[REVIEW] Crafty+ Storz & Bickel Vaporizer : How to Use & Tips

Vaporizers are all the rage in the dry herbs, concentrates, and e-liquids arena. There is a newer model, better technology, and more discreet options available every day. And with great options, comes great responsibility to provide an honest and first-hand review to our readers, i.e, you. 

If you're a vape enthusiast on the hunt for a new beauty that you can add to your collection, we are here to help you out. When it comes to Storz and Bickel, there is no doubt that they work to provide the best vapes in the market; from their range of Mighty to the more discreet ones. In this article, however, we will be keeping our focus on their latest invention - the Crafty+ Vaporizer. 

If you know about their series, you know there are going to be some major upgrades that will make you want to get up from that couch-lock and get the vape today. However, before you make any rash decision, we are here providing a very in-depth review along with some tips on how to utilize the Crafty+ efficiently and completely. 

Let's slide into the 'Vape in the wonderland' and have a look at this beautiful invention!

What's new with Crafty+?

Let's face it, a newer model brings on the excitement of having the vaporizer company hearing your feedback that you graciously voiced on Reddit and other places. Here's what Storz & Bickel have promised with the newer model.

It claims that you would receive a 30% faster heat-up time, enhanced battery performance, better durability with updated software along with many other minor upgrades. On using the Crafty + Vaporizers, our team found that the claims stood tall in the area of heating time and battery life.

On the other hand, the Crafty+ also boasts of having an improved airflow and a mode, called Super-boost. The airflow gives you a more smooth draw, making it more natural & open and less forced. Moreover, the Super-Boost works by taking the vape coils to the highest temperature, allowing you to finish satisfactorily, irrespective of the temperature, at which you started. 

What's the 'not so good' part of the Vaporizer?

Nobody's Perfect, except maybe a few of the balanced strains that take you on such a balanced high that every other thing in the universe aligns itself.

Okay, I am losing my train of thought here! (that's just the power of good strains)

Coming back to the Crafty+ Vaporizer and its dark side, there are a few things that might have been missed during the ideation of this beautiful vape. 

For example, the battery life, though improved, still remains on the average length. Moreover, the hard-wired, internal battery still uses the micro-USB port while the world is moving towards the more adaptable C-type charger. Furthermore, if you remember the hot spot on the top of the vape from the Crafty Model, it is still there. Grateful for it to be placed where you wouldn't naturally touch it. 

The footprint of the Crafty+ has not changed, but there is a decrease in the accessories that the vaporizer comes with. The absence of plastic grinder, loading tool, and horsehair brush might not be very heavy on some, but for those who religiously use these basic vape accessories, you will have to purchase them from your head shop. 

You know the good, and you know the bad. Let's move forward with every other feature of the vaporizer and discuss it in detail so you know precisely what you're paying and for what. Moving forward, we will also be discussing Crafty+ tips and tricks to achieve some dank blows. 

Vapour Quality

If you've ever tried any of the Storz and Bickel Vaporizer, you know their vapour quality is exceptional and above any that you have ever experienced in a portable vape. That is one of the prime reasons why people go for the S&B Vaporizer. 

The vapour quality is maintained even in their Crafty+ range, with a complete flavour of the terpene profile, no matter the temperature. Their exceptional flavour quality is owed to the hybrid (convection/conduction) method of heating, which provides such an even and complete heat to your broken or complete nugs that the flavour is evidently out there. If you're someone who likes to take your taste buds on a ride, you would really appreciate the vapour quality of Crafty+. 

The dense, rich, and thick smoke of clouds is very convenient to draw from the straw-like shaped mouthpieces. Moreover, the draw resistance is so minimal that even the largest cloud is easily devoured. 

The best part; you get the thickest vapour without any fussy interface or usage, and completely discreet. 

|Also Read: Storz & Bickel - Volcano Hybrid Vaporizer Review |

Design - Durability & Make

When it comes to the durability of S&B Vapes, there have been a few failures and accidents that made people realize how much the electronic was pushed past the limit. Storz & Bickel claims to have included a much better firmware, durable outer housing material, and circuit boards. The outer shell is very efficiently equipped with cooling fins that primarily work to diffuse the battery heat. This means you won't ever experience a heated vape while toking!

The swivelling mouthpiece that has been the trademark on every S&B vaporizer is present on the Crafty+ too, making it ideal to carry around with the foldable functionality. It also takes over the oven size from the Mighty, carrying almost 0.25 g of weed.

The Crafty+ is made from Medical-grade Plastic, also known as PEEK which is an advanced biomaterial often used in medical implants. The absence of any fragile glass or ceramics makes it pretty durable and tough, and your soul won't be screaming if you accidentally drop it somewhere. The grooves along the body provide it with excellent heat dispersion properties whereas the design is made to keep the air path isolated from the electronics. 

The Crafty+ is provided with electrical certifications and has been tested and certified by TÜV SÜD (the “Southern Technical Inspection Association”) in Munich, Germany.

Battery - The Improvement

When it comes to the battery life of the new Crafty+, the vaporizer has seen a slight upgrade from the previous Model. The original Crafty was designed to run for 30-35 minutes for a single charge, which would translate to around four to five bowls. The Crafty+ has a better runtime of almost 6 bowls. 

The charging has also improved, where the earlier version took 2 and a half hours to charge, the newer version only takes an hour and a half to get the job done using the Micro-USB charging port. 

The major difference here is that they removed the pass-through charging feature. This has largely been implemented to provide some relief to the short battery and contribute to the overall durability. You can still use the Crafty+ while it’s plugged into the USB cable, but the charging will stop while the heater is on.

Heat-up Time

Storz & Bickel Vaporizers have always taken their own sweet time to effectively and completely heat the herbs and concentrates. You can get other vapes with a considerably lower heat-up time, but the cost might be in terms of vapour quality and terpene profile. 

The Crafty+ takes around 80 seconds or almost a minute and a half to reach the required temperature when fully charged. However, by the end of the battery charge, you will be looking at two minutes of heat-up time which is extremely slow when compared to other vapes in the same range. However, you're presented with the patience fruit almost immediately as the vapour flows strongly and smoothly, and you wouldn't experience weak vapour in the beginning. 

S&B went all out and said, 'It's ready when it's ready!'. And that is why it is highly known and appreciated among the true cannabis connoisseur and terpene lovers who want the last bit of flavour lingering on.

| Also Read: CBD Vaping - What's the Difference Between an E-Liquid & Oil? |

Discreetness

The only reason people go for a portable vaporizer is that they want to take their minds on a whirlwind of adventure without letting the whole world know. Discreetness becomes an important deciding factor, especially if you live in a place where smoking/vaping is severely looked down upon. 

Keeping this in mind, the Crafty+ is very small in size, measuring only 4.3″ (h) x 2.2″ (w) x 1.3″ (d) and weighing 135grams. This means you can easily stash it in your pocket or bag, and take your little vape friend anywhere with you. Just keep in mind that the Crafty+ is not built for quickies since it has a long heating time. 

Another important factor when it comes to discreet vaping is the weed smell that stays behind. Crafty+ is known to produce a huge cloud of vapour that hits you like a rock. Of course, the huge amount of vapour will leave their scent behind. 

If you're trying to be sneaky, take small and controlled draws instead of going all out. This will allow you to 'sip' your vapour instead of ripping it out!

Controls & Smartphone App

The Crafty+ has a fairly simple interface with one button that is used to power it up and control the temperature. You have the ability to change between three temperatures ranging from low to high. However, if you are keen on having a more customized approach, you can always connect to the smartphone app. 

The S&B Vape App provides precision temperature control, battery meter, 'Find my Vape' option, support, technical information, and much more. Additionally, the application also allows you to adjust the alerts, brightness, the auto shut-down timer (from one minute to five), and to reset factory settings.

The other new settings involve the Super-Boost Mode, which we discussed at the beginning. It's very simple to use this mode; all you need to do is press the power button twice (boost) or thrice (super-boost) during a session, and that's it!

If you're a fan of temp-step and like to start the session low and then gradually take it ahead, you would love this additional mode. With the new Crafty+, you can temp-step with three perfect temperatures (356° F, 383° F, and 410° F), without ever opening the app!

Ease of Use

If we talk about controls, we have to talk about how easy or difficult it is to use the Crafty+ Vaporizer. 

Let's take a step-by-step look at how to use the Crafty+ Vape.

1. Expose the cooling unit to gain access to the herb chamber. 
2. Fill the herb bowl with your choice of herb. Crafty Vapes are known to perform the best when they are packed lightly. Make sure the width of the oven is covered, so the hot air has to go through the herbs. 
3. Re-attach the cooling unit.
4. To switch it on, press the power button once. If the LED light signals RED, the vape has started heating up. When it’s ready to vape, the light will turn green. To activate the boost mode, click the power button twice and for the super-boost mode, click the power button three times. 
5. Once the light turns green, swivel out the mouthpiece and start toking.
6. The auto shut-down mode is activated after a minute of idle behaviour (can be increased in the app), however, you can shut down the vape by long-pressing the power button. 

| Also Read: [REVIEW] G Pen Elite vs Pro: We Tried Both & Here's What We Think |

Cleaning & Maintenance

Crafty Vaporizer fairs very well when it comes to cleaning & maintenance. It doesn't require any fancy tools or excessive cleaning for a more complete experience. 

The oven aka the heating chamber should be cleaned after 3-4 sessions. Just dip a Q-tip in ISO alcohol, and brush out the bowl and the screen, ensuring the build-up resin is cleaned. You don't want to adulterate the taste of your herbs with the gunk that stays inside the chamber. Additionally, you can also use alcohol wipes to wipe the residue or dosing capsules to reduce the amount of residue. 

The other part of the vaporizer which you have to take care of is the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece is the part of the air cooling unit that sits on top of the oven. You can either disassemble the unit to give it a deep cleaning or simply get a new one for approximately $20.

Specifications - Crafty+ Vaporizer

104° F - 410° F (40° C - 210° C) via the smartphone app. 

Three on-board temperatures - 356° F/180° C (adjustable), 383° F/195° C (adjustable), 410° F/210° C

Height 4.4 in / 11.1 cm

Width 2.3 in / 5.7 cm

Depth 1.3 in / 3.2 cm

Weight 4.2 oz / 120 g

What's in the box?

1 Crafty+ Vaporizer

1 USB Cable

3 small Base Seal Rings

3 small Normal Screens

3 small Coarse Screens

2 small Drip Pads

1 Dosing Capsule

Instruction for Use (concise)

Safety Instructions

Crafty Vaporizer Tips

When it comes to tips and tricks for your Crafty Vaporizer, the best advice is to play with the various settings and temperatures. It is only when you have experienced the different modes and settings, can you efficiently pack a bowl for a delicious high. 

For optimum flavour, make sure you pack the bowl only up to 90% of its capacity but tightly enough so that the warm air passes through it. 

If you're looking for a light, breezy flavour and effect, you can experiment with the temperature up to 356°F(180°C). However, if you want slightly more bodily effects and even much wider terpene profile, keep the temperature between 356°F(180°C) – 392°F(200°C). For a ripping session, take it higher than 392°F(200°C). Remember that these effects are also dependent on the potency of the strain. 

Who should go for the Crafty+?

A true, seasoned cannabis consumer will appreciate the strong and potent draws that the device is capable of blowing. Of course, it's not cheap, but it is one of the few vaporizers in the market that understands the needs and wants of the people who are in love with their buds.

Your patience while the herb chamber is heating is rewarded well. However, if you want a quick and more discreet option, you can get the same in the vaporizer market for a lot less. There is also the drawback of battery life, so you might want to consider this drawback before making the purchase. 

This brings us to the end of our article of Crafty Vaporizer.