If you've been dry herb vaping long, you know that not all devices are created equal. You probably started with a budget device, which means you struggled with flavor quality, frequent clogs, poor battery life, and limited heating options. Fortunately, dry herb vaping has taken off, and there are several high-end, top-notch devices available for fantastic dry herb vaping.
Two of the most popular devices that have popped up are the Firefly 2+ and the Davinci IQ. While both devices handle dry herb vaping well, they offer very different vaping experiences. Below, we'll talk about where each of these devices excel, and how a discerning shopper can choose between the Firefly vs. Davinci IQ to get the device that is the best fit for their vaping needs.
Firefly 2+ vs Davinci IQ
Both the Firefly 2+ and the Davinci IQ do their jobs extremely well. They have fantastic builds, sleek, modern designs, and produce excellent vapor. However, there are significant differences between these devices, specifically regarding how these devices heat dry herbs to create vapor.
Figure 1 Hand holding Firefly 2+ loaded with dry herbs.
The Firefly 2+ uses convection heating. This means that the heated air is released (similar to an oven), which creates vapor from the dry herbs. The Davinci IQ uses conduction heating, which means the dry herb will need to make contact with a hot surface in order to produce vapor. These heating differences will be important as we take an in-depth look at these devices, so keep them in mind.
Manufacturing Quality
The Firefly 2+ has excellent manufacturing quality. It features a stainless-steel body, a borosilicate glass vapor path to a food-grade plastic mouthpiece, and a removable battery. The heating chamber has a .15-gram capacity, which is sufficient for most vapers to have a full vaping session. Very few would have an issue with the overall build quality of the Firefly 2+.
The Davinci IQ also offers an excellent build. It features an all-ceramic vapor path, a removable 18650 battery, and a .3 gram heating chamber. With a generous heating chamber and solid battery power, the Davinci IQ will disappoint few vapers with its build.
Vaporizer Ease of Use
The Firefly 2+ is really easy-to-use. You connect the device to a companion app or desktop app for precision heating options and then press sensors on each side of the vape to make it fire. It will take a few sessions to get used to vaping on the Firefly 2+ (taking a draw requires more pull than what some vapers might be used to) but there aren't any significant roadblocks.
The Davinci IQ is also easy-to-use. However, instead of a learning curve of how to take appropriate pulls, the Davinci IQ will take a few sessions to get used to the variety of onboard heating options (though Davinci also has a companion app).
Just like with the Firefly, this device will only take a few sessions for vapers to feel comfortable adjusting heating options and puffing vapor.
Device Portability
Dry herb vapes are notoriously travel-unfriendly. Their heating chambers make it difficult to create a slim design profile, and the fact that you need to heat up dry herbs to make vapor (and potentially reload a heating chamber), is not always convenient when you may only have a few moments to take a quick puff.
The Firefly 2+ resolves many of these travel issues. It's a comfortable size, so bulkiness won't cause you any problems. It provides on-demand vapor, which means you can go from a cold device to taking a quick puff in less than 10 seconds. Since the batteries can be swapped, you can plan on having several vape sessions throughout the day without needing to recharge.
The Davinci IQ is also extremely travel-friendly. It has a super-slim profile, which means it will pack more conveniently than the Firefly 2+. While it doesn't support on-demand heating, its inconspicuous design is helpful in not drawing attention to yourself when you want to take a hit.
Even though dry herb vapes don't tend to be travel friendly, both the Firefly 2+ and the Davinci IQ break that stereotype.
Design
The overall design of these devices is where you'll start to see some major differences. The Firefly 2+ uses a removable faceplate to load the heating chamber. Then, sensors on each side of the device are touched in order to get vapor production going. You can cycle through some preset heating options, though the companion app offers far more options.
Figure 2 Davinci IQ on ground with temperature setting displayed.
The Davinci IQ will actually load at the bottom of the device. This is where the heating plate is, and vapor will travel upwards from here into the mouthpiece. You'll have more access to heating options on the physical device, though the Davinci also uses a companion app.
Battery Life
Both devices offer great battery life, but you'll find that each has its own unique perks and drawbacks in this area. The Davinci IQ will last a bit longer than the Firefly 2+ (the Firefly uses smaller batteries). The Davinci will last to upwards of seven vaping sessions before needing to recharge.
The Davinci IQ also uses 18650 batteries. This size of battery is extremely common among box mod vaporizers, so you may have a handful already. This can make it easy to swap batteries out for all-day vaping without needing to buy a bunch of spares. Finally, you can expect batteries for the Davinci to take around two hours to fully charge.
Figure 3 Example of an 18650-lithium battery
The Firefly 2+ will last around six sessions and also uses proprietary batteries, so while they are exchangeable (and each device comes with two), you'll have to buy more if you plan on extensive all-day vaping.
However, the Firefly 2+ has an enormous advantage in charge time. It will only take a battery 45 minutes to reach a full charge, which is less than half the time for the Davinci. You'll want to decide if a fast recharge time is more important or if a slightly longer vaping time is what you are looking for.
Heat-up Time
The Firefly has the clear advantage with heat-up time. It can produce vapor in as little as three seconds, though normal times range between three and ten seconds. Even on the high-end, the Firefly 2+ has an incredible heat-up time that most devices on the market can't match.
The Davinci IQ has a heat-up time of around a minute. While this pales in comparison to the Firefly, it's actually not that bad when you compare it to other devices in the market. However, if speed is an important factor for you, then the Firefly will unquestionably offer the best experience.
Temperature Controls
Both devices benefit from a companion app that helps to fine-tune heat control. The Davinci IQ offers degree-precision heating, so it'll be easy to find the sweet spot for your dry herbs. The Davinci also offers "smart paths," which are based around the boiling points of different cannabinoids, which can help fine-tune the vaping experience for those new to cannabis.
The Firefly 2+ also offers degree-precision heating. It also offers special heating called "dynamic convection." When you set your heating temperature and take a draw, the Firefly 2+ will actually work its way up to your setting while you draw. The idea is to inhale each cannabinoid as it evaporates across the temperature spectrum.
This dynamic convection is why the Firefly 2+ produces vapor that just tastes good. This feature doesn't require set up, it happens automatically with each puff!
Vapor Quality
As we just mentioned, the Firefly 2+ creates vapor with unmatched quality. Between the dynamic heating, the convection design, and the glass vapor path, you'll get incredible tasting vapor with each draw. After your first few sessions, you'll be pulling delicious vapor with every single puff.
The Davinci IQ also produces high-quality vapor. However, the traditional conduction heating will limit how consistent that vapor quality is, though it's safe to say that the Davinci will still produce solid vapor. It's all-ceramic pathway and great heating options will still produce a great vaping experience for those that enjoy conduction vaping.
Features
The Firefly 2+ offers on-demand, dynamic convection heating that is supported by a companion app. Aside from that, you won't see many other features, since the device is dedicated to straightforward, dry herb vaping.
Figure 4 Wood-grain Firefly 2+ held in hand
The Davinci IQ offers precision conduction heating that is also supported by a companion app. In addition to precision heating, you'll have access to "smart paths." As we mentioned before, these smart paths are designed to target different boiling points for different cannabinoids, so you can more accurately control what you vaporize and your high.
Smart paths are great for beginners, but precision heating in both devices will allow manual targeting of cannabinoids.
Performance
Vapers will love the performance of each device, though you'll want to be sure you pick the device that fits your vaping habits best. The Davinci IQ takes longer to heat but is packed with beginner-friendly heating options. It will provide more vaping sessions and will create larger plumes of vapor.
The Firefly 2+ offers on-demand heating, straightforward precision heating options, but offers less battery life (though batteries charge more quickly). The dynamic convection technology produces superior vapor taste and will produce less vapor compared to the Davinci IQ, though the vapor won't be any less potent.
Cleaning
The Firefly 2+ is one of the most easily cleaned vaporizers on the market. All you have to do is remove the metal faceplate and gently use a cotton swab with rubbing alcohol to remove residue. You can remove the mouthpiece and easily clean the vapor path and the filter screen.
The Davinci IQ takes a bit more effort to clean. You'll need to remove the heating chamber and use a brush to give the vapor path a thorough cleaning. However, since the internal components are ceramic, you won't need to worry about accidentally breaking or damaging these components.
Overall, neither device is particularly difficult to clean, though the Firefly 2+ happens to be especially easy to clean.
Conclusion
Both the Firefly 2+ and the Davinci IQ offer an excellent vaping experience. While each offers its own unique perks, there's also a lot of overlap between the positive benefits they offer (like app-controlled precision heating and removable batteries). To summarize, here's a quick look at each of their strongest benefits.
The Firefly 2+ offers:
- On-demand heating
- Dynamic Convection heating
- An emphasis on vapor flavor
- Extremely easy cleaning
The Davinci IQ offers:
- Sleek and small design
- Longer battery life with 18650 batteries
- Beginner-friendly heating profiles
- More vapor production (at the expense of flavor)
Now, it's time for you to choose. There's not an objective right or wrong answer for which vape is better. Instead, you'll need to take a catalog of what you want most out of a vaporizer and see which device best fits what you want. If you take the time to make sure you know what you're looking for, you'll likely land on the perfect device for you!
