AirVape Legacy Review

Background

AirVape (visit store) is a US-based manufacturer with a track record in crafting high-quality vaporizers such as the AirVape X (read review). The team behind the brand has made it their mission to create affordable luxury in the dry herb vape market, However, what sets AirVape apart is their dedication to the customer’s experience – taking feedback and using it as the foundation for each product. 

Their newest product, the AirVape Legacy is the result of nearly two years of research, development, and prototyping. The device features haptic feedback, ultra-fast heating, and a 24k gold plated chamber – all while being encased in a sleek body featuring hemp textile accents and vegan leather.

At $250, it is flanked by some tough competitors that are also in the same price range – such as the Firefly 2+ (read review), also at $250 and the Crafty+ (read review) at $280.  In this review, I compare the Legacy to the Firefly 2+ , since they’re pretty similar vapes. To see where the Legacy stands, keep reading this review. 

Compatibility: The AirVape Legacy is compatible with dry herb and wax concentrates. I used it with CBD herb from InHemp which is legally shipped anywhere in the USA.

Kit and Accessories

The design process for this device seems to have carried over to its packaging as well- the box (made out of recycled paper) also features a trippy design and magnetic closures. Right out of the box- the Legacy comes with the following; 

• AirVape Legacy device
• 18650 Legacy removable battery
• Concentrates pad insert
• Gold-plated basket (for microdosing)
• Smooth edge chamber component
• USB-C charger cable
• Cleaning & Loading tools
• Replacement filter screens
• User manual & warranty card

Optional Accessories

AirVape has also made several accessories available through their store. For the Legacy, we think that the most notable one is the wireless power bank that you can also use with your phone. A Legacy 18650 battery replacement and a water bubbler for use with both the AirVape X and the Legacy are also available. 

If you want to use the Legacy at its best, then we’d recommend a good herb grinder. That’s because well-ground herb heats evenly and produces a better vaping experience. The SLX (read review)  is one of the best manual grinders out there because of its smooth grinding action and premium material. 

Design and Features

The Legacy stands tall at 119mm, 52mm wide, and is 21mm deep. Together with the battery, the whole thing weighs 244 grams- so it’s a pretty hefty device but that’s balanced out by how smooth and sleek it feels in your hand. The hemp textile and vegan leather accents are a great compliment to its black ceramic body too – visually, this is a really good-looking vaporizer.

 Our whole team knew from the get-go that this was a pretty “busy” device- busy in a sense that a lot was going on underneath its fairly minimalist design- and we were right. The Legacy is filled with tons of features- haptic feedback, adjustable temperature controls of up to 464° F, a quick 15- second heat up time, gold plated heating chamber, a removable glass vapor path, optional on-demand heating, a session timer set to shut off after three minutes, and a puff motion sensor that turns the vaporizer off when left unused for one minute during a session. 

The ceramic mouthpiece of the Legacy is nice, tapered, and stays cool- which definitely makes for comfortable draws. The device opens to reveal the herb chamber and battery door. Nestled on the battery door is the packing tool that you can use when vaping concentrates, the battery door comes off to reveal the 18650 replaceable battery and the glass vapor tube. Frankly, this is where we feel like there are too many moving and removable parts which are at risk of breaking over time or simply getting lost. This is the trade-off for the Legacy’s beautiful design- in time, the many ridges and crevices are sure to fill with cannabis dust so we highly recommend a bit of extra attention when it comes to cleaning the device. 

Battery

With the many charging/ power options available to the AirVape Legacy, it’ll be almost impossible to run out of battery. Since the battery is removable, you can opt to use an external battery charger (available on Amazon). AirVape also sells spare batteries on their site- so you can have one in the device and another ready and waiting in the charger. The built-in USB-C charging also works pretty well, charging the 3000 mAh battery in about forty-five minutes. 

A new addition to this vaporizer is its new wireless charging feature. Simply set it on a wireless charger and it’ll take care of itself. AirVape sells their own wireless power bank (which also features the same hemp textile on the device), but we’re pretty sure you can also use any standard wireless charger. I even tried the new Apple iPhone 12 magnetic wireless charger and it worked flawlessly. 

Cleaning and Maintenance

As I said earlier, I recommend extra attention when cleaning the device since it does have several covers, removable parts, and pieces. We’d also like to add that under the battery cover, there is a pull tab that’s there to help remove both the battery and air path- please exercise some caution here, pulling the tab too hard can cause the glass air path to fly off and break. 

Despite all the extra precautions, the process of cleaning itself doesn’t differ much from cleaning other herbal vapes. 

Performance

Most vapes function on the same basic principles, but the difference between a high-quality vape and one on the lower end is very clear. The Legacy is a pure convection vaporizer, meaning you get the most out of your herb, all the taste, and cannabinoids- without accidentally burning it (which happens in some cheaper devices).

Dry Herb

The 15-second heat-up time is quite impressive, and you’ll know when the device is ready since it’ll vibrate to let you know. Although, I recommend waiting another 15 seconds and taking a few light draws to get it started. 

The vapor production is pretty impressive on the Legacy, even when using it at lower temperatures. What I liked the most was the consistent volume of the clouds even towards the end of the session. The flavor did mellow towards the end, but that's just what happens with dry herb vaping. The pre-set 3 minute session time is just right. But if you would like to get the most out of your herb, you may also take the provided packing tool, stir the herb, increase the temperature a bit, and have another session with the same load. 

The Legacy has a pretty wide temperature range of 212°F to 464°F, meaning it can get quite hot in there. But the device stays cool to the touch thanks to the well-placed hemp textile pads on either side of the device. 

Concentrates

Most dry-herb vaporizers that also work with concentrates are generally much better at working with herbs than the latter. So when we tested the Legacy with wax from Steve’s Good CBD Dabs- I was pleasantly surprised with its performance. The Legacy is perfectly capable of vaporizing concentrates and providing a smooth vaping experience and some pretty good flavor.

With the on-demand setting, the experience nearly felt like a dab pen. But if you’re looking for a device that’s made specifically for wax or other concentrates- we recommend looking through our guide for the best dab/wax vape pens of [year].

AirVape Legacy VS Firefly 2+

As fairly similar devices, at the exact same price point – it made a lot of sense to compare the Legacy to the Firefly 2+. Both vapes are filled to the brim with features and they both also perform pretty well when used with either dry herb and concentrate. 

• Design-wise: the Legacy’s hemp fabric and leather accents make it a better looking vaporizer, but they are both sleek and discreet. The Firefly’s slim body makes it a bit awkward when you’ll need to adjust the touch controls on its side, while the Legacy’s width makes for a natural hold. It’s important to note that the Legacy features and on device display, while the Firefly 2+ does not. But to make up for a lack in display, the Firefly 2+ temperature information and as well as very precise incremental adjustments can be seen on the accompanying smartphone app. 
• Flavor & vapor quality: Don’t expect big clouds with these two convection vaporizers, but rather enjoy the flavorful vapor they both give. Drawing from both is smooth since both feature little to no draw resistance, and it was nice to fully get that clean, full flavor from the herb. The mouthpieces on these devices differed greatly though – the firefly has a shorter plastic mouthpiece while the Legacy has a ceramic mouthpiece that sits better on the lips.
• Battery: Under the lid the Firefly 2+ has less of those crevices that might possibly collect herb dust like in the Legacy. Both devices feature removable batteries, which means you can always keep a spare handy- but the Firefly’s battery is at 770mAH is a lot less powerful than the Legacy’s 1650mAH battery and can only be charged in the device. Making the Firefly’s removable battery option quite moot. 
• Heating oven: The herb basket on the Firefly is visible without having to open it, which I like since that means you can open the lid only as needed, and not have to check and move parts that might send some dust scattering around the device- as in the case of the Legacy. 

Like I stated earlier, both are really good devices that perform well. Choosing between the two is mostly then a matter of what is important to your vaping experience. If you want a smaller, handier vape, and want to control temperature precisely – then the Firefly is for you. But if what you’d like is one with a larger battery, and a sleeker look, then I’d recommend the Legacy.

Bottom Line

The AirVape Legacy is a well-designed dry- herb vaporizer that’s jam-packed with features. However, our team remains a bit divided on whether a vaporizer needs to be this complex. A few of our team members argued that wireless charging seemed sort of “gimmicky”. 

As a good looking device, with great battery power, we can certainly say that this device is a worthy investment. It also really embodies AirVape’s affordable luxury goal. All we wonder is if it’ll remain as beautiful as it is, with all the moving parts. Performance-wise, it holds its own against the Firefly, and the Crafty+ (review) , it delivers great flavor and heats up in 15 seconds. The Legacy also stays quite cool to the touch thanks to the Hemp fabric that’s strategically placed in the warmest parts of the device. 

Overall, we love this vape at the moment and would recommend it to anyone that’s looking for a device that’s both good looking, fairly easy to use and performs well. If you’re looking for something less flashy, but also delivers on vapor quality on both herb and concentrate, then we’d recommend the S&B Mighty Vaporizer. (review)