Puffco Peak Pro Review and Guide
Review Summary
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Background
The Peak by Puffco is one of the first portable eRigs that was released in 2018. It has a wide and sturdy base, a cone-shaped glass bubbler, and a ceramic heating bowl that produces good-tasting vapor. Puffco Peak Pro was released this November 2020 and retained its intuitive and straightforward design while receiving several upgrades-
- 40% bigger bowl capacity
- Larger water volume capacity
- Longer battery life
- Smartphone app compatible
- Customizable LED Ring & Logo
- USB-C charging ports and Wireless Qi Function
- New ‘Oculus’ Carb Cap
- Real-Time Temperature Control
As you can see, the Peak Pro improved in every aspect, and we’ll expect that it will be better than its predecessor. Let’s further discuss its performance and vapor quality in the review below.
What’s In The Box
Puffco redesigned the travel case that keeps the Puffco Peak Pro in place. It now has a handle that makes it more comfortable to carry and has two small compartments that store other accessories. The kit includes:
- Peak Pro
- Loading Tool & Cleaning Swabs
- Carb Cap & Tether
- USB-C Charger
- User Manual
Additional Accessories:
Power Dock – This serves as a sturdy base for the Peak Pro when not in use. It’s a wireless charger that keeps the device charged even when unplugged. It also has a built-in battery, which you can use to charge your USB devices.
Travel Pack – As the original Peak, the Peak Pro also has a ‘travel pack’ that includes storage to store cleaning tools and a vaping tool, an extra hinging tether for the carb cab, and an angled silicone mouthpiece which makes inhaling from the device easier.
Design & Features
Puffco Peak Pro retains the same conical-shaped design yet has a more refined look than the original. It stands 8″ tall, which is a little bit taller than the original, and under 3″ wide. There are some notable upgrades which we will point out from the three main components:
The Water Bubbler
The Water Bubbler is made of tough and heat-resistant borosilicate glass, which is similar to the original. The difference is it’s a little taller and slightly tapered, so it can hold more water to filter the vapor for smoother and cleaner hits. It also helps with preventing splashbacks, which is the case on the Peak’s water bubbler.
The Peak Pro is also backward compatible with any Peak’s glass bubbler, so if you own a cool custom glass piece for your Peak, you can certainly fit it with the Peak Pro.
The Base
The base has an iconic Puffco logo in the back and a LED ring at the bottom that indicates current temperature and other settings. It has a tactile power button at the front, so you wouldn’t have a hard time to turn on/off the device or cycle through four voltage settings.
It has a wide bottom, so it’s pretty stable, and now has a metallic finish rather than having a glossy surface. This is a small improvement from the standard Peak, which I personally like since it won’t be a fingerprint magnet and prone to scratches. Another notable upgrade is the curved edges, making it more comfortable to hold and pass around in group sessions.
The Heating Coil
The Ceramic coil received an upgrade- it’s 40% larger and a ‘sensor’ that communicates with the onboard microchip to provide a more controlled vaping experience. The sensor monitors the bowl’s temperature, and the Peak Pro will make micro-adjustments to keep the bowl’s temperature at all times. So no matter how hard you inhale or how big the extract you put in, it’ll maintain the exact temperature and efficiently vape the concentrate.
In my opinion, this is the stand-out feature of the Pro since most eRigs don’t have a temperature sensor and gives the coil full power the entire hit- this results in a burnt or wasted concentrate and can make the coil harder to clean. I also want to point out the new carb cap with a circular window on top, so you can now see the concentrate while heating up.
How To Use
The Peak Pro is pretty straightforward to use, and nothing much has changed from the way how to use it:
- Remove the Water Bubbler from the base and fill it with water above the air holes.
- Align the airpath hole with the front of the chamber, then push back the bubbler into the base.
- Turn on the device by holding the power button for 3 seconds.
- Concentrate a little concentrate using the loading tool, then cover the bowl with the carb cap.
- Click the button once to cycle through the heat settings.
- Once you set your desired temperature, double-click to start heating.
- When the Peak vibrates, inhale from the mouthpiece.
Temperature Selection: Blue (480°F) | Green (510°F) | Red (530°F) | White (545°F)
Boost Mode: While the device is heating up, double-tap the power button to activate the boost mode. It will extend the session’s duration and bump the temperature.
Stealth Mode: Click the button four times to enter Stealth Mode. This mode will turn off all lights and indicators so that you won’t attract attention to yourself.
Smartphone App
The Peak Pro features a smartphone app that unlocks the full potential of the device. With the app, you can:
- View info such as battery life, live temperature, and current/overall concentrate consumption.
- Create and customize your heat setting, which you can set the temperature from 450°F-620°F and adjust the heat timer up to 2 minutes (default is 15 seconds).
- Change the color of the LEDs as well as reduce the brightness or turn it off completely.
- Activate the ‘Lantern Mode,’ which allows you to choose lighting profiles such as Pulse, Wave, Disco, and Stealth Mode.
- Activate the ‘Ready Mode’ if you already own a Power Dock. Once activated, the Peak Pro will heat up to the last known heat profile whenever you remove it from the dock.
The Peak Pro is plug-and-play, and installing the app is optional. But I recommend everyone to use it since it unlocks new features and allows you to tweak things to your likings. Keep in mind that if you own an iPhone, you’ll need to download a Bluetooth browser to use the app, which seems a little inconvenient.
Performance & Vapor Quality
The original Peak was already one of the few eRigs that produce fine-quality vapor, but the Peak Pro is currently on top of the list. Everything that was a slight inconvenience on using the Peak has been improved in the Pro version. It also introduced a never-before-seen ‘real-time temp control’ that prevents the concentrate from getting burned, resulting in a much more potent and tastier vapor.
The vapor is smooth and tasty on the bottom two temp settings, and the vapor gets harsh and intense on higher temp settings. I usually vape at the lowest temperature since it’s the spot where I taste the full flavor of my concentrate without sacrificing vapor production. All in all, As for the performance and vapor quality, I won’t be surprised if the Peak Pro will be the standard-bearer of next-gen eRigs.
Battery Performance: The Puffco Peak Pro lasts up to 20-30 vaping sessions and probably lasts a few days of casual vaping. Though the battery life is quite similar to the previous model, the Puffco Peak Pro now has a USB-C charger rather than a micro-USB. It means the Peak Pro can fully charge within an hour and a half.
Bottom Line
Puffco spent three years reimagining the original Peak, and they certainly deserve a round of applause. The Peak Pro has an improved battery life, a larger ceramic bowl, a Wireless Qi charging function, and an app that unlocks the device’s full potential. On top of that, the ‘real-time temp control is a ground-breaking feature, which is something I’ll be expecting from other vapes in 2021.
If you already own a Peak, the Pro version is a must. It’s simple and straightforward for beginners and powerful enough to produce good-tasting vapor for veteran users. However, it has a hefty price of $400, which is considered one of the industry’s expensive eRigs.
