When I first started vaping back in 2010, I bought a ridiculously over-priced Smoke 51 mini unit that looked like a real analog, and hated it from the start. It never seemed to be a good substitute for smoking and provided little satisfaction to keep me off of the smokes.
Shortly (we’re talking two weeks tops) after buying that one I upgraded to a basic 510 kit which I liked much better, but within months I was well into the EGO, mods, variable voltage, etc. I never looked at another mini/pen-style unit again until I ran across a video on YouTube by the lovely Steeljan. She was reviewing the Volt, and I was immediately interested (assuming it truly performed the way it did in her review).
The main reason I was interested in buying a small unit again was for the simple fact that taking mods out of the house with me was never my bag. I wanted something that looked like a cigarette for taking in the car, out to the casino, restaurants, work, etc., but I never thought that a small unit would be a satisfying enough vape exclusively.
After watching a few more videos and exploring the Smokeless Image website, still skeptical of the performance I would get off of a KR808 model, I ended up piecing together my own kit from Smokeless Image. I ordered a couple of the 78mm sealed automatic batteries (in red), a USB charger, each one of their sampler packs of cartomizers (Sweet, Smooth, and Strong), a package of blank cartomizers, as well as a couple of the diamond end caps for the batteries (I like a little bling).
First, I have to say that Smokeless Image order to shipping turnaround time is FAST. I placed my order in the morning, they shipped that same day. I literally had the package in hand less than 48 hours later.
When everything arrived, I went about opening up the batteries (which came fully charged), slapped on a cartomizer and was vaping right away. Ease of use with the Volt gets a BIG A+ in my book, as does the satiny rubberized finish on the batteries. Very classy!
The first drag on the Volt surprised me, in a very good way! The vapor was warm, the throat hit was excellent (the fact that I vape 24mg helps with that too), and the vapor production was fantastic. I was skeptical no more that I could get a good vape from the Volt, but would it last?
Over the next few days I kept using the Volt as my only device, and the performance continued to impress me. Battery life on the 78mm batteries was good, as I got a few hours of moderate to heavy vaping out of each one before needing to recharge them. Another thing that impresses me about the batteries is that they are a 5v battery regulated to 3.6v. Unlike other batteries that are great off the charger, then taper off in performance as you use them, the Volt performed the same until shortly before the battery was depleted.
The cartomizers also performed quite well. Steeljan has a great video demonstration of how the cartomizers are constructed, showing them to be a bottom horizontal coil with a tube separating the filler from the coil to prevent burning. Even though I haven’t dissected one, I can tell you that from my experience this seems to be the case. The flavor from these cartomizers is excellent, with not the slightest hint of a burnt taste, even as you vape through the liquid inside them. A pre-filled cartomizer lasted me about three hours before I noticed a drop in flavor and vapor, and refilling them is dead-simple. They come with rubbery caps that are very easy to pull off and put back on. These come off almost too easy though. I had more than one come off in the carto-condom when opening a new one.
I tested a variety of juices in the blank cartos as well, and each one worked great. The filler doesn’t seem to be packed into these as tight as some others I have used, so even higher VG juices soaked in and vaped very well.
The only negative thing I can say about the Volt is the cut-off on the batteries. It’s a longer cut-off (7 seconds), but I hit it nearly every time I take a drag. On the positive side, the battery activates again right away if you hit the cut-off. I would personally like to see either a longer cut-off, say 10 seconds, or remove it altogether. That’s just my preference.
Overall, I found the Smokeless Image Volt to be a refreshing surprise in the mini/analog-style PV form factor, and I highly recommend it for anyone who is either new to vaping and wants a solid first device, or a seasoned vaper that wants something small and satisfying for going out or when you just want the simplicity that the Volt provides. I find myself grabbing it more often than my mods… Even at home.
Great job Smokeless Image!
Here's how I rate the Volt on a 5 point scale, 5 being best.
Ease of use: 5/5
Performance: 4.5/5
Price/Value: 5/5
Overall Rating: 4.83/5
Shortly (we’re talking two weeks tops) after buying that one I upgraded to a basic 510 kit which I liked much better, but within months I was well into the EGO, mods, variable voltage, etc. I never looked at another mini/pen-style unit again until I ran across a video on YouTube by the lovely Steeljan. She was reviewing the Volt, and I was immediately interested (assuming it truly performed the way it did in her review).
The main reason I was interested in buying a small unit again was for the simple fact that taking mods out of the house with me was never my bag. I wanted something that looked like a cigarette for taking in the car, out to the casino, restaurants, work, etc., but I never thought that a small unit would be a satisfying enough vape exclusively.
After watching a few more videos and exploring the Smokeless Image website, still skeptical of the performance I would get off of a KR808 model, I ended up piecing together my own kit from Smokeless Image. I ordered a couple of the 78mm sealed automatic batteries (in red), a USB charger, each one of their sampler packs of cartomizers (Sweet, Smooth, and Strong), a package of blank cartomizers, as well as a couple of the diamond end caps for the batteries (I like a little bling).
First, I have to say that Smokeless Image order to shipping turnaround time is FAST. I placed my order in the morning, they shipped that same day. I literally had the package in hand less than 48 hours later.
When everything arrived, I went about opening up the batteries (which came fully charged), slapped on a cartomizer and was vaping right away. Ease of use with the Volt gets a BIG A+ in my book, as does the satiny rubberized finish on the batteries. Very classy!
The first drag on the Volt surprised me, in a very good way! The vapor was warm, the throat hit was excellent (the fact that I vape 24mg helps with that too), and the vapor production was fantastic. I was skeptical no more that I could get a good vape from the Volt, but would it last?
Over the next few days I kept using the Volt as my only device, and the performance continued to impress me. Battery life on the 78mm batteries was good, as I got a few hours of moderate to heavy vaping out of each one before needing to recharge them. Another thing that impresses me about the batteries is that they are a 5v battery regulated to 3.6v. Unlike other batteries that are great off the charger, then taper off in performance as you use them, the Volt performed the same until shortly before the battery was depleted.
The cartomizers also performed quite well. Steeljan has a great video demonstration of how the cartomizers are constructed, showing them to be a bottom horizontal coil with a tube separating the filler from the coil to prevent burning. Even though I haven’t dissected one, I can tell you that from my experience this seems to be the case. The flavor from these cartomizers is excellent, with not the slightest hint of a burnt taste, even as you vape through the liquid inside them. A pre-filled cartomizer lasted me about three hours before I noticed a drop in flavor and vapor, and refilling them is dead-simple. They come with rubbery caps that are very easy to pull off and put back on. These come off almost too easy though. I had more than one come off in the carto-condom when opening a new one.
I tested a variety of juices in the blank cartos as well, and each one worked great. The filler doesn’t seem to be packed into these as tight as some others I have used, so even higher VG juices soaked in and vaped very well.
The only negative thing I can say about the Volt is the cut-off on the batteries. It’s a longer cut-off (7 seconds), but I hit it nearly every time I take a drag. On the positive side, the battery activates again right away if you hit the cut-off. I would personally like to see either a longer cut-off, say 10 seconds, or remove it altogether. That’s just my preference.
Overall, I found the Smokeless Image Volt to be a refreshing surprise in the mini/analog-style PV form factor, and I highly recommend it for anyone who is either new to vaping and wants a solid first device, or a seasoned vaper that wants something small and satisfying for going out or when you just want the simplicity that the Volt provides. I find myself grabbing it more often than my mods… Even at home.
Great job Smokeless Image!
Here's how I rate the Volt on a 5 point scale, 5 being best.
Ease of use: 5/5
Performance: 4.5/5
Price/Value: 5/5
Overall Rating: 4.83/5
