Kind Pen The Don Review

Background

New Jersey-based brand, Kind Pen (visit homepage) has definitely had a busy 2021. They’ve just released a new suite of products this early into 2022, and from the looks of it – they’re honing on an aesthetic of well-designed devices which balance portability, function, and flavor – regardless of your chosen material. Their 2022 release includes the OG Jams (review | buy) – which features quite a statement look and concentrate devices – the Lobi wax pen (review | buy) and The Don.

The Don (buy) is a concentrate vaporizer that features a unique self-contained water filtration tube, a swiveling glass mouthpiece, precise temperatures, coil-less heating, and a removable quartz cup. All this essentially makes The Don a fully functioning dab rig – packed into a sleek and very-portable vape. It is compatible with Wax, Dab, Shatter, or any other solid CBD or THC concentrates.

Kit and Accessories

The Kind Don comes with a very practically stocked kit, and then some. There’s everything you need to start using it straight away such as the device itself, the quartz cup, charging cable, and cleaning tools. There are also the standout pieces such as the silicone mouthpiece cover, the carb cap tether (incredibly useful), and the cup remover tool.

Design and Features

The Don’s play on different materials is definitely eye-catching. There’s the glass mouthpiece, silicone tether, the transparent water bubbler, the LED screen, and the semi-matte metal finish (plus the graffiti logo on the rounded side). It’s a lot, but it definitely works for this device.

Main Body: The Don sort of has a two-column design – the taller being where the battery and the are LED are. Below the display are two tactile buttons for adjusting the current temperature. The firing button is located on the rounded side, slightly below the mouthpiece. The shorter side is a bit more interesting – first, you have the silicone carb cap above the atomizer, then the vents for better heat dissipation.

Yet, all that considered, The Don is still definitely a discreet concentrate vaporizer. It’s only 6 inches tall and 4 inches in width – definitely something you can cover with your palm. When taking it out, however, I highly recommend placing it in a small bag to protect the mouthpiece and to store the cup remover tool – which you’ll definitely be needing.

Water Filtration

The water bubbler seems to be made of durable hard plastic, and through it, you can see the self-contained glass water tube. Being able to pass vapor through water is an incredibly great feature on any device. The Don may not hold as much water as larger e-Rigs on the market, but it’s enough to help rid the now cooler vapor of irritants and impurities. 

Battery

The Don has a 3000mAh battery, which for average users – would definitely last a few days. If you do run out of juice, the kit comes with an included USB-C cable (although that’s easily available anywhere too). It's nice to see devices finally updating to USB-C especially since it's a lot more stable and charges faster than the outdated Micro-USB.

Glass Swiveling Mouthpiece

The Glass Swiveling mouthpiece is definitely a great feature of The Don. You can tuck it away when not in use, and also attach the silicone cover to keep your lips safe from the heat.

Through fragile, glass is a neutral material that helps to keep the flavor of the vapor pure so it’s untainted by any foreign materials. The added length of the mouthpiece also further cools down the vapor for an even better experience.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Cleaning is one of the more cumbersome parts of owning any device – but most especially for concentrate devices. Thankfully, it’s a breeze with Kind Pen The Don. Since each part is detachable, it's a lot easier to just take it apart and clean.

Removing the perfectly snug quartz cup from the atomizer is no easy feat, that’s why the kit comes with an included cup removal tool which you simply lightly twist in and lift up. The tool has two silicone rings for a secure grip, so you can rest easy knowing there won’t be any accidents.

All of the pieces (except for the atomizer itself, of course) can be easily rid of residue and dirt with a cotton swab dipped in ISO alcohol. For a deep clean, I recommend soaking these parts in alcohol for about 30 minutes before swabbing it down.

Performance and Vapor Quality

The Don has an adjustable temperature range of 320°F – 800°F for precise dabbing. Five clicks of the firing button turn the device on, and you’re good to go straight after you select your desired temperature. Heat up time is a little on the average side, which is the trade-off for its coil-less design – which means the coil has to hit temp, followed by the removable quartz bowl which holds your material. This heating oven design also prevents overheating or burning your dabs.

Vapor Quality: This somewhat indirect heating with the removable quartz cup results in an evenly vaporized concentrate that’s definitely made a lot better by the water filtration and the lengthy and neutral glass mouthpiece. The resulting vapor was cool, flavorful, and nuanced. There’s also the added control to the draw resistance with the tethered carb cap.

Bottom Line

No doubt about it, The Don elevates the dabbing experience. It’s got a lot of features that are all geared towards providing you with the most flavored vapor possible. There’s the glass mouthpiece, the quartz bowl, and of course water filtration. It would have been better however if the kit came with a carrying case – it might be portable, but it does have a glass mouthpiece. A case would definitely make it safer to take around.

But other than that, the Kind Pen’s The Don is worth considering as your primary portable E-rig. If you’re still scouring for options, check out our list of the best E-Rigs of [year].