Linx Saber Review- convection for under $60?

Overview

I got an email from Linx Vapor a couple of months ago, and they asked me to review their new $60 dry herb vaporizer. My first thought was, “What dry herb vaporizer for $60 can be worth reviewing?” Most of the vapes in this price point are absolute junk. So I said ok, send one over, but had zero expectations that this thing would even make the cut and be worthwhile. 

Boy, I was wrong. 

I've been using the Linx Saber for around a month now, and as I'll explain, there is some real innovation behind this device. In this review, I’ll break down the features of this vape and explain why I think it's the best dry herb vaporizer you can buy for that price. 

The Saber retails for $60 directly from Linx and coupon code VG10 will save you 10%, which brings down the price even further, to $54. I don’t think I ever reviewed a dry herb vape at that price level.  

Kit & accessories

So we got the Saber vaporizer, with a threaded cover, and the heating coil right under it. Then we have the Glass mouthpiece with a mesh screen, a USB-C charging cable, and a cleaning brush.  

One optional accessory you should consider is the glass bubbler ($20). It allows quick and easy water filtration, and can also be used “dry”.

Design

Let's take a closer look at the device itself, which has three main components- the battery, the heating element, and the glass mouthpiece. 

The battery has one activation button at the front and four small LEDs. 

The glass stem is similar to an Arizer stem. It has a small cup at the bottom that is used as the chamber. There is a glass screen with four small holes, and that's where you load the herb. 

But that's the only similarity to an Arizer. The heating method is completely different. 

Once the cup is loaded about 3/4 of the way with herb, you plug the coil into it. The coil has a sharp tip that pushes through the herb easily, and the two o-rings create a tight seal between the heater and the glass. 

Heating system

The Saber has a unique heating system, unlike Arizer, or any other vape, for that matter. The heat is injected into the bowl from the inside instead of having a heating element that wraps the bowl from the outside.  

Air comes in from the holes at the bottom of the heating element and goes through the coil that's inside. It then exits from the holes on tip as boiling hot air, aka convection, vaporizing the herb and extracting the ingredients. 

Sure, the top of the coil still gets very hot, so there is some conduction heat involved as well, but the extraction happens mostly with convection, which means hot air. 

This design is very clever. It allows for a much smaller heating element that can be unscrewed and replaced independently of the battery. Replacing this small component will mean that you are basically getting a brand-new vaporizer. That’s pretty sick.

It's worth noting that before the air even gets to the bottom holes of the coil, it passes between the cover and the hot glass, so it starts heating up before it even enters the coil. 

Usage

As far as usage, it's pretty basic. Five clicks to unlock, and the Sabber starts heating up immediately. 

Triple-clicking cycles through the four preset temperatures, between 374°F and 446°F.

It takes around 30 seconds to heat up, and then the lights become solid and it vibrates when it’s ready to go. 

Performance 

This heating system works surprisingly well. You get full, dense vapor right from the first couple of inhales. The air path is really short and only includes the stainless steel coil and the glass. This keeps the vapor clean and pure. 

Since this is a convection vaporizer and the herb is heated by hot air, the herb that is closest to these small holes on the coil will get the best extraction, while parts of the herb that are in contact with the glass will get less efficient extraction as hot air can’t get there. This is normal with any pure convection vapes. 

One way to get around it is to stir the herb, which is very easy with this one. You can twist the stem while it's plugged into the chamber, or pull it out and stir with a tool.

But I usually don't stir. The extraction is still pretty good, and there is very little green herb left. Only where the herb physically touches the glass.

Bottom line

Overall, this vape gets the job done; it's super simple to use, it punches way above its weight class as far as performance, and it comes with an insane price tag of $54. 

In my opinion, it easily outperforms more expensive devices like the Starry 4, the DaVinci Micro C, and even Linx's own Eden Switch. I do not see any real competition for the Saber in the “under $100” category.