Introduction

DaVinci IQ is one of the rare newer devices to rely exclusively on conduction heating, but as it turns out they did a really good job with it.

Another one of its key features is the so-called “flavor chamber”, but before we get into the tech stuff, let’s take it from the top.

What’s in the DaVinci IQ box?

I’m rarely impressed by the boxes vaporizers usually come in, but in this case, I was blown away.

It has a very high-end look to it, and it makes you feel like there’s something really special waiting for you inside.

Considering the price, it’s not really unusual for the box to be this lavish, but it’s still nice that the guys from DaVinci went the extra mile with it.

Inside the box you’ll find:

• DaVinci IQ Portable Vaporizer
• Replaceable 18650 Battery (3500mAh)
• 10mm Water Adapter
• Charging USB Cable
• Cleaning Brush
• Cleaning Wipes
• Keychain Tool
• Keychain Nug Canister
• 10 Year Warranty

Overall you get pretty decent equipment with the IQ, the only thing they could’ve added is a grinder, but they probably guessed you already had one.

DaVinci IQ tech specs

Battery life & charging options

As far as the tech specs go, the IQ doesn’t disappoint at all.

The 3500mAh battery is pretty solid, and with medium temperatures (190°C or 375°F) it allows for about 70 minutes of vaping. It can only be charged via the USB cable, and it takes about three hours of charging to reach a full battery.

Possibly the biggest power advantage of the IQ is that the battery can be removed from the device, and users who really enjoy vaping outside can always buy one extra battery and just switch them when the first one loses juice.

This is the first high-end vaporizer I used to have this option available, and I’m really glad that the guys from DaVinci engineered it this way.

Flowers, concentrates or both?

The IQ is capable of vaporizing only flowers, but as they made a decision to focus on just one type of material, this in favor increased the efficiency and quality of that particular style of vaporizing.

I completely respect this choice, as the vast majority of “dual-action” vapes I used to get really sticky from the use of hash and other extracts, and you have to clean them pretty much right away if you don’t want to torture yourself later when all the goo inside your vape hardens and become even more difficult to clean.

Perhaps this doesn’t seem like a lot of work, but cleaning your vape the second you finish your session isn’t really something you want to do, especially if you just got high with some killer concentrate.

The time that these dual-action vapes take to reach temperature is also much longer than with the IQ.

The display

As far as the display does, the IQ has a very futuristic and really beautiful 51 LED light display, which shows you all the important functions of this vaporizer.

We’ll be discussing what exactly it shows in the “How to Use” part of the review, however, the only flaw of this grid-like display is that it doesn’t really show the battery reading correctly, which is a pretty weird inadequacy if you ask me.

For instance, no matter how long you charge your IQ, the battery reading will never show you that it’s all the way full.

This can be somewhat avoided by charging the battery while you’re sleeping, and after a while, you’ll get used to how much energy the device uses. Of course, you can always get an extra battery, and then you pretty much don’t have to worry about this situation at all.

Temperature control and range

The DaVinci IQ’s temperature range goes from 121°C (250°F) to 221°C (430°F).

With the IQ you can control the temperature in a couple of different ways.

The best thing to do is to download the DaVinci IQ app which supports both iOS and Android phones, and there you can adjust a bunch of stuff which I’ll elaborate on later in the review, but regarding the temperature control, you can use the app to set 4 unique “Smart-Paths”.

You can use this feature to adjust how the temperature increases during a 10 minute period of vaping, which is brilliant if you like your session to start off with a more subtle temperature and finish on a hotter note.

Lower temperatures preserve the taste and fragrance of the flower a lot better, while the higher temperatures bring about denser and larger clouds, which are also packed with more cannabinoids, leading to a harder hit.

There are two more ways to manipulate the temperature on the IQ: One is by using the “precision mode”, which allows you to manually set the temperature by pressing the + and – buttons; the other is by using the “boost” mode.

The boost mode can be activated during both the “Smart-Path” and regular mode, and what it does is it increases the temperature of the device for as long as you hold the power button.

Once you release it, it will automatically return to the previously set temperature. The boost regime is a great way to finish your session off on a high note.

The IQ takes a minuscule amount of time to heat up mostly because it uses conduction heating—depending on the temperature you’re initially going for, the device will heat up in 15-30 seconds.

Once it reaches the desired temperature, the unit will vibrate to let you know it’s ready for use.

DaVinci IQ vapor quality

The IQ produces wonderful vapor, and there are a couple of factors that work together to bring about such an enviable taste and texture of the vapor.

The first factor is the material used for the majority of the interior of the unit, which is zirconia.

You’re probably not familiar with this material, but zirconia has the highest mechanical strength of all fine ceramics, and it does a fantastic job of cooling the vapor before it hits your lungs.

The vaporization chamber is located on the bottom of the device, and it has a special patent on the closing door of the chamber that very much resembles a pearl, which also heats up—adding to a more even distribution of heat.

The IQ is a conduction vaporizer, which means it heats up the material that is in direct contact with the heating surface, and this is where the “pearl” comes into play.

This part of the chamber also reaches the same temperature as the rest of the heating surfaces, and I think this is what separates this device from all the other conduction-based vaporizers because the vapor the IQ produces is really excellent.

The chamber can take around 0.3 grams of ground material. Because of the conduction heating, it’s very important to pack the chamber very tightly.

Also make sure to grind the pot fine, as this will help the IQ to vaporize it more efficiently.

What’s also very ingenious about this device is its “flavor chamber”.

The chamber is located at the top of the unit, and it serves two purposes.

If you use it empty, it’s just an air path for the vapor to cool off before it reaches your mouth and lungs, but the specialty of the flavor chamber is that you can place a whole, non-ground nug inside it.

When the hot vapor passes through this chamber, it will “steal” some of the aroma off the bud, making the vapor result much more flavorful.

The hot vapor will make the bud inside the flavor chamber sticky, so it’s probably not the best idea to use that particular flower for vaporizing later on, as it will most likely mess up your vaporization chamber.

This unit has a pretty solid airflow and a good draw resistance—simply put, taking a toke from the IQ is a really easy task.

Da Vinci IQ design

As for the design, the IQ looks very sophisticated and futuristic.

Because it’s made from lightweight but really durable anodized aluminum it has a sleek appearance, and the unique LED lights system also adds to the impeccable swagger of this device.

It measures 4.2 x 9 x 2.4 cm (1.65 x 3.54 x 0.94 in), and weights 140 grams (5 oz).

It comes in five colors: Stealth, Copper, Gunmetal, Blue and Olive.

All these shades are quite classy and elegant, except maybe the Olive one, which appears more youthful and is probably geared towards a different crowd.

The DaVinci IQ is definitely in the top tier of portable vaping units both by functionality and design, and just like the Pax 3, it’s one of those devices that you can look at all day.

Their prices are also very similar, so these two companies are really competing for the position of the best discreet vaporizer.

How to use the Da Vinci IQ?

The first thing you should do is finely grind your pot. Pack the chamber pretty tightly.

Optionally, place a bud in the flavor chamber, which will add more flavor to your vapor. I suggest you do this because this is a unique option with this device, and it will significantly increase the aroma of the vapor.

After you’ve placed the weed in both chambers, you can turn on the IQ.

To power it up, click the power button 5 times consecutively. It will automatically begin heating up. Because of the conduction heating, it will reach the desired temperature quickly and will vibrate once when it’s achieved.

Some devices require you to wait a few seconds in between the puffs because they lose heat once you’ve taken a toke. This doesn’t happen with the IQ, which is really great if you’re using it with someone else, or with a group of friends.

Before you setup the smart paths via the app, you can only use the precision mode, which allows you to manually determine the temperature. You can also use the boost mode, which is activated by holding the power button.

Once you’ve downloaded the app, play around with the smart path, which allows you to set when and how the temperature is going to change during a ten minute period, after which the IQ will shutdown to save battery life.

Ten minutes is more than enough for one session, so this timed shutdown comes quite in handy.

The smart path presets are fantastic if you like to change the temperature during your sessions, and because it has four presets (which you can customize), you can choose a regime depending on your current mood.

Cleaning the IQ

Cleaning this device is very simple, and as it is used solely for dry herb, you won’t experience too much messiness as you would from liquid extracts and other derivatives like hash.

Use the brush tool to scrub all the bigger remains from the unit, and later on use q-tips soaked in ISO alcohol to further sanitize the IQ.

You need to focus your attention especially on the flavor chamber (the vapor path) because if you’re using this chamber with a nug in it, it will soon become very sticky.

Use the pick tool to get it out of the IQ, and place the entire chamber in a bowl filled with ISO alcohol. Wait for it soak for about 10 minutes, and afterwards go over it with some q-tips to finish the job.

While you’re at it, you can place all the small parts in the ISO bowl along with it. This also goes for the “pearl” part of the heating chamber (it screws off from the door), just make sure you don’t lose.

The cleaning frequency should be determined on the volume of use, but doing a full cleansing once every one or two weeks should be just fine, as long as you do a quick brush every couple of days.

Da Vinci IQ standout features

The biggest advantages of the IQ are its replaceable battery, the awesome flavor chamber, and how quickly it reaches the desired temperature.

This is a very versatile product, and the industry veterans DaVinci really topped themselves with this one.