The Utillian 421 is an entry-level dry herb vaporizer that hits a bit above its price point. This review focuses on how the Utillian 421 is to use day to day, its feature set, and my thoughts on how it performs after two weeks of daily use.
Utillian 421 TL/DR Version
- What is the Utillian 421? The Utillian 421 is a portable dry herb vaporizer that uses a ceramic conduction heating chamber. It has a built-in 2300 mAh battery, 6 temperature settings, a digital LCD display, and airflow control. Notable is the removable glass mouthpiece and airflow control, which are both unique at this price.
- Is the Utillian 421 worth its price? Absolutely. The under $100 segment has few other devices that compare in terms of build quality, vapor quality, and battery life.
- How is the Utillian 421 battery life? The integrated 2300 mAh battery will get approximately 60-minutes of heating time, which is enough for 8 7-minute sessions (the device turns off automatically after 7-minutes).
- What is our take on the Utillian 421? While the 421 isn’t a brand new design, it’s aging well and continues to outperform comparable vaporizers that cost 33% more. A great choice for value-focused shoppers that don’t care about gimmicks and want something that focuses on its use case.
What's in the box?
Utillian 421 Specifications
Utillian 421 First Impressions
The large UTILLIAN logo + livery seem a touch oversized considering that the exterior is kept as minimal as reasonable, with a single button on the right side of the device and the stem as the only break from the minimalistic design.
A notable first impression is the unique inclusion of a dial on the bottom of the vape that allows you to control how much airflow passes through the heating chamber. Restricting the flow to suit your preference is a neat trick.
The bottom of the vape also has the micro-USB charging port.
The glass mouthpiece is worth calling out, as it feels much better to use than the plastic mouthpieces and stems you usually find on portable vaporizers at this price.
Using the Utillian 421 Vaporizer
With only a single button to interact with, operating the vape is as easy as you’d expect.
To turn the Utillian 421 on, quickly press the button five times. It will automagically start heating to its last set temperature (it comes from the factory set to 180°C / 356°F).
To change the temperature settings, first turn the vape on and then hold the button in for 1 second. It will increase the temperature by 10°C / 50°F, to a maximum of 230°C / 446°F. The temperature only cycles forward and will wrap down to 180°C / 356°F.
To turn the Utillian 421 off, quickly press the button five times.
Thoughts On Using The Utillian 421 After 2 Weeks Of Daily Use
- While Utillian includes 3 additional screens (plus the one already installed in the base of the tip), you can greatly extend the life of the screen by using a wire brush to clean off any residue between each use.
- Tossing it in some ISO every dozen uses or so will ensure that it doesn’t build up.
- The stem’s metal base gets hot. Use the rubber cover :)
- I consistently saw 7 sessions before needing to charge the battery, and the battery charges from empty in just under two hours.
- The glass tip is easily removable in case you want to toss the Utillian in your bag/pocket/whatever and you don’t want to break it. It’s also easy to clean.
- The vape gets hot to the touch when in use on the higher temperatures, but never uncomfortable to hold.
- With a full battery, it takes the Utillian 421 about 70 seconds to reach 180°C / 356°F, which is average performance at best but appropriate given the price.
- Vapor quality is good, but not excellent.
- Do not overpack the chamber as your material will clog the screen and greatly restrict airflow.
- I find about 0.3 - 0.5 g of ground material, lightly tamped, is ideal.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of vaporizers out there in the under $100 segment, but most of them are made largely of plastic and you can tell their obvious compromises in materials and build quality.
The Utillian 421 is a budget vape, but it invested where it counts:
- The removable screens and tips are easy to clean.
- The chamber holds enough material to provide a good session for two users.
- Heating performance is very consistent, even if it takes a minute or so to get to temperature for the first time; once at temperature, it stays there.
If you’re looking for an affordable dry herb vaporizer that doesn’t skimp where it counts, the Utillian 421 is a great choice. It focuses on being a solid portable vape and skips the luxury (and arguably, unnecessary) features in order to hit an aggressive price point.
