UPDATE 2019: There is a newer version of this vape, the Arizer Solo 2
This is the Arizer Solo vaporizer – it’s pretty cool and performs fairly well, there are just a few important things to consider.
It’s made by Arizer, the same company that produces the Air and the Extreme-Q, the latter being their popular combo whip/balloon vape for home use.
The best part about the Solo is the vapor quality, it’s clean and tasty. It’s also very easy to use, which is great for beginners, and the battery will last for over an hour of use which is great. However, some of the negatives would be the above average draw resistance and the slightly scratchy vapor.
Pulling through the glass stem feels like trying to drink a thick milkshake through a straw, and you typically need to take about a 5-10 second draw to get a good amount of vapor.
Something else to keep in mind with this one is that even though it’s technically portable it’s a little too bulky, heavy and fragile to conveniently carry around with you on-the-go. If you’re looking for a good cordless vape to use around your home this is definitely one to consider, and I also think the Firefly 2 works very well for this purpose. The Mighty aint too shabby either ;)
NOTE: The newest model of this vape can now be used while it is plugged in and charging, this was not previously possible with the model I show in my review below.
Stay up!
-Bud
Below is my original video review of the Solo (it’s rough):
Video transcription:
The Solo is powered by an internal rechargeable lithium battery. It’s about as tall as a soda can but not as wide, and it actually has a little bit of weight to it.
This model is actually one of the better portable vaporizers I’ve tried, and there’s only a couple of downsides to it. It’s fairly simple and straightforward to use, and it only comes with a few parts.
Before you can start using this Vape you’ll need to charge it up, and it does come with a wall charger included. However, it’s important to note that with the included charger you cannot charge and operate this device at the same time. This isn’t a huge deal, but what it means is that if the battery runs out halfway through your session you’ll need to plug it in and let it charge for a little while before you can resume vaping.
This probably won’t happen, however, because one of the cool features is that it does indicate how much battery power you have left every time you turn it on, so you’ll be able to gauge if you have enough power for a full session.
So to turn the unit on you push the up and down arrows at the same time and hold for one second, then it will beep and immediately show you how much charge is left. Then, the unit sits in an idle state until you select the heat setting.
Now with this vape, just like the Extreme-Q made by the same company, I found that it works best set between 383°F and 392°F, which is the 4 and 5 settings on the Solo. As I make it a point to always mention, the best heat setting to use is really personal preference, so what you should really do is experiment on your own to find what setting you enjoy the most.
So once you hit the up arrow and the indicator reaches your desired heat setting, the unit will start to heat up and his red light will start blinking to indicate that the heater has been engaged. If you keep an eye on the indicator lights it will also show you what temperature the unit is currently at.
While it’s heating up you can put the unit aside and grab one of the glass stem pieces, which is where you will pack your herbs. It comes with two stems, one straight and one angled, and this little part sectioned off at the end is where your herbs will go.
So what you’ll do is you grind up your herbs real fine, and like most vaporizers the Solo performs best with material that is more on the dry side. Once you have your stem packed you can then insert it into the top of the unit.
Now the way that the stems fit inside the heating chamber is a little weird, because for me it didn’t seem like they would fit in at first, almost as if they were too wide. But then after playing around with it for a minute I got it to go all the way down into the chamber. You would think that this would mean that the stem would be held tightly in there but I actually found that they do wiggle around a tiny bit and it’s not exactly a snug fit.
I’ve heard mixed reports from people about how the stems fit inside the chamber, and it seems that there’s a few different versions of this Vape floating around out there. The model number of the one I have happens to start with M107.
So the unit itself will reach the temperature you set fairly quickly, generally in under a minute or two, but before you actually start vaping you’ll want to insert the stem peace with your herbs and wait another minute or so for it to heat up. What this will do is give you better vapor draws right from the start.
So after waiting that extra minute for it to heat up you could start taking draws. Now one of the first things you might notice, which is different from many other portable vaporizers, is that there seems to be a good amount of resistance when you are taking your draw with this vape. What I mean by that is that there doesn’t seem to be as much airflow through the heating chamber as some other vapes.
This doesn’t seem to affect the quality of the vapor, it just might take you a few times to get used to it if you are not someone who is used to pulling very hard when you take draws.
So what I really like about the Solo is that it produces some of the best tasting vapor you’ll find from a portable Vape. The heating element and chamber seem to do a great job at vaporizing your material without under or over heating it.
Because of the slight resistance you’ll feel, it’s a little difficult to get big vapor clouds from this thing, but I found that a nice slow 10-second draw will consistently provide a good medium-density vapor.
Also, as a nice little bonus feature, the glass stems that they provide with the Solo do fit nicely inside the standard 14 mm or 14.5 mm slides that most water pieces have. Some people have found that filtering the vapor through water can help smooth it out and reduce possible irritation.
The Solo also has an automatic shutoff timer which will turn the unit off automatically after running for 12 minutes. This is just about the amount of time you’ll need for a full session, but if you find that you need a little more time you can quickly turn the unit back on and resume vaping.
Through my testing I was able to get about eight full 12 minute vape sessions before the battery ran out. Then, it takes about an hour and two to fully recharge it again.
One of the last things to consider with the Solo is that they don’t include a carrying case or anything when you buy it, so if you do plan on carrying this around with you you’ll have to have somewhere safe to keep it so the glass stems don’t break by accident.
Overall I think this is a very good product and I’m sure I’ll be getting a lot of good use out of it.
If you think this Vape is right for you go to SoloVape.info which is where I got mine from, and they are a fully authorized dealer with excellent customer service, so I definitely recommend you check them out.
If you want to see some more reviews and see how the Solo compares to other similar vapes, you should check out my website VapeCritic.com.
If you have any comments or questions feel free to send them my way, and thanks for watching!
Hi (high) Bud, it was this review that led me to my purchase of my solo several years ago. I have the Arizer V Tower and Extreme Q as well and Arizer has proven to be a quality manufacturer. As a senior who has been “medicating” since 1967 my lungs “ain’t what they used to be” so cool temperature and light “sips” on the mouthpiece at level 3 produces a cough free experience.
As to the portability it is perfect for use around the house. I keep it plugged into the charger when not in use between sessions so power isn’t an issue. When this one wears out I will get the Air model.
I know this is an old review, but it sounds like your balls have dropped since you recorded it.
LOL
Kudos to Monsieur VapeCritic. Enjoyed watching the videos, looks like you enjoy the devices and doing such videos. Probably some of the better reviews i’ve come across for products.
What a joke of a product and customer service, had my unit for 1 week and it broke through no fault of my own and all Arizer did was offer me 10% coupon to buy a new one. Why the hell should I spend another $200+ for a new device when the first one failed to work more than a week???!
explain “broke” Not even a valid criticism if one doesn’t explain that it “broke through no fault of your own….”
It takes a bit to learn it,depends on herb ,if tacky cause of crystal start at 5 when as soon hits 5 count to ten, then bring it back down to a 4.always be patient and let broken bud dry a few minutes..if that doesn’t work find a new source
it is advised that “herb” be pretty dry. It’s a lot different than what is suggested for rollies and bongs etc. Too dry for flame-cooked LOL makes it harsh on the lungs, no?
I am getting less and less draw every month. My instinct tells me that it needs cleaning in the bowl area of the unit that accepts the glass tube. Does this unit require regular cleaning and if so, what is the best method?
Same has been happening for me. It’s to the point now where I’m barely any. I keep wasting my shit. Would love to know a proper procedure.
I tried cleaning it with some rubbing alcohol a cpl weeks ago. But that was the first attempt ever cleaning the inside, so maybe it’s too caked on or something?
Boil them in milk & add hot chocolate. Pot chocolate.
Then wash & rinse.
You need to soak in something that will bind to the oils, so hot water won’t do much, if you do it in milk you get free weed.
pls do your self a favour and purchase some orange chronic cleaner it is amazing. one 16oz bottle will last you a really long time. You pour the liquid back in the bottle to re- use with the rest of the solution. Just give it a good shake. hope this helps.
Try the solo while it is charging and see if it is better. If it isn’t, then it’s time to clean the bowl and tube. Boil the tube in hot water for ten minutes and get a hard plastic thing like a pen cap and wipe out the boiled residue. You can easily clean the inside of the bowl with a hard plastic pick tool along with some sort of thin tissue paper or cloth. Oh, and if your solo produces better vapor by plugging it in, then it is time get a new battery because the existing lithium-ion gradually lose capacity. Make sure to get a nice high-capacity 3400 mah battery. They cost a bit more but they last 3 times longer. They’re also better than most stock solo batteries which are better than stock batteries. NOTE* This will require a simple soldering job.
Sorry but back in July, this WAS and IS NOW bad advice. DO NOT use most items that demand heat to operate and from a battery source that requires re-charge WHILE CHARGING. Maybe you can do this with your smartphone but often enough they’ve always advised to go through the charge, use and discharge cycles. Few people allow their smartphones to fully discharge but almsot always let them get near empty because tehy never get off ’em, panic and plug in. For vaporizer units of days past, they advised for most of them to NOT use while charging, it somehow confuses the battery and makes the unit work NOT as it should. Many people also leave their devices plugged in for long after the thing was already re-charged. Tools for example: Ryobi drill, Ni-CD battery pack, “unplug as soon as green light comes on for charging” Li-Ion battery pack, apparently has an auto-off feature. I wouldn’t even trust the auto-off feature since things can and do fail as can a vaporizer unit. Some users might even plug it in before bed and 8 hours later the thing is still plugged in? If it takes an hour or 2 to re-charge, how hard is it to place wherever one might be and almost tripping over it every so often andtaking care of their quality built and somewhat exp[ensive little device? The Air might allow for one to use it while charging but I still would NOT recommend one does it anyway. Session wise, a full charge or even partial should be enough for most individuals unless it’s the party favour among 10 friends?
P.S. about soldering a battery, especially a Li-Ion type. If you think you know how to solder simple electronics wires etc., it’s different soldering batteries. DON’T DO IT unless you’re aware of how to do so SAFELY! I’m not getting into how to do it but just Google it yourself.
Of course it does. There are tutorials and suggestions on many of the sites that sell these units. We’re new to it, have 2 on the way and prior to deciding to purchase, we looked around and also wanted to know how one would clean it. Ours from a Toronto-based company, has a free gift, grinder unit or cleaning kit. We chose the cleaning stuff and like I always do for anything that might be branded for a unit, machine etc., I always check to see what an equivalent cleaning solution might be. I did it for my snowblower (Ariens) that of course has containers of oil at the place I bought the snow machine at and then found the same thing from a dept. store at less than half price. Rubbing alcohol for cleaning the stems/tubes of these vaporizers BUT I doubt if it would be wise to use alcohol in that chamber. It all depends on what you pack to indulge in, how damp/moist or resin-y it might be etc. Do you use a glass pipe for your cough, “herb?” Does it get grungy fairly quickly as in along the inside of the tubing? Such things are indications of the dryness, resin etc. Best to pack the tube for the Arrizer, firmly but not to over-do it, don’t have a lot of stray particles falling inside etc. I didn’t see any screens suggested for after one has packed it with herb, did see screens to place in glass tube FIRST, then pack with stuff, then insert in unit. I believe someone may try that option with screen holding herb in place but I’m curious as to how heat would hit it since screens are usually brass or steel mesh. I believe it would turn ’em glowing red if the heat is as high as know it to be. Only guessing though. Would a nice stiff chunk of herb still be partially vaoprized? maybe so. Most wouldn’t try it because of possible waste of product but all depends on if you buy it or grow it I’d say.
I started with the Solo and always appreciated it’s quality. Looking for more portability, I went to the pax 2, and then the Firefly. I’ve found neither work nearly as good as the Solo as far as pure vapor production and getting a nice big vapor. You can get that with the pax 2, but you need a secondary grind with a cheese grater type grinder, and then I find I use far more product in the pax 2 to get the same results as the Solo. I’m still mixed on the Firely 2.
I agree that the Solo’s biggest draw back is the portability. You can’t preload it, or you have a glass pipe attached to it that you can’t fit in any pocket.
All that said, if you’re looking for a vaporizer for around the home, or taking camping or anything else that doesn’t require discreet portability, I’d go Solo before those other 2. Especially considering you can buy 2 or 3 Solo’s for the same price as the others. Sold on solo!
Love your reviews. Very helpful.
Its 3 years later and one the best investments I made was buying the Arizer Solo. The glass stem is part oven is brilliant. This vape is as good as it was on day 1. I cant imagine what else I could want in a vape. Its very reliable, you get the same outstanding performance every time. The air is the more portable unit. I like the pouch the Air comes with, it makes it much easier to be more portable unit. Anyway you look at it, in my opinion the Arizer vapes are as good as any vape I have ever used, and I have used some good ones.
Have you tried cleaning the heating element? I had one and used a solvent to clean it out. Solvent went into the unit and it was done. I really like it, and am ordering another one. But how do you clean it, so after many uses it doesn’t get that ‘burnt’ taste.
you never put any liquid near the heating element. Its an industrial quality copper oven, you need to wipe it or scrape it and its brand new.
It is a stainless steel oven, not copper.
I think common sense and being somewhat disciplined would be the thing to do. I’ve seen some of the umm, equipment or devices that friends use and they let ’em get all grungy-like, doesn’t seem to matter to them for what some things cost and are actually precision units to do such amazing things. Packing the material in properly is probably key, quality of product matters too. I’m not a big user by any other means or devices-never have been, never will be. Purchased 2 just recently, one as a gift to a family member who just started up with THE stuff because of migraines and hates taking pills, wife has another lifelong illness and this type of device will help them both. Our family member doesn’t like rollies-doesn’t liek the dry heat produced and although I’ve heard that vapor can become quite hot, guess it also means there’s moisture involved so not nearly as much dry-burn one would get from other options. I noticed in the video (while we await our delivery), 3 or 4 very small holes in the chamber, at their sides. I assume that would be for air flow etc. so obviously particles will fall inside it. I had seen where the person at the website tipped over the unit, shook it out and wiped the inside out with a pipe cleaner or swab. There are probably thousands of other videos and how-to’s for using and maintaining such devices
Not only does one get the burnt taste, the draw diminishes significantly. Gone are the big draw clouds. How does one clean it?
I bought one six weeks ago and it crapped out yesterday. I emailed support and I got back this long email about did you do this and that, which I had done before contacting them. They also said that the battery has zero warranty! After six weeks?
You pay $200 for a product, it craps out and it’s ot covered? Please give me a break.
Customer Support is very good with Arizer. I think you should try again, you may have a defective unit because this unit is a high performance vape, that is as sturdy as you can get.
Rechargeable batteries: we use ’em for everything. Although I’m waiting for delivery of 2 new devices and a first time user of anything like it, I know that batteries need to be fully charged before use and although some have stated that Li-Ion batteries don’t have a “memory” I believe they do. They’re not miracle batteries, they do discharge if left to sit for different amounts of time. They aren’t something one can leave in a drawer for 2 years and then when you need one it is fully charged. Much of what we hear from manufacturers is purley brainwashing hype. Ifyours is defective, well then that’s always a possibility. I know that since we just shelled out $320 for 2 of them, if they don’t perform and continue working within that warranty period, I’ll be calling them on it. If one purchases anything from a business and it’s offered, take ’em up on it. If one buys it privately, eBay, liquidation sale etc., well that’s different too. Personally, I’ve often read that when some have issues with a product and post their grievances about it, they almost never advise what they tried to do for getting satisfaction. Anyone purchasing from a business must want to know what to do in the event of a malfunctioing or not up to par item, no? If no warranty is available, then pass on the item or be prepared to throw your dollars away. These vaoprizer units are precision devices, I’ve not seen anything like them that can replicate what they do ie: if you could use your coffee maker or microwave to do it, voila, most people have such things in their homes.
Thanks. Great vids. Got the volcano digital and old style solo. Was heating my product way to high on the solo, at 7, and tasted real harsh. Now it is very nice at 4 and 5, like you suggested. The volcano is king so I don’t really use my solo too much anymore. Keep up the good work vapecritic!
Hi
Thanks for your review. You did not seem overly impressed with the Arizer Air. Which is your favourite portable vap?
I don’t mind the size of the Arizer Air. Main focus is the quality of the vap. Thanks in advance
Hi, I need a new charger and stem for my model number M1A4905794.can you help?
I’ve owned the Firefly, Pax2 and an old arizer Solo. THE SOLO is by far the best for vapor, getting every little bit of use out of your herb and it lasted 2 full years with no problems. The batter finally died on me. I’m not playing games…I will stick with the Solo. I wish I never bought the other ones. A waste of money and herb.
I swapped a defective Summit Vapium for an Arizer Solo just over a year ago, and I am beyond happy with my Solo. I did make a screen insert for one of my glass stems, and it works great with dry herbs. Battery charge lasts forever, taste and clouds are impressive. It is a bit heavy, but a quality piece of manufacturing nonetheless. I highly recommend as well.
I’m trying to pick between the Solo and the Firefly 2. I like the price of the Solo, but really like that the Firefly 2 is similar to a bowl. I doesn’t really matter for me that one is more portable, I only plan on bringing it as far as my balcony. It will mainly be for personal use.
How do these two compare?
SOLO BY A MILE The firefly looks awesome, but sucks in terms of what you’re looking for in performance. I’m not “hip” to the lingo, but I can tell you without a doubt that solo works so much better. I can have the same amount of herb in each and I’ll get half the amount of hits from the firefly (and you have to keep opening it and stirring) than I do my arizer. My arizer is over 2 years old and it JUST died. It was the battery…the heating element has been great. I’m here to look buy another solo. I bought a pax2 thinking that’s what I would like. Nope, not as good. I hate I wasted money on it. :(
great site very informative I turned up a stainless steel tube mouthpiece for my solo been on it for a few years. no glass no breakages.unfortunatly the solo is wigging out when I switch it on so in my search for a new one your site came up and I think I will go another one over the air.
does the tip of glass get hot and if so why don’t they consider a cover tip?
I purchased the AC adapter for it so I can use it if the battery is dead. I love this unit, after 1 1/2 years I still have no complaints.
I’ve had the arizer solo for five years. I managed to find a video that demonstrated how to change the battery, too. The biggest negative for me, though, is the charger plugs into the bottom instead of the side. So annoying. But I still highly recommend this vaporizer.
They now have a stand for charging.
yall take foreveer to deliever
Hi I am coughing a lot from the Bong. Making the swith to vaping. Is the arizer Solo nice and smooth? What’s the smoothest vape out there that doesn’t make you cough much?
Hi your videos are great. Just had a question. I’m pretty sure I’m going to be buying the arizer Solo this week. I’ve heard good things about it. I’m looking for something that is smooth though. Something that won’t make me cough so much. I’m going from a Bong to a vape. I’m coughing like crazy from the Bong. I can’t handle it lol
Hey!! Just a little help! I feel that my air is having to much draw resistance. Its just 2 weeks new. I don’t know what to do…
The solo is absolutely fantastic .. It’s built like a tank.. The battery can be replaced when it wears out.. A year into my daily user and it’s still gives me and my band mates a full day on every charge… As to the portability … We have a simple and simple solution… Stop by the local Starbucks…pick up the cheap 2.00 plastic cup… Take a 3/8 inch drill bit… Drill a hole through the center of the top… Put a small piece of felt in the bottom of the cup to reduce rattles … fill your bowl…set the temp…slide the lid over the pipe…and you can carry it any wear !!! I’d post a photo but …well… I can’t post a photo !
Love it! The plastic Starbucks trick lol!!
Where in Canada can l pick up a arizor solo hihg capacity battery for a docent price if l order from the usa it will cost me approx 70. 00 to pricey for my likes
l have a arizor solo that l have had for aprox 2 years works perfect
and l have a arizor air l find the solo to last longer on a charge then the air of coarse the solo is not very portable
l set my solo and air up with a mid size bong l picked this bong up
at local smoke shop the owner gave me a bong that has a seal that allows for the solo tube to fit in so the total price 1 bong 30.00 l cut one arizor solo glass tube to stay in the bong permanently and fitted a clear hose from local hard ware and fit it over the glass tubes total cost 50.00 on the high end This works incredibly well it doesnt get any smoother you will very happy with the outcome mikeike
In your review you state that you can not use your Solo while you are charging the unit. I just purchased one and it allows me to vape while charging, must be newer version charger.
Hey Bud,
Big fan my friend. Quick question on the Solo. I have been following your site for a while now. I just bought the Arizer Solo as a gift for my girlfriend which I never used before. Based on your review, it should be a OK choice but the seller I got it from, did not list a good water tool or glass for it. I am not sure if I have to have a water tool or not. What is your recommendation on water tools in general since most places suggest it nowadays.
I assume that this is the base package and not sure if I need to get a separate water tool or any other external accessory to simply or enhance the usage. Any help is appreciated my friend.
How long will it take to get a full charge so I can use it without being plugged in?
Not even close to proprietary power adaptor. I can pick up all the pieces to build on for a few bucks at my local electronics supply shop, and hell, you could just buy the plug, and a 9 volt snap on, and solder the 2 together.. hell, you don’t even need to solder. you can just twist the pairs together.
You comment that Arizer Air & Solo both have one of the greatest flavors, but you also comment that they are a bit scratchy. I’m all about flavor. What’s the absolute best portable vape for flavor? And is there an at home unit that will provide an even better flavor? I like that Arizer has glass to ceramic because I feel like anytime there’s plastic near the heating chamber it could negatively affect flavor. Not to mention, it could be unhealthy! Good reviews and I hope to hear your feedback regarding flavor…
I don’t understand why you rate the solo so low I own a pax,pax2,Alfa,flowermate and the solo hands down is way better ….draw resistance is pretty hard with the stock stems not for you guys need to try the pvhes high efficiency stems for the solo there is no resistance at all ..but what I want to know how you rate your vapes for discrete or vape quality ???.
i had the arizer solo for a few months before it flat out stopped working. arizer’s website has a warranty however the state to go back to the merchant you purchased from to honor the warranty. Vapor Seller had a great price however unknown to me at the time of purchase from them, they are NOT an authorized seller. i highly recommend you purchase the solo from Arizer directly or an authorized seller DO NOT purchase from Vapor Seller they do not properly honor warranties. outside of vendor issues, i was happy with the solo before it broke. i’m thinking it was a recycled unit i originally received from this vendor.
Im going camping do you know if I leave the arizer AIR In my car on a hot day say in trunk or glove box or even insulated lunch bag thing if it would hurt it? I read somewhere the heat can damage the batteries so I would take those out and leave them in my tent but Im worried if I leave my air and my tablet and cell etc in tent someone might walk away with it while we are down at beach or something. Any info you can give would help…Also if you know if leaving the car charger plugged in charging the air when car is not running (cigarette ports stay on I think)how quickly that would drain my battery …thanks CARA
i need a cheap outlet replacement charger for the solo i’ve borrowed – what do i need to get to charge this and give it a try – for the first time? looking for something inexpensive and available, readily, at a local retail outlet kinda place if possible
The biggest drawback on the Solo is the glass tubes are all over the place on O.D., ranging from .060-.095 O.D. The cup is .085 I.D. and some tubes fall right out and heat poorly, and some replacements are too big to even go in ( .010 interference fit)
What’s up man, just had a quick question, why when i look up the prices online i get different prices?? I get $240 in some websites & like $140 in a bunch of other websites?? Are the cheaper ones fake or just better deals when u start looking around?? Let me know… by the way, love the youtube vids & the website..keep doing a great job…STAY UP!
Hey! I want to buy the best vaporizer in therms of healthier vapor, the less ofensive for the lungs, wich one would you recommend for desktop and portable.
Whats the battery life on the solo like compared to others like the crafty or the da vinci
i seems that some grinding of herb is needed for the solo, however a fine grind is not needed. if you agreed, is there a grinder that you recommend which yields a medium grind for the solo? thanks for all the great info!
What do you think of the new Arizer air?
Check it: https://vapecritic.com/arizer-air/
Arizer solo, Arizer air or Summit by Vapium, what the best for big, strong draws?
Hey you posted this question on my Vapium Summit page also and I replied there: https://vapecritic.com/summit/#comment-128423
Stay up!
Hello i want buy one of vapes Arizer solo, Arizer air or Summit by Vapium, If you had to grade the two in a category of 1-10 in the quality and strength of vapor produced. What would be your own expected opinion.
Hmm let’s see…
The Solo and the Air are very similar in terms of performance, practically identical, the Air is just smaller.
I like the experience of vaping with the Summit more, but if you strictly look at vapor quality the Solo & Air are a tiny bit better.
SOlo or Air what best ?
Same performance different size :)
This is a great vaporizer.
The trick is to find the right temp for the herb you’re using.
One problem it has is that if you happen to pull out the glass stem while it has been on, you will burn the shit out of your hand. So be careful!!! Happened to me last night and was not pleasant at all.
Other than that, great vape!
Snap!! Glad you’re diggin it though!
Hey Vape Critic,
First want to start off with saying thumbs up and mad kudos on your efforts to give us the people better experiences with healthier alternative lifestyles via medical/recreational lifestyles. As one myself I need a few words of your vaporizing wisdom and expertise. I see in your future with what your providing us is a general universal score on all vaporization products to make better and wiser purchases. Like many others out there we hate learning from trial and error with faulty or misguided purchases resulting in lost funds. In the same sense and theory as say what the Rotten Tomatoes critics do for our movie going experiences. Anyway that’s my hope for you is your opinion and facts help us consumers with an ultimate vaping experience. Now my question to you is Im split between purchasing the DBV desktop unit because it’s dependable along with its asking price(extremely competitive) vs. the Arizer Air’s newest unit. Now I know u haven’t done a video on it yet and that comparing a desktop to a portable unit is difficult. But my most important deciding factor alone is potentce. If the potentce and strength of my vapor is only say slighter better in the DBV than the Air, then the Air would be a much safer investment . Because of its extreme portability feature far outweigh a desktop vape being only slightly and almost unoticably better. However if the DBV unit is say much much better in terms of potentce and strength in vaporizing ones medicine or aroma therapy herbs then I would be much more inclined to purchase a DBV over the Air regardless of its portability and vapor taste. Basically in a nut shell what my question is…can the Arizer air compete with a desktop unit like the DBV in terms of vapor strength in the medicinal potentcy? If you had to grade the two in a category of 1-10 in the strength of vapor produced. What would be your own expected opinion. And if you don’t have any knowledge of the Air model could you do it on the solo madel instead seeing how they have almost the exact heating chamber and build. Only size and battery seems the be the main changes. Thank you for your help ! Ps. I really do see you becoming a household name whenever folks talk about vaporizing products reviews and or grades on how there purchased. Espically at the rate of what our nation is seeing things unfold for legalization, and medical use. So as always Bud Stay Up ! You have a very promising career and passion in the research/grades in our vaporization industry.
Hey Brendon thanks for posting!
I’m actually in the process of reviewing and testing the Arizer Air right now. Overall it’s decent but I’m not hugely impressed and will probably rate it somewhere close to the Solo. The Air is smaller and more portable, but the Solo seems to perform a little better.
The vapor is not quite as strong as the DBV, if I had to number it I’d say it’s a 6/10 versus a 8/10.
I’ll have a full review up for the Air real soon, stay up my friend!
Do not purchase this unit. The battery is not good and the warranty does not help you. Better off buying a unit from another company
snap what happened??
Hey man, I’ve trusted your reviews for years, thanks for all your effort. Was wondering if you are going to review the Arizer Air. Thinking of picking one up and would love to hear your opinions on it. Thanks again for your time.
Very soon thanks for posting!
Review the new Arizer Air, it looks very good and more portable than the solo. So, I am very curious of what you would say about it as I find your reviews to be spot on.
Coming soon thanks for your request!
What about the Arizer Air?
Should be reviewing that soon thanx for ur request!
Hey Bud! I’m wondering about the Air too, and if it’s just the Solo in a smaller package. Also I found the Vapium Summit […] Looks interesting. Peace
I was wondering which stem you think works better between the straight or curved? Also, I had a solo last 3 years and that’s when the battery finally died. I just bought a new model and LOVE IT!
Hey glad to hear it! I think they both pretty much work the same, although I usually find that the straight stem is easier to work with.
I was wondering which stem you think works better between the straight or curved? Also, I had a solo last 3 years and that’s when the battery finally died. I just bought a new model and LOVE IT!
Thanks for the reply, I couldn’t decide either :)
I think they work equally well but I find the straight stem to be a little easier to work with ;)
Thanks for the reply, I couldn’t decide either :)
i got the ariser after going through vapecritics reviews some 2 years ago, and first of all – getting a vaporizer saved my life at the right time, i’ve gone from a 28 year old with chronic bronchitis to a 30 + with great health and little or no respiratory probe :D yet me..
about the hard draw issue, i do not suck it like a milkshake but rather do an open lung deep inhale straight from the stem, but – and this is very important, with a (preferably wet) double cloth (like an old tshirt cotton material), to avoid inhaling any particles, cos otherwise this machine will leave you all clogged up with bits and peaces, which is not nice and pretty dangerous i gather..
but with this little filter solution it’s the only portable i’ll ever need.
but I will want a tabletop balloon one in the future for home purpouses.
also, in my experience – through VW – the costumer service is great.
Mine had a short-circuit and i sent it back and they replaced me no fuss.
cheers from sweden !!
Hey Steve thanks for sharing your experience with this vape, I’m really glad to hear you’re enjoying it!
Hi.. Big fan of your site!
How big is the chamber size?
And will it work good with small amounts of material?
Thanks a lot!
Hey you can fit roughly 0.25g in there which is fairly small amount for vapes
Do you think it will work good with smaller amounts? Like .1 gram ?
yes you can use it with smaller amounts if you make a screen spacer for the chamber to make it smaller
Hi,
It will work with even smaller amounts than 0,25 if using screens and if that is what you prefer, like i do. Man if i would to put 0,2g in there i would probably become living zombie :D
hey bud, so you’ve gotten a ton of questions on this review, and you’re awesome for replying so many people. but i have another one for you. i have the pax, and i really like it. but i’ve been using that as a replacement for smoking my herb as much as possible. i want to get a desktop vape for home, but where i currently live, i can’t use it inside so my question is this: is it worth the investment for the solo as a cordless home unit? or should i just stick with my pax since you say the vapor quality is only marginally better on the solo? or…is there a home unit that can also run on batteries? thanks for any help man.
Hey it’s a tough call, I personally feel the performance is pretty similar but the Solo doesn’t require quite as much maintenance so it’s not a bad option at all. I would also look into the Firefly, that’s another good one I like for use around the house and although it requires a little more technique it can produce some really tasty vapor.
The Firefly’s battery only lasts for a few draws though, right? For a cordless home unit, I’m stuck between the Solo, Firefly (as you mentioned), and the Ascent. Whichever performs the closest to a good home unit until I’m somewhere I can use my equipment indoors. Maintenance honestly isn’t a big factor for me, as I don’t mind sitting down every few days to clean my Pax, it’s easy.
The FF battery lasts on average about 20 draws total for me, which is usually 2 full packings. This is one of its major drawbacks as that’s pretty low, so unless you pick up some extra batteries (they’re removable) you’ll need to recharge often.
I would say go with the Solo for ease of use and longer battery life, and I like the Firefly better for connoisseur-quality vapor even though it requires a little more technique. Maintenance with both is fairly low (just occasional cleaning).
Okay so from that, I think I’ll go with the Firefly. I’m looking for vapor quality and potency as my main factors. Sounds like the Firefly trumps in those categories. Thanks brah!
Hi there,
Just recently bought this unit … it’s my first vape unit so I really doesn’t have anything to compare with, but all in all it lives up to expectations. It heats up quite fast with battery full in 1min to level 7 and with battery on level 2 it heats up in 1min 30s to level 7. I guess new units have better battery than the old ones?
I’m not heavy smoker but I do smoke once a day at evening and I found this unit very efficient. With material between two screens I use as little as 0,1g or maybe even less, vapit on level 2 (185°C / 365°F) where me and my wife gets satisfying [results]. So from my point of view really really efficient.
Really nice and intense flavor from first few draws, not harsh at all, easy to draw. There is some but not much draw resistance wich helps with efficiency since you want the hot air to come slowly through your material. I’d say 5s -10s long draws are just about perfect for this unit.
Also very easy to clean. If you don’t want to spend much cleaning time with your unit and want high efficiency than this is the unit for you, since this two factors were deal breaker for me + vapor qualitiy of this unit that everybody was talking about.
btw: Bud great page and great rewievs – really helpfull !! : )
I have owned the solo for about 2 years. This is the only vape I have ever tried or used and I have been very satisfied with the flavour. Negatives are lack of portability , not enough draw, and a big one one is the inability to use while charging. At the 18 month mark the led lights (temp settings) stopped working correctly however the unit still heated properly. At 2 years the unit shuts off within a couple of minutes and I cannot use it for medicating anymore. After many painful e-mails back and forth, and sending the unit in for inspection, it is non repairable and they offered me $50 towards another solo unit but not towards the new arizer “air”. They also told me I need to let it cool down after a few cycles which I didn’t realize until it was broken. Like many companies they will not call me by phone or give me a phone #to contact them and only email me once a day or two . Is 2 years of evening use only a reasonable life span? Is a restricted $50 coupon enough compensation ? What could have been resolved in a few days has taken a few weeks . I am a licensed Health Canada patient and I need my clean medicine daily. Thank you vape critic , your review is very accurate .
Hey Chris thanks for posting and I’m very sorry to hear of your troubles with this vape
2 years is on the low end as far as how long the unit should last
It’s disappointing that they wouldn’t replace it under warranty if it was indeed defective, usually companies don’t cover anything related to the battery but it sounds like yours had other issues besides that
If you enjoyed the vape and got good use out of it for those 2 years I’d say it’s probably not worth the stress of trying to get it replaced, I’d say the $50 credit is fairly reasonable
Stay up!
Caution….Warranty issues will be handled with extreme annomosity; you will need a Law Degree to receive any satisfaction. Check with BBB before buying this device From Arizer California. Better ones on the market and better more reputable companies that Arizer California.
Hello! Are u planning on doin’ a review for the new arizer air? Seems like it’s a very good one. Cheers!
Yes coming soon!
Hi, first of all thank you for all the great reviews. I’ve been watching most of them. I think I’m going to get the Arizer Solo as my first vaporizer as I’ve heard it’s very versatile and produces good quality vape.
However, I would like to know if the vape from portables is considerably more harsh or if there’s just a slight difference in this regard, compared to the desktop vaporizers. At first I was decided to buy a Volcano, but I gave it a second thought and I vape a lot more frequently with friends than at home alone so I think a portable would suit me best. Nonetheless I don’t like very harsh tokes like the ones you get out of a bong and I’ve heard balloon vaporizers are smoother and not so agressive on your throat.
Is there a big difference? How much difference is there between the Arizer Solo and the Da vinci Ascent in terms of vape quality and durability?
where are they manufactured?
DUDE, this vape is the real deal. I was skeptical because of the price but let me tell you, it is worth every penny. The taste is up there with a volcano. The only downside I can think of is that during the loading process some of your flower may fall loosely into the heating chamber, however i found that if you turn the arizer upside down during the process it is tremendously easier. Bud, thanks for the awesome videos man keep at it
I’m sooooo [giddy] right now (: very great vape it’s worth every penny
Would you recommend this over the Extreme Q? I’m not so much looking for portability as just a great overall first buy
Also, how does the draw on this compare to the Iolite? I found the pull on that wasn’t exactly great, although that may have been the particular piece.
got the 2014 model. stem fits very well. vapour tasted great couldn’t be more happy.
Hey vapecritic great review. I really think that you should buy a new model of the arizer solo. The new improved airflow is great and being able to charge it while in use is cool too.
Hi Bud,
great response! Thank you.
Glad to hear that Solo, Firefly and MFLB are all for vaping similar amounts of material.
I do love the firefly’s look and feel and from what you say its the one producing the best vapor out of the lot.
Most likely I ll go for it, although in my eyes, its a very close match with the Solo. Will keep you posted with my final verdict!
Thanks a bunch. Keep it real!
Hi Bud,
great reviews and very informative website.
Could you please let me know how much “material” (in grams) its chamber needs for a full session?
How is its chamber size when compared to to the firefly, the no.2 Vampir and the MFLB?
I can see its needs less material than the Ascent and the Pax, but not for the two models mentioned above.
I am looking for something which requires not too much filling per session but still vaporizes at high quality. So far the Arizer solo and the Firefly seem to be my best options, but the Vapir seem to not be a bad option too. What are your thoughts?
Looking forward to your expert opinion as I cant wait buying one!!!!
Once again, great website and super useful info!
Looking forward to your reply!
Hey thanks the herb chamber for the Solo is a little smaller than average and can handle between about 0.1-0.25g, which is roughly the same as the Firefly and MFLB.
The NO2, Pax and Ascent can all hold more material, about 0.5g, 0.35g and 0.5g respectively.
If you’re looking to vape very small amounts of material at a time I would probably go with the MFLB, Firefly or Solo.
Overall though I like them all!
Would u choose the ariser the pax or the pinnicle pro ?
Please let me know im so confused on which one to buy!!!?
Hey I’m not a big fan of the Pinnacle Pro but I like and recommend the Solo for cordless use at home and the Pax for true portable use on-the-go.
The Arizer Solo was my first vapourizer. I bought it about 4 months ago and I have found that it replaced my piece quite quickly as a means of portable and at home consumption. I transport it in an old cell phone box and keep the mouth piece in a sock. I ponder if the glass pieces are pyrex as they seem quite strong. [some text redacted] The draw is slow, but being young and in good shape, it just makes for a sloww and relaxed sesh. I highly recommend it as it is just a solid and easy to use piece, with a plug in charger. It may not be a pocket sized unit, but for one that carries a backpack or purse or any other bag it is a no brainer.
Hi Bud,great review
For most of my vapes i grind in a 4 piece then use the MFLB finishing grinder as i find i get better vapour that way,do you think that fine a grind would be too fine for the solo? and a courser grind may be better?………thanks for your time,”stay up”…..Dave.
Hey Dave I do the same thing, but yes with the Solo if you’re using a stock stem without a screen your material may get through the holes and travel up the mouthpiece. I cut and fit a small screen inside my stem so that I could still grind super fine and use it.
Hi Bud,just a update,received my solo and i must say im very pleased,your review was the incentive to buy so thank you for that,only used it a couple of times with the stock stems but i found that if i grind in my 2 piece space case that works well without the need for a screen with very little making it into the stem.I was very surprised how evenly brown all the way through the ABV was without stirring,also that if i pulled just till i felt resistance that the vapour was very good for a portable and i think it tastes even better than my SSV!…….thanks again Dave.
Awesome thanks for comin back and letting me know, really glad you’re diggin it!
Hello,
I just want to say that the Arizer solo is AWESOME!!! I was very worried about putting this much money into a personal vape. I also own a Volcano so I’m not afraid to put money into something….as long as it works. This almost beats the volcano as far as taste and ease of use. You can get as little or as big of rips as you want. This is also a good vaporizer for 2 people, easy to pass, no buttons to hold down. I’m a pretty heavy Potpourri user and this thing blow’s my mind! The glass stem does move around a bit but it really is not a big deal (you can get more air if you pull it up off the heating element just a tiny bit) This seems very easy to clean and is an amazing product.
Don’t waste your money on the PAX (hard to clean) lot’s of gimmicks not a lot of functionality.
Hey thanks for posting! They’re all good in their own ways!
Hey buddy. I must thank you for all the detailed reviews and prompt responses to people in need. I really appreciate that.
For someone who is not from the U.S. (I am from India), where vaping is not very popular, your website is like an oasis of information.
Based on your recommendations, I ordered a solo. Planning to go totally smoke free.
Solo for herbs and eGo-c to replace ciggs.
Cheers mate and carry on the great work!
Nice product, but I don’t understand companies that disrespect their customers by not answering their phone. If I have a problem or question, their is still no better customer service, than just simply answering the phone. Email tag is the lowest form of customer service.
Hey Mack are you referring to Arizer themselves?
Yes I am, their phone goes to voice mail. [some text redacted]
Hi,
Firstly, great site and great work. This is my first time getting a vaporiser and need advice on the best in-home vape. I want something which is a quality build, produces dense and good flavoured vapour. After much research I’ve shortlisted between the Da Buddha and the Arizer Solo. The drawbacks which I can see with the Solo are the hard drawback, somewhat fiddly and fragile glass stem.
Between the two what would you recommend? If not these, anything better in the same price range?
Many thanks for your help.
cheers
Hey thanks for posting, I like and recommend both of those vapes so I think you’re good either way, most other people do also. If I was personally choosing between the two I think I might pick the Da Buddha because of the easier draw, and I do find I can get slightly denser/stronger vapor from it, but again they’re both very good vapes and pretty much the best options in the price range.
Hi Bud,
I ended up getting the Da Buddha and tell you want, I love it! It’s super quick to setup and get going. Set it to 1/3 heat setting and within seconds had the best dense vapour and flavour. Superb!
Thanks for your advice.
cheers
Awesome glad you’re enjoying it!
I have this vape and I love it. I don’t think the draw is bad at all, but maybe I’m just used to it.
Does anyone have any opinions on this vape vs. the pax though? I think I might get a pax, looks much more portable
This is a good little vaporizer and it does the job really well. Good vapor quality, quick and easy to use, very low maintenance. You will likely want to clean the glass stems from time to time.
However, and perhaps I am just unlucky, I have gone through two Solo’s in about 6 weeks worth of use. The first one crapped out after a little over a month and stopped heating. I had to send it back through warranty. A little over two weeks later, I have a new one and today, two weeks later, a piece near one of the screws by the base has just cracked right off after I gently set the Solo down on the counter. It had not been dropped prior, this piece just broke off from being handled gingerly. Also, I noticed the lights on the unit are also starting to flicker similar to the way they did before the first one conked out.
So, the vapor quality is great but so far it has not lived up to the build quality, particularly for the price. I hate dealing with warranty and if it craps out again here, I’m just going to ask for my money back and try a different product.
Hey bud, I’ve been going back and forth for months over what vape to get and finally decided to get the solo, seeing as how the updated version can be used while charging. However, I have a few questions that you can hopefully answer. What is a good amount of product to put in this vape? Should it be packed super tight or loosely? About how long can the battery last through continuous use? (I’ve seen lots of different amounts of time for it). I love your videos, I always look for your reviews on a vape before considering it. Cheers
Also about how many draws can you get from a max pack? Sorry about that man haha.
Hey man sorry for the delay, I’d say the chamber holds approx 0.2g, use a medium-tight packing, and you should be able to get about 60-80 minutes of use on a full charge. Oh and you’ll probably get around 10 good draws from that amount.
Bad experiences with Solo. The plastic on the bottom cracked after 3 months. The battery stopped holding a charge at 6 months. The warranty forces the customer to pay a $15 shipping/handling fee to send it to an outsourced repair shop. Company is difficult to deal with. Buyer Beware!
Just wanted to say that I have watched most of the videos on your site, and have found them to be very informative. Using your reviews as a guideline, I have purchased the MFLB and the Arizer Solo. I love them both, and the reviews you gave them are absolutely spot on. You do a great job giving the positives and negatives about the products that you review. Thank you for your work.
Hey thanks, really glad you’re enjoying the vapes!
I bought this unit a little over a year ago (mostly from your recommendation) and have a couple of things to comment on. 1st off the the glass stems are quite breakable. You’re kidding yourself if you think that you’re never going to break yours. I’ve seen a couple of aftermarket wooden replacements, but I was never able to justify the $50 needed to order one. As you’ve noted on the stems, if you don’t use a screen (not included with the unit) the 4 small holes on the bottom of the glass tubes can and will get plugged up quite quickly. After a couple of draws the air flow holes would often clog, and require much more effort on your part to inhale. Cleaning the stems was a minor chore (15-20 minute acetone soak), but afterwards they always came out looking like new.
The base of the unit is top notch, feels good in the hand and is overall pretty durable. It never took longer than 2 hours to go from a 0 to 100% charge and consistently gave me 4-6 good sessions before the battery was depleted. The heat it produced was even and the buttons nor the lights ever gave out over extended use.
Thanks for doing what you’re doing.
Hey thanks for the helpful videos. This is a more general question but do you think that there is a noticeable difference in the potency/quality of the vape between a portable vape and a desktop vape of equal price? I am planning on getting my first one to use with my buddies but only in the house so if there is a noticeable difference it seems like a desktop is a better choice and if not a portable would seem like the way to go, would you agree? (I posted this here because I have been planning on selecting the arizer solo since it seems like a quality device that doesn’t compromise a lot by being portable)
Great question and the answer is yes, I do find a noticeable difference between portable and desktop units.
For strictly home use I would absolutely invest in a good desktop unit first, you’ll get better performance for the money.
The Solo is good if you need cordless but a similar priced plug-in unit would be easier to draw from and would produce more vapor.
From cheapest to most expensive I recommend: Hot Box, Da Buddha, Extreme-Q, Silver Surfer, Plenty, Volcano
are the glass stems relatively strong
Yes they’re not extremely delicate but I also wouldn’t bang them around
Hey Bud, thanks for your reviews! They are being a great help to me. I want to give me a christmas gift and i think that a vaporizer will be the perfect one!
Right now I’m between 3 vapes (DaVinci Ascent, Pax and Solo) and I can not decide! The Solo looks like the nicest choice to me, because this vaporizer seems to me like the best portable vape when we’re considering vapor quality. But the draw resistence you described is not letting me buy this one.. So, I want you to answer me a couple of questions, please. With 0.15g how many draws does the solo let me do? An the Pax or the Ascent? Is there any difference?
I’ve read that the Ascent is giving problems to a lot of users, do you have any information about that?
Congratulations to your job, mate!
Hey Joseph,
The Solo is good for home use and a packing that size will give you about 10 good draws in this vape as well as in the Pax, but the newer Firefly is also a good option you should look into because it has less draw resistance and produces high quality vapor.
The Ascent is better when fully packed which is close to 0.5g, and I have heard of some users reporting issues here and there but mine still seems to be performing like it should.
Hey! Nice page you got in here, REALLY helpful! I just ordered my Arizer Solo, and i wanted to know if you put any screens on it, i was reading and watching reviews and some people so it, but i want to know your opinion. Thanks!
Hey yes it’s not 100% necessary but if you can it helps keep it cleaner if you put a screen inside the chamber of the stem (prevents little pieces from traveling up stem and getting stuck on the sides)
hey i just got a solo. i tried it frist at setting 6 and it was so harsh on my throat.
the after vape was also charred. i tried it on 5 next time and i got that same harshness on inhale,but this time the crumbs were not overly brown.
finally i tried it on 4 and even though the crumbs were not too brown it was still so harsh inhaling as if it were smoke,and there is an off taste to it for sure.
i have been using the plenty for the last 8 months,and maybe im just spoiled by it. i know youve tried both so is there any harshness for you when using the solo compared to the plenty? and does the abv turn darker at 6 on the solo compared to 7 on the plenty for you? because it does for me,and my herb in some places was charred on 6 using the solo.
im waiting for arizer to email me back about this
Hey yes 6 on the Solo is too much heat in my opinion, I normally set it at 4 or 5 for best results.
It’s definitely not going to be as smooth or strong as the Plenty, that’s pretty much the trade-off you make with cordless compact vapes.
yes i have been experimenting with this,and what ive been doing is vaping at either 4 or 5 and i do not leave the stem in.
i take a draw and then remove the stem afterwards and i find this to give much cleaner tasting draws without being as harsh.
it seems to work more as a convection vape this way,and i notice if i leave the stem in there its a higher ratio of conduction vaping going on.
i must say it is a night and day difference between this and the plenty in every way. its so funny because so many people seem to be getting the solo and think its great,but there does not seem to be a great number of people actually putting down the cash for the plenty. and to me they have no clue what they are missing. nothing ive tried so far comes close to the plenty when it comes to the potency of the vapor,and the clean smooth flavor of the vapor.
Agreed!
Hey bud i want to give an update on this.
Since my last reply, ive figured out an even better method of avoiding that harshness. I simply turn the solo upside down,and poof. That takes care of it totally. This way it is pretty much being heated by convection method (hot air passing through). When you turn it right side up it heats conduction to a certain degree for that fact that some of the material is touching that hot herb chamber. that is the main issue with the harsh taste sometimes,and its what causes the after crumbs from looking too dark. When you turn it upside down the material does not touch the herb chamber and therefore clean convection style vaping!!!! i am totally satisfied with the solo using it this way,and i even like having the option to turn it right side up for the occasion when i use it with someone who is used to smoking. i let this girl [use it] at 7(410 F) right side up and she blows clouds as dense as from my plenty if not more. haha
then i just pack my session seperately and set it at 5 (393 F) and then turn it upside down like a weirdo. but i love it!!!
Just got my solo, great reviews you’re why I got it! I can assure you, stem stem is no longer loose. Snug as hell great fit!
Nice enjoy it Lou!
Whats up man, Just got my solo. Quick question. Are you suppose to heat this thing up with the little chamber cover on or off?
Hey what’s up Luis, I don’t think it matters too much either way but I usually heat it up with the cover off since it’s a rubber material, wouldn’t want it to overheat and risk melting.
I am a super light-weight and am interested in trying a vaporizor. My use is pretty much limited to an hour or two before bed. Traveling is not an issue for me. I take one or two small [draws] so I can calm my mind and actually get to sleep. I am usually not trying to get [strong effects], just nice and relaxed.
To give you an idea of my usage, 9-11g of [material] usually last me a good 4 or 5 months with nightly use.
I am trying to decide between this model and the PAX, but am definitly open to suggestions. Budget is a concern, but I would rather save for what will work for me than buy something I wont like.
Hey Jason not sure if you made a purchase yet but based on your usage routine I would recommend the Magic-Flight Launch Box as your best option.
The Solo and Pax are great but they really work best when you pack at least 0.15-0.2g in the chamber (or more) and vape it all in one session (10+ draws at once).
For taking one or two small draws at a time I think the MFLB shines, and it’s really efficient your material will probably last even longer than it does now.
Let me know if you have any other ?’s
Stay up!
Hey man,
Thanks for the reviews helped me out a lot! I am deciding between the Solo and the no2. What one is easier to use and requires less cleaning?
Any negatives about the solo?
Thanks a lot you the man!
Jordan
Sup Jordan,
I’d say the Solo and the NO2 are fairly similar in terms of how easy they are to use and how much cleaning is involved.
Where they mainly differ is vapor quality and draw resistance. The Solo produces better quality vapor but it’s harder to pull than the NO2.
Any other questions let me know, stay up!
Awesome site and reviews. I have been an active arizer solo owner for a few years. As with all electronics, battery life decreases with time and usage. Appears to lose about 15% per year. Use with a foam coozy for stealth operation in a vehicle. You can also turn off the annoying beep. I rarely use my full size model anymore. I plan to buy another portable solo soon. Have to also mention that it really looks like me in Bud’s profile shot – too coincidental.
There are tricks to make the draw not quite as difficult … if you pull up just a tiny bit on the glass straw it will allow better airflow (without compromising the vaping), also I found that over a bit of time it naturally got a bit easier as the mount loosened up a bit. I’ve owned a lot of portable vapes over the years and this is definitely the best I’ve used (I’ve not tried the Pax yet though!). Very solid and very happy, unlike all the stuff from iolite that constantly breaks (6 units in < 3 years, the "new" one being the worst, it died in < 1 month).
Hey man,
Loved the review. Just wanted to ask some questions about durability over time. Should I expect the battery life to start to dwindle over time? Are the glass mouth pieces decently thick? In comparison of a volcano vape, how much of a drop off should i expect? And in today’s market does this portable vape still rank 2nd for you?
Much love
-J
Hey James,
Battery life could possibly decrease over time but my guess would be not for many years, mine seems to still hold a charge for as long as it did when it was new over a year ago.
The glass stems are pretty thick yes, so they withstand some abuse but could still break if dropped on a hard surface or crushed by accident.
I still consider this one the second best portable I’ve reviewed as far as performance and build quality, but I don’t consider it “truly” portable like I do the Pax and MFLB, I don’t bring this one outside my home.
In regards to asking how it compares to the Volcano, do you mean in terms of vapor production?
Stay up!
Yeah, in terms of vapor production. Wow thanks for all the help man, really helping me make a wise purchase.
Cool no doubt, out of the portables I’ve reviewed this model and the Pax both produce the most vapor, but it’s still a bit less than a good home unit like the Volcano.
Hey nick. This product is made in Canada meaning the the people who created are used to the cold. I live west coast Canada and we get some cold winters too. I leave my solo in the truck every day overnight and too. Still never have had a problem
Compare Arizer Solo to Vapir N02?
I live in minnesota and the winters can be very unforgiving and i was wondering if you could tell me how bad the weather might effect my solo if i were to leave it in my car while at work or something and if you think the pax would work better under these conditions
Hey Nick I’m not positive how the cold weather would affect it but I would imagine it might take a little longer to heat up and it may or may not affect how long each charge lasts.
Hey There!
I’m looking for a portable vaporizer that is rugged. I had an MFLB and loved it. Two trenches, and I was gone, however, I no longer have it. Now I’m looking for a new vape and I want to upgrade. I was thinking about getting the Da Vinci, but I have seen so many glowing reviews on the Solo that I am now second guessing my decision.
I’ve read that vapor quality on both of these vaporizers are fantastic. The battery life on the Solo is nice, but isn’t a game breaker. I want something that will be able to get 3-4 people really [good] without charging, but I also enjoy [other methods], so if it doesn’t last too long, then oh well.
What are some major differences between the two vaporizers other than battery? I haven’t used either one, so I want the advice of someone who has used both.
Thanks!!
In addition, what’s all this about screens? I don’t want to have to replace them often (or ever if possible).
And which vape is more efficient? Does one use [material] at a higher pace than the other? With my MFLB I could get [strong effects] off of .15g. Will this carry over to these vaporizers?
Once again, thank you!
Both vapes will require some occasional cleaning to keep them like-new, and screens will also occasionally need to be cleaned and/or replaced. Not often, but not never.
They’re also roughly the same in regards to efficiency, but both will use slightly more material at a faster pace than the MFLB, which is one of the most efficient vapes.
Hey what’s up,
In my opinion one of the main differences between these two is vapor quality.
For portables, I consider the DaVinci about average in this area but the Solo is one of the best for taste and density.
The other main way they differ is in the draw resistance – the Arizer has one of the hardest pulls and the DV is fairly free-flowing.
Could you give a comparison in vapor quality to the MFLB? I’ve never used any other vapes, so I don’t know how to compare them.
I consider the vapor from the Solo higher quality in terms of taste and density, but I still like the MFLB for small, quick draws.
Hey bud,
Great reviews man they’re all very helpful and informative. Keep it up!
I’m new to vaping so this may sound weird, but when everyone talks about the solo having better “vapor quality” does this mean that it will get you [stronger results], faster?
Also, how does the size of the solo’s chamber compare to the size of the oven on a pax? I know you’re supposed to put roughly .2 in the pax oven, but what is the recommended amount to put in the solo?
Hey thanks Ben,
Generally yes when people talk about vapor quality they’re referring to the strength and taste.
But in this case, Solo vs Pax, there is no difference in strength and only a marginal difference in taste.
The Solo herb chamber can probably hold roughly .25g max, and I’d say it works best when packed full, but will work with as little as .15g. The max capacity of the Pax oven is probably around .3-.4g and it also works best when full but there is a way to get good results and use only .15g.
So based on that would you say they are equally efficient vapes? And would you say the the solo is better for vaping smaller amounts?
Yes equally efficient and equally sufficient for vaping small amounts.
Yo Bud!
Thanks so much for all your reviews about the Solo and other devices. I’ve been smoking for more than 5 years and have been searching for a cleaner, healthier and cheaper alternative. It seems that the investment in a portable vape, especially one of high quality such as the Solo is really worth it in the long-term especially for health, but also financially.
Since I narrowed down my selection to either a Pax or a Solo, I’m really leaning towards the Solo. Yes I admit the Pax is a more stealthy, better looking and all round more portable piece of equipment, but since vapour quality & maintenance are high on my list, I have practically settled on the Solo. It’s also much easier to get it in the UK, as the Pax is only sold in the US and costs much more to bring it to the UK. The biggest downside also with the Pax is the number of reviews I’ve read mentioning the mouth piece getting stuck (which I understand is a cleaning issue but still too much risk for such an expensive vape, even with the 10 year warranty). As far as I can tell the Solo also produces better quality vapour/taste even if only slightly.
I can tell you that the glass tube actually became a Unique Selling Point in my eyes because of the difference in flavour it gives (a little like preferring to drink water from a glass bottle rather than a plastic one even though plastic wins when is comes to portability hands down), so even though it sacrifices durability with the addition of the glass stems, I think it’s worth it. I do have only one issue that I can’t get past so far and the only reason I haven’t as yet purchased my Solo. Draw resistance. I understand that it doesn’t affect vape quality but this is a major turn off for me. I’m surprised so many people love the Solo so much despite this! The description of sucking thick milkshake through a straw isn’t a feeling I want whilst vaping, especially as I’m buying a vape to totally replace smoking. So I’m really unsure with that. I have read some reviews that mention wooden stems and alternative stems which apparently make a big difference with the draw resistance issue, but I haven’t read or heard you mention anything like that. I did search to see when Arizer would be releasing a newer version as it seemed obvious they would correct this issue, but nothing new on that front. It seems such a shame that the Solo ticks so many boxes only to fail when it comes to the draw resistance. I’m wondering if you know of any other methods or attachments that can be used to get rid of any draw resistance? And finally, do you advise the ceramic chamber or the stainless steel overall? What is the model number of the Solo I should get?
Your help is much appreciated!
Kind regards,
Professor X
Sup!
I don’t really think there’s any way to completely get rid of the draw resistance – being a conduction style vape the way it’s designed basically requires a slower airflow through the chamber for complete vaporization.
I haven’t tried any of the aftermarket stems that supposedly lighten the draw, so I can’t say for sure how they work, but it doesn’t seem to me that the stem is the source of the resistance.
The store I link to will always be offering the latest model, and that’s what I would recommend going with.
Stay up!
Great work, thanks for all the help. I love this vape. I wonder about keeping it in the glass and tapping it and letting it fall out. Any comments on which or neither gets the most out of the herb?
Also, I broke one of the glass stems, where can I get more at a good price?
Hey man I’m not sure what you’re asking can you re-phrase your question for me?
Also replacement stems can be purchased from both vape stores I link to.
Arizer Solo is nothing but garbage, 3 week of use housing for the stem became so loose it moves all over the place, you can no longer walk and do other things with it, you will end up dropping and breaking your stems which I ended up doing. Contacted service I was told they are suppose to be loose if that is the case they should stop advertising it as a portable device because it is NOT, unless you want to walk around like you are holding a 64oz drink, cheers people, don’t get fooled like I did.
Hey bud I was hearing that the earlier solo models had problems such as flaking and off gassing. Do you know if a model purchased in july/august of 2012 may have those problems? The model # starts with M1D if that helps.
Hey Adam I’m not really sure, I haven’t heard about that, but I got mine in early 2012 and it doesn’t seem to have any issues like that, my version starts with M107.
Just want to start off by saying your awesome and the information you provide is second to none. Just got the Solo and I couldn’t be more pleased. But with its small bowl I find it hard to stir during a session. Any tips on stirring and getting an even vape?
Hey Ed,
Glad to hear you’re enjoying the vape
I don’t typically stir my material with this one, if you take enough draws it should vape it all the way through
Experiment a little with grinding finer, or packing tighter, you might get more even coverage
Stay up!
Aloha from Hawaii! Thank you for all of your comments to all of the users on this site. I’ve read a bunch of different review sites, blogs, forums, etc., and your site by far has the best information out there. I think all of also appreciate your timely responses and the positive vibe that you hit us with. Hope all of that karma comes back to you brah. I’m about to pull the trigger on that solo yalls keep talking about. A bit more expensive than the no2 which I was also looking at, but whatevers. Mahalo again for your good work!
whats your thoughts on the arizer solo vs the pinnacle vaporizer?
Hey I haven’t tried the Pinnacle yet but I think I’m going to be reviewing one in the next few weeks, I’ll post a vid if/when I do.
Hi,
I bought a Pax because I can’t smoke anymore. I’m a singer and it affects my throat. The Pax is a huge improvement over regular smoking but I still find it slightly aggravating my throat. I happened to try my friend’s Iolite yesterday and it was very clearly a cooler and more soothing experience of vapor. But I don’t like the idea of butane or that noise it makes. What about the Solo? Do you think the Solo provides a higher quality of vapor? I seriously need to get something that vaporizers, not just combusts better. Can the solo be compared to something like Dabuddha? I mean, is the basic concept of the portable Solo closer to vaporizing with a home unit?
Thanks so much for your time and attention in answering my question!
Bud,
Ur site was instrumental in helping me purchase my 1st vape. First the solo is a top notch semi-portable unit. 2nd ur heat setting is spot on, u have to be patient, but (draw resistance aside) the solo does not disappoint. Users must make sure they get the most recent units! Thanks chief and keep vaping!
Hey glad to hear it, thanks for the feedback!
Finally got one and you are right it is simple and great. You might not have had this info when you reviewed, but mine come with special instructions that if the glass tube does not go in readily to charge the unit fully and run the heat cycle for 1 full 12 minutes session. The stem then goes in with very little effort. The only q I have is does the higher the heat setting produce more vape or just burn herb faster.. [edited]
Cool glad you like it, thanks for posting an update.
There is a sweet spot (or range) as far as the best temperature to vape at. I’ve personally found the 4 and 5 heat settings (383°F and 392°F) to provide the best quality vapor.
If you raise the temp higher than that you might get a tiny bit more vapor, but not always, and it will make the vapor taste harsher.
I am allergic to any kind of smoke so I need something that has zero combustion or else my throat swells up. I tried the atmos raw but it was basically an electronic pipe. I need to know before the investment which vaporizers truly do vaporize and what you reccomend for portable vapes in that respect.
Yea the AtmosRaw is a combuster…
But none of the other vapes I’ve reviewed work like that, so you’d be good with any of them.
If you look at my homepage generally any vape I rate 80/100 or higher is one that I personally like and recommend, and none of them combust.
Do you know if it would harm the battery to charge it after every 2-4 bowls? Just to make sure I always have a full charge.
Hey from what I’ve researched it’s actually good for lithium-ion batteries when you keep recharging them after each use, or when they’re down to roughly 80% capacity, as opposed to draining the battery completely before charging.
also, I’ll be using it often with my girlfriend who isn’t the brightest bulb sometimes if you catch my drift. I’ll also be medicating with plenty of new people here and there so is the solo significantly easier to operate? Will it be worth the extra money? Like I said before, I’m on a pretttty tight budget but I’m dying to buy a vaporizer I cannot have the extremely strong odor of smoke in my place any longer.
Hey Jordan,
The Solo is a great vape, and I’d definitely consider it durable and well-made.
The main issue I have with it, as far as it being a portable vaporizer, is that you really can’t fit it in your pocket or easily carry it around.
It’s a little heavier and bulkier than other portables, and it does have that glass stem which makes it a little more fragile.
However, if you’re going to use it mainly at home, and just want the freedom of no cords, it’ll definitely do the job.
The main way it’s going to differ from smoking is in how it feels while vaping. This vape has a fairly strong draw resistance, and you need to take about a 10 second draw to get a lot of vapor, so it’ll just a little getting used to.
I like the MFLB too and I use mine often, but it’s a little trickier to use and doesn’t produce as much vapor (it’s still potent though).
So based on everything you said you need, I think the Solo will work. It’ll be easy for your girlfriend and friends to vape with it, you’ll just want to tell people to be careful with the glass.
Also I’m assuming you want a portable vape, but if you don’t need it to be portable there are desktop units you can get in the same price range that will produce more vapor that is stronger (Da Buddha, Hot Box).
hey man,
I’m looking for an alternative to smoking, as I’ve been smoking the herb for 4 years on almost a daily basis. I don’t want the odor lingering in my place any longer and I’m looking for an affordable, durable vape. Durable in a sense that I will be using it multiple times a day for months at a time. Through some research, I decided that the Magic Flight Launch Box was my best choice (I forgot to mention that I prefer portable). My only problem is that one of my friends bought it for college and didn’t like it. I’ve been looking at the solo and its really caught my eye.
Is it worth the extra however much? I’m prettttty broke right now.
How does going from smoking daily to either of these vapes compare?
If neither of them really worth it or should I invest in a cheaper manual flame vape such as the vape genie (this thought just popped into my head my apologies if it’s a dumb question) ?
Thanks!
Hey there!
Thanks for this review. I just bought the Pax but am very seriously considering exchanging for the Solo because I’ve read/heard that the cleanup on the Pax is annoying. I don’t know if this is a factor but I’m using for insomnia and was wondering if you still prefer the Pax over the Solo, if you think the cleanup on the Pax is a drag and if one might be better for insomnia. I’ll be using this in my home only but would like to be able to carry it in my bag when I’m away for the night. I would very much appreciate your thoughts!!!
Minty
Hey Minty,
I like both the Solo and the Pax. I think they perform similarly but have a distinct difference…
The Solo is a little heavier and bulkier, and it’s also more fragile (because of the glass stem). The Pax is way more convenient to carry around and use on-the-go, but as you mentioned there is more maintenance involved to keep it clean and functioning at peak performance.
So I think it really comes down to how you will be using the vape most – if you want to be able to quickly and easily throw it in your bag and take it with you when you leave home, you want the Pax. But if you use it mainly at home and don’t need to it to be super-portable, the Solo is a great choice.
I like the PAX, but I’m on the road a lot so I need something with a bigger battery. I’m trying to decide between the Solo and the new Vapor Blunt 2.0 (NOT the old, huge monstrosity, but the new version that came out in December). Any recommendations/ thoughts?
I personally feel the Pax is the vape to get if you’re on the road a lot, because it’s the most convenient to carry and store and it’s the easiest to use while you’re doing other things.
The Solo is cool and I like it but I don’t take it outside my home, and I haven’t had a chance to review the new vaporblunt yet so I can’t comment on that much, but thank you for the request.
Hey, I was wondering how long do you think the battery in the solo would last untill it needs to be replaced? 2 years? More/Less?
Thanks
Hey Ben yea I’d say 2 years is probably a reasonable estimate, maybe a little longer depending how it’s used. I’ve had mine for about 8-9 months and it still seems to hold a charge very well, I haven’t noticed any significant reduction in battery life yet.
hey bud,
i have the pax and i find myself cleaning it at least 2 times a week and was wondering if this vape needs to be cleaned that often and how much fits into one bowl and how many draws you can get from a packing and what is the cloud size compared to the pax
Thanks
and how long is the battery compared to the pax
Sup Johnny,
The Pax definitely requires a little more detailed cleaning than the Solo, but the Solo does also build up residue fairly quickly in the glass stem. Overall though the Solo is less maintenance.
The Solo chamber size is a little smaller than the Pax, so you’ll get slightly fewer draws from a single packing. However, the vapor it produces is slightly denser and slightly tastier than the Pax vapor, just a little.
This vape is also a bit bulkier and heavier, and one of the pieces is glass, so it’s not quite as convenient or easy to use on-the-go.
Battery life is pretty close but the Solo might last about one session longer, approximately 75 mins versus 60 mins on medium heat settings.
Hey Bud,
How do you think the Solo compares to home units like the SSV? I want something for at home and like the freedom of the bag system from my Volcano but I find the bag to look very stupid and its also crackly and annoying and I’m sick of buying new bags they go stale to fast to me. I really liked the flavor of the SSV and was wondering because of all the good reviews on this unit if it compares to the vapor quality of the home vaporizers.
Thx :)
Hey Jen,
I think the Solo is good for a portable but I wouldn’t consider the vapor quality to be on the same level as the SSV or other desktop units.
The vapor it produces is good but it’s just not as strong, and there’s not as much of it. It’s also a bit hotter and therefore not as comfortable. It does have a good taste though, but that’s just one aspect of vapor quality I consider.
Vape it up!
Hey, does -20 temperatures cause a problem for these nifty devices?
Thanks for the site, it’s been helpful.
Hey sup, temperatures that cold might affect the performance or battery life but I’m not totally sure, thank the lord it only gets down to the +20s where I live :P
How is the Solo at concealing smell? Im living at my parents place and they can’t know I smoke so this Ia the most crucial feature for me? I want the solo but I have heard nothing about the smell it produces
If odor is a big concern for you I’d probably lean toward a vape like the MFLB, where you can take smaller draws and disengage the heater between pulls.
You’ll get some odor with any vape, but models where you can turn off the heat between draws will give you more time to deodorize, or blow it out a window.
With the Solo and most other vapes the heater is engaged for the entire session, so you need to vape it all within a window of about 15 minutes. This vape produces a good amount of vapor which will have an odor to it, so you’ll need to do something to control it.
Hey man, great reviews, so very helpful! Have you ever had a chance to try a Thermovape and compare it to the Pax? That would be interesting!
Quick question about the Solo – are you able to hit it 4 or 5 times then turn it of then fire it up again later with the same stem pack without losing vapor between sessions? Suitable for hitting the same herb pack several times in the course of a day? Thanks!
Hey thanks,
Never had a chance to review a thermovape unfortunately, they discontinued it right before I was ready to buy one. They have a new model coming out real soon that I’ll probably pick up when it becomes available.
The Solo works best when you vape it all in one shot, but it is possible to stop mid-session and save the rest for later. The chamber is fairly small in this one so instead of doing that it might be better to just pack a smaller amount two separate times. Generally when you vape most of the flavor comes out in the first few draws, so when you re-vape used material it usually doesn’t taste that great.
I cant decide between the solo and NO2. The resistance of the solo has me worried about clogging and herbs being pulled through the holes. Someone posted earlier about putting a screen in the chamber to help with the herbs being pulled through the holes. I was wondering if you’d tried putting a screen in the chamber to help with the resistance? Thanks in advance!!
Solo will produce more vapor, and it will taste better, but there’s really no way to avoid that draw resistance.
You can try fitting a screen in the stem to catch any tiny particles but I don’t personally do it and don’t think it’s really necessary. The particles never reached my mouth, if they do make it through the chamber holes they just get stuck to the side of the stem.
The NO2 doesn’t have that draw resistance, but overall I use my Solo more and think it’s the better of the two.
Bud,
Many people complain that the Solo has the most draw resistance when in reality it is the easiest to draw from; just lift up the stem about 1 to 2 mm while drawing in and this will create a cooler air pocket making it super easy to draw in and a more comfortable cooler air to breath. Then just push the straw back down to heat up the herbs again for a few seconds and repeat the steps. I never get burnt herbs, it vapes evenly and all I need is a few small bits of herb to fill 1/8 of the chamber.
You don’t quite get how this convection vape works. You don’t heat the herb directly at all, so no need to push the stem down. The Solo draws air along the outside of the glass bowl, where it’s heated by the surrounding chamber. The hot air then comes up thru the bowl and passes thru the herb. Lifting the bowl a tiny bit gives more room for the air to enter around the rim of the bowl–that’s it. A faster draw (more airflow) might kick the heater on sooner and give a slightly cooler hit temperature, unless you draw slowly.
Hi, I’m totally new to using lettuce (herbs) and vaporizing. I haven’t done it in at least 13 years and that was smoking it. I have been very sick with an autoimmune/vascular disease and I’ve been on chemo and prednisone for 8 years. I’m in a lot of pain often and with prednisone it’s so hard to ever fall asleep. I cannot smoke herbs, but I’m getting some and was told to vape. Please help me…is this a good vape to start out with? It won’t be used all the time. Is it hard to get a hit? I have no idea what temp to use etc either. Consider me a kindergartener in terms of this. Any help is much appreciated.
Hey Colleen,
Vaporizing is definitely a good alternative, especially in a situation like yours (which I am sorry to hear about).
I’ll keep it real simple and give you a high-level overview first…
Portable vaporizers are more convenient when you’re on-the-go but desktop (home) units tend to produce more vapor that is more potent.
This doesn’t mean portable units won’t do the job, it just means you sacrifice a little bit of performance for portability.
This specific vape (the Solo) is one of the better portables, and I do like it and think it works well. It can produce a good amount of vapor and it has a good taste.
The drawbacks are that it has a good amount of draw resistance, meaning it can be a little difficult to pull. It’s not like regular smoking in that regard, it feels like a bit of work to get a good amount of vapor.
It will still do the job and I think it’s fairly easy to use and efficient.
This vape has 7 heat settings (1-7) and I’ve personally found that setting 4 or 5 produces the best results.
I hope this helps and if you have any other questions about this or others vapes let me know!
Thanks for the review! Can you recommend an easy way to clean the glass mouthpieces?
Hey no prob have you tried putting the stem in a ziplock baggie with some rubbing alcohol and shaking it up? That usually does the job for me, sometimes I also take a cotton swab afterwards to clean out any remaining bits.
best way to clean your stem: get some milk to boil and then put your stems into it. the fat of the milk will pull out all herbal remains. the best of this: add some honey to the milk and you have a nice shake wich will make you also happy :)
Im looking for a portable vape. That good for herbs and concentrates like oils and pollen would you recommend this for that if not what other portable vape would be suited for both herbs and oils. I was considering the solo or the iolite.
Hey as of right now all of the vapes I’ve reviewed are designed for use herbs only. Some of them may work with some forms of oils or concentrates, but they weren’t really designed to so I don’t talk about it much. I’m hoping to expand into concentrate vapes in the near future – thanks for your post.
great review. I have been using my Solo everyday since I got it around May this year. It hits like a beast at level 6 or 7.
Any way of getting the Pax posted to the UK?
I’m not sure sorry man :/ I think they’re still only shipping it within the US and Canada I believe.
How do you pack the stem so your medicine doesn’t fall into the device?
Thanks dude.
Hey what I do is after packing the stem I turn the unit itself upside down and then slide it on top. So basically the part where the herbs are only faces down once it’s inside the unit.
The newest version of the solo vap has a expanding and contracting O ring inside of it to fit to the glass mouthpiece so it doesnt spin around or fall out. When you first get your solo vap you should let it go though one cycle(after the auto shut off) then firmly insert the mouthpiece. Yours could be loose and not fitting properly because the O ring may have never been set properly. Also, each glass mouthpiece vary slightly in size so if you change individual mouthpieces around(ex. Change from straight to curved) you will have to reset your O ring to fit the new mouthpiece. Something to keep in mind :).
Hey thanks for the tips
Hey Bud!!
could you explain what
“When you first get your solo vap you should let it go though one cycle(after the auto shut off)”
since I’m a noob and i don’t even know what that means.
also, I think I’ ve read you burn off some of the factory gunk first, and thensome other tips
Could you make like a quick compilate of all the stuff and tweaks and tips and tricks that as a user you both NEED to know, and also would benefit from knowing about the solo?
Thanks!
Hey Nati,
With most vapes it’s recommended to do a “dry run” when you first open it. This means turning it on, setting the heat to a high setting, and waiting 10-20 minutes, with the herb chamber empty.
This just helps ensure that any oils used in the manufacturing process are gone before you start using it.
I don’t have many tips or tricks with the Solo but one other thing a lot of people end up doing is putting a finer screen inside the glass stem. The holes that are pre-made in the stem are a little on the large side and can sometimes let your material pass through and get stuck on the inside of the glass.
So you put the herb in the bottom of the draw stem, and then put it into the vaporizer body? Does the herb fall out of the stem as you are putting it into the vaporizer?
Yes exactly.
Normally nothing falls out when putting the stem into the chamber but if you do happen to have issues with that you could always hold the stem upright and turn the unit upside down to slide it on top.
I’ve never used a vapor before and want something that will last as well as portable. What do you recommend.
Ps. Your YouTube posts are awesome.
Hey sup,
If you’re looking for a portable vape there are currently 3 models I recommend the most: the Pax, the Solo and the Launch Box.
The Pax is what I consider the most portable and easiest to use, the Solo produces the best tasting vapor out of the bunch (only slightly), and the Launch Box is good because it is very small, fast and inexpensive.
Glad you like the vids!
I think I’ll try the launch box because the pax isn’t able to be shipped to Australia yet, but dose the launch box come with a power adaptor? I’ve seen one on YouTube but can’t find one on the net. !
Cool – it doesn’t come with the power adapter but you can order it directly from Magic-Flight themselves
Let me know how you like it!
Thank you soo much for your help man!!! I’ll defently post back when I get it.
What about the Solo vs the Da vinci? I’m torn between the two.
I would have to recommend the Solo over the DaVinci. The quality of the vapor and the taste will be excellent with the Solo, the main downside being the draw resistance. The DaVinci doesn’t really have any great benefits in my opinion other than being smaller and lighter than the Solo, and it has at least a couple negatives.
One more comparison: Pax vs. Solo, what do you think? I’ve been reading up on both of them. It seems the Pax takes the cake on design and portability and the Solo on quality of vapour. I’m making the grand switch to only using vaporizers cause of a lung condition so I want something that’s good both for home and portable use. Do you have a recommendation?
Cheers for the videos btw, they’ve been super informative!!
Hey Johnny,
My apologies for the delayed response.
Pax vs Solo is a tough call, but overall I rate the Pax slightly higher and find myself preferring it when I’m on-the-go.
As you mentioned the Pax has a more advanced design and is definitely more portable (easier to carry around), and as far as vapor quality I think the Solo is only marginally better, they’re very similar in that regard.
If I had to pick one I would go with the Pax though, I really like it.
Glad you found the vids helpful, stay up!
draw resistance: There is a trick.
Please tell what the trick is Matt….I’m definitely wanting to increase the draw on my solo.
I find if you take small inhales during your long breath (like puffing it) I get a much much better draw. I used to have to use the flight box like that so it became a habit but I have not had any problems with my draw because of it.
first of all get a stem thats got cut out ridges on the end side that enters the solo… and if you noticed there are ridges four of them to be exact, insert your stem with nothing in it and suck on it rotate it and you’ll notice at a certain point where the ridges meet the stem you get atleaast a 50% better airflow. no homo
Which one would u choose? The arizer solo or the vapir no2
I would go with the Solo, I find the vapor quality and taste to be a little higher.
Thanks for the reviews, very helpful in deciding what vape to go with. I’ll recommend your site to anyone shopping for a vaporizer
Hi,
The WHISPR is not suited to heavy usage. I went through three of them (in five months) before I sought an alternative.
I now have the Arizor Solo but the glass connection to the heat chamber seems really wobbly and it doesn’t actually fit into the heat element. Whereas the Arizor Extreme-Q for home use fits together smoothly. I am still learning on the solo I guess.
Yea the stem connection on the Solo is a little weird for me too, it wobbles around a bit, but I do like the quality and taste of the vapor from it.
They might have intentionally made that connection lose being that its glass and would be getting moved around…a little play likely reduces breakage? They obviously did lots of r&d so to have that be a poor quality issue seems unlikely.
so if you could only have one and had to choose between the arizer solo and iolite wispr or others in that price range witch would it be?
thanks 4 your help man.
The Solo would be my choice. Even though it might not be AS portable as some of the others (bc of the glass) I really enjoy the quality and taste of the vapor it produces.
would you recommend for a 1st vape?
Yea absolutely
As a 65 year old using medical herb I can say that the draw on the arizer solo is too difficult for me personally. Even though my Dr. recommended the solo, if you lack lung capacity or for any reason cannot handle a HARD DRAW then the solo is not for you. Getting old sucks.
Thanks for posting, I agree that this vape has some pretty significant draw resistance, the most I’ve felt in any of the models I’ve reviewed so far.
Good products but horrible to deal with their customer support people really reply with a lot of BS like if you have a loose stem for the Solo it is better and you get a better draw. Come on anyone knows you can’t get a good draw if you have a huge air leak,
I purchased my Solo as a first. Still using it daily 1.5 years later, great machine. Worth every nickel. I enjoy the 5 amp AC adapter, makes heating up much faster
Awesome glad to hear it!
Steve: That comment is confusing but I feel it might be accurate as well, having used the unit for about four months now. There’s a weird little quirk to it: if you are looking directly into the metal heating element, there are four tiny holes at the very base of the machined metal containment area for air/heat to come into the herb chamber… but the glass stem sort of settles all the way to the “corner”/base of the metal heating chamber and nullifies some of the air flow when it is in as far and as snuggly as possible.
It seems to fit too snuggly for it’s own good and if you pull it out just a shade the air flow increases without the glass blocking those holes directly.
A simple fix (arizer) would be to model the glass stem with some little glass feet (coming off the base of the stem at intervals (3 would be ideal) around the stem, holding it farther away from the holes in general… this would increase air flow and make for a more pleasant experience I think.
The Solo arrived a few days ago and it broke down after couple times of turning it on the same day of arrival. Arizer customer service has been notified immeiately by email once and twice by phone there has been no response. The clinic who recommended that I pester the company which tells me a lot about the customer service. I would never have bought this crap and be very wary of both the product and especially the service if considering the product.
You might want to try contacting them through their fb page.
Due to your great vid review, I purchased my Solo back in June…it hasn’t failed me since. I am the type of user who likes to vape on the go, meaning I travel a lot so I usually keep this handy device in the car. Rather than having to fool with a lighter with two hands, I can pack up my material and let it heat up as I drive. Then whenever I feel like it, I take draws every so often. It is great, discreet, and inconspicuous…people think I’m drinking from a bottle.
So thank you for your advice, I have enjoyed it since, and continue using it. Though I would recommend buying screens for it. It can get a lil messy.
CIAO
Awesome I’m glad to hear you like the vape and you’re getting good use out of it, thanks for staying in touch!
Vape it up!
Is it ok to charge up the solo before it is fully drained?
Yes, it’s actually advisable to charge before fully drained.