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Smaller, lighter, smarter and just better all round than the original 2013 Firefly, the Firefly 2 Vaporizer is a unique vape in terms of heating (all convection), design and vapor quality. Swappable batteries, and an app to toggle between (and fine-tune) temperature profiles and the best tasting concentrates we’ve had from a portable make the Firefly2 one of the stand out devices currently on the market.
With excellent vapor quality and key improvements on the original, the Firefly 2 Vaporizer is a great portable vaporizer, even if it’s not as user-friendly right out of the box as other high-end devices.
In 2013 we gave the first Firefly a mixed review. We praised it for being one of the first portable dry herb vaporizers to offer on-demand convection heating at the touch of a button. It was a simple device to use, provided decent vapor quality and was clearly an innovative design.
But it fell short in terms of temperature control, a short battery life, and difficult heat profile to master. It’s all-metal shell also made it a bit of a clunker; heavy and a bit cumbersome, which was a shame given its elegance under the hood.
Smaller & lighter
The Firefly 2 Vaporizer is the second attempt from Firefly Vapor. It is 33% smaller and 55% lighter than the original and features on-demand convection heating at the touch of a button and a glass vapor path for instant flavourful vapor.
Most vaporizers have a 1 – 2 minute heat up time and once they reach the set temperature they maintain it during the entire session. While an effective way to vaporize it can be a bit wasteful because the herb is cooking even if you are not drawing from the device.
Always at the ready
The Firefly 2 Vaporizer does not have an on/off function but is constantly on and in standby mode. There are two ‘capacitive touch activation’ sensors, which we’re calling buttons, one on either side of the unit.
With the Firefly2, your herbs are only heated when you press the finger-sensitive button(s) wait for the flashing green light to turn solid in a few seconds and begin drawing from the unit. Once you let go and stop, drawing your herb no longer cooks, helping to maintain its flavorsome resin for the next draw.
You can choose via the app whether you prefer to press one or both buttons to create heat. I felt two made the device uncomfortable on the wrist, but when I opted for the single button I was constantly initiating heat up when filling the oven or passing the Firefly around. Frankly, neither option is perfect, but that’s a small gripe.
Out of the lovely box
The Firefly 2 Vaporizer arrives as beautifully packaged as one would expect from a vape at the top of the portable range. The moment you open the box you feel like you are getting a quality product, and the Firefly 2 is indeed sleek and sexy.
Its reduced weight and size feels much better than the previous model, while still maintaining a quality feel to it.
Swappable batteries
Much of the weight reduction comes from the smaller yet more powerful – and removable – 770 mAH lithium ion battery. There’s also a spare battery to ensure you are never without juice – a welcome addition to the Firefly 2, as the original did suffer from poor battery life.
Charging is via a USB-supplied contact cradle. Just lay the Firefly down in it and wait a couple of hours and you’re good to go.
Cooling faceplate
The magnetic faceplate made of magnesium alloy, with its quartz window built into it so you can watch your herb cooking, is a joy to behold.
The moderately sized oven is revealed under this faceplate, as with the original ‘Fly, held in place magnetically and with a rubber seal. This can be a little fiddly to snap back in place perfectly.
The oven is made from borosilicate glass, good for around 0.2 grams of finely ground herb. Also like the original, it visibly glows orange as it heats up, and can be seen from the side and through the window in the covering plate. Hence ‘Firefly’.
Green light for go
When the green light turns solid you are ready to start drawing from the mouthpiece. For best results, we recommend very slow, long draws. The device goes back into standby mode after pressing the buttons for 30 seconds, and for the best draws, you will want to inhale for that entire duration.
It’s a sipping method that does have a fairly steep learning curve; you basically have to unlearn everything you knew about vaporizers and start afresh with this device.
If you find yourself underwhelmed after the first session do not be discouraged. We had the same sense of “is this it?”, but after a couple more sessions we figured out how to take correct draws for some very nice vapor. Cool, thanks to the long vapor path under the metal faceplate, and very flavorsome thanks to the convection heating.
App access to temp profiles
One of the biggest issues with the original Firefly was its lack of temperature flexibility. The Firefly 2 Vaporizer fixes this by having temperature control accessed through the Bluetooth Firefly app. This offers access to 6 temperature settings, 5 for herbs and 1 for concentrate. It’s also where you choose which buttons need to be pressed to heat the device.
With the herbs setting you can choose between low (171 C), medium-low (182 C), medium (193 C), medium-high (204 C), and high (215 C). This gives you a decent range to work with and you should find a temperature that works for you.
Concentrates & power tuning
The concentrate mode heats the device up to 260 C, which is perfect for waxes but will ignite herbs, so always make sure you know what mode you are in before using the device.
Make sure you update your Firefly 2 to the newest firmware (by connecting the Firefly to the app with an internet connection). You will be able to “Power Tune” the fixed heat settings by up to 11%. This means the highest setting of 215 C will be boosted to a max of 230 C. It’s a nice customization option to find the type of vapor you prefer.
Exceptional vapor quality
With the learning curve mastered and the right heat setting, vapor quality from the Firefly 2 Vaporizer is outstanding. You can really taste all of the subtle flavors
If you want decent sized clouds we recommend the highest herb setting (high) and the power tuning setting cranked up to 111%. Even at this outer limit still the Firefly2 manages to deliver a pure flavor, though this will diminish through the session.
On lower heat settings, vapor is thinner but some of the best tasting currently available. Note that to ensure an even cook and get everything out of your herb you need to stir the bowl after every 3 or 4 draws. The Firefly 2 lacks a built in stirring tool, so you will have to remember to carry the one that arrived in the box to ensure an efficient session.
Very good for concentrates
We mentioned that this baby can handle waxes and concentrates with the use of mesh liquid pads and by changing the heat profile to “Concentrate Mode”.
We’ve found most vapes offering dry herb and concentrate compatibility do not do so very well. But the Firefly 2 really handles concentrates well, producing the best taste experience we’ve had the pleasure of, even with small amounts of concentrate.
So-so power
With moderate use, a single battery gets roughly 3 – 4 complete cooks, depending on temperature setting. While not great, with the second battery you will be able to get about 6 – 8 sessions out of the Firefly without needing to charge it.
The dual battery system would have been a perfect solution but for one major drawback: the battery must be in the unit in order for it to charge. So if a battery is dead and you swap it for a fresh one, you can’t charge the dead battery until you have finished your session. This almost negates the benefit of having the extra battery.
Hopefully, a future Firefly (or a new dock accessory) will adopt a system similar to that used by the Prima, which allows its spare battery to charge in an external charger, independently of the device.
Stealth/portability
The Firefly2 is still on the large side of portable when compared to the similarly-priced Pax3 or G-Pen Elite. But it will still fit in a back pocket or a bag if you want to take it out and about. Nor is it exactly stealthy to use, being smoked like a big fat cigar. In its favor, the device does not emit much of a smell, especially at lower temperatures.
But if you want a whole day’s use you will find the need for all the external accessories a bit of a hassle. You’re going to need the second battery, maybe even the charging dock and USB cable – and that stirring stick we mentioned. All in all, travelling while keeping the Firefly up and running can be a bit annoying.
And then there’s the need for your phone if you want to change temperatures, as the only way to swap profiles is via the app. This too can be annoying, especially if you like to ‘step’ your heating (slowly increase the temp as you use it), as you’ll be on and off your phone the whole time.
Firefly 2 Vaporizer Conclusion
The first Firefly was a revolutionary, technically advanced but ultimately flawed addition to the premium portable vape market. This widely anticipated successor is smaller, lighter and smarter. A big improvement over the previous model that provides some of the best vapor quality we have experienced.
While not perfect, the Firefly 2 is a unique device that deserves hands-on use to really appreciate. After you get over the learning curve it’s a pleasure to use, providing flavorful on-demand convection vapor at the touch of a button.
It’s great if you want to quick sessions without the heat up time of other vaporizers, to put it down and pick it up again later while remaining efficient with a smaller amount of herb. It also does a super job vaporizing concentrates and provided one of the most flavorful wax experiences to date.