the temperature by exactly 5F, or drop it just 4F -- and i have found 5F is the difference between coughing on a hit and not. Or if something is going funky, the vaporist should know.

And i found a way to attach it that is easy to do.

 

[reece]

... the Supreme...... you would be hard pressed to find a more efficient and satisfying vaporizer.

While I've never used the Supreme, what I have heard is that it is VERY satisfying and can milk a bong with the best of them.......better than most, but "hard pressed to find a more "efficient" vape?
Wouldn't it be fair to say that the PD/Zap vapes encourage efficiency much, much better?

I agree lwien. I bought The Supreme years ago. It was one of my first vapes. While I admire its quality and performance, I found it a pain to use. Between the torch and exposed element, you have to watch what you're doing to avoid burning the wrong thing, and that gets harder (at least it did for me) after you get high. What this model does really well is provide big hits. It can be used efficiently, but like most big hitters, using small amounts or taking small hits is not as enjoyable. The PD/MZ design, with set temp and tiny bowl, is much easier to be efficient with, while still providing enjoyable hits.

I never considered it a pain but it isn't easy to grab a quick hit. If I had to go back to the SV as my workhorse after using the MZ and LB I just might call it a pain. I also share/shared your concern with burning (clumsy by nature), and have burned myself a few times, I was very surprised that I didn't burn myself more often or more seriously. As long as one returns it to it's "case," all is well. I used a double "case."

I disagree, or have had a different experience with small amounts. I haven't done a side by side test but if memory serves, I was getting enjoyable hits with amounts smaller than a full MZ stem load. I would literally load a pinch of material to in the SV.

Efficiency to me is how well the vaporizer uses the material in addition to the size of the bowl or loads you put in, for instance the Supreme accepts fairly small amounts such as maybe 3 Log vape stem fulls, this maybe a little more than some are used to consuming but you can stop session at any point, and one thing is for sure, if you finish the bowl off, it is finished and your herb is drained. So the efficiency of the Supreme is not only the amount used but the fact that it extracts more of the active ingredient from the material than many other vaporizers.

At first I would load my SV full. Over time I realized the material keeps cooking after the session if you leave some for later. It is much more efficient, in my experience, to load smaller bowls.

 

[steiner666]

totally agree with you on all points. The most technology i need my vape to have is an analog temp dial, anything more is just a potential source of future headaches. And the clean and visible airpath of the 7th floor vapes was the first thing that attracted me to them. I've kinda been reluctant on picking up a bag vape because they dont have this. I didnt know the ions was isolated tho, thats cool to know.

 

[Wolface]

That's what makes the Supreme so amazing! You can load small amounts and hit it thru a small bubbler or fill the chamber, bring out the bong and fill the room with clouds!

 

[lwien]

Question. If clouds is wasted vapor, why is filling the room with clouds a good thing?

 

[Hippie Dickie]

but it's not a bad thing ... i find it impossible to absorb all the vapor in a single toke, so there's gonna be some vapor when i exhale. After a period of time with mediocre bud, i find being able to exhale a cloud very satisfying.