By Leafly, December 28, 2021
Precise temperature control and a streamlined design make the AUXO Cira ideal for stoners with high standards (and approachable for beginners). Find out our writer's experience putting Cira to the test.
Dry-herb vaporizers have had precise temperature control since the giant tabletop device days. So why is it so rare in e-rigs, even ones that advertise themselves as “smart”? “Variable temperature,” which usually means the product offers around four temperature settings, isn’t terribly exciting, and it’s silly to hold a high-quality e-rig to the same standards as a cheap 510 cartridge battery. Each concentrate is going to thrive on different temperature settings depending on the strain, its terpene profile, and its chemistry, and an investment piece should help get you there.
Last month, AUXO released this sleek little rig with patent-pending heating coil tech that can heat up anywhere between 450 and 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s less expensive than many similar premium rigs, too: The whole kit retails for $179.99.
It sounds too good to be true, but we tried it for ourselves, and it’s (a) real, (b) exactly what it says on the label, and (c) a joy to use. It’s a small, streamlined device that won’t take over your coffee table—you could very easily take it on a walk if you’re mindful of the glass.
Here’s our experience.
Unboxing the AUXO Cira
Since there are only a few separate parts for the Cira, it was easy to get the lay of the land right away. The box folds out like a book or suitcase, and every piece is tucked into its snug little foam cubby instead of a pile of bubble wrap. It makes for a great protective case for the device, too.
The kit is simple but thorough. One side holds the base with the heating element, the hand-blown borosilicate glass mouthpiece, titanium and quartz bangers, and carb cab with its silicone leash. The other has accessories like the charging dock, charging cord, and cleaning swabs, and a metal dab tool.
We plugged it in right away, and it was all charged up when we were ready for a session a couple of hours later. There’s not a lot of assembly required here: The glass piece is all-in-one with the bubbler, mouthpiece, and dome, and the whole thing slides over the screw-in banger smoothly and securely. For experienced dabbers, it’s tidy and time-saving; for those new to dabbing, it simplifies the process.
It was a little bit of a pain to fill the bubbler, but it was worth it: This stoner, a chronic liquid-spiller, never managed to spill it, even while using it curled up in a corner of the couch at an awkward angle.
One unexpected twist: The charging dock is more than an accessory and has to stay (unplugged) on the base of the device during each session. Fortunately, it was mostly able to just stay there on its own.
What it’s like dabbing with the AUXO Cira
Fine-tuning the heat is the headline feature for this gadget, but it’s a dream to use, too. It’s lightweight and compact, and since there aren’t too many parts, there’s not a lot to fiddle around with. All the touchable areas of the Cira—that is, outside the dome and the heating element—stayed cool to the touch, no matter how long we used it. One more point for the accident-prone among us. It also just feels good to hold, with just the right amount of grip and no bulkiness. You can absolutely use this device with one hand.
Every function happens with just two buttons (+ and -) and a no-nonsense LCD readout, but the process is streamlined enough for it to be intuitive. Long-presses and double-taps safeguard the device from turning on or heating up accidentally.
We opted for the quartz banger and dabbed two very different strains, extracted into similar concentrates: crunchy crystalline Pink Sands and saucy Garlic Breath honey crystals.
Because there is such a breadth of temperature options, it took a few sessions to hit exactly the right heat. But in the process, we were really able to hone in on the right balance of flavor and texture—we were looking for a substantial enough cloud to enjoy the experience without having a coughing fit or burning off the terpenes, which is a tough tightrope to walk if you have a limited number of settings to work with. Being able to adjust down to every ten degrees made it much more doable.
It turns out, having precise temperature control is extremely handy, even when you’re using similar types of concentrates. Sweet, tropical Pink Sands dabbed gently, but noticeably, at 650 degrees. Garlic Breath, on the other hand, demanded a little more drama at 825, lending its full, funky flavor to denser clouds. Once you find that sweet spot for any concentrate, the Cira’s consistent temperature lets you easily replicate it in the next session.
Fresh concentrate works best in the Cira. We did try to be economical and stretch some pre-dabbed dabs, but found they usually needed a temperature boost to deliver those secondhand hits. An extra 50 degrees or so did the trick—an adjustment we would have never been able to make without this level of control.
The long-lasting battery also works as promised: More than two weeks later it was still chugging along.
Group sessions with Cira
The Cira experience is extremely efficient: It counts down its 20-second heating time on the no-nonsense LCD display, then starts a timer for 30 seconds once it’s warmed up. It’s enough for one or two people to get a hit or three in, although enough vapor builds up in the chamber that you usually get a couple of sips after.
If you want to pass it around a whole circle, you can extend the timer for 15 seconds once the timer gets below 10 seconds. Just double-tap the “+” button.
Ready for a session with Cira?
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