Imperia, an atomizer released some time ago but reintroduced this summer by Ulton, was gifted by the producer of wires and complex coils, NK Coils.
The Imperia was launched during a period when the washer or roulette system was trending, allowing airflow adjustments by rotating a component to change the undercoil hole. The genius of this design was that it could be done with a fully filled tank and cottoned coil.
The Ulton Imperia weighs 41 grams, which is reasonable for a 22mm atomizer with a height of 35mm, considering the pyrex glass. It has a 4ml capacity, and the vaping experience varies from a tight MTL to a very open draw, depending on the selected airplate.
In the version offered by Ulton, in addition to the Imperia, there are two additional airplates: one for MTL and one for Open MTL/RDL (which I named "Noname"), plus a third pre-installed one called Multi.
The spare parts bag includes O-rings and replacement screws for the posts.
The short drip tip is made of transparent polycarbonate. They got the width right at 4.5mm, as it provides the right contrast, but it’s slightly too short—once inserted, it measures only 8.5mm, causing the lips to inevitably rest on the tip cap as well. Fortunately, the drip tip housing tolerances are spot on, and I had no issues inserting other drip tips or dealing with condensation.
The top cap is "minimalist," with no knurling or grooves for unscrewing. The threading is somewhere in between—not a quarter-turn mechanism, but still relatively short. The refill holes are very wide.
The tank block consists of the "bell" and the chimney, to which the top cap is also screwed. In between, there's a pyrex glass tank—a delight for old-school vapers—with a 4ml capacity. Ulton replacement pyrex is available for purchase, and an aftermarket accessory set includes an optional chimney and tank to increase the capacity to 6ml.
At the end of the chimney, near the threaded connection to the bell, there's a slight thickening—just a gram of steel, but it makes a huge difference in optimal heat dissipation. The chimney can be separated from the bell and the plate containing the refill holes.
Photo of the tank block without the pyrex to better understand: once inserted onto the deck, the bell has a generously sized hole that acts as the JFC and indicates when the block can be removed, thanks to its bayonet mount.
Further down, a preview of the airflow system shows three small fixed air holes per side. Is it leak-proof? Kind of—there’s an O-ring on the deck, but no threading.
The engraved dot on the cotton well partitions, when aligned with the bell hole, allows for the tank block to be removed.
With no threading present, the Imperia can be rebuilt without issues even with a full tank. The attachment rotates with a very short movement, thanks to the perfectly sized O-ring at the base of the deck.
The inside of the bell is very low, ending with a conical narrowing. However, the deck is also "lowered" compared to the partitions, recovering some height. The deck is almost entirely built around the airflow hole, allowing the airplate to be rotated even with the coil installed, wicked, and the tank full.
Dimensions:
- Bell width: 15mm
- Bell height: 5mm
- Conical narrowing: ~8mm
- Chimney width: 4.5mm
- Deck depth: ~5.5mm
The "posts" are a hybrid between postless and traditional ones, featuring partitions and grooves to hold the wire. A full 360-degree wrap can be done for tightening, but it’s really not necessary.
The coil jig slot doesn’t force coil positioning; it mainly allows lowering the coil as close as possible to the airflow hole if desired.
One limitation of this atomizer is the number of wraps: in the photo, there are 6, and the legs are already quite wide—7 wraps require closer spacing.
Regarding wicking, as mentioned, the slots are for the coil jig, not for securing the cotton. Depending on the setup, the cotton folds into the deck, ensuring it fully covers the juice hole, and that's it.
The airplate system might have been more intuitively named "disk" since they are round. Each plate offers six airflow options once installed, totaling 18 choices across the three plates.
Noname airplate: 1.6mm, 1.8mm, 2.0mm, 2.2mm, 2.4mm, 2.6mm
MTL airplate: 0.8mm, 0.9mm, 1.0mm, 1.1mm, 1.2mm, 1.3mm, 1.4mm, 1.5mm
Multi airplate:
Triple hole: 0.9mm, 1.1mm
Dual hole: 1.6mm, 1.8mm
Single RDL hole: 2.5 x 3.5mm, 3 x 4mm
To change settings, simply rotate the airplate from the outside. Thanks to a mechanism (explained later), selection is "automatic"—the airplate doesn’t rotate freely like an airflow ring but has a "click" system. This prevents accidental adjustments.
There are plenty of choices, so no need for constant removal and replacement since each ring, including the MTL one, offers a good range of airflow without redundant holes.
To replace the airplate, a flathead screwdriver is required, as you need to unscrew the pin and remove the base.
I’m not sure about the original base, but they’ve kept the engravings minimal, saving some costs. There’s no threading; instead, it’s held in place by 4 pressure teeth, which I admit, provide a very strong hold but can be quite annoying.
This also means there’s no risk of the Imperia’s base staying attached to the box when unscrewing. If you look closely, the inside of the base isn’t round; it has 24 sides where the teeth make their grip.
Beyond that, it offers the option to position the atomizer in 24 different positions on boxes with a fixed pin or on SBS mods, preventing the airflow entrance from getting blocked—especially useful if you really dislike sponge boxes.
That sort of lever can be rotated outward to remove the airplate. The grip is ensured by a ball detent (similar to the airflow ring in the GTR or Expro 2.1), providing the "click" sound when rotating the airplate.
To remove the airplate, I usually use ceramic pliers since there’s quite a bit of friction. Additionally, there’s a tiny O-ring that stays securely in place—I'm not even sure how, but it doesn’t show any signs of movement. During cleaning, water can reach that area even with the airplate in place, so I’d avoid messing with it too much.
Trying the Imperia Ulton offered by NK Coils was fun. Despite the complexity of the airplate, it's quick in daily use, with the atomizer made of 2 parts and the cap for refilling. It’s rebuildable even with a full tank (by placing it upside down). Each airplate offers many choices.
Despite the low chamber, the lowered deck still provides good flavor definition. I vape extracted tobaccos with it, and I've tried some fruity and creamy flavors. As long as the ingredients aren’t too complex, it's a great atomizer. I don’t vape menthols much anymore, as I vaped them nonstop from 2016 to early 2019, but I don't think the Imperia will disappoint.
I thank NK Coils. I imagine many have seen their name on various shops, as they produce excellent single wires as well as pre-made coils of all kinds. This is the site where they also sell hardware:
https://nkcoils.com/
I always thank the e-cigarette forum community for welcoming me and the staff for giving me the opportunity to post.
