Dragbar B3500 Disposable
The World's 1st 3500 Puff Disposable w/ an Ultra-Large Color Screen
The World's 1st 3500 Puff Disposable w/ an Ultra-Large Color Screen
Welcome back to another Z-Lee review! Today we'll be taking a quick peek at the new Dragbar B3500. For a disposable, it packs quite a few features which includes a new display screen that tracks the battery life and remaining puffs. Unlike many of the disposables we've seen for the past few years, this B3500 spruces things up a bit with a bolder artistic robot-like design, and they also added a metallic base.
A few weeks ago I did a review on the IceWave X8500 disposable that featured a 0.75" display. The Dragbar is a sister brand to IceWave and uses the exact same screen in this 3500 puff device. This is quite literally the little sister to the X8500 in almost every aspect other than the puffs and the aesthetics; even the flavor options are the same. For comparison purposes, you can find the IceWave X8500 review here.
Before we jump into the review, I want to thank Hillary over at VooPoo for coordinating this product for review. Any thoughts or opinions mentioned within this post are strictly my own, and as always this critique will be conducted in a fair and honest manner.
Alright, let's do it!
(photos have been edited and can be clicked on for easier viewing)
- BRIEF SITE OVERVIEW -
Flavor Options
> Blackberry Ice
> Peach Ice
> Lush Ice
> Ribena
> Mango Ice
> Strawberry Banana
> Vanilla Casta tobacco
> Fresh Mint
> Strawberry Kiwi
> Sakura Grape
> Cherry Cola
> Honeydew Watermelon
> Sour Apple
> Blue Razz Ice
> Strawberry Ice Cream
> Clear
Key Features
> Smart LED Display
> Pop Local Design Shows Your True Self
> Updated Mesh Coil Always Restores Authentic Flavor
> Up to 16 flavors, Always Something New
Parameters
Package Contents
- REVIEW TESTING & OBSERVATIONS -
Intro
Each disposable comes individually packaged with the flavor and design pictured on the outside of the box. Inside each box, the product is sealed inside a plastic sleeve, with a rubber insert in the mouthpiece, and a bottom sticker to protect the USB Type-C charging port and the airflow hole. There are no Type-C recharge cables and the samples that I received did not include a user manual, even though the package listing above mentions a user manual. Whether it does or doesn't include a user manual, disposables are meant to be easy to use, and that's exactly what the B3500 does well. I don't quite see the actual need in one.
As far as I know, 50 mg/mL (5%) nicotine concentration is the only available option as of right now, so that's something to be aware of if TPD regulations apply to you. There are 16 available flavors in total ranging from various combinations of fruits, to mint, to tobacco, to a flavor option labeled "Clear". I'm not entirely sure what "Clear" is and I wish I'd have been sent this flavor to give you a better idea on what it tastes like. I'm guessing it's an absence of any flavor, and has a light menthol kick? Even the flavors that don't mention "Ice" or "Mint" in their names have menthol in them, so that is the reason I'm thinking Clear has some, but who knows.
Blackberry Ice, Strawberry Banana, Strawberry Kiwi, Fresh Mint, and Vanilla Casta Tobacco are the flavor options I received for this review. The inhale in all of them have a very pronounced mint sensation. I'd say slightly more than the IceWave X8500 that I reviewed earlier. I'd go as far as to say that the inhale is 80-90% mint with a hint of the other flavors. However, in the exhale is where you'll receive the big flavor-burst. The flavor profiles in the 5 disposables I received is very accurate to their names. Of the 5, the only one that had a taste that I wasn't all that familiar with was the Vanilla Casta Tobacco. I want to say that the Vanilla came off as more of a Peanut Butter-ish flavor, but then again, I've had Vanilla protein shakes that also tasted a bit peanut buttery. It's not a bad combo at all - I actually like the way the Vanilla Casta and Tobacco flavors blend. The Fresh Mint resembles that of vaping toothpaste. If you are not a fan of menthol, I would not recommend this one at all.
If you see much of the same wording as in the IceWave X8500 review, it is because these two devices are almost identical in performance.
The B3500 AestheticAs far as I know, 50 mg/mL (5%) nicotine concentration is the only available option as of right now, so that's something to be aware of if TPD regulations apply to you. There are 16 available flavors in total ranging from various combinations of fruits, to mint, to tobacco, to a flavor option labeled "Clear". I'm not entirely sure what "Clear" is and I wish I'd have been sent this flavor to give you a better idea on what it tastes like. I'm guessing it's an absence of any flavor, and has a light menthol kick? Even the flavors that don't mention "Ice" or "Mint" in their names have menthol in them, so that is the reason I'm thinking Clear has some, but who knows.
Blackberry Ice, Strawberry Banana, Strawberry Kiwi, Fresh Mint, and Vanilla Casta Tobacco are the flavor options I received for this review. The inhale in all of them have a very pronounced mint sensation. I'd say slightly more than the IceWave X8500 that I reviewed earlier. I'd go as far as to say that the inhale is 80-90% mint with a hint of the other flavors. However, in the exhale is where you'll receive the big flavor-burst. The flavor profiles in the 5 disposables I received is very accurate to their names. Of the 5, the only one that had a taste that I wasn't all that familiar with was the Vanilla Casta Tobacco. I want to say that the Vanilla came off as more of a Peanut Butter-ish flavor, but then again, I've had Vanilla protein shakes that also tasted a bit peanut buttery. It's not a bad combo at all - I actually like the way the Vanilla Casta and Tobacco flavors blend. The Fresh Mint resembles that of vaping toothpaste. If you are not a fan of menthol, I would not recommend this one at all.
If you see much of the same wording as in the IceWave X8500 review, it is because these two devices are almost identical in performance.
Almost the entire exterior is encased in a shiny polycarbonate plastic. With the chaotic design just behind it, it makes any detection of fingerprints to be masked enough to be pretty much be considered non-existent.
We'll call the side that has the display the "front". On this side, the lower right corner features the 0.75" LCD screen. You'll notice between the left and right side, the side (left) that aligns with the mouthpiece juts out slightly. This is where the juice reservoir and coil are. On the right, behind the LCD screen, is where the 500 mAh battery sits.
Both sides show the flavor option and are more or less mirrored in design, with the exception of the DRAGBAR logo on the back side, and the 3500 PUFFS with the LCD on the front side.
I don't much design variance between each flavor other than the color choices used in the design. For example, the orange stereo pictured above is purple in the Blackberry Ice B3500. The silver portions have a bit of a holographic pearlescent reflection when held just right in the lighting. You can see this on the front side along the lower left corner of the LCD screen and on the back side around the letter D near the top.
The mouthpiece is very thin and oblong in shape making it very comfortable and easy to seal between your lips. This is ideal for an MTL (mouth to lung) style of vape, especially when it's auto-draw dependent like the B3500 is. There's also a lanyard loop available for those that already have a lanyard or want to get creative with kite string or fishing line. A lanyard is not included with this kit, however.
I would categorize the airflow as a loose MTL. From the disposables that I've tested in the past, this seems to be a rather common airflow setting. Being that it's a loose MTL, you can even draw from it like you would an RDL (restricted direct lung) which is a direct inhale to the lungs, but it's pretty tight for an RDL. The auto-draw sensor is very quick to activate using both styles of inhale and I have yet to experience any hiccups with the sensor under normal use.
I did run into an issue with my first disposable. I brought it with me on a cabin trip and it ended up taking a fall off of the picnic table and landed on the mouthpiece into some dirt. I attempted to wash the mouthpiece out but it caused the disposable to start auto-firing the next day. A good reminder that if you introduce water to your disposable products, it's best to just save them for recycling. This is a for sure thing if you accidentally drop them into a toilet.
Different than most disposables that I've seen, the B3500 has a clamped on SPCC metal base. I can see this as being a decent pro in terms of accidentally dropping it, but only if it lands on the metal. In this metal base is where you'll find the USB Type-C charging port and the airflow hole. Be cautious that you don't set an auto-draw device onto a wet surface when its airflow hole and Type-C charging port are on the bottom. This can cause the auto-draw sensor to malfunction and can also lead to auto-firing, not to mention allowing moisture to get inside the Type-C charging port. Your best bet is to lay the B3500 on its side.
(Remember to remove the rubber plug from the mouthpiece and the sticker on the bottom)
The Display
On the left is a close-up look at the display while not charging. In the LCD screen, the percentage of remaining battery life is shown on the left, and on the right is a 4-tier indicator that measures the remaining juice left in the device.
The mishap that I had with the first B3500 that ended up auto-firing ended up giving me a bit of insight on how the remaining puff counter works. When the device was auto-firing, it was stuttering very quickly. As I was sitting there listening to it sputter, I was watching the battery % drop every few seconds and then the remaining juice counter dropped a tier. In total, I'm guessing that it sputtered 200-300 times. It is my belief that the chip is programmed to deduct a puff every time the auto-draw sensor is activated. Normally, a mod chip is programmed to not count anything as a puff unless it's for at least a second. This is to prevent faulty puff counts when accessing menus and/or turning the device on, off, or locking it. For a simple chip with auto-draw only, I suppose this was the best way for them to estimate the remaining puffs. If this is correct, then I'd recommend using the remaining puff counter only as an estimate and to continue puffing on it until the flavor becomes unsatisfactory.
In the right photo, you'll notice a lightning bolt in the LCD screen. This indicates that you are charging the device. From dead to a full recharge, it takes about an hour and a half. The product specs mention a 500 mAh internal battery, but when I charged the device, it never went higher than 0.2A. This would indicate that the internal battery is closer to 300 mAh, but 300 mAh hardly seems to be enough to power a 1.0Ω coil for an entire day which I was very easily achieving. In any case, unless you're breathing a B3500 from the time you wake up to the time you go to bed, it should last you through the day.
The Type-C charging port does read a 3.0 QC (quick charging) cable, so for any android users, you're able to use your phone chargers for the B3500. This device does not support pass-through vaping, so you will not be able to puff on it while it's plugged in. It does recharge fairly quickly however, so it shouldn't take very long to get some life back into the device for further vaping. My recommendation would be to just keep it topped off since you don't have to worry about battery health in a disposable.
- CONCLUSION -
Like the IceWave X8500, there really isn't anything I can fault against the Dragbar B3500 other than its existence (yes, that's a hit on disposables, lol). It vapes flawlessly and is quite accurate in the 5 flavors I was sent to review. Some might say that it should include a Type-C charger, but I think that would be a huge waste, especially in use-and-toss (to a recycle center) disposables.
The 0.75" screen is easy to read and is a great addition to any vape product simply to help keep track of what's remaining on the device. In terms of accuracy, I'm quite pleased with both the battery indicator and the juice indicator from what I can tell.
As a coworker mentioned, it's nice to have a design that isn't pastel or tropical in color and design. I've never minded what color the device is that I'm holding in my hand, but I can see how others might find the aesthetics of the B3500 to be more appealing than say the Dragbar B6500.
If you're not a fan of ice/mint, these are quite strong on the inhale. I will however say that they're definitely not the strongest I've tested. The exhale is quite pleasant which is a great counter to the minty inhale.
My opinion will always remain that disposables have a place in the vaping industry specifically for people trying to quit smoking. They're very easy to use and a great introduction to vaping. If that is you, then I will say look no further if one or more of these flavor profiles seems to fit what you're looking for. On the other hand, I have a bias against disposables in the larger scheme of things simply because I think they're a huge waste of plastic and lithium ion/polymer batteries. I realize not everyone is concerned about these things, but I wish they would be.
If your intent is to use the Dragbar B3500 to slowly convert over to a refillable vape device, then I fully support and endorse this product. Please remember to recycle disposables to the appropriate local recycling centers taking in lithium ion/polymer batteries.
Overall RatingThe 0.75" screen is easy to read and is a great addition to any vape product simply to help keep track of what's remaining on the device. In terms of accuracy, I'm quite pleased with both the battery indicator and the juice indicator from what I can tell.
As a coworker mentioned, it's nice to have a design that isn't pastel or tropical in color and design. I've never minded what color the device is that I'm holding in my hand, but I can see how others might find the aesthetics of the B3500 to be more appealing than say the Dragbar B6500.
If you're not a fan of ice/mint, these are quite strong on the inhale. I will however say that they're definitely not the strongest I've tested. The exhale is quite pleasant which is a great counter to the minty inhale.
My opinion will always remain that disposables have a place in the vaping industry specifically for people trying to quit smoking. They're very easy to use and a great introduction to vaping. If that is you, then I will say look no further if one or more of these flavor profiles seems to fit what you're looking for. On the other hand, I have a bias against disposables in the larger scheme of things simply because I think they're a huge waste of plastic and lithium ion/polymer batteries. I realize not everyone is concerned about these things, but I wish they would be.
If your intent is to use the Dragbar B3500 to slowly convert over to a refillable vape device, then I fully support and endorse this product. Please remember to recycle disposables to the appropriate local recycling centers taking in lithium ion/polymer batteries.
9.0
(compared against other disposables)
And that about covers it. If you're looking for a disposable with a solid menthol kick, accurate flavor output, and an indicator screen for battery life and juice, then the Dragbar B3500 is a great choice. I'd recommend visiting the Dragbar page here, for a much better visual presentation and show of features. If you're looking for something with a bit more battery power and longevity in puffs, take a peek at the IceWave X8500, as it's very similar in almost every way - just bigger and beefier. If you're interested in what ICCPP is up to (parent company), I recommend taking a peek at their site here. As always, I appreciate you taking the time to read this review. Please vape responsibly and...
Happy vape hoarding!
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