Troubling news for anyone who’s used a VaporBuddy pipe.
As mentioned in our VaporGenie review, the VaporBuddy is a knockoff of the Genie and was thought to be of questionable quality.
As it turns out, some (maybe all) models of the VaporBuddy are coated with, get this, lead paint. Yes, lead paint, used to coat a pipe. Doesn’t get much worse than that.
Here’s the email Dan sent me, the pdf with the lab results is at the bottom.
Thanks again for your well written, thorough and honest review of the vaporgenie.
Recently, we bought a few vapor buddy pipes (the VG knockoff), and had the paint on them tested for lead. We scraped the paint, and sent it to a laboratory for testing. The paint contained 7500ppm lead, which exceeds the federal limit for toys and consumer items. The lab test result is attached. There is also a page on our website about this.
So, the paint on the vapor buddy pipe contains a significant amount of lead. Also, in the pipes we tested, there was lead paint *inside* the pipe. Outrageous.
Anyway, you should know that there are TWO versions of the vapor buddy on the market: an “original” knockoff, and a super-cheap ($10) absolute piece of junk knockoff (that doesnt even work). They are difficult to tell apart. We tested the $10 junk knockoff, because at the time we were not aware of the difference. So, the cheap junk VB contains lead for sure, but we dont yet know about the the “original” VB. We have ordered some of the “original” VB pipes so that we can test them for lead. We will post the results, and send them to you when we get them.
The guys at GotVape.com sell the “original” VB. They insist that it does NOT contain lead, and that it is anodized, not painted (anodized coatings do not contain lead). However, they have not done the testing, and I am skeptical of their claim. We will know for sure once we get the lab results.
Anyway, I thought I would let you know whats happening with the Vapor Buddy. People need to know that these pipes contain lead and are therefore a health hazard.
cheersDan
I will update with the findings of the next test when it’s available to me.
11 Comments
Although the Vapor Buddy is a knockoff of the vapor genie , having personally used both i can say that the vapor buddy is worth more . not only is it a lot more durable and heavy but it looks cooler than some lame wooden pipe. i have never seen the 10 dollar vapor buddy mine was 40 $ and didn’t have a drop of paint inside the bowl or any part where vapors would flow through , the only paint is on the outside. I think vapor genie made these claims because they are losing so much money to a foreign cheaper made superior product. So if you have a choice between helping out an American company or a import the choice is simple…either you save money or you lose it. I am advocating the vapor buddy because no one else who has one seems to care enough to write a review for them. THEY WORK!
Ok, you don’t like the vaporgenie, that’s fine. But how can you be so sure your vaporbuddy is constructed safely? Have you had it analyzed? I’d be a little more concerned.
FWIW, most of the reports I’ve heard put the VG ahead of the VB in terms of effectiveness.
In response to Jeff – I’m curious what the manufactures of the VaporBuddy have to say about this. I can’t seem to find any information on the company… why don’t they speak out about the lead in the VaporBuddy? Why don’t they have any public presence whatsoever?
Has anyone read this article posted at GotVape.com? This article contains both reports conducted independently at the request of VaporGenie.
http://www.gotvape.com/vaporizer/vapor-buddy-vaporizer-lead-test.php
The reason that the vaporbuddy manufacturers remain invisible is because they are a fly-by-night, disreputable company. And they know they are violating our patent and will be sued if they set up an operation in the US, Canada or Europe.
For the record, vaporgenie is doing very well, not not losing significant sales to the vaporbuddy. Unlike vaporbuddy, vaporgenie is easily accessible and provides a product warranty.
We dont think the vaporbuddy is superior, of course. However, we are working on a metal version (stainless steel) for people that prefer metal to wooden pipes.
Wood has some nice features: it is very lightweight, durable, and it does not conduct heat.
GotVape.com are liars.
They claim “1-5 day air shipping” when it’s actually priority mail, which was sent by truck. They also claim the absolute lowest price, or they’ll match it. I called them for a price match and they said “that vendor is selling it for less than the minimum allowed price so we won’t match it.”
Yeah, but this doesn’t have, in any way, any concerns about havaing lead in your pipe…
I have a vapor buddy and there is no paint inside, no paint near the flame, so it could not possibly be inhaled even if it were lead, and the ceramic filter works fine. Sounds like vaporgenie, while being probably the best, just wants to shut out the competition for not getting their patent before they started selling their product.
Vaporgenie does have a patent, they can’t do anything because the Vaporbuddy is a faceless Chinese import. I’d be upset too.
There’s been enough press about lead in toys from China. Do you really want to take a chance with an underground, novelty import from China that’s used for inhalation with a flame??? You couldn’t pay me to use one.
where can you find caps for the vb? without the caps these vb are worthless
Anyone posting about how they “love their vaporbuddy” is a MORON. It’s a PATENT VIOLATING CHINESE KNOCK OFF COATED IN LEAD. They are made with cheaper parts, and the flame filter actually DETERIORATES as you use it, crumbling so you can inhale the chinese ceramic lead dust, because it’s not a solid ceramic from a single piece. Anyone who would defend that piece of shit product just because they accidently bought it to try to save face is a loser. Enjoy sucking on your inferior functioning chinese lead, lol, you make good decisions. The VaporGenie is an awesome product made with quality materials at an affordable price…I pity the morons that spent $85(at my head shop) on a VBuddy, lol.