Background
California- based brand Linx Vapor has been making health-centered, heavy metals tested, and plastic-free vaporizers since 2015. All the products in their line are made of medical-grade stainless steel, glass mouthpieces, and have either ceramic or quartz-glass heating chambers and plates. The Linx Ember (visit store) is an entry-level 510 threaded wax vaporizer that’s made with the same esteem as all Linx products- but at a price that’s far from breaking the bank.
The device features a vapor window, a recessed coil atomizer, and three pre-set temperature settings. At $40- this product is sturdy, stealthy and features a surprising amount of versatility for a budget unit. Especially when some pricier units don’t even have adjustable temperature
Compatibility: The Linx Ember is compatible with THC/CBD Wax, Shatter, Honey, and other solid-type concentrates. I used my device with CBD dab from Steve’s Goods. Which is available to ship anywhere in the US.
Kit & Accessories
The Linx Ember has a pretty minimal kit, consisting of the device, a proprietary USB charger that screws directly onto the battery, and a sleek box that also doubles as a carrying case.
Design & Features
The Ember is 4.4 inches tall and 0.2 inches in diameter and weighs 28 grams, so it’s very light and highly portable. Based on looks alone, it’s not too far off from most Linx products that are always encased in their signature stainless steel finish and it looks pretty similar to its big brother- the Linx Blaze (review)
The vapor window is a pretty cool feature that’s possible thanks to the device’s recessed quartz coil design. More often than not, the vaporization process is something that happens under the hood and isn’t something that’s visually brought forward- on the Ember, the transformation of your material to vapor is seen front and center.
You can literally take this device nearly everywhere and it wouldn’t turn heads- it fits wonderfully in any pocket or purse and is concealable in your palm. The stainless steel build feels great in the hand but is, however, prone to scuffs and scratches.
Mouthpiece
The device’s mouthpiece is made with the same borosilicate glass that Linx uses in all its products. As a neutral glass material, it aids in keeping vapor flavor pure and also heats pretty fast and evenly- helping you maximise clouds and material
While borosilicate glass is stronger than average- it is still fragile to an extent. So I’d highly recommend bringing the device around with the accompanying box/ carrying case
Battery
The Linx Ember features a 350mAh lithium-ion battery that’ll last just about a whole day of use. Depending on which temperature setting you employ. To charge the device, simply unscrew the atomizer from the 510-threaded battery and screw the battery onto the included charger. Charging time is roughly 1.5 hours.
How to Use
Made for beginner and intermediate users, the Ember is pretty intuitive and straightforward to use. Simply load a rice grain-sized bit of extract onto your device and click the button 5 times quick succession to turn it on. Three rapid clicks will let you cycle between the three temperature settings.
The device also has a session mode that you can access by double clicking the button. This will turn on the heater for 12 seconds, signalling the start of your session.
Performance and Vapor Quality
For a device this small and at this price, its performance speaks volumes. The single-coil-wrapped quartz rod does well at preserving flavor while delivering a strong hit. Even with 3 temperature settings to choose from – 3.3v, 3.8v, and 4.2v. The resulting vapor never really gets too hot since the device just has a single quartz coil.
The device works best with a quick preheat and gets through all the extract used fairly quickly. It’s not the most conservative when it comes to use of material, especially in session mode. But it’s not exactly wasteful either.
The lowest setting delivers flavor-forward smooth vapor, while at the top the resulting vapor is much denser and thick. In any setting, the vapor is definitely smooth but since the vapor doesn’t really pass through a long airpath. It won't be as cool as the vapor on units with more intricate cooling systems.
Bottomline
The Linx Ember may not be as powerful as its big brother, the Blaze or the Utillian 5 (review), which has two coil designs- but it does astonishingly well for its $40 price tag. It’s a well built, strurdy device and any of its three pre-set temperature settings deliver above-average vapor that’s more flavor-forward than any wax vaporizer I’ve tried at this price. There’s also the added bonus of being able to use the battery with pre-filled top airflow cartridges.
Made for beginners or those who want an inexpensive wax pen – the Linx Ember is definitely a product to consider. If you’re looking for more out of your device and are willing to shell out a bit more $$- then I’d recommend the Qloudup Nexus Pro (review), Yocan Evolve Plus (review) or looking through our guide for the best dab/wax vape pens of this year.
