This is, in my opinion, the Rolls Royce of desktop Vaporizers. The Storz & Bickel Volcano Hybrid is an herb vaporizer that is designed for quality, dependability, and maximum usage of your herbs. Whether you prefer the balloon or the tube (whip) for your vaping sessions, the VOLCANO HYBRID sports first-class design with some very impressive new features. It is made in Germany with high quality materials and workmanship and is guaranteed to provide you with the outstanding vapor quality you continue to expect from a Storz & Bickel product.
This new Hybrid Volcano now provides two options for vaping, one from a new 360° rotating tube kit (whip), or the classic valve balloon so many people know and love to use. You can enjoy a combustion free inhalation of your dry herbs. Whether you are just chillin’ at home alone, or have a party of friends over, there is going to be a great vaping experience for all.
When I opened the box, I have to admit I was a little intimidated with all of the equipment and extras that came inside. I laid everything out and quickly grabbed the manual. Yes, a manual…remember those? This is not a poorly written one piece of paper “user guide” or “quick start guide”, it is an actual detailed instructions for use manual, and has several different language versions to choose from.
After I had familiarized myself with the parts and instructions, it was time to start this beautiful unit up and take it for a test run. There was no burn off time to get rid of factory residuals, that is all done prior to the customer receiving the product. All the customer has to do is start it up and get some herb into it.
My first use was shocking, in an amazingly refreshing way. This was the best tasting, easiest experience on my lungs that I have ever had with a vaporizer. I have COPD, and even with the best portable and disposable vaporizers that I’ve tried, there is always trouble with my lungs. Don’t get me wrong, some of them were quite smooth, but this Volcano Hybrid left them all in the dust. This is my throat and lungs new best friend. It is a welcoming cool vapor, you do not get any of the heat from the unit at all.
This unit does cost more than other desktop vaporizers, but after using this on a regular basis and having no trouble with the lungs after or during vaping, I am sorry I did not invest in one of these mighty marvels when they were first introduced decades ago. Having the fullest and freshest terps flavors from the flower is something everyone should experience. The difference in the flavor of the same bud between one of my favorite portable vaporizers and the Volcano Hybrid was like night and day for me. I don’t mind paying more for something that is the highest quality, built to perform with great features, and will last many years to give me what I expect and more.
The Volcano Hybrid uses a patented combination of primarily convection and some conduction heating, whereas the original Volcanos use convection only. The efficiency is so much greater using the vaporizer because you don’t burn away the weed with combustion like you would when smoking a joint, pipe or bong. It is super fast on heat up, within about 40 seconds on my unit. To turn the unit on for heat, you just touch the heat setting on the new digital display and then plus or minus to set your temperature preference. To turn it off, just touch the heat setting again. The white displayed temperature will disappear and the red display shows it cooling down. Once completely cooled the unit turns off. If you want to change from Centigrade to Fahrenheit, you simply touch the plus and minus simultaneously.
Here are some of the key features from Storz & Bickel on this unit:
Removable power cord for easier portability
Self timer auto shut-off preset for 30 minutes. Can be adjusted in the APP
Temperature Range: 104 °F – 446 °F (40 °C – 230 °C)
Heating Principle:
Patented combination of convection and conduction heating
Heating time:
356° F (180° C): Approx. 40 seconds*
*Depending on battery charge level, ambient temperature,
unit and filling quantity/material in the Filling Chamber.
Air Jet: Virtually no draw resistance with the EASY VALVE Balloon.
Dimensions & weight:
Width: 20.0 cm | 7.9″
Height: 18.0 cm | 7.1″
Depth: 20.0 cm | 7.9″
Weight: 1,800 g | 4.0 lb
Delivery scope:
1 pc. VOLCANO HYBRID
1 pc. Power Cord
3 pcs. EASY VALVE Balloon with Mouthpiece
1 pc. EASY VALVE Balloon with Adapter
1 pc. Tube Kit
1 pc. Filling Chamber (including: 1 pc. Cap Ring, 1 pc. Normal Screen Set (approx. Ø 30 mm),1 pc. Cleaning Brush)
1 pc. Air Filter Set
1 pc. Herb Mill (ca. Ø 55 mm)
1 pc. Instructions for Use
One of the best additional features to the Volcano is the ability to use my Android smartphone to control the operation via Bluetooth, and the S&B App downloaded from Google play. This App is a game changer. I don’t have to get up and fuss with settings on the unit every time I want to do something different. I just sit comfortably with my phone and the Volcano on the table next to me, and control everything at once via the app. I use the app anytime I have a couch lock vaping session now, it makes things so easy and helps to create an enjoyable relaxed vaping experience.
The app has the ability to control all of the settings of the unit. You can set up favorite session settings, called “workflows”, and adjust the heat, air, and hold from within the workflow. Then it’s one touch on a saved workflow, and you’re game on. This is incredibly useful when you are using various strains that you need different settings for, or have a friend who likes things tailored to their preferences with the heat and air timing.
There are lots of other settings to control via the app, including the display brightness, smart phone vibration, and alarm time, among other things. I am still setting up sessions with various settings to see what my sweet spot is, depending on what strain I’m using. They don’t supply any presets to tinker with, so it is something you will have to experiment with and set on your own.
There is not an app available at this time for Apple iPhones, but there is an option called web app using a browser for those who don’t have Android phones.
An herb grinder comes with the unit and is designed to be sure you get a good fine grind of your herb. There is no need to pick out any little stems, they get ground down perfectly. I always make sure my flower is ground up pretty fine and fill the chamber (bowl) lightly, tamping it down without packing it to allow the herb to heat up evenly and not just get blown around in the bowl. The finer you grind your herb, the greater the surface area is, and you get more aromatics during the vaping. You get much more efficient use of your herb and a fresher clean terpene taste.
The filling chamber locks into place on the Volcano Hybrid, which is a nice improvement over the classic Volcano where it just sits on top. There is no chance of it getting knocked off. The digital display is new also, the original model has analog buttons. With the digital touch features, you have more precise control over the settings with heat etc. in 1 degree increments.
If you find the bowl too big, and only want to use a small amount of material you have an option of using a chamber reducer – dosing capsule filler which can be ordered at their site.
The tube (whip) is a great way to vape with others. It sports a 360° rotation so people don’t have to adjust or move the unit when passing it around. It is a little over 3 feet long, making it even more convenient to pass. Lay out some snacks and drinks, and get your hookah style on!
When using the whip you can choose to draw the vapor in slow and steady, or you can hit the “air” setting for vapor assist and just breathe in the vapor. A nice feature for me, with my lung issues. And, although I’ve not tried it yet, customers also use the whip with a water pipe adapter.
The balloon bag is the ultimate conversation piece at social get togethers. Using the balloon has virtually no draw resistance, and is preferred by some to the whip. It’s always a great start when people see this vaporizer and how it performs. They can’t wait to start ripping that bag, and they enjoy trying to empty it in less hits than anyone else. Some people can get it all in 3 hits, which I find amazing. With my lower lung capacity it takes a few more than that to do the job, but it gets the job done. I always hear comments during a session with friends about their surprise at how smooth and tasty the experience was without the incessant coughing. It seems now that anytime I am heading to a social with friends, I am asked if I’m going to bring the Volcano. It brings people together and everyone has a fantastic time. It’s a classy and stylish centerpiece that everyone appreciates.
You don’t have to fill the balloon completely, if you are only going to use it for a couple of hits you can fill it just partially. When you remove the balloon bag, also remove the filling chamber. Unless you are filling the balloon, or the whip is in use, do not leave the filling chamber on the unit when the heat is on. The herb in the chamber will stay fresher longer, for additional usage.
You can order replacement balloon tubes and easy valves, in addition to many other accessories and replacement parts at Storz & Bickel, but if you happen to wear your bag out and don’t have another to use, the instruction manual tells you how to make one from an oven turkey roasting bag. I actually did this, and it worked out well after some effort. Although, I prefer the sleekness and length of the original bags in addition to the feel of them.
We experimented with temperatures using one chamber of ground herb, starting at around 370 degrees F. for the first bag, the second at 380 degrees F., and the third bag at about 400 degrees F. The higher temperatures created a thicker vapor with just a minor amount of harshness, but it was tolerated well without way too much sacrifice in taste. Low and slow seemed to be preferable to get the most of the terpenes taste. The higher the temperature, the more taste and aromas will be released at once, but it will start to taste “roasted”. My personal preference was in the 365 degree Fahrenheit range for the strain we were vaping. We found it best to let the bag sit on the chamber a few seconds before hitting the air to fill it, to avoid the top part of the bag being more hot air and some moisture rather than tasty vapor. The air is manual, so you don’t want to turn on the air and walk away because it will just keep filling and burst the bag.
There is another option for vaporizing your herb, for those users who prefer to use dosing capsules, breathe a sigh of relief. Storz & Bickel has many dosing capsule accessories available. You can use these dosing capsules for ground plant materials or for aromatic oils to be dispersed into the room.
Cleaning the parts is a breeze. Make absolutely sure your components are cooled down before cleaning. First I wipe things down with isopropyl alcohol and then soak the parts in the same alcohol and rinse with hot water. Also make sure the parts are completely dry before reassembling them onto the unit. There are extra air filters provided which are changed via a small door on the bottom of the Volcano, and brushes to assist in cleaning the chamber and screens.
Storz & Bickel products are built to last. They have been serving customers for many years with their quality vaporizer products. They are well respected and known for their innovation, high quality, and attention to detail on the manufacturing of their products. In 2016 they built the first factory in the world for the manufacture of medical herbal Hot Air Generators in Tuttlingen; a German town with almost 500 medical device manufacturers, reputed to be the center of medical technology, where the first factory for the production of surgical instruments was built more than 150 years ago. The Storz & Bickel Volcano has 20 years of history, as can be seen in their documentary.
Personally I couldn’t talk enough on how this herb vaporizer has changed my life in consuming my herb, and has allowed me to enjoy the fruits of my labor without irritations. I appreciate the non-aggressive experience to the delicate lining of the throat and lungs, and that alone makes the price of this unit well worth it. I have been using this almost daily, which I cannot do with traditional methods of smoking the herb because of the effects on my lungs. As a matter of fact, one of my friends has such a bad lung issue that he has had to switch from smoking to strictly edibles and gummies over the last couple of years. He was hesitant to believe this would be any different than other vaporizers he had tried, and he was astounded. No coughing, no irritation at all even long after using it. He will be making a purchase very soon.
So, whether you are interested in this because you want to enjoy the cool clean terpene tastes and effects of your herb without irritations, or because you like the classy look of it with all of the great features and functionality, I encourage you to get on the Storz & Bickel vaporizer ride. You will impress your friends and have the best vaping experience you’ve ever had. Don’t be surprised to hear your friends repeat the famous line from actor Will Smith in the movie “Independence Day”: “I have to get me one of these!”
420 Magazine Product Review by: Lady Cannafan
For more information: Storz & Bickel
 for your vaping sessions, the VOLCANO HYBRID sports first-class designfirst-class design with some very impressive new features. It is made in Germany with high quality materials and workmanship and is guaranteed to provide you with the outstanding vapor quality you continue to expect from a Storz & Bickel product.){kind=link}