Across the 2010s, largely thanks to the tobacco industry, vaping kind of got a bad rap. However, when it comes to cannabis, vaping has quickly become one of the industry go-tos for many folks' means of consuming THC. A lot of that is owed to the work of longtime brand Storz & Bickel and its suite of high-end, medical-grade vaporizers.
Designed to be smoother and generally better for your body than traditional smoking methods, the brand's vapes represent some of the top options in the weed industry — and they're lauded by fans around the world. So what's the catch? Well, they're pretty expensive, for one. And that's enough to scare off plenty of people.
However, I got my hands on one of the brand's most popular, top-end offerings, the Mighty+, to see if it actually lives up to the admittedly significant hype. Over the course of several weeks, I turned to this device as my daily vape with the hope of determining once and for all if the Mighty+ is worth its similarly mighty price.
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Storz & Bickel Mighty+ Vaporizer Read More
Storz & Bickel Mighty+ Vape: What We Think
After getting hands-on with the Storz & Bickel Mighty+ for a few weeks, I finally understand the online forum hype that surrounds this particular device. Setup was a breeze (thanks to clear, simple instructions — sadly somewhat uncommon among other vapes), the device worked brilliantly right out of the box (it was even charged up), and the whole process from first turning it on to finally refilling it (and back again) was as easy as it was enjoyable. From a user experience perspective, the simplicity of this device might just be its primary strength, followed shortly by its consistency and precision. It also hits smoothly and deceptively hard.
The device is certainly large — probably best for at-home use and not so much for taking on the go — and it looks more like a piece of industrial sci-fi equipment or maybe even a walkie-talkie, but that also lends to its discretion and, frankly, I like that it isn’t easy to misplace. I was also initially skeptical of the price given that the exterior is made from plastic, but after using it (and learning that it’s a special heat-resistant plastic around a ceramic-coated heating chamber that gives off virtually no heat, even at the highest settings), I think these materials were the right choice to keep the device at a manageable weight. All told the Mighty+ was a true joy to use, even among the other top-rated vapes I’ve had the pleasure of trying.
Simple User-Friendliness Makes This Vape a Mighty Contender
Admittedly, I was a little intimidated by the thought of using the Mighty+ for the first time. I had seen the device in action, but never actually put my hands on one — despite a longstanding desire to try it out. However, getting it all ready to go was a simple matter the first time (and every time after that), thanks to clear instructions included with the device. Furthermore, the steps are brief and pretty intuitive: open the chamber, fill it with flower, secure it and hit the power button; wait a few moments for it to heat up and you’re ready to go. Of all the vapes I’ve tried, save maybe for disposable pens (which are often as wasteful as they are unreliable), this might actually be the easiest one to use. And that curve sticks with every use from there on, never increasing in difficulty or tediousness.
The kit also came with a USB-C power cable for simple, straightforward charging, as well as replacement filters, o-rings and even a little brush to clean out the chamber when it's time to repack it. These are all minor additions that make a pretty big difference in the overall user experience. Furthermore, replacing any of the aforementioned things is also a simple matter, aided by further instructions included with the vape. Why more brands don’t include clear, concise instruction sheets, I do not know — but Storz & Bickel makes it clear why this is such a vital part of customer service (there’s even a support page on the brand’s site in case you need further help or misplace your instructions).
Every step of using this vape, from first unpacking it to cleaning it out the 100th time, is a simple matter. And that makes a tremendous difference in the overall experience. I am not exaggerating when I say this might be the easiest vape to use, especially on the higher end of the pricing and quality spectrum.
Consistency Is King, and So Is Precision
While it definitely falls somewhat in line with the above section (specifically in regard to user-friendliness), it needs to be said that one of the bigger joys of using the Mighty+ is the consistency and precision of the heating element. With just a simple push of the power button, the device will warm to the same exact temperature as it did the time before and the time before that. You don’t have to fiddle with it if you don’t want to and you’ll never be unsure as to whether it is fully heated or not (the display shows the temperature you’re heating to, as well as the current temperature and vibrates when they match, for good measure).
This is important not only for simplicity’s sake but to ensure that you’re getting the same pull of your cannabis every single time. In fact, the only real way you’re going to mess that up is through user error — like fiddling with the temperature or neglecting to swap out your old, burnt-up flower. As the Mighty is certified for medical use, this all makes sense and, honestly, I wish it was more common among other vapes.
The Size of the Mighty+ Lends Itself Best to Home Use or Backpack Transport
The very first thing you’re going to notice about the Mighty+ is how big it is. We’re talking BIG — roughly the size of a glasses case or a modern walkie-talkie and definitely larger than my iPhone (maybe more like 2-3 iPhones stacked together). Yes, it is still small enough to qualify as “portable” to most, but you’re really going to need a bag of some kind — like a backpack or sling bag — if you want to take it with you anywhere. Truthfully, I just don’t see this thing making it into my pockets at any point.
The good news is, at least for users like myself, that it doesn’t have to be super portable to be worth it. Its industrial-meets-sci-fi appearance lends itself well to discretion, which is ideal for home use and, while larger than other vapes, its size makes it easy to move it from room to room on an as-needed basis and you’re probably not going to lose track of it, as you might with pocketable pen vapes. Combine that with the tech and overall experience and it more than makes up for its lack of outside-the-home portability. Still, if you were looking for something to stash while you head out into the world, this one might not be the best option for you.
What’s the Difference: Mighty vs. Mighty+
It needs to be said that the Mighty+ (the device I used for this review) is actually a newer, updated version of the original Mighty. While these devices are almost identical in appearance (size, shape, etc.), the Mighty+ benefits from some fairly significant quality-of-life improvements, including a quicker charge time (up to 80 percent in just 40 minutes, as opposed to 2-3 hours for the standard edition), USB-C charging (the standard uses DC), quicker heating (60 seconds, as opposed to 70-80) and a few other smaller details.
Having used the Mighty+, I’d definitely recommend the upgrade, even considering the price difference ($399 compared to the standard’s $349). It’s not that the standard version is bad by any measure, it’s just that these slight differences do really go a long way toward the overall experience. Go big or go home, as they say.
Storz & Bickel Mighty+ Vape: Alternatives
If you like the Storz & Bickel tech and style, but you’re just not sold on the size of the Mighty+, we’ve got good news: the brand has a much smaller unit (roughly half the size) called the Crafty+, which was specifically designed to be more pocketable. It doesn’t have the same battery life, but that’s the trade-off for portability.
I’d also be remiss in my duties if I didn’t mention the Pax Plus, the brand’s newest offering (and our top overall vape pick), which is super easy to use and offers a better overall user experience than previous generations (like the Pax 3). Furthermore, if you’re just not feeling the style of the Mighty+ and you’re a fan of sharing, the DaVinci IQC makes for an excellent choice. Finally, if you're not into vaping at all, but you still want a means to smoke your weed from the comfort of your home, I'm a very big fan of the Honest Capsule Water Pipe, which just so happens to be our top bong pick.
