Welcome to High Tech, iDigitalTimes’ cannabis-focused gadget review column. Each month, we’ll have updates on new/popular vaporizers, electronic smoking devices and other cannabis-related gadgetry, always with the same thoroughness you’ve come to expect from all of iDigi’s gadget reviews.
The V2 Pro Series 7 vaporizer snuck up on me, thanks (in part) to my unfamiliarity with the product line prior to its arrival on my doorstep. But a few weeks using the V2 Pro Series 7 as my everyday vaporizer, in tandem with the QuickDraw 3, damn near made me a convert. The Series 7 can’t quite match quality with the most-expensive portable vaporizers on the market. But V2’s latest premium vaporizer vastly exceeds what I expected from a device less than $200.
At a glance, the V2 Pro Series 7 looks relatively harmless. While obviously a vaporizer, there’s nothing about the device that blatantly telegraphs the fact it can be used for cannabis, like residue-laden glass domes or weed leaf décor. In some ways, it looks similar to PAX Labs’ PAX and PAX 2 vaporizers, which feature similar profiles with their mouthpieces in place, but silver detailing, a centrally-located input and a significantly larger oven temperature indicator help differentiate the V2 Pro from its competition.
Barely more than 5 inches tall, the V2 Pro Series 7 can easily fit in the average pocket and will probably fit into at least one zipper-secured pocket on your backpack, messenger back, etc. Its stainless steel frame feels sturdy enough not to worry about the V2 Pro’s safety, while in transit, and three different color varieties give consumers a bit of input on the device’s appearance.
The V2 Pro Series 7 will run you $170 for the base package, which includes the Series 7 vaporizer, a USB power cable (plus wall adapter), an e-liquid cartridge and a loose leaf cartridge. There’s also a cartridge for concentrates; however, that final option is sold separately and was not included in my review kit. So I don’t have any hands-on knowledge of the Series 7’s concentrate-vaporizing capability. But if the V2 Pro concentrate cartridge works half as well as its loose-leaf counterpart, the Series 7 will be hard to beat.
Operating the V2 Pro Series 7 is about as easy as you could hope for. Like many modern vaporizers, the Series 7 relies on a single button for all of its commands and a pair of blinking LED indicators on the few occasions it needs to give data back to the user. The button can be used to cycle power, though the device will automatically shut itself back down after a few seconds of inactivity, and also used to swap between the three variable oven temperatures available with the V2 Pro Series 7.
Once a bowl is ready, which is as simple as twisting off the mouthpiece and packing some plant matter into the oven, the V2 Pro only needs about 30 seconds to reach its operating temperature. And then you’re off to the races. I tend to average about eight hits from a bowl, sometimes as many as 10 or 11, all consistent and as pleasant as you’d expect. The device is even built in a manner that accommodates quick bowl changing, for those who might need a few more hits to get where they want to be.
Battery life for the V2 Pro Series 7 is more than acceptable, typically lasting several hours, and those who find themselves regularly depleting the battery might like to know the V2 Pro Series 7 is one of the few portable vaporizers we’ve encountered that still functions while charging. Typically, you’ll be able to finish six to eight bowls before the battery light comes on. There’s also a car charger for those who want to use their Series 7 on-the-go. (But please don’t use it while driving. Don’t be that person.)
Best of all – because I’m really lazy when it comes to this kind of thing – the V2 Pro Series7 doesn’t need to be cleaned all that frequently. After two weeks of rigorous testing, there’s no visible residue inside the oven and I haven’t had any issue with the mouthpiece sticking to the V2 or being too clogged to let vapor pass through. Sure, there’s a bit of vaporized plant matter tucked into some of the device’s hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. But nothing that’s impacted day-to-day operation.
My only complaints about the V2 Pro Series 7 are relatively minor, particularly when compared to the many praises I could sing about the device. The first is one that regular High Tech readers will likely see coming; namely, the underwhelming size of the V2 Pro Series 7’s loose-leaf chamber. Sure, you can get 7-10 hits out of each cartridge and all of those hits will be as pleasant as your flower quality allows. But I’d happily pocket a slightly larger device to accommodate an oven that could be cleared less frequently.
There’s also nothing in the heating chamber keeping the lower screen attached, making it relatively simple to dump it out when clearing vaporized plant matter to make room for a new bowl. I’ve already lost one screen to a friend’s trash can and, while I’m happy to report the V2 Pro Series 7 includes a few extras, it would be great if this issue is eliminated in the Series 8 (or whatever comes next). The V2 Pro could also use some kind of seal in the mouthpiece to prevent vapor leakage between hits.
All things considered, the V2 Pro Series 7 feels like a sound investment; matching the vapor quality of more-expensive devices, like the aforementioned PAX or PAX 2, while shipping with a slightly lower price tag than many comparable vaporizers. The Series 7 still comes in a bit more expensive than other mid-tier vaporizers, like ZeusArsenal’s Smite, but its performance easily justifies the increased cost.
Those trying to keep costs down, particularly those who were already hoping to spend $100 or less on a portable vaporizer, may not feel as though the V2 Pro Series 7 justifies its $170 price tag. It would also be nice to see V2 offer a Series 7 package bundling the loose-leaf and concentrate cartridges, since I suspect a fair number of people buying the Series 7 don’t ever plan to use it for nicotine consumption.
That said, the V2 Pro Series 7 will make a believer out of anyone willing to spend $170 on a portable vaporizer; especially those who live in areas where cannabis concentrates are still hard to come by. Its loose-leaf vapor is pleasant from start to finish, a rarity in an era where many vaporizers still struggle with that burnt popcorn taste on the last few hits, and the V2 Pro Series 7 seems more than capable of accommodating a wide variety of daily vaporizing habits.
Full Disclosure: The V2 Pro Series 7 vaporizer used for this review was provided by a representative of V2; however, the company was not given any sort of editorial oversight/privileges.
Be sure to check back with iDigitalTimes.com and follow Scott on Twitter for more cannabis-related gadget reviews throughout the remainder of 2015 and for however long the industry continues to churn out new/interesting gadgets in the years to come.
