Bad News: The Aro Tank

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GoodNews!

Moved On
Oct 25, 2013
577
136
Vaping, USA
So here's another review:

I was in my local B&M not too long ago, and while I was there, a (bimbo of a) young, probably not even 21-year-old employee kept rehearsing a recital about a "new Kanger product that just came in, I didn't even know we had them, I was so excited, and let me tell you, they hit fantastically and wick great." She performed this line on about 4 different customers. I was a little intrigued even though I dislike the Kanger brand, but I left the store.

I came back the next day, in a big hurry, and a different employee was working. I asked about the "new Kanger product" and instead of the employee explaining the brand, device, or virtually anything about it, she was quite busy and said, "Oh, it's over here in the case, the blue one has a 3.0 head installed, the black one has 2.5." I said that I'll take it, and she bagged it, and gave me the receipt. I didn't get a chance to even look at the product really, I just had some extra cash and wanted to test the hype. I had been to this vendor multiple times, and signing a receipt was a regular process for me, so I did it without looking.

I get home, I try the device, and instantly, it burns my liquid, and leaks all over the place. For those that don't know, I consider myself the "Leak Master" - while everyone in this forum seems to have tons of luck with great tasting devices, my luck is that I never, ever have problems with leaking. I know how to fill a tank, how to apply pressure when screwing devices together, and my draw technique is light and soft - I also listen for gurgling and never push my tank farther than it should go in the draw process.

So right away, I know something is wrong with this device. I look for a Kanger brand stamp - no brand. I think "Ok, this is a clone." I then go to my receipt, and it says "Aro Tank" and "Smok coils". Bingo. The next day, I call the vendor back, explain the marketing mistake on the part of their employees, and the vendor gets angry, tells me I'm wrong and confused, and actually slams the phone down as she hung up (they have a wall phone.) I call back, and after some more of the manager yelling, I explain marketing fraud laws very clearly, and suddenly, she gives into exchanging the product for a Kanger brand Evod. I say that I'd rather have a store credit, but as I say this, she suddenly says "Well, I'm sorry, but we can't exchange your product now anyway because the Evods have just ran out of stock and we won't be getting them in for a long time."

I again explain some technicalities involving the law, and the conversation ends. This is where I get fed up, and report the vendor to my local BBB.

Anyway, since it's an issue that won't be resolved, I did some further testing with the Aro Tank, and this is my review:

Taste - It burns up flavors, and I had a 2.8 head and vaping at 3.3-3.8.
Design - It leaks everywhere.
Purpose - There's no purpose to this tank at all, it's a ripoff of a tank that was invented about, what, 3 years ago?
Rebuildability - I tried taking the heads apart, which was an utter nightmare (these aren't Protank heads, only Smoktech? clones.) and I couldn't get the stem to actually go back on the head. I ripped layers of my skin trying. One would need a pair of wedge pliers.
Air Flow - The thing has no resistance at all. It is literally the airiest tank in the universe, no kidding.
Modern Takes - The drip tip isn't even removable. What is this, 2009?

Overall, sorry for the short review, but quite frankly, this thing is junk, just don't buy it. It may be new, it may not be new, but it's years behind virtually anything else.
 

HippyGirl

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Oct 30, 2009
407
4
Alabama
We finally have a few local ecig vendors, so as soon as I found out about it, off I go to see what they had. I knew I wanted to try one of the bottom feed tanks, so they convinced me to try the Aro...got one with two extra heads.

I ABSOLUTELY agree with you about the air flow...it's like sucking air through a drinking straw! Also, no matter what juice I've tried in it, it tastes slightly burnt to me, but there's also some sort of "plastic-y" undertone as well (best description I could come up with!).

I hate the thing...not the best first-time experience with a tank for sure!
 

HippyGirl

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Oct 30, 2009
407
4
Alabama
Well my friend has been using the Aro's for about two months now without any problems, you said there was no branding, well a real Aro has 'Smok' laser etched on the bottom. What you two have sounds like the Smok counterfeits off FastTech.

Perhaps that's the problem, then...no etching anywhere on the thing.
 

djsvapour

ECF Guru
ECF Veteran
Oct 2, 2012
11,822
7,901
England and Wales
Perhaps that's the problem, then...no etching anywhere on the thing.

Which size? There is a UK Vendor that sells 2 sizes, both from Smok, I am assured.

The smaller has SMOK on the base, the other doesn't.

I have looked on the SMOK website and cannot see the etching on the bigger version.

Could be something, could be nothing. I have one, it's very, very bad indeed.
 

Daryl Glen

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Sep 23, 2013
326
245
Titusville, FL, USA
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Well my friend has been using the Aro's for about two months now without any problems, you said there was no branding, well a real Aro has 'Smok' laser etched on the bottom. What you two have sounds like the Smok counterfeits off FastTech.

That's probably it. The OP said that the only place it said Aro was the receipt. I have two Aro's and they are completely awesome!
 

toddrhodes

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Verified Member
Mar 15, 2012
592
632
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I bought three of these from a reputable e-vendor but they're at home so I'll check them then. In any event, they are on the receipt as ARO Pyrex BCT but they don't say SMOK anywhere. In any event, they are garbage, just as OP described. I guess I didn't realize there were counterfeits of this thing out there. Sucks too, they weren't cheap :(
 

Daryl Glen

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Sep 23, 2013
326
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Titusville, FL, USA
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I bought three of these from a reputable e-vendor but they're at home so I'll check them then. In any event, they are on the receipt as ARO Pyrex BCT but they don't say SMOK anywhere. In any event, they are garbage, just as OP described. I guess I didn't realize there were counterfeits of this thing out there. Sucks too, they weren't cheap :(

The Smok Aro I have was purchased for $5.99, and the pyrex version was $7.99. I got them at Welcome to Hoosier E-Cig - The Best E-cigs, Juices, and accesories
They have the brand etched on the base. They perform amazing! So, if what you described "weren't cheap", then what did you buy???
Not that I have lots of money or anything, but in this world, $6 and $8 for heads is not that expensive.
 

toddrhodes

Super Member
ECF Veteran
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Mar 15, 2012
592
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The Smok Aro I have was purchased for $5.99, and the pyrex version was $7.99. I got them at Welcome to Hoosier E-Cig - The Best E-cigs, Juices, and accesories
They have the brand etched on the base. They perform amazing! So, if what you described "weren't cheap", then what did you buy???
Not that I have lots of money or anything, but in this world, $6 and $8 for heads is not that expensive.

$7.99/tank is what I paid. I checked when I got home and there is no engraving on any parts. I bought mine at Madvapes.com. The three that I purchased are in the bin, if you will. Roughly $25 wasted because I didn't know to watch out for chinese BS is what upsets me. I don't hold the vendor accountable for that but rather my lack of research.
 

GoodNews!

Moved On
Oct 25, 2013
577
136
Vaping, USA
With my Aro heads that I have are an absolute joke. Once you take off the top column of the head to inspect the wick, no amount of inhuman strength can get the columns back into the head - they simply will not fit back on, and they're quite hard to get off as well. A machine would literally have to attach these things. It's like this on multiple heads. Then, one of the heads got completely stuck on the base - no crossthreading or anything, it went on smoothly and I applied no strong pressure. But it simply will not come off. It is an absolute nightmare. $15 in all completely down the drain. This thing is an absolute prank.
 

hurricanegirl100

Ultra Member
ECF Veteran
Jan 29, 2012
1,035
1,310
The burbies of Cleveland
Once you DO get that center post off of the Aro head, you'll find that it's bent. I had to use needle-nose pliers to get the center post off. I got the head cleaned up, but when I went to put it back together, the center post was bent, and didn't align properly with the air tube inside the tank.

I still think the Aro is a good clearomizer. If I want to change flavors using the same head, I just rinse the entire head off under warm water (w/o taking the head apart), rinse out the tank, blow it all out, dry it all off, and put it back together. Works fine. After a few toots, I can't taste what was in there anymore.
 
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