Extreme vs. Volcano?

[royiehl]

You can purchase the extreme vaporizer for only $250 at extremevaporizers.com
They are doing a promotion right now. Enter this coupon code and receive $50 off: TROYBOY
Just purchased and received mine: Boy am I impressed!!

[cannonlux]

the extreme u save about $250
you can use it silently with the whip method
or the bag method is great for multiple users

the volcano easy valve you can hook up to a bong with a glass slide so the extreme is not the only device that can do that

I am wondering whether or not you can use volcano bags on the extreme anyway because that would make the extreme definitely the best choice

the remote is nice but the whip is only so long that you need to be relatively close to the machine anyway.

Its basically like Roor vs Illadelph either choise is acceptable

[MrMojoRisin7127]

the extreme u save about $250
Its basically like Roor vs Illadelph either choise is acceptable

It's more like Toyota vs Lexus. The Volcano being the Lexus.

[vapefiend]

It's more like Toyota vs Lexus. The Volcano being the Lexus.

What you get with Lexus, over Toyota, is more luxury features and and the 'name status' (they ARE made by the same company). Since the Extreme has more features than the 'cano, I don't really agree with your comparison. The 'cano probably has the edge in reliability (the Classic anyway), and resale value. That's about it, IMO. The Extreme is more versatile and a better value for your $.

[darthnader]

I have owned an Extreme for over 2 years and it is in perfect condition. I broke one bowl by dropping it 5' onto a hardwood floor. I replaced this bowl with a break-proof bowl they offer -- it is encased in silicone and will not break if it is dropped. The silicone is on the outside and does not come in contact with the heater or the vapor path, but it keeps the bowl from breaking if dropped. It also makes it easier and cooler to handle.

I use the vapor bags exclusively, and the Extreme may actually be better for this than the Vocano. The Volcano has no option to regulate the fan speed. With the extreme, I use the slowest fan speed and it fills up the bag with very thick vapor -- much thicker than anything I have seen with a Volcano (seeing a Volcano only on movies like "Super High Me". At $600, I don't know anyone who owns one or would even consider it).

The vapor is so thick, I call it "vape rape" when you inhale a bag, because it will take you by surprise and you may get more "frightened" than you expected (that said, I, uh, just use this for peppermint ;-) )... To the point of more than you wanted. You gotta be careful. Take a break between inhalation until you get used to how potent this can be.

The other thing I prefer about the Extreme is that it uses glass parts instead of plastic. You're going through 5" of glass before it hits the food grade tubing (which you can replace with Silicone, but I notice that the tubing doesn't get hot at that distance from the heater.)

But yeah, if you are a total butterfingers (I mean really f'ing clumsy) don't get it. They even give you spare bowls and everything, but yeah, I know some people that would drop their own baby, so they shouldn't get this. Well, you could get the unbreakable bowl, which is what I did.

The bags are a bit difficult to setup, but they usually give you one or two that are ready to go. They tend to last about 6 months before they get so gummed up that they cannot expand. I find after a month or two of use, they get gummed up to the point that they make thicker vapor -- they don't expand as easy, so they condense the vapor much better. You know it's time to change the bag when you see vapor escaping through the bag because it's so gummed up, it cannot expand it anymore -- this takes about 6 months and the bag will be discolored with the oils at this point.

This device works very well, is very well built, and has more features than a Volcano. I think the more accurate comparison is an Acura vs. a BMW. The high price of a volcano is due to German labor prices, taxes, etc. The Extreme is made in Canada. Their customer service is awesome. I love it. If you need spare parts (bowls, bags, etc) they get them to you in a few days. It has a remote, a cool blue LED light, a timer, 3 fan speeds and the option to use a whip or a bag. The bag is the best way to go. Once you have that figured out, you're good to go.

One word of advice -- this is how I vaporize, uh, peppermint in the bag. I don't follow their instructions -- I did some experimenting and I found this to be the best:

1. first, dry out your blend. That moisture is just water. I find it very difficult to convince people to do this, because they think the dry herb is less potent. The essential oils in your blend do not evaporate with the water. No -- dry it!!! Otherwise you will be sucking up a lot of water vapor, and you won't get good results until the 2nd or 3rd pass. If you are in a rush and don't have a dried blend, you'll need 2-3 passes before you get really potent vapors.

2. grind it very well. I find about 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of the blend is perfect.

3. Ditch the screens that go on top of the bowl and inside the elbow joint. They just get gummed up after a few uses, and aren't necessary if you have the fan on the lowest speed. The only screen you need is the one on the bottom of the bowl. You will not get bits and pieces of your blend in the bag -- they will stick to the glass elbow pipe and food grade tubing, which I clean in the top rack of my dishwasher maybe once a month. I clean the bowl in the bottom rack of my dishwasher, in the silverware caddy. The thing I love about vaporizers is that they do not get gummed up like pipes. There's no tar, but there are essential oils. Some people like to scrape these out and re-use them, which is an option, but I find I get enough out of my blend.

4. Add your blend to the bowl, attach the bag, and turn the heat up to 300 C. While this may seem too hot, keep in mind the temp is that of the heater, which is a few centimeters away from the bottom of the bowl. Also, the fan will disperse the heat. 300 doesn't mean that's the temp that will hit your blend.

5. Wait 3 minutes for it to come up to temperature and warm up your blend and turn the fan on low (first click of fan button on remote), then turn the temp down to 230 C.

6. Run the fan until it goes down to 230 C. I find that running the fan with the temperature decreased has the effect of giving a good heat blast at first, and then reducing the temperature cools the blend back down -- I find this really gets me more out of my blend. When it's at 230 C, turn it off, by either turning off the unit, or hitting the menu button 4 times and turn the fan off with the down button. Unfortunately, the button on the remote only controls the fan by increasing it to 1, 2, 3, and off. So if you use that, you have to remove the bowl first.

7. Inhale the vapors, but be careful. If it is a fresh load of dried herb, even something like, uh, peppermint will mess you up. If you have a big bag of dense vapor -- like fog, just be careful -- take a 1-2 minute break between inhalations. I have gotten so far out that I almost called 911 out of panic (just from peppermint! . That shows how powerful this is -- you can get "vape raped". I know -- it's a strong word, but if you're not careful you will feel really out of sorts for 20 minutes. You may as well have some redneck buggering you and telling you to squeal like a pig, because it is not a pleasant experience. It goes to show how powerful this thing is... I use that strong and unpleasant word just to advise caution... Extreme, indeed!

[darthnader]

It's more like Toyota vs Lexus. The Volcano being the Lexus.

So a Lexus has less features than a Toyota? Did someone break into your Lexus and rip everything out of it? The Extreme has more features than a Volcano. It is more indicative of a luxury brand than the Volcano. It is very well built. I have had mine for 2 years, and there is no reason I can't keep it for many more. I don't see any wear and tear on it.

I think the price point of the Extreme has some people thinking it must be inferior to the Volcano. It's not. I don't think you get what you pay for with a Volcano, and quite frankly, I am weary of the plastic parts. Keep in mind -- Germany is a socialist nation where labor costs $20+/hr. I think that's great and I wish that's how the world worked. I also think the taxes, tariffs, international shipping costs, customs, etc with the international commerce may be an issue. Trade between Canada and the U.S. is a lot less regulated and taxed. Also, there is probably some up-sell going on -- like true religion jeans vs. the gap. I don't buy $300 jeans or $600 vaporizers, even though I could afford them. It's just not a good deal to me. But I don't think the steep price is indicative of quality -- it just invites competitors to undercut their price with better products, which is what Arizer has done.

Also, you may find them used on Ebay for less, but why do you think someone is selling it? Is it broken? Who knows. All I know is I'd rather buy a new car with more features for the same price as a used car with less. With the legal issues (who knows what they used the vaporizer for or what residue is on there), I would be weary of buying a new one and having it send via interstate or international commerce... After all, I just want to use it for peppermint to soothe my stomach What if some stoner was using it, didn't clean it well, and sent it internationally? What if it is just broken?

I think you're wayy better off buing a new Extreme than a used or new Volcano. Price aside, I just don't like how much plastic they have in that thing. Yes, glass parts can break, but they're also non-toxic. Replacement parts are cheap and they will get them to you super fast...

[darthnader]

Sounds good Skanking but let us know in 5 years how it's holding up. Be careful with the glass because it can break easily. I can't wait to get a portable vape...neither cano or Extreme have one though. Congrats on saving some $$ too but you could of spent even less on used canos on ebay. I wish cano had more "features" but in the end all that matters is getting vapor efficiently and effectively. I just ordered an Extreme yesterday to finally see how good it is. Money is never an issue with me so I figured why not. Then I can say for sure which I think is better.Glad you joined the vape revolution :thumbsup::hippy:

I also have a vapor genie and an iInhale (now called the iOlite, but it's the same thing -- just an improved stem). I really like peppermint!

The vapor genie is good for those on a budget, but I find it a bit difficult to use because you have to get the lighter just right and learn how to inhale it slowly -- but every vaporizer has a learning curve, except the iInhale. I just find with the vapor genie, it takes so long to get the right hit, I just don't get that peppermint rush. Yeah, you're not gonna get vape-raped with a vapor genie... nothing to worry about there.

The iInhale/iOlite is amazing! While it does use some plastic, the part of it that is heated is all metal, and the plastic is FDA approved for that temperature range. I don't notice any plastic flavor.

When I am out at a concert, I bring my iInhale, and it's perfect. It's also good when I visit the folks -- I can just turn on the ceiling fan and enjoy some fine mint without arousing suspicions.

I would rank the three vaporizers from best to not-as-great: Extreme, iInhale, and then the vapor genie.

The iInhale is extremely portable, and also great if you are outdoors in a windy situation. I like it very much!

It would be cool if someone came up with a cheap fan attachment for it. It seems possible to put a battery powered fan that connects to the stem and allows one to attach a balloon to it -- that would be a killer improvement on a great portable vape! Then it would cover all the bases -- home and away. Any entrepreneurs out there?

[BobBong]

I love my Volcano digi and i've yet to use anything that's better.
Extreme,Herbal aire, vapor daddy, vapor genie.. Volcano trumps them all. :thumbsup:

[darthnader]

That's interesting, but can you elaborate? I don't see how a Volcano can blow heated air through a substance and into a bag better than an Extreme. If anything, it's lack of a variable fan speed makes it worse at this task. Every time I see a Volcano on video, the vapors are not as dense as with the Extreme. A slow fan will create thicker vapors. Looking at how fast the bag blows up on a Volcano, it seems like it just can't create thick vapors.

I also think the Extreme was better engineered. Whoever designed it is pretty smart and knows electronics and the market of stock electronic parts. The genius of the extreme (probably why it is less expensive) is that it uses stock (yet manufacturer configurable) parts. They're quality parts and put together well. It's also made of stainless steel, and is cool to the touch.

The Extreme is all glass for 5" before it goes into food grade tubing, whereas the Volcano is plastic. I'm sure it is a high grade plastic that can handle the temp, but with glass you know it is untainted. This is why I only use my iolite when I am out and about, and always use the Extreme at home.

The Extreme has an on board computer that controls the temperature, timer and various other features (audio, lights, etc).

To me, it's like if Macs were half the price as PCs. Extreme would be the Mac.

It's well made. It's just that they make better use of "economies of scales" electronic parts. The remote is something used by many different products -- they just get the manufacturer to print different controls on the button. The heater is probably something used in other industries. Their parts are less expensive because they buy parts that are commonly used across many industries. My iPod alarm clock has that same remote. I'm sure the computer with LED display is something used in other appliances. That's smart -- the parts are common so they're tested, true, and inexpensive.

It's very clever what they did. These Canadians out-engineered the Germans and built a better product for less. They're better at engineering and business.

I wouldn't assume German engineering and manufacturing to be superior. Look at the reliability of Audis -- awful. I've used German recording software that is just plain crap. The interface on the Volcano has an obvious flaw -- the increase and decrease buttons for temp are the same color and the arrows are both pointing up. Red = warmer, blue = colder, one should point up and one should point down.

You're paying for expensive German labor, taxes, and tariffs. As much as I'd like to subsidize their socialist lifestyles, I live in a dog eat dog world, so saving $300 works for me.

[darthnader]

Hmmm... For some reason I can't edit the above message, but I just want to add -- if you are filling bag after bag, you want to re-heat it to about 280, and then do the 280 -> 230 with the fan on. With each iteration, the bowl and material tend to heat up, so you'll need to reheat it a bit lower than 300, or you'll get that popcorny taste that tells you you're over-cookin' it.