Mighty Portable Vaporizer by Storz & Bickel

Mighty Hybrid Vaporizer by Storz & Bickel

Within the broader sector of herbal enjoyment stands the vaping industry. The ease by which many vaping devices can be used, combined with improvements in technology and portability, have made vaping a veritably unstoppable trend. Product manufacturers, emboldened by the surge in popularity and retail success, are constantly pumping out new iterations of their engineering expertise. Primarily, hybrid vaporizers have captured the attention of both the enthusiast community and the general public.

As wonderful as the media spotlight may be, the challenge for manufacturers is to stand out from the rest of the competition. Too often, the portable vaporizer market has been a race to offer the latest in aesthetic pizzazz but not much advancement in user functionality.

This is where Storz & Bickel comes into the picture. Storz & Bickel is a renowned vaping company specializing in premium desktop e-rigs, such as the Volcano Digital and Volcano Classic. Backed by advanced German engineering, Storz & Bickel's chief focus is on the user experience -- everything else runs secondary.   

That vision of steadfastly adhering to a sole purpose is evident throughout the wickedly cool lines of the Mighty Vaporizer. While other portable vaporizers push for the artistry element, the Mighty Vaporizer by Storz & Bickel is aiming for a muscular, robust image -- one that conveys immediate respect as a powerful device capable of burning through any herb or wax concentrate. It's rare when a product's hype matches that of its inner substance, but that's exactly what you get with the Volcano Mighty!

To be fair, the Mighty Vaporizer by Storz & Bickel might not win too many beauty contests. Although there are many popular vaping devices that utilize the "industrial-chic" look, the Mighty simply looks industrial, period. That's not a bad thing, by the way -- it just articulates the purpose-driven mindset of Storz & Bickel.

This is illustrated with the Mighty's mighty convenient user interface. The large LED displays prominently near the base of the Mighty's chassis, which likewise features clear, readable font. Additionally, the battery level indicator is neatly layered horizontally under the temperature readings, telling you exactly how much juice is remaining. On top of that, the Mighty Vaporizer is armed with large "+" and "-" buttons on opposite sides of the LED interface. Thankfully, these buttons operate silently -- no more having to worry about annoying bloops and beeps destroying your discretion. And unlike purely single-button operation vaporizers, the +/- functionality gives the Mighty an added layer of convenience -- especially if you accidently "overcooked" one of your settings!

As is evident as soon as you open the packaging of the Storz & Bickel Mighty Vaporizer, this is one big unit. For those of you who had intentions of hiding the Mighty inside the palm of your hands, its little brother the Crafty would be more up your ally. However, the added real estate of the Mighty Vaporizer by Storz & Bickel does have a significant advantage -- ease of loading.

With the included "Herb Mill" grinder, you simply set it on top of the filling tray. After you grind your botanicals, a cylindrical filling aid -- which is also included in the Mighty kit -- helps you deposit the right amount of herb into the heating basin. The filling aid and the tray have lines etched in. Just pay attention to them so as to not overfill the heating chamber. This is especially important as overfilling can lead to uneven vaporization, or worse yet, combustion. Thanks to the filling aid, though, Storz & Bickel made the Mighty "idiot proof" -- again, just pay attention to what you're doing and you won't have any problems. As an added physical precaution, the center plug should rest perfectly on the filling aid -- if it doesn't, you've added too much material.

Now, we all know by know that the Mighty Vaporizer is a no fuss, no non-sense device, but what about its power source? After all, if the power isn't there, the Mighty would be a mighty waste of money. Fortunately, we're talking Storz & Bickel, and that means nothing but high quality German precision craftsmanship and the finest materials.

Powering the Mighty Vaporizer is an internal, dual lithium ion battery. Lithium is an incredibly versatile energy source, which is commonly used to power consumer electronic devices, but is also found in electric vehicles and aeronautics. The way I look at it, if the military trusts their lives to it, you can trust your vaping experience to it as well. And yes -- the Mighty by Storz & Bickel makes the absolute most of lithium's power delivery. Vapers can easily expect hours of continuous use on a full charge. Unlike other portable vaporizers that can fizzle out after an hour has passed, the dual-battery system of the Mighty Vaporizer allows for an impressive range. Many vaping critics have reported that this Storz & Bickel vaporizer will last up to six whopping hours! Better yet, it only takes two hours to fully replenish the Mighty from a complete discharge. Three hours per one hour of recharging time? That's a ratio no vaper can ignore!

A unique element of the Mighty's packaging is that this vaporizer should come fully charged upon opening. That's right -- when Storz & Bickel advertises "on the go" vaping, they really mean on the go! And if you ever run out of juice, simply plug the Mighty into a wall outlet. Even with fully discharged batteries, you can use the Mighty while it's powering up. As an optional purchase, Storz & Bickel has designed a car adapter for the Mighty.  

As you can guess from its large +/- buttons, the Mighty Vaporizer incorporates a precision heating system. That's a different take on many other vaporizers, which have pre-configured heating options. In contrast, the Mighty allows the vaper to dial in a specific temperature, as no two botanicals or wax concentrates are exactly the same. Further, different size loads can create a variable by which factory preset systems are at a distinct disadvantage.

The temperature range of the Mighty Vaporizer is very wide -- vapers can expect low hundreds Fahrenheit at the minimum range, up to the low four hundreds at the top. Also, the heating process can be adjusted in the middle of the vaporization process. Unlike cheaper vaporizers that lock you in, the vaper can introduce "layered" heat. Similar to an executive chef at a Michelin starred restaurant, the end user has absolute control over the entire process. This is essential, especially when you vape premium herbs, and wish to extract all the pure essence of their flavors.    

In conjunction with the ceramic heating chamber, the Mighty lives up to its name. This vaporizer by Storz & Bickel produces rich, bold clouds that rival the best vaporizers available in the markets. Unsurprisingly, the hotter you run the Mighty, the thicker and more robust the output. However, due to the ceramic material, the vapes don't beat you up. Ceramic is an inert material, and in vaporizers, has a tendency of creating smoother textures. The other factor is that ceramic won't interfere and interact with your essential flavors, allowing for full transmission of your favorite herbs and waxes.

In addition to these attributes, the Mighty Vaporizer by Storz & Bickel utilizes a cooling chamber, as well as cooling fins, which are structurally incorporated into the chassis. These distinctive elements help cool off the vapes before you draw, which enhances the flavor and the overall experience. For those vapers that use herbal solutions for medicinal purposes, they will certainly appreciate the cooling elements of the Mighty Vaporizer, as it increases draw time and thus, extended relief. Aside from the medicinal benefit, the Mighty is also very much appropriate for vapers with a lower tolerance of heated inhalation.    

As great as the plumes are, the make-it-or-break-it point is the input. In other words, how does the Mighty Vaporizer's overall taste and experience stack up against the rest of the competition? In short, the Mighty produces one of the best vapors befitting its premium category title.

First, the Mighty by Storz & Bickel utilizes a hybrid system, combining full hot air convection heating with conduction. Typically, most vaporizers rely on one of the two principles. Convection vaporizers rely on passing hot air around and through herbal blends, while conduction vaporizers work by contact with a heated surface. While modern vaporizers incorporate varying degrees of both elements, the  Mighty effortlessly utilizes the best of both worlds.

Storz & Bickel knows a thing or two about convection heating -- they're the ones that introduced the concept to the retail market in 2000 with their Volcano Vaporizer (known now as the Classic). Convection was addressed as a solution to some of the problems associated with early conduction vaporizers -- ie. uneven heating and combusting of herbal components.

In the Volcano Mighty, the convection process is accomplished via heat generation in the base of the device, which then naturally rises up past the insulated chamber to the loading bowl. There, the hot air creates a convection current through and around the shredded botanicals. This is where the additional length of the Mighty Vaporizer is critical. In order to make the most of this natural and efficient vaping process, there must be separation between the heat generation and the herbal content. Otherwise, if the distance is too close, there runs the risk of contact between the herbs and the heating element, thus creating possible combustion.

The convection principle is exactly the reason why the Volcano Classic (or its successor, the Volcano Digital) is one of the world's best-selling and most popular desktop e-rig unit. With a balloon bag filled with vapor, there is maximum separation between the herbal flavors and the heating element. However, that doesn't mean that conduction is completely useless. While convection is superior from a flavor translation perspective, it does take time for the heating process to complete. Understanding this dilemma, Storz & Bickel incorporated conduction principles into the Mighty Vaporizer, which ensures vapor creation from the very first breath. 

The brilliance of the Storz & Bickel Mighty Vaporizer is that this is a truly intuitive platform. In many cases, even in industries outside of vaping, premium products usually entails premium complexity. For some reason, we as consumers are trained to believe that a higher price tag should require a higher level of knowledge and skill before we are worthy enough for purchase.

In sharp contrast, Storz & Bickel took this idea and radically reversed it for the Mighty Vaporizer. Instead of making the Mighty complex and creating an air of elitism, the platform is easy to pick up for anybody -- seasoned vapers, traditional cigarette smokers, even those that are completely unaccustomed to the practice. 

What newcomers will especially appreciate about the Mighty platform is that there's not an abundance of unnecessary components. Many of the core components of the Mighty by Storz & Bickel are integrated into the platform, which equates to less digging around for parts and more time vaping. All you really need to enjoy the Mighty Vaporizer out of the box is the included grinder and filling aid -- and of course your essential flavors!

As with anything with life, the good times can't last forever. Thankfully, when your  Mighty taps out, and needs a good cleaning, the procedure is quick and painless. The field stripping is intuitive, and Storz & Bickel includes a nifty cleaning brush with the  Mighty. After you've swept herbal excess out of the chamber, you can use a Q-tip to remove baked in residue. This is an important tip if you're going to switch from plant materials to concentrates like oil or wax. 

The unavoidable question is whether the Storz & Bickel Mighty Vaporizer is worth its premium price tag. The derivative subsection of that inquiry is more easily answerable. If you must have portability and a compact design, the Crafty has nearly identical vapor quality and production. Both models are similar in price, although there is a nominal savings with the Crafty. 

But if you want the absolute best in power, stamina, and control, the Mighty is for you! The six hours of battery life is paradigm-shattering, while its integrated precision heating system (without the need for a smartphone hookup) is awfully convenient -- especially if you want to enjoy vaping nirvana anytime, anywhere!  

Backed by a two-year warranty and rave reviews from the enthusiast community, Storz & Bickel has once again delivered an engineering marvel. The Storz & Bickel Mighty Vaporizer earns top marks in smooth draws and a premium experience for any skill level.