Whenever we look at a stationary vaporizer, it’s tempting to wonder how it stacks up to the Volcano. Well, we’ve never looked at the Volcano, but we have taken a look at the Arizer Extreme Q and came away pretty impressed. But we suppose everything in life is relative, because after spending some time with the Vapir Rise (that the good folks at VaporNation were kind enough to send us) we can safely say we’ve now been blown away. The sheer quality of the materials used, the elaborate construction of the connecting elements, the inclusion of little features like a valve on the mouthpiece… all these make for a superior vaporizer at a very attractive price point. If you’re curious to know how it performs, jump right in!
The Hardware
When you first open the box, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the amount of different accessories and elements that you’ll be using. You will have to spend a bit of time learning how to assemble the balloon for instance, and how to get your herbs loaded up. But it’s a shallow learning curve and you should be good to go within 20 minutes. The main element stands about 10 inches tall and is made of metal; that’s a nice upgrade from the Extreme Q’s plastic finish. It’s also dead simple to use with an on/off switch, a “Heat” button, and fan speed and temperature rockers. We like the simplicity of the front panel. Also of note on the main unit is the use of a HEPA filter for incoming air. That’s a nice touch we didn’t see on the Extreme Q.
The Vapir Rise is billed as a dual-use vaporizer because you can either fill up a balloon, or use it “party-style” with a 4-way whip system. The adapter for the 4-way whip system features a valve on each end, so that anyone not using will not have vapour come out their end of the tube. The balloon on the other hand is closed by an intricate “Balloon Adapter” which also features an on/off valve. This is a wonderful addition that the Extreme Q lacked, and which allows the use of the balloon over an extended period without having to keep your thumb on the open end.
The Herb Chamber (or the “Chamber Adapter” as they call it) is completely modular. That’s the part of the device in which you insert your herbs, and you manipulate it independently from any other parts. It’s made of plastic and metal, and the filters that keep the herbs in (and allow vapour through) are made of metal and have holes so small they’re hard to make out with the naked eye. This ensures that you suck up nothing but vapour, no matter how fine you’ve ground your material.
Also of note, inserting the chamber into the main body of the Vapir Rise is a fun experience in that it locks in securely, almost like you’d expect a hose on an astronaut’s suit to lock on. Connecting the balloon for insulation also involves a ‘push and twist’ motion, which screams quality craftsmanship and is really cool for a product like this.
The Performance
Once you get past how great everything looks, and how solid it all feels, you have to turn to how it actually does its job. Turning it on involves flipping the switch, setting your temperature and pressing the “Heat” button. Immediately it’ll start going up to temp, which takes generally less than a minute. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to get up to temp without the fan being on, which is not so much of an issue if you’re filling the balloon, but will cause a tiny bit of vapour to leak out while you’re not pulling, if you’re counting on the whip system. Turning the fan completely off also turns the heat off. This is not a huge drawback, but it’s something to keep in mind.
The vapour density is easily controlled through the fan speed; lower speeds make for denser smoke and vice versa. The taste is excellent, and very consistent. We did run into a slight issue when we overfilled the chamber and it took longer than we expected to start producing the right amounts of vapour. We had to empty the first bag and ended up reinserting it quickly once we saw that vapour was finally pouring out. Adjusting the grind density and fill level helps in this regard.
Removing the herb chamber to either stir things up or to load up a new batch is a bit tricky because it involves some very hot metal. Thankfully there is an included Hot Chamber Grabber which allows you to manipulate everything without burning your fingers. That’s a nice touch.
The fan is quiet at all speeds, and really barely audible in the lower settings. There is no remote control, like in the Extreme Q, and that’s got to be one of the only things we can reproach the Vapir Rise for lacking. Also, the Balloon Adapter’s mouthpiece does have a metal spigot that you’re not meant to press against your lips because it gets really hot; there is however an included plastic mouthpiece that you should always remember to attach once the bag is full. On more than one occasion we ended up with scorched lips, so watch out for that.
But overall, the Vapir Rise is a wonderful product. Every little thing about it screams quality, and it does its job very well. We’re not convinced it produces the best tasting vapour due to the extensive use of plastic, especially in the whip system, but it was never bad tasting. The inclusion of a HEPA filter and on/off valves everywhere really knocks it out of the park. The elaborate locking mechanisms for the modular herb chamber just adds to the feeling that you’ve paid very little for something that could easily have cost much more.
As it is, you can get the Vapir Rise for $249 from VaporNation.
PROS
+ On/off valves
+ High quality craftsmanship
+ HEPA filter
+ 4-way whip system allows 4 people to use it simultaneously
CONS
– Lack of a remote control
– No way to heat without the fan being on
– Has a bit of a learning curve
[ Vapir Homepage ]
The VapirRise is fantastic! While we can’t say that the vapor taste like plastic (we think this is the best alternative for someone who expects Volcano quality at an affordable price) – we do agree with your statements regarding the quality craftsmanship of the product: VapirRise builds things with Nasa-like precision!
if you ever wanted one but were put off by the price the vapirrise can be found still post cyber monday for $179, a great value a full price but imho unbeatable with $70 off the top. unlike cyber monday when everyone had them marked down to $170 now you need to look a bit but it’s so worth it. i only had to scan through about four sites wednesday until i found one offering V 2.0 for just under $180 w/free shipping. if you don’t pick one up now remember come cyber monday next year as that is the best day bar none to buy any vaporizer regardless type e.g. vapir, firefly, mighty, etc., they all were marked down 30-40% everywhere and that i never expected to see. just something to keep in mind.