The Crafty Vaporizer by Storz & Bickel

The Crafty Vaporizer by Storz & Bickel

In September 2014, I received the Crafty and Mighty vaporizer mods from Storz & Bickel who wanted me to write product reviews for each. I went right to work, I can honestly say now that I wasn’t ready for the experience they had in store for me.

 

While I had the feeling that there was very little Storz & Bickel could do to surprise me given their reputation for quality, my expectations were quickly outdone. From the very first draw I was absolutely delighted: first off, break-in time for the mod is practically nonexistent. The Crafty provides a full, rich flavor experience and thoroughly satisfying vapor density.

MODEL Crafty
MAKER Storz and Bickel
RELEASE DATE 2014
NOTE 18/20
BEST PRICE $275
TYPE Portable Vaporizer
MATERIAL Stainless Steel
TEMPERATURE RANGE 104-410°F
USABLE WITH Plants and Concentrates
HEATING METHOD Convection and Conduction
STEAM Fresh
ENERGY SOURCE 1 Fixed batteries
USABLE DURING LOAD Yes
DIMENSIONS 11cm * 5.7cm * 3.3cm
WEIGHT 135g
MANUFACTURER’S WARRANTY 2 years

The Crafty Vaporizer

Feature Summary

  • Convection and conduction hybrid heater
  • Works with plants, oils and concentrates
  • Excellent airflow for an incredible draw
  • Ample vapor production
  • Impressive temperature range from 104-410°F
  • Added control and accessibility via the bluetooth phone app
  • Easy maintenance

 

And now without further ado, let’s take an in-depth look at each of the Crafty vaporizer’s many features by category, in no particular order.

Heating System

The Crafty works with a hybrid heater mixing convection and conduction. The convection heater, which functions as the primary, offers perfect and precise control over temperature. Convection simply passes hot air flow through the plant material to extract active ingredients. Conductive heating, on the other hand, benefits most from the system’s ramp-up time. Conduction is especially effective when plant material is in direct contact with the heating element.

 

This perfect combination of convection and conduction allows the Crafty vaporizer to produce a uniquely satisfying flavor experience. The hybrid heater allows convection to generate rich, delicious vapor while keeping full maintenance over temperature through controlled convection.

 

Vapor Density and Quality

Good vapor quality relies almost entirely on ample airflow and good circulation within the mod.

The Crafty vaporizer’s airflow system works in combination with its hybrid heating to not only produce excellent vapor, but preserve the flavors and aroma of your concentrates, terpenes and plant material as well.

 

Equally as important is the Crafty’s cooling system. Once plant matter or concentrate is vaporized, it must pass through the cooling unit in order to be cooled rapidly enough to be suitable for inhalation within fractions of seconds. The cooling units also double as formidable filtering systems to trap fine particles inside the mod. And of course, the Crafty cooler’s heat dissipation rate would be practically halved without its ultra-efficient hull-style radiator!

 

Battery Life & Heating Time

The Crafty vaporizer works with a single lithium-ion battery, which takes roughly 2 hours to fully charge via its USB port. It’s best to plan for no more than 2-3 sessions per charge. The Crafty is also usable during the charge period, but will need at least 20-30 minutes of pre-charging coming off of a low or empty battery state. Its heating time is above average, reaching 356°F in about 80 seconds.

 

Frankly, the Crafty is ideal for one session every four hours. At higher usage rates, you might find the vaporizer retaining more heat for longer periods. Battery performance is the one department where the Crafty is not head and shoulders above the competition, but this is more than made up for in its ergonomic and ultra-portable design. For better battery stats and power ranges, we highly recommend Storz & Bickel’s slightly larger Mighty vaporizer.

 

Temperature Range & Control Panel

In order to make the Crafty vaporizer so small, it was necessary to remove the screen and some physical buttons present on the Mighty mod. Instead, the Crafty vaporizer can be controlled wirelessly via the bluetooth-connected smartphone app. This is generally taken as a plus among users of ultra-portable vape mods, as you don’t even have to stop vaping as you adjust your temperature!

 

The Crafty vaporizer features a temperature range of 104-410°F, which works incredibly well with plants and CBD concentrates. It starts at a fixed base of 104°F from which you can ramp up the temperature in increments of 60°F via the temperature + and – switches.

 

Construction Material & Ergonomics

The Crafty is an ultra-portable, extra light vaporizer system that fits easily into a backpack, purse and even the pockets of a pair of skinny jeans. According to Storz & Bickel, the device’s exterior is made of a medical-grade resin and plastic composite, with no risk of toxicity even at 410°F, which is the Crafty’s maximum running temperature.
The Crafty Vaporizer

Crafty Maintenance

In order to ensure the Crafty vaporizer lasts a long time with peak functionality, there are a few important things to note:

 

  1. During cooldown, condensation has a tendency to build up on the exterior surfaces of the Crafty vaporizer’s cooling unit. Regular cleaning of the cooler is essential for the device to maintain fluid airflow, ensuring an optimal flavor experience with every vape.

 

  1. The cooler will become very sticky with many uses. After days of accumulating oil, concentrates and plant matter, the cooling unit is liable to become clogged without a thorough cleaning. This would likely affect not only performance, but heating and flavor as well.

 

  1. In order to remove the bulk of the dirt accumulated in the bowl, the Crafty can be heated to 410°F and wiped down with cloth or a paper towel. This is best done with a little isopropyl alcohol and plenty of care, in order to avoid burning.

 

  1. For a deep and thorough cleaning, always disassemble the unit before starting. It might take a little longer, but it will be well worth it to preserve the Crafty vaporizer’s performance, especially if you use the device daily.

 

Summary

Storz & Bickel’s Crafty vaporizer packs as much of the Mighty mod’s performance as possible into a much lighter device to enter the ultra-portable vaporizer category in style. While battery performace could be better, we are hard pressed to name another ultra-portable vape that offers a combination of performance, flavor and build quality on par with this excellent mod.

Vaporizer Crafty Rating Crafty Spray Reviews
QUALITY/PRICE RATIO 9/10 The Crafty’s price is easily justified by its performance and versatility.
VAPOR QUALITY 9/10 Excellent quality for a vaporizer this size.
VAPOR DENSITY 9.5/10 Exceptional vapor density and cloud size, particularly with the use of plants rather than concentrates.
TEMPERATURE RANGE 9/10 An impressively wide temperature range for a lightweight vaporizer powered by a single battery.
BATTERY LIFE 6.5/10 While the Crafty only manages between 2-3 sessions per charge. It’s more than made up for in its incredible portability.
HEATING TIME 8/10 With an easy 350°F in a minute and a half, it’s easily on par with the competition.
ERGONOMICS/EASE-OF-USE 9/10 Easy to hold and very manageable. Added convenience via the smartphone app.
OVERALL SCORE 9/10 For increased portability over Storz & Bickel’s Mighty mod, you really can’t do better than the Crafty vaporizer.

Author: Indoexpo

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