[Sponsored Review] The Vuber Nova - Economic and Durable

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Introduction

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The year is 2002 and imagine you're in the market for a new car. You're looking for something that can do it all: be fast, reliable in any situation, not too fancy, but it has some bells and whistles. You need it to be sturdy, but also comfortable, and have a few tricks up its sleeves. If this was a car, you'd be looking at a Honda Civic AKA the granddaddy of dependability and the... cousin?... of cost? Sure, but this post isn't about the Honda Civic. This post is about a dry herb vaporizer by a company named Vuber who were nice enough to send the "Nova" over for me to review. The Nova is, in my opinion, the Honda Civic of the dry herb vape world. Let's dive into why.

When reaching out to Vuber to provide a review unit for this initial project of mine I had mentioned that I was delving (back) into the world of dry herb vapes. I've been a concentrate cart user for a year or two now, and while I like it, there's something that puts me at ease knowing that when I vape plain ol' Mary Jane I'm just getting the natural terpenes from the plant, the cannabinoids, and barely anything else. With a cart, well, sometimes you don't know - even from a dispensary.

When discussing the Nova with Vuber even they held the Nova in the same regard that I do: it's a product for nearly everyone that does what it does, and that's pretty much it. They explained that the Nova is for people looking for an everyday vape that can also take on some concentrates (wax was mentioned specifically) if given the opportunity. It's fast at heating up, has a solid design, and from what I've seen on other reviews it also produces a good amount of vapor for any enthusiast to take part in. Also, from their website, Vuber has recently overhauled the Nova to include: a "bigger battery capacity, faster heating time, increase airflow and vapor production, an updated LCD screen, and expended [sic] heat settings".

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Unboxing

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When unboxing the Nova it's pretty plain and simple. The packaging is, in the words of our Amazon overlords, "frustration free" but it doesn't lack in the style department. The minimalist look to the branding and the device keeps it simple, clean, but not boring. Taking a look inside the box this unit comes with the Nova itself (thank god), a charging cord, cleaning brush, a dab tool, and some extra screens for the removable mouth piece. Overall, pretty much what I expected. In the best way possible this is a no-frills unboxing experience. Taking the unit out of the box and powering it on, the first thing that jumped out to me was the feel of the Nova in-hand. It has this satisfying texture, and combining that with its ergonomic shape, you can almost use it as a fidget device when vaping so you can keep yourself distracted while you're seshing with yourself or your friends. Maybe one of your friends is rambling about how they just became a millionaire because they invested in Gamestop, and if that happens, fidget away. We all know Blockbuster would've been the better choice.

Below, you'll find an assortment of pictures showcasing the design of the Nova. In terms of engineering and quality, this device doesn't seem to have many flaws. Again, back to this analogy, what the Honda Civic offers is a reliable experience, a build quality that stands up to everyday use, and an affordable price point. The Nova retails right around $100 which I think is a great price point for someone who is looking to up their game from say a "Herb-e" vaporizer (I might review that later) but not for someone looking for a Storz & Bickel Volcano but that's not what this is trying to be.

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The Sesh Review

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Gentlemen, start your engines! One of the definite pros of this device is its ability to heat up in less than 30 seconds. I'm talking cold start, boys and girls all the way to 450 degrees. If you watch Trailer Park Boys then you'll know that it's "Deeeeecent". For this sesh I just picked up a QO of Durban Thai from my local medical dispensary. With all the discounts today I copped this bad boy for $69. The grower is Curaleaf which many of you know, and I'll get this out of the way as soon as possible, but if you're from NY you know this pre-ground bud is a total bastardization of the plant. It tastes good but after seeing what the likes of Massachusetts has it's embarrassing. #legalizeit

After putting this into the Nova's all-ceramic chamber I surmised that it took about 2 "pinches" or whatever that may mean to you. I have big hands, leave me alone. WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY IS THAT THE CHAMBER IS BIG ENOUGH TO HOLD A GOOD AMOUNT OF BUD!

The bud, like I said above, is pre-ground and not very appealing visually. There's a weird mix of what I can only describe as bud "balls" and bud "shake". There's a very citrusy, slightly cheesy, slightly fruity aroma that wafts in the air, and stinks up your fingers (in a good way). Durban Thai is described as a sativa dominant strain which I think it lives up to. After 2 bowls I was definitely medicated but not overly. Still functional, but definitely relaxed.

Now, let me give you a little backstory about why I left dry herb vaping in the first place, and why I am revisiting it. It all started with the "Herb-e" by Mig Vapor. I like Mig, I do, but there's something about this product that just didn't do it for me. I'm not sure if it was user error with overfilling the bowl or if my expectations for the device were just set too high. To be fair this was an entry-level device and it did work... mostly... but I'm so glad I have the Nova now. The bowl is bigger, the draw is better (and adjustable!), and the device is just a better size for me. The second reason on why I'm circling back on the dry herb train is to save some money. I am not paying, especially with NY prices, $75 for a live resin cart. Absolutely not. Not when I can get a QO of actual bud for $69 and even on a day with no sales it's $90 which, in my opinion, is still a steal. So, in a nutshell, that's why we're here: me writing, and you reading.

So, how does this thing smoke? Compared to what I'm used to this thing "smacks" as the cool kids say these days. The vapor is nice and warm, flavorful, and the biggest thing for me in these Corona times is that it barely makes me cough even with a huge 10 sec pull. Now my neighbors won't think I'm literally dying every time I want to get medicated. :)))

I initially started at 370 degrees but slowly started moving my way up to 410 which I found to be my sweet spot. The weed comes alive at that point and oddly enough I felt a tingling sensation on my tongue. Does anyone else get this? Hello? While smoking I experience no odd flavors or burning of the bud. It just works. Just like a goddamn Honda Civic, haha.

After the sesh was over I saw that out of the 4 battery bars the Nova had we lost 1 bar. That's not too bad considering I was vaping for a total of 10 minutes on one of the higher temps. With that, we can assume that we'd get about 8 total sessions out of 1 charge - good, but not great, even with a revamped battery. Conveniently, the Nova has a countdown timer for each sesh to let you know when it's going to shut off automatically. After I was done, the bowl was super easy to empty, I just put everything back together and headed in.

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Conclusions

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Do I recommend this device? Absolutely, to the right person. If you are looking for mobility, solid construction, no frills, and vapor production that gets you medicated then *waves hand in a Jedi way* this is the vape you've been looking for. If you want something fancy, if you're looking for a desktop device, if you're looking for something to only handle concentrates, then no, this isn't for you.

The price point of this device allows this device to be in a good place for experienced users and new users alike to either get into the game or to expand their collection. Use of this device is easy - just a few button clicks away and you're vibing. The construction is solid and the vapor production is there. Again, it does what it does, does it well, and that's it. HONDA CIVIC! You can order the Nova by following this link: https://vubervaporizers.com/product/nova/

Edit: Updating my review after a second use and forgot to mention a few things upon my initial review:

1. The Nova vibrates to notify you of temp. changes, power on/off, etc

2. I noticed a damaged o-ring on the mouthpiece. Not sure if that's from initial use or a defect. It doesn't affect use (that I know of)

After using the Nova for a second time today I am still pleasantly happy on the job this device does. Great amount of vapor even with drawing in very cold air, great taste, and it's still on 3 bars of battery! More to come if I think of anything.