Pulsar APX 2 Review: Its Discreet and Cheap – But Actually Works

The Pulsar APX 2 combines the low price of a vape pen with the functionality of a higher end portable vaporizer. We were initially skeptical given the low price but have to say that it's overall exceeded expectations. It features a ceramic chamber, conduction vaping, and 5 temperature settings.

Pulsar APX 2 Key Features 

• 5 temperature settings which are controlled from the vaporizer itself

• One button interface for simple temperature setting and vaping

• Ceramic chamber heats evenly and doesn’t add any flavor to your material

• Top loading vaporizer makes it easy to empty and refill

• Conduction heating does a great job of truly vaping your herb

What's in The Kit

The Pulsar APX 2 is very discreet measuring only 4 inches tall (including the raised mouthpiece). It's small enough to fit the palm of your hand and only stick out a little at the top (depending on the size of your hands).

It's also easy to drop in your pocket without taking up much more room than a set of keys and if you clean it often, you’ll keep the odor low. Overall, the Pulsar is a low profile weed vaporizer.

Pulsar APX 2 Portability and Vaping Capabilities

The Pulsar APX 2 has pretty good battery life at around 90 minutes making it a portable option for most day trips. The battery is not replaceable though so you probably won’t take it on longer trips where you’ll be away from a charging base for more than the day. If battery life really matters, consider the Mighty or DaVinci IQ.

The new APX works specifically for dry herb so if you're more of a dabber or concentrates person, this isn’t the best option (try the G Pen). However, for dry herb, it does a good job for a vaporizer in this price range.

• Battery Type: 1600 mAh lithium ion battery
• Use Time: 90 minutes use 
• Replaceable: Not replaceable  
• Charge Time: 90 minutes to recharge

Vapor Quality

Let's be honest, for a portable in this range, we weren’t expecting mind blowing vapor. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find that it performed as well as it did.

When you first get the Pulsar, you’ll want to run it through a few burn off cycles to get rid of any manufacturing oils that may have made it into the vaporizer during the building process.

After that, the initial vapor was decent with moderate visible clouds on lower temperatures and slightly more on higher temperatures. The flavor was good from the get-go but after a few sessions it started declining as resin built up. With a quick clean, it was back to new though.

Since the bowl is directly under the mouthpiece, it does get a little hot if you’re using it on higher temperatures. You can get around that by vaping lower temperatures but if you prefer using it on high, be ready for a touch of heat and coughing.

I like that it conveniently heats up in just 40 seconds (it's even written on the box) which is pretty quick and Pulsar’s added haptic feedback so it gently vibrates once it's reached temp.

After a few sessions I examined the used material and I’m pleased to report that all the herb had an even golden-brown color with no burning or hot-spots. This is great because it truly is vaping rather than combusting which is much healthier. You can also tell the difference in the flavor of the herb. If it had been burning, the flavor would have been significantly lower.

Overall, the vapor quality from the Pulsar APX was good but not mind-blowing. However, it did reliably achieve what it promised.

Build Quality

The Pulsar's built with a lightweight aluminum outer shell and a silicone mouthpiece. It's super lightweight but doesn’t necessarily feel cheap. It held up well in my pocket and I never felt like I needed to worry about the unit breaking or cracking.

The button on the front is made from a rubber material (the previous version was metal) which was easy to use. The previous version of the APX with the metal button didn’t feel as intuitive or firm when you pressed on it. This new version is easy to use, it makes a nice little click when you press it and your finger doesn’t slide off when you’re using it.

The chamber is made from ceramic that evenly heats the material and doesn’t pass on any flavor like some of the metal chambers. This is nice for both preserving the flavor and getting the most from your weed.

As far as the mouthpiece goes, the previous version of the APX had a screen that got clogged on a regular basis. This was one of the main complaints about the unit.

In the new APX 2, they’ve clearly listened to feedback and done away with the screen. However, I did notice that the silicone mouthpiece still has a tendency of gathering resin and it still has to be cleaned often.

The LED display on the Pulsar has also been improved. It features the battery level and lights up the temperature setting that your currently on. Before, the temperature was written on the vaporizer and a little red light would light up underneath the writing. It was super hard to read in the dark.

In the APX 2, they’ve made it so the temperature lights up so you can easily read it in the dark.

I have to say the overall quality of the unit is well thought out. From the size of the vaporizer to the life of the battery, I really can’t say many bad things about the unit. Of course, if you were paying hundreds of dollars the little details add up. But for a unit that’s well under $100 (that actually vaporizes your weed) this is a solid build.

Temperature settings

I found the best results are between levels one and four. These seem to produce the best balance of vapor quantity and flavor without being too hot and harsh. 

Conclusion

The Pulsar APX turned out to be a pretty decent deal for the cost. It has a ceramic oven, good flavor and vapor production, has a decent battery life with a relatively short recharge time, and it's built to be solid.

In short, it checks the boxes for the most important features in a vaporizer. Is it the best tasting vaporizer with the biggest clouds? Obviously not. But if you want a budget vaporizer that doesn’t burn your weed, is easy to travel with and keeps a low profile, it's a good option and something I would buy again.

• Current best price: $69.99