Auxo Calent Review: The Costa Coffee of Vaporisers

The Hook: Costa Coffee

You're in a town you don't know. You've got twenty minutes before the train. You want a coffee. Not a good coffee — just a coffee. You look left: Costa. You look right: an independent café with exposed brick, a chalkboard menu, and a barista with opinions about origin beans.

You walk into Costa. Not because Costa is good. Because Costa is safe. You know what a flat white costs. You know it'll arrive in two minutes. You know it'll taste like every other Costa flat white you've ever had. It won't surprise you. It won't disappoint you. It won't make you Instagram a latte art photo. It's just... coffee. And sometimes just coffee is what you need.

That's the Auxo Calent. Sleek. Corporate. Inoffensive. Like a Costa rebrand that cost millions and changed nothing. The aluminium body is beautiful. The zirconia mouthpiece is genuine quality. The 2900mAh battery lasts all day. The vapour is fine. The flavour is fine. The experience is fine.

Fine.

Not exciting. Not innovative. Not the device you'd recommend with your hand on your heart and your reputation on the line. But fine. Reliable enough (if you get a good unit). Adequate enough. Fine enough.

The V3 Pro is the local independent. Better coffee, same price, less Instagram-friendly packaging. But you know that already. You've read the reviews. You've seen the recommendations. And you walked into Costa anyway.

That's the Calent. You know there's something better for the money. But it's sleek. It's simple. It's in your hand. And it's... fine.

Vapour Quality 7.5/10

Dual heating — conduction with infrared assist — produces clean, warm vapour through the zirconia cooling path. First draws at 180°C are genuinely good. The limonene lifts, the terps come through, the zirconia keeps things smooth. For those first two or three draws, the Calent punches above its price point.

Then conduction does what conduction does. By draw four, the flavour drops off. By draw five, you're extracting cannabinoids but not tasting much. This is the standard conduction story — first hits are stellar, subsequent hits are functional. The infrared component helps distribute heat more evenly than pure conduction, which extends the flavour window by a draw or two. But it doesn't change the fundamental physics.

The loose draw is a genuine positive. The Calent's airflow is open and natural — nothing like the Celsius's restricted perforations. You pull gently and vapour arrives without effort. For first-timers, this feels like breathing rather than sucking through a straw.

The zirconia mouthpiece does its job. Vapour arrives cooler than the chamber temp, neutral in taste. At 200°C the vapour is warm but not harsh. At 220°C the zirconia can't fully cool the heat, and you'll notice a dryness in the throat. Stay at 200°C and below for the best experience.

The Strain Test

Two strains. Two Costa-appropriate profiles. Neither exotic, neither offensive. Both adequately satisfying.

Banana Kush — Indica Hybrid (Street)

The Flower: Ghost OG × Skunk Haze. 60% indica. 18-22% THC. Myrcene, limonene, caryophyllene, linalool. Sweet banana, tropical fruit with earthy kush undertones. Smooth, creamy vapour that rewards low-temp extraction. One of the most flavour-friendly strains for conduction devices — the strong terp profile survives even when the heating method isn't optimal.

The Pack: 0.3g medium-coarse grind (important — fine grind clogs the chamber).

180°C (3-minute session): Banana sweetness immediately. The myrcene-limonene combination produces that unmistakable tropical-sweet opening that Banana Kush is known for. The zirconia cooling preserves the lighter top notes. Three draws of smooth, creamy vapour. This is the Calent at its best — first hits of a terpy strain at low temp through zirconia.

200°C (fresh session): Kush earthiness arrives. The caryophyllene adds peppery warmth beneath the banana. The indica body settles — relaxing without heavy sedation. Three draws with decent density. Flavour dropping off by draw four. Classic conduction profile.

220°C (third session): Full extraction. Earthy, heavy, less interesting. One-two draws to finish. AVB medium-brown.

The Verdict: Banana Kush's forgiving terp profile gave the Calent its best shot — and the Calent performed adequately. Good first hits. Standard drop-off. Like ordering a banana cake at Costa: recognisable, acceptable, not worth writing home about.

Noidecs T17 Red No.2 — Indica (Medical)

The Flower: Proprietary Noidecs cultivar. Indica-dominant. 17% THC, <1% CBD. Myrcene, caryophyllene, limonene. Earthy, herbal, subtle sweetness. The Costa of medical cannabis — reliable, unremarkable, available everywhere, prescribed frequently because it works and costs ~£5-6/g. No exotic terps, no trendy genetics. Just medicine.

The Pack: 0.3g medium-coarse grind, full bowl.

185°C (3-minute session): Herbal, earthy opening. The myrcene base is straightforward — no surprises, no excitement, just clean medical indica flavour. Two draws of moderate density. Effects arriving — mild relaxation, warmth, the indica settling gently. At 17% THC, this isn't overwhelming. It's functional.

200°C (fresh session): Caryophyllene warmth. The spiciness adds depth to the earthiness. Three draws. The indica body deepens. Pain relief arriving in that slow, spreading way that myrcene-heavy indicas deliver. Not dramatic. Just steady.

210°C (third session): Maximum extraction. One-two draws. Fully extracted. AVB light brown.

The Verdict: A fine strain in a fine device. Noidecs Red No.2 doesn't demand excellence from the hardware — it's a utilitarian medical strain that works through any competent vaporiser. The Calent is competent. The pairing is adequate in exactly the way both the strain and the device are adequate. For the medical patient who needs a simple daily driver with a reliable battery and a gentle learning curve, the Calent with budget medical flower is... fine.

Design & Build 8.0/10

This is where the Calent earns its keep. The sandblasted aluminium finish resists fingerprints, feels premium in the hand, and looks like a device from a different price bracket entirely. At 135g and 106mm tall, it's one of the slimmest vapes I've tested. Slimmer than the PAX Plus. Lighter than the ArGo.

The 360° zirconia mouthpiece rotates smoothly. The magnetic system clicks satisfyingly. The overall fit and finish is excellent — no rattles, no gaps, premium tactile feedback. If you judged devices by design alone, the Calent would score an 8.5.

But heater failures at three months. Multiple reports of devices cycling on and off with no heat production. The premium exterior hides reliability concerns that a sandblasted finish can't fix. When your device looks like a £78 product but fails like a £78 one, the design becomes a betrayal rather than a feature. Auxo's customer service has been described as "considerable hassle" with 2-month waits for replacements.

Battery & Charging 8.0/10

Finally. A battery that makes sense.

2900mAh delivers approximately 20 sessions — about sixty minutes of real-world vaping. Compared to the Celsius's 27 minutes, the Calent feels like freedom. You can leave the house, vape throughout the day, and return home with battery remaining.

USB-C charging at a reasonable rate. No complaints here. The battery is sealed (no swapping), which means when degradation hits in 18-24 months you're looking at reduced capacity with no fix. But for now, the 2900mAh provides comfortable daily use without the anxiety that defined the Celsius experience.

The spec check:

• USB-C: yes
• Fast charging: standard USB-C rates
• Pass-through: unknown
• Replaceable battery: no (sealed)

Ease of Use 7.5/10

Four presets. One button. 20-30 second heat-up. The Calent is one of the simplest devices in this batch. No menus to navigate, no learning curve, no technique required. Press, wait, draw.

The fixed 3-minute session is the same limitation as the Celsius — without the app (which barely functions), you get 180 seconds and then restart. For some users this is fine. For others, it's a frustration that compounds over time.

Mum test: PASS (barely). Four buttons, pick one, wait 20 seconds, go. No app required for basic use. But when it shuts off after 3 minutes, she'll think it's broken. Someone needs to explain the session timer.

Cleaning & Maintenance 7.0/10

Stainless steel chamber, zirconia vapour path. Standard ISO soak and brush routine. The 360° mouthpiece disassembles for cleaning, though the magnetic components need careful handling around alcohol.

The fine-grind clogging issue means screen maintenance is more frequent if users don't follow the medium-coarse grind recommendation. Expect screen cleaning every 3-5 sessions rather than the usual 5-7.

Cleaning timeline:

• After every session: brush the chamber (30 seconds)
• Every 3-5 sessions: ISO soak screens (especially if grind was too fine)
• Every 2 weeks: full mouthpiece and vapour path clean
• Monthly: deep clean chamber and inspect magnetic contacts

Portability 8.5/10

This is the Calent's best feature. 135g. 106mm tall. 25mm thin. This is genuinely pocketable — jeans pocket, not just jacket pocket. Slimmer than the PAX Plus, lighter than the ArGo, and discreet enough that it looks like a small electronic device rather than a vaporiser.

The sandblasted finish doesn't collect lint. The zirconia mouthpiece tucks in for a smooth profile. The 2900mAh battery means you won't need to carry a charger. For pure portability, the Calent is one of the best performers in the mid-range.

Stealth is high. The slim aluminium profile could pass for a power bank or Bluetooth speaker to anyone not looking closely. If discretion matters, the Calent delivers.

How I Actually Use This

My default setup:

• Temperature: Preset 2 (195°C). The middle ground.
• Pack: 0.3g medium-coarse grind.
• Session: Two back-to-back 3-minute sessions per bowl.

When I reach for it: I don't. Honestly. The V3 Pro sits on my desk. The Mighty+ sits on the kitchen counter. The Calent sits in the drawer. I lent it to a mate who was curious about vaping but didn't want to spend Mighty+ money. He used it for two months, said "yeah it's alright," then asked to borrow the V3 Pro. Never asked for the Calent back. It's still in the drawer.

When it makes sense: For someone who's never tried a dry herb vape and wants the lowest possible barrier to entry: load, press, draw. The simplicity is real. The portability is real. The battery lasts all day. If your only comparison point is smoking joints, the Calent is a revelation. If your comparison point is any other vape in this price range, it's just... fine.

Medical Use Notes

I'm not a doctor. I'm a bloke with chronic pain and ADHD who's been using cannabis medicinally for years now. This is my experience, not medical advice. If you're considering medical cannabis, talk to a prescribing clinic — not a vaporiser review.

For pain management: The Calent delivers cannabinoids reliably at budget flower prices. The 2900mAh battery supports all-day medical use. The 4-preset simplicity means no decision fatigue when pain is flaring. For daily medical users on budget strains like Noidecs T17, the Calent is an adequate tool.

For ADHD: Simple interface, fast heat-up, no app required. The Calent doesn't demand cognitive engagement. Press a button, wait, draw, done. For ADHD brains, this simplicity has genuine value — but the V3 Pro offers the same simplicity with better extraction.

Value for Money 6.5/10

At £78, the Calent is cheaper than most of its competition. But cheaper isn't always better value.

The V3 Pro at £79.99 has hybrid heating (better flavour), a removable 18650 battery (longer lifespan), session and on-demand modes (more flexibility), and a massive community following. The XMAX Ace has self-cleaning, a removable battery, and more features per pound. Even the XVAPE Lanza offers ceramic conduction and USB-C for less money.

The Calent's value proposition is design and portability. If you want the slimmest, sleekest device under £100, the Calent wins that specific contest. If you want the best vaporiser under £100, the conversation starts and ends with the V3 Pro.

Score Breakdown

Vs the Competition

XMAX V3 Pro (£79.99)

The elephant in the room. The V3 Pro has hybrid heating (better flavour), a removable 18650 (longer lifespan), session and on-demand modes (more flexibility), USB-C, and stronger community support. The Calent is slimmer and arguably better-looking. The V3 Pro is the local independent. Better coffee, same price, less Instagram-friendly. Auxo Calent vs V3 Pro →

Auxo Celsius (£98.00)

Same brand, twenty quid more. The Celsius has triple heating, concentrate mode, and faster heat-up. The Calent has nearly triple the battery, herb-only simplicity, and a slimmer profile. The Celsius is the tech showcase. The Calent is the daily driver. If the battery section of the Celsius review made you anxious, the Calent is the antidote.

XVAPE Lanza (£48.00)

Thirty quid less for ceramic conduction and USB-C. The Lanza is more basic — 5 presets, no app, no zirconia cooling. But the gap narrows to "is the design premium worth thirty quid?" For some people, yes. For most, the Lanza's honesty is more appealing.

PAX Plus (£130.00)

The Calent wants to be the budget PAX. Similar slim profile, similar design-first philosophy. The PAX has better brand recognition, better build quality, and a 10-year warranty. The Calent is well under half the price. If you want PAX aesthetics on a budget, the Calent is the closest thing. If you want PAX performance, buy a PAX.

The Verdict

You won't hate it. You won't remember it. Costa energy.

I lent the Calent to a mate. He used it for two months. He said "yeah it's alright." He asked to borrow the V3 Pro. He never asked for the Calent back. The Calent sits in my drawer — not broken, not forgotten, just not chosen. It's the device equivalent of that Costa loyalty card with seven stamps that you'll probably never fill.

The Calent does nothing wrong. The build is premium. The battery lasts all day. The vapour is clean. The portability is excellent. On paper, it's a perfectly reasonable purchase at £78.

But "perfectly reasonable" has never made anyone screenshot a review and send it to a mate. "Perfectly reasonable" has never started a conversation. "Perfectly reasonable" is a polite way of saying "there's something better for the money, and we both know it."

The V3 Pro is barely two quid more. The self-cleaning Ace is in the same bracket. The Lanza is thirty quid less. The Calent is the device you buy when you don't know those other devices exist. Once you do, Costa starts losing customers.

Nobody hates Costa. Nobody loves Costa. Just one more flat white.