Wizard Labs flavoring bottles are plastic now...?

submitted almost 9 years ago by ProfessorXenon

Hey all. Haven't posted here before, but I'm a long time lurker, and I've been mixing for a bit over a year now. I was hoping to get an opinion from one of the more experienced DIYers.

Just received my first Wizard Labs flavoring order since August, and man, was I surprised when I opened the box. I've come to expect all of Wizard Labs' flavorings to arrive in stout, well-designed glass bottles, but this time was very different. All my 120mL bottles are strange, missile-shaped plastic bottles, and the 30mLs are about the usual shape, but made with hard plastic rather than glass. This wouldn't normally bother me enough to post about it, but I happen to know several of the flavors I ordered contain tank-cracking, plasticizing ingredients.

Part of the reason I've used Wizard Labs for so long was specifically because I knew they rebottle(d) all their flavorings in glass. Not only do they look nicer, but I know many of my usual flavorings don't fare well in plastic bottles, due to plasticizing ingredients (triethyl citrate, certain esters, whatever the hell is in Ripe Banana) or other corrosive chemicals. Surely Wizard Labs knows that, too.

Is Wizard Labs trying to cut costs? Or did I just order over a certain limit of flavorings, and received plastic bottles to prevent a shipping mishap?

Any input as to the safety of storing corrosive flavorings in plastic bottles would be appreciated. Also, if anyone else has received these plastic bottles from WL and is as pissed off as I am, is there anything we can say/do to get the old bottles back?

Comments

8 points

by cloudCRAFT3RSalmost 9 years ago

You can just ask them and they will pack in glass, I also posted this a week ago with a picture

3 points

by ProfessorXenonalmost 9 years ago

I didn't see the post! Thank you, that makes me feel much better. I'll have to call them before my next order. They've always been very helpful over the phone, I've even had them expedite my order for free when I mentioned I had a deadline to make.

5 points

by vape_accountalmost 9 years ago

I'm pretty new to the mixing game so I haven't had any orders show up that weren't in PET or HDPE.

However, I do work in a chemical laboratory and can give some insight into which bottles are safe. As long as they are HDPE/XLPE they should be fine for long term storage. You can reference this page for any other types of plastics. I believe the chart is on page ~~15~~ 16.

The ones that really shouldn't be used are PET, which unfortunately most of the companies are using. I have no idea why they think this is alright, but I would totally be willing to pay an extra 30 odd more cents for a glass bottle.

Edit: meant page 16! Also HDPE not HPDE

Edit #2: If you are interested in transitioning away from plastic bottles, I've ordered from General Bottle Supply before with success. I make me own cocktail bitters and give them as gifts and they work like a charm for flavorings too. I think I paid 10 bucks for 48 (not including shipping). I personally am not going to bother switching 10 mL size flavorings as I'll use them fast enough. Hope this helps!

2 points

by Apexifiedalmost 9 years agoSuckling from the teats of Daenerys Targaryen

The link isn't working for me. Why shouldn't PET be used? AFAIK it has a lower oxygen transmission rate than LDPE which should, to some degree, help lessen the degradation of concentrates over time.

3 points

by vape_accountalmost 9 years ago

The link should be sending you to the Chemical Stockroom Handbook pdf by Fisher Scientific.

The reason I mentioned PET posing an issue is the known interactions it has with common flavoring agents that contain problematic functional groups such as aldehydes, ketones, esters, and others.

To your point about oxygen transmission, all of the listed containers are fine as far as keeping oxygen out of the contents. The issue we are discussing is the interaction/reactions that occur between the containers and their contents. Hope this helps clear up any confusion why HPDE/XLPE is the best plastic choice and why PET shouldn't be used.

Edit: clarity.

4 points

by ejuicemanalmost 9 years ago

TFA, Capella, FA etc. store all their flavorings in PET/HDPE plastic (from 4oz and up to a gallon). What the point of rebottle into the glass?

5 points

by wh1skeyk1ngalmost 9 years agoThanks for reading this flair

Like OP said, and I've experienced this as well, some flavors will basically melt/corrode the PET/HDPE/LDPE and everything it touches after it leaks out of the container it is in.

edit PET

3 points

by chuckc342almost 9 years ago

Are they dropper bottles? I've avoided WL because I prefer plastic dropper bottles. If they've switched to dropper bottles than this is great news. If not then I guess it's the worst of both worlds.

2 points

by ProfessorXenonalmost 9 years ago

They did include dropper tips with the order. Rather nice ones, too. Only problem is that I measure with syringes, not dropwise.

1 points

by chuckc342almost 9 years ago

I measure by weight and they have at least one flavor (TFA Elderberry) that no one else has, I know where my next order is coming from. Thanks!

2 points

by cjinctalmost 9 years ago

Sadly, yes they've gone plastic :(

My last order with them (around T-day), I had added a note on the order, asking if it was true as I saw a post on a DIY group and asked them please to stick with glass. They called me and said they were going to all plastic (except for the 8mL vials).

So, all my stuff came in plastic bottles - I had to spent my time transferring every friggin' thing to glass bottles, labeling, etc.. The glass bottles were the reason I ordered everything I could from them vs other vendors - I don't see me ordering much from them going forward :(

2 points

by s1eeper21almost 9 years ago

does bullcity come in glass?

2 points

by wh1skeyk1ngalmost 9 years agoThanks for reading this flair

PET

0 points

by BlazeDemBeatzalmost 9 years agoMentholatier

I really dislike those bottles that BCF uses to rebottle 30ml's. When you pop off the dropper top the hole to get the liquid out is so small. You can't get anything to the bottom of it aside from a 1ml pipette.

2 points

by HashSlingingSlashuralmost 9 years ago

I've yet to order anything from bullcity, ECX or nicotine river than came in anything but plastic. But also, I'm not complaining

2 points

by cloudCRAFT3RSalmost 9 years ago

I remeber about a month ago I seen a ppst about wizard labs carrying flavorart. Everyone in there said If they got rid of glass they would order from them. You can't make everyone happy but I believe you can still ask as they still have glass m

1 points

by Clyde_Diedalmost 9 years agoDiketones, Schmiketones

That sucks! I've ordered them since I started about a year ago, but my most recent I went with ecigexpress for flavors and vaperstek for bases and nic. I heard their nic is really good and WL gave me some peppery shit last order.

1 points

by ilikecockalmost 9 years ago

Everyone said this already, but Wizard Labs sent a note in my last order saying that they are switching to plastic because the glass bottles kept breaking during shipping. So that's their official explanation.