Non-electronic vaporizers like Dynavap perform remarkably well but lack the convenience of electronic vaporizers. On the other hand, electronic dry herb vaporisers are easy to use but don’t generally deliver the big hits that butane-powered devices do. The Crafty+ by Storz & Bickel tries to bridge the compromise by providing high performance from an easy-to-use electronic device…and it succeeds to a great extent.
I have spent the last six months alternating between my Dynavaps and the Crafty+. Here’s my in-depth review of the S&B Crafty+ which goes into what makes the device great and its few but significant drawbacks.
Unboxing
The Crafty+ comes in a simple box with S&B branding. Apart from the device itself, the box holds a few spares and accessories. There are a couple of extra screens and o-rings, which are always good to have. There's also a warranty card but I was not successful in registering the device from India.
More importantly, the box includes a dosing cap and that is something that I always use. Even though I feel that they should have given at least two so that it’s easy to back to back bowls, the single dosing cap that they have provided does a great job at keeping the Crafty’s bowl clean.
The package also includes a USB-C cable, or a Micro-USB cable in my case as I have the older 2020 Crafty+ model. There is also a physical manual included in the box.
While checking online listings for the Crafty+, I found that the company once used to include concentrate pads in the box too but this no longer seems to be the case.
Style, Materials & Dimensions
The Crafty+ is Storz & Bickel’s smallest dry herb vaporizer and I would call it “ultra-portable”. The device is just 4.4” tall and 2.3” wide. It weighs in very light at just 120 grams and this small form factor makes the Crafty+ an easy fit even in a pocket.
Storz & Bickel position their devices as being for medical use and therefore use 'medical grade' materials, like PEEK plastic, stainless steel and aluminium. Even though the Crafty+’s body is entirely plastic, it does not feel cheap in the least. The design is ergonomic and the device feels premium when held.
The Crafty+ comes in a single colour - black - and there is just one orange-coloured button on the entire device. There are two LEDs that show blue, green or red to indicate things such as the battery level and temperature. The side of the device has a de-bowling tool that can be pulled out to reveal the charging port.
The top part of the device is the cooling unit. Giving the CU a twist will separate it from the device to reveal the filling chamber. The bowl in my 2020 version of the Crafty+ is aluminium, but the newer 2021 models have a ceramic coating in the filling chamber which supposedly improves the heating and flavour.
Device Controls
The Crafty+ only has one sole button on the entire device which is used to power it on and off, as well as to set the temperature level. Using the button isn’t exactly intuitive but it’s easy once you get the hang of it.
The base and Boost temperatures can both be adjusted using the app. There is also a third setting called ‘Superboost’ which takes the device to its maximum temperature of 410°F (210 °C).
Unlike most electronic dry herb vaporizers and also its bigger brother the Mighty+, the Crafty+ does not have a digital display. However, it does connect to the Storz & Bickel app (on Android) or the S&B webapp (on iOS). This gives you the ability to not just adjust the temperature but also provides a number of other options like checking the battery level, adjusting the LED brightness and changing the automatic shutoff time.
Battery
The Crafty+’s battery is one of the most contentious things about the device. It is equipped with a single 2,900 mAh 18650 battery. In my experience, it provides around 40 to 60 minutes of usage depending on the temperature, which is good for 3 to 4 sessions at most.
The Crafty+ that I have is the 2020 model with a Micro-USB charging port. The device takes around 2 hours to reach a full charge. The newer 2021 Crafty+ models come with a USB-C charging port. This model supports fast charging using a 45W charging brick, which will charge up the device fully in around an hour and a half.
The overall expected battery life of the Crafty+ is three to five years according to long time users of the device, which is on par for 18650 batteries.
Vapour Quality
The Crafty+’s internals are exactly the same as the Mighty+ which means it hits just as hard. It is classified as a ‘hybrid’ vaporizer as it uses a combination of convection and conduction to heat the herbs. The device’s heating chamber provides convection heating by pushing hot air through the bowl when the user inhales. This also heats up the aluminium bowl which then heats up the herb through conduction.
The only other electronic TEDs that I have used is the XMAX Vital. Without meaning any disrespect to that device, the Crafty+ simply blows it out of the water in terms of vapour quality. It is vastly superior in both flavour and cloud volume.
It also beats out Dynavaps when it comes to the richness and range of the flavour even at maximum temperature.
The Crafty+ allows a fair bit of cool air to be mixed in with the vapour while inhaling, which leads to its signature “fluffy” vapours.
A complaint that I had initially was that I found the stock cooling unit to be inadequate. The heat was very harsh on my throat and I was constantly coughing after taking big hits. The alternative is to take small sips so that you are not inhaling too much hot vapour at a time.
Thankfully, the Crafty+ can also be paired with a bong or bubbler using a water piece adaptor for superior cooling that allows big rips. I feel like this has unleashed the real potential of the device.
Cleaning & Maintenance
Cleaning the Crafty+ is quite simple. Just dip cotton buds in 99.9% isopropyl alcohol and use them to clean out all the accumulated resin in the cooling unit and screen. As I always use a dosing cap, the bowl of my Crafty+ is almost as good as new even after months of use.
The detachable mouthpiece can be soaked in iso for a few hours but soaking the main cooling unit for long hours is not recommended as it could cause some cosmetic damage, such as the holographic sticker peeling off. Dosing caps can safely be soaked in iso too.
Crafty+ Price & Where to Buy in India
The Mighty+, which is essentially the Crafty+ with double the battery life, is also available on TerpeneCentral (₹52,250 using the discount code DESITED5) and The Giggle Grass (₹53,999).
The Crafty+'s original price is $279 (~₹23,000) for the 2021 USB-C model and $199 (~₹16,000) for the 2020 Micro-USB model if you can find it in stock. Unfortunately, the domestic price is quite high due to the added costs of shipping and customs duty.
I was able to get my 2020 Crafty+ for just $156 (>₹12,000 in 2021) thanks to a VapoSpy deal and a friend who was gracious enough to bring me the device from the USA.
Comparison with Dynavap
A question that I often get is regarding how the Crafty+ compares to Dynavap. In my opinion - and I don't mean to be diplomatic here - they are two different kinds of devices that are complementary and I wouldn't trade one for the other. While my Dynavaps are daily drivers, they are downright tedious to use compared to the Crafty+. Yet, I use them more often because of how hard they hit compared to the Crafty+.
With Dynavap, not having to charge the device is also a big relief. There have been a few times when I had to cut sessions short because of the Crafty's battery running out and it can be annoying. Dynavap is more reliable in this regard.
On the other hand, the Crafty+ has a much bigger bowl compared to Dynavaps which might make it a better option for heavy dosers. The Crafty+ also provides the added convenience of being able to do back-to-back rounds if you purchase extra dosing caps.
There's no clear cut answer. Whether I prefer a Dynavap or Crafty depends on the situation and the type of material I want to vaporise.
Conclusion
It is held back slightly due to its short battery life but this is not such a big issue for me personally as I have found the battery life to be adequate for all my use cases.
The catch is that the Crafty+ comes at a steep price which is not attractive to someone who is just looking to try out what vaping dry herb feels like. The irony is that people who enjoy vaping ultimately upgrade to a Crafty or Mighty anyway. To someone who can afford it, it is the best electronic dry herb vaporizer you can get in India apart from the Mighty.
Want to know something more? Wish to share your review of the Crafty+? Send me a comment like a Snitsky sending a kid into the crowd or DM me on Reddit.
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