If the world of concentrates and dab rigs is a little outside of your comfort zone, you’re not alone! Torches, bangers, tools, carb caps, and glass can be extremely daunting, especially if you are a first-time dabber or a senior smoker. The good news is, there has been a boom in the market of electronic rigs that do most of the work for you; all you have to do is load up your concentrate and press a few buttons! Experimenting with concentrates has never been as easy as it is today.
You may be curious about e-rigs and want to see what all of the buzz is about. Maybe you want something that is more travel-friendly or is easy to use after a mind-numbing day at work. Whatever your reason for inquiring about e-rigs is, we are here to help you choose an option that makes the most sense for your lifestyle! Today we will be discussing two electronic rigs that we’ve been playing around with recently, the XVape Vista Mini 2 and the Puffco Peak, in order to potentially help you decide which vaporizer is right for you.
Appearance
The Vista Mini 2 is a palm-sized device that features many detachable parts for easy cleaning and filling. The atomizer (the chamber that heats the concentrates) is on the top of a glass water percolator that cools down the vapor as it passes through. When heating and in use, the entire chamber lights up with a different color that indicates temperature, which we thought was a nice, theatrical feature. The battery and heating element are housed in the metal base, which has one button and a micro USB port.
If small, detachable glass pieces make you nervous, this may not be the piece for you. Although having a separate mouthpiece and carb cab is amazing for cleaning purposes, the clumsy should beware of these parts! The vaporizer comes with a K-clip to attach the mouthpiece to the water chamber and a silicone tether for your carb cap to make these smaller pieces more secure.
The Vista Mini 2 is smaller than its higher-end competitor, the Peak, but has more pieces that go along to it. You can switch out your mouthpiece if it breaks for any mouthpiece that is a 14mm male joint, which adds to the customizable element of it.
The Puffco Peak is a modern and extremely sleek electronic rig. One of the main perks about the Peak is that the glassblowing community has begun making custom Peak attachments so that you can get a variety of water functions from one vaporizer. There is something appealing about being able to switch out your glass and being able to support independent glass artists, and it’s definitely unique to the Peak.
The stock e-rig comes with a conical and extremely pleasant glass attachment with nice percolation. You barely need any water in this piece to get it chugging! The carb cap it comes with isn’t the best when it comes to airflow and directionality, so play around with it and maybe try a different style of carb cap, like a bubble cap. Even though it’s only a single detachable glass piece, it’s fairly easy to clean the percolator out. We kind of wish the chamber lit up like the Vista Mini’s does, but it has an LED indicator light on the base of the device. The non-glass battery base is coated in a silicone which is ergonomically pleasant and also prevents the carb cap from breaking when tethered.
Battery Life
The Vista Mini 2 kind of falls short when it comes to battery life, and would not be optimal for those of you who concentrate consistently throughout the day. It doesn’t have passthrough charging, so if you accidentally load up a dab and your battery is dead, you’re in for some real disappointment.
This device does have its perks for users who just like to have a couple hits here and there, though. If you’re someone who diligently puts your devices on the charger before bed, you should be good to go all day.
The Peak is a better option for those of you who prefer concentrates for your method of smoking, and just want something that’s easier than a torch and rig setup. The battery lasts a longer amount of time than the Vista Mini, and also has passthrough charging so if it does die on you, you’re able to hit it on the charger (though we wouldn’t recommend doing that ALL of the time).
With any device, there comes the responsibility of how you take care of the battery. If you notice the battery life on your devices decreasing significantly, make sure you aren’t leaving your vaporizers on the charger for too long, are using the right kind of charger, and aren’t using passthrough charging for every hit. Think of your vaporizer like a laptop, and treat it with a good, full charge every once and awhile.
User Experience
The Vista Mini 2 is an extremely powerful e-rig. It provides consistent temperature to the atomizer and heats up within seconds. If you’re one who likes hotter dabs, the Vista Mini 2 is right up your alley. What the device lacks in battery life, it makes up for in power and portability. The lowest of the four heat settings is still pretty hot, so if you are a terpene connoisseur, you might want to stick with an e-rig that has lower or variable heat settings.
The Peak heats using a fluctuating heat system, so there isn’t an uneven vaporization in the stock ceramic dish. The Peak is also customizable in which material of concentrate dish you prefer (note that the customizable dishes, heating elements and atomizer parts are not made by the Puffco brand and you should use caution because any after-market parts could subject you to voiding your warranty). It also has four heat settings, much like the Vista Mini 2, but the lowest setting is much cooler and provides for a flavorful experience.
Price Point
When it comes to affordability, the Vista Mini 2 reigns supreme. At $159, this e-rig is a great price for those of you who are unsure that you will like the experience of vaporization, or are looking for an alternative option. This device is definitely a good starter because it is very user-friendly and compact without breaking the bank.
The Puffco Peak has recently decreased in price from a whopping $379 retail, to $249. Now is a great time to invest in the original Peak, because the price is unbeatable at the moment, and the Puffco Pro is about to make its way onto the market. Anyone who’s used the Peak thinks the device is worth it, because it consistently provides for a good smoke sesh and has revolutionized the way concentrates are utilized.
Takeaways
Look, we get it if you’d rather spend money on your smoke (we would too!) If this is your case, the affordable XVape Vista Mini 2 is a great starter device that will do exactly what it says it will do. With a truly compact design and functional water chamber, this device is the perfect first step into the world of smart dab rigs.
The Puffco Peak is the pinnacle of functional e-rigs. With great battery life, perfect dabbing temperatures, and a customizable experience, it’s no wonder the device has done so well in the concentrate community. Puffco has effectively taken modern dabbing to the next level, and we can’t wait to see what other kinds of devices they will come out with in the future!
These e-rigs aren’t your only options of course, but we hope that we’ve been able to help you narrow down your search a little bit! Technology can be daunting and vague, so if you have any questions about other devices we offer, feel free to comment below or hit us up on Instagram so we can do an in-depth review about products you’re curious about!