MAD Heaters Tempest 2 Slim

Seven versions are available at launch. Two are stainless steel, five are titanium. The pricing structure is identical in both shops. The All-Black variants carry a £10 / $10 premium, and the colored titanium versions are £20 / $20 above the natural titanium version.

The stainless steel version is new. It did not appear as a distinct price tier in the preliminary draft, and according to the MAD Heaters launch newsletter it is the new entry-level variant. The colored variants differ only in color and price. Their material, balls, and contents in the box match the natural titanium version. The heat shield is PPS plastic as standard. Wood is only available on versions that carry "Wood" in the name. None of those were listed at launch.

An important note for price comparison: UK prices include 20% British VAT. Customers ordering from the EU or the US will see the export price in the UK shop, which excludes that tax. For the Stainless Steel that is £99.17 instead of £119. Our price table also books this export price for EU visitors. Import VAT and any applicable fees will be added on delivery.

MAD Heaters cites three specific mechanical changes for the Slim: a smaller 0.05 g chamber setting, an improved guide for the ball screen with a twist-to-lock mechanism, and improved detent notches for the bowl tabs on the stem. According to the launch newsletter, the Slim also uses the same cap as the Tempest 2 — that is, the same heating head with high airflow and good cooling. The lower price is, per the manufacturer, a result of a slimmer stem that is easier to manufacture.

In practice this means: the Slim is the more affordable, more compact option with finer microdosing. The Tempest 2 remains the choice for 18 mm water pipes, and one pre-production user preferred its wider stem during back-to-back heat cycles (see the community report below). MAD Heaters themselves state: if you use an 18 mm adapter, stick with the Tempest 2. More on the sibling model can be found on our Tempest 2 page.

The US page additionally mentions improved heat distribution for a more thorough extraction of the full load. This sentence is absent from the UK page. The manufacturer provides no measurement data to support it, so we list it only as a manufacturer claim.

The two materials differ in more than just weight. The stainless steel cap retains more heat. According to the newsletter, the stainless steel Slim holds heat longer and leaves more room for experimentation: with a Heater Core or other balls, very long sessions are possible. It comes from the factory filled with quartz balls, which heat up quickly and, according to the manufacturer, deliver a lot of flavor. The titanium version is noticeably lighter at 42 g and comes with zirconium oxide ceramic balls.

The two materials are £20 apart in price: in the maker's UK shop, the stainless steel version costs £119 and the titanium version £139, with All Black costing £10 more in each case. The titanium colors Lime Green, Purple and Aqua cost £159. In the maker's US shop, it is $139 for stainless steel and $159 for titanium. The MAD Heaters price in the price comparison above applies to the cheapest variant, i.e. the stainless steel version.

The difference is reflected in the official heating figures. Titanium caps require less time on the YLL 3.0 with the same heating medium, and a lower timer temperature setting on the iSpire Wand. With the stock balls at 80 W: titanium with zirconia 35–40 s, stainless steel with quartz 39–43 s. On the iSpire Wand, 280 °C applies for titanium with zirconia and 310 °C for stainless steel with quartz.

• Choose stainless steel if you want the most affordable entry point, plan long sessions with a Heater Core, or find a heavier device comfortable.
• Choose titanium if weight matters, you use the device on the go, or you want a color variant. Lime Green, Purple, and Aqua are available in titanium only; All Black is also available in stainless steel.

According to the manufacturer, both materials are suitable for induction and magnet use. The heat shield, the stainless steel induction sleeve, the indicator housing, the indicators, and the screens are constructed identically in both versions.

The Slim has no battery of its own. The heat comes from outside. MAD Heaters lists the YLL 3.0 and the iSpire Wand as compatible induction heaters. Both methods and the torch are described in the manual.

Setting up the YLL 3.0

1. Remove the battery cover.
2. Place the C-shaped, 3 mm thick plastic spacer onto the silicone pad at the bottom of the heating chamber.
3. Replace the battery cover.
4. Stand the switched-off heater on the table and use the Tempest cap to press the silicone pad and ceramic disc onto the spacer. This sets the correct depth.

After that, adjust according to the table for the heating medium in use and heat until the timeout. Reducing the power means heating for longer. Increasing it means shortening the timer, otherwise combustion may occur. Heating for longer at lower wattage warms the chamber more evenly before the first draw. According to the manual, this suits several short mouth-to-lung draws.

iSpire Wand with Adapter V3

The glass insert is pushed to the correct depth using the Tempest so that it protrudes slightly from the bottom of the iSpire Wand. If it goes in with difficulty, do not force it, as the glass can break. According to the manufacturer, the temperature setting on the iSpire Wand acts as a timer and does not display an actual temperature. Heat until the "Timeout" message appears. For a stronger roast, increase in 10 °C steps or push the adapter 1 mm deeper. A deeper adapter increases heat transfer by contact; a higher one increases the convection component. This can improve flavor, but may roast unevenly if the chamber is packed too tightly.

Ignore the click signals on the iSpire Wand. When the LED glows solid red, the heating output drops to around 20 %. There may therefore be 5 to 10 seconds between the click and "Timeout". If the battery drops to 50 % while idle, MAD Heaters recommends a setting 10 °C higher. According to the manual, a full charge is sufficient for approximately 10 to 15 heating cycles. The opening of the iSpire Wand must have at least 14.0 mm of clearance. Some iSpire Wand heaters are narrower. The MAD Heaters product page describes carefully widening the opening with glass sandpaper for such units. It should not be attempted without any play, as the glass can break during heating.

With the Torch

Hold the flame tip approximately 1 cm away from the cap, rotate the device slowly, watch the display and listen for the click. The first click usually comes at the lower end of the ideal temperature range. The indicators respond to where the heat reaches the cap. The temperature indicators must never be heated directly with the flame. Torches with two or three flames or a medium-sized single flame are suitable.

MAD Heaters publishes separate tables for stainless steel and titanium caps. The values only apply when starting from room temperature. The fill weights are approximate, as the balls vary slightly in size. Heavier media store more heat and warm up more slowly but more gently. Lighter media heat up faster and deliver a stronger first draw. The iSpire Wand values apply to Adapter V3.

Stainless Steel Cap (default: quartz glass)

Titanium Cap (default: zirconia)

Re-heating: The cap retains a lot of residual heat. With a still-warm cap, subtract 8 to 12 seconds from the timer, but do not reduce the wattage. With the torch, stop one marker earlier than on the first pass, or use the first click as the signal. Sources for the tables: Settings for stainless steel caps and Settings for titanium caps.

The chamber is adjusted using the steel tube supplied. The regular Tempest 2 offers 0.6, 0.9, and 1.2 cm³, corresponding to approximately 0.1, 0.15, and 0.2 g. The Slim has an additional smaller setting of 0.3 cm³, i.e. approximately 0.05 g. The actual fill amount depends on the grind size and how tightly you pack.

1. Push the bowl screen all the way down.
2. For the half (0.6 cm³) or three-quarter size (0.9 cm³), slowly push the screen back up from the narrow neck side of the bowl until it sits in place.
3. The Bowl Screen Tool makes this easier. The short side represents the half chamber, the long side the three-quarter position. The tube pushes from the other side.

The 0.05 g setting is the most important functional difference from the larger model. It is suited to single small portions, for example when you only want a few draws or wish to conserve material. With such small fills, heating time becomes more sensitive: the chamber then contains less material to absorb heat. We recommend starting with the lower values in the table.

The ball matrix in the cap is interchangeable. This is one of the central features of the system. The Slim comes with approximately 40 balls of 3 mm and a few spare balls. As an alternative, MAD Heaters sells a two-part Heater Core in titanium (3 g, £19) or stainless steel (5.4 g, £15). According to the manufacturer's page, it is explicitly compatible with the Tempest 1, Tempest 2, and Tempest 2 Slim. The Core replaces the balls, provides greater heat transfer by contact, and is easier to clean. Individual ball types are available separately: zirconia for £6, ruby for £10, quartz for £12.

Filling with Balls

1. Fill the chamber with balls until they sit just below the slot line of the screen (approximately 40 × 3 mm).
2. The screen must be flat, with the arrow pointing clockwise.
3. Carefully guide the three tabs of the screen into the three openings and the rail without pressing on the screen.
4. Before closing, check that all three tabs are seated in the metal rail, then turn the screen until it clicks into place.

If the tabs cannot be inserted easily, the chamber is usually overfilled or the screen is bent. A bent screen may not hold properly and can come loose in the bowl or cap. Always press it flat before inserting.

Inserting the Heater Core

For the larger outer part, the wider opening faces the indicator end. The small part can be inserted in either direction. The same check of the three tabs then applies as with the balls. With the Heater Core, the heating values change significantly — see the table above.

The airflow can be adjusted in two places. At the cap: Loosen the screw at the top of the cap, rotate the induction sleeve, and tighten the screw again. At the stem: On the Slim, this is done by loosening the small ring beneath the heat shield. This allows the air intake on the stem to be regulated or closed off entirely. On the regular Tempest 2, you loosen the mouthpiece instead and rotate the heat shield.

MAD Heaters recommends long, slow draws. During these, the air intake on the stem should remain covered for most of the draw. Open bypass air cools the vapor and makes the draw easier, but also dilutes it.

Cooling is provided by a twisted titanium cooling unit inside the stem. The factory-fitted variant is "Medium", which is also the standard on the Tempest 2. As accessories, "Low", "Medium", and "High" are available for £7 each. According to the manufacturer, the Slim version has a shorter tab at the end so it fits into the narrower stem. According to the instructions, the cooling unit can be gently bent or straightened to adjust its fit in the stem.

An early pre-production user on the 420 Vape Geeks Forum reported that the slim stem becomes noticeably warmer after one or two heating cycles than the stem of the regular Tempest 2. For individual cycles with a cooling break, they found the Slim suitable. For several cycles in quick succession, they preferred the larger stem. This is a single experience with a pre-production unit and not a measurement. This user was already using the "High" cooling unit. It has therefore not been demonstrated that a different cooling unit or a water filter compensates for the greater warming of the stem. The device should be allowed to cool between heating cycles; water filter compatibility should be considered separately.

1. Loading: Unscrew the cap. Press the bowl into the ground material, or use the straw or vacuum method. Keep the threads clean and ensure air can flow through. Press down only lightly. Screw the cap gently down to the stop.
2. Do not touch: Avoid touching the steel parts of the cap — the indicator housing and induction sleeve — as much as possible. Skin oils burn onto them during heating.
3. Heating: On the YLL 3.0 or the iSpire Wand, heat according to the table until timeout; with the torch, heat according to the indicator and click.
4. Drawing: Long and slow, keeping the stem inlet mostly covered.
5. Reheating: With the torch, stop one marker earlier than the first time; with the induction heater, heat for 8 to 12 seconds less.
6. Emptying: Hold the hot cap with the Tempest Case or the magnet of a MAD Heaters Reload, unscrew it, and empty out the spent material. To detach the device from the magnet, tilt rather than pull.
7. Setting down: The cap stays very hot for several minutes. According to the manufacturer, both the Leather Case and the Tempest Case can receive the device even with a hot cap.

Several details from the instructions are helpful in everyday use. The click discs change slightly after the first 30 to 50 uses. The cap has two click discs, which can click simultaneously. The visual indicator continues to move while the heat equalises within the cap. When attaching the bowl to the stem, rotate to protect the O-rings. Aligning the bowl tabs with the notches on the stem makes the bowl easier to grip when opening.

In the Box

• Tempest 2 Slim
• Approx. 40 balls of 3 mm thickness in the head: quartz with stainless steel, zirconium oxide ceramic with titanium, plus a few spare balls
• Cooling Unit "Medium" (long)
• 4 replacement O-rings (3 × 6×1, 1 × 8×1)
• 2 bowl screens and 2 ball screens
• Tube for adjusting the bowl screen and bowl screen tool
• 2 mm screwdriver bit

A heat source is not included. Anyone who does not yet own an induction heater or torch will need to factor one in.

Tempest 2 Slim Bundle

The bundle contains the Slim in stainless steel or titanium, a Tempest Case, the YLL 3.0 induction heater without batteries with a 3 mm thick spacer, a titanium heater core, a funnel, and the accessory package. A torch is not included. It costs £225 to £265 in the UK shop and $259 to $299 in the US shop. The US newsletter states the individual value at $322. The Tempest Case is available in Black, Midnight, Racing Green, and Purple. For the YLL, MAD Heaters recommends 21700 batteries of the Molicel P42A, P45B, or P50B type, or Fogstar Energy 4000.

Accessories

• Tempest Case (£35): Stainless steel case with silicone lining, herb compartment for approximately 1 to 1.5 g, a removable emptier, and a magnetic lid that accommodates the hot head.
• Leather Loop with Screwdriver (£7 / $7): Leather loop with screwdriver, black or brown, new at launch.
• Cooling Unit Low/Medium/High (£7 each), Heater Core (£15 to £19) and Bowl Screen Tool (£1).

The instructions specify fixed intervals. A deep clean is required before first use and after every 100 bowls, a quick clean every 30 bowls, and a polish every 300 bowls.

Deep Clean (new device and every 100 bowls)

1. Place the fully assembled device (without the wooden heat shield) in 99% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) for at least 30 minutes, ideally in a zip-lock bag, shaking it occasionally.
2. Pour off the alcohol, rinse everything in the bag under warm water, then shake again in fresh IPA for one minute.
3. For a new device, additionally wipe all parts with IPA-soaked cotton buds.
4. Disassemble the device, remove the bowl screen, and rinse everything thoroughly under warm water. Blow through the cap a few times to remove any liquid.
5. After thorough rinsing with warm water, wipe dry and reassemble. IPA must be completely removed before heating. According to the instructions, after reassembly you heat once with an empty chamber to evaporate any remaining rinse water.

According to the manufacturer, the fully assembled cap with indicators and balls may be placed in cleaning solutions and water. It must, however, be dried immediately afterwards. The bowl O-rings should remain largely dry. Apply wax or lubricant only in a very thin layer and only when necessary.

Quick Clean (every 30 bowls)

• Spray IPA onto the cooling coil, hold a paper towel underneath, and unscrew and rescrew the coil a few times.
• Clean the inside of the stem with an IPA cotton bud and push the bowl screen out from below.
• Wipe the mouthpiece and bowl on the outside with a water-based moist cloth. A rolled-up cloth cleans the inner walls of the bowl.

Shine and Scratches (every 300 bowls)

Soak the cap in 5% white vinegar for one to two hours, rinse thoroughly, and dry immediately. Stubborn heat discolouration may soak for 12 to 24 hours. The indicators must first be removed from the induction housing beforehand. Scratches can be polished out lightly with 2000 to 3000 grit sandpaper; Autosol polish on a microfibre cloth restores a high shine. Clean with IPA before and after.

Cleaning the Balls

Place the balls in a metal tea strainer and heat them repeatedly with a medium or large torch until they are clean. Do not heat glass balls to extreme temperatures. The strainer takes a few minutes to cool down and needs a safe place to rest. Alternatively, soak the balls overnight in concentrated liquid alkaline degreaser (Sugar Soap) in a small glass or tube and shake them clean afterwards.

The indicators can be disassembled, but according to the manufacturer only with a steady hand and fine tweezers. The spring must never be pulled too forcefully, otherwise it will bend and stop working. For most users this is only necessary in the event of a defect or very heavy soiling.

• Do not touch the cap during or immediately after heating. Do not place the device in your trouser pocket while hot.
• The cap discolours near the heated induction sleeve. This is caused by the high heat and is normal according to the manufacturer.
• Do not touch the bottom of the iSpire Wand glass adapter after heating, and do not place it on surfaces that can melt. The iSpire Wand stand holds the glass elevated.
• Never leave a burning torch or a charging device unattended. Only heat in an open environment.
• Small parts: keep out of reach of children. For adults aged 18 and over only; not for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Consult a doctor beforehand if you have respiratory problems.
• According to the manufacturer, suitable for dry herbs only — not for tobacco, nicotine, or illegal substances. Not a medical device.
• Do not use a power drill to loosen an overtightened cap screw. Press the included bit or a 2.5 to 3 mm flat-head screwdriver with a large handle firmly onto the table and turn anticlockwise.

At launch, the direct route goes via the UK shop of MAD Heaters. The shipping policy lists "Express International – DPD Tracked" for Europe at £9.90, with free shipping only on orders worth more than £199. Delivery is handled by the local postal service. MAD Heaters states 3 to 10 working days and typically dispatches within 1 to 3 working days. During the launch period, a shop banner notes that it may take up to a week for an order to leave the warehouse. MAD Heaters does not ship to Poland or Greece due to customs issues.

The order is processed without British VAT. Import VAT, duties, and fees are borne by the buyer according to the manufacturer. Anyone who does not pay the charges or refuses acceptance will only receive a refund if the parcel is returned undamaged, and then minus the shipping costs.

Germany is a special case: an order value strictly above £135 is required. According to a UK shop banner, MAD Heaters only ships to Germany above this threshold. The shop does not mention such a threshold for other EU countries. During our basket measurement on 30 September with a stainless steel Slim (export price £99.17), only the line "Minimum order value to Germany is £135" appeared, showing £90. This line is not a confirmed shipping or customs tariff and is not counted as an orderable total price. All seven Slim variants are individually below the threshold: export prices range from £99.17 to £132.50. The bundle at £187.50 to £220.83 is above it. The required order value can also be reached by adding further items. Above the threshold, the shop states £9.90 standard shipping. The shipping policy states free shipping only on orders worth more than £199; at checkout the free tier was confirmed from an order value of £199.26. Customs duties, import VAT, and any processing fees are charged separately; their amount is not quoted in our price box.

Those ordering within the United Kingdom pay £3.50 with Royal Mail Tracked 48, with free shipping on orders over £49. In the United States, MAD Heaters sells through its own shop based in Suwanee, Georgia, at dollar prices and for buyers aged 21 and over.

Whether retailers in Germany or the EU will stock the Slim was still unclear on launch day. Should it appear at a shop, it will automatically show up in our price comparison above.

Independent long-term tests with production units were not yet available on launch day. In the Tempest 2 Slim thread at 420 Vape Geeks, several owners of prototypes and pre-production units shared their experiences before the launch. The most detailed report comes from a user who tried several combinations. Stainless steel with quartz balls worked well. A stainless steel heater core took longer to heat up, retained heat longer and felt more hybrid — that is, with a greater proportion of conductive heat. This observation is consistent with the official tables: the stainless steel core has the highest fill weight at 5.4 g and the longest timers.

The same user found the narrow stem warmer after one or two heating cycles than the stem of the regular Tempest 2. For individual cycles with a cooling pause he found the Slim suitable; for back-to-back sessions he preferred the larger T2 stem. He was already using the "High" cooling unit at the time. This remains a single experience prior to the production launch; we have no independent comparative measurements of cooling performance. Draw speed, ambient temperature and the chosen cooling unit all have a strong influence on the result.

Tempest 2: The sibling model is wider and more expensive. It fits 10, 14 and 18 mm water filters. The pre-production user quoted preferred its stem for multiple consecutive heating cycles. Its smallest chamber setting is around 0.1 g. Current best price: 200.75 € incl. shipping. With YLL and case it is available as the Tempest 2 Bundle.

DynaVap M7: An established mechanical click vaporizer without a ball matrix. It is smaller, less expensive and has a wide range of accessories available. Heat is transferred more strongly via conduction. Current best price: 75.44 € Code VAPOCHECKER5 · incl. shipping.

DynaVap HyperDyn: A mechanically heated titanium vaporizer. DynaVap lists a chamber for around 0.25 g and an integrated 10/14 mm water filter adapter. This makes it an alternative for larger portions than the 0.05 g setting of the Slim. Current best price: 183.89 € Code VAPOCHECKER · incl. shipping.

Vestratto Tornado: A larger, considerably more expensive mechanical system with a bigger chamber. It is aimed at users who want to vaporize a large amount of material at once. The Slim, by contrast, focuses on microdosing and portability.

This page is based on the manufacturer's pages from the launch date, 30 September 2026: the UK product page and the US product page with variants, prices, and package contents; the manual for Tempest 2 and Tempest 2 Slim (as of 27 September); the heating tables for stainless steel and titanium; the pages for the bundle, Cooling Unit, and Heater Core; the shipping policy; the returns policy; and the launch newsletter from MAD Heaters USA. The comparison figures for the standard model are taken from the Tempest 2 product page.

The shipping tiers for Germany are based on our own basket measurements carried out on 24 and 30 September. Statements from pre-production users come from the 420 Vape Geeks Forum and are marked as community experience. The photos on this page are provided by MAD Heaters. We have not yet carried out a hands-on test with a production unit, so we are not assigning a rating.

Editorial status: 1 October 2026, following the official sales launch and a renewed review of the manufacturer's sources. The preliminary check from 19 September has been fully superseded.

• MAD Heaters – Tempest 2 Slim (UK)
• MAD Heaters – Tempest 2 Slim (US)
• MAD Heaters – Tempest 2 and Tempest 2 Slim Manual
• MAD Heaters – Heat Values Stainless Steel Caps
• MAD Heaters – Heat Values Titanium Caps
• MAD Heaters – Tempest 2 Slim Bundle
• MAD Heaters – Cooling Unit for Tempest 2 Slim
• MAD Heaters – Shipping Policy
• MAD Heaters – Warranty and Returns
• 420 Vape Geeks – Tempest 2 Slim Discussion