New Peak Pro with 3D XL Chamber Review

The new Peak Pro comes with some simple hardware upgrades one would have had to previously spring for aftermarket. The 3D Chamber, which was once $100 more, is now standard on all second generation Peak Pros as well as an improved laser slotted glass water chamber and joystick carb cap – the joystick carb cap akin to Peak Pro Ball Cap.

The new Peak Pro was certainly an upgrade but not one which had customers trading in their old Peak Pros for second editions like we saw under our trade in program with the OG Peak to Peak Pro. Puffco took a similar approach with their marketing. The new Peak Pro wasn’t a new release but a byproduct of constant innovation and listening to customer feedback. Here the updated version  is optimized out of the box. There is no need to go out and drop $150 on aftermarket glass, no need to add a ball cap to your cart at checkout and no need to spring for a more enhanced chamber. When you buy the new Peak Pro, you are getting the best out of the box and you can stop spending  ……………………………………………. Well, maybe not.

That was until the release of the Puffco 3DXL Chamber. The new 3DXL Chamber is a larger more efficient Peak Pro 3D Chamber that permits you to take down fatter globs. Better yet the new 3DXL chamber is compatible with the 1st generation Peak Pro and all the benefits you get from the improved firmware can also be had with the tried and true original Puffco 3D chamber ($50 cheaper than the 3DXL). So while not everyone was freaking out to get the new Peak Pro, the release of the 3DXL chamber changes this dynamic a tad. 

Up until now the Carta 2 Vaporizer  was the hardest hitting e-rig vaporizer on the market. While the standard Peak Pro 3D Chamber  can put down clouds,  something in the design of the Carta 2 makes the vaporizer clear with ease on one inhale,  earning it a recognition as the best for fat dabs. 

So how does the second edition Peak Pro stack up ? How does it function with the 3DXL ? To start we are going to give a general review of the new Peak Pro Vaporizer by itself and then do some sessions. This thing out of the box is way too clean to not show off it’s features. 

The Peak Pro comes in the same standard cardboard box and automotive styrofoam carry case. This thing fits like a glove so no need to reinvent the wheel here. While there are Puffco carry cases one thing we have given Puffco accolades on  is how well the automotive Styrofoam works for storage and travel with your Peak Vaporizers. This is the same packaging material they have used since dropping the original Puffco Peak in 2018.

• 3D Chamber 
• Joystick Carb Cap 
• USB-C Charging Cable 
• Puffco Dual Tools 
• Dab Tool 
• Instructions

The Peak Pro is still made of silicone, alloys and high quality borosilicate glass with the polished ceramic 3D Chamber. Where it stands out from the original is the improvement in design. 

The new Peak Pro has an even more ergonomic design with a grooved silicone base. This shape extends to the body’s metal alloy strap. The silver ring where the base meets the glass is an aesthetic plus to the overall design. However the Peak Pro glass taking on the design of the limited Edition Opal is what binds this all together. The new Peak Pro really looks like some architecture you would find at the Getty museum. The one thing in my opinion detracting from its beauty is the joystick carb cap which looks a tad odd sticking out like an N64 controller. Overall a huge improvement on looks alone. 

Even more to be excited about Puffco finally gives you options. The Peak Pro is now available in Pearl and Onyx. I personally like the pearl more as you get the light to shine through the device better. 

While the 3DXL Chamber is constructed exceptionally well and of the utmost durability, it is not aesthetically pleasing. The metal alloy protrudes above the unit given the larger size. The 3dXL looks even more out of place on the  Pearl Peak Pro given the two opposing color patterns. This is temporary as if you know Puffco they release different color patterns for all their complimentary devices. So I am holding out for some desert colored accessories.  For now you can easily take off the sleeve jacket on the stock 3D Chamber and throw it on the 3DXL.

Puffco says to fully charge the Peak Pro upon arrival. This is a quality control advisory given by all vaporizer brands as it can mitigate many perceived issues which are not present.  Our Peak Pro arrived with a near full battery so we did not charge it until it needed. It should be noted most the times when a vaporizer arrives and displays fully charged, it may deplete rather fast from the battery dormancy and take a few charging cycles to get back up to speed.  This is one of the reasons you are told to charge the battery upon arrival.

Starting with the Puffco App

The QR code on the new Peak Pro is front and center. Using the Peak Pro with the app and unlocking all it’s features is the best method, but it can present some hurdles as it did with us when trying to sync the new Peak Pro.

The Apps for cannabis adjacent vaporizers have been a point of contention for years now.  In 2019 Apple banned all vaporizer related apps  which pitted smaller companies like PAX and Puffco against behemoths like Apple in an unwinnable match up. For this reason all vaporizer apps are now web based and require a path browser. Certain path browsers can be better than others and you will need a strong wi-fi connection to avoid timing out when syncing your Peak Pro. Syncing with the app can often be frustrating but with a bit of trouble shooting you will be off to the races in no time. Our Peak Pro failed to sync about 11 times before we got it to link up. If you are having issues syncing your Peak Pro or 3DXL Chamber see the common troubleshooting steps below. 

• Check and ensure the Bluetooth is on 
• Shut down other background items using Bluetooth 
• Reset your Peak Pro by holding down the power button for 30 seconds 
• Reset your iOS device 
• Try a different Path Browser

Manual Use (No App)

For those who want to skip the app or may not have a smartphone, here is how to get going with the Peak Pro manually. We will have assumed you are locked and loaded with water in your Peak Pro glass  and a dab in your 3D Chamber. 

• Unlock the device by holding down the power button for three seconds 
• Toggle through the temperature options by pressing the power button once 
• Hit the power button twice to engage heat

One of the reasons I love the Mighty+ Vaporizer so much is  its simplicity (lack of an app). I get things are a tad different and it is hard to compare a portable herb vaporizer to an E-rig. The RGB lighting offered with the Peak Pro and other features make the Puffco App essential, but I am just a simple man here to take some yummy dabs. The cool light shows these vaporizers can pump out are sufficient in standard stock mode. The App let’s you take it to the next level of customization. 

The firmware for the Peak Pro is always updating and if you have the 3D or 3DXL Chamber you will be able to update your first generation Peak Pro to get this latest firmware & Puffco App features. You can unlock new features on the app like the vapor production setting and build custom pattern mood lighting.

Once you start playing around with the app, you will see it is a nice little addition to your Peak Pro experience. You can customize your boost mode, session temperature and time, mood lighting and a new feature offered for vapor production.

With the 3D and 3D XL Chamber you can unlock “vapor control” in the app. It gets even better with the 3D XL letting you unlock “XL Vapor Control”. To unlock vapor control first you must complete the firmware upgrade on your Peak Pro as stated above. 

Using vapor control what is actually going on with the coil ?

Puffco has two heat sensors within the 3D and 3D XL Chambers. This allows Puffco to measure the spread of the heat within the bowl. The higher setting causes more heat to spread through the chamber before you start hitting it than was previously occurring. 

Roger has stated that it is like when torching a traditional nail like excessively before the dab  and letting it cool a bit to let the heat disperse. More heat spread is occurring when you have it set to a higher vapor production (max) 

The Puffco vapor control setting can be a bit odd in theory. I like low temp dabs but with vapor control set to max and on a low temperature, say around 500 °F, I got more efficient and more tasty dabs .  In the higher ranges the max setting can be a bit much. I don’t like high temp heavy dabs and that is what the most common use is, to get the largest clouds possible out of your 3D XL Chamber. 

To best review the new Peak Pro we need to see how it stacks up against the Gen 1 Peak Pro,  as it comes stock and with the 3DXL Chamber.

The Peak Pro takes 18 seconds to reach 575°F and will keep the session engaged for 40 seconds by default. There is an optional boost mode which will engage both time and temperature. By default this is 15 seconds and 10 degrees but most customers will customize their own boost mode settings in the Puffco app. Yet another reason why apps are important when the vaporizer has more intricate settings and features. 

On a rice sized grain you can expect about 4-5 good hits with the stock 3D Chamber on the new Peak Pro. The 3D Chamber does provide an enhanced experience over the original however if you are like me and dab 2-3 times a week, at the time of reviewing the 3D Chamber vs. the original chamber, it was not worth the additional $100 (now $75). But now that it comes equipped with the Peak Pro, all the better. 

With the standard 3D Chamber the best vapor does come from sipping at a medium pace. I am not noticing much  difference in vapor production with the joystick carb cap. Not having used the Ball Cap much it is likely my form is off, but I think what gets you the best vapor production from the Peak Pro 3D Chamber,  is the sipping not ripping approach. 

Now that is fine by me and as I previously mentioned it suffices more than enough for a few dabs a week kind of guy. Now where the sessions with the 3D XL differ are in the do you want to take down much larger dabs and not really have to worry about breath control or sipping vs. ripping ? You can hit the XL Chamber in a more freestyle approach and it will give you alot more vapor and quick bang for your buck. For me a tad too much. 

One of the aspects I failed to consider with the 3D XL was ripping with groups. However after ripping solo and checking the 3D XL post session, there was not much if anything left. This would entail that the standard 3D chamber is better for groups if sharing the same glob. 

The overall vapor quality from the Peak Pro is some of the most high end vapor one can get from an e-rig. While a big factor in this equation is going to be the quality of your rosin or hash and overall set up. There are some glass pieces like the Ryan Fitt 2.0 which can work wonders with the texture of the vapor and how smooth it goes down. This can be said for customizing any competitive e-rig however and for reviewing the new Peak Pro we should assess it as it comes and what the 3DXL chamber adds to this.

As it stands the Dr. Dabber Switch remains the best vapor you will get from all the rigs on the market. Even with the Dr. Dabber Switch  you can add  aftermarket pieces like the Ball Glass and ALN induction cup for a dab of all dabs. The issue with the Dr. Dabber Switch being it is the size of a Tuba and impossible to transport. The Peak Pro offers top tier vapor, but it’s more that coupled with the user experience which make it the most popular e-rig.

The 3D Chamber offers some enhanced benefits to heating your concentrates over the former standard Peak Pro Chamber. You can read about those in our 3D Chamber review here. 

The 3D XL Chamber on the other hand feels like it is not only larger but offers better airflow and heating properties over the stock 3D Peak Pro Chamber. You are getting some serious vapor with the 3D XL. A few times I was not even trying to get super huge rips and they just occurred –  a previous statement I had made about the Carta 2. 

The trade off with the 3D XL is going to be sacrificing the enhanced vapor production for flavor. Also if you do want to take just a few tiny rips you will need to remove the 3D XL and put on the stock 3D Chamber.

Even in lower temperatures the 3D XL ripped my socks off. It eviscerates smaller dabs.

You can customize your settings in the app between 400 °F – 620 °F to include customization of the corresponding RGB lighting or mood lighting. Adding in a boost setting can get you up to 644 °F.

The default out of the box temperatures are

• Blue 490 °F
• Green 510 °F
• Red  530 °F
• White 575 °F

The Peak Pro has an internal lithium ion battery pack which charges with a USB – C Cable. The one which comes with the Peak Pro will have you near 100% in two hours from totally dead. On a full charge you can expect about 35-40 30 second sessions with the standard out of the box 3D Chamber. The Peak Pro Power Dock will work on the new Peak Pro and is a great way to always have a fully powered vaporizer. 

The battery life will go down faster at higher temperatures and the 3D XL chamber certainly does tax the chamber at a higher rate over just the  3D chamber. On a full overnight charge after my first dab with the stock 3D chamber , the app stated I had 50 sessions left. After one huge dab on high with the 3D XL the app then read 30-35 dabs left. Even 15-20 second heavy hitters are depleting the battery an average of 3-4% every time. 

Heavy hits do come at the expense of heating up to high temperatures very fast. There is no secret this requires alot of battery power. The 3D XL chamber at 78% larger has more surface area to heat up and is working harder with larger globs in the chamber. Everyone complained about the less than stellar battery life of the heavy hitting Carta 2 vaporizer, which when chasing after huge rippers at high temps loses about the same amount of battery as the Peak Pro with 3D XL Chamber.

You can leave the house with the Puffco Peak Pro but it is not recommended. Puffcon, an annual music and arts festival celebrating Puffco and 710 culture does give customers entry benefits for taking their Peak, Peak Pro or Proxy with them. For me this would be a hard no. Dabbing all day in downtown Los Angeles is hard enough without hauling around an expensive portable e-rig vaporizer. 

Where I do take my Peak Pro is out to the patio or garage. The Peak Pro can give you quality top shelf dabs in an easy to use, easy to transport around the house device. Add the 3D XL chamber and you have something that can really get you faded with ease and portability. 

Now I’m not taking my Peak Pro out of the house with me, but I sure as hell am not taking the Peak Pro with 3D XL Chamber outside the house cause I am not going to know where I am after a dab or two versus a mild low temp sipper out of the stock 3D Chamber. 

The Peak Pro remains the best. There is not much to be said about the new Peak Pro which cannot be said about the old Puffco Peak Pro which was released in late 2020. It is the forefront of dabbing and a result of constant innovation from the company who more or less created the e-rig. The 3D XL chamber adds another level to the blockbuster vaporizer by letting you get some serious clouds.

If you have the old Peak Pro there is no need to rush out and get the new one. You can get some added app and improved software benefits now by purchasing the 3D or 3D XL chamber. The 3DXL is more or less the option to consider. For heavy users who like to load up huge dabs it is highly recommend. According to Reddit user mk5aks, “the 3DXL chamber Completely changed the game for me. No back splash, no more sipping needed and hitting it harder produces more vapor. I’m about 10 dabs a day, 5.5k. I wish this would have been available before any reclaim got under the silicone. It’s not terrible or effecting anything, it’s just the principle. I don’t want to speak too soon, but so far this has resolved any problem of reclaim getting in glass or any other part of the device since the chamber is so deep. My original 3d chamber lasted me 5k dabs, so in my opinion this is beyond worth the money.”

Also to be noted is with the release of the updated Peak Pro there are deals to be had on the 1st generation Peak Pro. Meaning you don’t need to buy the latest second generation Peak Pro to get the benefits out of the 3D XL Chamber. 

If you are looking to get into concentrates and don’t have much experience I recommend the Puffco Proxy. It is still my favorite Puffco Vaporizer  and for someone like myself who enjoys lower temperature hits with greater flavor, the Proxy is not going to ruin my day. I get that my choice of the Proxy is like going to a high end steakhouse known for their Ribeyes and ordering the lamb. 

The premier hash experience is certainly going to be with an e-rig, whether it be the OG Peak or Gen 1, Gen 2 Peak Pro. As for the 3D XL Chamber,  if you don’t have anything planned and want to end up on Mars get a Peak Pro with 3D XL chamber and you can go “ to the cloud “ in an instant.