Why pay well over $100 for a mech when a clone of it is a fraction of the price?

[Zencoder]

Just to add a fence post... I really think, that if you took the K10(X) out of the picture, you'd have a different story in the mechanical world. I worked my way through the clones before pausing, and spending my money on higher end devices. I own both sides of the fence, and Nzonic v3 AND a sigelei 19(b)(e) etc... Frankly, some of the mods are down right dangerous, in terms of shorts(19), button design(20), or just thread chompers. Can they be fixed to perform as well as others.. sure.. frankly that's why I buy them still, it's a challenge, you have a community around people that are doing the same thing, and damn if it doesn't feel good when you have a real solid working device. The thing though is, the K10(x) is the ONLY mech clone that I have owned that came out of the box screaming, compared to it's original.... and that performance is one part of why it pays to buy the original. But then there are the 101 tiny details that goes into the build quality. Paps is a great example, I want to buy one because of what Perseas himself, on threads here, has said about builds, concerns, ideas, struggles. This is a piece of craftsmanship, metal and lathe meeting to build a precision device that you can hold in your hand and see the work that went into it. Can you appreciate a print (clone) of a piece of Art, sure, but you, or at least I still want to own the original. That's worth the money I save up to spend. Will I still buy clones to tear apart, grind parts, replace springs and switches etc.. hell yeah...

There is no right answer... only your personal one that you decide yourself. Both sides of the fence wins when we walk into a vape friendly bar together in the rain and watch those that still are on analogs, huddle under the awnings while we enjoy our drinks and vape... cheers.

 

[thevyrus]

thanks for making me understand, i feel foolish thinking it was mostly for looks. but like you guys said, customer service is very crucial when shelling out the big bucks for a device. I will be outta luck if anything is wrong with my china shipment. Jasl90, very well put. the clones can shine with a little know how and tweaks. but i get why, if you have the means to do so, you would want something nice to look at and hold when you are vaping all day. i guess it's to each their own. i didn't mean to come off as "everyone with a high-end mech is a snob or pretentious" at all, but i think i may have sounded that way. The fact is, when i have some more disposable income, and if vaping remains such a big hobby of mine, i am positive i will buy at least one pricey mod and have pride in it and show it off - they are indeed pieces of art.
Right now, i just have to make do with these china clones for the near future. at least the pics i saw of the mods i ordered look nice (they don't look like they were $20) in addition to the high praise they got for functionality.

 

[DantesInferno]

For me I like the cheapy clones. It helps give me an idea of I like something or not. Have my first mod on the way and its a china made clone. If I like it will I get a better built more expensive mod? Absolutely. Did the same thing before dropping money on a provari.

Sent from Galaxy Note 2 via Tapatalk 2.

 

[thevyrus]

zencoder, i agree with you. right now i love my cheap units (agat2, did clones, vamo, rsst) because of that exact reason u mentioned - i can rip em apart, ding them up, mod them and see how to make them better. however, i would like a high end mech or high end atty to work flawlessly, or close to it, right out of the gate. for now, i am happy with getting my hands dirty and tinkering with my vape gear. any experiences with the setinel clone or the kts? im excited for this k100 now!

 

[thevyrus]

dante, funny thing about the provari... i actually think the vamo looks nicer than it. i am in the minority i am sure. also i think it works beautifully, and with stacked batteries at 5.2v, its a dream with my 1.2ohm gennies. never felt the pressure to upgrade this cheap china vv/vw mod to a higher-end one. hope i get the same experience when i get these mechs in.

 

[jasl90]

i didn't mean to come off as "everyone with a high-end mech is a snob or pretentious" at all, but i think i may have sounded that way.

Not at all... It's a legit question.
Considering that there's not a single person that I know outside the forums who knows what any of this stuff is, I feel fairly secure that I'm not using any of it as a status symbol or an ego booster. There are a few vapors where I work but they're all eGos and viv tanks... They just look at me like I'm the poor ....... who can afford a something smaller with an LED. My gear doesn't impress anyone but me.

 

[Larzis]

Yeah my wife is not all that impressed with my mod collection. Not like I can go "Heyyyyy baby check out this Chi" and make her swoon. She just shakes her head. No one at work cares. Don't think the dogs or cat care.

I freely admit to having a few mods that I picked up because I liked the way they looked, just so happens they perform well too. Then I have things like the Hana DNA20 that I could probably chuck across the street, drop an atty on, and still vape.

thevyrus, I see you are in New York. Not sure what part, but if you are ever able to make it around the Queens/Flushing area check out Empire Mods store there. Owner is a super nice guy, and they might have an Empire or two around for you to look at. When it comes to the pricier things kinda nice to check em out for yourself to see if it is worth it.

 

[Tripster]

I've only spent $112.84 on my Precise Simplicity and spent $172.24 on my Original Precise 18650, all under $200. The Original Precise 18650 is 2 years old and was absolutely pleasurable to use but the main reason I invested in those mods with those price tags is cause it's made in Minnesota and so many other reasons.

 

[maxmonster]

I honestly don't care if it's a clone or not. Main reason why I went for my Sigelei 19 was because I could fiddle around with it and not break the bank. I'm one of those guys that enjoys tinkering around with things and finding ways to improve their functionality. I am trying to get on the Caravella list too however...

 

[dr g]

dante, funny thing about the provari... i actually think the vamo looks nicer than it. i am in the minority i am sure. also i think it works beautifully, and with stacked batteries at 5.2v, its a dream with my 1.2ohm gennies. never felt the pressure to upgrade this cheap china vv/vw mod to a higher-end one. hope i get the same experience when i get these mechs in.

are you really running a 1.2 ohm atomizer on a vamo?

 

[Jaseruckus]

I really don't think there's anything wrong with buying clones. Many people who buy clones either wanted to the real mod and couldn't justify paying the asking price or really had no interest in the real mod to begin with. As the saying goes with all products in the market. You get what you pay for. Of course there are exceptions such as Terminator/Oddy clone and EHPRO/EA clone. Even the RSST, though it really doesn't perform anything like the AC9. Allot of the clones available really don't compare to the real mod and certainly doesn't operate like them. The sigelei #20 for example looks like a Roller, nothing about the button (which is what everyone likes about the Roller) functions like it.

I know there are people that really could care less about the functions and care more about performance. It's true you can tinker as much as you want and have that mod "Hit like a freight train" it will never be the real thing. It's not different than someone suping up a chevy comaro Z28, it will never give you the same felling as sitting in a Corvette and driving it. You can fool yourself a little but your mind knows it's not the same.

If you want to buy clones, go for it. It's your money and no one here should ever tell you how to spend it. I do advise you to set some money aside and buy a high end mod that is well reviewed. If your going to make Vaping a part of your life, you should at least treat yourself with one good quality mod.

 

[DantesInferno]

are you really running a 1.2 ohm atomizer on a vamo?

Lol. That was my thought. Well kinda. I imagine it is possible. Within its amp limit anyway. But that's like over 22 watts! That's like sucking on the business end of a soldering gun. Lol.

Sent from Galaxy Note 2 via Tapatalk 2.

 

[dr g]

Lol. That was my thought. Well kinda. I imagine it is possible. Within its amp limit anyway. But that's like over 22 watts! That's like sucking on the business end of a soldering gun. Lol.

Sent from Galaxy Note 2 via Tapatalk 2.

Well the vamo has a resistance reading function that disables the device at 1.2 ohms, it's touchy right at 1.2 ohms in my experience. Regarding the watts, the vamo won't hit 22 watts no matter what you do and I'm pretty sure won't hit 15w at 1.2 ohms.

 

[thevyrus]

Dr g, yep, i only run 1.2ohms with 28g kanthal on my vamo, every coil on every atty. i get kinda ...... when it's 1.3 lol, but it happens here and there, but that's the max. i am just gearing up for my sub-ohm expedition when my mechs come in. i've been gradually increasing my voltages and now i'm settled in at 5.3v on my rsst and agat2, and about 4.8v on my did clones cus the air chamber's are so small they get hot easier. i put a 5/64 air hole to mitigate the excess heat produced at such high watts.


jaseruckus, i will definitely treat myself to a nice mod or probably a hybrid actually when i get back from school after this next semester. so many choices! no arguing that the well made mods are truly works of art, and the attention to detail in terms of the switches, connectors, and threading are way above and beyond these clones.

 

[Jimi D.]

I have both types. A Chinese K100, and a high end Pinoy Nzonic. The reason why I wanted the Pinoy is for the magnetic switch. I had to mod out the K100 to get better continuity. All in all, I love them both. It's what I can afford that matters. The Nzonic was a Father's day gift. One of the best gifts I ever received.

 

[bris1974]

interesting thread and conversation. I have feelings towards both the clone and high end side. all have been mentioned. But I wanted to add that I do see a side of vaping geared more towards collectors/traders, etc. There seems to be an ever growing market towards high end, hard to obtain mods/attys for various reasons. That is a trend that will continue.

I like the fact that there are options from $20 clones up to $200 +.

 

[dr g]

Dr g, yep, i only run 1.2ohms with 28g kanthal on my vamo, every coil on every atty. i get kinda ...... when it's 1.3 lol, but it happens here and there, but that's the max. i am just gearing up for my sub-ohm expedition when my mechs come in. i've been gradually increasing my voltages and now i'm settled in at 5.3v on my rsst and agat2, and about 4.8v on my did clones cus the air chamber's are so small they get hot easier. i put a 5/64 air hole to mitigate the excess heat produced at such high watts.
View attachment 230117

jaseruckus, i will definitely treat myself to a nice mod or probably a hybrid actually when i get back from school after this next semester. so many choices! no arguing that the well made mods are truly works of art, and the attention to detail in terms of the switches, connectors, and threading are way above and beyond these clones.

TBH you would be better off wrapping that coil longer and trying to get the full 15w out. imo of course.

 

[Larzis]

Dr g, yep, i only run 1.2ohms with 28g kanthal on my vamo, every coil on every atty. i get kinda ...... when it's 1.3 lol, but it happens here and there, but that's the max. i am just gearing up for my sub-ohm expedition when my mechs come in. i've been gradually increasing my voltages and now i'm settled in at 5.3v on my rsst and agat2, and about 4.8v on my did clones cus the air chamber's are so small they get hot easier. i put a 5/64 air hole to mitigate the excess heat produced at such high watts.
View attachment 230117

jaseruckus, i will definitely treat myself to a nice mod or probably a hybrid actually when i get back from school after this next semester. so many choices! no arguing that the well made mods are truly works of art, and the attention to detail in terms of the switches, connectors, and threading are way above and beyond these clones.

Gonna sound like a broken record as I have mentioned this in several areas. Hybrid.... Look at the iHybrid Pure. 99 bucks, 18500, quality device.

I owned an LE, tried the Pure, felt just as good to me as the LE.

 

[thevyrus]

Dr G, i am getting a full 22W or so, and can get even more. as Dante mentioned, the vamo has an 5amp limit which i am working well within (5.3v/1.2ohm=4.4A) and can only be achieved with stacked batteries, which i have (2x aw 18350). i can no way get any kind of noticeable increase in voltage over 4.5v at 1.2ohm when i have just a single cell in there. it most definitely does get hotter and hotter when stacked, i have to lay off at like 5.5v cus it's not pleasant, but it shows it is working.

 

[thevyrus]

yes larzis, that was one i was looking at, the Pure. hopefully when i get back it will be more readily available. high end piece of kit for a reasonable price.