iStick TC , Sigelei mini , provari or Kanger subox mini ?

[spiritnan]

Hi ,
I started vaping 4 years ago & have not touched an analog since so I am happy about the e-cig thing in general though not with my set up anymore ( never was actually )
I got stuck in a rut though , still using my entry level hardware i.e. : Ego twists , spinners etc & plastic clearomizers because I have been too busy to do the research to make any changes.
I vape 100 % VG so this has not been a good combo but I have been scared away from upgrades because of having to tinker around with hardware & figure out what ohm coils go with what tanks go with what batteries . I am not a techie or a tinkerer I did foray into the Kanger tanks a few years back but I was burning coils up faster than draining the tank so I set them aside . Let's just say I have not taken too much interest to this point in becoming a vapor hobbyist ... I just want a good flavorful vape with more cloud , as healthy as possible i.e : need to dump the plastic , don't want chemical leaching coils etc , a battery that lasts the day so I don't have to spend so much time charging , filling , cleaning etc . Safety is a priority as well since I am on the move a lot , traveling etc so need something reliable , durable , compatible & satisfying with 100 % VG & easy to play around with . I don't mind tinkering a bit if I have instructions to follow ... I do quite well as the household handy person but for some reason these e-cig set ups allude me ( no instructions maybe ? ) I don't mind spending a bit to get a set up that will last a while & be low maintenance . The names I mentioned in the title were ones I came across in old posts here & look decent though there must be newer models / versions / new brands that may be better ? So , I am asking for guidance on upgrading ... it is way past time ! I don't quite get the different inhale techniques ... I vape like I smoked , inhaling into the lungs , though it is different , of course than with analogs . Please help ... I need more satisfaction ! Thx !

 

[rice721]

Eleaf Pico with a Nautilus mini tank. its a $60 setup, get a couple 18650s, a 2 bay charger and you're GTG.

 

[Eskie]

Eleaf Pico with a Nautilus mini tank. its a $60 setup, get a couple 18650s, a 2 bay charger and you're GTG.

I'm new to all this stuff too, but from my limited reading around here, wouldn't a 100% VG work best in a subohm tank like the Melo 3 the Pico kit normally comes with? I'm really considering getting the Pico, and as a MTL vapor who prefers high PG with less vapor (better for "stealth", and not giving my household a headache with lots of "smoke"/vapor) I was going to go exactly with what you described, the Pico with a Nautilus mini and a 1.8 ohm coil.

I guess I'm still confused by when to use what. I know VG gives you the "cloud" and produces "best" with subohm heads, and PG for more throat hit/less vapor, and used with a higher ohm coil. Can you interchange high/low mixes without worrying about the coil? Will my high PG juice work in a subohm like the Melo's "stock" coil properly?

 

[rice721]

You are right about the tank. I must've skipped the 100% VG part. Nauti is a tried and true mouth to lung clearo

 

[gandymarsh]

I agree about the Pico. There are a couple of others by Eleaf that are good too. The 30w and the 40 TC are both good and have built in battery which is good in some ways but not so good in others.

The Joyetech AIO seems to be well liked and simple to use. eGo AIO - Joyetech The Innokin Endura T18 is also popular. Endura T18 Vape Pen - Innokin

 

[Eskie]

Thanks. Being new to this it gets confusing, and every time I think I figured it out, some other variation appears. I was reading one thread about different prebuilt coils for something like the mini, and having a tough time figuring out how to know how a manufacturer's coil would work in a tank from a different manufacturer. In some ways this is a pretty straightforward "hobby", but the more you learn and experience, the more complex you can get in your setup.

 

[Susan~S]

I don't quite get the different inhale techniques ... I vape like I smoked , inhaling into the lungs

• Mouth-2-lung: 2 step process. Drawing the vapor into your mouth and then inhaling it into your lungs.
• Direct-2-Lung: 1 step process. Inhaling the vapor directly into your lungs.

So which are you?

 

[Zipslack]

I really like my Pico, but being an MTL vaper used to 1.5-2.2 Ohms coils, I can't stand the Melo 3 tank since it's made specificaly for DTL. Plus, I hate the way sub-Ohm eats up batteries. If you go the Pico/Melo3 route, get the ECR head so you can build your own coils. My Melo 3 is currently shelved until my ECR head gets here...then I'll re-evaluate it.

Whatever you decide, do it fast (as in, before August)!!

 

[BrotherBob]

Might like to read:
Beginner | Guide To Vaping
ECigarette Academy: Essential Need to Know for New Vapers
Home
One Stop Reference Shop For New and Experienced Vapers
(4) Good Starter Setups for a Beginning Vapor | E-Cigarette Forum
(10) Advancing Up the Vaping Ladder with Egos and Mods | E-Cigarette Forum

 

[daviedog]

I like the Pico,, very versatile mod.
You don't have to use or buy the melo3 tank.
I happen to use RDA'S in bypass mode.
Did I mention versatile?..

 

[sawlight]

Another vote for the Pico, I love mine! Just the right size, replaceable battery, and more options than I'll probably ever know how to use.
Not sure what tank to recommend for 100 vg right now. But for the poster asking about a MTL tank, look hard at the Nautilus, I've used them and liked them, I an RBA/RTA person so I'm geared that way.

 

[suprtrkr]

It's not easy to find prefab coil heads good with 100% VG, and I know little about prefab coil tanks, so I won't recommend anything. If I were doing 100% VG, I'd use a big channel RTA, wind my own coils (or buy them prefab and install) and wick rayon. YMMV.

For price and capability, it's tough to beat that Pico. If extreme duty and reliability is where you want to go, the Provari.

 

[spiritnan]

Thank you all for your replies & suggestions , greatly appreciated !
I will look @ the Pico more closely .
I believe I must be a DTL , though I do keep the cloud ( well mini cloud that is ) in my mouth until I get a sufficient quantity to suck down the throat , so maybe I am a half & half DTL / MTL ?
I think because I am not getting a satisfactory amount I pull a while longer than if I got a good quick hit initially .
Does one " graduate" from DTL to MTL with experience or is this purely individual preference & can go either way ? I like the idea of a replaceable battery ... seems a better bang for the buck but also means buying a charger ... hmmm . What happens in August ... new legislation that will limit our purchasing choices ?
I read the Nautilus was excellent for VG & thick juice so that would have been my pick but you think the Melo 3 better for 100 % VG ? Guess I could buy one of each & decide for myself . Want to get maybe 2 new setups to try out & compare anyhow to see what I like . Just read the noob link on batteries & all the talk about thermal runaways & explosions makes me jittery picking the right batts ! I never worried before about this ... I have many times left my slim batts plugged in overnight charging ... maybe I should stop that habit !
Thx again everyone ... you are so helpful !
PS ... how does one delete one's post if needs be ? I could not find a way to do so after posting sthg I realized in hindsight was stupid

 

[spiritnan]

PPS ... using 100 % VG has caused me to burn quite a few wicks so thanks for the suggestion to wind own coils with rayon . Any consensus on whether the organic cotton would work well enough with 100 % VG ? I want as natural a set up as possible due to health concerns ( chronic illness )

 

[sawlight]

Most people progress from MTL to DTL, not the other way around. I tend to do both anymore, not buy choice, but because that's mainly what's available. It's getting hard to find good MTL atties anymore.
With the Pico you don't HAVE to buy a charger, but it's better if you do. The Pico comes with a USB cable that does firmware updates and charges the device. If you aren't planing on getting too carried away/money is tight, check out RTD Vapor, they sell the Xstar single bay chargers for under $15 depending on what you want. I have the MC1, Xtar MC1 I bought it for when we went on vacation. Fits in my vape bag and keeps me going. (I only use single battery mods) but I have an older 2 bay charger for at home and use the MC1 at home to charge my 26650 batteries. Xstar, Pilla, and Nitecore are my personal picks, but Randy, with RTD, sells only good quality stuff, so if he sells it, it's not junk!
I use 60/40 juice, so I'm really no help on tanks for the thicker stuff, sorry.
As for the FDA, I'm just not going to get in a tither about it, I've been hearing the sky is falling every since I started vaping. Something may come from it, nothing may come from it, other than complaining to the "powers that be" there's not much I can do about it so I'll just wait and see how the chips fall.

 

[spiritnan]

Thx Sawlight for the helpful info ... much appreciated !
I will look into the Pico & Xtar MC1 ... it is nice to have a $ number mentioned too !
I just read a bit about this new legislation ... it was bound to happen ... I am surprised it has taken this long actually ! Will just have to see where it leads ... thx again

 

[sawlight]

With a little Google fu you can easily find the Pico/Melo kit for under $40, a couple of good batteries will be about $8 ea (I'd get at least two, more if you plan to sub ohm vape a lot) and whatever you want to spend on the charger. They make a better version of the MC1 that will charge at 1 amp, the MC1 is just .5 amp so it's a little slow. Just FYI.
Then there are literally TONS of other mods out there, so many you can easily confuse yourself! I did! I finally settled on the Pico because I didn't see myself needing more than 75 watts, it has more features than I'll ever know how to use, and it uses a single battery. I'm just not a fan of multiple battery mods, that's just me.

 

[spiritnan]

With a little Google fu you can easily find the Pico/Melo kit for under $40, a couple of good batteries will be about $8 ea (I'd get at least two, more if you plan to sub ohm vape a lot) and whatever you want to spend on the charger. They make a better version of the MC1 that will charge at 1 amp, the MC1 is just .5 amp so it's a little slow. Just FYI.
Then there are literally TONS of other mods out there, so many you can easily confuse yourself! I did! I finally settled on the Pico because I didn't see myself needing more than 75 watts, it has more features than I'll ever know how to use, and it uses a single battery. I'm just not a fan of multiple battery mods, that's just me.

Just the suggestions I was looking for ... thx so much ! One more question ... what is the better version of the MC1 ... is it an Xtar ?

 

[spiritnan]

Aspire recommends the Nautilus for 100 % VG

 

[Bonskibon]

I use the MTL coils for my toptank mini and adjust the airflow low. The coils have big juice holes so thinking it may be good for 100% VG?