XVape Vista Mini 2 Review: Delicious Dabs on the Go

Product intro and specs

The Vista Mini 2 is a portable e-nail by Xvape. Apparently, it’s the follow up to the original Vista Mini, which was pretty well-received based on the reviews that I’ve seen. I’ve never had the chance to try the original, but I have some years of experience with e-nails in general. Some of the improvements on the Mini 2 now include haptic feedback and an updated “discovery” carb cap.

The device utilizes four heat settings and replaceable coil heads made of quartz. It also comes with an array of accessories and a smell-proof padded carrying case. From what I’ve seen, the Vista Mini 2 seems to be one of the more reasonably priced e-nails out there currently. It’s time to find out how it performs compared to some of the best e-nails that I’ve previously tested.

The Vista Mini 2 was sent courtesy of Xvape for the purpose of this review.

Price: $159.99

Build quality and design

The Vista Mini 2 has an elegantly tapered design with a small footprint. It reminds me of a miniature lava lamp crossed with a dab rig. The device stands at just 5.74” in height and just 1.89” wide at the base. It only weighs 271.5 grams, but it doesn’t feel cheap. The overall construction seems to be sturdy, and everything is fully replaceable—including the glass parts. The mouthpiece wiggles a bit, but not when you use the included plastic buckle. Not the best-looking solution, but it does a very good job at keeping the mouthpiece safe and secure.

The glass is made of borosilicate, which is durable, but it’s still glass. I don’t think it would hold up to a major drop, but fortunately all the parts are replaceable and available on the Xvape website. To be safe, I ordered a spare glass for $25 and it shipped within a few days. The base of the device is sturdy, well-balanced, and features a charging port and single-button interface. It also lights up with color LEDs which not only look cool, but also play an important role in the user interface. A protective silicon insert below the glass section protects it from water damage.

The device takes replaceable coils which now utilize a crystal quartz chamber (instead of ceramic). It features a stove-top style coil underneath a quartz dish. This type of coil is ideal for flavor chasing in my opinion. They generally produce smooth hits and tend to have good longevity. They also thread on easily and can be removed for cleaning. The included carrying case can hold two spare and the kit comes with two in total. They go for about $15.50 each, which isn’t cheap for a coil, but I’ve already gotten a few weeks out of one and it’s still performing like it is brand new.

Vista Mini 2 interface and functionality

Before getting started, make sure the device is fully charged. The button will blink red while charging, then green, then turn off when fully charged. The glass section doesn’t require much water and there is a max fill line on the side. Don't overfill, or fill it while it’s attached to the base.

Vista Mini 2 temperature settings

Vista Mini 2 battery life indication

Performance

I tested the Vista Mini 2 with some Wedding Crashers live resin concentrate. Even though it’s an e-nail, I found it works best when you pre-load the dabs into the chamber, rather than dabbing it after it heats up. Technically, you could do it either way, since the chamber is made of pure quartz. But I had the best experience so far by “cold loading” it like you would with a dab pen.

The flavor was what really stood out the most on this device. This style of coil typically doesn’t produce the strongest hit compared to a desktop nail, but it delivers extremely crisp flavor. The entire vapor path down to the chamber is made of glass, so that checks out. Even on the hottest setting, the flavor is very clean. I am enjoying all of the dank aromas from these dabs.

I didn’t really cough as much as I would have on a traditional nail, the puffs are less harsh. You get a handful of flavorful hits as opposed to one really strong one. Even on the highest heat setting, it’s a really smooth puff. I had an awesome group session with two of my friends. We passed it around at least two or three times (with the green setting) on a single (0.1 g) dab. I tasted all of the grapefruit-like citrus notes from this delicious Mimosa diamond sauce.

The chamber looks like it could fit close to a half gram, but I wouldn’t recommend putting more than a fraction of that at a time. I typically do 0.1 gram for solo sessions and no more than 0.2 grams for group sessions. I like hitting the chamber with a cotton swab in between sessions.

The coil cap has a tight fit when attached. You’ll get a few hits out of it each session, depending on how much you pack. It took me a few sessions to discover the best way to utilize the carb cap with my finger. I’m still trying to figure out the best way to do it, but I’m starting to see why they call it the “discovery cap”. I like to gently cover the hole while inhaling, then I tap on it to clear the chamber. You don’t want to cover it all the way or it will restrict the airflow completely.

Charging the Vista Mini 2

I was able to get a whole weekend’s worth of sessions before having to charge it up. Obviously, your mileage may vary depending on how many sessions you have and your temperature settings. The higher heat settings are going to burn through battery life quicker. On the green setting, I was able to get at least 20 sessions from a single charge, if not more.

The Vista Mini 2 does not do passthrough charging unfortunately. So when it lights up red, or starts blinking, you’ll want to charge it immediately. It has a USB port located on the side of the base but there is also a wireless charging dock option sold separately. It takes a little over three hours to charge via USB, but that’s probably because it has a large 2000 mAh capacity.

Cleaning the Vista Mini 2

Cleaning the Vista Mini 2 is nice and easy. You can take everything apart and rinse it all out.

To clean the device, start by removing the mouthpiece stem and carb cap. Unscrew the rubber coil base counterclockwise, which will free the glass from the base section. Next, remove the glass and unscrew the coil from the base. You can technically soak the coil in alcohol and let it dry off before re-installing. Xvape suggests using a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to clean it.

Cleaning the glass part is just like cleaning any glass piece. I like to use some isopropyl alcohol and sometimes I add sea salt. I didn’t notice a significant build up in residue, especially when using the device without water. Either way, it’s a good idea to keep it clean on a regular basis.

When putting it back together, be careful and do not overtighten it! This could potentially crack the glass section. Overall, cleaning the Vista Mini 2 is pretty intuitive. I don’t know how it will stand up to long term usage yet, but so far, it’s been relatively easy to maintain.

Pros / Cons

Gallery

Verdict

All in all, the Vista Mini 2 is a little flavor machine. It doesn’t hit me as hard as my desktop rig, but I must admit that the flavor is way better than what I get off a titanium nail. It’s extremely portable, looks awesome (especially when lit) and comes complete with a protective carrying case. I enjoyed using it on the green setting, mostly because it looks cool—but also for the flavor. I had to get picky to find cons with this device, but I think they are outshined by its pros.

The Vista Mini 2 is on the same tier in terms of aesthetics and overall performance with some of the more expensive portables out there like the Puffco Peak and the Kandypens Oura, but the Vista is nearly half the price. Plus, I had an overall positive experience ordering from their site.

If you’re looking for a little rig to chuck in your bag that provides really good flavor and doesn’t cost hundreds of dollars, the Vista Mini 2 fits that criteria. It’s becoming one of my go-to devices for dabbing on the go.

What do you think about the Xvape Vista Mini 2? Leave a comment!