Storz & Bickel's Crafty+ and Mighty are considered two of the better dry herb vaporizers on the market. The Crafty Plus vaporizer is one of their smaller dry herb vapes, but it still offers big, dense vapor. The Mighty is a large device, with less portability, but longer battery life.
The Crafty+ is an upgrade to the original Crafty vaporizer, and it's a definite improvement. The original Crafty had major reliability issues: terrible battery life, long heat-up times, and occasional overheating. Crafty Plus builds on the strengths of the original Crafty, and there's an obvious difference in the quality of the device.
Storz & Bickel Crafty vs Mighty
There's plenty to like about the Mighty and Crafty, but there's also lots to be desired in terms of portability. It's debatable whether the Crafty and Mighty are worth the price. In this article we'll focus on the Crafty vaporizer, which is smaller vs Mighty (which is huge). The Crafty Plus is a more appropriate comparison to other portable vaporizers out there.
Because it uses hybrid heating, unusual for portable devices, the Crafty has different strengths and weaknesses compared with other vapes. Crafty Plus is conduction-dominant, so it makes sense to review it with conduction vaporizers, rather than a convection device.
We'll look at the pros and cons of Crafty Plus and see how it stacks up to the Furna vaporizer, a conduction vape with a different approach to vaping. Furna features swappable ovens which offer it some unique benefits vs Crafty.
As we review the differences by comparing the features of these two portable dry herb vaporizers, hopefully it will help you figure out what style of vape works better for you.
Crafty Battery Life and Build Quality
Let's start by looking at the construction of the two devices. Dry herb vaporizers are meant to be enjoyed for a long time, so the quality of materials used matters a lot. If your vape is going to be traveling with you on a regular basis, it needs to stand up to basic wear and tear.
When it comes to portable vapes, battery life is also a crucial feature. Dry herb vapes that can only deliver a couple of sessions before the battery is drained aren't really portable at all. There's nothing worse than enjoying your vape only to see that the battery is running out, and you're nowhere near a power source.
Device materials and vapor quality
The Crafty+ is made from food-grade, heat-resistant plastic that has passed safety reviews. It has a very distinctive look compared with most vaporizers, and is instantly recognizable.
One problem with the construction is that some users find that its vapor actually tastes like plastic, when you first start using it. So don't forget about this if you buy a Crafty Plus.
To avoid that awful taste, fill the bowl with a small amount of herb, then set the vaporizer to the highest temperature and leave it on for 20 minutes. After it heats, take a few draws and then blow it out immediately – don't inhale the vapor! After that, your next vaping session should taste fine.
Portable power of swappable ovens
The Furna vape is made from ceramic and stainless steel to create a device that’s both durable and light. It’s less bulky vs Crafty, and is a more portable vaporizer that fits comfortably in your hand and pocket. It's also sleek and smooth, and more of a discreet vape.
Furna has the unique feature of multiple swappable ovens. You can even choose specialized ovens for weed concentrates or 510 oil cartridges. You can instantly swap a used oven for a fresh one.
Being able to pre-pack your ovens means more ease of use: no more awkwardly reloading your vape on the go. It's easier to enjoy a session with a group of friends. No need to wait, clean and reload if you need another bowl of cannabis.
Furna’s ovens have an isolated air path and cooling coil that ensure vapor doesn’t come into contact with any electronics or other materials in the device. Each draw tastes clean, allowing you to enjoy the natural flavor of your dry herb.
Comparison of charging time and battery life
When it comes to battery life, you’ll spend more time charging the Crafty+ than using it, and it's one of the main drawbacks of the vaporizer. Hybrid heating requires a great deal more power, and it affects the usability of the Crafty Plus as a portable device.
The unit only lasts about 60 minutes or 4-6 sessions, and takes about two hours to charge. The battery will degrade with time and use, and will eventually need to be replaced by Storz and Bickel for about $75.
To conserve battery life, the vaporizer automatically shuts off after one minute of inactivity. It's not hard to bring it out of idle mode. You only need to press the power button to turn it on again, but since this will happen all the time when vaping, it can quickly become annoying.
With Furna, you can enjoy 15-20 sessions per charge. If you need to take a break, the vaporizer will go into idle mode to conserve battery power. Just pick it up and it will power up again to the desired temperature in seconds, buzzing when it’s ready.
Charging the vape takes half the time of the Crafty+. Furna reaches full charge in about an hour vs Crafty's two hours. Sometimes it's no big deal to let vaporizers charge, but other times you might forget to plan ahead. You might wish you had bought a faster charging vape than the Crafty.
Storz and Bickel Crafty vs. Furna: Ease of Use
The Crafty+ comes with a dosing capsule that holds about 0.1 grams of dry herb. You can pack this capsule ahead of time and drop it into the bowl when you’re ready. It’s durable and helps keep the bowl clean, but it’s small, so you might find it tricky to handle. It can be tough to pry the top off; use your fingernail or another sharp object when you’re cleaning it out.
Alternatively, you can pack the herbs directly into the oven which holds 0.3 grams. If you don’t want to pack a full bowl, you’ll need to use the drip pad to fill in the extra space.
When packing cannabis directly into the oven of the Crafty+, you’ll likely get some bud stuck in the small crevices of the plastic. To keep things neat and speed up packing time, you can purchase a side kit that comes with a filling aid.
To use it, screw the filling aid onto the top of the vape, remove the lid and the plug, then funnel the herbs into the bowl. These devices are a bit clunky and awkward, and aren't very portable.
Larger capacity, differences in portability
Furna has both dry herb and concentrate ovens. They’re insulated so they never get too hot for users to touch (unlike the Crafty+ dosing capsules), making it easy to swap ovens as soon as a session is done. No cooling wait times required.
The ovens are larger than the Crafty Plus dosing capsules, holding 0.2 grams, and use a push-and-twist top to secure the herbs for added safety. They’re also much easier to handle than the tiny dosage capsules.
The Furna vaporizer is discreet and fits in the palm of your hand. The small mouthpiece is attached to the oven, which protects it from lint and dust in your pocket. When you’re finished with a session, just pop the oven out, flip it around, and slide it back into the vape. The included funnel accessory makes packing quick with less mess.
Temperature settings, heat up time, and Crafty app
Both vaporizers use conduction heating, with the Crafty using hybrid heating that adds an element of convection. The Crafty+ is slower to heat up, taking over a minute to reach the preset temperature. The mouthpiece sticks up out of the device, making vaping less discreet. So if you’re looking to duck out for a few quick and inconspicuous pulls, the Crafty+ comes up short.
If you’re not worried about being discreet, the Crafty+ offers some big vapor but it also means that there will be more smell. Out of the box, the vaporizer temperature is set to 356ᵒF which will produce some big hits.
If you want to adjust temperature settings, you'll need to use the Crafty+ app to control the device. The app allows you to change the temperature by 1-degree increments and you can program up to three preset temperatures.
Vapor quality, portability, and controls
A huge difference with Furna is that you can adjust temperatures and other controls on the fly using the digital display. If you want powerful vapor, just turn it up (the temperature range goes as high as 420ᵒF) and in seconds you’re getting big hits.
If you want to better taste the flavor of the herbs and have a less intense vaping experience, turn the temperature down. You can also hold down the button to turn on boost mode, which heats up the chamber an extra 10 degrees until you release the boost button.
The digital screen on the Furna has multiple controls that adjust to your preferences. In addition to temperature control, you can customize the ovens with digital symbols that make it easy to tell them apart. The screen also features battery levels, different language options, and brightness levels to suit the time of day. It even flips around automatically for right or left-handed users.
Cleaning and Maintenance Comparison
There are many little pieces that need to be disassembled to clean the Storz & Bickel Crafty Plus. To reduce the need for deep cleans, regularly brush out the bowl and the screen at the bottom of the bowl, then use a Q-tip with isopropyl alcohol to remove any resin.
This will make a big difference and help keep the vapor quality tasting fresh. Just make sure that you don’t turn the vape upside down when you’re cleaning the oven – isopropyl alcohol shouldn’t drip into the heating element.
If you need a deep clean, read the manual to ensure that you’re taking it apart and reassembling all the pieces correctly. Chapter 7 is dedicated to cleaning and maintenance, complete with diagrams and warnings. Pay attention to the details so that your Crafty+ is working properly once you put it back together.
In contrast, keeping your Furna vaporizer clean is quick and easy. Just use the multi-tool to separate the screen, cooling coil, mouthpiece nib, and mouthpiece, and drop them all into isopropyl alcohol. Then use the brush to clean the inside of the oven. That’s all you need to do to clean the unit.
Portable Vapes Review: Furna vs Crafty+
The Furna is built with every type of user in mind, and comes out ahead of the Storz and Bickel Crafty+ vaporizer in both quality and usability. The Crafty Plus packs a punch when it comes to big vapor, but the trade-offs are a long heat up time, short battery life, and reliance on an app to control the device.
The Crafty & Mighty vaporizers definitely have their strong points in terms of vapor quality, but portable devices that cost this much should have better battery performance, and be able to fit in your pocket comfortably. The app is also sure to annoy some users.
Furna offers the same quality hits with loads of customizable features, no wait times, and power and battery life that lets you rack up the sessions. It also has a bigger temperature range, a boost mode, and faster heating times compared to the Storz & Bickel vaporizers. Check it out for yourself.
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