The Air is a newly released vaporizer created by the Canadian company Arizer (makers of the popular Solo and Extreme Q vaporizers) which has been designed with a host of features aimed at streamlining the portable vaporization experience for those who intend primarily on vaping dry herb.
The Air arrived in simple cardboard packaging, and inside contains everything you need to get started using it (the Air, two bowls, a carrying case, silicone holder, charger, and instruction manual). After unboxing my Air, the first thing that I took note of was how sleek the unit is. Weighing in at 340 grams, the Air is similar in weight to the DaVinci Ascent (the Air’s main competitor) but has a narrow cylindrical design. The unit is solid and the included silicone case is made to both protect the Air as well as help to dissipate heat. Aside from silicone case, the box also contained a carrying case with space for both bowls. I found that keeping everything in the case makes carrying the Air a lot easier, and also protects it when I put it in my bag. The bowls themselves are glass with removable plastic mouthpieces, making them very easy to clean using isopropyl alcohol.
The Air has 5 temperature settings which are indicated via the LED on the front of the screen. While the unit is in operation, press the up and down buttons to switch between the following settings:
Setting 1 (Blue) – 180°C / 356°F
Setting 2 (White) – 190°C / 374°F
Setting 3 (Green) – 200°C / 392°F
Setting 4 (Orange) – 205°C / 401°F
Setting 5 (Red) – 210°C / 410°F
These settings cover a range of popular temperatures, and I definitely feel that they are more than adequate if you’re looking to try and achieve different effects by temperature. I usually had to wait about three to five minutes before the unit reached my desired setting, and afterwards I took long slow draws. The vapor was pure tasting, and I was able to get several large hits before the vapor output began to decrease. Although I found that the bowls were a little on the small side, the way that they fit into the heating chamber creates an incredibly even heat. While using the Arizer Air with finely ground loose leaf I haven’t needed to turn the bowl like with other vaporizers which is definitely a plus. However, despite the heat being even, I did find that the bowl design made it so that I usually had to wait a few minutes to let the unit cool down a bit before I could reload it again (or put the bowl into the carrying case). However, if you load both bowls at once you can reduce the wait time somewhat by vaping with one while letting the other cool down. Another thing to keep in mind is that the bowls are designed for dry herbs, and concentrates only can be difficult to use since they can clog up the airflow. You can however use small amount of concentrates by sandwiching it between layers of loose leaf and then cleaning your bowl well after your session.The Air is powered by a rechargeable IMR 18650 battery (similar to those used in box mods and high end personal vapes), and the battery is also user replaceable via a hatch that you can unscrew at the base of the unit. Generally I managed between 40 to forty five minutes of continuous vaporizing while on a fully charged battery, but this was dependent on how high of a setting I vaped at. One battery usually lasted me for the entire day with medium to heavy vaping, but you can always carry an extra battery or two if you plan to be away from an outlet for long periods of time. Furthermore, the Air can be used while charging (as long as it reaches a certain charge level first, around 20%) which is great if you don’t have a desktop vaporizer and would like to vape for longer periods at home. One thing to keep in mind is that the Air uses its own special charger as opposed to a standard USB cable (like the Inhalater has), so make sure to take it along with you if you plan on recharging your unit while you’re away.
With its even heat and high quality build, the Air is a great portable vape and I would say that it definitely gives the DaVinci Ascent a run for its money in terms of portability, quality, and overall vaporization experience. I recommend the Air to those who are looking for a stealthy unit which can create tasty hits of vapor from dry herbs. However, if you’re a concentrates enthusiast, the inability to vape concentrates with the Air can prove to be a downside to keep in mind while making a decision as to which vape to purchase.
