I've read a lot of good information on this thread. Thanks to everyone!
I'm going to take the thread at it's word and do a detailed comparison of the 901 and 510 models that I have. They are both generic Chinese brand models.
I have had a 901DSE, ordered from RuyanDirect, for a few weeks. I like it very much and it is a good introduction to enjoying the eCig experience. Experimenting with different flavors, learning the ins and outs of maximizing vaping enjoyment, etc. Generally, it was close enough that it replaced analogs for me - haven't had one the whole time.
I was only an occasional smoker (used to be regular but stopped for a while and then started occasional use more because I love the activity of smoking and the sensation than due to the nicotine - more a psychological than physical addiction, in other words). But I wasn't getting much throat hit with the 901, and its vapor was sporadic- sometimes I'd get a decent amount of both, and sometimes very little. Basically it was inconsistent and the times I got a weak puff were disappointing and distracting from the experience. Those are factors which are very important to me to replace smoking with vaping.
So, after reading on the forums, I got a 510 from ECS-Wholesale. I really didn't want a manual, I'm still in that beginning phase, so I got the automatic, and I haven't had the problems with it getting set off all the time while driving, etc. that others have mentioned.
I find the 510 has consistent good throat hit and vapor production compared to the 901. I certainly intend to still use my 901, I do like it, but I prefer my 510 at this time. I can't tell any difference in the intensity of flavor between the two. (I use Mint, Vapor Talk Juice "Mentha" which is basically a mint, Parker's Niquid Marlboro, Capuccino, and Cherry flavors, pretty basic stuff from Ruyan and dietSmokes). Battery life seems about the same. The battery weight or balance of the 510 seems a little bit lighter or more even so that it seems to me to be slightly easier to hold like a real cigarette or hold in your mouth by clenching the cart between your teeth.
The 510 has a 15 sec cutoff instead of the 901's 5 second cutoff, which I like because I occasionally like to do a long pull (this is when you have a fresh battery. After vaping for an hour or so, the 510 seems to cut off sooner, perhaps 2-3 seconds, as though it's a battery life lengthening mechanism or something; it serves as a practical indicator for me that there's only about 5-10 minutes of frequent vaping left.
The 901 has a gloss white surface, but has light parallel lines on the battery which I suppose are meant to mimic the lines on cigarette paper (although in this case they are going lengthwise whereas an analog has bands going across it). The 510 has a matte finish which looks more like a paper surface. The 901's single intake hole is easy to accidently cover with your finger so you can't puff until you move your finger, which is a distraction. The 510 has a ring of four evenly spaced almost unnoticeable rectangular holes spaced regularly around the gold ring where the battery screws on the atty, so you would actually have to make an effort to cover them all up. The two are almost exactly the same size, somewhat longer and a little thicker than a 100 mm cigarette, which is close enough in size for me - the 510 has a slightly longer battery, but a slightly shorter atty than the 901, so it basically evens out.
The indicator light is a little longer and round tipped on the 901, making it look slightly more like a lit analog tip, and allowing you to see it activating better than on the 510. The 901 light also has more of an orange cast, more like an analog ember color, while the 510 is basically a flat red color, a little too far off from the color of an analog tip to fool your subconscious as well. Sometimes I can't tell the 510 tip is lighting up, particularly in daylight or a brightly lit room. The 901 flashes green at the tip when the battery is out or after too long of a draw, and I like that clear indicator. I often can't tell the 510 needs a new battery until I take a drag or two of plain air from it.
I have found that the carts are somewhat interchangeable, as mentioned on the forums elsewhere. I can put 510 carts on a 901, but while I haven't tried yet, the 510 carts are so tight on the 510 that I am guessing a 901 cart would be hard to put on and take off of a 510, but it might be possible. I've mostly been filling carts, and notice they both get juice sucked up in the attys that needs to be blown out after a day of use. The 510 atty seems to get slightly warmer, but they can both come close to being hot if you take several long drags in a row. If that happens, I let them cool down before continuing to vape.
I guess that is my first little eCig mini review/comparison. I hope someone finds it helpful in making a decision. Thanks again to all of the members for the incredible wealth of information on this forum. It's an amazing resource and collective accomplishment.
Note: I've now tried using the 901 and 510 at the same time to compare them, and I am going to agree with something you read on the forums: the 901 does have fuller flavors. I don't know why; I speculate because it's not heating the vapor as hot? You get the flavor taste with the 510 as well, just not as strong. And you get that throat hit and vapor with it, which is nice. But I made the "straw mod" to a cart and put in polyester stuffing as the filler material, and it increased the 901's vapor significantly. I'll post about exactly how I did that elsewhere. The hit can be improved with strong flavorings like mint, menthol, or with higher nic if you are using nic. And by using PG, not VG. Although a little PG will also increase vapor production.
Basically, I can't come down on the side of one or the other - it's all about what you are looking for. I think you should have both - they augment on another (but having both already, I know that's easy for me to say). I personally prefer the throat hit and more warmth of the 510 when I am desiring a more realistic analog-like experience. But at the moment I'm vaping a 901 with Mentha and the straw mod and enjoying the flavor and getting a reasonable throat hit from the Mentha. I'll probably use both types today.
Finally, if you use 510 carts in a 510, pushing them in and pulling them out several times, they become slightly too loose to fit snugly on the 901. I use a little piece of regular transparent tape to hold it on (fold the tape over at the ends first so you can peel it off easily when done).
I'm going to take the thread at it's word and do a detailed comparison of the 901 and 510 models that I have. They are both generic Chinese brand models.
I have had a 901DSE, ordered from RuyanDirect, for a few weeks. I like it very much and it is a good introduction to enjoying the eCig experience. Experimenting with different flavors, learning the ins and outs of maximizing vaping enjoyment, etc. Generally, it was close enough that it replaced analogs for me - haven't had one the whole time.
I was only an occasional smoker (used to be regular but stopped for a while and then started occasional use more because I love the activity of smoking and the sensation than due to the nicotine - more a psychological than physical addiction, in other words). But I wasn't getting much throat hit with the 901, and its vapor was sporadic- sometimes I'd get a decent amount of both, and sometimes very little. Basically it was inconsistent and the times I got a weak puff were disappointing and distracting from the experience. Those are factors which are very important to me to replace smoking with vaping.
So, after reading on the forums, I got a 510 from ECS-Wholesale. I really didn't want a manual, I'm still in that beginning phase, so I got the automatic, and I haven't had the problems with it getting set off all the time while driving, etc. that others have mentioned.
I find the 510 has consistent good throat hit and vapor production compared to the 901. I certainly intend to still use my 901, I do like it, but I prefer my 510 at this time. I can't tell any difference in the intensity of flavor between the two. (I use Mint, Vapor Talk Juice "Mentha" which is basically a mint, Parker's Niquid Marlboro, Capuccino, and Cherry flavors, pretty basic stuff from Ruyan and dietSmokes). Battery life seems about the same. The battery weight or balance of the 510 seems a little bit lighter or more even so that it seems to me to be slightly easier to hold like a real cigarette or hold in your mouth by clenching the cart between your teeth.
The 510 has a 15 sec cutoff instead of the 901's 5 second cutoff, which I like because I occasionally like to do a long pull (this is when you have a fresh battery. After vaping for an hour or so, the 510 seems to cut off sooner, perhaps 2-3 seconds, as though it's a battery life lengthening mechanism or something; it serves as a practical indicator for me that there's only about 5-10 minutes of frequent vaping left.
The 901 has a gloss white surface, but has light parallel lines on the battery which I suppose are meant to mimic the lines on cigarette paper (although in this case they are going lengthwise whereas an analog has bands going across it). The 510 has a matte finish which looks more like a paper surface. The 901's single intake hole is easy to accidently cover with your finger so you can't puff until you move your finger, which is a distraction. The 510 has a ring of four evenly spaced almost unnoticeable rectangular holes spaced regularly around the gold ring where the battery screws on the atty, so you would actually have to make an effort to cover them all up. The two are almost exactly the same size, somewhat longer and a little thicker than a 100 mm cigarette, which is close enough in size for me - the 510 has a slightly longer battery, but a slightly shorter atty than the 901, so it basically evens out.
The indicator light is a little longer and round tipped on the 901, making it look slightly more like a lit analog tip, and allowing you to see it activating better than on the 510. The 901 light also has more of an orange cast, more like an analog ember color, while the 510 is basically a flat red color, a little too far off from the color of an analog tip to fool your subconscious as well. Sometimes I can't tell the 510 tip is lighting up, particularly in daylight or a brightly lit room. The 901 flashes green at the tip when the battery is out or after too long of a draw, and I like that clear indicator. I often can't tell the 510 needs a new battery until I take a drag or two of plain air from it.
I have found that the carts are somewhat interchangeable, as mentioned on the forums elsewhere. I can put 510 carts on a 901, but while I haven't tried yet, the 510 carts are so tight on the 510 that I am guessing a 901 cart would be hard to put on and take off of a 510, but it might be possible. I've mostly been filling carts, and notice they both get juice sucked up in the attys that needs to be blown out after a day of use. The 510 atty seems to get slightly warmer, but they can both come close to being hot if you take several long drags in a row. If that happens, I let them cool down before continuing to vape.
I guess that is my first little eCig mini review/comparison. I hope someone finds it helpful in making a decision. Thanks again to all of the members for the incredible wealth of information on this forum. It's an amazing resource and collective accomplishment.
Note: I've now tried using the 901 and 510 at the same time to compare them, and I am going to agree with something you read on the forums: the 901 does have fuller flavors. I don't know why; I speculate because it's not heating the vapor as hot? You get the flavor taste with the 510 as well, just not as strong. And you get that throat hit and vapor with it, which is nice. But I made the "straw mod" to a cart and put in polyester stuffing as the filler material, and it increased the 901's vapor significantly. I'll post about exactly how I did that elsewhere. The hit can be improved with strong flavorings like mint, menthol, or with higher nic if you are using nic. And by using PG, not VG. Although a little PG will also increase vapor production.
Basically, I can't come down on the side of one or the other - it's all about what you are looking for. I think you should have both - they augment on another (but having both already, I know that's easy for me to say). I personally prefer the throat hit and more warmth of the 510 when I am desiring a more realistic analog-like experience. But at the moment I'm vaping a 901 with Mentha and the straw mod and enjoying the flavor and getting a reasonable throat hit from the Mentha. I'll probably use both types today.
Finally, if you use 510 carts in a 510, pushing them in and pulling them out several times, they become slightly too loose to fit snugly on the 901. I use a little piece of regular transparent tape to hold it on (fold the tape over at the ends first so you can peel it off easily when done).
Last edited:
