Arizer ArGo vs Firefly 2 – Variable Vapor
Arizer ArGo vs Firefly 2
Vapor QualityBoth of these have stellar vapor quality. Both feature all-glass vapor paths, high-quality flavor and top notch performance. They do vary quite a bit, however. The Firefly 2 has hands down the tastiest flavor from any portable Ive yet to try, period. Im not sure which witchcraft they use, however, the vapor is incredibly smooth and absolutely delicious! The Firefly 2 excels at extracting all the flavonoids and terpenes from your material, making it highly efficient too. A true flavor chasers device, and excellent for the connoisseurs out there! This comes at a price beyond the price tag though. The drawing technique and draw resistance hugely affect the experience youll get from the Firefly 2. The draw resistance is like drinking through a thick milkshake, and too fast of a draw will leave you with a wispy, unsatisfying hit. It certainly takes some getting used to in order to get satisfying results. The Firefly 2 also has great compatibility with concentrates, while the ArGo doesnt offer such function, though sandwiching your concentrated material in between of some dry herb works well in a pinch. The ArGo, on the other hand, gives you consistent results, regardless of your draw technique. The draw resistance is more like drinking a smoothie through a straw and gives you some strong, cloudy hits. Though not quite on the level as the ArGos bigger brother the Solo II, its pretty impressive nonetheless, especially from such a small package. They both use convection heating, though the ArGo also uses elements of conduction heating too, making it a hybrid unit. The ArGo is also what youd consider a session vaporizer while the Firefly 2 is classified as an on-demand vaporizer. For the steep price tag, the Firefly 2 certainly gives you extremely good vapor quality and takes the win for me. |
Manufacturing QualityBoth of these premium devices are well built. Each has a good heft to them, feel great in the hand, and are aesthetically appealing. The ArGo features an aluminum body with a rubberized coating and a fully glass vapor path/stem. Youre given a solid accessories kit which includes all the standard tools as well as a convenient carrying case. Arizer is renowned for their sturdy build quality and reliable reputation, however, the Firefly 2 offers a little bit more. The Firefly has a completely gorgeous body, even better feel to the body and genuinely feels like a premium device. Removing the top piece reveals the classy glass vapor path and chamber. The unit itself feels fantastic and staring at the heating element while taking your draw is another cool perk on its own. The included concentrates pad works surprisingly well too! I wouldnt feel particularly safe about dropping either of them, and Id handle them with more care than something like the Crafty. They both contain fragile glass components and should be treated a bit more delicately as a result. I lend the win to the Firefly 2 as the fit and finish feels higher quality, though it does come at a higher price point. |
Ease of UseThe Firefly 2 is one of the hardest vaporizers to get the hang of. Getting the proper draw technique has proven to be rather difficult for many, and giving the unit to a complete beginner will certainly take some coaching for them to get half decent results. Not to mention, the temperature can be adjusted manually on the Arizer itself, while the Firefly only allows you to have 6 preset temperature controls + 1 for concentrates. You can also use the app to dial in whichever setting you like though. The bowl on the Firefly 2 is pretty sensitive to the consistency of your grind as well as pack density. It takes some getting used to in order to get that great vapor quality. The ArGo works the same way, every time. No guesswork, no special draw techniques, just power it on and inhale. Cleaning is also marginally better as its restricted to just the glass stem which needs to be soaked in isopropyl alcohol once in a while. The Firefly cleans well with a cotton swap soaked in iso, or with alcohol wipes like the ZEUS Grime Wipes. Ease of use and maintenance goes to the ArGo without a semblance of doubt. |
PortabilityTheyre both rather small and fit in a pocket easily. As the top part of the Firefly has to be removed in order to load a new chamber, it makes the whole experience rather clunky when out and about. The Arizer uses a glass stem loading system instead which is much easier than loading the chamber on the Firefly. If a sudden gust of wind or a sneeze happens right before you close the glass top youre doomed to your herb ending up on the floor. The ArGo certainly takes the point with just that factor in mind. Theyre both easy to slip into medium-large pockets and carry pretty well though. |
Battery LifeThey both feature easily-removable batteries, however, there are some slight differences between the two. The ArGo uses the standard 18650 battery, which swaps out easily on the fly. You can expect between 6-8 full sessions per charge, depending on set temperature. Each battery takes about 2 hours to top up from flat. The Firefly 2, on the other hand, uses a proprietary battery which is swappable too. Youll get between 3-5 sessions on a single charge, depending on which temperature youve chosen. With the two batteries, you can get an average of 8 sessions between the two, however, theres a big oversight that was made in the design: You cant charge a battery unless its in the Firefly itself. This is a problem as sometimes youd like to do multiple sessions back to back, and have one battery charging while the other is in use. You cant do that though! And while youre given two batteries, the 18650 compatibility for the ArGo makes it much better for that alone. Many users have reported a very short life of the batteries too, which degrade very quickly, only getting one or two sessions per charge. The point certainly goes to the Arizer Go in the battery department. |
DiscreetnessTheyre both rather discreet, and the ArGo with the palm-able size and easier loading method is pretty useful. The Firefly 2 comes with one distinct advantage though almost instant vapor production. Almost no heat-up time lets you pick it up, take a draw, and put it away before the Arizer has even fully heated. Even though the loading is a hassle, the ability to have a solid session in no more than 30 seconds is a big benefit and the Firefly2 works better in those circumstances. |
Temperature FlexibilityAs previously mentioned, the Firefly 2 allows you to have 6+1 temperature settings on the unit itself, with a Bluetooth app which lets you set your temperature however you please. The ArGo, on the other hand, adjusts right from the unit itself and displays on the OLED screen. The ArGo has a range from 128-428°F (53.3-220°C), giving you a solid variety to choose from. I would almost always pick independent temperature control over presets, however with 6 presets that the Firefly 2 lets you set and a concentrates mode which reaches up to 500°F/260°C and a bottom end of 200°F/93°C, youre given a pretty solid base to work off of. Do not vaporize dry herb at 500°F as it will combust! That high of a temperature is for concentrates only. Its worth mentioning too the Firefly 2 has a heat-up time of around 5-10 seconds max, while the ArGo takes around 45 seconds to get up to speed. The ability to use concentrates natively with the higher maximum temperature and rapid, on-demand heating gives the victory to the Firefly 2. |
SHOWDOWNIn this close battle, its really difficult to decide a winner. The Arizer Go is certainly much better for true on-the-go use, while the Firefly excels at being a connoisseurs pick. Theyre different beasts in many regards and youll really need to dig into what your priorities are when picking one. Do you prefer incredible vapor quality, though willing to sacrifice ease of use and portability in the process, or something which does everything pretty well overall? I personally reach for the Firefly 2 with the instant on-demand heating and superb vapor quality, however you couldnt go wrong at all with the ArGo. If youd like to see another comparison, check out our recent showdown between the Zeus Arc & DaVinci IQ and to see how these 2 units stack up against the field, be sure to check out our Portable Vaporizer Ranking Chart. |