http://www.smokejuice.co.uk/userimages/procart22.htmhttp://www.my-iolite.com/This device is designed for vaporising herbs but can also be used with eliquid.
It costs £140 and comes with a two year guarantee, except on parts expected to be replaced during cleaning and maintenance. My understanding is that would include mouthpieces and mesh if required.
The device is powered with butane gas which is pretty cheap in the UK, 200ml cost me £1.25. I'm not sure yet but I think that could last a long time. I'll keep track of how much maintenance costs and post updates.
This thing is surprisingly light and a nice shape for fidgeting with in your hand, it has rounded corners and doesn't feel clunky or chunky to me in the way an epipe did. The mouthpiece is round, not what I'm used to anymore, I'd like the option of a tapered one.
It's pretty easy to fill, just like filling a lighter and it heats up quickly. The first tank full lasted me more than 90 minutes which seems a lot, I'll monitor how long it lasts more carefully and report any changes.
It looks ok, not stunning, not posh but functional and even, in my opinion, fairly respectable. It's (black) plastic with a white and silver bubble design either side. It would seem more heavy duty if it was made of metal but 'heavy' being the operative word, the trade off would be weight. Also, the plastic doesn't conduct the heat as much as metal would, it would burn hands. There is a radiator type pattern up one side and at first it can feel too hot and uncomfortable to hold. I quickly got used to holding it in a way that it doesn't bother me. It hisses on and off when it's heating, to me it sounds like a quiet steam iron, no problem but some might not like it.
I wouldn't mind using one of these in a pub ... but that's me. It certainly gets away from the cigarette look, vaping with this won't be mistaken for smoking. It might be mistaken for illicit drug use but I say suck it and see what happens. I'm not sure most people are used to these devices in any context, herb vapers wouldn't tend to use them in public I suspect.
So how does it do for vapour? Well, I fired it up and dripped a couple of drops, the flavour and kick were intense. That died down after a minute or so, the flavourings must have vaporised immediately, too quickly really because the flavour became mild and then non existent within another couple of minutes. Vapour lasted for three and a half to seven minutes with two drops of commercial eliquid. Freesmoke coconut lasted three and a half minutes, Cash a Cola lasted four and a half minutes and Janty virginia lasted seven minutes. Pure glycerine works well but I'll be looking for a formula that keeps flavour for longer. The great thing about this device is that there is no flimsy atomiser to mollycoddle, just chuck anything in and residue can be wiped out easily.
I'm going to think about using filler in the heating chamber to see if it alters the speed of vaporisation of flavours and propylene glycol.
This device isn't for everyone, the always on state is great but the draw is like breathing, if you like some resistance you might not like that. It's not the best with commercial eliquid either, I think it has a lot of potential if a good formula can be found but it is an enthusiasts device for now, not one for someone looking for ease and simplicity.
Vaping habits might have to change with this. It heats in seconds and can be on for a while but it might prove to be more like the ritual of getting a cig and smoking it for a few minutes than an always available, never ending vaping session.
That is my only experience so far, I only got it today but wanted to share initial impressions. It might be different when it has been broken in. I think there is a lot of potential here but will have to mess about a bit to get a formula that suits and get used to the easy draw or do something about that. There's nothing else about it that I can see being a problem. I'll update this when I have something else to say.
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