Volcano Hybrid Review

Background

The Original Volcano Classic was released in 2000 and considered one of the very first desktop dry herb vaporizers on the market. It’s known for its unmatched durability as well as producing a decent quality vapor that’s still the standard of dry herb vapes today. It was followed by Plenty which is a handheld desktop vape that produces similar vapor quality.

In 2019, Storz & Bickel released an improved version of the Classic which is the Volcano Hybrid. It significantly has a fast heat time, two modes to inhale the vapor, and uses a hybrid heating method that further vapes the herbs. It retains the same old and straightforward design but now has a digital display and touchscreen interface. The Volcano Hybrid also has a smartphone app that lets users adjust some basic functions and create their heat profile.

What’s In The Box

The Volcano Hybrid’s kit contains the following:

• Power Cord – The power cord is detachable from the Volcano Hybrid which is a much more durable design since you can easily find a replacement when the power cord is broken.
• Plastic Grinder – This grinds the herbs to a vaporizer-friendly density that makes it easier to extract the herbs.
• Filling Chamber – The filling chamber includes a cap ring, screen set, drip pad, and a cleaning brush.
• One Tube System (aka whip)
• Three Easy Valve Balloons with Mouthpieces
• One Easy Valve Balloon with an adapter
• Air Filter Set
• User Manual

Optional Accessories:

Replacement parts and accessories are available in Storz & Bickel (view website) such as:

• Dosing Capsules – These capsules make loading the herbs an easy task since you can just pop it out and put another pre-filled capsule for another session.
• Filling Chamber Reducer – This accessory reduces the oven capacity so that it holds a small amount of dry herb for microdosing. The chamber reducer also works with the dosing capsules.
• Filling Set – The filling set can hold up to forty dosing capsules. It also includes a grinder and a magazine that can hold 8 dosing capsules.

Design & Features

The Volcano Hybrid has a similar pyramid-shaped design as the Volcano Classic except the buttons and dials were replaced by a digital display with touchscreen controls which make it look more refined and still easy to use. It measures at about 7.1″ tall and 7.9″ wide with a metal body that looks tough and feels sturdy. As you can see, nothing much has changed in the Volcano Hybrid since it retains the longevity and simplicity of the previous model while adding some innovations which we’ll be discussing later in this review.

Filling Chamber

The Filling Chamber has an orange and black theme that matches with the S&B logo. It can hold up to 0.5g of herbs which is big enough for group sessions. It can produce a massive amount of vapor (2 full balloons) in one session that heats up to 370°F-410°F in less than a minute.

Compared to the previous model, the filling chamber is locked on top of the Volcano Hybrid and has square indented tips that make it easy to grip and open to expose the chamber. The chamber has a stainless steel screen that keeps the herb in place and has an outer metal ring that comes into contact with the heating chamber and provides some sort of conduction heating to optimize herb extraction.

Two Modes To Enjoy!

The Volcano Hybrid is one of the few desktop dry herb vapes that has two methods inhale the vapor:

• Balloon Method: A ‘balloon’ is attached to the tip of the filling chamber, and as the Volcano Hybrid heats up, a ‘fan’ pumps the vapor into the balloon. Once the balloon is filled up, you can remove it from the filling chamber and attach the mouthpiece. The vapor is cool since it has lots of room to expand and inhaling from it is as natural as breathing.
• Whip Method: The Whip is made of durable silicone and can swivel 360° that makes it convenient to pass around for sharing. It has an open and comfortable airflow which makes it easy to inhale the vapor as the balloon method. However, the vapor might be harsh on higher temp settings since you’re inhaling the vapor directly from the heating chamber. Also, If you want to take a hard draw, you can turn on the ‘fan’ for an assisted hit, but I must warn you, you might cough or two if you draw too hard from the mouthpiece.

In my opinion, choosing between the two methods is a matter of preference. I prefer to use the balloon method since a balloon-filled vapor is enough for me to last for a day and take another quick sesh at night. And If I want to have a party at my house and vape amongst friends, the whip method is an obvious choice since the vapor is much more controlled and I can easily pass the whip!

Smartphone App

Volcano Hybrid has Bluetooth Connectivity which means that you can further customize your session by using a smartphone app. This lets you program the Hybrid in a variety of different and intriguing ways. But before we dive in, let’s start with the basic features:

• Automatic Shut-Off Feature: You can adjust the shut-off feature from 15 minutes to 6 hours.
• LED Brightness: This feature allows you to tune up/down the brightness of the digital display to your preference.
• Vibration Notification: You can turn on/off the vibration notification of the hybrid. I don’t recommend turning it off since you won’t be able to tell if the Hybrid had finished heating up aside from checking the app.
• Temperature Control: You can precisely set the temperature from 104-446°F by using the app or by using the touch screen interface. The difference is you can turn on the device and heat it remotely which is pretty convenient when you’re going out to jog and want to have a quick sesh.

You can also see some useful information like the temperature graph and total run time to see how well the Hybrid responds to your adjustments. But the most notable feature of the app is Iterations and Workflows.

Iterations

Iterations allow you to program the Hybrid to automatically increase the temperature by a certain number of degrees over a set period of time. For example, you have the base temperature of 370°F  to start your session and increase it by 10°F every five minutes for twenty minutes which will reach 410°F  to finish off your session. This is a useful feature since it gives you much control over your vaping preference without any manual adjustment.

Workflows

Workflows are used for using the balloon since the programming involves the usage of the fan as well as the heat. The Workflow has the following functions:

1. The Hybrid can be heated to a predetermined temperature for a preset amount of time.
2. The Hybrid can be adjusted to hold a precise temperature for a set time limit.
3. You can program the fan to blow for a set number of seconds.
4. Increase the heat to a higher temperature and then repeat steps 1 through 3 for various different times.

So basically, you can program a ‘workflow’ for The Volcano Hybrid. For example, The Hybrid will heat up to the base temperature of 380°F and then hold the temperature for a minute or two, and then blows the fan for twenty seconds. The temperature would then increase to 400°F for 20 seconds while the fan blows for fifteen seconds. This makes the Hybrid a versatile desktop dry herb vape since whether you want to take big, dense flavorful hits or want to microdose, the Hybrid would be able to do so with the proper setting.

The app is clear and simple, and so is customizing the iterations or workflows. You can save and label any sequences you have programmed to your Hybrid and access it whenever you want.

How To Use

The Volcano Hybrid is simple and easy to use but it will take a lot of time to set it up. As I’ve mentioned above, there are two ways to use the Volcano Hybrid-

Balloon Method:

1. Remove the filling chamber cap from the filling chamber.
2. Place the dried herbs into the chamber and then, replace the cap.
3. Place the filling chamber on top of the Volcano Hybrid and firmly turn it clockwise.
4. Attach the balloon to the tip.
5. Select the desired temperature setting.
6. Once heating is complete, press the ‘air’ button to start filling the balloon with vapor.
7. Turn off the pump once the balloon has been filled.
8. Remove the balloon and attach the mouthpiece to the balloon.
9. Inhale the vapor.

Whip Method:

1. Remove the filling chamber cap from the filling chamber.
2. Place the dried herbs into the chamber and then, replace the cap.
3. Place the filling chamber on top of the Volcano Hybrid and firmly turn it clockwise.
4. Attach the whip.
5. Select the desired temperature setting.
6. Once heating is complete, inhale from the mouthpiece.
7. (Optional) Press the ‘air’ button for an assisted hit.

Cleaning and Maintenance:  The Volcano Hybrid is easy to clean and maintain since the parts that you need to clean are the screen and the filling chamber. You can quickly clean them both by using the included cleaning brush to dust of any residue. Also, you need to replace the bags and tubes when they become discolored and brittle. Take note that if you hang on them for any longer, the vapor will have less flavor and potency.

Performance & Vapor Quality

The Volcano Hybrid heats up to 45 seconds to reach the vaping temperature of 380°F-410°F which is quicker than the Volcano Classic that typically heats up at about 3-5 minutes. It has a decent bowl size that could fill 2-3 balloons in a single session and extract the herbs efficiently.

As for the vapor quality, the vapor is dense, smooth, and exceptionally flavorful regardless of the heat setting. Even if I vape at the maximum temperature, I could still taste the terps and the vapor isn’t that harsh. I personally like using the balloon and setting the temperature at 385°F. In this way, the vapor will be tasty while I inhale a massive amount of clouds. The effect is so strong especially if I took a huge rip to finish it off.

Bottom Line

The Volcano Hybrid is definitely a huge upgrade over the legendary Volcano Classic. It has a faster heat time, hybrid heating method, and smartphone app compatible that can potentially improve the overall performance. Yes, it produces better vapor quality than any portable dry herb vapes around but there are cons to using the Volcano Hybrid.

One thing is it uses a whip or a balloon that’s cumbersome. It’s not plug-and-play and preparing a session took more time than heating the herbs. Another thing is the chamber requires a large number of dried herbs, and microdosing seems impossible without using the chamber reducer. Lastly, it’s big and you’ll need a specific place to store near an electrical socket inside your home or room.

If you want a durable dry herb vape that produces the best vapor possible, this might be the vaporizer that you’re looking for but if you want something that you can use occasionally, I recommend a more portable vape like the Crafty+ or Arizer Solo 2.