Carlos, Author at E-Cigs Advice

Every once in awhile, a handsome mod comes into the scene and steals our hearts. This is one of them. Largely remaining under the radar, the XVOStick by Mini E-Cig is an underrated mod that not only looks good, it performs well, and is tough as nails to boot. But at £40-£50, is it worth it? PACKAGING & DESIGN The XVOStick comes in a simple box, with just the mod inside. Despite the spartan affair, the real star of the show is the mod itself. Mine came in black, though you have the option to choose blue instead. It is a heavy bit of kit and fits well in the hand. The anodized finish makes it a pleasure to hold, and according to the maker, Chels, has a hardness of 60 on the Rockwell Scale. There's a feeling of reassurance when you hold the mod, the weight is substantial and the overall girth is more than other mods, but not in an inconvenient way. I've had this mod for nearly a year now, and it has had its fair share of bumps and bruises. Despite my rough handling, there are no chips or dents anywhere. The finish is as pristine as ever, and functionality is still flawless. Mind you, I don't baby my mods so this speaks highly of the toughness of the XVOStick. The mod is leak-proof, which means any e-juice from a leaky tank or atomizer won't damage the electronics inside. This is especially useful since the 510 connector is recessed and you won't be able to check for leaks as easily as you would in other mods. Perhaps the only bad design flaw of the mod is the button placement. Made of stainless steel, the buttons are of high quality, however, the way it is positioned on the mod makes for some awkward handling. The fire button and +/- buttons are bunched up near the bottom of the device, which means you have to either use your pinky to fire the mod, or you stretch your index finger down to do so. It takes some getting used to and is not much of an issue, but it can be a deal breaker for some who prefer having a comfortable grip on their mods. Another design "quirk" is the screen placement. The screen is located at the bottom of the mod. For some this might be a hassle, but personally, I find it perfect. Since the XVOStick is a somewhat stealthy device, having the screen tucked away under the mod makes it even more stealthy and contributes to the sleek, minimalist look of the device. It’s powered by a removable single 18650 battery. This can be accessed via a screw-on cover on top of the device. The battery should be placed positive side DOWN. However, don't worry if you have it one backwards. The device simply won't turn on. No damage will be done. KIT CONTENTS 1 x MOD 1 x USB Charger SPECIFICATIONS Variable Wattage : 1 - 40W Output Voltage: 3.7V Aluminum oxidation body Resistance range: 0.2 - 2.0 ohm TC range: 200 - 600F 510 thread and no spring electrode Temperature Control Single 18650 battery FUNCTIONALITY The XVOStick comes with a DNA40 chip, and as such, features temperature control, up to 40 watts of power, 0.1 incremental wattage adjustment, and the usual slew of safety features such as: reverse battery protection and temperature protection. The mod itself has a floating 510 connector, which means any atomizer can fit easily. The DNA chip also features several modes including: locked mode, stealth mode, right and left mode, power locked mode, max temperature adjust, and Celsius mode. To lock the device, you’ve got the standard ‘press the fire button five times’ functionality. The screen will turn off save for a message saying it is locked when you fire the button. To unlock, click the fire button five times again. You can turn the screen off for the ultimate stealth setup. This can be activated by holding the fire and down buttons for five seconds while in locked mode. To revert back to normal mode, simple hold the fire and down buttons for five seconds again. To toggle the left/right mode, you simply hold the fire and up buttons at the same time for five seconds while in locked mode. Power locked mode prevents accidentally changing the wattage. The mod will function normally, except that you can't change wattage or temperature unless you exit power locked mode. This can be activated by pressing the up and down buttons for two seconds. To return to normal mode, press both buttons again for two seconds. Max temperature adjust simply toggles the maximum temperature allowed. While in locked mode, hold the up and down buttons for two seconds. This will allow you to adjust the max temperature allowed. Once set, simply press the fire button to lock it in. Finally, if you prefer Celsius over Fahrenheit (Temp Control), you can access this by going to Max Temperature Adjust mode. Once in, adjust the temp to below 200F and the screen will display the degree in Celsius. As with Max Temperature Adjust mode, you exit by locking the setting by pressing the fire button. DISPLAY As mentioned, the display is located below the mod. Some may find it awkward, but I find its placement perfect. The screen is standard 0.69" DNA sized, and displays the battery level, the ohms, current watts, and voltage output – all the important stuff. If used in temperature control mode, the temperature will show instead of the wattage. The screen is bright and all info can be easily read. Even in bright days, you can read the screen albeit with a little squinting. DISLIKES Buttons rattle Screen placement may not be for everyone Button placement can be awkward 510 Pin not spring loaded LIKES Attractive design Sturdy construction using anodized aluminium Stealthy Small & Compact Leak-proof SHOULD YOU GET THE XVOSTICK? Having used the XVOStick for nearly a year, would I recommend it to other vapers? Yes I would if you’ve got the cash for it. It isn’t an inexpensive MOD, but if you want quality, you generally have to pay for it. Since I got my XVOStick, I've had several other mods after it. All were relegated as "back up" devices, while the XVOStick remains my main go-to MOD. I’d recommend the XVOStick to advanced users who are happy with a max wattage of 40W and are looking for a stealthy mod to go with their favorite tank. Newbies could benefit with this as well as it’s easy to use, but if you love switching out tanks with atomizers, it's best to stick with other more conventional mods.