A Puffco is a concentrate vaporiser made by Puffco, an American company founded in 2013 and now based in Los Angeles. The brand is best known for the Peak, an electronic dab rig (e-rig) that heats wax, rosin and other extracts in a ceramic chamber and pulls the vapour through water, with no torch and no flame. Every electronic device Puffco makes is for concentrates only. None of them vaporise flower. Is Puffco worth it? If concentrates are what you use, yes, for most people. The range is well built, the accessory ecosystem is the biggest we stock for any e-rig, and the controls are the simplest we've come across. You're paying for polish, though, and the chambers are a running cost you need to budget for.
I'm a dry-herb man first. But HerbVape stocks the Puffco range, so every device on this page has been across my bench: set up, heated, cleaned and checked against the manuals. This page is our hub for the whole brand. It covers who Puffco are, the line-up from pen to flagship, which one to pick, the light codes and click commands, the flower question, how Puffco compares with Dr Dabber and Focus V, and links to every guide and explainer we've published on them.
Puffco at a glance
| Device | Type | Factory heat settings | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peak Pro | Flagship e-rig, app-connected | 4 presets, 490–575 °F (254–301 °C), fully custom in the app | Home sessions, the biggest chamber (3DXL), total control |
| New Peak | E-rig, no app | 4 presets, 490 °F up to the Peak setting | The Peak experience without an app or the Pro's price |
| Proxy | Modular portable rig | 4 presets, 490–545 °F (254–285 °C) on the New Proxy | Glass lovers who want one base with swappable pieces |
| Pivot | Dab pen | 4 presets, 500–585 °F (260–307 °C) | Pocket carry, and an e-rig with the Glass Adapter |
| Hot Knife | Heated loading tool | None, press and hold to heat | Clean loading of sticky concentrates into any chamber |
There are no HerbVape scores here. Our scores come from the two-strain protocol (Jack Herer and Wedding Cake) on our methodology page, which is built for dry herb and doesn't transfer to concentrate hardware. Instead, each device has a full owner's guide, linked below. Everything we stock from the brand, including chambers, caps and glass, is in the Puffco collection.
Who are Puffco?
Puffco was started in 2013 by Roger Volodarsky, who has said that the company began in his mum's basement in Brooklyn, New York. Its first product, the Puffco Classic, was a slim concentrate pen released at the start of 2014. The company later moved to Los Angeles, where it is still based.
A few milestones explain why the name now stands for e-rigs in general:
- 2014–16: the Classic pen, then the Plus (2016), which became one of the best-known concentrate pens around.
- Around the turn of 2018: the original Peak. It combined a battery base, a ceramic bowl and a glass water piece into one device you could hand to someone who had never used a torch.
- 2021: the Peak Pro, with Bluetooth, the Puffco Connect app and wireless charging.
- June 2022: the original Proxy.
- June 2023: the "New Peak Pro", with the 3D Chamber and Joystick Cap as standard. The larger 3DXL chamber now ships in the kit.
- 2024: the New Peak (July) and the Pivot pen (October).
- 2025–26: the app-connected New Proxy (September 2025), then the Proxy Core and a next-generation Hot Knife (March 2026).
What makes Puffco different
The 3D Chamber
Most of the current range uses Puffco's 3D Chamber, a ceramic bowl heated from the sides as well as the base. The idea is more even heat across the whole dab. The Peak Pro's 3DXL version has what Puffco calls a 78% larger bowl. Our e-rig explainer covers how chambers and heat cycles work.
One control language across the range
Almost every Puffco device uses the same clicks (listed in the quick reference below), and the factory colours run Blue, Green, Red, White from lowest to highest. Learn one Puffco and you can use any of them. On the app-connected models (Peak Pro, New Proxy, Proxy Core) you can re-colour the profiles, so a second-hand device may not show the factory colours.
The ecosystem
No e-rig maker we stock has this many parts and accessories. You can buy spare 3D and 3DXL chambers, Joystick and Ball Caps, coloured and travel glass, the Peak Pro Power Dock (a wireless charger that doubles as a power bank and enables the Peak Pro's Ready Mode), the Peak Journey Bag, the Pivot Glass Adapter and a range of Proxy glass. It adds up if you buy the lot, but it also means an older device can usually still be fixed.
Warranty
Puffco's own terms give the electronic base two years. The chambers are treated as wear parts with shorter cover: six months on the Peak Pro, New Peak and New Proxy 3D chambers, and one month on the Pivot chamber and the original Proxy chamber. Glass isn't covered. Puffco's sources disagree on whether the Hot Knife gets one year or two. These are Puffco's published terms, so for a UK purchase, confirm cover with your retailer and keep proof of purchase.
The honest downsides
- Chambers wear out. Budget for a replacement chamber now and then.
- Cleaning is not optional. Most red–white error flashes come down to a dirty chamber or contacts. Puffco's rule is 90%+ isopropyl alcohol on chambers and bases, never water. Our dab rig cleaning guide covers it.
- Glass breaks. The Peak and Proxy are water pieces, and glass isn't covered by warranty.
- High temperatures by design. The factory presets start at 490 °F (254 °C). For lower-temperature dabs you'll want an app model. See the dab temperature guide.
The current line-up
From pocket to flagship, the ladder runs Plus, Pivot, Proxy and Proxy Core, New Peak, then Peak Pro, with the Hot Knife as a tool that works with all of them.
Plus: the entry pen
The Plus is Puffco's long-running concentrate pen. It has a coil-less ceramic chamber, three voltage-based heat settings and a 12-second "Sesh Mode". It's the cheapest way into the brand. We don't currently stock the Plus itself, though replacement chambers, batteries and mouthpieces for existing owners are in the Puffco collection.
Pivot: the dab pen, done properly
The Pivot is a pen with a quick-release mini 3D Chamber, a light bar that doubles as a visual dab timer, haptics and USB-C. It has four presets from 500 to 585 °F (260–307 °C) and no app. Puffco rates it at up to 15 heat cycles on the lowest setting, so it's a day-out device, not an all-weekend one. The Glass Adapter turns it into a small e-rig with water filtration, which is the reason I'd pick it over the Plus. Read the Pivot owner's guide or go to the product page.
Proxy and Proxy Core: the modular one
The Proxy is a cylindrical base with a 3D Chamber that slots into a glass "pipe". You can swap that glass for other Proxy pieces, and every Proxy base fits every piece of Proxy glass. The 2025 New Proxy added the Puffco Connect app, a light bar and an upgraded chamber. Puffco rates it at around 15 dabs a charge. The 2026 Proxy Core swaps the glass for an anodised aluminium cup and silicone mouthpiece, works only with the Bluetooth New Proxy base, and isn't stocked by us at the moment. Read the Proxy owner's guide or go to the product page. Spare Proxy 3D Chambers are stocked separately.
New Peak: the Peak without the app
The 2024 New Peak keeps what made the original work (battery base, glass water piece) and adds the 3D Chamber, a Joystick Cap and USB-C. There's no Bluetooth and no app. You get four fixed presets and Boost (two clicks after heat-up for extra time and heat), and Puffco rates it at about 35 heat cycles on the Green setting. It's the one I'd suggest if you want the Peak and have no interest in an app. It shares its controls and light codes with the Peak Pro, so the Peak Pro guide covers it. See the product page.
Peak Pro: the flagship
The Peak Pro is the device most people mean when they say "a Puffco". It adds Bluetooth and the Puffco Connect app, where you can set custom temperatures, durations, Vapor Control and lighting. It also has wireless charging and takes the 3DXL chamber, which is standard in the current kit. The factory presets run from 490 to 575 °F (254–301 °C). There's also a five-click Intensity Mode that Puffco designed for dry dabs without water. Puffco's own battery figures vary between about 30 and 40 dabs a charge. The honest catch is that the Pro is only worth the extra over the New Peak if you'll use the app. Read the Peak Pro owner's guide or go to the product page.
Hot Knife: the tool
The Hot Knife is not a vaporiser. It's a battery-powered loading tool: scoop a little concentrate with the ceramic tip, hold it over the chamber, press the button and it slides off. It works with any chamber, banger or bowl, Puffco's or not. The 2026 generation has a reshaped glazed tip and charges in about 25 minutes. Go gently on stiff material, because Puffco says a fractured tip can't be repaired. Read the Hot Knife guide or go to the product page.
Not listed: the original Peak (2017–18, replaced by the New Peak), the original 2021 Peak Pro (the current kit ships with the 3DXL) and the Classic pen. Original Peak light codes differ: rainbow flashing there means a base-to-atomiser connection problem.
Which Puffco should you buy?
| If you… | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dab mostly at home and want full control | Peak Pro | App profiles, the 3DXL chamber, wireless charging and the Power Dock option |
| Want the Peak but don't want an app | New Peak | Same water-piece experience and 3D Chamber, four presets, simpler and cheaper |
| Like glass and want one base that does several jobs | Proxy | Swappable glass pieces, portable, app control on the New Proxy |
| Want something pocketable | Pivot | Pen-sized, 3D Chamber, and it becomes a mini e-rig with the Glass Adapter |
| Already own an e-rig and hate messy loading | Hot Knife | Works with any chamber, charges quickly |
| Mostly vape flower | None of them | Puffco devices are concentrate-only. See our dry herb vaporiser explainer |
New to concentrates altogether? Start with what is dabbing and what is an e-rig, then come back to the table.
Puffco light codes and clicks: quick reference
The patterns owners ask about most. Each guide has the full table for its device.
| What you see | What it usually means | First fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red and white flashing alternately | Chamber connection error. On a new 3DXL in an older Peak Pro, it can also mean the firmware needs updating | Soak the chamber in 90%+ isopropyl alcohol, clean the contacts, dry fully, refit |
| White flashes several times (3–4) when you try to heat | No chamber detected | Remove and reseat the chamber. On the Proxy, line up the three prongs and never force it |
| Solid red for about 5 seconds | Overheating | Leave it alone to cool down |
| Three red flashes, or red after each dab on the Pivot | Low battery | Charge it |
| Pulsing blue (Peak Pro, New Proxy) | Pairing mode | Pair in the Puffco Connect app |
Clicks are almost universal: hold 3 seconds for on/off, 1 click to change heat setting, 2 clicks to heat (and 2 more after heat-up to boost), 3 clicks for battery. Full tables by device:
Can you put flower in a Puffco?
No. Every Puffco electronic device is concentrate-only. Puffco says of the Plus that dry herb damages the chamber, and the factory presets on every device run far hotter than you'd ever vape flower. Third-party "herb atomisers" for the Peak Pro exist, but the base usually rejects them with a red–white error, and aftermarket parts can void Puffco's warranty. The one official flower accessory, the Proxy Flower Bowl, turns Proxy glass into a conventional pipe that you light with a lighter. That's combustion, not vaporisation. The long answer is in can you put flower in a Puffco?. If flower is what you use, a dry herb vaporiser is the right tool, and the Storz & Bickel and Arizer hubs are a good place to start.
Puffco vs Dr Dabber vs Focus V
Puffco vs Dr Dabber. Dr Dabber, also American and also founded in 2013, takes a more engineering-led approach. Its flagship Switch 2 heats a quartz insert by induction and reads the temperature with an infrared sensor, with an app range of 250–650 °F. That's a wider and lower range than Puffco's factory presets, which suits people who like low-temperature dabs. Puffco wins on ecosystem, control simplicity and the Peak's water-piece experience. Dr Dabber wins on temperature range and quartz for people who prefer it to ceramic. The Dr Dabber hub covers their range the same way this page covers Puffco.
Puffco vs Focus V. Focus V's Carta line is the other big name. The Carta 2 was retired in 2025, and the Carta Sport now sits in its place. It uses Intelli-Core atomisers heated from the sides and bottom, and Focus V sells a dry herb atomiser for it too, which is the main thing no Puffco can offer. Puffco feels more finished, and its parts are easier to find.
| Puffco | Dr Dabber | Focus V | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home country | USA (Los Angeles) | USA (Las Vegas) | USA |
| Flagship heating | Ceramic 3D Chamber, sidewall and base | Induction, quartz insert, infrared sensor (Switch 2) | Intelli-Core atomisers, sides and bottom |
| Strength | Ecosystem, simple controls, the Peak's water experience | Wide temperature range, quartz, fast heat-up | Modular atomisers, including a herb option |
| Weak spot | High factory presets, chamber running costs | Smaller accessory range | Smaller accessory range, change in line-up since 2025 |
| Flower? | No (concentrates only) | No on current models | Yes, with the separate herb atomiser |
Everything we've published on Puffco
Owner's guides
- Puffco Peak Pro: The Owner's Guide
- Puffco Proxy: The Owner's Guide
- Puffco Pivot: The Owner's Guide
- Puffco Hot Knife: The Guide
Concentrate explainers
- What is dabbing?
- What is an e-rig?
- Dab temperature guide
- How to clean a dab rig
- Can you put flower in a Puffco?
Reviews and head-to-heads
No scored Puffco reviews or Puffco head-to-heads yet, for the reason given above. They'll be listed here when they go live.
Background reading
Puffco FAQ
What is a Puffco?
A concentrate vaporiser from Puffco, the American company founded in 2013. It usually means the Peak or Peak Pro e-rig, but the range also includes the Pivot pen, the modular Proxy and the Hot Knife loading tool.
Is Puffco worth it?
For concentrate users, generally yes. The build, the consistent controls and the spare-parts support are among the strongest in e-rigs, and a Peak is far easier to live with than a torch and banger. It's not worth it if you mostly use flower, because no Puffco vaporises it. It's also less worthwhile if you won't keep on top of cleaning, as chambers are a running cost either way.
What's the difference between the Peak and the Peak Pro?
Only the Peak Pro has Bluetooth and the app, wireless charging and the larger 3DXL chamber. The New Peak has four fixed presets and USB-C charging. Both use the 3D Chamber family and the same button commands.
Why is my Puffco flashing red and white?
It's a chamber connection error, usually residue on the chamber or contacts. Soak the chamber in 90%+ isopropyl alcohol (never water), swab the contacts, let it dry fully and refit. On a Peak Pro with a brand-new 3DXL chamber, update the firmware in the app first.
Can I use a Puffco for dry herb?
No. See our full answer. The Proxy Flower Bowl is a combustion accessory, not a way to vaporise flower.
Dennis M., 42, lives in Manchester with his partner Sarah. He's been vaping daily since 2018 and writing for HerbVape since 2023. He's a dry-herb man first, and the concentrate hardware HerbVape stocks goes across his bench too. Works in IT, has ADHD, holds a UK medical cannabis prescription for chronic pain management. Opinions are his own. HerbVape pays him to be honest, not to sell you shite.