The dabbing world was forever altered by the first electronic rig from Puffco. With this new device, the days of maneuvering between all the dab accessories required to drop in at the optimal temperature were gone. The e-rig streamlined the dab experience into a few button clicks or even consolidated into easy-to-navigate apps. AUXO Cenote sparks a wicked good dab, but the pretty lights delighted me the most.
AUXO released the first Cenote in 2022, and in the last two years, they have made improvements that continue catering to a positive user experience. I can attest to the ease of use, provided I use the app and follow some best practices learned after hitting it.
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AUXO Cenote review: specs and basics
The delightfully portable Cenote has a few components, including a polycarbonate and thermoplastic elastomer base. On top of the battery housing base sits an aluminum oxide ceramic nail and a stainless steel heating rod. A borosilicate glass recycler sits on top of the whole thing.
I appreciated some thoughtful touches of the Cenote, including the mouthpiece splash guard and, as mentioned, the pretty colors. The OG e-rig Puffco transitions through rainbow strobes, but there’s more oomph to the Cenote light show. It reminds me of the lava lamp moment created by Cloudious9, but it is more bulbous.
The Cenote is set to four temperatures straight from the box. The first three are represented by different intensities of the same hue, which isn’t ideal. It is a strange choice, too, because logging into the app unlocked eight colors. That means the piece is capable of coming in a less confusing configuration. Perhaps this is a way to get people to download the app in the App Store and Google Play. Still, it should be easy to discern session temps from one another right from the manufacturer.
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The original temperatures are set at 1 (518°F), 2 (572°F), 3 (626°F), and Pro (540 °F). If those don’t work, log in to the app and change the settings to whatever dang temp you like. I also changed the color of each setting when shifting temps. Choose between eight color options coordinated with preset session specifications with names like Lumino, Pink Flamingo, and UFO. These colors bring the vibe, and the hits aren’t bad, either.
Review: AUXO Cenote dabbing experience
Dabbing with the Cenote was a thoroughly enjoyable experience once I locked down my technique. The e-rig turns on after holding the power button down for three seconds. It tells you by lighting up. From there, hit the button one time to cycle through the various temperature settings and resulting lights.
Select a setting by leaving the piece on it while cycling through, and the piece will start heating. You will know it is heating because a groovy lava lamp effect kicks in while it does. When the piece is ready to draw, the Cenote lights shift into a new light cycle and indicator, and the sesh time starts. Sessions can be up to 110 seconds while using the 20-second in-app extension. You know it’s over when the light turns red, and I wish sessions lasted longer.
I controlled and automated the entire experience in-app. From my screen, I dialed in the session duration and temperatures for all four settings. Once the settings were decided, I picked the right one for sugar wax and watched each degree tick up on my phone screen. This isn’t a new e-rig feature, but I like this interface the best of each vape app I’ve used thus far.
Taking a hit from the Cenote as a regular bong ripper required restraint. This device wants to be gently pulled to fill the chamber and then politely cleared. Use this method and get properly lifted from a session on this electronic dab rig.
It didn’t feel overwhelming or like too much vapor to handle, but I was also pleased with my hits. Though I will say it takes finesse for me to pull back from my usual bong rip force to properly fill the recycler. I dabbed Grandaddy Purple sugar wax from Washington producer Sesh and got a full buffet of sweet musky flavor.
Red flags from the Cenote
While my review of this device is mostly positive, a few things left me wanting. First, the battery life. The site claims it will last for 12 100-second sessions. It lasted me about ten. Maybe this is comparable to other pieces, but I’d love to find an e-rig that doesn’t need to be charged by the afternoon.
Another red flag is when something has disposable components. It not only creates more cannabis waste, it creates a new cost. The ceramic nail inside of the Cenote is labeled disposable, and one unit comes with five nails. I wasn’t into this until reading that one nail is meant to last 100 uses, which doesn’t seem too wasteful to me. Another nail note: when changing them, make sure the nail is pressed down into the unit. The device won’t start otherwise.
My experience with the AUXO Cenote is positive overall. It fits into the palm of my hand, for starters. I appreciated thoughtful touches like a splash guard to avoid recycler water on my lips and light show features to create a little vibe. It’s a yes from me, dawg.
Those looking for an awesome electronic dab rig need look no further than the AUXO Cenote. This device stands next to big competition like Puffco Peak and Dr. Dabber Switch in a smaller package. I wouldn’t just recommend the AUXO Cenote, thanks to the vibey light show, great dabs, and adequate app–it will probably be my main e-rig for a while.
