Puff or Pass: Cloudious9
Product reviews are often focused on one item at a time, but there are situations where we’ll be asked to test a whole suite of items from the same maker. That’s what happened when we received a package from Cloudious9 and that’s why you’ll find this review to be much longer than most.
The Cloudious9 family of products for the cannabis consumer is vast – the items that we were fortunate enough to review include the Techtonic9 Dispensing Grinder, the Hydrology9 NX Flower & Concentrate Vaporizer, and the Atomic9 Dry Herb Vape. Without further ado, let’s talk about the Techtonic9 Dispensing Grinder.
Techtonic9 Dispensing Grinder
We can’t call this an electric grinder because it’s not, which is why you see the specification of Dispensing Grinder and not Automatic Grinder. The top half of this gadget is a typical grinder that you likely have at home, but that’s where the difference is. The bottom half of the Techtonic has a clear window, a dispensing “chute,” and a power button. Once you’ve done your grinding, you simply flip up the chute, position over a cone or tray, and press the button. The consistently ground cannabis will shoot out and can be used in a cone or other device.
A few things to keep in mind – this is one of those items that will take practice to perfect its use – the drier the herb, the better for dispensing and for filling just one cone, this is a quick timesaver. Does it solve a need? Not necessarily, but how often does that stop us from implementing small innovations in our sesh if we find a cool tool? With a pricepoint of $42.99 at the time of publishing, this is a nice to have without spending a fortune and the tradeoff it provides in terms of time. We liked the Techtonic9 and gave it a puff.
Atomic9 Dry Herb Vape
Dry herb vapes are a great choice for those who worry about the smell / smoke when they consume, or those looking for a less conspicuous method of consumption that requires no combustion. While dry herb vapes come in a variety of price points and functionality, we found the Atomic9 to be a great entry level device for those wanting to give dry herb vaping a try.
We really like the size and heft of this device – while it’s not full of bells and whistles, users do have the option to control temperatures to a certain extent. You’re given 6 settings to choose from, ranging from 356°F to 446°F. A few other pluses for this small wonder include a retractable scoop that helps corral flower into the chamber and the removable “plug” in the middle is smart engineering to ensure all parts can be cleaned.
Our only downfalls for this product were the short battery life (about 6 sessions per charge) and the absence of a tool to clean out the chamber – not a dealbreaker, but certainly a nice to have. We’d like to see buttons that are more consistent in the amount of pressure to activate and click, and a tool to quickly scoop out the used herb (remember it’s great for extractions and infusions after it’s been vaped!). At a price point of $39.99, this is easily a budget dry herb vaporizer and gives a less expensive opportunity to try herb vaping for the first time to get used to it and determine if it’s right for you. We gave this one a puff.
Hydrology9 NX Flower and Concentrate Vaporizer
This is truly the ultimate in cannabis gadgets – and spoiler alert – not inexpensive. BUT – if you’re a consumer who wants the flexibility to use one tool for both dry flower AND concentrates, this could be your new bestie.
Those familiar with the Volcano or the Seahorse, the PuffCo Peak, and the like, will see the value in the multiple form factors this device provides. With a glass tube that sits on a metal base, the Hydrology9 NX has all that and more. Special thanks to Cloudious9 for also including the leather carrying case for the piece.
The new Hydrology9 NX is a modular water-filtered vaporizer for both the concentrate connoisseur and flower enthusiast. Featuring a switchable concentrate atomizer & hybrid convection flower heating chamber, the Hydrology9 NX was designed with an uncompromising dedication to each material’s unique vaporization attributes. This flexibility is made possible by a switchable atomizer and flower heating chamber for herb and a 100% Glass Quart bucket, as well as a 100% Ceramic bucket for concentrates.
Puff or Pass?
The device is filled about halfway with water prior to use, and the convenient charger is magnetic and sticks to the side of the device when charging. Clever colors are used to help the user moderate temperature, as well as to signal when the device is ready to use. We tried both dry herb and concentrates in this device and we were NOT disappointed at all. With a price point of $250 at time of publication, this is not inexpensive, but if you’re a cannabis consumer with discretionary income and a desire for a multi-functional product that can be used at home or portable enough to take with you, this might be what you’ve been looking for. This one is a strong puff!
You’ll note we were pleased with all of the Cloudious9 products, and they do have special bundled pricing on their website. In order to get all 4 of the products in our test kit, consumers can visit their website and get the bundle for $299. Again, not for every consumer’s budget, but definitely a suite of products that are purchased individually might solve some of your cannabis consumption needs.