How good is the Punch Mini and is it worth buying?
By Herbert M. Green
Other than DynaVap’s VapCaps, there is only one other subcategory of vaporizers powered by jet-flame lighters. This subcategory is fairly new with no industry standard name as of yet.
The newest addition to this category - which I call ‘flame-to-intake vaporizers’* - is the Punch Mini by Dreamwood. These vapes tend to be true hot air convection vaporizers.
To be honest, I have experience with only one other vaporizer of this type, the Sticky brick. But, for this review, I’ve tried to forget everything I know about that particular handheld vaporizer and judge the Punch Mini solely on its own merits. Let’s find out if this new flame-to-intake-vape can knock me off my socks.
* Flame-to-intake vaporizers are devices that fall in the same category as The Punch Mini, like; the Sticky Bricks by StickyLabs or the Nova by Doug’s Woodery. There’s no official term for this type of vaporizers. I’m sure the industry will come up with a standard term at some point, but for now, I’m sticking with ‘flame-to-intake vaporizers’.
The look and feel of the Dreamwood Punch Mini
One glance at the Punch Mini and you’ll know its creator Steffen loves and knows his wood. He puts the natural grain of the wood front and centre. There’s something endearing about the surprisingly small size and minimalistic design of this jet-flame powered convection vaporizer. Its smoothed edges give it a sleek yet nimble appearance without shifting attention away from the beautiful woodgrain. If I have to describe it in one word, I’d have to call it cute.
And it’s as light as it looks. So light in fact, that you only have to pinch it between thumb and index finger to hold it. Ideal for both dainty digits or sausage paws.
There’s something about the Punch Mini that makes me want to pick it up as soon as I set it down.
Handling the Dreamwood Punch Mini
Handling the Punch and getting consistent hits feels satisfying as hell. However, and this cannot be stated enough; beware of the learning curve!
As with all jet-flame operated vaporizers, it will take some getting used to the minute adjustments needed to take that perfect hit.
You’ll have to experiment with flame-to-intake-distance as well as your draw speed. Because the Punch Mini is a convection vaporizer, the way you inhale dictates how much and how fast hot air passes through the material in the oven, directly influencing the thickness of vapour on your exhale.
Depending on your experience with open-flame vapes it might take you anywhere from a couple of tries to a day or two before you get consistent hits without combusting your herb. Stick with it! Really, get over that hump. It’s definitely worth it.
Once you mastered the Punch Mini, it is a blast to vape with
Once you’ve dialled in how to get your preferred kind of vapour, you’ll start to notice how easy it is to get a satisfying lung full of surprisingly smooth and thick vapour. And that from such a small package!
The Punch truly is an on-demand vaporizer. Vaping with it feels fast and nimble. It feels direct. Where other flame-to-intake vaporizers need a couple of seconds to start producing vapour, with the Punch you feel vapour forming almost straight away.
The time it takes from picking it up to exhale, is around the same time it takes most battery-operated handheld vaporizers just to heat up. It’s ridiculously fast. Just check this video to see it in action:
Only two (minor) issues I experienced with the Punch Mini
The only two negatives I could find, as far as handling is concerned, was that the top part fits too snuggly on the bottom half of the device making it hard to open up the Punch to access the heating chamber.
Not a huge issue, but when you’re still learning how to use the device, you’ll be taking the top part off quite often, to see if you’ve burned your herb or not.
Diving into the vaporizer forums I discovered this is a common issue with the Punch Mini. However, Steffen at Dreamwoods assured me that this issue is easily resolved by sanding down the edge of the heating chamber a bit, with fine sandpaper. Just don’t forget to apply some of the included beeswax once you’re done.
The metal ring of the top part fits too snuggly in the heating chamber of the bottom half of the device, making it unwieldy to open.
Another (minor) gripe I had was the fact the borosilicate glass mouthpiece and flame intake have to be taken out of the device when in transport, otherwise they are sure to break.
This makes the Punch - in size an ideal portable vaporizer - less portable. You have to take out the glass pieces and transport them separately if you want them to stay in one piece.
I don’t see how Dreamwood could have avoided this issue, seeing the vape’s small stature, but if Steffen ever comes up with an integrated storage solution for the glass pieces, it could just be the ultimate travel vaporizer.
This is how you have to transport the Punch in your bag or pocket. Not ideal, but not a deal-breaker either, imho.
Vapour production and quality with the Dreamwood Punch Mini
Wow! What a cloud chucker! For such a little thing, the Punch Mini quite literally packs a serious punch. It took me a good 5 or 6 bowls before I got it dialled in, but once it clicked the clouds I started producing were mindblowing.
Like I said before, vaping with the Punch feels direct. I can feel the warmth and vapour hitting my airways right away. And it’s smooth too. I haven’t had a harsh throat tickling hit yet - except for a few combusted hits at the beginning, but that goes without saying. Vaping with the Punch feels gratifying, especially when I get that perfect hit.
The flavour quality of the Dreamwood Punch Mini
Flavour-wise, the Punch is okay, but not extraordinarily brilliant. If I compare it to a DynaVap Omni in full flavour setup, (imho the best flavour setup there is) the Punch scores well above average, but below absolute excellence. I get a decently terpy first hit from a fresh bowl, but not all the layers and nuances within the terpene profile I get vaping with a DynaVap.
It’s not very economical either. From a fresh bowl, I got two to three hits at the most before the bowl was spent. And the heating chamber is fairly large, so you’ll go through a gram of flower a bit faster than with most other vapes.
The Punch Mini may not be economical, but it hits like a ton of bricks
But, none of that matters. The Punch Mini wasn’t designed to deliver the best flavour in the world, save your wallet nor solve world hunger. It was designed to punch you off your rocker with dense clouds and a knock-out effect.
And that is exactly what it does; it delivers the maximum amount of cannabinoids to your system and get you high AF. So much so, that I’m kind of relieved this review is finished so that I can go back to microdosing for a while, just to offset the perma-stoned fugue I’ve been living in for the last few days.
Verdict on the Dreamwood Punch Mini
I love it! The Punch looks slick and cute at the same time, it handles smoothly, the heating process feels responsive and nearly instant.
It truly is an on-demand vape, picking it up and taking a toke feels fun, fast and satisfying. The flavour may not be out of this world, but it rips like there’s no tomorrow.
It’s not a beginners vape, but if you’re feeling advantageous, learning how to use a ‘flame-to-intake-vaporizer’ with the Punch is a hell of a lot easier than with any of the other devices in its category.
This little boxer is going on my list of favourite vaporizers for sure!
Now it’s time for you to let us all know if you’ve tried the Punch Mini yet. What did you think? Or, do you have more questions in regards to this review? Let us know in the comments below or on one of Dispensr’s social media channels.
For now, peace out and vape on!
Herbert M. Green
