What is it?
The Kandypens Crystal 2 is the follow up to the original Crystal vape kit. It’s designed for herbal concentrates like wax, shatter, isolate, diamonds, and other THC and CBD concentrates. The pen-style battery features a 1200 mAh battery and four different voltage settings. Just like the original Crystal, it has a session mode and is also compatible with THC and CBD cartridges.
The atomizer utilizes the same type of crystal quartz heating chamber, which tends to have very good longevity and is relatively easy to maintain, from my experience. The concentrates never make contact with the coil, which also lends itself to extremely clean-tasting flavor. On top of that, the Crystal 2 now offers a new coil with airflow adjustability, one of its new added features. They also now offer a lifetime warranty on both the pen and the coil when you purchase the kit!
Find out what else they improved on it and how it compares to some of the best dab pens that we’ve tested. The Crystal 2 will be available for pre-order starting today (November 6, 2020) and its official release date is set for November 13, 2020, according to Kandypens.
Price: $149.97 for the kit
The Crystal 2 was sent by Kandypens for the purpose of this review.
What’s in the box?
Everything you need to take your dabs on the go is included. Out of the box, you can be up and running in seconds flat… as long as you have some concentrate. Here’s what’s included:
- Crystal 2 vape pen battery (rated at 1200 mAh)
- New quartz atomizer with adjustable airflow
- Mouthpiece caps with glass tips (2)
- Keychain dab tool
- Kandypens’ branded black velvet pouch
- Micro USB charge cable
- Instruction manual
The main kit consists of the pen, atomizer and mouthpiece. I received the black edition, but I’m guessing it will eventually become available in all white too, just like the original. The mouthpiece and atomizer are also available separately, but you’ll have to buy the entire kit to get the pen which includes the session mode feature, variable voltage, and lifetime warranty.
Product features
The Crystal 2 is essentially a three-part unit: the vape pen battery, the quartz atomizer, and the mouthpiece. Including the mouthpiece, the Crystal 2 is a little less than an inch in diameter, and just over four inches tall. The airflow section really doesn't add much height to its original size.
The pen
The Crystal 2 is a button-operated vape pen. It has a few features worth noting:
- 2.6 V (yellow)
- 3.0 V (green)
- 3.6 V (red)
- 4.2 V (blue)
- Power the atomizer for 10 seconds without pressing the button and take draws when ready, either several short draws or one long rip
The atomizer and mouthpiece
The atomizer section is where the Crystal 2 really shines. It now has adjustable airflow, so you can close it off and get a tight draw or leave it wide open for an airy one. It utilizes a similar mini quartz bucket on top of a stovetop-style coil, just like the original. The coil never comes in contact with your material, but instead is gently heated up by the hot quartz chamber. It’s a super-simple atomizer to learn and use, and it comes with several useful features inherent to its design:
- Easy clean-up
- Easy load
- Clean and crisp flavor
- Even heating
- Smooth vapor
- Top-fed airflow comes from a circulating series of holes on the outside cap, and from inside the atomizer from a barely-noticeable slit just under the threads (above the quartz bowl)
- Smooth and tight to loose and airy
- No clogging
- Screws directly onto the atomizer
- Has a removable shower-head style splash guard at the base of the mouthpiece inside the cap for preventing hot liquid from reaching the user
How to use the Crystal 2
Using the Crystal 2 is easy and straightforward. Simply load up to 0.1 grams of your concentrate into the atomizer, and screw on the mouthpiece. Then turn the device on with five clicks of the button.
To change your power settings, press the button quickly three times and wait for the LED to change. If you think you see two green settings, know that the yellow looks a bit like green.
To operate the sesh mode, all it takes is two quick clicks of the button. The device will power itself and all you have to do is take a hit. The sesh mode lasts 10 seconds, and afterward, you can activate it again or go back to taking hits with your button. The device will turn off by itself after five minutes of inactivity, so you can get the most out of its large 1200 mAh battery.
How does it perform?
The Crystal 2 performs just as well as the original, but now with more airflow than ever, more battery life, and an improved coil system. I recommend starting out with the airflow around halfway open and playing around it from there. You sacrifice flavor the more airflow you have, but it also keeps the vapor cool so it’s a bit of a trade-off. Each puff feels like taking a mini dab on a low-temperature nail. The hits aren’t as intense as they would be on a full-sized rig, but the flavor is there!
If you’re looking for the hardest-hitting puff, you’ll want to use the highest (4.2 V) blue setting. The flavor is super clean, but you get significantly better vapor production. I’ve even tried it on one of my mods, at around 25 watts, and the vapor was still extremely smooth. The atomizer can get pretty warm when in use, so take a break inbetween puffs to prevent it from getting too hot.
I tend to not load more than 0.1 grams at a time. If you pack too little, you’ll barely get anything out of it, but overpacking can get you into some trouble. I recommend just doing two or three sessions instead of packing double or triple the amount, which eventually leads to clogging. Just don’t overpack the atomizer, especially if you are using some sticky and viscous concentrates! Kandypens says the new design is reinforced better than the original to prevent oil from splashing under, but that was never an issue for me before since I always pack small amounts.
I’ve tested it with some Georgia Pie diamond sauce. The effects were very smooth and the flavor was ridiculously good. I was able to get about 3-4 decent puffs with a single (<0.1g) pack on the highest (blue) setting. You’ll get more puffs on the lower heat settings, but the vapor production doesn't hit the spot for me. To sum it up, the Crystal 2 excels at flavor production. It provides the flavor of a quartz banger but with the portable and discreet form factor of a vape pen. The puffs are on the smooth side, and I barely coughed at all during any of my sessions!
How to clean
Because the Crystal 2 atomizer uses a quartz bucket, cleaning it couldn’t be easier—assuming you don’t overpack it. I recommend a quick cleaning with a Q-tip after each use, especially if you’re going to reload, but sometimes that’s not practical considering you may be out and about. Whenever you can clean it, follow these simple steps to get the bowl looking new again and it will last you for a long time without needing to be replaced:
- Turn on the device and fire it for a few seconds, liquifying the material
- Take a napkin or Q-tip and wipe out the inside of the bowl, removing the liquified concentrate
- Use a high-strength isopropyl alcohol-soaked napkin (or Q-tip) and wipe out the bowl
- Let it dry a few minutes before use
Pros / Cons
Gallery
Verdict
The original Crystal was one of the first of its kind to feature a quartz mini bucket-style heating system. Since then, it’s become rather common on a variety of devices. This design was obviously very well thought out and still holds up in 2020, with a few minor upgrades to keep up to date with the current trends in cannabis vaping. Aside from the additional battery life, they’ve also made the mouthpiece easier to twist off, and reinforced the original coil design to be more robust than ever. If you’re looking for an enjoyable way to enjoy dab on the go, the Crystal 2 is a great choice—especially if you’re most concerned with flavor. The adjustable airflow feature is really just the icing on the cake.
One thing I would love to see from them is a harder-hitting atomizer option with a thicker coil, quartz chamber, and quartz wicks. The only other cons I could come up with is that the atomizer portion gets pretty hot if you chain vape on it, which I do not recommend doing anyway. The vapor is on the light and wispy side and the kit itself isn’t exactly cheap, but it does come with a lifetime warranty. So there’s that.
If you already love the original Crystal and are craving more airflow and battery life, you’re going to love the Crystal 2. The atomizer and mouthpiece are available separately and they are cross-compatible with the original Crystal battery, in addition to most 510-threaded vapes. So, if you can’t afford the kit, you can still experience the same great flavor, performance, and convenience with your existing device.
What do you think of the Kandypens Crystal 2? Leave a comment.
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