Storz & Bickel Crafty Plus Review: Is It Worth the Premium Price?

The Storz & Bickel Crafty+ is the updated version of one of the most popular portable vaporizers ever made. It promises longer battery life, better performance and a few refinements, while keeping the same basic formula. We spent time with the Crafty+ to see how it holds up in real use. If you're ready to buy, you can shop the Crafty Plus here.

New to vaporizing? Browse our dry herb vaporizers to see what else is out there. We were hoping Storz & Bickel would fix one design issue from the original Crafty, but it's still here. We'll explain what it is further down.

The Crafty+ has three heat settings. Two can be customized in the Storz & Bickel web app, and the third jumps straight to the maximum temperature with a quick triple-press.

Through the app, you can pick any temperature from 104°F to 410°F (40°C to 210°C) and save two of them to the device. For most people, that's plenty, since most users settle on a couple of favourite temperatures. Still, we'd have liked more control on the device itself, and the maximum temperature hasn't increased from the original.

That low ceiling also affects concentrates. The Crafty+ can handle them with a liquid pad, but a higher top temperature would help. For concentrates, we'd call it acceptable rather than impressive.

Vapor Performance

Vapor quality is where the Crafty+ shines. The Mighty+ has long set the standard for consistent, flavorful hits, and the Crafty+ comes surprisingly close. It even feels a touch stronger than the original Crafty.

It still uses a hybrid of convection and conduction heating, but the heater now keeps up better with long, heavy pulls. There's a little more punch to each hit than before.

The trade-off is that 410°F maximum. At the top setting, herb isn't always fully extracted, so you may use a bit more material per session than with devices that go hotter. If you're fine with that, the Crafty+ delivers great flavor, smooth vapor thanks to the cooling unit and big, dense clouds.

In day-to-day use, the Crafty+ works almost exactly like the original. One button handles power on, power off and switching between heat settings.

Fill the chamber with medium-fine ground herb or drop in a pre-filled dosing capsule, replace the cooling unit and press the button to heat. The Crafty+ vibrates when it's ready, usually in about a minute. Double-click for Booster or triple-click for Superbooster when you want more heat.

The draw is very open, so pulling from it takes almost no effort.

Build Quality and What's in the Box

Storz & Bickel, the makers of the Volcano Hybrid, still builds the Crafty+ in Germany to the same medical standards as their other devices. The body has a light redesign for ergonomics and looks, but it's mostly the same device.

We're not big fans of the plastic body, though. It's durable, but it doesn't feel as premium in the hand as some competitors at this price.

The box also has fewer extras than before. You get the Crafty+, a USB-C cable, spare O-rings, spare screens, 2 concentrate pads, a dosing capsule, a quick start guide and safety instructions. The grinder, loading tool and cleaning brush from the original are gone. It's a small loss, but still worth noting at this price.

The blue ring around the heating chamber is a seal ring, and the screen sits just below it. Both wear over time, and replacement Mighty & Crafty screens are easy to swap in.

Size and Everyday Use

The Crafty+ is the same size and weight as the original, so it slips easily into a pocket or bag. With the better battery, you can usually leave the charger at home for the day.

The PEEK plastic body is tough and handles rough use well, as long as it stays dry. For extra protection, the Storz & Bickel Crafty+ Case is a good fit.

Dosing capsules make it even better for travel. Carry a few pre-filled sessions and swap in a new capsule when you're ready. For even smaller carry, the Veazy is Storz & Bickel's most compact option.

Battery and Charging Performance

The Crafty+ finally gets a USB-C port, and charging is noticeably faster, roughly a third quicker than the original. A full charge now takes about an hour.

Battery life is the biggest improvement. It's close to double the original, with around 5 to 9 sessions per charge depending on your settings. The original Crafty struggled to get 4 or 5.

The battery isn't removable, which is typical for Storz & Bickel. If a swappable battery matters to you, keep that in mind.

Daily Use and Cleaning

Like the rest of the Storz & Bickel lineup, the Crafty+ is very easy to live with. It's forgiving too. Even if your grind or packing isn't perfect, it still performs well. That makes it easy to share, since friends don't need any coaching to get a good hit.

Cleaning is easier thanks to the new ceramic-coated chamber. An iso-dipped cotton swab clears buildup quickly, and a brush handles the screen. For a deep clean, remove the O-rings and soak the cooling unit in isopropyl alcohol, but don't leave it in too long. A spare Crafty+ Cooling Unit means you can keep going while the other one soaks.

Smell and Stealth

The matte black Crafty+ is about the size of a typical e-cigarette, so it doesn't draw much attention. Heat-up still takes about a minute, and like any vaporizer, it does produce a noticeable smell.

Overall, it strikes a good balance between size, discretion and power.

The One Design Flaw We Noticed

There's a small gap between the heating chamber and the body of the device, just like on the Mighty. Over time, tiny herb particles can collect in that gap, which can lead to buildup and lingering smell.

The problem is that it's very hard to clean. It won't affect performance day to day, but it's worth knowing about if you like keeping your device spotless.

Final Verdict: Should You Upgrade to the Crafty+?

We have mixed feelings. The Crafty+ offers excellent power and vapor quality, but we wish Storz & Bickel had gone further with the update.

A higher max temperature would help both herb and concentrates. A screen and full temperature control without the app would also be welcome. For now, the Mighty+ remains the more complete device in Storz & Bickel's lineup.

Still, the Crafty+ is a solid update that brings the Crafty in line with today's portables. If you want Storz & Bickel quality in a pocket-sized device, it's easy to recommend.

Stock up on dosing capsules and browse Crafty+ parts to keep yours running like new. Want to compare the lineup? Read our Storz & Bickel vaporizers comparison or our PAX vs Storz & Bickel comparison. For faster heat-up and adjustable airflow, also check out the Venty.

Pros

• Compact and easy to carry in a pocket or bag
• Dosing capsule support for clean, quick reloads
• Ceramic-coated chamber is easier to clean
• Much better battery life and faster USB-C charging than the original Crafty

Cons

• Battery life drops noticeably after about a year of regular use
• Battery isn't user-replaceable and must go through Storz & Bickel
• Web app support varies depending on your phone and browser
• 410°F max temperature limits full extraction
• Mostly plastic build that doesn't feel as premium as its price

Review Written By: Riley H

Riley H is the owner and founder of Canadian Vaporizers. He started working in the vaporizer industry at 19 and has spent more than 10 years running online vaporizer and cannabis accessory stores. In that time, he has personally tested almost every vaporizer on the market, from pocket-sized pens to full desktop units.

Riley is a daily cannabis user who uses it to stay focused and motivated, not to slow down. That hands-on, everyday experience shapes every review he writes. He knows what matters when you're actually using a device day after day: how it hits, how long the battery lasts, how easy it is to clean and whether it's worth the money. His goal is to give Canadians honest, straightforward advice so they can choose the right vaporizer the first time.

Our reviews and ratings are based on personal testing and over a decade of industry experience. They reflect the opinion of the author and are meant as a helpful starting point for your research. We encourage every reader to compare options before making a purchase.