YouTube - Minicigarette.net video review and demo
Name: MiniCigarette.net
Category: Super-Mini
Model: DSE-103
Website: Electronic Cigarette Store
Items purchased and Price: Starter Kit, $59.95
Shipping, tax, etc.: N/A (review sample)
Total Price: N/A (review sample)
Warranty/Guarantee: 180 Day parts replacement warranty.
Length: 100mm
Weight: 14.9gr
Overall Rating: 3.6
Pros: Lightweight, easy draw.
Cons: Inconsistent performance. Limited interchangeability. No other source of cartridges
Atomizer Performance: 3.75
1- Smoke; 3.5
2- Draw; 4
Battery Performance: 3.75
1- Switch; 4
2- Battery life; 3.5
Overall reliability and performance: 4
Appearance: 3
Customer Service Experience: None. I was offered a review copy, which came from the marketing department, not CS.
Contents: 1 atomizer, 2 batteries, 1 charger, 1 power cord, 1 mouthpiece, 6 cartridges (2 high, 2 medium, 1 low, 1 non).
Extras: None.
Battery charging times: Initial charge 8 hours, regular charge 3-4 hours.
Atomizer interchangeability: RN4081.
Battery interchangeability: RN4081.
Charger interchangeability: RN4081.
Cartridge interchangeability: None.
Narrative review:
First off, in the interest of full disclosure, I want to note that I received this e-cigarette for free from the manufacturer. They approached me through my Youtube channel, and offered to send me a unit to try and, if I liked, to do a review. No preconditions or obligations.
Second, I should admit to a personal bias against minis in general. I like to have one with me, but really just as a backup to the penstyle, which is my main e-cig and accounts for 2/3 or so of my puffs. The mini serves for a change of pace, a fill-in for when the penstyle is in auto-cutoff mode, or for a different nicotine level or flavor.
The size limitations on the atomizer, cartridge, and battery, mean that they simply cannot match the performance of their bigger cousins. So they will always score a bit lower, so much so that I considered making a separate scale to rate minis. But where do you draw the line? Do you rate DSE-901 minis separately from 100mm superminis? What about the new 89mm superminis? They have even smaller size limitations.
I decided that minis and superminis had to be rated on the same scale as penstyles. But it should still be born in mind that they will naturally score lower in some areas, and performance that might be below average for a pen or 117mm mini might be average for a 100mm mini, or above average for an 89mm mini. In other words, instead of adjusting the scale, we should adjust our expectations.
So that said, and at the risk of sounding like Im giving a back-handed compliment, or damning with faint praise, the Minicigarette is pretty good, for a mini.
My initial expectations werent high. The battery appearance is identical to the first DSE101 I tried, which didnt perform well at all. And at first, even with a fully charged battery, the switch performance, draw, and reliability were about as bad as I had feared. But that only lasted a battery cycle or two, before they got broken in and loosened up. So these do seem to need a breaking in period.
But once broken in, the performance has been above average, for a mini. The draw is fairly light, about a 4, and the smoke volume averages a 3.5, up to a 4 with fresh cartridge and battery. The switch responsiveness is quick, but it does have reliability issues. About one draw in 4 or so, it fails and doesnt produce any vapor or light up the LED. A sharp puff or two usually loosens it up, and it works after that.
Battery life is very good for a mini. I rate it at a 3.5 on a scale of 1 to 5; up to 80-90 puffs per full charge. You can actually get a bit more than that, but vapor production drops off too much, and I dont find it worthwhile. Similarly, cartridge life can be pushed to 35 or 40 5-second puffs, but really, only 30 or so are good. That works out to 2-3 cartridges per battery. A score of 3.5 doesnt sound that good, but for a mini, I would expect a 2 to be average, so a 3 is really above average.
Overall, while it does have reliability issues, theyre pretty infrequent and bearable. I give it 4 out of 5. The appearance is fine albeit plain. There is no variety, and I personally dont like the glossy enamel look, or the lengthwise stripes. I think it has the worst of both looking like a cigarette, with the white and brown colors, but with the glossy enamel and stripes making it look like a fake. But its a decent quality finish, and the build quality is fine, so it gets a 3, average or acceptable.
That averages out to 3.625, rounding down to 3.6. Above average overall, but again, for a Mini, above average is really pretty exceptional.
Theres one small downside which doesnt come into play on any of my ratings, limited interchangeability, and no other source of cartridges. Its partially interchangeable with the RN4081 supermini. You can swap batteries, atomizer, and chargers, but not cartridges. I have not found another compatible cartridge for this atomizer, or another source for the cartridges. The cartridge price, however, is more reasonable than most, at $39.95 for 50, and they have at least a little variety of flavors; regular, mint or apple.
So, all in all, its a quite good, above average mini, at a below average price, but with some limitations and drawbacks. If you dont mind, or even like, the appearance; if the battery and cartridge life span are ok for you; and if you arent bothered by not being able to swap parts, this might be a good choice. At the price it certainly makes at least a good starter for a first e-cig, or a good backup. It may not get me excited, but I have to recommend it as a good value.
Name: MiniCigarette.net
Category: Super-Mini
Model: DSE-103
Website: Electronic Cigarette Store
Items purchased and Price: Starter Kit, $59.95
Shipping, tax, etc.: N/A (review sample)
Total Price: N/A (review sample)
Warranty/Guarantee: 180 Day parts replacement warranty.
Length: 100mm
Weight: 14.9gr
Overall Rating: 3.6
Pros: Lightweight, easy draw.
Cons: Inconsistent performance. Limited interchangeability. No other source of cartridges
Atomizer Performance: 3.75
1- Smoke; 3.5
2- Draw; 4
Battery Performance: 3.75
1- Switch; 4
2- Battery life; 3.5
Overall reliability and performance: 4
Appearance: 3
Customer Service Experience: None. I was offered a review copy, which came from the marketing department, not CS.
Contents: 1 atomizer, 2 batteries, 1 charger, 1 power cord, 1 mouthpiece, 6 cartridges (2 high, 2 medium, 1 low, 1 non).
Extras: None.
Battery charging times: Initial charge 8 hours, regular charge 3-4 hours.
Atomizer interchangeability: RN4081.
Battery interchangeability: RN4081.
Charger interchangeability: RN4081.
Cartridge interchangeability: None.
Narrative review:
First off, in the interest of full disclosure, I want to note that I received this e-cigarette for free from the manufacturer. They approached me through my Youtube channel, and offered to send me a unit to try and, if I liked, to do a review. No preconditions or obligations.
Second, I should admit to a personal bias against minis in general. I like to have one with me, but really just as a backup to the penstyle, which is my main e-cig and accounts for 2/3 or so of my puffs. The mini serves for a change of pace, a fill-in for when the penstyle is in auto-cutoff mode, or for a different nicotine level or flavor.
The size limitations on the atomizer, cartridge, and battery, mean that they simply cannot match the performance of their bigger cousins. So they will always score a bit lower, so much so that I considered making a separate scale to rate minis. But where do you draw the line? Do you rate DSE-901 minis separately from 100mm superminis? What about the new 89mm superminis? They have even smaller size limitations.
I decided that minis and superminis had to be rated on the same scale as penstyles. But it should still be born in mind that they will naturally score lower in some areas, and performance that might be below average for a pen or 117mm mini might be average for a 100mm mini, or above average for an 89mm mini. In other words, instead of adjusting the scale, we should adjust our expectations.
So that said, and at the risk of sounding like Im giving a back-handed compliment, or damning with faint praise, the Minicigarette is pretty good, for a mini.
My initial expectations werent high. The battery appearance is identical to the first DSE101 I tried, which didnt perform well at all. And at first, even with a fully charged battery, the switch performance, draw, and reliability were about as bad as I had feared. But that only lasted a battery cycle or two, before they got broken in and loosened up. So these do seem to need a breaking in period.
But once broken in, the performance has been above average, for a mini. The draw is fairly light, about a 4, and the smoke volume averages a 3.5, up to a 4 with fresh cartridge and battery. The switch responsiveness is quick, but it does have reliability issues. About one draw in 4 or so, it fails and doesnt produce any vapor or light up the LED. A sharp puff or two usually loosens it up, and it works after that.
Battery life is very good for a mini. I rate it at a 3.5 on a scale of 1 to 5; up to 80-90 puffs per full charge. You can actually get a bit more than that, but vapor production drops off too much, and I dont find it worthwhile. Similarly, cartridge life can be pushed to 35 or 40 5-second puffs, but really, only 30 or so are good. That works out to 2-3 cartridges per battery. A score of 3.5 doesnt sound that good, but for a mini, I would expect a 2 to be average, so a 3 is really above average.
Overall, while it does have reliability issues, theyre pretty infrequent and bearable. I give it 4 out of 5. The appearance is fine albeit plain. There is no variety, and I personally dont like the glossy enamel look, or the lengthwise stripes. I think it has the worst of both looking like a cigarette, with the white and brown colors, but with the glossy enamel and stripes making it look like a fake. But its a decent quality finish, and the build quality is fine, so it gets a 3, average or acceptable.
That averages out to 3.625, rounding down to 3.6. Above average overall, but again, for a Mini, above average is really pretty exceptional.
Theres one small downside which doesnt come into play on any of my ratings, limited interchangeability, and no other source of cartridges. Its partially interchangeable with the RN4081 supermini. You can swap batteries, atomizer, and chargers, but not cartridges. I have not found another compatible cartridge for this atomizer, or another source for the cartridges. The cartridge price, however, is more reasonable than most, at $39.95 for 50, and they have at least a little variety of flavors; regular, mint or apple.
So, all in all, its a quite good, above average mini, at a below average price, but with some limitations and drawbacks. If you dont mind, or even like, the appearance; if the battery and cartridge life span are ok for you; and if you arent bothered by not being able to swap parts, this might be a good choice. At the price it certainly makes at least a good starter for a first e-cig, or a good backup. It may not get me excited, but I have to recommend it as a good value.