Angus Enhanced Review

Are you searching for a portable vaporizer that delivers powerful, flavorful hits without compromising on convenience? The Angus Enhanced, released in 2024, might just be the answer. This innovative vape offers desktop-level performance in a compact, versatile package.

With a 100W halogen heating system and adjustable airflow, the Angus Enhanced allows you to personalize your experience to achieve the perfect balance of vapor density and smoothness.

In this review, we’ll dive deep into the Angus Enhanced’s unique capabilities, examining its heating system, vapor quality, battery life, and overall user experience to help you decide if this vape is the right fit for your needs and preferences.

Discover our vaporizer evaluation process in the methodology section.

Quick Review Summary

Unboxing and First Impressions

The Angus Enhanced arrives in a sturdy carrying case, securely holding the vaporizer and its many accessories. I was immediately struck by how much lighter the unit felt compared to the original Angus, thanks to the switch from a wood to plastic body. While perhaps less aesthetically pleasing, the polycarbonate shell has a nice grippy texture and feels very durable.

Included in the box are:

• Angus Enhanced vaporizer
• 3 glass stem mouthpieces (different lengths)
• Glass water pipe adapter
• Sidecar bubbler attachment
• Loading funnel
• Cleaning brush
• Spare screens and O-rings
• USB-C charging cable
• User manual

The generous array of high-quality glass accessories is a welcome sight, providing flexibility in how you use the device. Note that the unit does not include batteries, so you’ll need to supply your own high-drain 18650s.

Examining the Angus Enhanced itself, the top features a “quick connect” system for easily swapping mouthpieces and adapters. The oven is accessed by unscrewing this top piece, revealing a decently sized chamber that YLLVAPE states can hold around 0.3-0.5g of ground herb.

On the bottom of the unit is a handy adjustable airflow dial, allowing you to tune the draw resistance to your liking. The dial has a nice amount of resistance and stays firmly in place. You can also see straight through the heater when aligning the holes, giving a glimpse of the halogen bulb.

The battery covers on each side now feature a locking switch mechanism rather than the screw-on caps of the original. This change makes swapping batteries significantly easier. Simply slide the switch down and the cover pops right off. The batteries fit snugly in the compartment with no rattle.

Heating and Vapor Quality

The Angus Enhanced uses a powerful 100W halogen bulb as its heat source, combined with ruby thermal balls to efficiently transfer heat to your herbs. This is a notable upgrade from the 50W bulb in the original Angus. After a brief initial burnoff, I loaded a dosing capsule and began my testing.

With a fine grind and the temp set to 392°F (200°C), I was impressed by the thick, flavorful clouds the Angus Enhanced could produce, even with the airflow wide open. The vapor had a slight tickle but was surprisingly cool overall. Bumping the temp up to 428°F (220°C) yielded even denser vapor with a bit more kick in the throat.

The adjustable airflow is a game-changer, allowing you to dial in the perfect balance of flavor and vapor density. I found leaving it about halfway open worked well for casual puffing, while closing it down to a pinhole made the Angus Enhanced rip like a freight train, at the cost of some harshness.

While the vapor is quite smooth from the regular mouthpieces, using the included a bubbler elevates the experience even further. The Angus Enhanced can produce some seriously thick rips when you want it to, enough to rival most desktops.

The halogen bulb does take a bit longer to heat up compared to other portables, around 40-60 seconds depending on your temperature. Once at temp though, it keeps up with even the most aggressive draw patterns without any issues. The auto-shutoff kicks in after 5 minutes, but can be bypassed by pressing the button again mid-session.

I was consistently impressed with the evenness of the ABV after sessions. At higher temps, you can easily extract a bowl in 5-6 good rips without stirring. The efficient extraction means you can get a lot of mileage out of a small amount of herb.

Using the Glass Stems

The Angus Enhanced includes 3 glass stem mouthpieces of varying lengths. To use them, you first need to insert a screen into the bottom of the stem, then optionally fill the stem with ruby or quartz beads (not included) before capping it off with the top screen piece.

Adding beads helps further cool the vapor, but also increases the draw resistance. I found the shortest stem with no beads to work well for quick on-the-go sessions, while the long stem with a full bead stack is great for kicking back at home and casually sipping tasty vapor.

The glass pieces do require some extra cleaning compared to a standard mouthpiece, but nothing too involved. An overnight soak in isopropyl alcohol takes care of any buildup and residue, just be sure to rinse thoroughly and let them fully dry before using again.

While I do wish the Angus Enhanced included a simple one-piece mouthpiece option, I can’t deny the vapor quality and cooling effects of the glass stems are top-notch once set up properly. It’s worth taking the time to find your preferred configuration.

Customizable Temperatures

The Angus Enhanced offers customizable temperature settings through an optional programming cable and software. The device has five preset temperatures from 356-446°F (180-230°C), adjustable in 18°F (10°C) increments. With the programming cable, you can set each temperature level between 302-446°F (150-230°C) to personalize your vaping experience.

At the time of this review, the programming cable was not available for purchase, so we were unable to test the customizable temperature settings. We will update this review once we can obtain the cable and explore this feature further.

Battery Life and Charging

The Angus Enhanced is powered by dual 18650 batteries, which are a common size used in many other vapes, e-cigs, and flashlights. Using high-drain batteries like the Samsung 25R or Sony VTC6 is recommended to keep up with the demands of the 100W heater.

In my testing, I averaged around 5-6 bowls per charge when using the Angus Enhanced at higher temperatures. This is slightly less than the original Angus, likely due to the more powerful heater. Expect longer life if you primarily use lower temps. Thankfully, the ability to easily swap batteries means you can always have spares ready to go.

Charging the batteries inside the unit is done via the USB-C port on the back. Using a 2A+ charger, the Angus Enhanced takes around 3 hours to fully charge a pair of drained batteries. The button LED flashes while charging and turns solid when complete. Pass-through charging is supported if you want to use it while plugged in.

For best longevity, I recommend picking up an external charger and rotating a few sets of batteries. This allows you to always have freshly charged cells ready while putting less strain on the Angus Enhanced’s internal charging components.

Conclusion

The Angus Enhanced is a solid upgrade over the original Angus, offering improved performance and versatility while maintaining a reasonable price point. The powerful 100W halogen heating system delivers excellent vapor quality, and the adjustable airflow allows you to fine-tune the experience to your liking.

While the plastic body may not be as eye-catching as the original’s wood finish, it feels durable and keeps the unit lighter and cooler to the touch. The included accessories, particularly the water pipe adapter and various glass stems, add significant value to the package and expand the ways you can use the device.

There is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to setting up and using the glass stems with the dosing capsules, but the smooth, flavorful vapor they provide is worth the effort. The ability to swap batteries is also a major plus, ensuring you can keep vaping even during extended sessions.

Overall, the Angus Enhanced is a compelling option for anyone looking for a hard-hitting portable vaporizer that can keep up with desktop units. While it may not be the most pocketable or discreet device, its performance and versatility more than make up for its size. If you’re in the market for a portable vape that delivers big clouds and rich flavor, the Angus Enhanced is definitely worth considering.