Only about 8% of the national debt is owned by China.
And if you think you aren't buying Chinese when you buy from an American vendor, you are just naive.
- Status
Only about 8% of the national debt is owned by China.
And if you think you aren't buying Chinese when you buy from an American vendor, you are just naive.
I tend to buy clones because I like fiddling with things and feel a bit more confident doing that with a $20 device than I would a $200 device.
Also for me it comes down to one simple thing, these are all metal tubes with a button... same as a flashlight. I can see spending a premium on an atty if it's well crafted, because there's a lot more going on there... but a mod? yes, some look a bit more finished, some have better design tolerances, but they are still just metal tubes with a button. I personally find it hard to understand why that has to cost $200 for a premium one just because someone spent $5-10 to laser etch a logo on it.
Also for me it comes down to one simple thing, these are all metal tubes with a button... same as a flashlight. I can see spending a premium on an atty if it's well crafted, because there's a lot more going on there... but a mod? yes, some look a bit more finished, some have better design tolerances, but they are still just metal tubes with a button. I personally find it hard to understand why that has to cost $200 for a premium one just because someone spent $5-10 to laser etch a logo on it.
Maybe it's just me but I don't want to run 10-30 Amps though something that I'm scared might break. The extra money is buying me that piece of mind that when I hit the fire button, I don't end up holding a pipe bomb.
I do my best to buy quality U.S. products. I will also buy European products. That's my choice. Your choice is yours alone.
If after all these years, and all the vv/vw chinese clones, Provari is still part of the conversation...well that speaks volumes on this topic.
Btw...REO is still the best mech mod/ most versatile.
Tried many, but at the end of the day those two are still part of the daily arsenal...for many.
Btw...REO is still the best mech mod/ most versatile.
Tried many, but at the end of the day those two are still part of the daily arsenal...for many.
I would have been burning $220.00 a month up in empty packs, ashes, and butts for the past 3 years anyway if it wasn't for vaping..
Instead, I at least have some nice gear (including a few clones) to show for it.. 
Only own 1 mod clone atm....and if things stay getting better like they are. I will buy more! Only mech mod that has made me want to spend the money based on looks is the Nzonic V3 thus far. The rest all look very nice......but not enough to justify the price for ME. lol I do want a nice Hybrid though ...and several high end atty's
I'd buy original if I had the money, just for the superior workmanship. But since I lost most of my retirement, coins are pretty tight around here, so thank goodness for clones. Love my dream 804s.
But clone or original, we still have to be very careful in what we're using and make sure everything is together correctly. I've seen posts about shorts from chobras to kayfuns to ea's to immortalizers. I constantly check everything I use.
some of us don't so we feel like only burning it once
while I will give them kudos as the quality is coming up lately but until I can go to a website, talk to the guys who design them, make them and repair them, order some parts, watch a couple videos, and have the ability to send it in for service like I can with atmizone, i'll leave the clones to someone else.
You can talk about cost verses performance all day. but when I spend money I dont think I should be responsible for making things better or work like they should, I prefer to pay someone else to do the QA check for me.
Last edited:
The clones are catching up. In the case of a Roller vs. a Sig 20, the comparison is a joke. They sorta look a like and that's where it ends. The Sig has a .... load of voltage drop, gets 'fry an egg' hot, and is downright dangerous. While the Roller is a precision tuned, low tolerance, hard hitting piece of vaping ingenuity. However, the cloner's R&D departments are taking notes(from this forum I expect) and evolving. The newer Grand Vapor clones are shameless logo stealing rip offs but they work GREAT. If you want to know if a genuine M16 is 150 dollars better than Fasttech's knockoff, the answer is NO WAY! Cloners are now using all brass contacts and ditching the crappy pot metal springs. 20 dollar mech clones are coming with self adjusting, silver plated positive posts and fully functional magnetic switches. If you do your research, you can get a $30 clone that performs as well as a $200 original. There are still really crappy knockoffs on the market but they are fizzing out. It's kind of sad for the true craftsmen and artisans but it is what it is. At this point, you really can't answer this question without envoking the morality clause of the discussion. And as far as customer service is concerned; should I really need to be able to get support for a 200 buck mod? I hope, for that price, it will work without incident for a decade.
Last edited:
I could go into much more detail but will save all of the reading for you all. In it's simplest form:
All capitalism is based on greed. America started it. Wal-Mart an American company is the hallmark of capitalism.
The Chinese are filling a market left open by the current Supply/Demand shortages provided by our beloved high end mod builders. Is their quality as good. In some cases very close in fact almost indiscernible vs the real deal besides you knowing its a clone. In others its absolute rubbish. If your smart and allow the people who just have to buy them to buy them immediate and allow them to be your guinea pigs you can certainly weed out the ones warranting a purchase vs the junk still at a HUGE savings vs the original.
Some will buy because its made in the U.S. good for you! Support your local small independents. Being a business owner myself I could go on w/ the blatant issues with our lovely U.S. system but won't.
Something costing more does not always mean it's better or warrants the price. True story.
Buying a high end mod is quite like purchasing a Rolex. They both do basically the same thing as many of the cheaper devices but at the same time "it's a Rolex". You make a purchase like this based on self gratification and vanity. You worked hard for your success...why not enjoy and subtly or not o subtly show your worth to every one around you...Especially if you came from nothing. Check newly wealthy hip hop stars for validation of this point in it's more blatant regard.
Most wealthy people appear average and some even poor. Take Sam Walton for an example of this prior to his passing.
So to end this:
With enough research a quality clone will perform very well in fact damn near identical without need for modification if you made your choice wisely.
If you can afford it and actually find an original available GET one for the e-cig forum e-peen status as well as knowing you have the real deal.
All capitalism is based on greed. America started it. Wal-Mart an American company is the hallmark of capitalism.
The Chinese are filling a market left open by the current Supply/Demand shortages provided by our beloved high end mod builders. Is their quality as good. In some cases very close in fact almost indiscernible vs the real deal besides you knowing its a clone. In others its absolute rubbish. If your smart and allow the people who just have to buy them to buy them immediate and allow them to be your guinea pigs you can certainly weed out the ones warranting a purchase vs the junk still at a HUGE savings vs the original.
Some will buy because its made in the U.S. good for you! Support your local small independents. Being a business owner myself I could go on w/ the blatant issues with our lovely U.S. system but won't.
Something costing more does not always mean it's better or warrants the price. True story.
Buying a high end mod is quite like purchasing a Rolex. They both do basically the same thing as many of the cheaper devices but at the same time "it's a Rolex". You make a purchase like this based on self gratification and vanity. You worked hard for your success...why not enjoy and subtly or not o subtly show your worth to every one around you...Especially if you came from nothing. Check newly wealthy hip hop stars for validation of this point in it's more blatant regard.
Most wealthy people appear average and some even poor. Take Sam Walton for an example of this prior to his passing.
So to end this:
With enough research a quality clone will perform very well in fact damn near identical without need for modification if you made your choice wisely.
If you can afford it and actually find an original available GET one for the e-cig forum e-peen status as well as knowing you have the real deal.
I purchase high-end mods instead of clones because I like to support the creator of the mod. Without the original there wouldnt be anything to clone.
I did however purchase a chi-you clone as a beater.
I did however purchase a chi-you clone as a beater.
REO is the best?
I tho they lost 80% of customers so far and counting...
There is a reality corner, where Authentic mod cost to built is 50$ and it's selling for $300, then clone will come up and selling price will be $39...
Verdict : dont overprice your mods... then there is no point/room for Chine to clone!
It's like Sigelei clone of Smoktech... lol , who buys these with $15 difference????
All you have to do is look at the sheer number of new REO owners from week to week, and positive experiences in their sub-forum to know otherwise...
I also watch the classifieds, and see how quickly used REOs sell for close to their retail price... VERY quickly. Reos Mods
All you have to do is look at the sheer number of new REO owners from week to week, and positive experiences in their sub-forum to know otherwise...
Reos Mods
Sorry, I dont have to look anywhere, my respond was to a fun boy with statement that "REO is the best".
Regarding how many new Rio owners, I am sure simple poll will do the math.
Sigelei vs Rio 80/20
Provari vs Rio 90/10 and keep going.
Now with DNA 20 in tube mod .... I dont know why some one will spend $200 on old technology and lower support Rio at all?
one thing being overlooked in these arguments is the fact that up until very recently the clones were pure garbage. they are getting better though.
REO has some of the best support directly from the maker available.. ("REO" IS the maker's initials) Right up there with ProVape. Ask me how I know? I've been using both REO's & ProVari's for years..
As for why folks pay $144.00 for a new REO Grand? Perhaps because they're made in the USA, have great customer support & warranty, milled from a solid block of aircraft-grade aluminum, carry 6ml of juice on-board, are bottom-fed, and work great with BF RBA's.. Perhaps you should try one for yourself before you make opinions based upon no personal experience whatsoever..
EDIT: I also own and use some of the better quality GG clones too..
I tried most all of the popular Chinese VV / VW mods as well. They are gone, but I still have a couple ProVari's..
Last edited:
The answer is obviously not, the chinese clones, ESPECIALLY of Mechs are usually 75%-90% as good as the "American" products sold out of these stores, sometimes they are better. Any moral quandary about it being "un-american" to buy chinese is imagined, and frankly insulting to those manufacturers that can make a good product at a decent price in this country... and to capitalism and a free market itself. More to the point, unless you're so rich that the difference between $300 and $30 eludes you, you're either a fool or just plain lazy to say that having to "tinker" with your mod is worth the 900% markup.
I think the answer to the op's question is yes and no. A mod is only worth what your willing to pay for it. That being said, I own several high ends mods and don't really regret paying for them because I wanted them. I do feel they are overpriced but as of right now, vapers don't have a choice because the mod makers choose this price range for high ends. Like most people that have bought some high end greek mods, the CS from the mod makers are awesome. It's great to have a mod maker offer good support for their products and care about their customers. You end up having sort of a relationship with them where you don't want to betray them by purchasing a copy of their products. That's understandable. I feel that way with Atmizoo due to their CS.
I do believe there will be a change in the future. I feel that the prices will lower and classifieds will stop having people demanding prices that are equal or higher for something used. Look at EA mods in the classifieds. Low production is what is keeping these prices up. What happens when more clones of good quality start showing up 1/5 to 1/8 the price of the real one. More and more vapers will buy them and won't have that urge anymore to buy the expensive originals unless they really want the real thing. The modders will have more and more stock of their mods and devices sitting on the shelves. I feel that allot of vapers want performance and quality more than a name brand. To be honest, what even makes them "name brand" products. No one outside the forums know about them. The rest of the world don't care? If you brought your Nemesis to work and yelled out loud that you have a nemesis mod from Greece, no one would know what you were talking about. If they knew how much you paid for it, they would probably think your crazy. Quitting smoking habit to only to develop a spending habit.
I know I'm at a point where I can control my self more when high end mods and devices become available. I'm not sure if it's due to clones or the fact that I have enough stuff that I need. The Russian for example. How many owners of it will end up buying the real Kayfun? From the reviews and the comments of people that have received theirs already rave on how well built it is and how good it performs to the real thing. $78 co-op price vs $175 real RBA price. Who's the fool? The one that is vaping a fake kayfun or the one that paid $96 more just to let people who they probably will never meet in real life, know they have one? When I first got into vaping, I wanted a Chi you but it was never available. Didn't want to jump through hoops to get it or pay flippers with their ridiculous asking prices. Planned on getting in the preorders for september but then the clone came out. I spent a 2 weeks looking at it, hesitating because I wanted the real thing. I finally got it after seeing all the reviews. Just like what everyone is say. It's a solid mod. I think the fact they copied everything, including the logo's is pretty shameful. Nevertheless, it basically put all thoughts of getting the real Chi you in the back burner. Maybe I'll have one in the future, who knows. I just realized that I wanted the performance and appearance. Not the whole "Unicorn" mumbo jumbo. I will never pass it off as the real thing. It doesn't even bother me that it's not because when I vape it, it delivers what I'm asking for. I think it would be more embarrassing explaining to someone at work that I paid $225 for a mod vs I paid $33 for a copy but it's close to the real thing. The Nemesis clone is coming out soon. I have a real one but being that the clone is being made from the Hcigar, I will end up grabbing 1 or 2. I just don't want to spend another $220 when I can probably get 2 close copies for half the price of 1 real Nemesis.
I'm pretty sure allot of people won't agree with me but right or wrong, this is just my thoughts about the subject.
I do believe there will be a change in the future. I feel that the prices will lower and classifieds will stop having people demanding prices that are equal or higher for something used. Look at EA mods in the classifieds. Low production is what is keeping these prices up. What happens when more clones of good quality start showing up 1/5 to 1/8 the price of the real one. More and more vapers will buy them and won't have that urge anymore to buy the expensive originals unless they really want the real thing. The modders will have more and more stock of their mods and devices sitting on the shelves. I feel that allot of vapers want performance and quality more than a name brand. To be honest, what even makes them "name brand" products. No one outside the forums know about them. The rest of the world don't care? If you brought your Nemesis to work and yelled out loud that you have a nemesis mod from Greece, no one would know what you were talking about. If they knew how much you paid for it, they would probably think your crazy. Quitting smoking habit to only to develop a spending habit.
I know I'm at a point where I can control my self more when high end mods and devices become available. I'm not sure if it's due to clones or the fact that I have enough stuff that I need. The Russian for example. How many owners of it will end up buying the real Kayfun? From the reviews and the comments of people that have received theirs already rave on how well built it is and how good it performs to the real thing. $78 co-op price vs $175 real RBA price. Who's the fool? The one that is vaping a fake kayfun or the one that paid $96 more just to let people who they probably will never meet in real life, know they have one? When I first got into vaping, I wanted a Chi you but it was never available. Didn't want to jump through hoops to get it or pay flippers with their ridiculous asking prices. Planned on getting in the preorders for september but then the clone came out. I spent a 2 weeks looking at it, hesitating because I wanted the real thing. I finally got it after seeing all the reviews. Just like what everyone is say. It's a solid mod. I think the fact they copied everything, including the logo's is pretty shameful. Nevertheless, it basically put all thoughts of getting the real Chi you in the back burner. Maybe I'll have one in the future, who knows. I just realized that I wanted the performance and appearance. Not the whole "Unicorn" mumbo jumbo. I will never pass it off as the real thing. It doesn't even bother me that it's not because when I vape it, it delivers what I'm asking for. I think it would be more embarrassing explaining to someone at work that I paid $225 for a mod vs I paid $33 for a copy but it's close to the real thing. The Nemesis clone is coming out soon. I have a real one but being that the clone is being made from the Hcigar, I will end up grabbing 1 or 2. I just don't want to spend another $220 when I can probably get 2 close copies for half the price of 1 real Nemesis.
I'm pretty sure allot of people won't agree with me but right or wrong, this is just my thoughts about the subject.
Last edited:
- Status