The Grasshopper vaporizer, made in the USA by Hopper Labs, is one of the smallest and fastest heating portable vaporizers for dry blends on the market, but the real question is: how well does it work? To learn the truth about this elusive little vape spawned from a crowdfunding campaign, continue reading this review.

“…super small, extremely discreet, and quick to heat up – so quick that it puts most other portables to shame.”

  • 67%
    Overall Rating - 67%
67%

SPEED REVIEW (SUMMARY)

The Grasshopper vaporizer is small and discreet, we'll give it that. It's also an alright producer of vapor, especially for its size. And on top of all this, it's easy to use, easy to clean, and it has one feature in particular that we can't help but appreciate: the user-replaceable battery. Unfortunately, it's not enough for us to disregard the numerous complaints (detailed in the "Problems" section below) that we've seen from other users. Subsequently, we're unable to comfortably recommend this vape and instead suggest taking a look at some of the other portable vaporizers that we've reviewed. If you're intent on buying it anyways, we suggest you at least buy it from an authorized retailer such as this store here.

CHECK PRICE  BUY NOW

*This is a quick summary, in-depth review below.

Temperature

With a temperature range that spans from 266 degrees Fahrenheit to 410 degrees Fahrenheit (130°C – 210°C), the Grasshopper (GH) offers no shortage of vaping temperatures to choose from. To select the temperature, simply rotate the dial located on the end opposite of the mouthpiece. While this temperature range is unquestionably wide, it’s not quite as wide as the range offered by some of the other portables that are out right, particularly on its high end where it stops at just 410°F. In comparison, the Pax 3 is capable of running 10 degrees warmer and the DaVinci IQ another 10 degrees on top of that. Still, 410°F is actually more than sufficient for the Grasshopper and the Grasshopper isn’t the only one that’s content with a maximum temperature well below that of some of the competitors. The Crafty for example, one of the top portables at this time, maxes out at the same temperature, 410 degrees Fahrenheit. And for the Crafty, it’s more than enough to produce an impressive amount of hi-quality vapor. And in the case of this little vape, much smaller than the Crafty and still quite a bit smaller than the Pax and IQ, we suspect that if the heating element got any hotter, the vapor might very well be too hot to inhale – unless, of course, one were to use the PFE to attach it to a water filter.

Heat Up Time

This is one area where the GH (short for Grasshopper) really excels. Its heat up time is virtually unmatched by most portables designed for dry blends, and desktops for that matter as well. Just how fast does it heat up to vaping temps? In about 5 seconds. To put that in context, some vapes take more than a minute to heat up so in other words: it heats up ridiculously fast.

In order to heat it up, simply click the button on the end opposite of the mouthpiece. It feels just like clicking a pen, only it’s not a pen, it’s a vape that looks like a pen. While others stretch the definition of what a pen vape entails, this pen vape does the phrase much justice as it is a pen that actually resembles an ordinary pen. One click to turn it on, one click to turn it off. When it’s ready to be used, the LED will glow blue.

Battery Life

This portable convection vaporizer boasts a user-replaceable battery design, which is all the rage in the vape mod scene and is only just now beginning to catch on in the portable vaporizer scene. What this allows you to do is keep some extra, fully charged batteries on hand to use as replacements for when the battery you’re using runs out of juice. Pop out the old one, pop in a fresh one, and keep on vaping. And due to how small the batteries are that it uses, it’s easy to carry a couple of extras around where you go because they fit nicely in a pocket.

A single fully charged battery is capable of powering the Grasshopper for about 60 minutes. So you could imagine what a pocket full of extra could do. More vape than you can handle?

When it comes to keeping your batteries charged, you have some options. You can use the magnetic USB charging connection to plug the vape in and charge the battery inside of it. Better yet, you can use a third-party external charger that’s capable of charging multiple batteries at a time. We suggest some combination of both. This way, your vape’s always charged and ready to go when you need it to be.

Weight & Size

Grasshopper vaporizers come in two distinct styles: stainless steel and titanium. While they’re both 5.5 inches in length (140 millimeters) and 0.55 inches in diameter (14 millimeters), the titanium version is about 10 grams lighter than its steel counterpart. While this is a somewhat significant difference between the two, the truth is that the weight is hardly relevant given how light it is to begin with. In the case of the stainless steel model, we’re talking about a weight of just 65 grams. And in the case of the titanium model, just 56 grams. Either way you split it, the GH is one lightweight vape.

To put its size in context. Imagine carrying a pen in your pocket. That’s about how much space the Grasshopper takes up. To say that it’s compact would be an understatement, as it’s so small that you might actually forget you’re carrying it.

Problems

Without the PFE, the draw resistance on the GH is simply too much. It’s really not comfortable to hit because of it. Fortunately, the PFE does exist and it changes this scenario completely – taking the Grasshopper from a vaporizer that’s no fun to hit to a vaporizer that’s actually quite pleasant to hit. And it does this by really opening up the vapor pathway, which in turn equates to an 80% reduction in draw resistance. Outside of this, we haven’t had any real reason to complain, however, we do want to make note of some of the issues that other users claim to have run into. These include defects in the manufacturing, issues with the batteries, poor customer service, and issues with orders arriving in a timely fashion. Keep this in mind because it plays into our overall consensus on the value of this vape.

Cleaning & Maintenance

When it comes to cleaning, some vapes are a royal pain in the rear to keep clean. Fortunately for GH users, that’s simply not the case as this is actually one of the easiest portable vaporizers to clean.

There are three parts to it. There’s the end of the where you can adjust the temperature and turn the vape on and off. There’s the middle section that houses the batter. And then there’s the tip of the pen that unscrews to expose the oven. Cleaning it a breeze. The only two components you really need to clean on a regular basis are the mouthpiece and the oven. Brush them out for the most part and on occasion, when necessary, use a q-tip dipped gently in isopropyl alcohol to clean the two. Once clean, run some dry runs where you heat the vape all the way up to its maximum temperature and hold it there in order to burn off any residues leftover from the cleaning process before you use it again. It’s that easy.

If necessary, the front-end piece can be soaked in isopropyl alcohol, which we suggest doing in a sealed glass container. You may want to soak it as long as 2 hours depending on how dirty it is.

Usage Tips

  • Turn it on, take a draw, and then turn it off to help keep the mouthpiece from getting uncomfortably warm if you intend on using it in quick succession. This will also help maintain the flavor profile of your blend.
  • Try removing the silicone mouthpiece accessory it comes with if it doesn’t seem to be a good fit for you. Some like it, some do not. We don’t personally care much for it, however, some of our friends do like it so our suggestion to you is to try using it with it and to try using it without it to see which you prefer. Also, it’s actually quite difficult to clean as it really manages to stain nicely, but we don’t use it so that’s really a non-issue for us.

Accessories

Every Grasshopper Vaporizer comes with a charger, instructions, a battery, and a sticker. We suggest buying extra batteries to make the most of it as doing so allows you to quickly swap out a dead one for a charged one, keeping the cycle going and the vapor flowing. Outside of what it comes with, there are also other accessories available for purchase, some of which are actually quite useful. They are as follows:

  • Hopper Battery Charger – This is an external battery charger designed specifically for the GH vape. Solid-state, 3-channel, 36W max, and stainless steel construction.
  • Steel Case – Just a nice little stainless steel case you can use to carry your GH. It inhibits smells from leaking out, is sealed by a magnetic cap, and it has room for a couple of extra batteries. Where some portable vaporizer cases are too big for the a pocket, this one isn’t. It measures just 1.26 inches x 1.26 inches x 6.70 inches. It’s roughly the size and shape of a Toblerone chocolate bar.
  • Leather Sleeve – This sewn leather case is designed to keep the GH safe while it’s stored away in a pocket, effectively preventing lint or other grime from getting into the vape’s mouthpiece.
  • Performance Front-End (PFE) – This the accessory that has made all the difference for us. It takes the vaping from less than desirable to more than acceptable by opening up the vapor pathway instead of bottlenecking it. According to its maker, it single-handedly reduces draw resistance by 80%, which is obviously quite the improvement. We strongly suggest using this instead of the default mouthpiece. It doubles as an adapter used to connect the vape to third-party glassware, such as glass water filters.
  • Pen Clip Engraving – This is less of an accessory and more of an option. You can mail your vape back in and Hopper will send you back an engraved version of your vape, allowing you to etch up to 14 characters of your choosing on your vape.
  • Extra Battery – They’re small, inexpensive, and something that we recommend every owner have at least a few of.
  • Glass Cleaning Vial – This little glass jar can be used to soak the front-end piece in ISO in order to thoroughly clean it. It’s made in the United States and it has a Teflon-lined cap designed to prevent leaks.
  • Extra Front-End – For those who want them (a group which doesn’t include us), there are spare front-ends for purchase. We prefer to use the new Performance Front-Ends instead, but these still exist for those who want them.
  • Adapter – This is the old adapter used to connect the vape to third-party glassware. These days, the PFE is where it’s at as it serves as both an improvement over the original mouthpiece as well as an adapter, two-in-one. So forget this thing, go with the PFE.
  • USB Charger – Lost the one it came with? No worries, you can always buy another. This is just a standard USB charger built for the GH.

Warranty

The Grasshopper vaporizer is manufactured in the good ol U.S. of A. and it’s backed by a lifetime manufacturer’s warranty. As we’ve never used it, we can’t speak for their customer service, but if it’s anything like some of the complaints we’ve heard from other customers, you may want to be weary of long wait times and the like.

Vapor Quality

After waiting a while to release this review, the company behind the vape, Hopper Labs, released a new mouthpiece called the Performance Front-end (PFE). Prior to its release, we would have said that the Grasshopper’s draw resistance was a major turnoff because it truly felt like sucking vapor through a straw. With the PFE, which we strongly recommend buying if you plan on getting a Grasshopper or already have one, there’s dramatically less draw resistance — to the tune of 80% less, according to its manufacturer. Unfortunately, this does little to resolve the issue with the vapor’s temperature, which is warmer than we’d prefer. This doesn’t come as much of a surprise if any given the design, one in which the vapor travels a short and straight path right to the user. Still, the quality is actually quite impressive outside of how warm it is and thanks to the fact that you can now use the PFE to attach it to a water filter, the heat concern is only for those who choose not to use a third-party water filter. While it does well to cool and smooth the vapor before it reaches you, it is quite tasty and reasonably potent given its size. While we’re not thoroughly impressed with the quality of its vapor, we must admit that we’re quite pleased with its quality given how small of a vaporizer it is. In comparison to other portables designed for dry blends, it fairs alright. We’d rate it about average quality in this regard.

Final Thoughts

The Grasshopper is super small, extremely discreet, and quick to heat up – so quick that it puts most other portables to shame. While we’ve found it to be a relatively pleasant vape to use, it’s not one that we’re comfortable recommending given the volume and nature of some of the complaints we’ve seen from other users. In light of this, we suggest checking out some of the other (more highly rated) portables that we’ve reviewed on our website. But if you’re intent on buying the GH regardless of whether or not we recommend it, then the least you can do is buy it through an authorized retailer such as this one here.

 

→ MORE INFORMATION