Puffco New Proxy Review: The Modular Vaporizer That Actually Makes Sense

How It Performs Against the Competition

New Proxy vs Puffco Pivot

The Pivot costs $130 and is genuinely pocket-sized. It’s perfect if you need something that disappears into your jeans. The New Proxy costs $250 and fits in a bag or purse, but you’re not throwing it in your pocket with your keys.

Performance-wise, both use Puffco’s 3D chamber technology with real-time temperature control. The Pivot has four preset temps with no app control. The New Proxy has four presets but lets you customize everything through the app. Vapor quality is comparable between the two, but the Pivot gets hot during back-to-back sessions because everything’s so compact. The New Proxy’s larger form factor and glass pathway keep things cooler.

Battery life heavily favors the New Proxy. You’ll get around 15 sessions on both, but the Pivot needs about 45 minutes to charge while the New Proxy takes 2 hours. The trade-off is the Pivot’s smaller battery means less weight in your pocket.

Here’s the real difference: the Pivot is a complete device. You get what you get. The New Proxy is a platform. You can add water filtration with the Proxy Bub, extend the cooling pathway with the Wizard, or connect it to your existing glass rig with adapters. If you’re the type who likes tinkering and building out a setup, the New Proxy makes way more sense. If you just want something reliable that works out of the box, the Pivot is simpler.

New Proxy vs Yocan Pocket

The Yocan Pocket retails around $85 and offers legitimate real-time temperature control with one-degree adjustments from 400°F to 580°F. That’s unheard of at this price. It uses a coil-less ceramic chamber with terp pearls included in the box, an OLED display showing temperature and session time, and haptic feedback.

On paper, the Yocan Pocket looks like it should blow the New Proxy out of the water on value. And for pure functionality per dollar, it kind of does. But there are trade-offs. The Pocket uses a silicone mouthpiece that does a great job keeping heat down but can affect flavor over time as vapor seeps into the material. The New Proxy’s glass pathway is completely inert and preserves terpene profiles better.

Build quality also differs. The Yocan Pocket feels solid for the price, but the New Proxy feels premium. The aluminum and glass construction, the magnetic connections, the way everything clicks together makes it a different tier of craftsmanship. The Pocket also has a single-button interface that works but gets clunky when you’re trying to dial in specific temps. The New Proxy’s app makes adjustments way easier.

If you’re on a tight budget or new to concentrates and want to test the waters, the Yocan Pocket is a smart buy. If you’re planning to use a concentrate vaporizer regularly and want something that’ll last years while letting you upgrade accessories, the New Proxy justifies the extra $165.

New Proxy vs Focus V Aeris

The Focus V Aeris retails at around $220 and deserves mention because it’s the closest direct competitor in terms of size and capability. It features a larger chamber than both the New Proxy and Pivot, app connectivity, firmware updates, and a zirconia vapor path. The Aeris maxes out at 600°F and has more power overall. It’s also worth mentioning that with the right setup and upgrades, the Focus V Aeris can go toe-to-toe with any concentrate vaporizer on the market. You can read more about it on my Aeris Review to know what I mean.

The Aeris is thicker and heftier, which some people prefer because it feels more substantial in hand. Others find it bulky compared to the New Proxy’s slimmer profile. Vapor production is slightly better on the Aeris if you’re chasing big clouds, but flavor is a toss-up. The New Proxy’s glass pathway gives cleaner taste, while the Aeris’ zirconia offers good flavor with more cooling.

Where the New Proxy wins is modularity. You can’t swap out the Aeris mouthpiece for a water-filtered bubbler or connect it to a desktop rig. It’s a fixed system. The New Proxy ecosystem keeps growing with new glass options from Puffco and third-party artists. That flexibility matters if you like customizing your setup.

Real-World Use: What Actually Matters

After a few weeks of daily use, here’s what I appreciate most about the New Proxy:

The deeper chamber actually works. I’m not the most careful loader, and I used to get splashback constantly with smaller chambers. The extra height on the New Proxy catches that and keeps the airpath cleaner. Less cleaning between sessions is a genuine quality-of-life improvement.

App control is more useful than I expected. I initially thought, “Who needs an app for a vaporizer?” But being able to dial in precise temps for different types of concentrates and save custom profiles makes a difference. Live resin hits best around 480°F for me, while crumble needs closer to 520°F.

Having those profiles saved beats cycling through presets every time.
Battery life is solid. I’m getting 12-15 sessions per charge depending on temp settings. That’s enough for a full day of moderate use without worrying about bringing a charger. Fast charging via USB-C means I can top it off during lunch if needed.

Glass compatibility is the killer feature. Being able to swap between dry pipes, water bubblers, and rig adapters based on the situation is legitimately useful. Home sessions with the Bub for water filtration, dry pipe on the go, and connect to my desktop rig when I want to really savor something special. One device, multiple experiences.

Where It Falls Short

No device is perfect. The New Proxy has a few drawbacks worth mentioning:
The carrying case is bulky. It’s protective and well-organized, but takes up way more space than necessary. Puffco clearly prioritized product safety over minimalism, which I respect, but it means this isn’t slipping into a jacket pocket.

It’s still $250. Yes, that’s $50 less than the original and you’re getting more features, but it’s not cheap. If you’re just dabbing occasionally or testing whether you even like concentrates, starting with something like the Yocan Pocket or even the Pivot makes more financial sense.

Glass pieces add up. The base kit comes with everything you need, but if you want to build out your Proxy ecosystem with different glass options, those accessories run $50-$150 each. You can absolutely use just the stock glass, but the modularity is the whole point. Budget accordingly.

Cleaning requires more attention than simpler devices. The modular design means more parts to keep clean. It’s not difficult, (warm iso and cotton swabs after every few sessions) but it’s more involved than a simple dab pen where you just wipe out the chamber.

Who Should Buy the New Proxy

The New Proxy makes sense if you’re someone who:

• Already owns concentrate vaporizers and wants something versatile that can adapt to different situations
• Values build quality and is willing to pay for materials that’ll last years
• Likes customizing setups and collecting accessories
• Uses concentrates regularly enough that the extra cost gets justified over time
• Wants desktop e-rig level performance in something more portable

It doesn’t make as much sense if you:

• Need true pocket portability (get the Pivot instead)
• Are new to concentrates and not sure you’ll stick with them (start with the Yocan Pocket)
• Just want something simple that works without any fuss (older Puffco devices or traditional pens are simpler)
• Are on a tight budget (lots of good options under $150)

The Bottom Line

The Puffco New Proxy is a smart evolution of an already interesting concept. Puffco took the feedback from the original release, fixed the legitimate complaints, added features people actually wanted, and dropped the price. That’s the right way to iterate on a product.

At $250, it’s competing in a crowded space with the Pivot, Yocan Pocket, Focus V Aeris, and other portable concentrate vaporizers all fighting for attention. What sets the New Proxy apart is that modular ecosystem. If you’re the type who likes building out your setup, trying new glass, and having options, nothing else offers this level of flexibility at this price point.

The improved chamber design, better stock glass, bigger battery, and app connectivity all combine into something that genuinely feels like desktop quality in a portable package. Just know you’re paying for that versatility and build quality. If you need true pocket portability, the Pivot is still the move. If you want maximum value on a budget, the Yocan Pocket is unbeatable at $85. But if you want something that grows with you and can adapt to however you like to session, the New Proxy is worth every dollar.

Puffco didn’t reinvent the wheel here. They just made a better version of what they already had, which is exactly what people wanted. That’s a win in my book.

Your Feathered Friend,
Buster BlueJay