Just a few weeks ago, the brand that made it all happen (Puffco) released what was the predecessor of the longest-reigning eRig on the market – the Puffco Peak. The Puffco Peak was the first-ever eRig that combined the elements of advanced technology to harness and unlock the full potential of your wax concentrates. The arrival of the Puffco Peak Pro meant that consumers who enjoyed the comfort and convenience of using the original Peak are in for a significant upgrade. Today, we’re going to talk about the Puffco Peak and the Puffco Peak Pro. And instead of pitting both eRigs against each other, this article is more of how the former hands over the torch to the latter.
But before we go any further, let’s talk about how consumers dabbed before the Puffco Peak entered the scene and how much of an impact and of an improvement the Peak was.
Traditional Dabs
Before the Peak was even announced in the 2018 CES, we used to consume wax concentrates using traditional means. One would have to set up a rig and heat the banger with a butane torch. Telling the temperature isn’t as much as accurate. One would have to hover their hands over the heated banger to tell whether it’s too hot. Experience typically lets one know the right temperature profile, but even that takes a series of trials and errors. Then, one dabs the extracts right into the banger and begins to inhale. Otherwise, you’d have to constantly load wax concentrates the size of a pea on a relatively small dab pen.
The Puffco Peak revolutionized dabbing in different ways by introducing new features. Here are a few.
- Integrated water filtration.
- Intelligent temperature calibration.
- Powerful battery life.
- Variable temperature settings.
The technology behind the Puffco Peak was definitely not as complicated as rocket science. However, it managed to combine different aspects of dabbing and merge it into a small and compact unit that you can easily hold in one hand. This makes dabbing easier, pretty much like using a dab pen, but with more power and with smoother vapor production. The Puffco Peak also eliminated the need to use a blowtorch which makes the experience simpler, straightforward, and safer.
The Puffco Peak had more to offer than just a glorified dab pen, having inherited most of its features from the brands award-winning pens. Nevertheless, it boasted some of the best features in the platform making it a golden standard in wax vaporization to the point that other eRigs that followed were always marketed as a “Puffco Peak killer,” including products like the Focus V Carta, Pulsar RöK, KandyPens Oura, Source Orb Versa, and the High Five Duo. Nevertheless, the Puffco Peak managed to hold high ground and always proved its competitors why it’s king of the hill. Here are some features that placed the Peak on the map and kept it there.
- Hand-blown borosilicate glass.
- Fast-heating (20 second heat-up time).
- Sesh-mode functionality.
- 30 dab average per charge.
- Removable ceramic bowl.
- LED light band.
- Haptic feedback.
- Rugged silicone base.
The Puffco Peak offered professional quality results in a new platform and have set the standard high enough that other eRigs that came after it always felt that they had something lacking. Here's a quick break down of the aforementioned features.
1. Hand-blown borosilicate glass.
The OG Peak used hand-blown glass attachments made out of borosilicate matter. Borosilicate is known for its use in laboratories as test tubes, flasks, and beakers. These lab-grade equipment are known for their ability to handle thermal shock. They can hold up well against the extreme temperature changes, but most importantly, they’re durable as hell. They don’t break as easily as other glass which makes the Peak look as good as it lasts.
Speaking of looking good, the triangular hand-blown borosilicate glass became an icon that other eRigs that came after the Peak were outfitted with similar-looking glass attachments.
2. Ceramic bowl.
The original Puffco Peak used a ceramic bowl to vaporize your extracts. Ceramic is perfect for dabbing because it can heat your wax concentrates without reaching the point of combustion. This gives you flavorful results as the ceramic heating element is able to help preserve the flavors of your extracts as the terpenes and the flavonoids are released when the wax concentrates are heated in a low and slow manner.
3. Reliable battery.
The original Peak was known for having a reliable battery, at least for the most part. It took only 2 hours to charge and was capable of a 30-session yield. This meant that a single charge can go a long way and that it was suited for group sessions because the battery can last as long as you and your friends partaking in it. Its battery also allowed the Peak to enjoy fast heating, an average of 20 seconds before it reaches peak temperature level. This means you no longer have to wait before you get to draw from it and that you can enjoy more sessions than you can handle.
4. Smart system.
For people who dab, temperature is important. Maintaining the optimal temperature of your bowl is essential to the quality of your sessions. That’s why Puffco made it sure that the Peak has the best systems to calibrate the temperature of the bowl. The Peak’s intelligent temperature calibration system works by automatically adjusting the Peak’s heat times depending on the temperature of your bowl. If it becomes too hot, the original Puffco Peak’s heating element runs slower and vice versa. This ensures the consistency of your sessions so that you, or your friends dabbing in a group session, will all get the same level of high from start to finish.
The smart battery also gives the Puffco Peak its 4 unique temperature settings. These temperature profiles can easily be adjusted with a few clicks of a button and allows both beginners and advanced consumers to easily find their sweet spot. No more hovering your hands over a banger, you know exactly what profile you’re heating your extracts with which makes for a somewhat precise means of dabbing.
5. Rugged base.
Because the Puffco Peak was built as a portable dabber, it was designed and engineered to consumers who will use it in the unlikeliest of places. The base of the original Peak had a rugged silicone layer that gave consumers the grip they need when handling the Peak. Not only does it work in preventing the Peak from falling off your hands but it also allowed the OG Peak to keep its footing when placed atop your bedside or counter table.
Overall, these features worked in unison to provide consumers with an experience they never knew was possible.
Enter the Puffco Peak Pro
Two years after the original Peak was released, Puffco followed through with a befitting predecessor – the Peak Pro. It was everything the Peak was, made even better.
The Puffco Peak Pro addressed some of the issues the original Peak had. These alleged issues include breaking glass carb caps, weak ceramic bowls, and defective batteries, from which, Puffco even faced a class-action lawsuit from. They were quick to work on controlling the damage by releasing various iterations of the original Peak including limited-edition releases like the Phantom, Vision Lightning, Sunset Lightning, Lucid Lightning, Medusa, and Neon edition Peaks.
The Puffco Peak Pro did more than just address these issues. It redefined the Peak label from top to bottom. Here are some of the new improvement the pro version Peak brings to the table.
- Real-time temperature control.
- Bluetooth app capability.
- Wireless charging.
- Adjustable light settings.
- USB-C charging technology.
- Larger ceramic bowl.
- Improved carb cap.
Puffco took the original Peak and gave it a major face-lift. It does resemble the OG Peak from the outside, but is a different machine from the inside. Let’s break down these notable enhancements.
1. Bluetooth app compatibility.
Arguably one of the best improvements the brand gave the Peak Pro, Bluetooth compatibility allows the Peak Pro to work with a downloadable app in your smartphone. Aptly named the Peak Pro App Experience, this downloadable smartphone app allows users to fully personalize their sessions. The Peak Pro inherited the same four unique user settings from its predecessor but it’s now capable of precision temperature control allowing you to dial the heat setting down to the smallest detail. You’ll also be able to save your customized profiles so you can pull it up from your phone depending on your needs.
The app also lets you control heat duration as well as the color on the Peak Pro’s base apart from the real-time temperature readout and control you get from it.
2. Advanced charging.
The Puffco Peak Pro is now equipped with USB-C charging technology. It's as if it’s ushering the next generation, the new Peak Pro is not only capable of working with a companion app but now ditches micro USB in exchange for a more stable and reliable means of power delivery. Not only can you recharge the Puffco Peak Pro with the same charger you use with your iPhone and your MacBook but it also offers faster charging times with more stable power distribution.
The Puffco Peak Pro is also compatible with a new accessory the brand calls the Peak Pro Power Dock. It allows the Peak Pro to be charged wirelessly but also acts as an additional power bank so you can charge other devices when you’re out and about. When paired with the app, the Peak Pro Power Dock also offers Ready Mode, where it automatically turns the Puffco Peak Pro on the moment you lift it off the charging dock.
3. Improved carb cap.
Puffco redesigned the Peak Pro’s carb cap and dropped the old tethered design. The new carb cap sits flush on top of the ceramic bowl and is held together by silicone grommets. It does seal carb cap but its new design still offers an airpath that control the amount of air running through the ceramic bowl. What this means is that you no longer have to deal with a hanging carb cap that can get knocked out of the base. It also allows you to see through it so you can witness the magic as it happens.
4. 40% bigger bowl.
The new ceramic bowl on the Puffco Peak Pro is still removable but is now larger than its predecessor. What that means is that you can load larger dabs and enjoy harder-hitting draws from the Peak Pro. This also makes the Peak Pro a fitting device to take on parties and similar events where you’d expect to have group sessions with your friends.
The Peak Pro also has a few minor improvements that most consumers will surely fall in love with. Let's check them out.
- Better dimensions.
- Premium carrying case.
- Better ergonomics.
The new Peak Pro boasts better dimensions than its predecessor. For one, the glass attachment on the Peak Pro is taller which allows you to almost fill it with as much as twice the amount of water as the original Peak. This improved the Peak Pro’s ability to filter the vapors and moisturize the vapor to smoothen it out for when you draw from the mouthpiece. Theoretically, you won’t have to cough as much when you take in lung-ripping hits with the new Peak Pro.
Another noticeable improvement in terms of what the Peak Pro offers from the outside is the new metallic band. Sure, the original Peak was easy to hold, but the new Peak Pro rests in your hands like an Xbox controller. It’s easy to hold and it just feels right. The moment it touches your palm you’d know that it’s premium.
Lastly, if you decide to take the Peak Pro with you when you travel, the all-new carrying case lets you carry the Puffco Peak Pro safely and in style.
Choosing Between the Peak and the Peak Pro
The Puffco Peak definitely paved the way, not only for the Peak Pro but probably for all eRigs we now see on the market. It’s never a bad decision to invest in a device that’s as good as the original Peak, but with the Peak Pro out – it's a different story.
The old Peak was a class of its own, and so is the Peak Pro. Feature-wise, the Peak Pro definitely outshines its predecessor. However, it does come with an extra cost. Furthermore, to fully enjoy the experience the Peak Pro has to offer, you’d have to invest on Puffco’s other accessories designed for the Peak Pro like the Peak Pro Power Dock. If your needs aren’t as demanding to the point that it requires the use of a wireless dock and a precision temperature control, you could settle for the OG.
The Puffco Peak Pro broadens the horizon for most consumers and gives wax concentrate connoisseurs a device worthy of their money. We recommend choosing the original Peak for people who want a simple and straightforward experience and for those who want limited-edition Peak products. On the other hand, you can invest on the Peak Pro if you’re an advanced consumer looking for a new experience you won’t find anywhere else. The original Puffco Peak has handed over the keys of the city to its successor, a bolder, much intelligent device fit for professional use. and while it does cost more, it’s set to prove that in vaporizers, you always get what you pay for.