V2 Cigs e-cigarette review

V2 Cigs E Cigarette Review 2013

V2 Cigs is a manufacturer of mini e-cigarettes (also called e-cigs, personal vaporizers or PVs) and accessories, claiming to be “America’s #1 Electronic Cigarette,” with over a million satisfied customers.

Products

V2 Cigs offers an entire line of mini e-cig vaping products. Complete kits at various price points are available, from the V2 Express Kit (one e-cig device and mini USB charger) to the V2 Ultimate Kit (loaded with batteries, cartomizers, carrying cases, and a slew of accessories). Individual items can be purchased too, including drip tips, adaptors, juices and flavored cartomizers.

V2 Batteries

V2 batteries wield 4.2 volts of power to produce clouds of vapor, and automatically shut off when not in use, preserving and extending the overall life of each battery.

The manual or automatic batteries come in three lengths, each with their own estimated number of puffs per full charge. Measurements below are of each battery alone, followed with measurements of the length of a fully assembled unit, including an attached cartomizer. Prices noted are per battery (not per assembled unit):

Shorty: 67mm (100mm)
The shorty length is closest to the length of a standard analog (traditional) cigarette
160+ puffs
2 hour charging time
Retails for $16.95

Standard: 79mm (110mm)
The standard length is V2′s most popular battery
200+ puffs
2-3 hour charging time
Retails for $19.95

Long: 110mm (140mm)
Over an inch longer than an analog’s “100′s” length, this is V2′s longest lasting battery
300+ puffs
4 hour charging time
Retails for $22.95

Battery casing colors for all sizes are as follows:

Classic White battery with red led tip
Sleek Black battery with blue led tip
Stainless Steel battery with blue led tip
Metallic Blue battery with white led tip

The difference between the manual and automatic batteries is the process through which the vaping is triggered. Manual batteries are activated by depressing a small rubber button located on the battery, while automatic batteries activate through the process of drawing in a puff. Note that when a manual’s button is depressed, the battery is activated, even if you are not drawing on the unit.

V2 Cig’s manual batteries cut-off after ten seconds, so, if your draws are extremely long, the V2′s vapor production may cut out on you. But for most vapers, ten seconds is more than enough time to produce a satisfying draw. Whether using an automatic or a manual, long draws may result in noticeable heating of the battery.

Even with the manual’s 10-second shut-off, use care when storing a manual battery in a pocket, purse or any location where the button could possibly be pressed by accident. Storing manual or automatic PVs in a case removes the risk of accidental activation and protects your device from scratches or other damage. Some cases can also charge your PVs!

As with all electronic cigarettes offered in both manual and automatic models, there is ongoing debate as to which mode is best. Evidence suggests that manual batteries tend to last longer, but part of that longevity depends upon the vaper’s correct operation of the button. This is somewhat similar to the claim that manual shift transmissions in cars last longer than automatic transmissions, when those automotive results also depend somewhat on the skillful operation of the driver.

While manual batteries tend to produce more vapor, a clear benefit of automatic batteries is their intuitive ease: no buttons to press; just take a puff to activate the vapor. The only way to determine which style is right for you is to give both models a try and see which you prefer.

Cartridges & Liquids

 

The cartridge that must be attached to the battery to operate the device is a cartomizer, or “carto”–a cartridge holding vaping liquid (or “juice”), combined with an atomizer that transforms the juice into the fine mist that, when heated by the battery, produces smoke-like vapor.

Cartos are available in traditional tobacco flavors and other flavors, in four nicotine strengths from 18mg/ml down to 0mg/ml. To get a general idea of V2′s tobacco flavors, “V2 Red” is similar to Marlboro analogs, “Congress” tastes akin to Parliament and Sahara is reminiscent of a Turkish blend, like Camel. Other flavors are Crisp Cool Minty, Sweet Mint, Mint Tea, Classic Menthol, Vanilla, Coffee, Chocolate, Cherry, Cola and Grape.

The (non-rechargeable) V2 Disposables have either 18mg or 6mg of nicotine, and come in V2 Regular (American cigarette tobacco blend taste) or V2 Fresh Mint Menthol flavors.

V2′s cartos are refillable Kanger KR808s, so don’t think that you have to toss them out once they’re emptied. Go ahead and fill them back up with your own juice to squeeze repeated uses out of them. Kanger cartos have a good reputation for quality, and can be reused several times. One word of caution, though: if the carto was drained dry to the point where a slightly burnt taste came into play, best to toss the carto out and replace it with a fresh one. The process for cleaning out the nasty taste of smoky burn is a difficult and time-consuming task that may not even result in a clean carto after all your valiant efforts.

Vapor Production

V2 Cigs’ 4.2 volt batteries, whether manual or automatic, produce respectable amounts of vapor.

A benefit of manual batteries is the increased amount of vapor they can produce when compared with the level of vapor produced through automatic batteries. However, there’s usually a slight trade-off: more vapor often translates to less flavor. And, while automatics may produce slightly less vapor, they tend to be richer in flavor.

Pricing and Value for the Money

Pricing and value must be considered along with a vaper’s style of use. Occasional vapers may find disposable units more cost-effective than purchasing large kits, while vaping enthusiasts will find bargains through larger purchases.

As is the case for most e-cigarette product lines, V2 Cig’s disposable units manufactured for ready-made “one-time” use are more expensive per use than rechargeable and refillable units. Of course, the payoff is in the convenience of their disposability. Such disposable units are great for on-the-go vaping when you don’t want to lug around (and possibly lose) your pet vaping kit and accessories. The disposable one-time-use unit is also perfect for people new to vaping, and who wish to explore the vaping experience before investing in more expensive kits.

Overall, new vapers will find the V2 line quite affordable for discovering and beginning vaping. Both the 3-pack V2 Disposables Kit and the rechargeable single V2 Express Kit are priced at about $25; a very reasonable price tag for those curious to try vaping. A more complete set including extra carts and an additional charger can be had for under $50, which is quite a bargain compared with comparable offerings from other manufacturers. More deluxe kits come with higher price tags, but include more product for the money.

Before placing an order for V2 Cig’s or any e-cig company’s products, search around online for discount codes and other specials. It’s often possible to save anywhere from 5% to 25% or occasionally even more just by spending a few minutes sleuthing online for promotions.

Customer Service

V2 Cigs backs up their claim to be #1 in customer service by making themselves accessible Mondays through Saturdays. Customers can call V2′s toll-free phone number, or, through the V2 website, request a return call from V2 Cigs’ customer service. Customers can also chat live with an online representative during regular customer service hours.

V2 offers a 30-day 100% money back guarantee on specific products only. The company also offers a “lifetime” warranty that V2 Cigs’ electronic components will be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use and service for the life of the products. See more info on these policies below.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

The V2 Cig line is a great option for anyone wanting to try out e-cigs affordably. The shape, size and overall design of the V2 minis are somewhat similar to familiar cigarettes, and toting them around is convenient; both of which eases transitioning from analogs. Unlike many other e-cig manufacturers, V2 offers a guarantee and warranty. In addition to its customer service department being available via live chat or phone six days a week, V2′s website also offers an online forum for vapers to participate in.

Cons:

If you fall in love with vaping, you may discover that the V2 minis don’t produce the voluminous clouds of vapor you might prefer. Also, the V2′s don’t allow for the variable customization that’s available with other manufacturer’s mods, so you may want to move up in due time from the V2 mini line to other devices that pack more of a wallop. V2′s guarantee and warranty policies have some notable exceptions; read the fine print, or you may be in for a surprise.

Guarantee/Warranty 

V2′s 30-day 100% money back guarantee applies only to V2 starter kits, only if the purchase was made through the V2 Cigs website and only if the kit still has all its original packaging. And, the guarantee does not include shipping or handling costs.

The company’s website states, “If you are unsatisfied with your starter kit for any reason, we will refund your original purchase price in full—no questions asked!” However, in the fine print, it clarifies that “misused, damaged or broken starter kits will not be refunded,” which seems to be at odds with the company’s previous promise to refund “for any reason.”

The guarantee does not apply to liquids, cartridges or disposable products. Other accessories, and individual batteries, may be returned within 30 days; however, those are subject to a 15% restocking fee. Again, V2 will not honor the guarantee for misused, damaged or broken products.

V2 also offers a warranty; however, the warranty’s “lifetime” moniker is somewhat misleading. Although V2 does cover its electronic components for the life of the devices, there is a cap of five replacements on any single order. Further–and more importantly–while the warranty itself never expires, the company will not honor the warranty unless the customer has purchased e-liquid or cartridge products from V2 within 90 days prior to filing any warranty claim. So, even if you have a warranty-covered V2 product, if you haven’t purchased items from V2 within three months and you file a warranty claim, you will be out of luck.

The main reason that V2 Cig’s refund and warranty policies were included under the “con” heading above is due to the company’s explicit declaration that products can be returned “for any reason,” only to have that statement nullified a short distance down on that same webpage. Customers who choose V2 Cig over another manufacturer primarily due to V2′s guarantee and warranty offers might be disappointed if they haven’t read the fine print.

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