Flowermate are the brand you reach for when you want a real dry herb vaporizer without spending Mighty money. They’re a Chinese company that’s been knocking out budget portables for years, and the appeal is simple. The gear works, it’s cheap to run, and on most models the battery pops out so you carry a charged spare instead of standing next to a wall socket. That last bit is why a lot of Aussies sought them out, especially for camping and festivals where there’s nowhere to plug in.
Nobody’s pretending these are the finest vapes ever made. The flavour’s good rather than great, the plastics feel like what you paid, and the apps and screens are basic. But as a first vaporiser, or a knockabout you don’t have to baby, they earn their keep. Here’s the range, the honest version of each.
Flowermate V5.0S Pro
The V5.0S Pro is the one most people picture when they hear “Flowermate”. It’s a conduction portable, so the herb sits in a heated chamber and cooks rather than getting hit with hot air. That means you want to grind fine and stir halfway through, or the bowl heats unevenly. Draw’s a touch restricted, which actually suits beginners who pull too hard out of habit.
It runs on a removable 18650 battery, has a simple temperature readout, and the isolated airpath keeps the vapour reasonably cool. Set it around 180-190°C for flavour and 200-210°C if you want bigger, warmer clouds. It’s a brick rather than a stealth piece, but it’s a forgiving, hard-to-kill first vape.
Flowermate Aura
The Aura is the slightly grown-up V5. Same conduction approach and the same removable 18650 battery, but you get an OLED screen with precise temperature in one-degree steps, and the draw opens up a bit compared to the older models. The mouthpiece tucks away and the chamber’s easy to load.
It suits someone who wants control without paying mid-range prices, or anyone upgrading from a pen-style vape that never quite worked. Run it 180-195°C for everyday sessions, push toward 210°C late in the bowl to get the last of it. Same conduction quirk applies: grind fine, give it a stir, don’t pack it like a sausage.
Flowermate Slick
The Slick is the little one. It’s a compact conduction portable built for pockets and discretion, with a built-in battery you top up over USB rather than a removable cell. Smaller chamber, so it’s a one-or-two-draw vape rather than a pass-it-around session piece.
If you want something cheap and low-key that disappears in a jacket, this is the pick. It’s not an all-day cloud machine and the small battery means more charging, but for stealth on the go it does the job. Around 190-205°C is the sweet spot before the smaller chamber starts tasting toasty.
Living with one
Conduction vapes need a bit more cleaning than convection ones, because the herb touches hot metal. Brush the chamber out while it’s still slightly warm, give the mouthpiece and screen a soak in isopropyl every week or two, and keep the threads clean so the battery cap seats properly. Cheap to maintain, which is the whole point.
A word on those 18650 batteries. Buy reputable branded cells, store them in a case, and bin any that get dented or torn. A dodgy 18650 is the one genuinely dangerous corner you can cut, so don’t.
- Sorting your first vape? Start with buying your first vaporizer.
- Want the wider picture? Browse portable vaporizers and dry herb vaporizers.
- After something a step up? Have a look at XMax (XVape) and Boundless.
Which one suits you
Quick version. Want the reliable all-rounder to learn on: V5.0S Pro. Want precise temperature and a nicer draw for not much more: Aura. Want small, cheap and stealthy in a pocket: Slick. All three are budget gear, so judge them as a smart first vaporiser, not the last one you’ll ever own.