Well a new friend has joined my growing vape collection. I purchased this lovely Toasty Top secondhand from Vitolo.
Alan's craftsmanship shows in every beautiful detail. From the exquisite shape of the body to the knurled edges on the cap surrounding the power port, every detail is perfect. It feels so nice to hold in my hand.
The roasting tubes are just as great. My favorites are of course the wooden ones, but they're all a joy to use.
It's nice to see how the designs have changed since Alan made this vape. The Toasty Top is complex compared to the elegant simplicity of the HI. It has the star-washer type heatsink instead of the much slimmer heater cover, the roasting tubes are all multiple pieces sandwiching flat screens instead of a single piece with a basket screen, it requires a stand, and so on. But the Toasty Top isn't a clumsy device. It's complex in comparison, but every detail was clearly thought out and reasoned, and it all works beautifully. It's still as simple to use as any other log, and produces amazing results.
I will say the HI's core is certainly a step up, as the Toasty Top takes noticeably more time to heat up and offers more draw resistance. I can see why he's switched to offering TT's with the new HI cores. It also doesn't except OD roasting tubes for other vapes, like many I use with my HI and UD. But all the ID tubes work perfectly, including the NonG I got from underdog.
I found out after I had made my purchase that Alan actually has some Toasty Top's in stock, with the superior HI cores in them. Probably the better choice for any prospective buyers, but I'm happy with my older unit and the story it tells. I'll get a custom unit with some exotic wood and glass heater cover when I get THE email.
This Top is going to take its place as my bedside vape, the perfect place for a vape that doubles as a warm massage device. It will be cherished.