Reviews by Eskie

I am writing this review on the Z Biip I won from an Innokin Giveaway on this forum. My thanks to @Innokin_Paul for offering these giveaways on Innokin products and support of this forum. It took some serious thought on my part to be sure this statement is really accurate, but my opinions on this product are not influenced by how I received it.

The Z Biip fills an interesting space in the vape world. While it does function like the popular higher performing pod systems of the past few years, it is not only a simple pod system. Most pod mods use an integrated coil within the pod which is changed when you replace the entire pod section. With the Z Biip you are able to change coils separately, which allows you to continue to use the same juice tank, so to speak, much like a standard tank used on a mod. However, unlike a standard tank, the pod cannot be cleaned out so if you do want to switch juices you either get a fresh juice pod section or allow for a changeover in flavor when you replace one juice by another. It also differs from most pod mods on the market in offering greater battery capacity than typically seen, although at the expense of increased size.

The Z Biip comes in classic Innokin clean packaging, with a nicely organized flip open section containing the pod mod itself on one side, and accessories on the other. The pod comes with a preinstalled with a Plexus 3D coil, which is the latest iteration of coil design in the popular Zenith line of coils. Of course the is a big plus for those already familiar with the Zenith line of tanks and coils, as performance is already known.

85cf6c9d-67f3-4ba6-b434-bfbda51283a8-jpeg.816105


The interior

6b5c5904-ebb1-49e6-a7dd-4ca4a6f2eeba-jpeg.816107

The pod comes with the Plexus 3D 0.48 ohm coil, and an extra 1.6 ohm Kanthal coil in the accessories package, which also contains a USB cable for charging, along with instructions for use, warranty information, and a Lib battery charging information guide.

Along with the pod, the main section contains a 30 ml empty unicorn bottle. This is for filling the pod with any liquids that may come in a bottle with only a dropper for filling, as a dropper cannot be used. More on this later.

Another feature of the Z Biip is a set of audible beeps for different information. You may it may not like this feature, so fortunately Innokin chose to control this feature with a simple on off switch on the bottom. Thank you! Trying to remember button presses for setting rarely used features is always a challenge.

The mod itself is larger than the typical pod. In comparison to an EQ, another Innokin product that I've come to like very much for an easy to pocket vape device when out and about, the size difference is quite apparent. The EQ only has an 800 mAh battery, meaning if I'm out all day I'll carry an extra battery section in case I run the first one down. The Z Biip has a 1,500 mAh battery, making, at least for my usage, a second device unnecessary.. Here are some comparison views for reference.


a0d5a762-d432-460a-9294-6d96f9431054-jpeg.816115


A side view demonstrates the difference even more.
46e28de0-49e1-4c0a-b060-24ca13f85c27-jpeg.816113


A view of the front shows a V design that lights up on firing the device. It also indicates the power level chosen. You have 3, Blue, 12W, Green 14W, Red 16W. Changing between power levels is done while the unit is off. The fire bar itself is on one side, is clicky and comfortable, and turns the unit off by the typical Innokin 3 fast presses. When off, holding down the fire bar will allow you to cycle through the wattage selection. When you 3 press turn the device back on the wattage setting will remain active regardless of any other changes in turning the device on or off or pod changing. There are three white lights on the bottom right front, which provide you with battery state while in use, as well feedback as during charging. According to Innokin, 3 lights are 100% capacity, 2 50%, and 1, 20% capacity remaining. There are associated beeps for an audible notification of the battery status. When recharging by the rear USB port the lights will blink and rise as charging takes place, so you know when you are fully charged.

As to battery life, 1,500 mAh lasts quite awhile. I used almost 3 pods of liquid, roughly 5 ml of juice, before reaching the last, 20% indicator life. That, for my style of vaping is more than enough for a full day running round out and about.

The pod itself simply pulls off when holding the front and back sections of the pod. It snaps into place, and unlike the EQ, does not rely on magnets to hold the pod in place. A nice touch is a single beep (if you leave the beeping enables) to let you know the pod is properly seated and ready for use.

Front View

fa7901d7-6afb-43b6-8d5e-3749279fa175-jpeg.816109


There is also a cap for the pod to keep it clean if you tend to have lots of lint in your pockets and hate when it get in the mouthpiece. The shape of the mouthpiece does appear odd at first. It is not a duckbill like an EQ pod, but tapers a nice round mouthpiece which unlike a duckbill, can be used in any position.

Finally, a view of the pod itself.

c78202cd-3391-44f9-8dca-1cfda64bc9a0-jpeg.816111


The liquid section holds 2 ml. At the bottom of the pod is an adjustable airflow control exposing up to 3 air holes on each side of the ring for a more very restricted DL type of draw, which can be dialed down to 1 hole for strict tight MTL use. It also holds the bottom of the Zenith coil in place, much as is seen with the Zenith series of tanks. That piece is meant to be reused on all your subsequent pods, so it is not disposable like the coil or pod itself. The coil slides into place from the bottom just like in the Zenith tank family, so changing coils is as simple as it gets.

Filling the liquid is done with the tip of a unicorn bottle through a slit in a white rubber gasket revealed on the top of the mod when you rotate the mouthpiece.

d599b34b-1f6e-429a-a223-0b86e85bb47f-jpeg.816117


Sorry for the quality, as I have limited close up capability on my phone, but the fill slit is that white part on the left in the photo. Filling with a unicorn bottle by pressing it through the gasket is problematic. There is no way for air to be displaced from the interior of the pod other than a tiny amount around the slit itself. A "normal" sized unicorn bottle tip is a difficult fit through that slit, and a vapor lock and resulting back leak as you fill is an issue. The bottle they include seems to have a finer tip, which may make things easier, but filling one unicorn bottle from another seems excessively complicated to me.

Several solutions seem to help. I've seen 2 members here using needle nose bottles to overcome the problem, but again, that requires filling another bottle just to fill the pod. I found removing the pod, tilting it about 45 degrees, and getting the tip of the bottle in place the neatest method so far. If I get good at it I expect I won't even remove the pod, but I absolutely hate getting juice spilled onto the mod.

Now, performance. It's a beauty to vape with. If you're already familiar with the quality of vape on a Zenith Plexus coil you will get the same experience here. Nothing is sacrificed by using the coil in this pod versus the Zenith tank(s). The flavor is excellent, and with the 3 holes open, a slow long draw gives you a direct lung type of experience. Closing it down to 1 hole and using the 1.6 ohm Kanthal coil gives you very much a MTL vaoe. I will place a disclaimer that I am a mildly restricted DL type of vaper with midrange wattage builds on either mech or regulated squonkers right now. I am not a MTL vaper other than with the EQ pod system which is great for low profile stealth vaping when in public. When I do so I use a 12 mg Nic solution for satisfaction and normally vape a 6 mg juice in my squonkers.

I decided to try two juices I know well in this system. I did have to change over using only the one pod as, well, that's all I have. However, they were both a similar profile, a Frenchman Delight which does taste like french toast and a southern bread juice, both from Johnny Applevapes. The flavor from both was excellent and satisfying. The 6 mg Nic in each was also sufficient and I did not feel the need for a 12 mg solution to satisfy my needs. Also, these were 70/30 VG solutions and there was no problem at all with wicking, even with several draws in a row. The 0.48 Plexus 3D kept up beautifully. I did not try the same with the 1.6 ohm also included so I have no experience on chain vaping with that coil. I found I liked the Plexus 3D at the green, 14W setting. When I've used past Zenith coils such as the 0.5 ohm Plexus, I found 13W on a Coolfire mini to be my sweet spot, so that seems to translate over to the Z Biip quite well. And with 3 settings, I think most vapers will find a power level that fits them best.

Finally, aesthetics. The Z Biip is just plain beautiful The green mod I received looks like there is an almost holographic effect as you rotate it in the light. While the surface is smooth, it has plenty of grip. I can balance the mod on 2 or 3 finger pads and turn my hand a good 45 degrees and it stays right in place. The branding is subtle, which for me is always a big plus. Phil, Dimitri, and Innkoin nailed it on design. One minor point I have an issue with on the design is that while the fire bar is on the side, and quite comfortable, they placed a matching black panel o the opposite side, no doubt for a symmetric appearance. The problem is it's easy to confuse which side is which when you first pick it up and may keep poking away on the decorative side wondering why it isn't pressing in and firing. I wish they had left it off.

While I have been comparing this to the EQ, I also feel I should compare it to my other favorite pod system, the Orion Go with the DNA chipset. The Z Biip holds its own in design and feel against that "high end" pod. It's actually more comfortable to hold with nicely rounded corners over the sharp rectangular design of the Orion. The finish in the green I have looks just as stylish as the finish on my Orion which has the Project Subohm blue buttons and Abalone panel. Both are pleasing to my eye. The Z Biip is a bit larger, but also has a battery 50% larger than the Orion. So I don't feel Innokin compromised the look and feel in any way on this mod, and produced something with a sophisticated but understated look. It's a great combo.

So, Pros:

1. Performance. Let's face it, that's the main issue on any device. This just vapes well. I got excellent and on point flavor, and a bit of cloud if I wanted to. It's flexible enough to satisfy my vape style as well as a strict tight MTL vaper. The adjustable airflow is easy and simple to set up. While it is interior to the mod and cannot be adjusted without removing the pod, it is the type of setting you typically need to make only once for a coil and then leave it be, so that's not an issue for me.

2. Battery Life. It might be larger than the average pod mod, but it will last almost all users a full day without any issue. That's a big pro for me for a device I carry around. I don't like feeling I need 2 or 3 devices or backup battery sets just to head out the door. I want simple. This delivers. There is supposed to be a 4 ml non-TPD compliant pod due for release in a month or so. Given the battery capacity, 4 ml would certainly get me through a day without the need to refill, and the battery will support that higher capacity without a problem.

3. Aesthetics. It's a great looking mod. The finish and colors are beautiful, the branding is subtle, and it just feel right in your hand. The mouthpiece is comfortable and I have no issues there. Another nice touch is the clear window in the v down-facing edge of the pod that makes it very easy to determine your remaining juice level.

4. Flexibility. This is a big win. You have multiple choices of coils from the Zenith family all which will work with the Z Biip pod. You will have an expected larger 4 ml size pod released in the near future. You have 3 wattage selections so should be able to match power to your preference with the coil of your preference. That's a big deal. Simple pod mods don't allow for much flexibility. Even if you can select 2 or 3 different power settings, you'e still stuck with the one pod and coil made for that system.

5. Audible feedback is a nice touch. Having a simple on off toggle for the feature is even better.

Cons:

1. Sorry, but that fill gasket is just not a good fill solution. I should be able to use a unicorn bottle to fill without muss or fuss, not worry about it leaking all over the pod and me, and have a second outlet so air can escape with filling and not vapor lock the chamber. I hope in future pods for this system another method can be implemented. An advantage to the design of the system is that such a change to the pod could be implemented without sacrificing any flexibility or require different coil or main battery section changes. Please, think about a way to do that.

2. Size. It is hard to say this is a simple pod mod. It's too big to just slip in a pocket and go. It will fit in a pocket, but isn't that small stealthy feel of something like the EQ which is easily palmed and unnoticeable.I think it is fair to consider this more of a small AIO. Classifying it as an AIO isn't really a con, as I think it's an excellent solution over many entry level AIO devices out there. While it can replace a pod for me in many situations, there will still be times when the EQ is simply a better, smaller pod for the situation.

So overall I think they did a terrific job on this system. It fits well into the Zenith family of devices and tanks, utilizes the Zenith coils themselves as well as their Zenith and now Zlide tanks, and offers an all day capability that most pods don't. Would I buy one? Absolutely. I expect it to get regular use, and having another as a backup is never a bad idea. My one plea to Innokin, Phil, and Dimitri, please come up on a better fill system for future pods you make available. That would knock it out of the ballpark.

Edit 5/27/19 To add an update to this review already posted in the general E Cigarette thread.
Update

So I've have an additional 2 weeks or so to use the Biip. In that time it's really become an adv in rotation for me. Not for the purposes of review, but because it just works so well. My first Plexus 3D coil held out for 9 days of regular use of roughly 4 ml of juice a day, generally refilling twice a day, with a sweet commercial juice, which I think is pretty good. As I have no clue where my needle nose bottles are that @Opinionated used (probably still in the bottom of a box in storage) I went with a 10 ml syringe with a 14G blunt needle for filling and it's way easier than trying to use a unicorn bottle that commercial juice usually comes in. So that issue is resolved although I wish it weren't necessary.

Based on my level of use I can't wait for the 4 ml pods to be released. This will then be my turn to for a full day when out running around, with superb battery life and a solid vape experience.

One other note to mention, and this is due to reading the included manual just a few days ago as a just because, when charging, the 3 white light will illuminate to give you an idea of where you stand on time. I thought when all 3 were lit and no longer blinking, you were fully charged. No, the lights will turn off when fully charged. Not sure how much difference it makes as I used it when all 3 were lit, but an FYI.

Also, in error, the blue low power setting is 11W, not 12W as I listed in the original text. Which proves the old "do as I say, not as I do" to be true. Manuals really are helpful, especially for Innokin, as they are straightforward. I wish every vape device came with such east to read and follow directions.

My rating of 4.5 stars is really because of the fill method. When the 4 ml pods are available, assuming the same fill method, I'd be closer to 4.75 stars. At least I'd only be refilling once instead of twice a day. If the fill port is different and somewhat more forgiving with the usual unicorn bottles most retail juice comes in, then it really does deserve 5 stars. And I'm not one to rate highly and can be pretty critical of my vape hardware, but this mod checks off every box I can come up with for this product class.
  • Like
Reactions: Opinionated