Comparison Vandy Vape Kylin Mini RTA vs Eleaf iStick Pico Kit

— Starter kit. A set also known as a “kit” or “box mod”. It includes everything you need for vaping — both a battery mod and an atomizer; in other words, a “kit” is a ready-to-use electronic cigarette (except that in some models the battery has to be purchased separately). At the same time, this category includes both relatively inexpensive and simple devices and high-end models. In any case, starter kits will be appreciated by tech who do not want to select a battery mod and atomizer separately and would like to immediately receive a device whose components are optimally compatible with each other.

— POD system. A specific type of electronic cigarette that uses replaceable cartridges — “pods” — instead of traditional atomizers. Each cartridge consists of an evaporator and a container with liquid; the “pod” can be either open (with the ability to refill at your discretion) or closed (disposable, supplied filled and thrown away when the liquid supply is exhausted). In any case, POD systems are usually sold as ready-made kits, which have a number of advantages over traditional vapes. Firstly, cartridges are relatively inexpensive and take up very little space; as a result, you can carry several “pods” with different flavors and/or strengths at once, changing them in a battery mod as desired. Secondly, the battery mods themselves...are more compact and lighter than in regular electronic cigarettes, they are more convenient to carry and do not attract as much attention. Thirdly, POD systems are extremely easy to maintain - in fact, there is no point in making replaceable cassettes serviceable. Among the disadvantages of such devices, one can note the relatively small capacity of batteries and reservoirs in cassettes, although there are exceptions.

— Disposable. Disposable POD systems are vaping devices without the ability to fill liquid and recharge the battery. The liquid reservoir in their design has a certain volume, and a specific battery capacity is selected for it (based on the specified number of puffs). When the “disposable” runs out of vaping liquid or the battery runs out, the device can be thrown away. Due to their compact size, disposable electronic cigarettes easily fit into a pocket, a small compartment of a bag or backpack. Also, they often lack controls and settings - the heating element is activated as soon as the customer takes a puff. In terms of flavor, there are many different options for disposable POD systems on the shelves.

— Atomizer. A separately sold vaporizer of an electronic cigarette — that is, the part where the vapor is generated; for operation, the vaporizer is installed on a battery mod (see below). Some types of such devices are also called "clearomizers", but this term is used less and less often; nowadays, all vaporizers are usually united under the term "atomizer". Be that as it may, the overall impressions of the vape are mainly influenced by the characteristics of the vaporizer: in particular, the taste and richness of the vapor, as well as the ability to customize the vapor to your preferences, directly depend on them. So in order to change the sensations of vaping, it is enough to try a different atomizer. In addition, when buying a new vape, many users (especially experienced ones) prefer not to rely on ready-made starter kits, but to choose an atomizer and a battery mod separately, at their discretion.

— Battery mod. The part of the electronic cigarette responsible for powering the evaporator (atomizer). The functionality of such a mod can be different - from the simplest container for a replaceable battery with an on/off button to an advanced device with complex control electronics and advanced capabilities (see "Battery mod"). Be that as it may, separately sold battery mods are designed for tech who want to assemble an electronic cigarette according to individual requirements, without relying on the starter kits.

The type of battery mod supplied separately or as part of a starter kit (see "Type"). In this case, battery mods are divided into types according to the presence or absence of additional boards; the types of batteries used are listed in a separate paragraph (see "Battery type")

— Electronic. Battery mods that have additional control electronics (“board”) in their design — in addition to the battery (battery compartment) and the power button. Such a board contains at least a charge / discharge controller, and often additional settings such as wattage or thermal control (see "Board functions"). Electronic battery mods, even the simplest ones (having only a power button), are noticeably more complicated than mechanical counterparts, which somewhat reduces reliability. On the other hand, they are more convenient and, most importantly, safer: the board provides the optimal battery operation mode, which minimizes the likelihood of its overload and related troubles. Therefore, this option is highly recommended for novice users. However, it is also preferred by many experienced vapers — electronics allow you to enjoy the vapor without worrying too much about the battery life.

— Mechanical. He is also a " mechmod ". The simplest battery mods, consisting of a case, a power on/off button and a battery compartment (usually removable). Power to the atomizer in such devices is supplied directly from t...he battery, without the use of control circuits; An external charger is required to charge the battery. In addition to simplicity and low cost, the advantage of mech mods is the extended possibilities for experimenting with power. On the other hand, such devices require careful handling and strict adherence to the battery charging / discharging regimen. At the same time, the user himself must monitor the mode, and violation is fraught with malfunctions and corresponding troubles (suffice it to say that the infamous battery explosions happened mainly on mechanical mods). In light of all this, the “mechanics” is suitable only for experienced vapers who are attentive to the correct use of the “materiel”.

Additional functions of the board provided in the electronic battery mod (see "Battery mod").

— Varivolt. Battery mods that allow you to adjust the voltage supplied to the atomizer. Due to this, the power supply changes and, accordingly, the heating power and the general vaping mode are regulated. At the same time, unlike the varivolt (see below), the voltage change in the varivolt is carried out only manually, regardless of the resistance of the atomizer. In fact, this means that if the user wants to get the same power on an atomizer with a different resistance, he will have to reconfigure the varivolt.

— Variwatt. Battery mods with the ability to automatically maintain the specified power supplied to the atomizer. An automated version of varivolts, which is able to automatically adjust to changes in the resistance of the atomizer. The voltage in the variatt is set for a specific resistance of the atomizer; if the resistance changes, then the electronics automatically sets the voltage at the output of the battery mod so that the power remains unchanged. Thanks to this, you can put heaters with different resistances on the battery pack without worrying about reconfiguring the power parameters — the variatt will independently select the desired voltage, keeping the intensity of soaring at the usual level. The main disadvantage of this option compared to...the varivolt is the relatively high cost, and compared to thermal control(see below), the need to choose the power experimentally, by trial and error.

— Variwatt + Varivolt. Battery mods capable of operating in two different modes — varivolt or variwatt, at the request of the user. These modes are described in more detail separately, and their combination in one battery pack can be useful for those who appreciate the advantages of vari-watt, but are not averse to experimenting with vari-volt as well.

— Thermal control + variatt. Battery mods that combine the variatt capabilities described above with the thermal control function. Thermal control allows you to monitor the temperature of the spiral, maintain it at an optimal level and turn off the power when approaching critical heating. The combination of these two adjustments is the most advanced option for today, in fact, eliminating the need for the vaper to manually select the optimal power settings. At the same time, the steam turns out to be pleasant to the taste (both due to its own temperature, and due to the fact that the probability of burning the wick is reduced to almost zero), and the battery charge is consumed in an optimal way. A serious drawback of thermal control, in addition to a rather high cost, is limited compatibility with atomizers: for this function to work correctly, a “head” with a coil made of nickel or titanium is required, and such models are relatively rare, and they are not cheap in themselves.

— Thermal control. Battery mods, the settings of which are limited only by thermal control. This function is described in more detail above; here we note that thermal control itself does not allow controlling the intensity of soaring, therefore this option has not received much distribution.

The ability to update the firmware of an electronic cigarette — more precisely, a battery mod (this is where all the control electronics are usually located).

This feature is most often found in models with advanced adjustments such as wattage or thermal control (see "Battery mod") — simpler devices do not require complex firmware (although there are exceptions). Major manufacturers of electronic cigarettes periodically release software updates for their equipment that improve the quality of work and eliminate errors noticed by consumers. So this feature is highly desirable for a device with extensive functionality and complex electronics.

— Unattended. Maintenance-free called atomizers-tanks (with a container for liquid), in which, in principle, it is impossible to replace the factory heater (spiral and wick) with its own winding. Thus, when using such an evaporator, you will have to periodically (most likely once every 2-3 weeks) change the “heads” (heaters). Maintenance-free vapers are a good option for those who are just about to try vaping, as well as for experienced vapers who don't want to mess around with custom coils. Their main disadvantage is the inability to adjust the atomizer to your own preferences — you have to make do with what the manufacturer originally provided for in the design.

— Serviced. Tank atomizers (with a container for liquid), in the design of which the manufacturer initially provides for the possibility of replacing the heating element (coil and wick) by the user. This is more difficult than changing the whole “head”, as in a maintenance-free atomizer; but winding can be done according to your own preferences, without relying on a factory design, and consumables for winding are cheaper than whole heads. On the other hand, the possibility of replacing the entire “head” in such models is most often not provided for — the only option is manual winding. In light of all this, serviceable atomizers will be a good choice, especially for experienced vapers who want to have the maximum opportunity to personaliz...e their electronic cigarette.

— Semi-maintenance. Tank atomizers (with a liquid container) that combine the capabilities of serviced and non-serviced models. In such a “tank” it is possible to install both unattended “heads”, which are completely replaceable, and serviced heaters, which can be rewound by the user himself. Thus, the vaper can choose the option of his choice: either use simple and convenient interchangeable “heads”, or spend a little time and effort, but wind the coil according to his own preferences. On the other hand, most users do not need such versatility, so relatively few atomizers of this type are produced.

— Drip atomizer (RDA). A distinctive feature of this type of atomizer is the absence of a liquid container: before each vaping session, the wick must be moistened directly from the bottle with a few drops of liquid (hence the name drip). This is not as convenient as having a tank with a supply of liquid for several sessions on hand — in particular, also because it is not easy to control the remaining liquid in the drip. On the other hand, this option has an important advantage: due to the excellent blowing of the heating elements, the “drips” give a very plentiful and saturated steam, in this indicator they are noticeably superior to the tanks. And so that such an atomizer does not have to be frequently refilled manually, manufacturers can provide various tricks — for example, in the so-called "squonkers" have a tank installed in the battery pack, and from this tank, by pressing the "feed" button, the evaporator wick is fed.

— Bacodripka (RDTA). Combined devices, in accordance with the name, combining both a tank and a drip. From the first variety of RDTA, they took a tank for themselves, which allows them to keep a supply of liquid on hand for several soaring sessions, from the second — a heater design that provides abundant and intense steam. Thus, such atomizers combine the advantages of both types. On the other hand, baco drips are expensive, have a very high fluid consumption, and are often difficult to maintain: in many models, cotton wool plays the role of a wick, which must be laid in a special way when replacing — otherwise leakage or burning is possible.

— Genesis. A specific type of atomizer tanks, usually serviced (see above). The key difference between the Geneses is the design of the wick: it is a fine stainless steel mesh wrapped with a heater coil. This gives a number of advantages compared to the classical design, where the wick is made of cotton wool, vegetable fibers, etc. Taste is considered the main of these advantages: genesis does not give a burnt aftertaste and provides almost perfect steam purity. In addition, such "heads" can serve without replacement for a very long time (several months), and the replacement of the wick and the heater is quite easy and fast. The main disadvantage of this type of atomizers is their rather high cost. Separately, we note that the installation of a metal wick in a classic evaporator does not turn it into a genesis — the design of the atomizer must be initially optimized for the grid.

The volume of the liquid tank provided in the design of the atomizer. Note that this parameter can be specified even for squonk atomizers (see "Filling type"): although they work with an external tank, however, a certain amount of "liquid" can fit in the evaporator itself.

The larger the tank, the more liquid you can keep in an electronic cigarette and the less often you have to refill it. On the other hand, capacious tanks have the appropriate dimensions, and too large a tank would be inconvenient, and liquids are consumed relatively little even in one long session of soaring. As a result, a volume of more than 6 mL is already considered quite large for vapes, and in the smallest models this figure does not exceed 2 mL.

Also note that when choosing a tank capacity, manufacturers usually take into account the resistance of the spiral, the power of the battery (if it is included) and other parameters that affect the expected flow rate of the liquid. There is no hard dependency here, however, in general, more powerful atomizers are usually equipped with larger tanks.

The number of individual heating coils provided in the atomizer.

The simplest design option provides only 1 spiral, however, 2-spiral atomizers have gained the most popularity: it is easier to achieve intense and saturated steam in them (however, for efficient operation, higher power is required, and the liquid flow rate is higher). However, it is worth noting that there is no rigid connection between the level of the atomizer and the number of heaters: among other things, there are advanced models with one coil, and low-cost solutions with two.

There are also more spirals — three or even four, but such solutions are quite expensive, difficult to maintain and high consumption in terms of energy consumption, which is why they have not gained distribution.

The smallest resistance of the heating coil of an electronic cigarette.

The meaning of this parameter will be different, depending on which part of the device is in question (see "Type"). So, for atomizers, this parameter is given if spare heaters are supplied in the kit — accordingly, it is indicated for the “head” with the lowest resistance. For a battery mod, this is the smallest resistance that can be connected to it. And in starter kits, the minimum resistance is also usually indicated by the battery mod; low-resistance "heads" in such cases may or may not be included in the delivery.

Anyway, data on the minimum resistance is important in the mutual selection of an atomizer and a battery mod (including when creating custom windings) — connecting an atomizer with too low resistance is fraught with overloads and various unpleasant consequences, up to fire. However, this parameter is of particular importance for lovers of the so-called subohm — soaring at a low heater resistance (up to 1 ohm), which allows you to achieve high steam saturation (when the resistance decreases, the power increases). Not all batteries are capable of working with sub-ohm heaters, so the suitability of a battery mod for such vaping needs to be clarified.

The highest resistance of the electronic cigarette heating coil.

The meaning of this parameter will be different, depending on which part of the device is in question (see "Type"). For an atomizer, this can be either the resistance of the complete heater, or, if there are several “heads” in the kit, the resistance of the highest-resistance replaceable coil. For a battery mod, the highest resistance is indicated at which the battery is able to deliver sufficient power for operation. For the starter set, the data is usually given according to the battery mode, while the resistance of the complete heater (heaters) may be lower than the maximum.

Data on the maximum and minimum (see above) resistance is necessary, first of all, to select an atomizer and a battery mod that are compatible with each other. The atomizer must fall within the operating range of the battery mod, otherwise the battery will either be overloaded (if the evaporator resistance is too low), or simply will not provide the desired degree of heating (if it is too high).