Attention vapors! There’s a new vaporizer in town that’s portable and compact. Resembling that of an e-cigarette and coming in three colors, the Atmos Raw Vaporizer offers tobacco lovers such as myself an alternative to conventional cigarettes and e-cigarettes. As someone who enjoys a few good smokes a day, I am not going to lie to you by stating that this is in any way as satisfying as an actual analog cigarette; at the same time, however, I personally have found it to be much more satisfying and less irritating to the mucus membranes than propylene glycol based e-cigarettes. I have also found it to be far superior to the Ploom Vaporizer that I reviewed on my blog last year.
At 5 in x 0.5 in, this vaporizer offers up some impressive features that I have not yet seen in other vaporizers to date:
-Its battery is chargeable via the USB charger and wall charger that are included in the original purchase.
-Once charged, this vaporizer boasts 72 hours of continuous usage before needing to be recharged.
-It works with dried blends, such as ryo tobacco.
-It heats to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, just below the point of combustion.
-A mere 5 second heat up time is all that’s needed.
-There is an automatic shutoff feature that discontinues heat after 9 seconds of continuous use.
-For smooth vaping, it only takes a couple of seconds to reactivate the temperature.
-It’s discreet.
-It’s windproof.
-You can use it anywhere.
-Much less tobacco is required to satisfy your nicotine cravings.
….and now for my favorite feature: It comes with a two-part filtration system that consists of one mesh filter + one ceramic filter that filters the vapor while further cooling the vapor for a more comfortable vaping experience. This is the first vaporizer that I have tried that has not made me immediately cough. I do believe that it is the ceramic vaporizer that is partly responsible for the lack of irritation. There is also no need for propylene glycol or glycerol based e-juice, which can be highly irritating for many of us who are intolerant to these additives in high doses. Another bonus for tobacco lovers like me is the fact that vaporized tobacco can be quite tasty!
Overall, this is my favorite harm reduction product thus far, apart from filtered cigarette holders and the Eclipse cigarette (which could use some help in the flavor department), though it does have a few negative aspects with regards to the overall design:
-If not placed properly, the tobacco can sit directly on top of the heating chamber causing some combustion. This situation can be remedied by inserting an additional mesh screen into the bowl. By placing the extra screen to where it sits directly on top of the heating chamber, one can avoid combustion entirely.
– It’s not the as satisfying as smoking, but it sure does help to alleviate the craving if one is in a situation where they are unable to smoke.
-You don’t see any smoke, well, because there is no smoke, just vapor.
-You have to hold the ignition button every time you inhale.
Aside from its few flaws, I feel that the Atmos Raw Vaporizer is the closed thing to being a viable and satisfying substitute for the real thing. I do feel that it is only a matter of time until major improvements are made to this design. Of course I’d like to see vapor like one does in an e-cigarette, but the trade off is worth it in my opinion, as the taste is far superior to that of an e-cigarette. This product has the potential to help heavy smokers cut down on the number of cigarettes smoked per day. For some people, it may even be a suitable alternative to cigarettes entirely. The beauty of the whole idea is that you get to use real tobacco; this is sure to please the purists amongst us. At $189.95 this is not a cheap purchase, but well worth the investment if you’re a tobacco enthusiast who’s into the concept of harm reduction. Here’s to the future!!