NEW for 2024 – Arizer has released a new, much-improved Solo 3 dry herb vaporizer.

This vape and its massive upgrades were completely unanticipated. The Solo 3 has blown me away, and I’m putting it in the #1 position on my best portable vaporizers list.  It is rare to find this combination of value and performance.

Arizer Solo III includes 2 stems, 2 WPA for $276 after code TROYTIME20

Five Reasons I LOVE the Solo 3

The most important traits of any dry herb vaporizer are vapor quality, heat-up time, and battery power.  The Solo 3 is a high-quality, high-performance vaporizer made for cannabis connoisseurs and newcomers alike.

Classic Solo Charm with a Modern Power Boost

The Arizer Solo was originally released in 2011 and has been a mainstay in the top half of the best portable dry herb vape list ever since.  With an all-glass vapor path and a super simple user interface, the Arizer portable vape sets the standards for other vapes to follow. The 2017 release of the Solo 2 equipped this popular vaporizer with an even more powerful battery, but didn’t change the power or performance of the Arizer Solo – but that all changes with the Solo 3.

15 Second Heatup, Potent & Relentless Vapor

The Solo 3 heats up FAST and delivers thick, potent vapor clouds without delay.  It’s ready-to-vape in 15 seconds and it’s potent and powerful on the very first hit.  The Solo 3 outperforms every other portable vaporizer I’ve tested.

Solo 3 Improvements & Noteworthy Features

Solo 3 is much more powerful than any other Arizer portable vape.

Arizer has redesigned the heater and added more convection and full surround heating.  The added radiant and conductive heating speeds up the heating times and greatly improves vapor production.

The Solo 3 heats and is ready to vape in only 15 seconds.

Previous generations took a couple of minutes and 10 or 12 minutes to vape a bowl fully! The Solo 3 can do it in less than 2 minutes.

The Solo 3 still uses the same simple glass stem and bowl interface as the previous Arizer Air and Solo vaporizes, so if you’re upgrading from an older Air or Solo your stems will be compatible!

Arizer Solo 3 On-Demand Mode – Fast and Powerful

Most on-demand vaporizers are full convection and only produce one puff of vapor per heat-up cycle.

The Solo 3 is not full convection. It utilizes a combination of radiant heat, insulated conduction, and convection.

A single Solo 3 On-Demand heat-up cranks enough calories to churn out several clouds.

I’ve even fully extracted a bowl on a single on-demand heat-up! This thing CHUCKS CLOUDS!

The Standard bowl can be fully extracted in 2 or 3 heat cycles in on-demand mode. The hotter temperature profiles will extract more quickly.

Starting at a low temperature and stepping through each setting is a great way to maximize the effects and get the most out of your cannabis.

Solo 3 Session Mode: FAST and Efficient

In Session Mode, the Solo 3 will heat up fast and maintain a steady vaping temperature for 3 minutes.

The initial heating isn’t as aggressive as On-Demand mode, but it will produce good vapor on its first hit. The Solo 3 has no problem completely extracting the standard stem during a 3-minute session, whereas older Arizer vapes would take a full 10 minutes!

The Solo 3 can vape 3 bowls in the time it’d take the Solo 2 to vape one bowl!

On-Demand vs Session mode

I find myself using On-Demand mode nine times out of 10.

Even if I’m vaping session style and will vape two or three stems in a row, I use On-Demand mode.

I like that I can get several good hits out of a single heatup and decide as I’m vaping whether I want to heat it up again or cough my face off for a minute.

Vaporists looking for maximum efficiency and more time between vaping can pull the stem between hits to reduce carryover cooking.

Solo 3 Oven Upgrades

The Solo 3 oven is a stainless steel well with scalloped air vents along the bottom.

This oven heats the glass stem via conduction. Since glass is more of an insulator than a conductor, the flavor tastes more convection than conduction. The Solo 3 oven vaporizes the loaded herbs using hot convection air and insulated conduction.

XL Stem vs Standard Stem

Two of the four bowls included with the Solo 3 are XL versions. The XL stem has double the capacity, as well as an additional airflow hole in the glass screen.

The Standard. Stems. Perform. Better.

The XL bowl just doesn’t roast as evenly. Plus the larger amount of herb adds too much draw restriction.
Standard stems taste better and vape better than the XL versions.

The problem with the Solo 3 XL stems is the extended top half of the bowl is too far outside of the oven. There isn’t enough convection power to thoroughly cook the deeper bowl, and there isn’t enough conduction to keep the top half of the bowl hot enough to vape evenly.

Solo 3 Vapor Quality: S-Tier Vapor

The Solo 3 delivers the highest-quality vapor available. 

The all-glass bowl and vapor path offer the cleanest and purest flavor, without any plastics or silicone tainting the taste. 

The Vapor is smooth, cool, and potent! At lower temps the Solo 3 delivers bright terps and even roasting. At hotter temps the Solo 3 puts out punchy vapor with a full spectrum of robustly roasted terps.

Solo 3 on a Bong

I Love that the Solo 3 includes a glass water pipe adapter.

Vaping through a bong is one of my favorite things about cannabis. Water pipes are fun, and they make the vapor a lot more comfortable.

The 14mm glass water pipe adapters should fit the most popular glass pieces. Normally I prefer an 18mm connection for airflow purposes, but the Arizer Solo 3 has too much restriction for an 18mm connection.

Solo 3 – Five Things I Don’t Like

It’s a glorious vape, but not all rainbows and sunshine. Here are the little things I don’t like about the Arizer Solo 3.

1. The Buttons feel slightly clunky. Disclaimer – I have fat thumbs and a bit of carpal tunnel. I struggle to hit right, left, up, and down precisely without using the tip of my nail.
   I want a flat iPod button wheel instead of this raised, clunky donut.
2. The Software is limited and dated. Session pre-set temperatures can be edited, but not on-demand temperatures.
   In Session mode, the heater is turned on by pressing the middle M button. In On-Demand mode, the heater is turned on by pressing the UP button. It feels like two different programmers worked independently on this, and they didn’t talk to each other.
   Both modes even have their own settings menu, and you need to disable the annoying beep in both places.
3. The XL Stem loses too much power. There, I said it. The XL stems don’t vape evenly or perform as well as the standard stems. I’m spoiled by the massive power of the standard stem, and I will not sacrifice that performance. Double the weed at triple the amount of vaping required is not more impactful; it’s just more annoying.
4. Pocket Carry is Cumbersome. This vape is great at home, but using the Solo 3 on the go requires additional cargo. Carrying the stem separately is a must. The Solo 3 isn’t pocket-friendly.
5. The Draw Restriction is still pretty tight. It’s like sucking on a milkshake. My throat and lungs feel sore after a day of vaping on the Solo 3.

Is the Solo 3 the Right Vaporizer For YOU?

This vape checks a lot of boxes. It’s affordable, at $276, which is $175 cheaper than the Venty.

The Solo 3 can rip hard enough to slap high-tolerance stoners. Beginner users will appreciate the small bowl size and friendly interface.

The Solo 3 is remarkably good as an around-the-house portable vaporizer.

It’s a perfect vape, until you want to put it in your pocket and carry it everywhere you go.

The Solo 3 fails as a daily carry vape.

If you need a vaporizer to use on the go or one that will fit easily in any pocket, the Solo 3 is likely too big and cumbersome to be carried. Carrying the Solo 3 with the stem inserted risks breaking the glass, and carrying the stem separately from the vaporizer becomes too much tinkering.

I do most of my vaping at my desk, on my couch, or outside on the patio. The Solo 3 is perfect for most of my portable vape needs. I don’t carry it with me if I’m leaving the house though.

Vape Comparisons: Solo 3 vs the rest

In this post-review section, I’ll compare the Solo 3 with other highly recommended dry herb vaporizers and highlight their fundamental differences. I also present and compare all of these vaporizers on my Best Portable Vaporizer page. 

Arizer Solo 3 vs Venty

These are the two top portable vaporizers. The Venty costs $175 more than the Solo 3.

The Venty has ultra-wide airflow and is the easiest to inhale. Its vapor is full and fluffy. The built-in cooling unit filters particles and removes leftover heat, leaving a silky, smooth vapor.

The biggest difference between the Venty and Solo 3 is their bowl interface and carryability.  The Solo 3 has fragile, hot glass to load, unload, and protect while carrying. The Venty is pocket-friendly without any additional attention or accessories.

The Venty has more airflow and nicer vapor, but the Solo 3 heats up faster and has more power!

The Solo 3 has On-Demand mode and can get me more medicated with fewer inhalations. It can also extract faster, more fully, and at higher temperatures than the Venty.

The Solo 3 has a draw restriction similar to a mostly melted milkshake. The Venty is wide open. The restriction makes me cough more than I’d like to cough.

Cleaning the Venty is a bit of a chore. The inside of the Cooling Unit has multiple parts and several nooks and crannies to clean out.

Solo 3 glass stems are the easiest to clean. Ever.

The Venty has a slightly larger bowl. They both hold approximately .15-.2, but the Venty can be overpacked without much performance loss. Overpacking the Solo 3 will cause combustion and too much restriction.

Reach Test: With both the Venty and the Solo 3 within reach, I grab the Solo 3 when I want to vape one bowl here at my desk. If I’m taking my vape to go, I grab the Venty.

If it’s going in my pocket, it’s the Venty.

See my Venty Review to learn more, or you can pick one up directly from Storz & Bickel or Planet of the Vapes.

Solo 3 vs TinyMight 2

Here’s where things get fun! The TinyMight 2 is notable because it’s one of the few portable vaporizers with full convection on demand.

Solo 3 and TinyMight 2 have On-Demand modes but function differently. The Solo 3 heats in 15 seconds and has an adjustable draw timer to control how long the heater stays hot. The TinyMight heats up in 10 seconds and will remain hot while the button is pressed.

A single Solo 3 heat-up in On-Demand mode will produce multiple hits of good vapor as the carryover heat remains in the bowl and heater. The TinyMight 2 convection heater loses its heating capabilities within seconds of releasing the button.

Both vapes can fully vape a bowl in 1 to 3 heat-ups at higher temperatures.

The Full Convection vapor from the TinyMight 2 has a brighter representation of terpenes, while the Solo 3’s added conduction creates a more robust flavor and thicker vapor.

The TinyMight is considerably smaller than the Solo 3. The TinyMight 2 fits easily into a pocket and can be carried everywhere.

Both of these vaporizers perform exceptionally well on a water bong.

Both can handle concentrates in the form of twaxing. The Solo 3 will handle traditional hash better than the TinyMight.

Check out my TinyMight 2 Review to learn more about this powerful little vape. You can also buy one from Planet of the Vapes for $349.

Solo 3 vs Solo 2 max vs Arizer Air, etc

The Solo 3 is the most powerful Arizer portable ever made. If you’re new to dry herb vaporizers and plan to microdose, older generations of the Arizer Solo or the Arizer Air will likely suffice.

The Arizer Solo 2 Max is smaller, but uses the same stems and the same style of oven – it’s just slower and less powerful than the Solo 3.

See my Solo 2 Max review to learn more.

The Arizer Air Max and Air SE also use the same stems and oven as the Solo 2, but the Arizer Air has a removable battery.

Winners of the Reach Test

I have every portable dry herb vaporizer on the market. Next to other leading vapes, the Solo 3 wins a lot of reach tests! I often grab the Solo 3 over the Venty and Tafee Bowle for quick bowls at my desk or on the couch.

The only time the Solo 3 loses the reach test is when I need a portable vape that can ride in my pocket and vape multiple bowls on my journey. For that, I grab the Venty.

Solo 3 vs Ball Vapes

Ball vapes are desktop vaporizers made for bongs. They are extremely powerful and deliver full extraction with a wide open airflow and fast inhale.

Desktop ball vapes often dominate the reach test at home, but the Solo 3 does surprisingly well against these heavy-hitting vapes.

The Solo 3 heats up fast and pushes out potent vapor without the large footprint of PIDs, hot coils, and bongs.

Ball vapes still crush portable vapes, but the Solo 3 is surprisingly satisfying – and portable!

If you only vape at home and plan to use a bong, skip the portable vapes and get a ball vape. See my guide to ball vaporizers and heavy-hitting vapes.

Enjoying Your Solo 3? Leave your review in the comments!

One of my favorite things about reviewing vaporizers is seeing the joy and pleasure that these devices bring others. Let me know how you’re liking your Solo 3 in the comments!