KiK Vape 02
KiK are based in Manchester and supply a range of vaping hardware alongside their own products and a very extensive E-Liquid range. The KiK Vape 02 which they sell is made in China and features a pen like design and it is offered as a starter kit for new vapers. The device has a 900mAh internal battery and comes with a KiK Protank Clearomizer.
There are a lot of vape pen style starter kits available on the market and most are very similar, even so let’s have a good look and see how this one compares.
KiK Vape 02 features
- 900 mAh Battery
- USB Charging.
- eGo Threaded Connection.
- LED Indicator.
- Simple to use.
What’s in the box?
- 1x Vape 02.
- 1x Mouthpiece Cover.
- 1x KiK Protank Clearomizer with Pre-Fitted Coil.
- 1x Micro USB Charging Cable.
- Instruction Card.
KiK 02 Vape Pen styling and build quality
In my opinion the KiK Vape 02 is a very well put together device. Everything is nicely streamlined and the pen like design means it is discrete, fairly lightweight and easily pocketed. You can purchase this device in one of six different colours. I received the one in black and the finish is very good with no signs of wear in the short time I have spent using it. The Vape 02 has a single fire button (seems like it is made from aluminium) that is responsive, rattle free and makes for an almost completely flush fit so there is very little chance of you accidentally knocking it.
The device has a 900mAh internal battery which can be charged via the included Micro USB cable. It goes without saying that you should not try to charge this device via phone chargers or wall plugs. Unlike a typical vaping device the Vape 02 does not have a standard 510 thread but instead uses the older eGo type and as such it will only be compatible with specific atomizers that threading.
The logos on this device are kept to an absolute minimum with only the company brand name being printed near the bottom of the device. The included KiK Pro Tank is also well made and is constructed from metal and glass. The tank uses replaceable coils and it is very simple to take apart. While the tank does have a maximum 2.0ml capacity KiK recommends that you only fill it to 75% full (1.5ml). There are a couple of minor cons namely the fact that is has no adjustable airflow and secondly the metal drip tip is machined as part of the tank and cannot be replaced.
Ease of use
This device is ideal for a newcomer to vaping because of its simplicity.
- Five clicks of the fire button powers the device on and off. Hold the fire button to vape. The LED flashes when the device is switched on and off and is illuminated when vaping.
- Priming and filling the tank is straightforward but since you only get on included coil it is important that you do this properly. Unscrew the base of the tank and remove the coil.
- Add a few drops of juice to the wicking which protrudes from the base of the coil. Replace the coil and then fill up the tank by putting your juice bottle nozzle to the side and make sure not to squeeze any liquid into the round centre hole.
- Fill the tank three quarters full and then screw the base back on.
- Leave the tank sitting upright for a good five to ten minutes to make sure the wicking in the coil is fully saturated. If you don’t allow enough time you run the risk of burning the coil.
How does it vape?
In terms of vape quality it is in some respects a little hard for me to review this product because like a lot of people who have vaped long-term my style has greatly evolved and I feel when it comes to Evod style starter kits I have to reference Jedi Master Yoda and unlearn what I have learnt or at the very least forget about it so I don’t make unfair comparisons.
Making use of some KiK Tobacco Blend E-Liquid that I also received for review I primed the coil and filled up the tank. I allowed at least five minutes before I started vaping. My first vape certainly recreated some nostalgia because the Protank has an extremely restrictive draw, in fact far too restrictive for me to even enjoy. For other vapers out there imagine the Kayfun Lite+ on its most restrictive airflow setting and then make that draw two or three times more restrictive. Now in fairness this will probably be fine for someone who routinely smokes a packet of Silk Cut a day but in my opinion not for anyone else.
One thing that initially surprised me was the amount of throat hit I got but that made sense later when I noticed the bottle I had received was 6mg strength and not my typical 3mg so this was down to an error in juice strength and nothing to do with the nicotine delivery of the tank.
The flavour I got from the Pro Tank was pretty decent in comparison to other similar clearomizers on the market and it might actually be a good enough vape if you planning on using a very high strength E-Liquid when you first make the transition to vaping. Obviously it falls short in terms of flavour against atomizers like the Aspire Nautilus and is quite clearly no comparison with low cost Sub Ohm tanks like the Innokin iSub but then it is only a basic clearomizer and you can’t expect miracles.
Vapour production is rather limited but might actually be okay if you are not used to anything better. In fairness I would say it is reasonable if you were to compare it with other vape pen starter kits. In some ways despite the fact that the device is well made it does feel a bit old hat to me and even lacks the limited Variable Wattage adjustment dial that the old Kanger VW Evod I owned three years ago had but thinking back I’m not so sure if it ever made a significant difference so its absence here is probably a moot point.
The battery only has a 900mAh capacity but considering the coils are using very little power it should last a modest user the majority of the day. Coil life is something you do have to take into account and while a good coil should last a week’s worth of moderate use you will need to make sure you have plenty of replacements if you intend to stick with vaping. The coils are currently priced at £4.95 for a pack of three.
Conclusion
While the KiK Vape 02 certainly compares well to other vape pen style starter kits currently available there is no guarantee that this kind of device will actually help you to quit smoking. I initially started with similar devices and the temptation to go back to smoking was always there until I bought my first mechanical mod along with an RDA (Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer).
Three years ago when I first quit these devices were okay to start with when there was very little choice and something better would cost you much more but these days the customer has a vast amount of products to choose from and I personally think you can get far bang for your buck if you were to spend just a little more than the £19.95 this device retails at.
Having said that I don’t want to suggest that this product is poor in any way because as far as vape pen style starter kits go this is certainly a decent one that is well made and it offers a more than acceptable vape. In addition it is also very discrete and easy to carry around with the added advantage that replacement coils for this kind of included tank can be found everywhere!
One let down is that you only get one included coil and I feel this product would be better if it included two since the potential exists for a new user to accidentally burn their first coil.
While I do think you can certainly consider alternatives that will give you a far better vape this is still a reasonably priced all in one starter kit that is worth a look especially if you only want something simple to use and lightweight that offers a very restrictive draw and it will give you a good introduction to vaping!
Many thanks to KiK who sent this device to Planet of the Vapes for us to review. If you would like to purchase the Vape 02 Kit you can get it directly from KiK.
VapeMaster
Reviewer at POTVJoin the discussion
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