The DaVinci IQ Vaporizer: The New Status Symbol?

A decade ago vaporizers were a fringe product. Now as vaping prepares to become a $10 billion industry, vaporizer companies are wisely taking marketing and design cues from smartphone manufacturers like Apple. The resulting vaporizers are sleek, innovative, and playful products that have established vaping as a mainstream habit. In a way, these top vaporizers have become status symbols, items to be seen using.

One such vaporizer is the DaVinci IQ, a descendant of the DaVinci Ascent and DaVinci vaporizers. This palm-sized vape looks and feels like an iPhone thanks to a solid yet featherlight anodized aluminum casing reminiscent of certain smartphone devices. Perhaps that’s one reason why reviewers insist on referring to vapes like the DaVinci IQ, in one of the most effective marketing slogans of 2016, as the “iPhone of vaporizers.” Other Apple-like qualities of the DaVinci IQ vaporizer include the innovative technology that hums beneath its sparkly smooth surface, as well as formidable build quality and vapor production.

Calling the DaVinci IQ the best portable vaporizer to date is a little much, but it certainly is one of the most exciting recent additions to the vaping world alongside the Firefly 2 and Pax 3. The IQ vaporizer has incredible build quality you can feel, like the pleasure of holding a smooth stone. The all-ceramic zirconia vapor path is about as advanced as those of its rival vaporizers–with a twist I’ll expand on later. But the DaVinci IQ mobile app is what truly sets this vaporizer apart from the pack, having the benefit of being newer and therefore more advanced than other vaporizers.

An Artful Performance

As any review of the DaVinci IQ vaporizer you read will probably tell you, there’s an artistry to this unit that’s rare. The LED aesthetic–a panel of 50 dots that light up in elaborate displays showing temperatures, battery power, and more–is an entertaining touch.

Underneath its sleekly painted casing and dazzling display, the DaVinci IQ features an all-ceramic zirconia vapor path, a new approach from the glass elements DaVinci used in previous vaporizers. This material conducts heat slow and low, which is ideal for combustion-free vaporization, delivering smooth hits of flavorful vapor. As an added benefit, the zirconia heating chamber and mouthpiece are also easy to clean, a plus for any vaporizer.

Incorporated into the vapor path is a “flavor chamber,” sitting just in front of the mouthpiece, where you can place more weed or other dry herbs. This is a fairly original idea in the vaporizer world. Vapor travels through the flavor chamber, which infuses it with added flavor and aromas. After about 6 sessions, the contents of the flavor chamber will also be coated with cannabinoids, making for a more poignant vape session. Don’t be surprised if you see more of these in future vaporizers.

Loading a portable vaporizer can be frustrating. The DaVinci IQ soothes this pain point with a slightly funnel-shaped herb chamber, making it easier to load than other vaporizers. It also features a curious zirconia pearl under its lid. This little nuance actually reflects heat to ensure even vaporization of dry herb. Little details like this trim the fat for a more seamless experience, a characteristic of the best vaporizers.

The DaVinci IQ isn’t the lightest portable vaporizer around. At 145 grams, it’s heavier than vaporizers like the Firefly 2 (140 grams) and PAX 3 (90 grams). But that weight makes the IQ fit solidly in your hand while lighter vaporizers tend to feel fragile, as if they’d break when dropped.

Overall the DaVinci IQ performs excellently compared with the best vaporizers around, and is built for your comfort and delight. What sets it a step ahead of other vaporizers is its advanced mobile app, which makes you the master of your vape sessions from the convenience of your Android or iOS device.

Mobile Vaping

The DaVinci IQ rises above its rival vaporizers in the technology department, with a mobile app that’s easy-to-use and gives you unprecedented control over your vaping sessions. You can keep the DaVinci IQ in your pocket while you control it from your smartphone, waiting for the vaporizer to vibrate when vaping temperature’s been reached.

Sure, the Firefly 2 and other vaporizers allow users to toggle precise temperatures from your smartphone, but the DaVinci IQ takes it a step further with “smart path” heat settings that gradually increase 20F from your choice of 4 starting temperatures. This thought-provoking approach to vaping releases different effects as the vaporizer slowly changes temperature. Again, don’t be surprised to see this feature show up in other vaporizers moving forward.
In addition, a sophisticated graph interface lets you drag points to increase temperature, vape time, and more. There are just not many vaporizers that give you this much control, in such a visually stimulating manner.

In the future, the DaVinci IQ app may receive more advanced upgrades that could drastically change how we use vaporizers. For example, the IQ might one day be able to recognize specific strains or cannabinoids you search for in the app, and automatically toggle to their ideal vaping temperatures. If this happens, other vaporizers will undoubtedly take cues, and vaping will never be the same again. Imagine being able to extract with precision certain terpenes, THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids from your cannabis. Thanks to game-changing units like the DaVinci IQ, vaporizers will soon become a tool for exploring the farthest reaches of marijuana.

Why Choose the DaVinci IQ Over Other Vaporizers?

Overall, the DaVinci IQ is one of the highest performing dry herb vaporizers yet. And it’s easy to use, friendly to novices and veterans alike. But it’s not perfect. It vapes dry herb only, for instance, so if you’re into waxy oils you want to go with a vaporizer like the Firefly 2 that can actually handle concentrates. The flavor chamber, while a welcome addition to the world of vaporizers, needs to be cleaned fairly often. So those who don’t like scrubbing their vaporizer every week or so might feel inconvenienced.

The DaVinci IQ best suits dry herb lovers who appreciate design, usability, and cutting-edge features in their vaporizers, as well as cannabis connoisseurs who want serious control over their vape session via mobile app.