I just put out the review on the eGo dual coil cartos, so I thought I'd share it here since I got some good feedback on the vari-volt box mod review I posted earlier.
As before, the full text of the review is below, and is available over here with formatting and images: eGo Dual Coil Cartomizer: Impressions and Review
Hope you enjoy!
Steve
Welcome to Steve K's world of dual coil electronic cigarette cartomizer reviews. Ok, not really, but it sort of feels like that. Ever since dual coil cartos hit the e-cigarette world a scant couple months ago, the makers have put out every sort of variation on the theme they possibly could.
Design
The latest entrant in the field, the eGo Mega Dual Coil Cartomizer is a model specially designed for eGo style e-cigarettes. The fact that many people question the viability of dual coils on mosfet switched lower voltage batteries hasn't stopped somebody from making one specifically aimed at exactly that type of e-cig.
Beauty, thy name is incompatibility!
Since I personally haven't broken an eGo battery using dual coil cartomizers, I figured I'd go for it and try it out. There are a couple of distinguishing features of this cartomizer. The first is the design, like the CE2 Giantomizer, the eGo dual coil is designed with a sleeve that extends past the battery connector allowing for a flush connection on an eGo battery. Of course this means this carto isn't going to fit on anything else without some sort of adapter.
The second thing about this, is like the Giantomizer, this is a huge carto. Length-wise it's a touch shorter than the eGo battery (650 mAh) and it plays host to an impressive liquid capacity of 5ml (!) When placed atop an eGo battery, the total appearance is that of a single unit. The complete e-cigarette (or maybe cigar is a better term) gives it a hefty hand feel. The cartomizer itself is very solidly constructed of steel, so I don't feel nervous at all popping it into my pants pocket to cart around.
Adding to the solid feel of the eGo dual coil is the finish on the case. Unlike many other cartomizers on the market the eGo dual coil's finish is either painted or one heck of a good industrial strength decal. I actually tried to peel or chip the finish and couldn't really do it.
Stock, Giantomizer (v1) and drip tips
The cartomizer is topped off with a soft rubber whistle tip. The tip opening itself is quite wide and gives the tip a feel that is much softer than it would appear. The stock tip isn't necessarily bad, though if you are a chewer I could see this tip not lasting long. Fortunately, the eGo dual coil cartos are the same diameter as an eGo type B cartomizer so type B drip tips and the tip from the original Giantomizers will work if you happen to have a preference.
Performance
The eGo-centric design's primary drawback is that they generally only make sense on an eGo so they'll be running at lower power. In general, dual coil cartos really come alive above 4.5v or so. That's not saying performance is terrible on this device. It's actually fairly respectable, regular dual coils do a fair job on eGos too.
Vapor production in the eGo dual coil tends to start off a little bit weak at first, but once the carto is warmed up after a few puffs it hits its stride and brings in a reasonable performance. The vapor production is good quantity-wise though it lacks a little of the full body feel that' I've come to enjoy in some other cartomizers I've played with. Vapor temperature is warmer than I expected. It's not by any means hot, but it's also not a very cool vape, I'd put it at medium warm.
The draw on the cartomizer is a little bit on the airy side although you can mitigate this to some extent (if that's your thing) by wrapping your fingers around the carto as you press the button. Flavor-wise it's pretty good and while it won't induce coughing fits like a triple coil at high voltage, it will certainly deliver noticeable throat hit.
That's a whole lotta filler!
The other category is perhaps the strongest part of this cartomizer. In particular, the top-off department. There are some cartos that while they hold 2ml, you still have to drip them every few draws to keep them from drying out. Of course, the eGo dual coil houses 5ml to begin with, so naturally it's going to go a whole lot longer before refueling. I've let this one go all day without a top off to test the limits. Under more paranoid usage, I found myself re-upping to the tune of about 2ml per stop.
The other important note that tends to be an issue in very large cartomizers is in the sucking juice department. This tends to be a much bigger issue in the top coil style, but it's one that bugs me. When there's a lot of room in the cartomizer for vapor to condense, the result sometimes is eliquid reconstituting and being sucked in with your inhale. That doesn't happen with these, probably mostly because it can be re-absorbed easily by the filling.
I'm just too busy being so damn good lookin!
Too Long; Didn't Read
The eGo Dual Coil Cartomizer is another entrant in the now very crowded field of dual coil cartomizers. This time it's custom built to look pretty when integrated with an eGo battery. The cartos are built like a battleship, but limited to under 3.7v (until the new variable voltage eGos hit the market) these cartos can't quite hit their stride. Despite being under powered, these cartos can still deliver some serviceable performance. However the point may be more their massive juice capacity and seamless integration with eGo batteries.
Performance:
Vapor production: Good (in terms of amount, vapor somewhat lacks a "full bodied" feel)
Vapor temperature: Moderately warm
Throat hit: Good
Flavor: Good
Draw: Somewhat airy (can be tightened up by wrapping fingers around bottom when vaping)
Pros:
Solidly built
Very attractive when paired with an eGo battery
Huge 5ml rated juice capacity
Uses standard "B" type drip tips
Long cruises between juice top-offs
Much less expensive than large-format CE2 style cartomizers
Cons:
Only compatible with eGo batteries (some clones and all other styles will require an adapter)
Potential performance limited by eGo (most run at only 3.2v)
Available in any color you want as long as it's black
Expect about a 25% dip in battery life due to dual coil design
Details:
Product Name: eGo Mega Dual Coil Cartomizer
Purchased at: MadVapes
Price: $2.49 each
Threading: 510 (sleeve restricts use to eGo without an adapter)
Resistance: ~1.6 ohm
As before, the full text of the review is below, and is available over here with formatting and images: eGo Dual Coil Cartomizer: Impressions and Review
Hope you enjoy!
Steve
Welcome to Steve K's world of dual coil electronic cigarette cartomizer reviews. Ok, not really, but it sort of feels like that. Ever since dual coil cartos hit the e-cigarette world a scant couple months ago, the makers have put out every sort of variation on the theme they possibly could.
Design
The latest entrant in the field, the eGo Mega Dual Coil Cartomizer is a model specially designed for eGo style e-cigarettes. The fact that many people question the viability of dual coils on mosfet switched lower voltage batteries hasn't stopped somebody from making one specifically aimed at exactly that type of e-cig.
Beauty, thy name is incompatibility!
Since I personally haven't broken an eGo battery using dual coil cartomizers, I figured I'd go for it and try it out. There are a couple of distinguishing features of this cartomizer. The first is the design, like the CE2 Giantomizer, the eGo dual coil is designed with a sleeve that extends past the battery connector allowing for a flush connection on an eGo battery. Of course this means this carto isn't going to fit on anything else without some sort of adapter.
The second thing about this, is like the Giantomizer, this is a huge carto. Length-wise it's a touch shorter than the eGo battery (650 mAh) and it plays host to an impressive liquid capacity of 5ml (!) When placed atop an eGo battery, the total appearance is that of a single unit. The complete e-cigarette (or maybe cigar is a better term) gives it a hefty hand feel. The cartomizer itself is very solidly constructed of steel, so I don't feel nervous at all popping it into my pants pocket to cart around.
Adding to the solid feel of the eGo dual coil is the finish on the case. Unlike many other cartomizers on the market the eGo dual coil's finish is either painted or one heck of a good industrial strength decal. I actually tried to peel or chip the finish and couldn't really do it.
Stock, Giantomizer (v1) and drip tips
The cartomizer is topped off with a soft rubber whistle tip. The tip opening itself is quite wide and gives the tip a feel that is much softer than it would appear. The stock tip isn't necessarily bad, though if you are a chewer I could see this tip not lasting long. Fortunately, the eGo dual coil cartos are the same diameter as an eGo type B cartomizer so type B drip tips and the tip from the original Giantomizers will work if you happen to have a preference.
Performance
The eGo-centric design's primary drawback is that they generally only make sense on an eGo so they'll be running at lower power. In general, dual coil cartos really come alive above 4.5v or so. That's not saying performance is terrible on this device. It's actually fairly respectable, regular dual coils do a fair job on eGos too.
Vapor production in the eGo dual coil tends to start off a little bit weak at first, but once the carto is warmed up after a few puffs it hits its stride and brings in a reasonable performance. The vapor production is good quantity-wise though it lacks a little of the full body feel that' I've come to enjoy in some other cartomizers I've played with. Vapor temperature is warmer than I expected. It's not by any means hot, but it's also not a very cool vape, I'd put it at medium warm.
The draw on the cartomizer is a little bit on the airy side although you can mitigate this to some extent (if that's your thing) by wrapping your fingers around the carto as you press the button. Flavor-wise it's pretty good and while it won't induce coughing fits like a triple coil at high voltage, it will certainly deliver noticeable throat hit.
That's a whole lotta filler!
The other category is perhaps the strongest part of this cartomizer. In particular, the top-off department. There are some cartos that while they hold 2ml, you still have to drip them every few draws to keep them from drying out. Of course, the eGo dual coil houses 5ml to begin with, so naturally it's going to go a whole lot longer before refueling. I've let this one go all day without a top off to test the limits. Under more paranoid usage, I found myself re-upping to the tune of about 2ml per stop.
The other important note that tends to be an issue in very large cartomizers is in the sucking juice department. This tends to be a much bigger issue in the top coil style, but it's one that bugs me. When there's a lot of room in the cartomizer for vapor to condense, the result sometimes is eliquid reconstituting and being sucked in with your inhale. That doesn't happen with these, probably mostly because it can be re-absorbed easily by the filling.
I'm just too busy being so damn good lookin!
Too Long; Didn't Read
The eGo Dual Coil Cartomizer is another entrant in the now very crowded field of dual coil cartomizers. This time it's custom built to look pretty when integrated with an eGo battery. The cartos are built like a battleship, but limited to under 3.7v (until the new variable voltage eGos hit the market) these cartos can't quite hit their stride. Despite being under powered, these cartos can still deliver some serviceable performance. However the point may be more their massive juice capacity and seamless integration with eGo batteries.
Performance:
Vapor production: Good (in terms of amount, vapor somewhat lacks a "full bodied" feel)
Vapor temperature: Moderately warm
Throat hit: Good
Flavor: Good
Draw: Somewhat airy (can be tightened up by wrapping fingers around bottom when vaping)
Pros:
Solidly built
Very attractive when paired with an eGo battery
Huge 5ml rated juice capacity
Uses standard "B" type drip tips
Long cruises between juice top-offs
Much less expensive than large-format CE2 style cartomizers
Cons:
Only compatible with eGo batteries (some clones and all other styles will require an adapter)
Potential performance limited by eGo (most run at only 3.2v)
Available in any color you want as long as it's black
Expect about a 25% dip in battery life due to dual coil design
Details:
Product Name: eGo Mega Dual Coil Cartomizer
Purchased at: MadVapes
Price: $2.49 each
Threading: 510 (sleeve restricts use to eGo without an adapter)
Resistance: ~1.6 ohm
