Arizer Solo 2 UK
The Arizer Solo 2 is the newest addition to the Arizer vape family. Following the tradition of Arizer products, the Solo 2 is as sturdy as it is efficient. Much like the Solo before it, this newcomer is a session style dry herb vaporizer with hybrid convection/conduction heating. It’s entirely minimalistic with just the unit itself (black or mystic blue) and the stem.
These are all the lovely things I found out about the Solo 2 before deciding I had to review it myself. And after all, every vaping connoisseur needs at least one trustworthy Arizer vape in their vape collection. So, what did I think?
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Dimensions & Portability
It’s definitely too large to be counted as a true pocket vaporizer. Instead, it is suited much better as a hand-held stay-at-home vape – and a rather large handful at that. But not to worry, the vape looks great due to the sleek and shine-finish design that makes it look at home in any setting. As a matter of fact, if we’re to get down to the nitty-gritty of it, its dimensions are as follows:
Size: 4.5 x 1.7 x 1 inches (11.4 x 4.3 x 2.5 cm)
Weight: 7.4 oz (210g)
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Design
And just to drive home the point about how chic the Arizer Vape 2 looks, its exterior shell is made out of pure silvery aluminium – sophisticated! Furthermore, taking a peep inside, you’ll find that the interior of the vape is completely free of any plastic components – a plus for the safety freak in me! And let’s face it, plastic just doesn’t make for the best vaping experience – cloud or flavour-wise.
In the place of the plastic are the ceramic heating element, stainless steel oven, and glass stems. To start with, I can’t express what a delight the glass stems were. The versatile glass stem collection alone makes buying the Solo 2 worthwhile. Why? Vapour effortlessly rolls off the smooth sides of glass where it can then find its way to your nose completely unhindered. And that makes for a strong hit. The type of hit that lets you know you’re getting every last drop out of your dry herbs.
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Capacity
Speaking of dry herbs, the Arizer Solo 2 is limited to all that’s dry so don’t go putting any oils near it. Its stem will fit about 0.13g that is used efficiently throughout sessions. Cannabis is cooked evenly throughout but it’s best not to force it in, it could become stuck in one of the 4 draw holes – guilty as charged.
At full capacity, you’re guaranteed to get about 7-12 consistently potent hits depending on temperature and herb. Even better is that the stem doesn’t have to be completely filled meaning that micro-dosing is possible.
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How To Use The Solo 2 Vape
But once you’ve carefully loaded up, how do you get going?
I personally enjoyed the ease-of-use that comes with the solo 2. Seriously, it couldn’t be any more simple. There are two buttons in total, a middle button, and an outer circle “up-down” button. By pressing these two buttons at the same time, the device can be activated. By then pressing the circular button again, the heater can be turned on – and you’re ready to smoke within 20 – 30 seconds!
From here, you can use the “up-down” button to customize the temperature and you can also swap between Celsius and Fahrenheit – handy. As per usual, it’s best to stick to lower temperatures for a more flavourful hit and higher temperatures for larger clouds.
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Display & Settings
One of the new and improved features of the solo 2 is its light-up OLED screen that allows users to see the settings of their vape. From the screen menu variables such as the temperature, screen brightness the length of the auto shut-off timer can be changed. A nifty feature of the solo 2 is also its notification pings that let you know when the vape is turning on, off, and even once it has reached the desired temperature. And of course, the sound of these notifications pings can be adjusted from the menu or disabled altogether.
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Battery Life & Charging
Once turned on, you don’t have to worry too much about the battery running low. A natural powerhouse, the Solo 2 can stay alive for three hours straight – or so they claim. I never timed it myself but it certainly felt like a long time in comparison to other vapes I’ve used.
Coincidentally, it also takes about 3 hours to charge fully but don’t think you’ll be able to charge it easy on-the-go! Unfortunately, the solo 2 does not come with USB charging, rather pass-through charging with its DC wall charger – so, charge up at home whenever possible.
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Vapour Quality & Odour
I am truly amazed that such a simplistic vape could emit such potent flavours and wonderful clouds. Even better was that each stem produced a different vapour experience to fulfil any craving!
Like with any other vape, the Solo 2 produces a distinct smell when used. A plastic cap for the unit itself can minimize this odour but it’s the herbs in the stem that are the real culprits. So, it’s best to only pack in the herbs just before a session.
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Drag power
In short, I was happy with the vapour quality and not only because I was vaping good stuff! Now, if there’s anywhere the Solo 2 hype-parade might stop its when it comes to drug resistance. Listen, I didn’t have to suck the vapour out or anything but it certainly put up a bit of a fight. Some people have compared the restrictive draw resistance to “drinking a milkshake through a straw.” I wouldn’t go that far since a steady 20-30 second draw can lead to great results but it just doesn’t match the top-quality vapes in this domain.
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Cleaning
After the high comes the low of murky stems. And this needs to be cleaned out for optimal user experience. Fortunately, almost all of the residue can be flushed out by giving the stems a vigorous rinse or two. Inserting a soft, thin pipe cleaner into the stems can also work wonders and leave them looking good as new.
So, in conclusion, Arizer’s Solo 2 isn’t going to blow your mind. But it will leave you feeling warm inside and completely satisfied. It’s a bit like an old friend, I guess. Always there for you, trustworthy, and will go the distance!