The Puffco New Peak wins narrowly, scoring 8.0 against 7.7 for the Bomb eRig Aerix. It's the more polished rig, with some of the simplest controls in its class. The Aerix is the better buy if you want to set exact temperatures and spend $61 less at US list price.
Key differences
- Price: US list price of $189 for the Aerix and $250 for the New Peak.
- Temperature: one-degree steps from 93°C to 371°C on the Aerix; four presets from 254°C to 310°C on the New Peak.
- Chamber: a 22 mm 3D ceramic chamber on the Aerix that takes about 0.15 g, against about 0.1 g in the New Peak's 3D chamber.
- Heat-up: about 5 seconds on the Aerix and about 10 seconds on the New Peak in our sessions.
- Display: an LCD with a live readout on the Aerix; a color-coded LED light band on the New Peak.
- Airpath: a detachable external silicone tube on the Aerix, which keeps most reclaim out of the base.
- Battery: 25 sessions a charge measured on the Aerix; Puffco rates the New Peak at 35. Both allow pass-through charging.
- Weight: 340 g for the Aerix, 480 g for the New Peak.
- Warranty: Aerix base 1 year, atomizer 30 days; New Peak base 2 years, chamber 6 months.
Temperature control: exact numbers or four presets
The Aerix lets you pick any temperature in one-degree steps, and it heats to that number and holds it. That makes it easy to chase flavor, nudging the heat up a few degrees until the terpenes taste right. Automatic mode holds your set temperature for 45 seconds.
The catch is the single button: temperature only scrolls upward, so overshooting by one degree means cycling through the whole range again.
The New Peak gives you four presets instead: 254°C, 266°C, 277°C and 310°C. Boost adds 10°C and 15 seconds to a session. There's nothing in between, so if one preset feels too cool and the next too hot, you live with it. For newcomers to dabbing, though, four presets are one less thing to think about.
Ease of use and build
The New Peak leads ease of use, 9.0 to 8.0. Hold the button for three seconds to power on, click to pick a preset and double-click to heat. It flashes and vibrates twice when it's ready, with no screen or menus to learn. One point for the Aerix: its bubbler angles the mouthpiece toward you, so you can keep the rig level while you inhale.
Build quality is the widest gap in this matchup, 8.0 for the New Peak against 6.5 for the Aerix. The Peak's aluminum and silicone base feels a tier above. The Aerix's plastic finish attracts fingerprints, and its white ceramic chamber discolored early on our sample.
Cleaning and glass
Cleaning is where the Aerix pulls clearly ahead. Its external airpath keeps most reclaim out of the base, where most eRigs let it seep into hidden internal channels. The atomizer unscrews, and the chamber, carb cap and silicone tube soak in 90% or stronger isopropyl alcohol for 20 minutes.
The New Peak needs a quick swab after each session while the ceramic is still warm. For a deep clean, Puffco calls for a 20-minute soak of the chamber in 90%+ isopropyl alcohol, and never a water rinse. Our eRig cleaning guide covers both routines. In the Peak's favor, Puffco's Peak and Peak Pro glass tops fit it, plus a wide choice of third-party Peak glass. Bomb answers with a separate Aerix adapter that runs the rig through your own water pipe.
Battery and value
The Aerix carries a much bigger battery, 3500 mAh against 1300 mAh, but it averaged 25 sessions a charge in our testing. Puffco rates the New Peak at 35 heating cycles on the green setting, so don't pick the Aerix for battery life. Both keep dabbing while plugged in, so a low battery never has to end a session.
The Aerix scores 9.0 for value against 8.5, and it's the most feature-packed eRig under $200 we've tested. Vapor quality is tied at 7.5, so this comes down to control against polish. Both rigs sit on our best concentrate vaporizers ranking.
Which should you buy?
- First-time dabbers who want no settings to manage: the Puffco New Peak.
- Owners of Puffco Peak or Peak Pro glass: the Puffco New Peak.
- Dabbers who match exact temperatures to each concentrate: the Bomb eRig Aerix.
- Budget buyers who hate cleaning: the Bomb eRig Aerix, with its external airpath.
- Dabbers who want app control and custom heat profiles: step up to the Puffco Peak Pro, which scores 8.2 at a $450 US list price. Our New Peak vs Peak Pro comparison covers the upgrade.
