Silicon Valley looks poised to cash in – and cash in big, too – as cannabis legalization across the United States spreads like wildfire, so to speak. With cannabis legalization one of the foremost issues in the November 2020 elections, the weed tech industry expects to see significant progress in their sales, too.
And the release of the Firefly 2 Plus may well add fuel to the fire! The Firefly 2 Plus is a cannabis vaporizer compatible with oil concentrates, and it’s the latest weed tech from the company known for its aggressive approach toward cannabis tech.
Unlike conventional vaporizers, or vapes, the Firefly 2 Plus comes with a compatible app that allows its user to control a wide range of features. From the mobile-downloadable app, a user can set the vaporizer’s temperature, as well as choose a calibration slider and buttons for heating it up.
The secret to success for the Firefly 2 Plus is in its precision temperature control. Emphasis must be made that the vaporizer’s temperature is key to the enjoyment of cannabis and its medicinal properties.
The active ingredients in THC and CBD, including cannabinoids and terpenes, should be heated to their boiling point so that these are released as vapor. The so-called Goldilocks temperature has to be achieved – hot but not too hot – and this is where Firefly 2 Plus’ precise temperature control function comes in.
The app features a full spectrum of temperature settings from 200°F to 500°F, which are adjustable in 10°F increments. The calibration slider, furthermore, can be used in finer incremental adjustments, a handy feature for getting a smoother drag or enjoying a richer flavor.
The app’s interface is intuitive, too, with a simple and straightforward design that even a first-time user will appreciate. But if more instructions are needed, then there are instructional videos on the app’s Information section for this purpose.
But there’s room for improvement on the app. For one thing, there’s no temperature readout on the vaporizer itself, and it can be inconvenient for a user to check his smartphone for information on the matter. For another thing, there’s no function for cycling through the temperature settings’ full range without the app.
These downsides notwithstanding, Firefly 2 Plus has handy magnetic lids and a small window that allows a user to see the contents within the vaporizer. It uses dynamic convection, a patented process, wherein the vaporizer heats up to its pre-selected temperature setting with every drag. In contrast, other weed tech devices preheats to the selected temperature at the beginning and maintains it.
But like most vaporizers in the market, it takes about 15 seconds for the vaporizer to heat up after turning it on. Then, it’s a matter of dragging at will until the session is done.
The Firefly 2 Plus is relatively easy to use, too, although it may take one or two practice sessions to master its operation. Be sure to hold your finger against the buttons on either side of the vaporizer, wait until the green light flashes, and start hitting. You can use either both the buttons on each side or just one button on one side – the app allows its selection.
The vaporizer doesn’t have a power button but it doesn’t need it, thanks to the dynamic convection technique. With every press on its button, it automatically heats up and then cools down after a hit. The dynamic convection technique also allows more precise temperature control, gentler heating, and lesser waste of vapor between hits.
The Firefly 2 Plus can be recharged, too. It comes with a charging cradle.
The interior borosilicate glass bowl and glass piping in the mouthpiece make the vaporizer look more luxurious, if not more durable, than many vaporizers in the market. But there are users who complain that it has an angular design, large size, and plastic-ky feel to it, too.
The Firefly 2 Plus is an upgrade over the Firefly 2 but not by a significant degree. The only improvement seen by early reviewers is in the improved airflow that allows for easier inhalations.
The price for the Firefly 2 Plus is more affordable, too – at $250 per unit, it is $80 cheaper than its predecessor. This is a more competitive price that its manufacturer hopes will attract more people to buy than, say, the DaVinci IQ or the Pax 3.
Its release isn’t an accident either, and it’s true for weed tech devices being released nowadays. The legal weed market is on a roll and the burgeoning tech industry catering to it is keeping pace. The number of weed tech companies is on the rise, too.
In the United States, there are more than 30 states that have legalized marijuana in one form or another. In North America, furthermore, the sales of legal marijuana are on the rise, from $6.7 billion in 2016 to over $10 billion in 2018 – and it may well increase in 2019. New Frontier Data, a cannabis market research firm, projects that sales will reach $24.5 billion by 2025.
Cannabis may not be for everybody but with weed tech becoming more sophisticated, its audience will likely expand, too.
