This is my updated review of the Herbalizer vaporizer which I originally reviewed in early-2014.
I rated it really high and it was the most expensive vape at the time, it was $729, but it has since been lowered a tad. A lot of things have happened at that company which I’m not gonna get into, let’s just talk about the vape.
Amazing Vapor, Extremely Fast, Super Efficient
The #1 advantage this thing has is the quality of the vapor that comes out of it. It uses a halogen lightbulb inside as the heating element, which only a couple of vapes do, but the advantage to this is super pure, super clean-tasting vapor.
I would honestly say that I’d like to see more vapes use it, I think the halogen bulb idea is awesome, the performance is fantastic.
It reaches operating temperature in seconds, you can adjust your heat level in seconds, and it’ll be producing vapor in seconds. So in addition to the vapor being top quality it is one of the fastest vaporizers you can get.
Efficiency is excellent also. It has kind of a small herb chamber compared to most others, I would say about a ~0.15g to 0.2g capacity. You don’t wanna pack tight with this one, it’s all convection heat so you can pack it full but don’t pack it tight.
No matter how much you put in there, from a pinch to filling it all the way, the performance is excellent. The more you put in the more draws you’ll get, but you can put in as little as a speckle and as long as it covers the bottom screen it’s gonna work.
Now let’s talk about what’s not so pretty about it…
The Balloons Are Kinda Wack
After just a month or two of regular use my balloons typically look like they got run over. They can develop tears fairly easily which renders them unusable, and the Squeeze Valve can start to tear at the edges of the opening.
I would say that the bags are perhaps not made from the highest quality materials, and the valves are definitely prone to splitting which is no good.
Another thing that bothered me about them is that they don’t stand up straight when you’re filling them, they fall over to the side, which I normally would have been able to get over and look past if it wasn’t for all the other stuff that sucked about them.
I use Volcano balloons with it now. You can get a set of six Easy Valve bags for $50 which will last you over a year. These actually fit right on the top of the Herbalizer herb chamber if you take off the top silicone grip and leave the whip connector attached.
They won’t snap into place and stay there, you’ll have to hold the balloon in place while it’s filling, but I’ve found that I’m willing to make that sacrifice because of how much better I like these bags.
The Herbalizer does not push through nearly as much air as the Volcano does, so while the Volcano can fill each bag in 30 seconds the Herbie will need 2-3 minutes to completely them with vapor.
I Have An Issue With My Herb Chamber
The magnet came out of the bottom of my herb chamber, and now I can’t get it back in.
The chamber is supposed to be held on magnetically to the base unit itself where the heat is generated, but my magnet popped out and it doesn’t stay connected anymore.
I was trying to figure out how to get it back in permanently, but it looks like it was glued in. I don’t know what to do now, I don’t wanna buy a whole new bowl piece, but the magnet just keeps falling out.
It still works but now I have to hold the bowl against the vape every time I use it, it’s not the end of the world… ok maybe it is.
It Always Looks Dirty
The next thing I have a little bit of a problem with is the dirtiness or the cleaniness of it. It’s white inside and the whip or tubing is white also, and it starts to not look pretty after just a few uses.
Herb speckles build up in that front area and when you put the whip inside for storage the end of it can leave residue on the white walls.
So even though it’s supposed to be a luxury vape and it looks cool and elegant, I find that many times I open it to start using it and I’m like ugh, it’s filthy, and now I have to clean it again.
It is pretty easy to clean so I’ll give it that. If you just take a paper towel and dampen it with some water you should be able to just wipe it clean and get most of the crap off. Anything you can’t get off you’ll have to use a little ISO alcohol on.
The whip you can also clean with the dampened paper towel or you can clean it with soap and water. This thing is funny, it’s a silicone whip (white… again) and even right after you clean this it’s got crap all over it again. I have a cat with black hair and when I walk back to my room after cleaning it there’s cat hair on it already.
It almost attracts dirt, it’s that type of silicone that’s almost impossible to keep clean for more than a few minutes.
What’s With The Plastic Tray?
The Herbalizer normally comes with this plastic tray in the top, and it’s kinda lame. It doesn’t seem to fit the quality of the rest of the vape, it’s very cheap feeling and flimsy.
To make matters worse there’s no real good use for it, it’s just a tray to hold some of the aromatherapy crap and it’s not that useful. You can take it off like I did, you just have to unscrew one part in the back and the lid comes off.
The Cooling Fan Drove Me Nuts
This vape has one of the most annoying cooling fans of any that I’ve used. I actually went as far as disconnecting the fan, and I’m completely aware that I voided my warranty which is up anyway, but I couldn’t handle it anymore.
What was happening, at least to me in the climate where I live (average), was the cooling fan would go on for like 3 minutes and it would keep turning on.
The sound it makes is an annoying frequency and if I had the TV on in the same room it would drown it out, and I really didn’t like that. I understand that the vape has to cool down but you gotta make the fan silent.
It’s Still Special
So those are all my nitpicky critiques, but like I said earlier the performance is amazing, I really like the halogen bulb heating element, it’s super cool.
I don’t know though, that list of unfortunate side things that bother me is too long for my liking, being that the vape is so expensive. There can be a couple of things that are weird about it, but that needs to be it ;-)
Stay up!
-Bud
I have owned mine since 2015, and it’s been great. I have the stream roller and Sherlock bubbler from Herbalizer. With fan assist the bubbler is super smooth. This is the best vape I own(plenty, pax(1&2), ghost , volcano) Almost instant heat up, super efficient, versital, and consistent.
I had to get it serviced once in 2016, unit was still working software would glitch once in a great while. Sent it in had it back in about 2 weeks no problems since.
I would love it if someone remade this unit, same concept better looking and then a portable version with the halogen bulb, precision temp control, convection
I own the Herbalizer. have used it for about 18 months. I have not experienced the issues you mentioned with the valve yet nor have I seen an issue with the bowl magnet coming apart. Of course after 3 years I may have a different experience. I’ve found the white color to be a valuable aid in cleaning the unit which I can do easily with wet wipes but I’ve also observed that if I just make sure there is a tight connection when I put the bowl back together this eliminates most of the problem with “speckles” escaping. Yes the balloon will not stay upright without help. I hold it. I don’t use the whip. The fan noise is a bit whiny and loud for my liking but all I have to do is close the lid and problem solved. When I’m ready to vape again I just open the lid and since everything is so quick, I’m vaping again in no time. The plastic under the lid of the unit is for aromatherapy. It works, maybe a little too well. I’m still trying to dissipate the tea tree scent after a couple days. I don’t want that scent getting mixed in with my vape! I took the aroma pad out but the scent is still there! I’ll try chasing it with Q tips and baking soda. For myself, it’s all about the vaping experience and I for one am impressed with Herbie! I can certainly understand anyone’s reluctance to shell out the bucks though! Especially now that the company doesn’t exist anymore! There still seems to be some support for this product if one looks for it. I’ll just keep using it until it breaks and I can’t get replacement parts anymore.
Yea Rick and Writer, I agree that this shit can happen and all I gotta say is…”it is what it is”….. and I love my herbie for that. Know what I’m saying?
Hi does anybody know what happened to Herbalizer, I need to repair my unit but I might think they broke.
Bud do you know any update about it?
The only thing I can find was this herbalizerrepair.com/about-me-your-technician
Thank you in advance.
Hey George check out this thread on the forum.
Are they still in business? I can’t access their website
I’ve had an herbaliser for 7-8 years now and I love it. My one complaint is that I have a vacation home on the coast of Maine and needless to say it is a damp marine enviroment. After about a week of being there my herbaliser stops working completely as if it has no power. When I return to my home in Vermont it will start working in a day or so.
I’ve had my Herbie for almost 2 yrs. and still love it. I hope mine keeps on keepin’ on for a while longer! I use 12 x 20″ chicken baking bags and recycle my valves (until I can’t)! They work perfectly.
My herbie just caught on fire two days ago. I opened it up for a session and the next thing I know it is smoking like crazy and dispelling noxious fumes. It is about a year and a half old so it is still within the warranty period . I am having the same problem as John, I can’t access their website and it has been down for at least two days now. Any idea what is going on Bud?
They went out of business supposedly they are being sued by weak ass storz and Bickel that explains why they had all those sales on their products They could had at least sent out a email or something how are you a major and you just disappear like that
Hey guys here’s some info on the forum about what happened to Herbalizer.
I want to get my herbalizer repaired but can’t find their website or a working email. Did the company go out of business?
Those aren’t nitpicky critiques. It is by far the most expensive desktop on the market, which means I expect it to be first place in every category. For a whopping $729, I expect to be blown away by every one of it’s features. Any shortcoming is unacceptable in that price range.
Sorry but I am going to have to disagree. The device does work great. When it works. mine just crapped out after 2 years and I’m hearing similar stories of these having very poor long term success. Beyond that there is a far bigger concern. I send the device in as asked. They never communicated with me regarding status. I then attempted to chat. The unprofessional representative just ignored what I was asking and then disconnected the chat. I then opened another chat to ask to speak with a supervisor. She intentionally ignored the chat. I suspected she was doing this so I then opened another chat with another name. She responded immediately continuing to ignore the first chat. She then went on a personal attack. I received an email from her summarizing the chat. I then received another email from her stating that someone with a similar name as me called her a name on facebook so he took all of my personal information and reported it to the police. A violation of the law and their privacy policy.
I contacted her supervisor and left about 7 messages with “managers” The response I received from the supervisor was to ignore the egregiously bad behavior of her employee and to make it about me. None of the management staff is choosing to accept any responsibility and in addition the device they sent back to me isn’t the device I sent to them.
I have filed a complaint with the federal trade commission and I have filed a complaint with BBB. I am also meeting with a lawyer in about 90 minutes and will be filing a civil case against them for violating my privacy.
So be very careful. This is a shady company that makes a good product with a poor design that will eventually fail and you will receive zero support. I am now in the market for another device as I will never do business with this company again. I will gladly share copies of the emails or correspondence with anyone who would like proof. This is an incredibly unprofessional organization. I would steer very clear.
Thank you so much! You have rescued many of us from this fate and you are standing behind principle and taking them to task .. people don’t make the effort anymore .. if they did, you wouldn’t be in this situation. So sorry, but all of America is proud of you and owes you!
Hey Bud, Love your reviews! I have had a Herbalizer for a few years. I have had good luck with mine except for the balloon issues. I just use the whip. I don’t hear the cooling fan at all. I am a bit hard of hearing, but not that bad. The thing that bugs me about it is the black rubber gaskets on the bowl keep coming off. Great quality vapor , as you said. Thanks for all you do!
Paul
This is a great machine bc of the fast heat up time and bulb heat source. Just ditch the balloons and either use one of the many glass attachments or attach the whip to an elbow piece and use your favorite water pipe. Used in this manner there’s no equivalent for speed, efficacy and ease of use.
Agreed. I use a glass water filter thing with mine and it rocks!
I’m completely baffled by those who claim this is a such a great device. I have been struggling with this device for several hours now and have yet to get decent draw with the whip. I am an experienced medical card holder consumer and not a novice. Can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong. I’ve tried different strains, different amounts and different temperatures, loosely packed medium packed and tightly packed. I don’t get any vapor at all, none, until around 408 degrees F. And then I need to use the fan assist to get a decent hit but by then because the temp is a bit high the hit is too harsh. I see all these videos of people getting all these lovely terpene flavors and very nice vapor at low temps but I don’t experience that at all. What am I doing wrong? I’m very frustrated and disappointed. I’m a disabled senior citizen on a fixed income and can’t afford to waste this kind of money. Sorry to be so direct but I’m actually in extreme pain right now and a bit cranky as I’m writing this and plan to turn on my Volcano as soon as I finish writing this. I don’t have the patience right now to experiment with the herbalizer bags. Maybe later. Not happy.
you need the fan for any hit so you clearly don’t know how to use the device. Being a card holder doesn’t mean that you are educated on technology. I really don’t see the intended comparison
This is the worst thing I’ve ever tried. I purchased a vapexhale cloud evo and never looked back. Super ez to use and can use at any temp I want .. I’ve got bad esophagitis! still have alot of wax to smoke, but I’ll buy a cheap cigarette smoker!
Most of them time when the bag does not fill with vape smoke, the upper screen needs to be cleaned. It’s very simple I clean it with a tiny brush or a new toothbrush. The screen sometimes gets clogged from the greens when it’s shooting Up vapor smoke. I clean it after every 2 to 3 bags. Take 5 seconds to clean. Also, If not smoke it coming at all, I wouldn’t try change or replacing the tiny upper screen. That should do the trick.
I’ll buy it if you want to sell it.
Was crazy about Herbie and after 28 months not so much anymore. Just outside of warranty had the board and oven fail. The response was that it had oil in it. This unit never had anything but herbs, it is under engineered and overpriced. I had it fixed this time but the next time I get the Herbie is sick prompt he is getting a trash can funeral.
I just got the herbie is sick nonsense as well. Sent it in and I’m sure I’m going to get the same response. If this is a defect in manufacturing then I’ll be moving to the volcano. i can’t afford to buy a new device every 2 years.
Was extremely happy with the product when it worked, but it stopped working after just a few months with an odd error message advising to send it in for servicing. I returned it only to get the returned product giving me the same exact error message as if they did nothing to repair it. I balked and they were gracious enough to send a full replacement. Guess what, that replacement broke within a month with that same error message. Now to be clear, I took great care of this unit, and it sat and was used stationarily from a table. So it was never dropped or misplaced. For what I paid, I’m flabbergasted at such poor quality. Herbalizer had the potential for a great product but obviously should have waited to market till they actually had gotten the technology down. DON’T WAST YOUR MONEY ON THIS HIGH-END PIECE OF JUNK!!!
Has anyone smoked this thing with their SteamRollers?
herbalizer.com/collections/all/products/herbalizer-steamroller
If it’s OK in that usage area…this device has 3 WAYS of intaking your goods.
Off shoot comment in response to someone thinking about upgrading PAX to Firefly 2…yeah don’t do it.
If you’re in portable – go with Da Vinci IQ.
i just got an herbalizer earlier this month and i picked up a bent neck steamroller from their website. they had a sale for fourth of july for 50 dollars off the piece and free overnight shipping. it actually was a driving factor behind my decision to purchase an herbalizer altogether. ive owned a few vapexhale cloud evo’s over the past couple years since ive given up on combustion methods of material consumption. it arrived before my herbie so from jump street and I anticipated using the steamroller as my primary draw method. without fan assist it feels somewhat like youre barely sipping the vapor unless you make a strong effort to suck it long and hard (lol, sigh). when you start forcing air its just a beast and will choke you out especially at a temp above 380. it noticeably cools the vapor and offers a very very very smooth draw. you may think you are ok until you take your finger off the carb. the steamroller fits snugly and theres no problem whatsoever with the connection point. its not a bad little piece, i like it. while i assumed it would be essential to maximize my herbalizer experience, this wasnt exactly the case. its not very difficult to rig up my hydratubes directly to the herbalizer. the precision turbine in particular is great through the herbie. for me personally, ive been somewhat surprised that ive been opting to use the balloons mostly. I got a medium sized balloon when i ordered the steamroller and i think its fantastic. the size is perfect i dont have some insane lung capacity so im able to get 3-4 big inhales from full pillow. the time to fill the balloons is obviously decreased due to the volume reduction which is just fine by me. ive been extremely happy with it, hopefully it will not deteriorate as rapidly as others have suggested. ive been putting it through the paces for a solid week and have no issues.
i can say that the steamroller has put the idea of using the whip adapter to a quick death. so id feel safe in the speculation that anyone who enjoys using the direct draw method should buy the steamroller asap.
i opened my herbie and it said “get to the choppa!” which absolutely tickles me. nolstagia on weed? giddy up
Hey bud. I am currently owning a mighty. It’s worth for me to sell my mighty to get the Herbalizer?
Nah, you got the best vape right now check it out: https://vapecritic.com/best-vaporizer/
The Herbalizer is much easier to clean than a Mighty and it runs on AC power so you don’t have to worry about charging batteries.
Hey guys I just updated this page with a completely new review (new video too)
In the video where you compare the volcano and herbalizer, I felt you leaned toward the herbalizer being the better vape. In your number ranking though you put the volcano above the herbalizer. Which do you prefer? Does the herbalizer have the same quality of bags as the volcano?
I have both the volcano and the herbie. I absolutely love them both. The volcano is much more maintenance and the smoke is more harsh. But the bags fill much faster. The herbie is so smooth, but the upper screen needs to be replaced often to ensure the bags fill properly. As far as bags I just order the 25 ft volcano bags and make my own bags every month.
I bought my vape last August. Yes, after much use I absolutely agree with your 1st and 2nd reviews.
But, I would buy it again.
Thanks, Terry.
Hey Bud,
What’s the best way to pack the herbal chamber of the herbalizer to receive thick, dense, milky vapor? Pack it like the plenty? Or does it really prefer a loose chamber? I’ve packed it with a very light tamp and got a couple real good draws but after emptying the chamber found some bits that were still semi green. When I just packed the chamber and didn’t tamp at all it seemed to give me some good rips and was much more efficient. Also when I try to use the liquid pad when using very little amounts like I would with the plenty the pad always ends up on its side.
I love the taste and instant heat! Also it’s really efficient!
Thanks Bud!
Hey man,
Just wanted to thank you for all your reviews. You’re very detailed and these vapes cost as much as washing machine these days so I appreciate the help when making these choices.
A little background, been vaping for a decade, and mostly used a traditional wooden box desktop vape with a glass whip. I have to replace the box unit every couple years, the glass whips break every six months and I am constantly cleaning and changing the filters. I recently bought the Mighty and I love it but I want a permeant replacement for my desktop vape. I really like whip vaping. I’ve tried the volcano many times but I usually smoke alone and using a bag tends to be annoying for me but sometimes I would like to have the option to use it.
I watched a couple of your videos and I think I am should try and choose between the Herbalizer and the Plenty. My reservations on both are that the Plenty can never use a bag, doesn’t have the highest temp for concentrates, and doesn’t actually stand up. I use the my vape everyday and the Herbalizer seems to be needing cleaning very often, not the highest quality materials/build and has a very high price. The cheap top, dirty whip tube and white covering seems convening. Vape consistency is very important to me but I think both of these units will handle that fine. Also the temperature control on Plenty also concerns me. I love having the ability to set the exact temperature for unit. Price is not really an issue but I would definitely like to get the best bang for my buck and have the best unit for long term daily use.
Would really appreciate any feedback you would have on picking between these two units according to my preferences.
Thanks
This destroys the volcano and any one that tries to take the crown from it. Best start,up time, conservative, best taste and most functional when you consider it does bags, a whip and hydratubes with an 18 attachment! I own a volcano, plenty and vapexhale and it crushes them all!
HAHA, that’s bad when a vaporizer sucks so bad that you have to actually remove the purchase link. Must be a really crappy vaporizor. Glad I didn’t waste my money
In all honesty this is the best vape I have ever owned! You can buy it directly from the manufacturer now for 599 instead of the purchase link for 729! This has awesome attachments you can use including all the vapexhale ones with an 18 adapter from @ratchet! This vape tastes better than the volcano with bag mod or whip and will,get you,blasted past the point of the plenty or vapexhale mod. You can even just use a pinnacle pro. I own all four vapes and the herbalizer retired the volcano, the vapexhale but I still use the plenty because it’s portable in a group and it’s nice to have 2 vapes going like the herbie and plenty and you and all your friends get truly medicated. The concentrate pads with the herbie is nothing short of amazing! It can handle about 10,bags or a bunch of hard rips off the hydratubes. The vape quality is the best out of any vaporizer and is truly uncomparable.
I have the Herbalizer and also loved it at first but have grown to be lukewarm on it. It don’t use the bags, I use the whip, and it has some definite design flaws. This stickiness factor is one, but the bigger problem is that it constantly slips out of the headpiece. The need a better connection so it can “click” in. The overall construction is cheap and plastic and rickety; it does not feel like a solid appliance like the Volcano (I’ve owned both). I regret the purchase.
Hi Bud, thank for your great reviews. Will definitely buy through your site if I can to support your great work. I am completely new to vaping and I haven’t been smoking for a long time. I have been reading your reviews for about 10 hours in the past two days (including lots of comments). Very valuable, however, it seems like you solely cater for the mj vapor user. I am interested to use vapors with lots of different herbs for recreational and medical use and would like to do some experimenting. The recommended vapor temperature for these herbs range from 100 C (e.g Blue Lotus) to 200 C (e.g Kava Kava). I read that the Herbalizer starts only at 143 C and the Volcano at about 130C. Do you think it is still possible to use either of them to vape at these lower temperatures? (By using some tricks?) I assume the slower heat up time of the Volcano could be an advantage here as you can follow it on the gauge and start drawing when in the 100c-130C range? This seems to be a challenge with the Herbalizer heating up so quickly. Another consideration is the size of the chambers. I assume that different herbs need different quantities to work in a vaporizer, e.g not sure if 0.5g of green tea will be enough. In short, in your opinion, which would be the best vaporizers for a wide range of different herbs? I would greatly appreciate any information/links regarding this topic. Cheers from NZ.
Also curious to know why position changed
Hey please see my response above: https://vapecritic.com/herbalizer/#comment-129460
Thanks for your advice! I bought one last year after reading your pages and I like it. I see a fair amount of what I think are re-condensed oils inside the whip, on the top screen of the chamber, on the outside of the whip where it attaches to the chamber, etc. Are those actually re-condensed oils, and so safe and usable? Can one harvest them, put them onto the pad for condensates/oils and vape them? If so, what’s the best way? If not, I guess I clean them off with isopropyl alcohol? Any tips for cleaning chamber and whip?
Hey Michael yes technically that is oil that you can reclaim and use again, it’s just not super easy to do it.
I personally just clean my vape parts when it’s time so I’m not sure of the best method to save whatever’s in there, but as far as cleaning just use a little rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab and scrub away, and for the whip you can soak it in warm soapy water if you want.
You can soak the whip in alcohol too but do it quickly and don’t let it sit too long, and rinse with water afterwards.
For a quick spruce up I take a water-dampened paper towel and wipe down the outside of the whip, it seems to be the best way to get all the little dust particles and dirt that gets attracted to it.
What’s up with leaving the herbalizer out of your top 3? the Price? Your rating means it should be up there. I would think you would have herbalizer or the cloud evo as number one. And the volcano 3rd
Hey Andy so here’s the story,
First my list of Top Picks is not all-encompassing because there are more than a handful of vapes that I like a lot, so occasionally you may see some models rotate in and out of the list.
This vape specifically kinda had a few unfortunate things happen…
I originally rated it a 97 overall, but after 6 months of owning it and using I had to go back and lower the rating slightly because of the reasons I mention at the top of the page in my post (cheap balloons, frequent cleaning & cooling fan noise).
So I started using it less, but what also happened was the management of Herbalizer changed sometime last year and whoever the new people are there they do not care for me and don’t respond to me or communicate with me.
They also stopped selling their unit through authorized distributors (like the ones I have years of experience with) so they put me in a spot where I have nowhere to send people to buy it that I trust, and I’m really not comfortable sending people directly to them for obvious reasons.
It’s still a great vape, just no longer one of my personal top picks because as of right now I feel that the Volcano, Cloud EVO and Plenty are other top shelf units that are less expensive.
Stay up!
-Bud
With the Pax I & II, with normal use, how often do the batteries have to be changed? What is normal use? With the Firefly , they say you can get about 3 months use, which is $120 per year to maintain under normal use. Curious how Plume compares. Thank you.
Hey Paul the battery in the PAX vapes is actually not supposed to be user-replaceable, but if you search hard enough you may be able to find someone who took theirs apart to try and swap it out.
I personally have not had any reports of the battery completely dying on anyone, there have been reports of defects but Ploom is really good and getting defectives replaced swiftly.
Thank you so much for posting the video how to adapt the Volcano bag to the Herbalizer. The “Volcanolizer!”
Are there any other advantages to doing this other than the bag staying upright and price? Do you feel the Volcano bags last longer and are better quality?
Thanks
You got it Nick!
One of the main reasons this became a thing is that Herbalizer balloons have been out of stock for a while, so if you needed more and didn’t have an alternate solution you were SOL.
Aside from the Volcano balloons staying upright when being filled I do feel they’re also higher quality and last longer.
How do you convert a volcano bag for use with the Herbalizer? I’ve had the unit for 2 weeks and 2 out of the 4 bags have already started to leak.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nww3RUnF7lY&list=UUze78nnuYzHtIXIqMYSvMFQ
Herbie Balloons keep breaking and unavailable to buy. How do I make volcano bags work with herbie ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nww3RUnF7lY&list=UUze78nnuYzHtIXIqMYSvMFQ
Hello, bud. I recently purchased a replacement roll of Volcano bags to use after seeing this video and I am absolutely confused as to what to do! I tried to watch the video, rewind over and over again to no success. I wanted to comment and ask for help but you seemed to have disabled comments on your instructional video.
Am I supposed to have an opening on bothsides when I cut the material? What am I doing wrong? Your video shows the process starting from using an easy valve balloon and not from the roll so I am confused. I am new to vaping in general so something that may seem obvious to others just goes over my head.
I would appreciate any help.
Great reviews man you have been very helpful on which vape to get to help make the switch over from smoking. Price isn’t an issue at all and am leaning towards the herbalizer. I noticed however that it seems like they are always sold out of many replacement parts on their site as well as yours and I was curious if you knew if they are expected to be able to get more soon? I am really leaning towards the herbalizer because I want to be able to do both whip and bag and feel like it’s the only really good option for that category, however if I can’t get replacement parts it may change my decision slightly. Also do you know of any way to use this with a water pipe? They don’t seem to offer adapters and I have a bunch of heady glass rigs that I would love to use it with. Any info would be great. Feel free to email if easier. Keep up the AWESOME reviews! Thanks
Hey Kyle unfortunately I’m not sure about the stock on the replacement parts :\
BUT, I have had success putting a Volcano balloon on the Herbalizer valve, so if you run out of those, or just want better bag material, you can use Volcano bags. Other than that you should only need some screens down the road.
Funny you should ask about using this vape through water, I just posted this today: https://twitter.com/VapeCritic/status/572501287662723072
I’m using the whip/tubing from the Da Buddha vape, fits nicely on the Herbie chamber, and the other end fits nicely into 18mm pieces.
Stay up!
You sir are a pro, and i trust your opinion. Have you considered doing a MiniVap review? Im almost certain its the vape for me, but it dosnt have a lot of reviews. I would like to hear your opinion.
Thanks man.
Hey thanks I actually do have that on my list of possibilities and am hoping to get one soon, I appreciate your request!
Hello. I am in the market for a desktop vape mainly for concentrate use but i also want the ability to vaporize herbs as well. I am struggling to make a decision between the herbalizer and the Vapexhale EVO. I have seen video of both of these units burning concentrates and thus far the Vapexhale looks more like a true dab whereas the herbalizer appears to be a slower burnoff of the concentrates. With that said there is a lot more material on the EVO with concentrates for me to view. To my knowledge most efficient tools for waxes get over the 455 the Herbalizer achieves and i was wondering if this makes a difference at all? I love your videos and am very appreciative of the expertise you share. I was wondering if you had a definitive opinion on this matter?
Hey Adam, these are both excellent vapes for concentrates but as you said they work very differently.
With the Cloud EVO the experience will be one strong draw at a time, and it can be pretty intense (in a good way).
The Herbalizer vapes concentrates more slowly and when you fill up a balloon with it you take multiple draws over a period of 1-10 minutes.
As far as how well they vaporize concentrates or the vapor quality it’s really close, and excellent with both, so I would think about the experience using it to make your decision.
Hi vapecritic,
I come to your sight before I purchase any vaporizers. I have not seen any new reviews for awhile. Are you ok (sick, busy, stopped reviewing)? If you are still giving reviews, what is up next. Thanks
Hey I’m here! Have been busy upgrading the website past couple months but I have a bunch of reviews in the pipeline, stay tuned!
I very much enjoy all of your comparison videos and I do rely on your ratings as a guide in my buyings. I bought the arizer solo a while ago and love that as a portable vape (although I’m always interested in adding more to the collection).
You rated both the Mighty and Crafty higher than the herbalizer, and while they are portable vapes and the herbalizer isn’t, is the herbalizers vapor quality worth the extra money? I would like a desktop vape but if a portable vape has better vapor quality and efficiency I see no reason to bypass a great portable vape for roughly half the cost.
Basically what I’m asking is whether the rating of the crafty and mighty as higher than the herbalizer was based on portability or if the actual function is better?
Hope to hear back!
Thanks
Hey Gary glad to hear it!
My ratings take into account every aspect of ownership but if you specifically look at vapor quality and efficiency they’re all excellent, just in different ways…
What I like about the Herbalizer is its performance across a wide temperature range, it’s the best model right now for vaporizing at specific temperatures to get certain effects. The vapor is also smooth, tasty and comfortable.
A good way to think about which vapes to get is to envision what the experience will be like using them.
The Herbalizer is a little more laid back and you can stretch out your sessions longer, removing your herbs from the heater between draws or bag fillings. You can vape at low temps during the day for more uplifting results, or higher temps for more intense results (or somewhere in the middle for balanced effects).
The experience of the Crafty & Mighty is closer to the experience of “combusting” something you would roll.
You pack it up, turn it on and just take draws one after another until your material is spent, taking only short breaks between pulls. You need to take a fairly long draw to get a lot of vapor (~10-12 seconds) but it will feel very strong, while still being smooth and tasty. In my opinion these two also work best within a narrow temp range (~350°F-~365°F), which is the normal range for good vaping you just can’t control the effects as much as you can with the Herbie.
So I’d say it comes down to which style of vaping suits you best. Do you want something portable to carry around that’s super strong but you have to vape it all in one shot fairly quickly? Or do you want to relax and vape just at home and not worry about how long you’re taking?
Either way you can’t go wrong!
Great review, as they all are!! I decided to buy the Herbalizer because of your review and ordered it yesterday (through your link). Thanks!
Awesome you’re the best, let me know how you like it!
I like it! …a lot! :-)
Thanks again for your excellent reviews!!
Can u use a water tool attachment with the herbalizer in whip mode?i think it would be handy
they don’t make one for it but I’m sure you can if you rigged somethin up
Broke after 4 months. Dont bother. Of course I cant find reciept so Im up a creek without a paddle. Might as well flush $700.00 down the drain. Very disapointed in the quality.
Hey man what broke??
I meant Can u keep filling the bags and how long can they stay in the bag?
Hey can you clarify what you mean?
Once a balloon is filled the vapor will stay good in there for about 5-10 minutes
I agree with the review very precise. Can u keep filling up the bags after one usage? Bro Brusky
Hello everyone, I am new to vaporizers and really draws attention the Herbalizer think I could change life, my question is: he’s fine ?? worth it? should buy it or buy another cheaper?
Have you ever reviewed a super vapezilla? I’ve never seen a review on your site. Would appreciate your thoughts
Great review, Is it possible to buy/safely use this vape in the UK? I heard it’s “only for Americans”
Hey man I believe as of now it’s just US and Canada :\ I’m not sure about using converters or anything, but I would be cautious about that because I did see a complaint from someone who tried to use theirs overseas but didn’t covert the power right and it fried it.
Years ago I used what was probably one of the first volcano machines. My biggest complaint-difficulty with the Vulcano was getting the balloon into it’s holder. I love your revues but you don’t mention this aspect on either the Volcano or Herbalizer. Is this no longer a problem or am I just physically challenged. Keep up the great revues.
Bob Davis
Hey Bob did you have the Solid Valve kit?
In my experience that one is a little trickier and more cumbersome than the Easy Valve.
I bought the Herbalizer after I read your review. I was using a silver surfer at the time.
The investment in the Herbalizer was well worth it for me. I love the temp. control and the tailored buzz.
The bags are pricey at 7 bucks a pop, and they don’t last the implied 4 months. But I found cleaning to be quicker and less onerous than the Silver Surfer, a short soak in some 90% isoprophyl and the deeds done. Remove rubber fittings first
Awesome site Bud!! Keep up the GREAT work.
I’m a happy PAX owner thanks to you..
Question on the Herbie… I’m worried about replacement bulb cost. The quick heat-up time and precise temp control are awesome, but if you have a $200~$300 bulb with a limited life-span, cost of ownership might be a bit high.
Any word on expected bulb life and replacement cost?
Thanks again Bud and I ALWAYS use your links when I buy, so that you can continue to do what you do my man..
Hey thanks and I’m really glad you’re diggin the vape!
It’s hard to say exactly how long the bulbs last through real life usage since it hasn’t been out too long, but I brought this up to manufacturer in the past and they claimed it will last quite a while and it’s not something to worry about. Based on what I know about how it was designed I’m inclined to believe that, but you never know.
The bulb is covered under the factory 2-year warranty and then they also have that 5-year guarantee thing, but with that you’d still have to pay half for a whole new unit.
This is something I’ll be keeping a close eye on, thanks for posting man and thank you also for your support!
Hey Bud,
The only vaporizers I’ve tried are the Plenty, Pax and Herbalizer. I got rid of my Plenty and Pax to fund the Herbie and was let down by the overall experience. Seems like it more geared towards medical patience than recreational users.Any way I sold the Herbie to fund a new Crafty and a used Plenty. I’m sticking with Storz & Bickel all the way lol (I still need to try/buy the Volcano one day)
This is really random, but lets say you only owned the Herbalizer, Volcano, Plenty & Crafty. And they we’re irreplaceable because Storz & Bickel and Herbalizer went of business or whatever. If you’re wife called you to let you know one of them broke, which one would you hope it would be???
Damn, crazy question to think about and I don’t think I have an answer because I never want to imagine that happening lol
Sup bud. Ive noticed you dropped your rating on this. Why is that?
Hey Wayne that is correct,
I put a brief note up at the bottom of the review explaining why but I’ll break it down here also…
The first reason was the cleanliness, I’ve found that since owning it I’ve had to wipe parts of it off more often than others to keep it looking like new. It seems to build up residue in various areas and since most of the vape is a very light color inside (white) you can see it easily.
The next reason was the balloons – I mention in my Volcano comparison how the Herbie’s aren’t quite as high quality, and I’ve found that a few of mine have gone bad or starting leaking vapor after just a month or so, which is a shorter period of time than I had hoped.
And lastly, the cooling fan that’s programmed to automatically go on when the vape gets too hot inside seems to be coming on more often than I’d like it to, which is just a minor annoyance because of the noise.
These really aren’t major issues, and I still think this is an excellent vape, but I consider many factors in my ratings and I felt that the overall score needed to be adjusted after my experiences with it.
Hey bud,
Have been interested in entering the vapo scene for some time and your websites & reviews have really helped my knowledge of the market. I’ve basically narrowed it down to the Plenty or the Herbaliser. Now I already know the Herbaliser is the best on the market at the moment however I was wondering if you think it would be worth almost double the price or is the vapor quality worth it? Keeping in mind I like to stay up all day everyday. Is there much of a strength difference between the two?
Cheers from NZ, keep up the great work
Hey Levi, I think the main differences are really how the vapes work and what the vaping experience is like with each one.
If you look strictly at vapor strength and quality, there’s not much of a difference, they’re both excellent, so I wouldn’t recommend using that as a deciding factor.
A session with the Plenty is fairly different from a session with the Herbie.
Get the Plenty if you just want strong, smooth vapor and you don’t mind vaping ~10-12 draws back-to-back in one straight session.
The Herbalizer would be better if you think vaping at a slower pace from a balloon or the whip is more up your alley. Or if you really wanted the ultra-precise temperature control, that’s another difference, because with the Plenty the temp will fluctuate within a certain range.
[ SO easy to forget the “AiroMed” and SO annoying to hear “uh… you forgot some crappy vape from 2004” ]
Thanks for the review.
Definitely appreciate the comparison.
;) you got it
Hey Bud,
I have been thinking about getting the Herbalizer for a few weeks now. I had been torn between that and the Volcano but I think I like a few of the features on the Herbie better. Plus, i’m not normally with too many other people so the smaller chamber does not bother me as much.
In your video you mentioned that you usually use somewhere around 0.2g in the chamber. My question is, how many balloons does that normally fill for you before having to repack?
Thanks!
Hey Nick thanks for posting,
I usually fill 2 balloons before re-packing, and I think I might use a tiny bit less than 0.2g. I was never really able to get more good bag-fulls than that at a time so that is one main difference between this and the Volcano, that vape can fill up to ~6 bags from one packing.
Thanks for the reply Bud.
I was originally leaning towards the Herbalizer but the ballon quality and chamber size have me wondering if I should go with the Volcano. I have had the Vapir NO2 for a few years now and the most frustrating thing with it for me has been the lack of chamber size. I don’t need a huge chamber but I definitely don’t want to be changing as much as I do with the NO2. How do you think the Herbalizer and Volcano compare to the NO2 in terms of chamber size?
And since I have watched your video on the NO2 and lowered the temperature a bit I have had a much better experience, so I appreciate that!
Thanks again.
love my herbie but the bags are an issue and now the manufacturer is out of stock. do u have any information that can help us understand what the problem is and what the solution is? the herbie is not worth it without the bags in my opinion?
Hey I’m not aware of issues with the manufacturer but I did notice my bags not lasting as long as I had hoped, so I actually lowered this vape’s rating a tiny bit recently because yes I think properly functioning balloons are very important.
I have used every type of vaporizer from handhelds to Volcano and just returned my Plenty, a Pax and a Pinnacle Pro. I have had a Volcano for years and it’s amazing, but I had decided to sell it to a friend and I missed it so much I just bought another one. The prices are coming down on the Volcano and one can get a Classic Unit and Easy Valve kit for way under $500 now. I really would like to try the Herbie, but I must admit that $700 + is just not worth it for the experience I may or may not get compared to the Volcano. I wish you would talk about price point comparison in your reviews because this is important. Aside from the Whip and the ability for the Herbie to consume less material, I still think investing in a Volcano. Even investing in a used volcano is a great deal because they last for years and years. One cannot say this yet about the Herbie. I understand one can use higher temperature and get a cleaner vapor than the Volcano but that comparison seems vague because most would not use either one on these unless using extracts, which I admit probably would be better in the Herbie. Still, I would like to know your thoughts on this as well.
First of all, I would like to say, GREAT REVIEWS! The best on youtube as far as I’m concerned. But… I still need info! ANY HELP IS GREATLY APPRECIATED! I would really like to hear your opinion before I make a purchase.
Basically I’m torn between the Vapexhale Cloud Evo and the Herbalizer. How does the taste of the herbalizer compare to a vapexhale? Does the glass pathway make tastier vapor? Is there potential for off-gassing of plastic in the herbalizer? These are my main concerns. Also I was wondering which you think performs better with concentrates, and if the effects are similar to using a titanium nail. Is it possible to use e-liquid with the herbalizer? I would assume it’s not much different than using essential oils. Do you find pressing the forced air button on the herbalizer annoying? Do you use the herbalizer without the forced air? Is the herbalizer bag big enough to have a session with friends? Have you used the herbalizer with a water attachment? and if so how did you like it?
SORRY I KNOW THATS A LOT! I appreciate any help at all. Thanks for the awesome reviews.
Haha nice list of questions! Let’s see if I can answer most of them simply…
As far as Cloud EVO vs Herbalizer just focus on the actual experience of using them and how they work, vapor quality by itself is not different enough to sway a purchase IMO.
They both perform well with concentrates, it really just depends if you wanna rip it or you want to use a whip or balloon.
Pressing the fan assist button is not annoying at all and it’s the only way I really enjoy using it in whip mode, it makes your draws much stronger and you get more vapor.
The balloons are big enough to share, but you can only fill it about 2 times before your material will mostly be spent and you need to re-pack.
Haven’t tried it with a water attachment, find no need to.
Stay up!
Hey I just got my Herbie last week and overall I love it, but I have a couple issues.
1. I tend to try to stretch my stuff on weeknights and use less. I find the Herbie works amazing when I fill the oven up to where the bowl widens, but when I try to use less than that there is a big drop off.
2. The Balloons are working a lot better than my whip. I was looking forward to using the whip a lot but I just haven’t been getting [the same effects] as I do when using the balloons. Idk why though.
Do you think there is something I should try or is that just how the Herbie is…. or is it just me?
Hey man I totally get what you’re sayin, what I personally do in whip mode to get the best results is turn the fan assist on during every draw.
When I just draw from it at regular speed I agree that you need the chamber packed full to get good vapor, but you should be able to get vapor that’s just as good with a smaller amount by turning that fan on.
Give it a whirl and see if it’s any different!
Got the Herbie and all can I say is WOW!!!
This thing heats up faster than you can fill the bowl. From plug in to 390 in seconds. It’s crazy!!
And toasted to perfection. WOW!! You don’t know what you’re missing.
Ya the extra tray seems like an after thot (let’s make it legit with aromatherapy). Is there was a way to remove tray but keep the lid? The lid is still cool. Real cool.
Ya the hose is sticky, washed it, iso’ed it, goo-begone it, but still sticky.
Ya the brush is cheap, but not just that, but it creates static, so fine particles stick to it and the rubber on the bowl. They need a anti-static brush like the one with the MFLB.
But 5 minutes with Herbie and all that disappears. :)
Stay Up.
Nice Dave I’m glad you like it ;) and I agree there are a few details they should have paid more attention to.
Hey Bud,
My Herbalizer is being shipped to me now and the Plenty and the Pax are the only vaporizers I’ve used. I was wondering if I should use the pad when vaporizing small amounts of material, like with the Plenty?
Hey Jon, no liquid pad necessary with this vape unless you’re vaping concentrates, which you would place right on top of it.
Hey Bud,
My Herbalizer is being shipped to me now and the Plenty is the only home vaporizer I’ve used. I was wondering if I should use the pad when vaporizing small amounts of material, like with the Plenty?
[some text redacted] I sold my Plenty and Pax to buy it right away. I got both of them based off of your reviews. But as someone who has never smoked anything before the Pax was a little too harsh for me, but I still agree with you that it’s the best Vaporizer for portability. And I found that The Plenty isn’t the best for using small amounts with, which I like to do on weeknights. Having said that, I loved the vapor quality and just about everything else about the Plenty.
I know with this trade off I’m losing portability but when I’m out and about I usually only vape when I’m parked in a discreet area so I decided to get a 350-watt car inverter to use as an outlet for my Herbie. Besides the portability, do you think the Herbalizer will do a good job servicing all of my vaping needs?
Hey man very cool, this vape is different you only use the liquid pad if you’re putting concentrates on it, otherwise if you’re only vaping dry herb you just stick that right in the chamber, usually around 0.1g-0.25g at a time.
Hi bud, hoping you could review the minivap. Some big claims are being made by other vape reviewers, one even claiming it’s better than the volcano!!! But none of those reviewers are anywhere near as good as you! I only trust your word and would love to hear your opinion before I sink $600+ into a vape.
Thanks again, love your work!
Hey Man , thanks for all your reviews because of you i have made great choice of vapes , davinci and plenty,
Now I’ve bought the Herbalizer its brand new and fresh ,because i wanted to experience ballons and whip
i have been using it for only 2 days .. i dont really like the taste or the kind of odor that the bulb give or odor of new metal i canot say where is this odor come from , did you ever had this feeling? this odor actually make me sick , in the plenty i don’t remember if i had this odor when it was brand new.
Hey glad you’re happy with the vapes!
What you’re describing does not sound typical for this vape at all, it should be very clean and pure tasting.
These are the two things I would try:
First, attach the chamber (empty) to the unit and turn the temperature all the way up to the max. Press the fan button and let it run for a full cycle of 90 seconds, maybe even do this twice.
Next, take your silicone tubing and soak it for a little while in a bowl of warm soapy water.
Doing these 2 things should eliminate anything that could possibly be causing a bad taste, although you really shouldn’t even have to do this, it can’t hurt.
Let me know if it gets better!
Yes this have worked thanks for your tip!!
soaked the tube has taken off the “”new”” odor of the silicone i guess, and of course a good trick of yours that i have forgoten that was to burn out the chamber a while before first vapes!!
So here i am now 5 months later using this Vape everyday its a very good vape for home and heats up so quick ..
what i did not liked about this vape : i am a pollen allergic and this vape give me more allergies than other ones non halogen bulb.. i guess its because the vape heats up to quickly and material are not combusted long time like a plenty wich is good of course! and i also see a difference with the taste … kind of love more the taste in my plenty that in this one …
anyways im not complaning about this great vape (herbalizer )i use it every single day now and save so much money on herbs because my last one was a Plenty and took me plenty of [material]…
do you see a difference in taste between a herbalizer(halogen) , and a volcano or some of your good quality oven vapes??
thanks bud
Hey I’m really glad you’re enjoying your Herbie! but sorry to hear about your allergies :\
It’s definitely very efficient though, and I do notice a difference in taste between this one and most others.
I kind of lean towards this vape having the best tasting vapor but there are a bunch of good ones with great flavor.
Hi Bud,
Is it possible to vape [pollen] with The Herbalizer?
After almost 2 years using the PAX (brilliant by the way) i have accumulated a big deal of it on the bottom of my grinder and I am not sure what to do with it (I gave up smoking for good).
After a successful experience with portable vaporizer I am in the market for a Home based one and [pollen] vaporization will be a “nice thing to have”. If The Herbalizer is not the one, which one would you recommend?
Thanks a lot in advance
Edu, from The Basque Country
Hey Edu, it’s difficult to find a vape that works well with pollen by itself, but with most good vapes (including the Herbalizer) you can mix a little pollen in with your herbs and get great results.
Hi. I started to vape to kick a 2pack a day habit. I’m 5 days without, doing good. Do you rate portables? If so what do you think about Kangertech pro tank 2? I use it on top of an itaste battery which produces big clouds but lacks in taste. What would be a better portable if any? Cloudy in Illinois. :)
Hey Gary thanks for your questions, at this time I don’t review vapes for e-liquid so unfortunately I’m not very familiar with them. I might get into these down the road though, just not sure when. Stay up!
Hi there,
I am very knew to vaping….started bc of chronic pain. It helps some. I purchased the puffitt and don’t like it at all. You get what you pay for. I just found your site and it’s so informative. Thank you!
So now I am trying to decide between the herbie or a vape that has glass parts.
I have read about the plastic and how one could be vaping chemicals/toxins from the plastic. Do you know anything about this? Is it safer to get a vape with glass components? Or am I totally safe with the herbie? If so, it looks like the one that would be best for me.
Wondering if you get any bad taste from the silicone whip (or bag) ? Meaning, does it ever have a taste plastic when vaping?
If so, can you you recommend a vape with glass that works really well and is easy to use?
Also, When I medicate I don’t care for the taste of the herb. Would certain vapes make the taste less so? Bc that would be a good thing for me. Or does this have more to do with the temp one uses?
Lastly, I now know I need a grinder with my vape…am wondering if there is anything else you could suggest that I may need or that would make it more enjoyable ? Thank you so much for your help. ;)
Hey AnnMarie, thanks for posting!
This vape is very high quality and is built really well, so even though the shell or casing may be made of some plastic the vapor path itself is comprised of inert, flavorless, food-safe materials.
I don’t get any bad taste at all from this unit, but it’s a good question, because some cheaper vapes that are made of plastic may not be as safe and clean tasting.
The silicone whip is medical grade and won’t augment the flavor of the vapor at all, and neither will the balloons.
Some people do prefer glass though and because you asked I would recommend the Cloud EVO and LSV as very good glass vapes.
In general vaping at lower temperatures will provide more flavor and less visible vapor, and vaping at higher temps will produce more vapor but the taste isn’t as defined. So for you I would probably try out some higher temps first and see how you like it. I would still try the lower temps also just to see the difference.
As long as you get a good grinder (go with Space Case or Santa Cruz Shredder) there isn’t really anything else you’ll need for the best vape experience.
The chamber brush is something you’ll also use very often, and the Herbalizer comes with one but it’s not the highest quality, so down the road I would look into picking up a Volcano brush or a Magic-Flight Launch Box brush, those are the best brushes in my opinion and they’re only a few dollars.
Hope this helps!
I am a new vaper, and really want to get a small, portable one like the G Pro Pen from Grenco Science. Do you think that’s the right choice? Thanks!!
Hey thanks for posting, I’m going to be reviewing a model very similar to that real soon, stay tuned!
Have you used the minivap yet? Can we get a review maybe and see how it compares to the herbie and plenty etc? Your views would be much appreciated. Vape on.
I haven’t tried that one yet but I do have it on my list of future possibilities, thanks very much for your request.
Hi, thanks for all your time and effort in putting together this amazing site! It is my bible of Vaporizers, and your word is gospel lol.
Just wanted your opinion.
I have a solo, that I absolutely love, I now need a desktop and am deciding between the volcano and the herbie.
For pure vapor quality (balloon), which is better? I think you mentioned the herbie somewhere, but is it a noticeable difference? Or just marginally that is not even noticeable on some occasions? Or is it only at high temps it’s noticeable?
I love the dual idea of the herbie. But would I be better off getting the volcano and plenty as opposed to the herbie (if money were no object)?
I am living in Australia and the herbie won’t be released until 2015 some time here. So I’m seriously contemplating getting a volcano and/or plenty instead of having to wait. But I don’t want to end up buying the herbie too!! Hahaha.
Thanks again for all your work and information! Vape on!
Forgot to mention, vapor quality is my only consideration (and to a small degree temperature control). Heat up time is not an issue in my books.
Thanks again :)
Hey Richard thanks for posting, I’m very glad you found the site helpful.
I’m actually working on a Volcano vs Herbalizer comparison right now, and in it I specifically talk about vapor quality at different temperatures. I should have the video up very soon.
The short version is that between the temperatures of about 350°F to 380°F it’s hard to tell a difference in vapor quality in my opinion.
However, at temps below 350° and above 380° the Herbalizer does a better job of producing vapor that’s slightly tastier and more comfortable.
As far as the Plenty, I love that vape, and I think it belongs in everyone’s collection. Even if you buy one of the others I would still recommend a Plenty, it really provides a unique experience (a strong one).
Amazing!!!!!!!!
I concur.
Another great review! I’m really intrigued by the Herbalizer, especially the smaller herb chamber. Question though: how hot does the chamber get? My concern is it will be annoying to empty the chamber and pack a new bowl during a session. This info would be great in all your reviews btw (along with info about how hard it is to replace screens). Thanks again for all your work and insights!
Hey thanks for posting, the chamber never actually gets super hot, only a little hot at higher temperatures and after repeated use. I’ve never gotten burned by mine, it’s never been too hot to grab.
The chamber is magnetic and pops on and off easily, it’s very convenient to fill and re-pack with this vape.
Screens are also easy to replace, if you put a little pressure on them with the back of the brush they’ll slide right out, and then there’s little grooves so they fit back into place easily as well.
Hi, love your reviews! Just a question i did not find answered in your video, does the chamber roast the herb (and waste material) in the time you do not draw on the whip? I mean if i fill the chamber full, and take a draw, leave it for 5 minutes as is, and take another draw, will it be a waste or will the lamp only light up and heat when i draw like for example the AroMed does?
Thanks! Good question – I’ve found that you can leave the chamber attached to the unit and it won’t really waste any material, but if you’re gonna wait more than a few minutes in between draws it might be slightly more efficient to shut the unit off in the meantime.
I only say this because of how quickly the vape heats up when you turn it back on, it’ll only add 5-10 seconds to the process. In most cases it probably won’t make a noticeable difference, but if you think your material might be heated too long between draws it can’t hurt to try it.
The bulb inside this vape does light up intermittently to keep an ambient temperature, but it doesn’t really blow the hot air over your material unless you’re actively drawing or have the fan on.
Hey man! Awesome review!
A few questions popped about the balloons. Does the squeeze valve support custom sized balloons? Is it reusable or it’s disposable just like the Volcano’s easy valve?
Thanks and keep up the great work!
Hey thanks, the balloons work similarly to the Volcano Easy Valve in that they come in predetermined sizes, and you might be able to put a custom bag on the valve but it’ll be tricky to do.
Once the balloon has been used a lot and loses its integrity it’s time to dispose of it and open up a new one.
Just got my Herbie back from San Diego after it stopped working for unknown reasons. It took about 2 and 1/2 weeks from when they received it. They told me the board cpu had to be replaced. I was very impressed with warranty service and living in Hawaii it’s a little nerve wrecking to ship a $725 unit (of course I insured it). None the less, I love this Vape the most among my others, Volcano, plenty, and the Pax. The Plenty was my alternate choice vape while the Herbie got repaired. I’m glad it went down during the warranty period, though they do offer 50% off within 5 yrs of purchase or buy back program. The plastic lid is a very very minor feature compared to how awesome this unit works. It’s the smoothest one so far especially in the tropics.
Thanks for posting your experience, you’re the first one to let me know about a problem with your unit. I’m glad they were able to fix it and provide a fairly quick turnaround, good warranty service is one of the factors I consider in my ratings. I’m also happy to hear about how much you’re enjoying it, please let me know if anything comes up in the future. Vape it up!
I saw this video when first posted and knew that Herbie would be my new best friend! He has all the features I was looking for, especially the fan! I ordered it earlier this month through your link and am very pleased! The metal mouthpiece can be removed, and the silicone tube attaches perfectly to my disposable O2 face mask. Breathing the vapor through the nose allows you to taste the vapor on a whole new level!
Very glad to hear you’re enjoying the vape, thanks for posting!
I’m hearing good and bad things. it is superior in design but case is cheap plastic and accessories case always comes open spilling your herbs! For being in the $750 area I would expect metal casing design with more quality build! I’m going to wait this one out until its a better design with better build quality being in this price range.
Yea I agree that the lid and especially the plastic tray inside could be sturdier and more durable for sure, especially at this price point.
This is what I imagine it would be like if Mark Whalberg did vaporizer reviews lol
Haha not the first time I’ve heard that and I’m sure it’s not the last
Hey Bud I think I have watched almost all your videos and thanks to your website I decided on a Pax which I’d have to say I’m quite pleased with. I think I’ll be buying the Firefly next for more of a home use vape unless I can hit a payday for a herbalizer which is at the top of my wish list just not really in my budget lol. I would however like to request a review on the Minivap which has very few videos of use at all anywhere. And I also am a bit of a builder and I put together a mouthpiece and water pipe connector for my Pax for water vapeing which is just about the most amazing experience I’ve ever had in the past 20 years of using which is impressive. Obviously I haven’t tried the Cloud Evo or anything else really for that matter and I was wondering if you could explore that style of water vapeing more in a review (besides the Evo and the MFLB water tool.). Thank you so much and happy vapeing.
Hey Charlie I’m very glad to hear that you’re diggin the vape!
I appreciate your request also, I do have that one on my list of future possibilities.
Hey bud,
I’ve always used your reviews as a basis for deciding on vaporizers and now comes the time for me to decide on my first high end desk-top vape. Right now the decision is between the volcano and the herbalizer, possibly the plenty as well.
The plenty and the volcano are both well made and have been out for so long that they are already time tested. The herbalizer however has not been given this opportunity yet. I’ve read the postings on FC and everyone seems to love it, and say that (other than the cover) everything is built exceptionally well on the herbalizer.
I’m leaning more towards the herbalizer because [some text redacted] I like having the option of both whip and bag as well as the very accurate temperature readings.
My main questions are do you believe that this vape will last for years to come and has your opinion of this vaporizer changed in anyway since this review came out?
Thank You
Hey Justin thanks for posting,
I’ll start by saying that the Herbalizer, Volcano and Plenty are all fantastic vapes, and you really can’t go wrong with either one.
One area that I feel the Volcano is slightly stronger in is the balloon material and valve system, which I find myself preferring. I really like the Plenty vape also, and for the price it’s hard to beat. It does look kinda weird which turns some people off but it performs very well, and it produces very high quality vapor with very little draw resistance.
Bud,
Nice review. Having only used portable vaporizers in the past I have a question about balloon mode. Given my condition, I envision wanting to take a draw every few hours. My question is do you have any sense about how long the vapor remains potent in the balloon?
-John
Hey John good question, once you fill a balloon with vapor I recommend vaping all the contents within 5-10 minutes for the best experience.
After that amount of time the taste and potency start to degrade a bit, so it’s best not to leave vapor in there too long.
Hi Bud
I gotta say that I really like your site, I have spent hours this evening reading it!
Sadly it looks like the Herbalizer won’t be available here in Australia until next year. I’m not sure why, but maybe they have to manufacture units that will work on different voltages.
I’d really like to get a Herby, but for the meantime I’m going to have to get something else. Do you reckon that the Plenty vape would be a good choice? The Volcano looks good , but its a fair bit of money for something I might only use for a few months.
cheers
Hey Charlie thanks for posting,
I do think the Plenty is an excellent vape, especially for the price, and I still use mine all the time. If you don’t mind the look of it I definitely recommend it.
My husband has had a chronic headache since a failed sinus surgery left him with a headache since 2005.He found that [herbs] help to greatly reduce his suffering. We were very hesitant about spending the big bucks for the herbalizer but it is totally worth it. It saves money and will pay for itself within a year.You can vape it, better for health and you can still smoke the leftovers because it doesnt burn.He was spending 200 every 3 1/2 week. Now the same amount lasts us just a little over 5 weeks!!!! Huge savings.He is stoked as it saves us $1,400 a yr. :)
Thanks for posting Karen, I’m really glad to hear you’re diggin the vape!!
Hey Bud,
Fantastic review as always. This might be a stupid question, but do you think you could attach a hydratube like the one used in your Cloud EVO review to the nozzle of the Herbalizer in any of it’s available modes and get even cleaner/cooler draws? Is there any sense in doing this? Just curious.
Thanks!
Hey thanks, with the way it comes out of the box it wouldn’t exactly match up very well with a hydratube but because of the way it’s designed I really don’t feel it’s necessary to filter through water with this vape.
The vapor it produces in all modes is top notch and very comfortable, it’s excellent as-is!
Thanks for your excellent reviews, they’re very helpful.
A warning for buyers outside USA and Canada:
– The Herbalizer works only on 110V/60Hz (you’ll need a high-quality transformer for 220V-240V/50Hz).
– [their policy] says “Warranty shall be void upon transfer of ownership of this product and is effective only when used in the United States/Canada” So your Herbalizer will have no warranty.
This is quite a bummer for the rest of us, especially for something priced at the top range (and from guys who pretend to be rocket scientists, while the rest of the world knows to use universal power units that work everywhere on earth :p).
Was thinking exactly the same thing: NASA scientists that have never heard of multiple voltage power supplies?
Hey Bud.
Always come here to see your thoughts on a vape and I’m contimplating purchasing a Herbalizer. I just have a few concerns, mostly due to the price point.
Do you have an idea how long the sensors and computer parts are supposed to last? The last thing I’d want to do is drop 800$ (Canada) only to have to replace it in 3-5 years should it go caput. I have sent customer support this question, just curious to get your thoughts.
Thanks!
Hey Dave this company and vape is too new to really comment on this with accuracy, but if longevity is one of your concerns I would strongly consider the Volcano which has been out for over a decade, and I’ve personally owned mine for 5+ years now.
Hey I just bought this for dry herb use, but does it also do ejuice?
I believe you can, it comes with a small concentrate pad which is normally used with waxes and oils and things like that, just make sure if you use a very thin liquid that you monitor the chamber so none of it leaks down into the unit. I would put just a drop at a time on the pad at first, it shouldn’t take a lot to get good vapor production.
Hi Bud
Here Pablo from Chile , South América
I have a vapir one vape over 3 years. Sometime smoke and sometime vaporize.
I planing only vape for the rest of my life.
The question is.
You think as a first step in this research take a volcano unit or herbalizer ?
Your words are really appreciated .
Best regards
Pablo from Chile
Probably the time-tested Volcano!
Hi Bud,
I’m a long time smoker who recently converted to vaping. Your site has been very helpful in understanding how vaporizers work and which ones are worth the investment.
My first vaporizer was the Firefly. I saw that you gave it a good review and many other sites online rated it highly. The Firefly is a great looking and great performing vape (when you master the technique). However, as a new vaper, I often found it tough to get really good draws on the Firefly. I usually get mixed results with the technique of engaging the heating element for a few seconds, then releasing and engaging it again. What I found was that if you don’t get the technique right, the draws tend to be less dense and not as satisfying. Also, the Firefly bowl is on the small side. It’s a decent size for one person but the small bowl made it difficult to share the Firefly with more than one other person. Typically, I would get between 8 – 10 draws before I had to replace my material, which was a little disappointing. Part of the issue could be I just didn’t master the technique. So, while the Firefly is a great portable vape (if you master the technique), as a first time vaper I found myself thinking more about my technique while vaping rather than enjoying the experience.
After using the Firefly, I looked into a desktop vaporizer and came across the herbalizer. I watched your review, did some research and decided to give it a try. I’ve had my herbie for a couple of weeks now and in my opinion, this is what vaporizing was meant to be. It’s easy to use, has a cool design and the vapor quality is great. You simply load the chamber, set the temperature and away you go – no technique to master. I really like being able to use this vape with the included whip or bag. Initially, I used the vape in whip mode only. It just felt weird taking draws from a plastic bag. Now, I find I use the bag more than the whip. It takes about 30 seconds to vape one bag, the bag vapor is consistent from start to finish and I find I get really good draws. Using the herbalizer, I’ve also been able to experiment with different vaping temperatures. I found that I prefer the taste at lower settings (below 380 F). Overall, this was a great purchase for a first time vaper – although it’s a little expensive. It’s easy to use and you get consistently great vapor. I look forward to many sessions with this vape.
My Pax Ploom was delivered today. I got it to replace my Firefly when I’m on the go. I understand the experience will be different from the herbalizer, but the Pax is very portable and looks easy to use (when compared to the Firefly). I’ll have to let you know how it works out.
Thanks for all the information and keep up the great reviews!
Hey thanks for posting!
I totally understand your feelings about the Firefly, it’s a very nice unit but sometimes it does require more attention than others which can be a little annoying.
Really glad to hear you’re diggin the Herbalizer though!
Definitely come back and post updates in the future, and nice move with the Pax, if you have any troubles with it check out this post for some helpful usage tips.
Vape it up!
Hi Bud,
Great review.
Just wondered if you could elaborate in detail on the herb consumption of the herbalizer. Its an important aspect for me to consider should I decide to replace my volcano as prices here in the UK are silly.
If the herbalizer is that cost effective I might want to sell my digi volcano and upgrade.
For instance if you use X amount in the volc and get 4-5 nice bags, how many would you get from this new futuristic baby?
Eager to read you reply o vape master.
peace and love
Hey it’s hard to say because I don’t notice a big difference in efficiency when using normal amounts of material (at least 0.15g).
With that amount packed in either vape you’ll get roughly the same number of balloon fillings.
One difference I did notice is that since the chamber of the Herbalizer is smaller and shaped differently it seems to perform a little better and be slightly more efficient with very small amounts of material (i.e. less than 0.15g).
For me though I rarely pack less than that amount when I vape, so it would really depend on what your usage is like.
Thanks for posting!
Hi Bud..
Thanks for giving such awesome reviews.
I recently got Volcano with Easy Valve. Please let me know if I made the right choice. I have never tried whip style mode of the Vape.
Hey Gary you made an excellent choice!!
Wow it looks like I should maybe get this instead of a volcano for bags.. I already have an aromed (which btw vapecritic you should really review please. You will love it) for my whip vaping but do you think the herbalizer is a better bag vaporizer than the volcano vapecritic?
Hey for strictly bag use the Volcano kinda still comes out ahead, they REALLY paid attention to detail and made the balloon vaping experience excellent.
The Herbie balloons and valves aren’t as high quality and durable as the Volcano’s, and unfortunately they don’t seem to be lasting as long either.
I do find the Aromeds Vapor to be lower density, but you can most definitely get really big hits too. The taste has never disappointed me yet and to think this thing has been around since 97!
I have had my aromed since 2003 and absolutely love it! Many other vaporizers have come and gone in that time, but I still use the aromed every day. This Herbailzer has definitely peaked my interest though.
I have been looking at these halogen bulb vapes for a while, since I heard that these type of vapes create some of the best vapor. I had known of this new Herbalizer, but had not done much research into it since it was so new and very expensive, therefore I had not realized that it used a bulb for its heating element. So, I ended up recently ordering an AroMed Vaporizer 4.0 because I heard that this machine created some of the best tasting vapor of any unit. I often watch your videos and now that I see your review, I wonder if I made the correct choice or if I should have just waited to save up more to get a Herbalizer?
Hey Charles from what I’ve heard the AroMed is respectable and the main difference in the bulb used between these two vapes is the power of it.
Hey everyone
I’ve had my aromed for a few years and have never regretted it. I have never liked bags and have no use of the aroma feature. The aromed does have a smaller lower watt bulb but it is also microprocessor controlled and regulated above the heating source which some would argue more accurate. I also prefer the water filtration option. don’t get me wrong I can’t wait to try the herbie… I would still love to see a review the aromed.
any word on the grasshopper ??
Hey, Bud
Loyal viewer, love and appreciate all your vids and comments.
Anyways on your advice I bought a volcano and a pax for on the go, and this was back when they were both rated the highest… a year or so ago.
My question being, i’ve been considering the firefly for a while because I cannot stand the draw resistance on the pax. I hardly use the pax because I’d rather vape off the volcano which is truly great product. I have had it over a year now, and constantly leave it on all day and it still works fine. If i buy the herbalizer, no money left for firefly.
Is the Herbalizer better than volcano due to the fact that it can be used in whip mode as well, or is the vapor quality better than the volcano.?
Also I haven’t held an herbalizer yet, but it doesnt look as durable as volcano either. If i dropped it would i be down $700?
Would i be better spending money on a firefly and say plenty or SS for whip?
Hey thanks for posting,
As far as overall vapor quality I would consider it top-tier just like the Volcano, but I’ve found that this vape offers better control at lower temperatures and slightly less harshness at very high temps due to the difference in heating elements.
For example at the usual ~365°F it’s hard to tell a big difference in vapor quality, they’re both really excellent, but in the morning sometimes when I like to take some draws around ~325°F I’ve found those to be slightly more enjoyable from the Herbalizer, and then later at night sometimes when I bump up the temperature above normal, or if I’m using concentrates, I’ve found that to be a little more pleasant from this vape also.
It’s not built quite as solid and strong as the Volcano, and it weighs ~2.2lbs versus ~3.3lbs.
I like the Plenty a lot also for strong sessions in straight whip mode, but I wouldn’t really consider the Firefly a good replacement for the Pax, it’s really not as portable or easy to use on-the-go so I recommend it mainly if you’re looking for a cordless home solution.
P.S. Quick tips for your Pax to maybe salvage the experience for you – I’ve found that a lot of the draw resistance comes from the oven area, especially when there is hardened residue around the edges of the screen at the bottom.
Since the screen doesn’t have holes in it the air comes in around the edges, so after every few sessions I’ve started popping out my screen and quickly scraping any buildup in the oven and off the edges, then placing the screen back in – this seems to help keep air flowing through at max rate.
Also found it helps a lot to immediately brush out chamber after each session and not leave spent material sitting in there, slows down residue buildup. You might be doing these things already but if not I hope they help a tiny bit!
Hey Bud! You are very much correct on the way to care for the PAX. This vaporizer demands proper care and if done right will produce excellent vapor. Above he had mentioned experiencing resistance while drawing. Another major factor than runs along side keeping your outer screen cleaned is not packing the chamber to tight. However it does have to be 100% full on the PAX so you have to find the proper fill density. Also Q*tips are the PAX’s best friend. Clean the two metal connecting points of the mouthpiece to get rid of the light temp issue. This usually works best a minute after using the unit as it is still warm making the residue less resistant towards removal. Cheers!
Hey Bud, I own the VXL and Herbalizer and I much more prefer the herbalizer for flowers. Although I hate the bags and find the whip to be “ok”. Get yourself an 18mm adaptor and hook your Herbie up to a [water piece] or hydrotube. Worth every penny of the $729 + tax. Clouds and taste are second to none.
Which hydrotube works best with the Herbalizer? I’m thinking about getting an Herbalizer and want to use a hydrotube with it. Thanks in advance.
Any! I use a pinnacle tube and it works awesome! I hear as far as vxl ones use the turbine for flavor, the bomb for draw and the honey comb for diffusion.