The Vie vaporizer comes with a definite mission statement: top quality at a knockdown price.
But will it kick start the revolution it promises or be another underperforming bargain basement herb vape? The brand is headed up by Barak Rigbi, an ex-toy developer based in Denver, America.
One thing is undeniable – he’s passionate about what he does. The Vie website is full of capitalised words and exclamation marks – which to these genteel British eyes can come across a tad scammy, but let’s not prejudge.
The Vie Vaporizer
However, the proof is in the pudding. It’s certainly affordable, retailing at just under $50/£50, with some lucky users managing to get hold of it for much less. With some rival vaporizers costing well over £150, this could be a game-changer for the herb vaping consumer.
It uses two different methods of vaping. One, a unique cartridge-style system – with cartridges for both concentrates and dry herb. And second, packing the built-in oven with dry herb. We’ll look at these in more detail below.
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This item was sent to me for the purposes of review, direct from Vie. All views and opinions are my own.
Inside The Box
- Vie Vaporizer Mod
- USB Charging Cable
- Four Capsules
- Four Paper Funnels
- Odour Control Cap
- Cleaning Kit (brushes, caps, etc)
Key Features
One thing stands loud and clear: the price. The Vie sells for a fraction of the cost of vaporizers that offer similar – if not more – functions. But when it comes to real-life use, the Vie has a few other things in its favour.
It can be used for both herbs, as well as concentrates and liquids. The odour control cap stops your device stinking out your bag or room – it isn’t foolproof but the average bystander will be none the wiser.
The Vie uses a non-combustion system with heat controlled by sensors and thermistors that ensure your herb won’t hit the combustion temperature – and subsequently losing many of the properties we want, as well as tasting nasty.
Confusingly, it’s a conduction vaporizer with a convection element – this means the herb is heated through a conduction system, while the convection element prevents the temperature of the chamber dropping lower than required.
It also has a number of other features that we can accept as standard, such as safety features and a one year warranty. One stand-out feature is that it’s designed to allow for pass-through vaping.
This means you can use it as normal while it’s plugged in charging the battery. This might sound like a basic requirement but it’s surprising how many dry herb vaporizers don’t offer this.
Design And Build Quality
The build quality is solid as a rock. The mod itself is heavy duty, with a satisfying weight and a brushed-steel coating that’s classy to look at, plus solid and sturdy.
I haven’t risked it, but it certainly feels like it can take a few knocks and bashes without taking serious damage.
How Does the Vie Vaporizer Perform?
The battery lasts for over 200 puffs, or 18 full on-off session cycles. There are four temperature settings, but if you’re like me, you’ll probably stick with the middle two.
The highest setting feels too hot to the mouth, and the lowest doesn’t provide enough of a kick. Obviously, your mileage may vary, and the fact that the option is there to go higher and lower is a great plus.
Flavour wise, everything is good. You get the full hit of the herb, nice clean terpenes, without any plastic or oil afternotes, just good clean greenery.
You’ll be just as impressed by the airflow. Vapour flows smoothly and you won’t have to drag too hard to get what you need – but at the same time, it isn’t all loose and windy like some lesser vaporizers. They’ve got this aspect just right, which is impressive considering some expensive models struggle here.
And upkeep shouldn’t be an issue either. It’s very easy to clean – simply remove the base and the lid, then clean out the tube. The solid metal body means any grime or stains are easy to remove.
What I Like
The price is the main plus point here. It’s remarkably affordable and doesn’t feel cheap at all. The whole product works as well it needs to, and while it might lack a few bells and whistles, these are invariably the features that only the most technologically curious vaper would desire.
What I Don’t Like
It’s fine to look at but does lack a certain wow factor. It does the job, and does it well, but there’s very little razzmatazz to it. And that’s fine, sometimes we just want something simple and effective. The Vie certainly is that.
Final Review Verdict
The Vie is a great little piece of kit with no obvious flaws, merely a solid herb vaporizer that does a great job at an even better price. There are no outstanding must-try new features, but more often than not they prove unnecessary anyway. If you’re making your first steps into vaping herb, this is the perfect place to begin.
Pros
- Price! You won’t find a brand new vaporizer as good quality and affordable as this
- Solid, sturdy build and simple cleaning mechanism means this should last you years
- Great flavour, great airflow
Cons
- Fairly basic in what it offers, very much a beginner’s vaporizer
