Everyone has their own favourite battery brands when it comes to vaping and I’m no exception on that score!

So…will these batteries change my mind and open me up to new possibilities?

Who Are Hohm Tech?

Hohm Tech has been named as the top No1 brand by the U.S vaping industry, apparently for the high quality and superb performance of their cells…we shall see.

To be brutally honest I have never heard of this company!

This is not really surprising as I am based in the UK, normally I use batteries available in my local stores.

The company is currently trying to receive more recognition in Europe market.

Hohm Tech say:

We are committed to being a market leader in product innovation and to our customers in a relentless drive to satisfy the need for product safety and secure their unwavering loyalty.

The Hohm Tech batteries are designed at their HQ in California USA, and are made at an Indonesian chemistry plant located just outside of Jakarta.

Which Batteries Did Hohm Tech Send Me?

I was sent 5 packs of batteries to test: the X6, 18650’s and X4 and 21700’s.

HΩ Alone, HΩ Life, HΩ Work, HΩ Run and HΩ Run and XL.

Hohm Tech does have two other battery types available that were not sent to me, and they are: HΩ Grown 2 206650 and Sherlock 2 HΩ 20700.

Each battery is a flat top cell with the Ω sign moulded into the positive connection point for authenticity.

And each comes with a colourful battery wrap with lots of information printed on it, including something I have never seen in all my years of vaping, an ideal wattage and maxim wattage, and each cell also includes battery cautions.

The cells are individually wrapped in plastic shrink wrap when new and have their own card box, 2 cells come in each outer cardboard box.

These battery cells were sent to me direct by Hohm tech, for the purpose of review.

As always my views and thoughts are my own after a considerable testing period.

Hohm Tech Batteries – Real World Testing

Just so you know I don’t have any fancy testing equipment to tell you exactly what each battery is doing.

So I’m left to real world testing of the cells, I simply bunged them in to vaping devices and used them, after fully charging them all of course lol.

As a side note I have been using all these batteries for nearly 3 weeks, each battery does recharge each time to its fullest capacity 3.6v according to my Nitecore D4 Digicharger!

Let’s take a look at each type of battery sent and my usage of them.

HΩ Alone 18650 Li-ion Battery Cell

• 44w max 56w
• Capacity: 3309mAh
• Max Charge Rate: 4.14A

I have been testing these cells as though they were designed for mouth to lung single cell vaping.

I’ve been using the Aspire Deco, with a 1Ω coil at 20 to 25w in my Vapefly Holic MTL RDA.

Hohm Tech Batteries- Test Result

I was very impressed.

I used this setup for a complete 2 days and only by the end of the second day did I feel a drop in the performance, there was plenty of battery power left for at least a couple more hours.

HΩ Life 4 18650 Li-ion battery cell

• 63w max 85w
• Capacity: 3015mAh
• Max Charge Rate: 4.43A

I tested these cells as duals in my Geekvape Aegis Legend with a pair of 0.2Ω coils at 60 to 75w in my Oxva Arbiter RTA.

Hohm Tech Batteries – Test Result

I tested at 60w to start with and chain vaping and the batteries lasted a good 3.5 hours, I was really tooting away with them.

After a recharge I pumped up the wattage to 75w and used them as I normally would at 75w I was impressed the charge lasted a good 6 hours.

HΩ Work 2 18650 Li-ion battery cell

• 73 max 104w
• Capacity: 2547mAh
• Max Charge Rate: 3.82A

Again I tested these cells as a duo in series, using my Noisy Cricket 2 with a pair of 0.6Ω Clapton coils in my Hellvape Passage RDA.

Hohm Tech Batteries – Test Result

Blimey this setup sure delivers!

Not expecting the batteries to last that long, as the voltage I set was around 4.5v.

I was able to vape very comfortably for around 4 hours before the sudden drop in performance, by comparison a pair Sony vtc5’s will only me last about 3.5 hours before the performance drop – cool.

I swapped out the coils for a 0.2Ω pair and set the dial on full approx 6v on parallel, I wasn’t able to vape this for long as the heat was too much for my micro lungs lol.

HΩ Run 21700 Li-ion battery cell

• 112w max 142w
• Capacity: 3023mAh
• Max Charge Rate: 5.29A

For these cells I decided to use them as singles in my Oxva Velocity first with the pod and a Unipro 0.15Ω coil at 45/55w, and then switching out for the 510 adaptor and my Wotofo Srpnt RDA with a 5mm 0.5Ω coil at 80w.

Hohm Tech Batteries – Test Result

1st the pod, and I used the setup as I normally would, the battery life was very good and comparable to any of my Molicel 21700 batteries.

My vape time was a complete day – in fact I was able to pick the device up the next morning and toot on it for a further hour or so before it needed a recharge!

Next I popped on the 510 adaptor and my Srpnt RDA, I did an hour of chain vaping followed by a more normal style of vape.

I timed the usage and found that after 5 hours of continuous use I had to recharge.

HΩ Run XL 21700 Li-ion battery cell

• 87w max 111w
• Capacity: 4007mAh
• Max Charge Rate: 6.01A

This time I chose to use my VooPoo X217 as this mod is the only one I own that accepts dual 21700’s.

I popped a new MT M1 0.13Ω coil in my VooPoo Matt Tank.

Hohm Tech Batteries – Test Result

90w watts is a breeze for the Maat tank and for these batteries!

I got nearly 2 days of normal vape time with this setup, dropping the wattage after a recharge to 65w I mixed my vape style with chain vaping to normal and back again and still was able to get more than a complete day vape time!

As an extra test I borrowed my brothers Nitecore BR25 bike light, this torch will take a 21700, so I used one of the HΩ Run XL 21700 cells.

Hohm Tech Batteries – Test Result

Leaving the light on, on full power (that’s 1400 lumens) it took 2 hours 15 minutes to run completely out from a full charge, on low power the battery lasted nearly 15 hours – amazing!

I am a heavy vaper, therefore the results I got from these tests cannot be classed as totally accurate – your results may be different to mine!

Important Vaping Battery Safety Tips!

Like any other battery you are responsible for your own safety while using or charging.

I always recommend that any battery be charged with a suitable external battery charger.

Never charge your batteries over night or while you are out.

Do not ever carry unprotected batteries on your person or in bags, always use a protective plastic case or silicone sleeves.

It’s been many years since I took the electronics course at school, so I would suggest especially to new vapers who don’t know about Ohms law and battery safety to take a look at some of the fascinating articles available online.

Even old hands like me need to bone up occasionally!

A big thanks goes out to, Hohm Tech for reaching out and sending these battery cells to me for testing!

Pros

• Nice battery wraps with plenty of info
• Excellent battery life

Cons

• A little on the more expensive side compared to some other brands

Final Review Verdict

I’m very impressed with the battery life I have gotten from these cells!

The battery wraps have a great deal of information on them, maybe a little too much information for the average user, it makes the wraps look a little cluttered, but you can’t argue that Hohm tech haven’t covered all the bases!

So…do you use Hohm Tech batteries?

How do they stack up to more well known brands?

Please let me know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below…

The post Hohm Tech Batteries Review – At Home with HΩTech appeared first on Ecigclick.

This is the 4th and final [for now] review I’ve done of the Kuga Heat products, there’s currently 7 under the brand name.

I began with the Kuga Heat SHELLS, a bullet shaped disposable pod kit – moved on to the Desert Eagle HNB device and the impressive Knights pod kit.

Kuga Heat specializes in both pod kits and HNB set-ups and the one’s I’ve reviewed are certainly head and shoulders above many in their categories…

As I said, an impressive stable of vape and HNB products, and as you’ll see at the end, little wonder given the team behind the brand.

What Can We Expect From the Kuga Heat Commando?

Obviously this is a Heat Not Burn device [HNB] and to that end uses tobacco and none tobacco heat sticks rather than vape juice.

It is highly customizable – meaning you can set both pre-heat time and temperature settings and has a sleek and very smart design.

No tobacco sticks are included, however, the universal slot means all brands should fit no problem.

HNB devices caused a bit of a stir in the vape world when they arrived on the scene.

The Big Tobacco backed IQOS was the forerunner and is of course still going strong helping millions of smokers make the 95% safer switch.

As I said in the Desert Eagle review, I’d far rather smokers switched to these or even dual used with a regular vape kit rather than with a lit cigarette.

Right then on with this HNB device review…and for the record the Kuga Heat Commando was sent direct from the company – thank you – and as always my thoughts and opinions are not swayed by freebies.

Inside the Box

As I’ve mentioned in my previous reviews of the Kuga Heat vape products, I received mine in a reviewers box.

You will of course receive yours in a retail version and inside you’ll find:

• x1 Kuga Heat Commando HNB device
• x1 Type C USB cable
• Instruction manual

A reminder there are NO HEET sticks or similar brand included!

Specs and Features

• Universal slot for tobacco sticks
• 3350mAh internal battery
• 21.6 x 32.8 x 106mm
• Temp range 250 to 390c
• Ceramic needle
• LED menu
• Output 22w – 3.7v
• Preheat time 5 – 25 seconds
• Adjustable heating time 180 – 300 seconds

Kuga Heat Commando Quick Start Guide

• x5 clicks on and off
• Use up and down buttons to select temp and heat up
• Hold fire button for 2 seconds to begin heating
• Device vibrates when ready to use
• Timer runs down and vibrates when it reaches zero

You will be prompted to clean out the device – usually after x5 sticks.

Personally I clean it after every one as even the slightest bit of debris can affect flavour/performance.

BTW – I have no HNB cleaning kit so have used a plastic pin…

Key Features

This is a fully customizable Heat Not Burn device [HNB] and is a step up from the Kuga Heat Desert Eagle I reviewed last week.

I say step up as there are more features and the company promote the Kuga Heat Commando as a ‘favourite among professionals…‘

Insert snarky comment about my personal professionalism here lol.

OK, the Kuga Heat Commando has a wide range of settings from the time you pre-heat the stick right through to the temperature you wish to vape/smoke at.

Anyone familiar with a vape menu will quickly pick up the controls and trust me setting your temp is a doddle.

You don’t receive any HEET/tobacco sticks with the device, however it has a universal slot meaning all brands should fit.

I’ve swapped my Amber HEETS for the richer flavoured Sienna and have to say I’m enjoying the change from e-liquid every now and then.

Design and Build Quality

It’s an extremely solid and well built HNB device with a bit of weight to it – I guess that’s the rather large internal battery.

It’s certainly not too heavy thanks to the tough but lightweight aero aluminum alloy, with that anodized colour coating giving it a brushed smart look and feel.

It’s almost twice the width and slightly taller than the Desert Eagle, but still length wise it’s not much bigger than the average vape pen.

The top of the HNB device comes off for cleaning and is held in place by very strong magnets and there’s no wobble whatsoever.

There’s a slot to cover the hole where the HEETS go and this stops debris from getting inside whilst out and about – nice touch.

The screen and menu is a simple affair but bright enough and I had no issues seeing the figures in direct sunlight.

It shows the basics, as in temp setting and timer – I like the latter as you know exactly when your session is about to end.

Design wise it is very smart and sleek – especially in black – and yeah I can see this being used by folks in smart business suits.

To coin a phrase, it really does look the business.

Available in: Classic Black – Kiss Red – Space Grey and Army Green.

How Does the Kuga Heat Commando Perform?

As I’ve already mentioned I’m now using the HEETS Sienna selection flavour so let’s see how I got on at the low – mid and highest settings.

You can of course create your own perfect temp via the up/down buttons – a very simple process.

Kuga Heat Commando 250c

Super-fast heat up and ready to go seemingly in a few seconds.

The vape/smoke was on the cool side and strangely I found this a very tight draw.

Flavourwise not a lot really and I have got through a few packets of the Sienna HEETS so know the taste by now.

Not a lot of smoke/vapour either – so it’s a nope from me on the lowest temp setting.

Kuga Heat Commando 335c

I felt this was probably mid range and certainly around the temp I vape/smoke using the Desert Eagle.

A lovely warm inhale just bordering on a little too hot.

Great flavour and I reckon a bit better than from the Desert Eagle.

Lovely tight draw too with 10 being tight this one’s a high 8 for sure – just like a roll-up with no filter

A surprising amount of smoke too and this has been my preferred setting.

Kuga Heat Commando 390c

Wow!

Somebody call the fire brigade and grab me a glass of cold water – this is HOT!

The HEET stick pretty much threatened to burn off my lips and the hit on the back of the throat was fierce!

Half way through and yeah things calmed a little and I got to enjoy it a bit.

Flavour was almost on the burned side but just about held up.

Far far too hot for me!

Pros

• Fully customizable
• Gorgeous design
• Fast heat up time
• Countdown timer
• Cleaning prompt
• Up to 45 tobacco sticks per charge

Cons

• No cleaning kit/tool included

Final Review Verdict

I’m becoming a bit of a fan of HNB devices [don’t come for me lol] and the Kuga Heat Commando is without doubt a wonderful piece of kit.

It looks the absolute business and has all the options you need.

Now I’ve found a decent HEET stick, the flavour is slightly better than the Desert Eagle – not sure why!

And yeah I have tried the Amber flavour in this one…

It is perhaps a little on the large size, but no bigger than a vape pen.

The cover means it does not collect bag or pocket funk – but I would like to see some kind of cleaning tool.

Other than that – if you’re looking to try a Heat Not Burn device and don’t want to give Big Tobacco your cash [lol] – Kuga Heat is more of a vape company

Highly recommended and then some…

Impressive Company

Kuga Heat did send me all 7 of its devices: x5 vape/pod kits and x2 HNB devices.

However they’ve asked to only review 4 of them and this is the last of them…for now.

I have to say, from the devices, website and overall ‘feel‘ of the company, I’m mightily impressed.

‘Kuga’ means ‘Gift of God‘ and Heat means fire – and this brand really is on fire!

Little wonder given the company is a dream team of staff originally from Geekvape, Voopoo and SMOORE!

Great brand and great products – what more do you want..?

So…

Have you used the Kuga Heat Commando HNB device?

Is it one you’d consider using?

What’s your favourite tobacco stick?

What do you think about HNB devices in general?

Please do let me know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!

The post Kuga Heat Commando Review – An Advanced HNB Kit appeared first on Ecigclick.

HNB stands for Heat Not Burn and when these kits arrived the word controversial was an understatement lol.

Indeed the vaping community was split on whether they should be sold alongside vape kits and e-liquids, especially with the aggressive marketing from the IQOS brand.

Anyway, let’s not dwell on the past – they’re here to stay and have been given the all clear by the UK Government as a safer alternative to smoking.

In a nutshell they are devices that heat rather than burn tobacco sticks and are said to give as close to a proper ‘smoke‘ as you can get.

We reviewed the very first HNB kit – the IQOS – so now’s a good time to look at other options out there.

Kuga Heat products are split between HNB and pod kits and I recently reviewed the impressive Kuga Heat SHELLS disposable pod kits – so let’s see if the Kuga Heat Desert Eagle soars as high.

What Can We Expect From the Kuga Heat Desert Eagle?

First look and this is an extremely easy to use HNB device.

There’s x3 temperature settings and as you’ll see, even the biggest technophobe out there [me] should have no issues using it.

Kuga Heat does not supply any HEET/tobacco sticks – but the fitting is generic meaning it will/should take all brands.

Not a lot more to say really, other than this was sent to me direct from Kuga Heat – thank you – and as always my thoughts and opinions are not swayed by freebies…

For the record, KUGA means the ‘gift of God‘ – so let’s see if this has been a heavenly experience…

Inside the Box

For the record I received all of the Kuga Heat devices inside a swanky reviewer presentation box – you will receive yours in a retail box.

• x1 Desert Eagle HNB device
• x1 Type-C USB cable
• User guide

Specs and Features

• 900mAH internal battery
• 25w – 3.2/4.2v
• Heat up time: 25s
• Ceramic needle
• 25.5 – 18.5 – 97mm – weight: 54g
• Temp range: 280c – 320c – 350c

Key Features

Obviously this is a Heat Not Burn device [HNB] and neither the retail kit – nor my reviewer sample – includes any HEETS or similar branded tobacco heat sticks.

I bought a packet of the amber variety HEETS, a kind of mid-strength tobacco at about a fiver for 20.

OK, the Kuga Heat Desert Eagle is the cheaper of the two HNB devices made and sold by the company, however it still offers x3 heat settings.

You choose either: 280°C, 320°C, 350°C and this is selected by a simple switch on the side.

It’s available in x 4 colours: Classic Black, Kiss Red, Navy Blue and Silver.

It is extremely simple to operate so let’s see just how easy it is to get it up and running.

Kuga Heat Desert Eagle Quick Start Guide

• x5 clicks on and off
• Select temp setting via the switch on the side
• Insert HEET into hole on top and into the heating pin
• Hold down fire button for 2s
• Device vibrates and LED light solid when ready to use
• Draw activated
• Device vibrates again when heat is too low

Design and Build Quality

The main body is made from aliminium alloy meaning it’s both light and tough.

The pin cover is made from what feels like toughened plastic. You can pull this off for cleaning however it is very stiff initially.

The heat pin is ceramic and it and the hole is a generic size meaning any brand of tobacco stick will fit.

The on/off button has a nice throw to it and the heat selector slides nicely, with a good restriction, meaning once set it isn’t moving anywhere.

Design wise it’s what I’d call minimalist which suits my taste perfectly.

There’s a set of ridges on both sides which aids grip and the temp select switch and logo are definitely not in your face.

How Does the Kuga Heat Desert Eagle Perform?

It had been a while since I last used an HNB device and that would have been the original IQOS.

I have noticed quite a few being used in my home town so was intrigued to try the Kuga Heat Desert Eagle.

Let’s take a look at the x3 heat settings.

Kuga Heat Desert Eagle 280°C

The lowest heat setting and obviously the quickest to heat up.

It was a warm ‘vape‘ but I was almost puffing on fresh air with little or no flavour.

It could of course be the flavour HEET sticks I’d chosen.

Barely any vapour/smoke either and it all seemed to over far to quickly if that makes sense.

Kuga Heat Desert Eagle 320c

I found this one to be the perfect temp.

I think good flavour is pushing it though and I again put that down to my choice of HEET stick.

I love a robust deep rich tobacco vape and this was a little wishy washy for me.

It lasted a little longer and I did get a bit of a nicotine buzz at the end.

That could be down to puffing a lot more to beat the timer – OR of course the extra heat gave it an extra bit of oomph.

Kuga Heat Desert Eagle 350c

Almost too hot for my tongue and mouth!

It might be my imagination but this felt like a deeper flavour, but that could just be the er heat going into the HEET.

A lot more ‘smoke/vapour‘ from this one too and I did have a bit of a cough half way through.

Note: Given the short vape time I have tried to ‘reheat‘ and nope that doesn’t work…

Pros

• Dead easy to use
• VERY fast heat up time
• x3 temperature options
• Easy clean
• Decent price
• Up to 15 heet sticks off one charge
• Super fast charging[40 to 50 minutes]

Cons

• Short ‘vape‘ time
• Flavour not so good – down to my choice of heat stick I think

Final Review Verdict

The biggest gripe I have with the Kuga Heat Desert Eagle is the ‘vape time‘ – it all seems to be over very quickly indeed and I was left more than a little unsatisfied – fill in your own jokes.

I can’t for the life of me remember if the IQOS lasted longer, but as a vaper we’re used to dipping in and out.

I’m guessing that’s the main issue with any HNB device – you have to use it as you would a lit cigarette – as in vape/smoke it in one go.

Yeah I know that’s stating the obvious, but for a long time none smoker it is a weird experience!

Given the UK Government has rated HNB devices almost as safe as e-cigarettes I reckon HNB is the way to go for smokers not quite ready to embrace vaping.

I’d like to see dual users for a short time as in HNB and an ecig rather than a lit fag and vape…

To that end the Kuga Heat Desert Eagle is reasonably priced and does the job well enough and with just enough options to suit.

The Right Flavour HEET Stick Is Key!

It’s nicely designed and built with a contemporary yet discrete look about it.

A little like getting the right e-liquid, you need to make sure the flavoured HEET suits.

I have a feeling had I chosen a more robust flavour, I might find myself HNBing a bit more – if only for a change.

What I will say is I have no doubt this will suit a smoker transitioning away from lit to heat.

So…have you used the Kuga Heat Desert Eagle?

Are you a regular user of HNB devices?

Can you recommend a stronger flavoured HEET stick?

Please let me know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below…

The post Kuga Heat Desert Eagle Review – Simple Yet Stylish HNB Device appeared first on Ecigclick.

First up – what exactly is it?

In a nutshell it’s a device that allegedly completely cleans your drip tip of all bacteria using UV light.

Sounds cool and as to if this is the case we shall of course see.

Please note, the opinions in this review are mine alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the EcigClick team.

I decided the best way to review the Degerm, is obviously to test how well it kills germs.

However surface bacteria testing kits are way above my budget, and furthermore, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, testing labs are a little bit busy, and they are fairly pricey too.

Does the Science Stand Up?

With all of that in mind, this review will consist at looking at the device and what Aspire claim about it.

Then we will go on to look at the science behind UV sterilization and see if it backs up what Aspire claim about the technology.

Aspire is a Chinese vape brand that was established in 2013. They claim they have “always been a pioneer for innovation of vaping products”, that’s a statement in which I’m sure many vapers across the world would agree with.

The claim is also backed up by the 24 patent certificates that Aspire proudly display on their website.

During the pandemic a lot of vape companies have tried to do their bit in one way or another. Many companies started to dispense hand sanitizer in bottles that are designed for e-liquid, which for obvious reason, became a little bit controversial.

I feel Aspire’s Degrem is a step in the right direction, although with vape shops across the UK forcibly closed during the lock down and social distancing in place, I have to wonder if the device will become a bit more useful when the lock down is over.

Aspire Degerm Drip-Tip Sterilizer – Specs and Features

Lets take a look at the device in more detail:

• Size: 70 x 32 x 29mm
• Inner depth: ~20mm
• Weight: 25.3g
• Battery: 400mAh (internal)
• Charging: USB-C
• UV Light: UV-C 253.7NM
• Battery level Indicator
• 360 degrees sterilization
• 30 seconds usage.
• Claim: Kills 99.9% of bacteria

Design and Build Quality

On the outside the device looks a bit like a mini torch.

It’s based on a oval shape with a flat surface on either side, and the entire build is pretty smooth with a matt like finish.

On one side of the device is a USB-C port with “Degerm” printed just above the base.

The Aspire logo is on the opposite side of the device with the operation button just above it.

The button is a white silicone / rubber material that lights up as the indicator.

The protection cap looks like it is a part of the device, it doubles up as a rubber base for the device to stand on. More importantly it’s easy to remove, even for someone someone like me, who has no nails.

Inside the device the UV light is in the centre with 2 small Phillips screws at either side.

Looking around the inside of the Degerm it’s clear that the 4 screws are holding the device inside the shell because you can see the around the edge.

This also screams out, that the system is probably not very water proof, so you really ought to dry your drip tip before putting it into the system.

The Degerm is equipped with a 400mAh internal battery, although that doesn’t sound like much, you have to remember it’s only using a small amount of power with each use.

The impressively bright LED Indicator displays the current battery level by changing the Indicators colour as follows:

• Green Light = above 3.65V
• Blue Light = 3.3V – 3.65V
• Red Light = Less than 3.3V

How To Use The Aspire Degerm Drip-Tip Sterilizer

Caution: UV can be harmful to eyes and Skin, DO NOT expose your eyes or body to the rays emitting from the bottom of the device while in operation.

Using the Aspire Degerm couldn’t be simpler, here’s the button operations:

• On/Off = press the button 5 times
• Start= Press the button 3 times

I recommend wiping the drip tip before using the Degerm.

It is Important to remember that it is the Aspire Degerm, not the Aspire Cleaner.

If there is dirt on your drip tip before using the device, there will still be dirt on your drip tip after using the system.

To clean a removable drip tip:

• Remove the protection cap from the Degerm
• Put drip tip inside
• Replace the protection cap
• Make sure the Degerm is the correct way up (Protection cap at the bottom)
• Turn on
• Start
• Wait until the light stops flashing.

To clean a built in drip tip:

• Remove the protection cap from the Degerm
• Turn on
• Place the Degerm over the drip tip
• Start
• Wait until the indicator light stops flashing.

Aspire’s website suggests the Degerm can also be used on surfaces like your phone. I personally think this will be less effective.

• Remove the protection cap from the Degerm
• Turn on
• Place the Degerm over the surface
• Start
• Slowly move the Dergerm over the surface for 30 seconds.

Aspire Degerm Drip-Tip Sterilizer – the Company’s Claims

The outright claim about this accessory is “Degerm sterilizers kill 99.9% of bacteria in 30 seconds.”.

On the Aspire website they explain that International Genome Research shows the human saliva contains over 600 different microbial bacteria.

I had absolutely no idea what microbial meant, according to the Cambridge dictionary it is to do with microbes “very small living things, especially ones that cause disease”.

That certainly doesn’t sound good.

But never fear, Aspire reckons they’ve got our backs, with their “very high-level UV disinfection rays”.

Is it me or does that sound like something from a sci-fi movie?

Aspire’s website then goes onto claim, these disinfection rays sterilize with a 360-degree orientation and then they claim, “any bacteria will be wiped out in 30 seconds”.

The website also shows some, not very clear, certificates and states that the Degerm is certified by microbiology experts. When tested in a lab the results showed, the accessory efficiently sterilizes and disinfects drip tips.

It’s not often, in this day and age that manufactures talk about their products life span, however Aspire do just that, claiming the Degerms button has been tested 50,000 times and the device was “perfectly serviceable” for “nearly” 20,000 times.

We are also provided with the image below and told that the Degerm uses UV-C 253.7 NM… We’ll see what that means in a moment.

Aspire Degerm Drip-Tip Sterilizer – One Size Fits All

I tested the Aspire Degerm out with 3 different drip tips.

As expected it fitted the 510 and 810 drip tips without a problem. However my go to atomizer is the VGOD Elite, it has a built in drip tip that screws off. The diameter of the drip tip (and the RDA) is 24mm.

For some reason the Degerm doesn’t fit over it. However I haven’t got my calibrate to check the devices width.

So I unscrewed the drip tip and put it inside. It wasn’t a perfect fit, but thanks to the flexibility of the protection cap, I could easily hold it closed.

A Look At UV – What Exactly Is UVC?

I’ll try and keep this short and simple. UV (UltraViolet) it’s a type of electromagnetic radiation.

All radiation fits on the electromagnetic spectrum, the colourful bar we saw above.

The spectrum gets all deep and science like but basically put, the spectrum orders the radiation waves by their wave length (measured in NM – nanometres).

At one end is radio waves, in the middle is visible light and at the other end is X-rays, followed by Gamma Rays (which are often used to kill cancer cells).

UV is usually divided into 3 bands

• UV-A (315–400 NM)
• UV-B (280–315 NM)
• UV-C (180–280 NM)

It seems to get a bit complicated when looking up “which is the most harmful?” because most sources talk about human/animal health.

However UVC has the highest energy level and UVA has the lowest.

This is why UVC is the best UV for killing bacteria and viruses.

What Else Uses UV sterilisation?

UV sterilization isn’t a new idea, it’s been around for a while.

While drying your hands in a public toilet, you may have noticed that some hand dryers shine a light onto your hand, I always thought that was so you can see any water still present on your hand, that’s not the case. Some hand dryers use UV. However I should stress, not all dryers that have a light are using UV.

Other uses include:

• Aquariums / water Disinfectant
• Air Disinfectant
• Laboratory Hygiene
• Food and Beverage Hygiene

To The Point Does UV Work?

At the moment I can’t test how efficient the Aspire Degerm is.

Luckily for us UV sterilization has come under a lot of testing in the past.

I did intend to display a table of research results which shows what dosage you need you to kill a certain virus.

However calculating the given dosage isn’t a simple task and depends of a lot of factors, so I decided I couldn’t really make that information directly relative to the Aspire Degerm.

At a few points in the hours I’ve spent researching UV, I have read a few times that it has been used for disinfection in hospitals since the mid-20th century.

Tests do show that UV-C (at all frequencies) is capable of killing Viruses, bacteria, mold and spores, and yes that does include Corvid-19, as well as SARS, MERS-Cov and E-coli.

There has been a lot of hand held lamps commercially available, that are designed to kill surface bacteria. Most of which don’t perform very well when they have been put to the test impartially.

Like the one seen on this Fox 4 Now YouTube Video from 2012:

However, there is a big difference between the Aspire Degerm and the hand held lamps.

The Degerm is primarily designed for using on drip tips, while they are enclosed in the system or resting directly onto the system.

Look at it like this, you put your drip tip into the Degerm, put the lid on and start it up.

After 30 seconds the bacteria on your drip tip will have been exposed to the UV-C for 30 seconds.

Now imagine you were cleaning your kitchen side with a lamp. There is a lot of factors here, how close do you hold the lamp to the surface? How much of the surface is being affected at any one time?

If your kitchen side is 1x2m and you slowly swipe the lamp across the surface for 1 minute, I’m thinking unless you have a 1x1m lamp that will not be 30 seconds of exposure to each port of the surface.

It is also important to remember that regardless of anything, it does not kill 100% of germs. However with this in mind you also have to remember, no disinfectant kills 100% of germs.

The only thing left to ask is, does the Aspire Degerm actually use UVC? Again I haven’t got the resources to rest this.

I’m fairly confident it uses UV, and I trust Aspire when they say it is UVC.

Why would a renowned E-cigarette brand release an accessory and lie about it? It would be detrimental to their in regards to their brand reputation and legal battles…

Aspire Degerm Drip-Tip Sterilizer – Conclusion

After hours of research, I’ve decided to trust in Aspires Degerm.

I trust it’s ability to clean removable drip tips far more than I trust it to kill anything else, purely because you can close the system with the drip tip inside.

Again, it is important to remember that it is the Aspire Degerm, not the Aspire Cleaner. If there is dirt on your drip tip before using the device, there will still be dirt on your drip tip after using the system.

Would I buy one?

Not really, I don’t often share my vape, I’m not particularly fussy about germs when I do because I only share it with people that I know.

In the same way I only let the people I know have some of my drink. I expect them to be respectful enough to tell me if they’re not very well in anyway.

Although I know it’s not just about viruses.

Additionally, when I go to expos I use disposable drip tips and in my shop I provide disposable drip tips.

I do think they are pretty cool and futuristic.

Should you buy an Aspire Degerm drip-tip sterilizer? Each to their own.

From what I know they’re not expensive (please look up prices independently as they are subject change).

I know a lot of people that are very particular when it comes to germs and I imagine there will be more people like that after the current coronavirus outbreak.

If you are one of those people, I know of no reason not to buy one.

Please do comment down below, it would be super interesting to know your opinions.

The post Aspire Degerm Drip-Tip Sterilizer Review – What’s the Science? appeared first on Ecigclick.

Launched in the UK back in November 2019, the company goes to great lengths to say this is not a vape device.

There’s no batteries and no heat – instead users fill the cig-a-like from the main box and inhale.

The VOKE inhaler has been licensed as a ‘medicine’ by the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care and can be given out on prescription.

The company behind the brand has caused a bit of a stir – especially with the New Nicotine Alliance – after it emerged it was using deaths from EVALI in a campaign to raise funding.

I’ve covered that issue here:

• Is VOKE ‘Exploiting’ EVALI Deaths For Money?
• VOKE Removes Anti-Vape Data After Advocacy Group Complaint

So…a bit of controversy to spice up the VOKE inhaler review

What Can We Expect From the VOKE Inhaler?

In a nutshell – the VOKE inhaler is designed to help smokers quit!

It’s priced around the same as a packet of 20 cheaper branded lit cigarettes and there’s 20 0.45mg ‘charges’ in the box.

VOKE says:

Voke’s unique design delivers nicotine to rapidly relieve cravings whilst mimicking many of the rituals of smoking.

A single Voke stick may reduce your cravings for several hours.

Let’s see if that is indeed the case.

OK, after talking with the company behind VOKE [Kind Consumer] for the two stories above – I hinted we would like to do a review and were given the website where we could purchase one lol.

So this was bought [as very many of our review products are] rather than sent in for free.

And obviously and given it was Jonny’s cash not mine lol – my thoughts and opinions cannot be bought or swayed – biased I ain’t

Let’s see what this is all about then…

Inside the Box

Sparse contents to say the least – however the ‘box’ in this case contains the reservoir of nicotine and cig-a-like inhaler.

BTW even the wrapper comes off like that of a packet of fags!

• Voke box
• Inhaler
• Instruction manual

Key Features

VOKE makes it very clear this is NOT an e-cigarette – it’s a nicotine inhaler.

There’s no heat or batteries and NO vapour on the exhale.

What you have is an inhaler made to look exactly like a lit cigarette.

You push the cig-a-like into the bottom of the box – designed to look like a packet of 20 lit cigarettes – and fill the inhaler.

There’s 20 re-fills in each box dispensing the equivalent of 5 puffs – at least that’s what I found, and the nicotine strength is just 0.45mg.

More on the strength in a moment…

All very simple and all designed to offer the user that ‘familiar feeling’ of smoking.

Incidentally, listed among the ingredients is PG – Propylene Glycol – so if you’re allergic to that this might not be a good choice to use to stop smoking.

Read more:

• VG VS PG In E Liquid: All You Need To Know
• Do You Suffer From Any Of These Vaping Side Effects? Including PG Allergy
• 100% VG E Liquid / E Juices & Where To Buy

Design and Build Quality

It’s slightly smaller than a packet of cigarettes, and the box is made from lightweight plastic.

You press the side of the box which reveals the inhaler and that opens and closes with a loud but satisfying click.

The inhaler is nothing special it’s a hollow plastic tube! But yes it looks like a cigarette I guess.

Design wise and given pretty much all countries now have plain wrapping on packs – the VOKE box looks quite smart and reminiscent of a packet of 20 cigarettes – there’s even a large figure 20 adding to the look.

As well as the included instruction sheet, there’s also a wealth of information on the back of the box which you can peel off.

That’s about it really – as I said all very simple, and straightforward.

How Does the VOKE Perform?

First up a very quick ‘n easy start guide:

• Press side of box to remove the inhaler
• Hold box upright and insert inhaler firmly into the port on the base
• Hold for 5 seconds and release
• Inhaler should now be filled
• Inhale as you would a lit cigarette
• Refill when empty!

As you can see above – it’s very easy to use indeed.

It reminded me of filling a refillable lighter from a gas canister – so another nod to the old smoking habits we all had.

I must stress you need to push the inhaler in quite firmly – even then as you release it, quite a bit of vapour is released – wasteful to say the least…

OK onto the performance of the VOKE.

For the review I replaced my usual morning ritual of a high double figure freebase nicotine e-liquid, and gauged how long before I felt the need for another hit on the VOKE.

Voke Review – Flavour and Throat Hit

Given there’s no heat or battery, as you might expect the inhale is cold – very cold.

A tiny amount of medicinal tasting spray hits your tongue for a split second before dissipating into pretty much nothing.

There’s a slight – very slight – tingling at the back of the throat but NOT a throat hit in any way shape or form.

The flavour, if you can call it that, is as I’ve said medicinal and slightly reminiscent of a local anesthetic…

Not unpleasant – to me – but not tasty in any way shape or form…think an antiseptic spray for a throat infection – it’s in that ball park.

It also shuts off the inhale after around 4 seconds – which became annoying as I searched for a ‘hit’.

VOKE Nicotine Strength

This is a real issue for me and I’m sure cleverly designed to make more sales…let me explain.

One of the first things a vape shop owner should ask someone switching to vaping from smoking is how many cigarettes they smoke.

In simple terms that means the new vaper can be advised on the right nicotine strength, to give them the very best chance of a successful quit.

As a rule of thumb – the heavier the smoker, the higher the nicotine strength required.

Of course these days and with the arrival of nicotine salts – higher strength e-liquids don’t have the same harshness most high level nicotine e-liquids had ‘back in the day’.

Read more: Choosing the Right Nicotine Strength

The nicotine level in the VOKE inhaler is just 0.45mg – that’s pretty much sub-ohm vaping territory!

The vast majority of sub-ohm vapers are well into their quit smoking journey and have eased right back on the nicotine strengths with most around the 3mg mark and others at zero!

IMHO, even someone smoking say 10 cigarettes per day might struggle with that sudden dip in nic levels from the VOKE.

Again, and IMHO, heavy smokers certainly won’t get the ‘fix’ they need at such low levels.

Unless of course, they ‘vape’ the VOKE hard and often…

See what I mean by this is may be a ‘clever design’ to make users buy more?

VOKE says:

Voke can be used whenever you feel the urge to smoke, and you can use up to two packs of Voke a day

Two packs per day would cost you £23.98…now that’s A LOT of money…a simple vaping starter kit and a couple of bottles of the right e-liquid WILL be cheaper and last significantly longer.

As I said with such low nicotine levels smokers could be spending an absolute fortune on the VOKE without the kind of results we see from vaping starter kits and nic salts.

My Experience

Given I need a high level nicotine kick-start for the first few hours of the day I genuinely struggled using the VOKE for the 2 days it lasted.

4 or 5 puffs meant I was literally gagging for more within 10 to 15 minutes.

At that rate the pack would not even last a morning let alone a day!

Again I return to the marketing behind this and the low nic strength – it HAS to be that low to keep very many users buying!

Sure it might be handy for long journeys where smoking and vaping is banned – much the same way as some of us use patches and gums for a quick quiet fix.

But as a stop smoking cessation tool?

Doesn’t cut it for me – unless they add a sliding scale of nicotine levels and even then I wouldn’t recommend it.

As to adding ‘flavours?’

I’ve asked VOKE if they have any future plans for any new products and they told me some may be in the pipeline.

As it stands now the VOKE inhaler can only be bought online direct from the company’s website and from what I can gather only to UK based customers.

They do have plans to roll it out to chemists and other retail outlets at some point in the future.

BTW: VOKE says somewhere in it’s marketing “they won’t quit until you do…”

Given the extremely low level of nicotine that may be quite sometime…and very expensive too…

The post VOKE Inhaler Review – As Good As An E-cigarette For Quitting Smoking? appeared first on Ecigclick.

And what exactly is it?

OK, the Reewape Rouk RBA is a rebuildable coil head, that can be used on a number of pod kits compatible with the SMOK Nord coils!

I’m really quite excited about this little thing being a big fan of making my own coils and saving money in doing so,

Reewape Technology is based in China and is leading manufacturer of quality resin drip tips and other products including the Ruok Ghost Mechanical Mod which I will be reviewing in the very near future!

I can personally attest to quality materials Reewape use as I have a few of their products in my collection.

What Can We Expect From the Reewape Ruok RBA?

To be very honest I have only ever associated Reewape with drip tips, so imagine my surprise and delight to receive this little RBA from them.

This is a one coil RBA deck, and it comes with a 510 adapter so you can easily check the Ohm’s of your coil and dry burn it.

RBA decks are not exactly a new idea, but for pod systems the idea is still very young.

We have seen them before in pods such as the Vapefly Jester and the Augvape Narada pod kit, to my knowledge this is the first RBA that is advertised to be compatible with multiple pod systems!

Word of warning this RBA is very fiddly!

At the time of writing, the Reewape Ruok RBA is compatible with:

• Smok Nord pod
• Smok RPM40 Nord pod
• Smok Fetch mini Nord pod.
• Volta AIO kit
• Blitz realm kit
• Smok vape pen
• Smok Trinity pod
• Hotcig marvel pod
• Oukitel mate
• Oukitel bison
• Dovpo peaks
• Lusty nevoks
• Nikola antares

So is it worth spending your time and energy on this shiny little thing?

Come with me as I take a detailed look at the Reewape Ruok RBA that promises so much!

This product was kindly sent direct to me for review by Reewape, my thoughts and views on this product are my own after a considerable testing period.

BTW the word RUOK can be broken down to texting Are You OK?

So let’s see if this little RBA head is indeed OK or not OK!

Inside The Box

• 1 Ruok RBA coil
• 1 510 connector adapter
• 1 Blue Screwdriver
• 3 Philips head screws
• 4 O-rings

Key Features

• 2 post deck
• 510 adaptor
• Stainless Steel Construction
• Will fit any cartridge/tank that takes Smok Nord coils

Design and Build Quality

Ruok RBA comes in a small cardboard box with a photo of the RBA on the front.

Inside are two plastic envelopes, one contains the RBA the other has the 510 adapter, plus a blue screw driver, O’rings and spare screws.

As you would expect the Reewape Rouk RBA head is small it is made of Stainless Steel, one side of the cap it has a large “RUOK” logo printed in white.

2 small wicking ports along with a small white dot on the other side.

The white dot on the cap section helps you line up the cap and deck once you’ve completed your build, and the dot indicates the position of a small nipple inside the cap that when twisted into place sits in to a small groove on the deck.

The chimney section has 2 white O’rings for a tight seal onto a pod.

Removing the top cap reveals the small two post deck, which has a single internal airflow hole, two small wick slots, 2 white O’rings completes the topside of the deck.

Base of the deck has two airflow slots and two flattened edges, just like a Nord coil, the base also has male threading to allow you to screw it into the 510 adapter.

On the bottom, the connection pin is gold plated and in the shape of a propeller, the positive pin which sits on a peek insulator is held in place with a screw on the bottom of the coil.

The 510 adapter is made so you can screw the coil onto a 510 connection compatible mod or Ohms meter.

It is also made of stainless steel, the female threading for the RBA to thread onto has been turned well, inside the adapter you will see a flat gold plated connection point that sits on an insulator.

On the base of the adapter you will note the 510 threading and a gold plated connection pin.

I would call the design, manufacturing and quality of the Reewape Ruok RBA very well done!

How Does the Reewape Ruok RBA Perform?

Reewape Ruok RBA Build Tutorial

First screw the 510 adaptor on to the coil, and then I recommend you screw the coil on to an Ohms meter for safety if you have one.

Or if you’re confident screw the assembled coil onto a mod that has a 510 connection.

Just make sure while messing with the wire you have remove the batteries or turned the mod off!

For wire I used 28g twisted Kanthal.

• First make your coil or use a pre built coil,
• Place your coil tails through the posts.
• Leave a gap between the coil and the posts and airflow then clamp down the screws.
• Trim the coil tails flush with the posts.
• Pulse and strum your coil on a low wattage, make sure you get a nice glow from the centre of the coil out with no hotspots.
• Check your Ohms! If using the Nord pod for instance your coil can not be lower than 0.6Ω or the coil will not work in the mod!
• Pass your cotton through the coil, see my photo for rough guidance to how long to leave you cotton tails.

I recommend dampening the cotton with a few drops of e-liquid at this point, just so you can shape the cotton to the Reewape Ruok RBA deck.

• Reassemble the cap! Remember to twist the cap so the nipple locks in place with the deck, no cotton should peek out under the cap!
• And then place it into a compatible pod and fill (see list above for pod systems).

Using the Reewape Ruok RBA

While Reewape have a long list of suggested systems the Ruok RBA can work with.

I personally only have 3 of them LOL – so I’m using these 3 pods as examples.

One big thing to keep in mind is the resistance each pod mod!

In my case:

• Smok Trinity Alpha – Resistance range: 0.5 – 3.0Ω – I made a 0.6Ω
• Smok Nord – Resistance range: 0.6 – 1.4Ω – I made a 0.8Ω
• Smok RPM40 – Resistance range: 0.2 – 2.5Ω – I made a 0.5Ω

While my coil building was conservative each coil I made worked fine, however placing the coil into the Reewape Ruok RBA deck for me was a pain in the butt – it is so small!

I suffer with arthritis in my hands and on top of that my sight isn’t good, even with my reading glasses on lol.

Wicking the Reewape Ruok RBA

Then we come to wicking up this creature…

Too much cotton and you can’t get the cap on, to little cotton and you either burn the cotton or it will leak liquid faster than a bucket with a hole in it!

Experimentation is the key!

Reewape Ruok RBA Flavour and Vapour

Once everything on the Reewape Ruok RBA is situated right, and the pod is filled, leave them for a few minutes to let the juice soak into the cotton – known as priming your coils.

• RPM40 gave me the best results with flavour and vapour production mainly because I could adjust the wattage to suit my taste.
• Nord performance was good with the coil I used (0.8Ω) however the flavour wasn’t as good as the RPM40.
• Trinity Alpha was a pain in the A***, it didn’t want to work at first and kept showing a short error! When I did get it working (with much Fuffing around) the vape was intermittent around 50 to 60% of the time, *the air was blue most of the time LOL.

While neither of these 3 pod systems will ever be classed as major cloud chucker’s, I was impressed by the vapour, all 3 were a restricted direct to lung draw.

The flavour from the Reewape Rouk RBA was OK, although with my palate I wouldn’t call any of the flavour stellar, however it was quite acceptable.

In some of my experiments with the RMP40 and the Nord, I did experience a bit of gurgling – especially with the Smok RPM40 but this I found was down to how much cotton I used or rather didn’t use.

Pros

• 510 adapter
• Good airflow
• Acceptable flavour and vape production
• Works with a wide range of Nord compatible devices

Cons

• Doesn’t work fabulously well with Smok Trinity Alpha!
• Could be difficult for those with dexterity problems
• No premade coil examples included

Final Review Verdict

A very interesting idea is about all I can say really!

The RBA is well made and cheap.

The thought of the Reewape Rouk RBA working in multiple systems really got my juices flowing!

I spent a complete week testing coiling and experimenting with the RBA in my 3 pods and truth to be told the frustration I experienced was very high!

I would have been happy to see a couple of coils included with the kit so that beginners had an idea of the size of coils required.

Would I recommend the Ruok RBA from Reewape?

For those that don’t mind a lot of messing around, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this RBA in a heartbeat!

Those of us that like things to be simpler with no frustration, you’d be better off buying the stock Nord coils!

Would I buy this RBA again due loss or damage?

For me personally “No” I would prefer to buy the 0.6Ω Nord coils, however saying that this little RBA would work as a great backup, should I ever run out of stock coils as a stop gap!

The post Reewape Rouk RBA Review – An Interesting and Exciting Idea? appeared first on Ecigclick.

This is a kind of review – given I’ve used this since I picked it up at Vaper Expo – but also an introduction to the brains behind the device and a bit of a ‘show ‘n tell’.

The inventor – promoter and indeed marketer is Curtis Dorrington, and when I say brains behind this device – I mean it.

In my piece on the UK Vaper Expo 2019 – I called him a “vaping entrepreneur” and that’s exactly what he is IMHO.

Curtis works for Rolls Royce and was tired of being made to vape next to the smokers in the company’s smoking shelter.

Using his science skills he spent an age looking for a solution.

Once he’d come up with the groundwork – as to what was needed inside the pouch – he took it to a manufacturer and the rest as they say is history.

The device has been around for wee while and is now sold in a few online vape shops as well as some bricks and mortar stores.

OK let’s take a look at what exactly the Vape Any Wear bag / pouch / device actually is.

So What Is the Vape Any Wear Device?

The idea is simple.

Say you’re on a train or plane or indeed anywhere you’re not allowed to vape.

You take a toot on your device and then blow the vapour into the Vape Any Wear pouch and those clouds stay sealed inside.

Checkout the video from Dean – the Devil Vaper to see the original prototype in action:

Like I said to Curtis – ingenious!

But does it work?

Yes it does – as you can see above lol – and very well indeed.

I used this on the train on the way back from Expo and was stood [no bloody seats as usual] in the entrance with a crowd of vapers.

Every single one of them used it – wiped after use lol – and every single one of them loved it!

How Does It Work?

Obviously what’s inside the bag/pouch is a closely guarded secret and the patent is pending.

I have a feeling like other innovative vape ideas – such as the awesome Coily Tool – the Chinese may already be eyeing this one to ‘clone’.

So all you need to do is vape – then blow into the bag…a bit like a breathalyzer lol.

Make sure your lips are sealed tight around the tip [ooer missus – that’s what she said] and by not pressing the bag afterwards – [enuff of the double entendres lol] – the vapour will remain a bit like the Genie going back into the bottle ;).

I’ve found it works well with DTL and MTL vaping – and even after a good 7 second drag on my Zeus X RTA – the clouds remained in the bag with just the tiniest – and I mean minimal – amount of wisps released – and that could have been my heavy handling.

I found literally zero leaks using the MTL device.

So yeah it works – and works well – so highly recommended.

There is lanyard now so you don’t need to keep it in your pocket – to be discreet keep it tucked under your shirt

Final Thoughts

I’d like to see a design change – it’s not exactly pleasing to the eye at the moment.

Maybe more colour options and a little less logo and letters might make it look less like a vaping colostomy bag as I jokingly called it chatting with TVP lol.

The fact it says Vapour Filter down the side in bold letters – kind of gives the game away somewhat lol.

But hey – it works and looks ain’t everything as I often tell people…

One thing is clear – the barman in one of my local pubs bloody loved it and said he reckoned pubs would stock them to cut down on cloudage – which is running the risk of vape bans in pubs that allow vaping.

Vape considerately people!

Whilst there’s no law as yet that stops you vaping in public spaces – there are numerous BS byelaws and bans.

This is an easy workaround until we can convince councils and businesses to back off with their unfounded anti-vape stances.

So yeah – clever idea that works – I like it.

BTW if used say daily on your train trip or work place for short vape breaks you’ll get about 2 weeks use per pouch – much longer if used less regularly.

The post ‘Vape Any Wear Filter’ Review – Does It Really Allow You To Vape Anywhere? appeared first on Ecigclick.

So the big questions are, does it actually work? How do you refill a JUUL pod using the Jumate? Well, we are going to answer both in just a minute!

The company is based in California USA and also has a couple of nifty gadgets for use with a JUUL, the Jumate charging case and the smart-looking JUUL wallet charger.

OK, so what can we expect from this one?

Without treating you all like idiots lol, we can expect – or at least hope – the Jumate refills JUUL pods – that simple!

Before I get into the review a disclaimer from the company who want to make it clear:

JUUL is the registered trademark of Juul Labs, Inc. Jumate is not associated with or sponsored by Juul Labs, Inc. Any reference to use of JUUL brand products or related trademarks, patents, and copyrights of JUUL Labs, Inc. are for identification of compatibility and informational purposes only.

Let’s hope there are no lawyers sniffing around

The Jumate was sent to me free of charge from Vaporl for the purpose of this review – thank you – and as always my thoughts and opinions can’t be bought.

Inside the Box

• 1 x Refiller for Pods
• 1 x 5pcs Oil Guiding Cotton
• 1 x 2pcs empty JUUL style pods
• 1 x 20pcs Cotton Swab
• 1 x User Manual

I didn’t have any ‘guiding cotton’ in my box and can’t seem to find what they do anyway!

Key Features

As the title suggests this a device that refills closed JUUL and JUUL style pods. I have tried a few others, namely: the Apollo Brez – the SMOK Infinix 2 and the MOTI but none fit.

The company says the kit is designed for JUUL and JUUL styled pods but you might get lucky with whatever pod kit you have and I would imagine they’ll eventually bring out a universal version – maybe!

The key feature is blatantly obvious – it refills JUUL pods which are closed lol.

How Many Times Can You Refill a JUUL Pod?

The company makes the bold claim that if you vape carefully enough, each JUUL pod and the pair in the box can be refilled between 5 and 10 times – we shall certainly take a look at that!

There’s no battery as this is operated through air-pressure that once the two pins pierce through the mouthpiece, allows the e-liquid to be forced into the pod chamber.

So does it do the job with no fuss and most importantly no leaking mess?

We shall see.

Design and Build Quality

It’s a handy little gizmo measuring 84 x 20 x 52mm and is made from ABS and PCTG and certainly looks quite smart and feels well made. And despite being plastic it certainly doesn’t feel cheap and nasty.

Design-wise it looks functional and wouldn’t look out of place in a kitchen or on desktop, and it kind of reminds me side on of those ‘pump up’ a baseball shoes back in the day!

You have an option of choosing a ‘special message’ written on the side of the device should you so wish – nice touch.

Not much more to say really – it is what it is!

How Do You Refill a JUUL pod with the Jumate?

OK, this is pretty much a performance and quick start guide!

To refill a pod you simply slide it in with the mouthpiece facing the two long pins inside the housing.

Once clicked into place insert your e-liquid nozzle into the rubber port on the top of the device and fill to the MAX line. Don’t overfill as this can cause the system to clog.

You then remove the pod and use the q-tips to clean the holes in the mouthpiece to remove any excess juice – you can find them in a handy little compartment under the rubber seal on top.

And that really is it – simple!

Checkout the video of the Jumate in action:

So Does the Jumate Do the Job?

Yes it does and very efficiently too.

Let’s put it this way as a typical bloke I never read instruction manuals and was able to work this one out no bother lol.

The pods fill really quickly so keep an eye on the fill level and despite having those cotton swabs I’ve yet to get any residue – but I use one nonetheless.

The empty pods that come with the kit are decent enough flavour and vapour wise and I’ve ran nic salts and freebase e-liquid through them and found even an 80/20 VG PG Wick Liquor Contra filled up easy enough.

I will say using thinner consistency nic salts and runnier 50/50 VG PG juices, meant one squeeze of the juice bottle pretty much did the job – so don’t be heavy-handed!

• Find out more about the PG and VG in your e-liquid
• Read all about Nic Salts

Refilling JUUL Pods

I’ve had this nearly 3 weeks now and it’s been a while since I did the JUUL kit review.

Given I really didn’t like the flavour or vape off the pods – it took me a while to actually empty one lol.

But in the interest of science and vape reviewing, I eventually managed to empty one – tough job but someone has to do it

OK, in all seriousness now, I used the JUUL Golden Tobacco pod and refilled it using Black Note Legato – a strong bold sturdy flavour that I hoped would mask any lingering bad taste.

The first few puffs soon cleared away the remnants and whilst not the best flavoursome vape I’ve had with that juice, it was surprisingly decent – and as you might expect it got better the more I refilled.

I managed 6 refills before I could tell the flavour had dipped – so not bad.

However with the 80/20 VG PG Contra – I only managed x4 refills before the flavour dropped considerably.

I know the JUUL pod isn’t really meant for thicker cloud chucking juices, but I wanted to see if I could eke more flavour out of those pods.

Please note: should the needles become blocked press the rubber button on the side of the device to flush out excess juice. Clean needles regularly with warm water.

So yeah, if you’re a JUUL fan and are looking to not only eke out those pods – but try your favourite flavours – then yup, the Jumate does exactly what it says on the box – impressive!

Pros

• Simple to use
• Refills closed JUUL pods!
• Mess and leak-free
• Saves money on pods in the long run
• The average for me was 5 to 7 refills
• Reasonably priced

Cons

• Only JUUL pod compatible – but hey not really a con!

Final Review Verdict

If you read my review of the JUUL you can see I was not impressed with the flavours.

However, the guys over at Jumate have given those like me the chance to experience a whole new vape off the JUUL and whilst the flavours aren’t popping – they are much much better. It’s still way underpowered as a device though…

I have kind of begun using the JUUL again – if only for this review, and whilst I’m still not a fan as I said adding your own e-liquid brings it back to life somewhat.

It’s a nifty little device that is not only a pod saver but a money saver too so well worth investing in.

• Not a fan of the JUUL? Checkout out our ‘Duel’ for some good JUUL alternatives

The post Jumate Pod Refiller Review – It Refills Closed JUUL Pods So Does It Do the Job? appeared first on Ecigclick.

As well as batteries, chargers and power banks, they sell a selection of Vaporisers for CBD vape juice on their website.

What Are We Looking at With This Review?

This review is going to take a look at the Tesiya E2S dual battery charger and two power bank type chargers, the TESIYI T4 and T2 Mini Chargers.

How good are their chargers, power bank/chargers and batteries? We shall see.

My choice of charging devices are all Nitecore so it will be very interesting to see how well the E2S compares.

The TISIYI charger and power banks were sent to me direct for review, thank you. As always, I will give you my own, honest opinion of this product after a lengthy testing period.

In The Box

TESIYI E2S

• 1 x TESIYI E2S Charger
• 1 x USB Cable
• 1 x Instruction Manual

TESIYI T4 Mini Charger/Power Bank

• 1 x TESIYI T4 Mini Charger
• 1 x USB Cable
• 1 x Instruction Manual

TESIYI T2 Mini Charger/Power Bank

• 1 x TESIYI T2 Mini Charger
• 1 x USB Cable
• 1 x Instruction Manual

Features

TESIYI E2S Charger

• Product Size: 117 x 62 x 30mm
• Product Weight: 95g
• Input Voltage: Micro USB 5V 2A (0.3A/0.5A/1.0A) x2
• Output Voltage: Micro USB 5V 2A
• Rated Output Current: 0.3A x2 / 0.5A x 2 / 1.0A x 2
• Rated Power: 3W/7.3W/8.4W (max)
• Compatible With: Ni-MH, Ni-Cd, AA, AAA, C Type.IMR/Li-ion – 10440, 10500, 14500, 16340, 17335, 17650, 18350, 18490, 18500, 18650, 26650, 20700 and 21700

TESIYI T4 Mini Charger/Power Bank

• Product Size: 100 x 83.3 x 26.8mm
• Input: Micro USB DC5V/1.8A
• Output: DC5V/2A DC5V/1A

TESIYI T2 Mini Charger/Power Bank

• Product Size: 100 x 48 x 26mm
• Input: Micro USB DC5V/1.8A
• Output: DC5V/2A DC5V/1A

Design and Build Quality

TESIYI E2S Charger

The TESIYI E2S charger is like your standard two bay chargers but unlike others of late can accommodate only 18650 cells.

It’s made from plastic but very sturdy at the same time. The battery spring connectors are very robust, the metal that is used isn’t flimsy and feels like it would last for quite some time.

TESIYI T4 Mini Charger

The TESIYI T4 is a very small and lightweight device for a four bay charger (18650) and power bank.

All the markings are clearly printed into the device so there’s no dispute at which end is positive.

The power on/off button is nice and clicky and the USB sockets are tight but not too tight that you must force the cable in.

The only slight problem I did have with the T4 device was opening the bay door, it was a little stiff and needed a little gentle encouragement to release.

TESIYI T2 Mini Charger

As you would expect, the TESIYI T2 Mini Charger is pretty much in line with the T4 device though only 2 bays for 18650 batteries, I had no problem opening the bay door with this.

How Does The TESIYI E2S Perform?

To be honest, I’m not overly keen on using a USB charger as a main battery charger. All my other chargers are mains devices with proper mains plugs and leads. That’s not saying the performance is much different because it’s not, it’s just a personal thing.

To charge the provided TESIYI IMR 18650 300mAh in my two bay Nitecore D2 charger took around 4 hours and 20 minutes.

To charge the same batteries in the TESIYI E2S charger, it took around 5 hours so there wasn’t much difference compared to the two.

How does the TESIYI T4 and T2 Mini Chargers and Power Banks Perform?

Well, I will put the two mini chargers/power banks in the same category as they perform the same except one has two more batteries than the other.

As chargers, on the road as they are intended, via a car adaptor, the battery charge time was around 8 hours if I got my calculations correct, least to say it took a long time.

They are there to serve a purpose when you are out and about and if you really needed to use the mini chargers as an actual charger, it works.

I never had any battery overheating or safety issues at all.

As a power bank, they are good. Just pop your batteries of choice in there and away you go.

I have charged both my iPhone and my sons Android mobile phones without any issues at all. The power on off switch works a treat and you have both 5V-1A and 5V-2A USB outputs on both devices.

Pro’s

TESIYI E2S

• Lightweight
• Sturdy
• Quick Charge
• Well marked polarity

Cons

• USB Charging

Pro’s

TESIYI T4 and T2

• Portable
• Lightweight
• Mobile phone charging
• On/Off switch

Cons

• N/A

Final Review Verdict

I’m no expert on chargers or battery packs but the TESIYI E2S charged the provided batteries as well as my regular two bay charger or as near as damn it.

The mini chargers/battery packs, whilst they may not charge your batteries out on the road as quick as from the mains, they do charge and that’s what counts especially when you are in a sticky situation.

As for power banks, they are great, very lightweight and portable and charged my mobile phones, keeping me on social media that little bit longer.

The post TESIYI Inteli Charger E2S Review Plus The T2 and T4 Mini Power Bank Charges Tested appeared first on Ecigclick.

The S6 Smart charger has a raft of features and will charge all the different vape batteries you can throw at it and as the name suggests, dependent on the size of the battery you can slot 6 cells in there at the same time.

OK.. So let’s take a closer look at this Golisi charger.

What’s In The Box

• 1 x Golisi S6 Smart Charger
• Power adapter (in my case with a UK plug)
• Instruction Manual

Specs

• Input voltage: DC 12V /3A
• Idling Output Voltage: 5V

Output current:

• Li-ion batteries– 2A x 3pcs on “2A” slots , 1A x 4~6pcs
• Ni-mh/ Ni-cd batteries– 0.5A/pc
• Safety Protections: Short Circuit Protection; Over-Current Protection; Reverse
• Connection Protection
• Case Material: fireproof ABS, PC
• Working Temperature : 0-40 Celsius

Build Quality & Design

The first thing you notice from the Golisi S6 Smart charger is the big HD LCD screen running the top length of the box above the battery bays. It’s super clear and presents a lot of information in an easy to read and understand manner.

Under the screen, in the center, you have one button. This simply changes the information about any battery you have on charge:

• Current battery voltage
• mAh
• Time on charge (This stops when battery fully charged)

Sitting under the screen we have 6 bays for whatever batteries you are using. Three slots are 2A (these are labelled) and the remaining 1A. If you have 4+ batteries on charge they will charge at 1A only.

I’ve had no issues at all loading an unloading and found it easy to insert and remove the 18650, 21700 and 20700 batteries I’ve used with this. I’ve also popped in my rechargeable AA batteries that charge at 0.5A. All good. If you do happen to place them in the wrong way it will also display an error message.

The ABS and PC body is fire proof – not tested – and the overall quality is excellent, doesn’t feel flimsy at all. There are also plenty of other features:

How Does The Golisi S6 Smart Charger Perform?

I’ve been using a Nitecore D2 charger for a good while and I’ve got to say I’m not sure how I got on without Golisi S6 before. While the D2 did give you certain information the S6 does make a difference having all the cell information nicely displayed in front of you.

The ability to charge three cells at 2A is a plus to get that battery back in your vape mod that little bit quicker. The charger has a total of 6A which it will split between your batteries (upto a max of 2A of course).

There are no menus to constantly flick to, just a few button presses lets you easily cycle through the information to let you know what’s going on with your cell.

I tried the Golisi S6 in various states with 18650, 20700 and 21700 cells. When you pop a battery in you will be presented with the following information:

• 1A / 2A – Across the top of the screen it tells you what rate your battery is charging at. As mentioned, it can charge 3 batteries at 2A at once.
• Percentage – This will show you what percentage your battery is charged. No bars like you may see on other chargers and I personally prefer this kind of setup.
• Volts & battery type – Once you reach 4.2V your battery is fully charged
• mAh – This tells you your charging current.
• Timer – This will tell you an idea of how long the battery took to charge.

The 2A charging is unsurprisingly quick, coming in at around 1H20 for the 18650 cells I used.

I personally charge my 18650’s this way when I’m after a battery quick fix, although many don’t recommend this due to shortening the life of a battery. So, upto you if you go this way but at least you have the choice to charge at 1A if you’re not in a rush or want to extend the life of your batteries that bit more.

What I like about this is when using a dual cell mod I can keep track of my batteries to make sure one is slacking and check out what kind of health they are in. It gives you a good gauge on when it’s time to change your battery.

I’ve had no problem leaving my batteries in the bays, again not recommended but once they are charged the Golisi S6 cuts off the charge automatically.

Noise and Warmth

I didn’t hear a thing even when I had all slots full and pumping those batteries full of volts. As for warmth, just a little but nothing unexpected or anything to be worried about.

If, like me, you are not an expert in batteries then this charger can take a lot of the uncertainty about batteries you may have and most importantly charge your vape batteries safely!

If you are currently using a regulated mod that allows you to charge your batteries in the mod itself then I’d highly recommend buying an external charger. Not only for safety reasons but to extend the life of the mod itself.

Pros

• Super clear screen with simple to read information
• Quality build / Fire retardant material
• No noise
• Can fit 4 X 26650’s or 6 21700’s
• 2A charging for three batteries

Cons

• None that come to mind

Final Review Verdict

First up, as it’s been said many times before on this blog, do yourself a favour, if you use removable batteries in your vape device get yourself an external charger. It doesn’t have to be this particular one but if budget allows it’s highly recommended.

If 6 bays are overkill then you also have the Golisi S4 available that has 4 charging bays.

My old charger is now gathering dust with the S6 pretty much in constant use throughout the day.

Yeah.. I know it’s just a charger but there really isn’t anything not to like and it’s become one of the most used pieces of kit in my daily routine and the 6 bays allow me to have a ready to go mod at all times.

Would I buy the Golisi S6 Smart charger again if I lost/broke the device? I definitely would.

The post Golisi S6 Smart Charger Review appeared first on Ecigclick.