Uwell Caliburn GZ2 Kit
According to Simon, the new Uwell Caliburn GZ2 Pod Kit is the Zebra Elephant Goat Puncher! If you want to know if that is good or bad, you will just have to read his latest review!
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by Si Davies
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Supplied by Uwell for review
https://www.myuwell.com/products.html
Price TBC
Just when I thought I had Cali-burnout, Uwell bring out this little beauty. It was love at first sight and since it takes my favourite pod and coils, I might just marry it!
- Dimensions: 72.6mm (53.7mm without pod) by 28.8mm by 23.0mm
- Battery Capacity: 850mAh
- Max Wattage: 17W
- Voltage Range: 0.8-1.0ohm
- Chassis Material: Aluminium-Alloy
- Charging: Type-C Port
- Operation: Draw-Activated
- Pod Series: Caliburn G2 Pods
- Pod Capacity: 2mL
- Top Fill System
- Coil Support: Caliburn G Coils
- Pod Connection: Magnetic
- LED Indicator Light
- Vibration Notifications
I could list more features/specs but I will go into details in the review, but for such a little pod kit, it sure offers a lot, hence Uwell’s tagline ‘THE MINI, THE MIGHTY’.
Unboxing
The Caliburn GZ7 kit comes in the usual Caliburn style box with the device displayed in a clear window so you see the device and colour option, the specs, features and contents are displayed on the back of the box as well as the authentication sticker. Removing the outer sleeve shows the contents in one layer.
The contents are as you would expect from a starter kit, the device with a 0.8ohm coil preinstalled in the pod, a second 1.2ohm coil, the charging cable, and the instructions manual, basically all you need to get going is your own choice of e-liquid.
First Impressions and Overview
Though it might not look much sat in its box, it is when you first hold it that the Caliburn CZ2 begins to impress, the mini size especially stands out. Uwell have literally thought inside the box by squishing the Caliburn down into a box shape.
On the front face, it has the letters Z E G P laser-etched, I have absolutely no clue what these letters are for, Uwell likely have a clever meaning behind it like the KoKo (Keep on Keeping on) but I will have to come up with my own for now: Zebra Elephant Goat Puncher.
The photos might be deceiving as it looks a bit chunky, but I can easily hide it in my clenched fist (I’m a tight fisted b*stard), it just feels so compact and discreet. The dimensions are 72.6mm (53.7mm without pod) by 28.8mm by 23.0mm.
And it only weighs 47g with a full pod which is impressive for the amount of features this pod kit has, from what looks like a very basic pod on the outside, there a few tricks up its sleeve:
- 850mAh battery
- Adjustable airflow
- Haptic feedback vibration notifications
- Lanyard mount
- LED side colour lighting
- Replaceable coils
- Eliquid view window
- 5V/2A fast charging
- G2 easy fit replaceable coils
- Flip top-fill
- Auto wattage
- Auto-draw
While nothing is particularly innovative, it still feels like something new due to its small size.
The construction is a mix of Aluminium Alloy and Plastic, and it feels pretty sturdy. The outer edges are nicely curved which adds to the comfort, the only hard edges are on the top but you never feel them unless you really try.
I found it interesting the way Uwell came up with how to make essentially a Caliburn but half the height. Obviously it is thicker but that is by making it a Front to Back style (as opposed to a Side by Side) with the battery at the back of the pod. I don’t recall seeing this done before so it’s all new to me and I like it.
The inclusion of a lanyard mount feels like a bonus but also adds to its style. It is the same metal and colour of the body which feels pretty sturdy, the shape makes it very easy to fit your lanyard as long as it is a string type which simply slides through.
Uwell didn’t include a lanyard which is either a curse or blessing depending on your views of lanyards, I know that many folks don’t like them but I find them so useful when driving or when your hands are busy. I prefer to use my own simple lanyard over a loud branded one (like the KoKo), the Caliburn GZ2 suits a lanyard more than I expected, and the size and weight make it quite discreet.
Before I go into the pod details, I want to go over the LED light bars on either side. Photos won’t do them justice as I can’t show the smooth colour fading transitions, the RGB colours cycle but fade into each other making transition colours such as purple, cyan, pink etc. The light isn’t too bright either and you can fully cover them in your grip if you wanted to stealth vape. For me, the LEDs really add to the overall style and I still enjoy it after the novelty wore off.
The hardware aside, it’s the pod and coils that make the GZ2 complete. I have covered this pod in the G2 review and I think it is Uwell’s finest pod to date, the attention to detail really feels like it has been designed by a true vaper with fussy needs.
It is a friction fit rather than magnetic, as in it snaps into place and pulls out. While it might not be as easy as a magnetic fit to remove, it has the advantage of staying put, there’s no way this pod is going to fall out while stowed. Also it has top-fill so you only need to remove it when changing the coil.
It has replaceable coils so there’s minimal waste, even the coils are small and less wasteful, but don’t let the small coils put you off as they offer big performance (flavour and lifespan). I really like how Uwell have made them easy to fit and remove, there’s a recess so you can get a proper grip on the coil to pull it out. You do need to align a flat edge towards the airflow dial to refit though, but that’s pretty easy and intuitive.
The included coils are:
- 0.8ohm Caliburn Coil
- 1.2ohm Caliburn G2 Coil
The wattage range is irrelevant as the G2Z sets the wattage to the ohms of the coil and does a good job of providing the sweet spot.
As mentioned earlier, the pod is a top-fill, it is designed to flip off while fitted into the device so you never need to remove the pod to refill. The top-cap needs to be levered over with your thumb, it kind of snaps over. It becomes second nature once you know how it comes off, don’t try pulling it off as it isn’t designed for that, just lever it over from one of the large sides. The red hole is where you fill it through and it accepts standard 10ml bottles. Filling is generally mess free but if you over fill, it can escape through a breather hole.
Before you fit the pod for the first time, it is worth playing around with the rather natty airflow control dial built into the pod, you can see an open slot in the red dial, the more exposed gives you more airflow, close it off for a tighter draw. I found fully closing it gave me a very tight MTL draw, you only really know the effect once the pod is fitted so a bit of trial and error is involved, or should I say “suck it and see”.
Going back to the size, the photo of it next to a 10ml e-liquid bottle gives a great perspective of how small it is, the size novelty just doesn’t wear off.
Good, Good Vibrations (Haptic Feedback)
I almost forgot to mention the vibration function, you get a small vibration (haptic feedback) when you remove or refit the pod, it also vibrates when charging is complete (which is very handy), and it will vibrate if there are any errors such as short circuit protection. It’s a bit of a gimmick but that charge complete vibration was really useful.
Performance
I could almost copy'n'paste the performance from the Caliburn G2 review as it is essentially the same pod and coil with the Uwell chipset, that is a good thing, or should I say a great thing as the vape quality is just fantastic.
I began with the 0.8ohm mesh coil, I had my airflow dialled in how I like it and I got an instantly perfect MTL vape, full saturated, flavour, warm but not hot, smooth, and the auto-draw hit instantly. I can hand on heart declare that I know not of a finer MTL vape, strangely I preferred it because it was in the GZ2 device. The Uwell tagline ‘The Mini’ The Mighty’ rang true, I was getting a mighty fine vape from such a small device.
The 1.2ohm coil was pretty much as you would expect, think 33% less and it’s not far off, lower wattage, a bit cooler, and less intense, that doesn’t mean the flavour and vape quality is worse, it is just a milder version and suits those less greedy as I am. It is still a very good choice if battery life and lower juice consumption matters more to you.
Battery life was just superb, 850mAh is generous for a pod this size. It lasted me around 3ml with the 0.8ohm coil and over 4ml with the 1.2ohm. The fast charging was ideal, I was rarely left waiting more than 20 minutes before I heard that satisfying vibration.
Just to give you an idea of how it looks compared to the Caliburn A2S which is one of Uwell’s smallest Caliburns, as you can see it is much shorter but chubbier, but it offers more in the way of features, such as adjustable airflow, replaceable coils, and a larger battery, and even though at the time I said the LED lighting in the A3S was my favourite, I already prefer the GZ2 (I’m so fickle), basically it’s just better unless you prefer a taller thinner pod.
STOP PRESS
So we now have 1,652 versions of the Caliburn available, Uwell have decided we need even more! They also sent me the Caliburn AZ3, which is even smaller, think of it as an A2S squished as it takes the same replaceable pods and has the same lighting within the laser etched logo. I will be reviewing it shortly, but at least you know it will deliver that Caliburn vape quality.
Conclusion
I am seriously considering giving the Caliburn GZ2 a 10/10, I can’t fault the device and I love what Uwell have done with it. Paired with possibly the best MTL vape I’ve experienced, it is as close to a 10/10 of all the Caliburns to date, but to give it a 10 means it can’t get any better? Not if Uwell have anything to do with it as they keep on keeping on surprising me.
It is a great choice for beginners, disposable converts, and experienced vapers alike, I totally agree with Uwell’s ‘The Mini, The Mighty’ statement, if I was approached today and asked what’s the best starter kit to convert a smoker, I would say this is it.
Pros
- Mini and light weight
- Flavour perfection
- Well-engineered pod
- Adjustable airflow
- Subtle and cool lighting strips
- 850mAh battery
- Feels great in the hand
- Fast charging
- Haptic feedback
- Top-fill
- Replaceable coils
- Lanyard mount (easy fitting)
Cons
Not one, not so much as a niggle!
Final Thoughts and Score
I think you can tell by now just how much I love this little bugger, it takes me back to my shiny-itis days as I would have surely bought at least another one or two, Uwell have done it again and managed to add another worthy device to the Caliburn range. I just wonder how they can get better than this?
Score: 9.999999/10 - Zebra Elephant Goat Puncher
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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