The new E-MiniCig frome-cig.com looks to me identical to the Loong Totem

[dc2k08]

yeah give these a wide berth, for anyone who has them they should check them out for at least 2 weeks before they offer any sort of complete adequate overview. preliminary reviews ain't worth much for me anyway as first impressions are usually skewed cause of the novelty of a new toy.

 

[eyespy]

After two days use (ruling out sleeping time) the original atomized cart is still going strong.
It's undergone heavy use in the pub over the weekend. I noticed that I started to favour the new mini over my trusty 901s as it didn't have to be topped up all the time. At one point I thought the cart had run dry but after quick bat change it was back to being a vapour factory.

They sell these things in a choice of colours - pointless - after a day or two the paper covering goes all manky:

Unless you like a manky end you'll resort to peeling the paper off - this is very easy to do:

...and a very nice stainless steel finish is revealed:

I want to see how long these atomized carts will last - I think they may die if they're left to dry out too much so I'm keeping this one wet. After the pub last night I dripped as much as I could onto the filling then let it stand on it's end overnight for the juice to sink in. After a quick blow through this morning to get rid of surplus juice it's been vaping well all day - I'm also getting more of a hit now that decent juice is coimg through

It's not as easy to drip these carts as it is to drip a 901 - you don't want to get liquid down the hole in the middle or you'll end up with a mouthfull of juice with every drag though this is easily cured with a good blow job

A syringe with a blunt needle is best for dripping juice onto the filling and not down the hole:

Trog is correct in saying that it will need spare parts but if the atomized carts last (there are 5 in the base starter kit) then it's the batteries that'll be the problem. Currently the price for the batteries is ludicrous - $24.95 compared to $9.75 for a 901 bat
I really don't understand this price - you can buy a base starter kit which includes 2 bats, 5 atomizers and a usb/mains battery charger for the same price as 2 batteries - $49.95 !!!

If the atomized carts can be made to last by keeping them wet it would be pointless buying anything other than the base (N1) starter kit. The N4 kit has 53 carts but still only two batteries - it costs $69 more and I suspect that you'll be needing to buy new bats ($24.95 ea) before you have got through 5 of the carts 8-o

I mentioned the draw in my last post and this continues to impress me. It's very quiet - none of the whisling and gurgling you get with the 901. There is no hole in the cart - the air is pulled through the battery and it's a very easy pull at that - I think this is what makes it a smoother smoke than the 901 (not necessarily a good thing).

For newbies here's a size comparison:

 

[trog100]

the $24 dollar battery makes it a big no no for anything other than light use..

the atomizers are being sold at cost and they hope to make their money from over priced batteries.. batteries always have been the biggest expense $24 dollar ones from china is taking the piss..

trog

 

[dc2k08]

trog, i hope you get around to dismantling the e-cig.com and loong batteries sometime to see if they have the exact same components. no rush or anything, just hope you do. it is weird that e-cig are unable to sell the batts at the same prices as their other ranges. is it a case of mark-up or do these batts have expensive components even though they're still ..... course i can only speak for the loongs i got. from the review by that other poster, it appears the e-cig batts last a little longer but will they hold out. im hoping to read more fully tested reviews in the future.

 

[judasburrito]

Interesting--have we determined if any of the common superminis have compatible batteries? That might help things out a bit.

 

[eyespy]

.... and leaford is not going to like this

The batteries have a timed switch - give a little suck and they stay on by themselves for 2-3 secs. Also your draw is limited to 2-3 seconds so if you're a 5 second draw guy (or gal) like leaford you won't get on with these bats.

With 901s I tend to take two puffs - a primer puff and then a longer puff - to get the best out of these new bats I have done away with the primer puff and just take 2 normal (2-3 secs) puffs one after the other.

Also these bats do not last as long between charges as 901 bats - they need recharging more often - so all in all not good news on the battery front and at $24.95 each I won't be buying any more

 

[leaford]

Actually, with the LT type atomizers, you don't need more than a second or two anyway. They're the only e-cig I've found where you don't need at least 3 seconds to get a good amount of vapor.

 

[dc2k08]

did you try the lt's leaford ?

 

[leaford]

Yep. I'm going to get the review filmed real soon, but I wanted to give them a good long careful evaluation first.

 

[TropicalBob]

Really look forward to your review, Leaford. I got email this morning on Christmas specials at LoongTotem (no shipping charges mentioned in the email). A starter kit with one battery is $37. Two battery kit, $49. 100 replacement carts, $135 -- or $1.35 per cart, or $1.35 smoking cost per day if your review shows a cart lasts one day. Now that's a worthwhile disposable, but only without the shipping cost. If an American supplier will sell these, say DEALEXTREME, then we are off and running with a real e-smoking mass market!

These are proper prices a consumer should expect to pay for disposable e-products, IMO.

 

[TropicalBob]

Really look forward to your review, Leaford. I got email this morning on Christmas specials at LoongTotem (no shipping charges mentioned in the email). A starter kit with one battery is $37. Two battery kit, $49. 100 replacement carts, $135 -- or $1.35 per cart, or $1.35 smoking cost per day if your review shows a cart lasts one day. Now that's a worthwhile disposable, but only without the shipping cost. If an American supplier will sell these, say DEALEXTREME, then we are off and running with a real e-smoking mass market!

These are proper prices a consumer should expect to pay for disposable e-products, IMO.

 

[leaford]

I could answer your question now...........


...but how would that help build suspense?

 

[Mr.Darcy]

I could answer your question now...........


...but how would that help build suspense?

your batteries will be dead soon you know...you better get a move on with that review...

 

[leaford]

youre batteries will be dead soon you know...you better get a move on with that review...

... good point.

 

[trog100]

the price these things sell at does not relate to the the price they leave the factory at.. they are governed by what the seller thinks the market will bear..

these atomizers are not that different as regards manufacturing costs than a normal 901.. they are housed in a similar stainless steel tube.. they have similar machined brass threads.. they have a similar wire wound heater coil..

they are not true low cost throw away devices.. the production cost would be similar to the production costs of a mini type atomizer..

the batteries again are pretty much the same as the 901 battery the huge price difference is purely down to marketing.. they have to make up the current kit selling price of $49.95 dollars somehow..

work it out.. rough figures.. basic kit price $50 dollars

atomizer/carts $6 dollars for four or $1.5 dollars each

chargers and box.. lets say $8 dollars..

batteries $16 dollars.. we have a missing $46 dollars..

the missing $46 dollars is made up by way of over priced batteries..

if the batteries came at the real price (chinese 901 price) of say $8 dollars each the figures would not add up.. the kit price would have to be 16 + 8 equaling only $24 dollars not $50 dollars..

of course playing stupid marketing tricks like this makes the product a big no no no matter how well leafords review say its works..

let me rephrase that.. a big no no for a buyer with knowledge of how its all done.. but a nice little earner from the average (read vast majority) of clueless buyers who dont..

buyers who are all super eager to grab the latest new e smoking gizmo.. bunnies to the slaughter all ready and primed to go...

let me hazard a guess here.. the delay of this product being released has been about price wrangling.. whoever controls things does not want to see the new e-cig mini being sold at $24 dollars.. e-cig have been told to p-ss off until the selling price was (increased) worked out... they have been denied supplies

e-cig being what they are would have priced them cheaper.. with 8 dollar batteries.. they have not been allowed to..

trog

 

[ApOsTle51]

you could always make a little thread adapter to use a 901 battery or similar. you'll then get the benefits of the disposible atomizer, longer draw time and cheaper batteries.
and by looking at the pics , it'll still be shorter than a 901.

just a thought.

 

[Soot]

TB - I couldn't find the 2 battery kit for $49 . The nearest I can find is a 10 cartridge deal for $49.95 - compared to the 2 cartridge deal for $36.95. Perhaps they've sent you a special offer? Or - I've just confused myself - that loongtotem site opens a new tab each time I click on something, I hardly know where I started and can't tell the difference between the v9 and v10 .

The loongtotem (whatever version) does seem to be the same as that advertised by e-cig.com. Both sell additional batteries for exactly the same price ($24.95):

https://e-cig.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=81
LoongTotem Mini E-Cigarette Battery - Accessories - Loongtotem,Electronic Cigarette,E-cigarette,Mini Electronic Cigarette V9

If Leaford reviews the atomiser to work well you'd be right in a £1 a day being a good price - I can't remember when smoking cost a £1 a day (though I should!). The battery replacement cost (not to mention shipping costs) would then be a concern.

Is this battery a new technological marvel? Surely power is power? I suspect Trog is right in thinking the profit is expected to be in battery replacements.

Couldn't Trog, Madog, Bastage, GrumpySanta ... find an old tyre, disused engine or VCR that'd adapt a standard 901 battery to these disposable atomisers?

 

[dc2k08]

the carts dont last a day. they last about the same as a mini cart unless you want to inhale burning fiber or try and make a success of dripping which is hit or miss. ~15% of the carts dont work out of the box. run time on batteries is piss poor. all this is true unless i landed a uniquely crap batch of 50 carts and 4 batts or Loong or who-ever makes them has improved the design since. Another thing to consider is that they might not operate well with the UK voltage system. This could be the problem - I don't know.

I read a special offer awhile ago also detailing a 2 batt deal which someone had posted on an e-cig related business site. apon contacting the poster of the deal which turned out to be jack, i was directed to the loong site where no such deal exists. on this site, pictures of green cig products were also marketed as loong products. this was false advertising.

you must factor in postage with any price consideration on loong items. it is astronomical. I did manage to reduce the shipping costs though by talking to him on msn and questioning him about it. it still remained large but only half of what it originally was. he had to invoice me separately to reduce the shipping charge.

Also Loong has promised their affiliate smoke51 that they will direct all US sales of their product to their site. whether they are still keeping this promise, i don't know.

 

[dc2k08]

neither of those are disposable models.

 

[trog100]

people assume too much.. as DC say the carts will not last all day.. the basic design is flawed.. the heater in direct contact with the wool will burn the sh-t of of it as soon as the cart starts to dry out..

we need to take one apart more carefully to make sure but so far we aint impressed..

and i havnt taken a longer totem battery apart yet but i see no logical reason at all why it dosnt contain the longer cell similar to what is fitted in a classic or pen style.. if the longer totem batteries were short lived the new e cig mini will be worse..

they are not easy to top up and the result will be mouth fulls of liquid..

but my overly eager for something new bunnies.. rush on in... he he

trog