Supplied by Moti for review
https://motiplanet.com/products/moti-play-mini
Price TBC (I’ve seen them advertised for as little as $11.99 on HealthCabin)
I reviewed the Moti Play pod kit a few months ago (https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/reviews/pod-systems/moti-play.html),
I loved the little thing and especially liked Moti’s different style and ‘mini’ style. Now Moti have released a more affordable and basic version; the Moti Play Mini, but it is actually the exact same size as the regular Moti Play. The ‘mini’ applies more to the basic-ness of it, oh and it’s lighter too.
Curiously they don’t boast about the weight in the specs; 42g is the number one difference that stood out to me. The regular Play was already light at 79g, and they cut it almost in half, plus they also shaved the price down to match. It has a lot less features than the Moti Play but you still end up with a very similar vape, I was expecting less but I was pleasantly surprised.
Unboxing
It all looks and feels a bit budget, the box looks more like the type that a pack of coils comes in. The device is sealed in a plastic bag which is easy to tear open.
What you see is what you get, just the device with just one refillable pod included, there’s no spare pod or charging cable, there wasn’t even a manual (not that you need one) but this is one of the most basic pod packages I have come across, but then this is how Moti intended it to be as a far more affordable alternative to the normal higher priced Moti Play. This makes it a viable alternative to disposable users looking to switch to a more sustainable way to vape, more on that later.
First Impressions and Overview
I’m having to forget my previous opinion of the Moti Play and consider the Moti Play Mini as is and for its own merits. With this in mind, I have to say I still love the size and shape of it. While it isn’t the smallest pod I’ve tried, it is still very small and fits easily into your hand, the dimensions are 80mm x 44mm x 12.5mm. It’s the 12.5mm that mostly stands out as a pretty thin device.
The curved aluminium body is comfortable but there’s very little going on with the styling. There’s the Moti Play Mini branding, a charging port on one edge, and a little single colour LED on the top. The pod is quite exposed but offers the most when it comes to the overall look of the Mini.
The bottom edge feels a bit hard as the corners of the aluminium extrusion are exposed and not chamfered. Usually that would be an issue when it comes to larger mods/pods but the weight makes it almost negligible.
42g with a full pod makes such a difference as it feels far more shirt pocket friendly and you barely notice it in jeans/trouser pockets. For its size and the 650mAh battery, it feels lighter than it looks.
The USB-C charging port is on one edge, you could charge it stood up but it is so light that it will likely fall over anyway, the LED status light is basic and only a single White LED which pulse illuminates as you charge it and goes out once fully charged, unfortunately it is only 5V/0.5A charging which is pretty slow by normal standards.
Controls
There aren’t any whatsoever, no buttons as it’s simply draw activated and the device auto-detects the pod/coil used to set its own power. This makes it as beginner friendly as it gets and is ideal for ex disposable users.
The pod is exactly the same size as the Moti Play original but there’s a big difference in this version as it is a refillable pod as opposed to a replaceable coil pod, BUT the pod is cross-compatible so you can use the replaceable coil version if you prefer. I think there will be the two different pod options available too.
One of the highlights of the original was the pod and how it fits, so I’m glad to see that it is exactly the same on the Mini. It is a magnetic fit which kinda slides into places. You would think it would fall off easily but no, it sits slightly into the body and remains in place really well, it feels like it’s all one piece.
Filling is the same too. It has a silicone bung on the inside edge which is easy to open and close, the fill port is generous and makes it pretty much mess free. The visibility is perfect and I could fill it right up to the top.
Going back to the size for a moment; you can judge it for yourselves here when it is stood by a 10ml bottle, aww ain’t it diddy! I have tanks bigger than this.
I could almost fit it inside my Drag 4 mod, possibly two side by side. The novelty of the size doesn’t fade either, and I’m equally impressed with the Mini as I was with the regular Moti Play.
Press PLAY (Performance)
Enough blabbering on about what is essentially a basic plug-n-play device, I keep going back to the original Play but I need to mention that the Mini is different as it has no adjustable airflow or adjustable wattage, so I wasn’t expecting much from it. It turns out the vape is just superb and it didn’t need any adjusting!
I’m so fussy when it comes to MTL vaping, loose airflow will always be a con, but the Moti Play Mini is absolutely blob on, just a smooth tight-ish MTL draw with plenty of flavour. I can’t be certain but I felt that the flavour appeared better in this refillable pod than the coil version, but I can’t verify as I don’t have any new coils to compare directly.
It handles ‘disposable’ style e-liquids well and lasted a good 15ml before I noticed any flavour drop-off, and I continued well into 20ml before I felt I needed to change pods.
I enjoyed using the device more than the original which did surprise me somewhat, mainly due to that weight difference and the simplicity of it which made it feel more convenient. I’m one of those people that fiddles and faffs with my vapes and this little thing balanced on my thumb while vaping which kept me mildly amused. The battery life was better than I expected, it matched 1.0ohm pod’s 2ml capacity easily, 3ml at a push, but you don’t know exactly when the battery will run out due to that single LED, I kept in the habit of 2ml = time to recharge.
Play vs Play Mini
The two are exactly the same size and use the same pods, but that’s where the similarity ends. The Play Mini is much more basic in functionality and looks, and it also has a smaller battery capacity (900mAh vs 650mAh).
The Moti Play offers these additional features:
- OLED Screen
- Variable Wattage
- Adjustable airflow
- Control buttons (with power On/Off options)
- 900mAh battery
- More styling with mixed material body
- Lanyard mount (lanyard included)
But the Moti Play Mini is much cheaper, lighter, and easier, yet you get at least the same vape quality from it. The choice is yours, the mini will suit inexperienced vapers more as all you need to do is fill the pod with e-liquid, wait 5-7 minutes then vape, refill when empty.
Personally I prefer the original Moti Play as it looks way better, but I did enjoy the Mini for its weight, and that new pod seemed better.
Moti also sent along the new Moti X Go which is yet another option, I’ve only had a quick look but I LOVE its ‘stubby’ size already, review coming soon…..
Pros
- Compact and thin
- 42g weight
- New refillable pod
- Simplicity
- Pod fitting
- Effective MTL airflow and smooth draw
- Flavour
- Affordable version
- Cross-compatible pods
Cons
- 0.5 Amp slow charging
- Bland styling
Final Thoughts and Score
Moti are fast becoming one of the big ‘play’ers in the vape market. Bringing out a simpler and cheaper version of the Play should appeal to beginners and disposable converts, I still liked it but the posher Play is always an upgrade option. Either one will give you a cracking MTL vape.
Score: 8/10 – Fair Play
Si Davies
Reviewer at POTVMy background is Engineering and Professional Photography. Mostly from POTV users knowledge I learned so much about pretty much all styles of vaping and equipment, Cloud Chasing, Squonking, Mouth To Lung, Direct To Lung, Pods, Mechs, Rebuild-able tanks and atomisers etc, and have experience with many many devices and atomisers, it's become a hobby and enjoy trying out the latest gear. I like to think my reviews are plain speaking and informative without getting too technical, if I have to resort to reading the manual then I don't consider it user friendly!
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