The first time I fired up the Hitoki Saber, I had two thoughts almost immediately: this is extremely over-engineered in the best way possible, and yeah, this is going to be part of my weekend rotation from now on.

The Saber sits at the weird intersection of high-tech novelty and practical performance — and that makes it hard to categorize. It’s not a vape. It’s not a traditional bong. And despite the price tag, it’s not trying to replace either. What it does do is offer a combustion-forward experience that ditches the drawbacks of butane, brings out real flavor, and still hits hard.

I’ve been using the Saber off and on for a few weeks now, and here’s what I’ve learned: the laser ignition system isn’t a gimmick.

The hits are cleaner, more flavorful, and dialed in enough that once you understand the heat settings, you can adapt it to pretty much any herb you throw in.

But like most new tech, it’s not without some quirks.

Let’s start with the look. The Saber feels like it was designed by a group of engineers who take their weed seriously. The form factor is sleek, the assembly is intuitive, and the magnetic chamber locking system gives it a satisfying sense of polish. I’ve seen bongs that cost more and look worse.