The IQ2 is out, and it works very similarly to the other vaporizers in the DaVinci lineup. If you’re unfamiliar with their style, it can take a moment to adjust. We’ll take you from unboxing to vapor with our IQ2 Quickstart Guide!
What’s in the box
Unpack your IQ2 and all its parts, and take a minute to get familiar with them. Here’s what you should find:
IQ2 Vaporizer w/Battery
10mm Mouthpiece
USB Charging Cable
Extra Pick Tool
Dosage Pod
Ceramic Extract Disc
9 Pieces Organic Cotton
9 Alcohol Wipes
Charge it first
The IQ2 comes with a removable battery that needs to be fully charged before you start vaping with it. Use the included USB cable to charge it, unless you have an external charger. It could take as long as six hours to fully charge in the vape, but an external charger can cut that down for you.
Simple controls
The IQ2’s controls are pretty intuitive. Click the power button five times quickly to toggle on and off, and use the up/down arrows to select the temperature. Push the power button once to toggle between the Smartpaths and digital temperature control. Digital temperature mode dials to a specific temperature, while the Smartpaths take you on a vapor stroll that spans 20 degrees fahrenheit. Here are the temperature ranges for each Smartpath:
One: 350º F - 370º F (176º C - 188º C)
Two: 370º F - 390º F (188º C - 199º C)
Three: 390º F - 410º F (199º C - 210º C)
Four: 410º F - 430º F (210º C - 121º C)
Run a burnoff cycle
It’s always a good idea to do a burnoff before using any new vaporizer. The goal is to burn off any residues inside the vaporizer left over from manufacturing. Click the power button five times to turn the IQ2 on, and out of the box the IQ2 will heat to Smartpath 3. Click the power button again to toggle to digital temperature control mode, and the numerical temperature setting will display. Before the numbers disappear, hold the up button in until the temperature is set to 430º F, and let the IQ2 sit and run until it shuts off, eight minutes later.
By the end of the burnoff, residues should be gone. If you still see vapors coming from the oven, run as many burnoffs as necessary to get rid of them. The burnoff is not intended to remove any silicone smells, which remind us of new shoes. If you smell silicone when the IQ2 is off, it will go away after you vape some dry herbs.
Any grind will do
The IQ2 works well with anything from a fine grind to whole herbs. For this session, let’s use a medium grind.
Give it a firm pack
Open the end with the round Air Dial on it, and take a moment to appreciate the loading dock. Pour your herbs onto the mirrored surface and brush them into the oven. For your first session, pack the oven full with a medium tamp. Press the herbs down into the oven at least until you see the top of the oven’s white walls (see if your pinkie finger fits). Close the oven door or, if the oven isn’t full, untwist the pearl a few rotations to extend it further into the oven before you close it.
Set the Air Dial
When you close the oven door, take a moment to look closely at the Air Dial. It has four open settings and one closed setting, with a small triangular pointer indicating which setting is used. Rotate it a few times until you get the hang of it, and set it to the third most open setting. You should play with this setting later to find your sweet spot, but for now, let’s start out on level three.
Start with Smartpath 3
Out of the box, the IQ2 is set to Smartpath 3, which is a great place to start out. Push the power button five times quickly and let the IQ2 do its thing. (If you just ran your burnoff, the IQ2 will be set to 430º F. After you turn it on, click the power button once, and it will go back to Smartpath mode. Select the third Smartpath with the up/down buttons.) The front display will blink three boxes, and stay solid once it reaches temperature with a vibration. Time to vape!
Gentle, tasty vapor
Now that it’s heated up, lift the IQ2 with its flat mouthpiece to your mouth and gently sip. You don’t have to take long drags with the IQ2. It will push out tasty vapor with the shortest and gentlest of puffs. Take your time and enjoy the flavors for as long as you want. The session will last eight minutes if you don’t turn it off first. The IQ2 will heat up to 390º F and slowly increase the temperature to 410º F before turning off.
No need to stir
The IQ2 comes with a multi-tool pick under the mouthpiece, but you won’t need it much to stir. If you take your sessions the distance, the herbs should be fully cooked all the way through, except a little light coloring on the top of the load. If you want to go for one last hit, give it a stir, pack it back down, and hit it again.
Empty the oven
Save yourself some time, and avoid frequent deep cleanings, by emptying out the oven quickly after your session is over. If you have a small brush handy, use it to wipe out the oven a minute or two after your session (you don’t want to melt/burn your brush hairs). Brush off the pearl, too, while it’s warm or bits of herb will get stuck to it. Check out our Cleaning Guide for a full rundown.
That’s it! Next time, play with some of the settings and start to find your own style. Check out our IQ2 Review for more information.
