Arizer Solo 2 Vaporizer Review

The Solo 2 is a portable hybrid vaporizer made by Arizer vaporizers. This is the third portable vaporizer made by Arizer, with the first being the OG Solo and the second being the Air. They also have the Air SE, ArGo, Air Max, XQ2, and the Extreme-Q desktop vaporizer.

The Solo models are not necessarily known for ultimate portability but rather for very impressive battery life and great vapor quality. I’ve been averaging close to three hours of battery life on a full charge with the Solo 2, which is absolutely insane! That’s literally 15-20 sessions without needing to charge the battery. It heats up in less than 20 seconds, comes with an on-vape digital display, and offers a full temp spectrum.

The only downsides are the overall size and weight of the unit. It is pocketable, but I’m not a big fan of carrying around a glass stem with me on the go, especially if I’m out mountain biking or skiing. Basically, if you need a vaporizer with the best battery life (no questions asked) currently available on the market, you want the Arizer Solo 2.

You can click here to check out the Solo 2 directly from Arizer. Read on below to get my full Arizer Solo 2 vaporizer review, and if you don’t quite know which Arizer to get, check out my Arizer Vaporizer Buying Guide for more info on ALL the Arizer vaporizers.

Size, Portability, and Build Quality

Solo 2 Size – The overall size is the least appealing feature of the Solo 2. While it can be pocketed, I’d much rather use it at home out on the deck or chilling watching a movie. It is slimmer than the OG Solo but actually weighs more overall. The slimmer body feels MUCH better in the pocket.

Portability – I consider the OG Solo and the new SOLO 2 home-use type vaporizers. Meaning they are better suited for carrying room to room or hanging out in the yard grilling. They CAN be pocketed for use on the go but not only do you have a 210-gram hunk of metal in your pocket, but you’re also carrying around a glass stem.

Now don’t get me wrong, it can be done, and it’s a great vaporizer to take on a hike through the woods. But it’s not the best if you plan on doing anything a little more aggressive, like biking, skiing, skating, etc. Falling with the glass stem in your pocket doesn’t sound like fun.

Build Quality – The one thing that seems will never change with Arizer products is the overall quality and craftsmanship of their products.

The Arizer vaporizers are built like tanks! I’ve literally seen a picture of a dude that ran over his OG Solo with his car and the unit still worked.

Everything fits together nicely. The display is very bright, easy to read, and can be dimmed if needed. The buttons feel nice and very responsive. It’s just a quality made vaporizer from a quality company.

The outer shell is a brushed finish and seems fairly resistant to scratches. Really the only thing that you’ll ever have to worry about breaking is the glass stem. Luckily, it comes with two, and they are inexpensive if you need an extra or two.

Display – Powered on the device will show the current temp, pre-set temp, and your current battery life. The menu lets you change the audio (off, low, medium, high), the session length timer, Fahrenheit or Celsius, display brightness (low, medium, high), and the time needed to power on the device (4, 6, 8 seconds).

Arizer Solo 2 Accessories

With the Solo 2 you get two mouthpieces (with silicone caps), one short and one long. You also get a potpourri dish, an external DC wall charger, and a slick little carrying case.  Lastly, you get some cleaning tools, extra screens, and the Solo 2 itself.

Heating Specs and Temp Options

• Full temp spectrum 122F – 428F
• Fast heat-up ~20 seconds to 400. The first couple of hits are weaker until the bowl becomes a bit more heat soaked.
• Hold the top button and menu button simultaneously to turn on the solo 2.
• The unit does NOT automatically begin heating when powered on. Need to press the up arrow to begin heating the bowl.
• The session timer is set to 10 minutes by default. You can change it to anything between 5-15 minutes. I recommend setting it to 7-8 minutes to save battery life and herb if you forget that it’s running.

Vapor Quality, Draw Resistance, and Usage Tips

Vapor Quality – Arizer vaporizers are known for superior taste with smooth, cool vapor. Solo 2 is no different. They have used the most powerful heater yet in the Solo 2, and I feel like the overall consistency is much better because of that. I can also get HUGE clouds quicker with this unit. The OG Solo and the Air will definitely push out huge clouds as well, but it takes a bit more time to get there.

Draw Resistance – Not only is the heater more powerful, but it also decreases the overall draw resistance meaning that it’s easier to draw from. I’d say the overall draw resistance is down about 25% from the OG solo.

The main thing that will increase draw resistance is letting debris collect on the screen in the stem. Make sure and brush out the bowl immediately after a session when possible to keep down on cleaning and draw resistance.

Usage Tips – First and foremost, the Solo 2 will need a medium-coarse grind for the best results. A fine grind will produce the thickest clouds but you’re more likely to get treats. Finer materials will also clog up the screen faster, which increases draw resistance and routine maintenance. I prefer to use my Space Grinder or the Santa Cruz Shredder for the best results.

The other tip I have for the Solo 2 is to slow down your draw until you feel barely any resistance. Think of it like sipping through a thick milkshake.

Lastly, if you’re trying to save herb for another session or keep down on the smell, I recommend turning off the unit towards the end of your session and continuing to take a couple of rips until the unit cools down. This will help get the most out of your herbs and also save a bit of battery life.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Cleaning the Solo Vaporizer – The biggest issue with the Arizer products, in general, is the screen in the stems. Materials will collect in the screen if you don’t brush out the chamber after every session. This will increase draw resistance and decrease overall enjoyment. The unit itself requires practically zero cleaning or maintenance.

Maintenance – There’s really no way that you can completely avoid getting materials on the screens. However, you can slow down the process by emptying the chamber out immediately after a session and brushing out any materials left over.

You can also change screens frequently to avoid the problem altogether OR just remove the screen and let it sit in some ISO. Rinse it off with some warm water and let it completely dry before throwing it back in the chamber.

Solo 2 Battery Information

Average Battery Life – I’ve been averaging about 2 hours and 50 minutes of battery life on a full charge which is insane. Granted, the Solo 2 is definitely bigger and heavier than most other portables, but you CAN still pocket it for use on the go. I was able to get about 17 sessions on average before the battery died.

Avg Charging Times – I’ve been averaging exactly the same charge times at 2 hours and 50 minutes. So it’s safe to say about three hours of use to three hours of charging.

Charging Options – The Solo 2 charges via an external DC wall charger. It does have pass-through charging but it needs to charge for 5-10 minutes before starting a session. It will not operate if the battery is completely dead.

Solo 2 Vaporizer Comparisons

Arizer Air 2 and OG Solo – The biggest differences between the new Solo 2 and the older units are a full temp spectrum, much faster heat-up times, a more powerful heater, and a digital display. It’s basically a beefier, more “high-tech” version of the OG Solo.

The biggest differences performance-wise are about a 25% reduction in draw resistance and the unit does heat up much faster.

The new upgrades have the Solo 2 competing with some of the best vaporizers on the market. I would still go for the Air 2 if you want a more portable option and replaceable batteries. You don’t get the full temp spectrum and digital display, but you still get the same smooth, consistent sessions with great taste in a fraction of the size.

Mighty – If the only factor that you care about is overall battery life per full charge, the Solo 2 has the Mighty by about 10-12 sessions. That’s about 90 minutes more use on a full charge. But I prefer the Mighty in almost all other categories, including overall portability, cleaning and maintenance, ease of use, and overall enjoyment of use.

I’ve been using my Mighty vaporizer pretty much daily for almost three years now. You just can’t beat how easy the Mighty is to own and operate.

You get the same features (full display, full temp spectrum), but the heat-up time is about 60 seconds instead of 20 on the Solo 2. You also lose about half the battery life. But on the flip side, the Mighty will fully charge from dead in 90 minutes instead of 180 on the Solo 2.

Both units have pass-through charging, and both units require a small amount of charge in order to use. If the price is not a factor, I would definitely pick the Mighty. However, it is a fairly big price difference. Check out my Mighty Plus Review for more info.

Davinci IQ 2 – I added the IQ 2 here because it’s one of the only conduction vaporizers to rival the taste and smoothness offered in both the Solo 2 and Mighty. It’s also WAYYYY more portable. So if you’re looking for a solid session-style vaporizer that’s a little more pocket friendly, I would check out the Davinci IQ 2.

You get a full temp spectrum, replaceable batteries, tons of customization via the Davinci Smartphone app, and a 10-year warranty. Read more in my Davinci IQ 2 review.

Solo 2 Review Wrap-Up

The upgrades to the Solo 2 are exactly what was needed. Nothing more, nothing less. It’s not a game-changer by any means, nor is it really truly portable. But the Solo 2 offers one of the best session-style experiences (along with the Mighty but at a better price) that you can currently get out of a portable vaporizer. It’s reliable, durable, and produces consistent results.

I used the OG Solo exclusively back in the day for about a year, and it was my all-time favorite. Arizer took everything that I love about the OG, added in some much-needed improvements, and hit a home run with the Solo 2.

The Solo 2 retails for $165, but you can usually catch it on sale. Check out the Solo 2 directly from Arizer here. Thanks for checking out my Arizer Solo 2 vaporizer review, and be sure to leave any comments or questions down below.

Buying Options and Coupon Codes

Technical Specs

Pros and Cons

Arizer Solo 2 Vaporizer

The Solo 2 is a dry herb handheld portable vaporizer made by the Canadian company Arizer. The Solo 2 vaporizer features a full temp spectrum, hybrid heating, and the Solo 2 is known for having the best battery life of any portable vaporizer.

Product Brand: Arizer

Editor's Rating:
9

Pros

• Price
• Battery Life
• Vapor Quality
• Ease of Use
• All Glass Vapor Path
• Cleaning/Maintenance

Cons

• Size
• Draw Resistance