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We’ve been using The Peak around the SPV office for a couple of months now and are very excited to finally get to do this review! The Puffco Peak is a concentrate device in every way, shape and form. It is not a vape pen and it isn’t your typical e-nail. It’s being called a “smart rig” in the industry and it really is an entirely new way to dab altogether.
The Peak is about 7” in height and 2.75” in diameter at the base. It is made out of three main components; the base, the atomizer (which we’ll discuss more in depth a little later in the review) and the glass attachment. People are already starting to make some crazy stuff for The Peak, and we all know third-party accessories are always cool. Check out our custom-made carb caps designed just for use with the Peak. You can get them here vapenorth.ca, here sneakypetestore.com, or even a four-pack bundle!
The design of The Puffco Peak is very innovative, and the size and weight are just about perfect. Sure, it’s expensive, but you definitely get a device that’s heavy, substantial, robust, and feels like a significant piece of equipment. The Peak is plain simple to use and control. Changing the temperature is easy, and it takes any need for technique out of concentrate use. It consistently gives you the exact same amazing hit every single time.
The Peak comes in a great case that’s perfect for transporting it around with you. There is also an instruction manual, some q-tips for cleaning, a little dab tool that is most likely stainless steel, the carb cap, and an extra bowl for the atomizer.
HOW TO USE
The Peak truly is designed to take any guesswork out of dabbing. You really can use this piece with one hand while you’re walking around your house and have the same amazing dabs as if you were sitting at your desk hitting from a traditional rig. To start, charge your Peak up fully. This will take about two hours and the lights will go out completely when it’s charged. Next, remove the glass reservoir piece (always be sure to remove it) and fill it with water up to just above the two air holes. Don’t let the inner section get water in it. Filling your Peak will take some experimenting… you want it to have as much water as possible and not be drinking it. Now put the glass back on the base with the hole in alignment and you’re ready to vape!
To turn the Peak on/off (or unlock/lock as they call it) just hold down the button for three seconds. Here is one silly thing about this vape, it won’t turn off automatically. It will just stay on forever until you turn it off or the battery drains itself completely dead. So please be aware of this and remember to turn your Peak off after you’re done with it. To change the temperature just click the button. Blue is 450F, green is 500F, red is 550F, and white is 600F. We found green to be absolutely the best mix of flavour and hit size. Blue will give a better flavour, while red and white throw off the big hits that will rock your world.
You can hot load the Peak for slightly better efficiency by just dropping your dab in when the vaporizer is ready but we found it easier to just cold load it as the loss really is minimal. On red/white you can put a huge load in there (giggity), or just as conveniently you can use the Peak to micro dab, it’ll handle it all just the same. If you’re dabbing smaller amounts you can always turn your rig off prematurely if the dab is done simply by holding down the button. Alternatively, if you’re doing a massive rip, you can double-click the button to engage sesh mode. This will extend your session by an extra 15 seconds, and you can keep doing this to pass your Peak around your group of friends.
When the smart rig is ready, it will vibrate and the light will flash three times. For testing purposes in the video we just used a little dab on the green temp setting. Now you’re ready for your rip… just don’t inhale super hard. When you’re done with your hit let it cool off for about 20 seconds or so then run a q-tip around the bowl. Be firm but gentle, don’t apply tons of pressure doing this, but make sure you get any leftover residue off.
And that’s that! Anyone who has ever struggled to get consistently good dabs or anyone who doesn’t want to use a torch blasting out a huge open flame, well you can forget about all that. The exceptional performance that we got out of our Peak can be repeated easily by anyone out there.
Eventually, your Peak will need a deep cleaning. Take off your glass and put it and your carb cap to soak in some isopropyl alcohol. Take a q-tip dipped in iso and clean the gold connections and pass through as seen in the video. This can also be used to clean the inside of the bowl. If it has some serious reclaim on it though, you might need to soak it overnight. We recommend using 99% iso and then allowing it to air dry without rinsing it with water. For maximum cleaning, take the ceramic bowl and use a blowtorch on it. It’s surprising how much more can be cleaned off. Be very careful if you do this and be sure to let everything cool down completely before reassembling.
BATTERY LIFE AND CHARGING
Charging the Peak all the way up from dead to full took about two hours plugged into a wall outlet. Puffco rates it for 30 dabs. We never got more than 25, but it’s tough to say how much that was impacted by not turning the Peak off when it was not in use. For real-world purposes, we think it’s unlikely you’ll hit 30 dabs, but overall it does last a good amount of time before needing more power. It can even be recharged from a USB bank so the Peak is a device that will let you dab literally anywhere.
HEAT UP TIME
The Peak heats up in about 20 seconds. At that point, it’s ready to dab right away, much faster than a traditional dab rig. Yet another reason this “smart rig” is so great, its convenience.
QUALITY OF VAPOUR (TASTE, HARSHNESS, SIZE)
This is such an important category. Because at the end of the day, who cares how convenient a device is if the hits just aren’t good? Well, the vapour from the Peak is top-notch. The taste is spot on with your dabs allowing you to really taste the subtle differences in your concentrates. The unique terpenes really shine through when you dab with the Peak.
The red and white settings are a little hotter than we’d normally like but the clouds are indeed big. Blue and green were pretty smooth. Overall the size of the hits from the Peak really are massive. If you’re doubting that the Peak can perform don’t, because it absolutely can!
EFFICIENCY
The Peak is quite efficient with your concentrate. A small dab gives off a big hit with a little leftover to sop up, pretty much like with any sort of nail. If you’re a micro-dabber you won’t find the Peak as efficient as a banger setup can be, but then again you can just engage sesh mode if all your dab is not vaped to make sure every drop gets used.
EFFECTS
10/10 – absolute decimation of your brain and literally billions of neurons, undoubtedly permanent, and almost certainly requiring long-term psychiatric care 😉 but don’t let any of that hold you back, load up a big dab and hit it on white. It’ll go toe to toe with anything else out there. The Peak is a seriously heavy hitter.
BUILD QUALITY
This piece feels so good to hold in the hand. Puffco absolutely nailed the design which is very important when you consider the price of the Peak. Things feel solid and the glass performs really well. It is tough to be certain how the atomizers will hold up over time. While some people do report having issues with their atomizers, the one we received has been a champ for two months of exclusive use now.
CONVENIENCE
This is a key advantage of the Peak. And yes, it is absolutely 100% a more convenient way to dab. You don’t need any torches. No need for a timer. No guesswork at all. If you’ve ever found dabbing to be a pain, this piece may be a good fit for you. Just a quick double-click, toss in your concentrate, put the carb cap on, and hit it. The Peak provides the same high-quality hit every time.
PRICE
Coming in at $380, it’s not cheap at all. Also, it only has a 1-year warranty. We strongly believe that should be bumped up to two years. We would also love to see that price come down, and surely it will eventually. Keep in mind, the Peak aims to replace your oil rig, your banger, and your torch all with one device that's very easy to carry around with you. While it isn’t a cheap replacement, you get what you pay for and the Peak is a high-quality smart rig. If you’re a casual concentrate user that just dabs every now and then, this may not be the piece for you. However, if you are a concentrate connoisseur, the Peak should be on your radar.
THINGS WE WERE IN LOVE WITH
First, it just looks so damn cool and futuristic, like a dab rig from The Jetsons. Second, and yes, it’s been said a lot, but the Peak is truly extraordinarily easy to use. Our traditional rig hasn’t been hit on since this thing arrived and it probably won’t be back in the lineup anytime soon. Third, the Peak is unbelievably convenient, much faster than a normal dab rig and so much more consistent at being able to give the same hit repeatedly time after time after time.
Also, the feel, weight, and overall size of the Peak are about perfect. The design, engineering and build quality… all are well thought out and to a very high standard. The flavour is exceptional. If you are a flavour chaser you will love the Puffco Peak. The effects are very strong. If you need a good one to “get you there”, the Peak is definitely a great piece to get the job done.
THINGS WE ONLY WANTED TO BE FRIENDS WITH
There is no automatic turnoff at all. That doesn’t make any sense. If you forget to turn it off, you could come back ready for a hit only to find it’s completely dead. The LEDs are far too dim. If there are any other lights in the room, the LEDs will be too faint to see. Also, it should come with a 2-year warranty and information about a battery replacement program. Price is always a factor, so knowing about this would make it easier to consider for many people. Finally, it gets a bit warm on the bigger, longer rips… but this is subjective, if you take huge dabs you may have a different opinion on this.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Puffco Peak really is a new way to consume concentrates. It is definitely not a vape pen, and it is so much better than any e-rig I’ve ever used that it really is in a league of its own. The consistency and top-shelf quality of the hits will keep you coming back for more and more. Removing the torch from the entire process really opens up how and where you can dab, making for some great possibilities.
It is an expensive piece, but then again it is not meant to be cheap. If you want to be an early adopter there might be some headaches and growing pains as the Peak gets improved upon. However, the experience using the Peak is without a doubt on another level compared to the traditional torch and banger type rig. Having the Peak around has resulted in concentrate being chosen over flower more often around here, and that speaks for itself.
Keep it green, keep it sneaky!
