Mod Reviews

Kangertech Subox Mini Kit

The Subox Mini kit actually encapsulates the new KBOX Mini and new Subtank Mini, packaged together to offer vapers a ready to use high power kit right out of the box. On first impressions, and pre release photographs, the Subox Mini kit looks a right stunner...

by Dan Willis
Aug 6, 2015

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Introduction to the Subox Mini

Kangertech have listened to the feedback and cold reception the KBOX got from most quarters, and come out firing with not just a totally redesigned KBOX Mini, but an upgraded Subtank Mini has been included in the package too boasting upgraded airflow, a redesigned Mini RBA deck and new and improved vertical OCC coils. The Subox Mini kit quite possibly is the most anticipated kit released to date, certainly on POTV it's been one of the most talked about, such is the reputation and popularity Kangertech have.

I’ve previously reviewed the KBOX and the Subtank Mini so do the upgraded versions that make up the Subox Kit offer a big improvement on the originals?

Specs

KBOX MINI

Dimensions: 82mm height, 22mm width
510 Threaded
Minimum Resistance: 0.3 ohm
Adjustable wattage settings: 7 to 50 watts using 0.1 watt increments
Zinc alloy casing
On/off - press the power button 5 times within 3 seconds to turn the device on or off
Low voltage protection
Low resistance protection
Short circuit protection
Reverse battery protection
Low battery warning
10 second cut off safety feature
More lightweight and compact compared to the original KBOX
Magnet battery cover
Utilizes one high amp 18650 battery (removable and sold separately)
Charged via USB (USB Cable included)

SUBTANK MINI

Dimensions: 68mm height (with drip tip), 22mm width
22mm Diameter
510 connector
RBA Coil with PEEK Insulator
Glass Tank
Sub-ohm 0.5ohm and LR 1.5 ohm Coil Included
Sub-ohm Coil provides incredible vapor production and flavor
Updated airflow control valve with dual slots
New Organic Cotton Coil Head
Organic Cotton made in Japan
Revamped mini RBA base
4.5ml liquid Capacity
Includes 1 x 510 delrin drip tip
510 Drip tip compatible

What's in the box?

We all know how Kangertech package their offerings these days, it’s synonymous with them, and the generous amount of spares they have included with previous offerings are present and correct here, plus more:

1x Kanger KBox Mini
1x Kanger Subtank Mini
1x 0.5ohm coil 15-60W (Direct to Lung inhale)
1x 1.5ohm coil 10-26W (Mouth to Lung inhale)
1x Mini RBA Section
1x Micro USB Charger
1x 100% Organic Japanese Cotton sheet for wicking the Mini RBA deck
3x 0.5ohm pre built coils for the Mini RBA deck
1x Blue screwdriver
4x Replacement RBA screws
2x Battery stickers (in black and red)

Already I don’t know of any other kit that offers you this much in one package. As usual Kangertech have really thought of everything, right down to the stickers you can put on your battery if you wish to make sure the visible part of the battery in the venting hole matches the colours used in the Subox. That is excellent attention to detail and highly commended.

Kbox Mini Looks

Kangertech have ‘borrowed’ the font Lamborghini use and emblazoned the side of the KBOX Mini with Kangertech in said font, which evokes images of a sleek and powerful unit. Of which the KBOX Mini is in my opinion! It’s a lot smaller than you would expect, I was surprised at the small size of it, and the zinc alloy finish is top notch, definitely not a scratch magnet so far. Pleasingly the battery cap, which I ended up really not liking on the KBOX due to it becoming very stiff over time, has been done away with a magnetic battery cover which is one of the very best around. It gives you access in mere seconds to the battery and at the same time sticks to the KBOX Mini perfectly.

The OLED screen is clear, crisp and concise and at the same time easy to read, with a larger than average display. Either side of the OLED screen you will find the power button at the top and up and down buttons underneath to the opposite side of the screen. Buttons are responsive as you would expect. Underneath those buttons is the micro USB charging port, used for charging on the move.

The 510 is fixed rather than spring loaded, which might cause compatibility issues with the KBOX Mini should you wish to use another tank on it instead of the Subtank Mini. I tried the Atlantis 2, Sense Herakles and the Lemo 2 and I am happy to report all of them were compatible on the KBOX Mini, however with a fixed 510 pin there are definitely going to be some issues with certain atomisers.

I can’t get over how superb the KBOX Mini looks in conjunction with the Subtank Mini. It really is a superb, beautiful looking bit of kit.

Kbox Mini Performance

To start off there isn’t much to be said about a menu system for the KBOX Mini, plainly because there isn’t one. Simply press the power button 5 times to turn the KBOX Mini on, adjust the power with the up and down buttons, and that is it really! Your chosen power is displayed on screen along with the battery voltage and resistance of your coil.

The KBOX has been totally and utterly revamped for the Subox Mini kit, now much smaller and called the KBOX Mini and it’s a huge improvement over the original. It barely even resembles its older and much bigger brother- the only indication that they are even related is the same Kanger logo present on the older KBOX is present on the KBOX Mini...

Gone are the preset wattage settings and LED light display. You now have a clear OLED screen that displays your wattage, resistance and battery voltage, and you can adjust the power in 0.1w increments from 7-50w. The screen can be flipped from left to right by holding down the up and down buttons. The KBOX Mini also will fire resistances down to 0.3ohm so other sub ohm tanks can be used with the KBOX Mini. I’ve been running the included Subtank Mini with both the 0.5ohm OCC coils and Mini RBA deck with a 0.5ohm build at between 30-50w and the performance is excellent!

The KBOX Mini still takes a single 18650, which at between 25w-35w most vapers will get a full day’s use out of, but should the battery run out there is no stiff battery cap any more to get through to access the battery, you can easily remove the magnetic battery sled to take the battery out and charge, or, micro USB charging is now supported so simply plug in your micro USB lead and charge your battery up! Pass through is also supported so you can still vape whilst the KBOX Mini charges through USB should you wish.

New Subtank Mini

Surely you must have heard of the Subtank Mini by now?! If for whatever reason you haven’t, my review here http://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/reviews/sub-ohm-tank/dw1986_subtank-mini.html will fill you in. Kangertech have revamped the Subtank Mini slightly by including a second airflow slot on the other side of the tank and giving it an aqueous ceramic finish in either black or white depending on your choice of Subox Mini colour, the OCC coils have been upgraded by widening out the juice holes for wicking high VG and higher power use, and the RBA deck has been given a spruce up by including two drilled juice holes in the side, again to enable higher VG juice to be wicked and higher power to be put through the Mini RBA deck.

Subtank Mini Looks and Capacity

The Subtank Mini by now is one of the most recognizable atomisers in the industry, and Kanger haven't changed the basic looks here, it’s still a great looking 22mm width tank, there is a second airflow slot on side two, and other than the fact it is now available in either black or white with an aqueous ceramic finish, it’s near identical to its predecessor. The drip tip is still a wide bore one but it is now delrin rather than stainless steel. You can still twist the glass section away from the base to refill easily and access the coils.

An aqueous ceramic paint finish is used on both the white and black versions, and it is stunning. There have been reports however of the paint flaking on a few units, I’m pleased to report that I haven’t experienced this so far, but I would be vigilant on your own unit.

The capacity is still 4.5ml, and with the new OCC coils the Subtank Mini is thirstier than ever….

Subtank Mini New Vertical OCC Coil

Kangertech have gone and hugely upgraded the box shaped OCC coils included with the Subtank Mini. The juice holes have been greatly increased in size to wick max VG juice and for higher power useage, the coil is now a vertical coil to increase the already impressive flavour that you got from the ‘old’ OCC coils. They do still need priming, before usage you want to drip some juice directly onto the coil itself, then fill up the Subtank Mini, let it stand for a couple of minutes then vape away. You will find your coils perform better and for longer just by following this simple method before you begin vaping with a new OCC coil. Currently, these new OCC coils are available in resistances of 0.5ohm and 1.5ohm.

Now on the side of the coil you will notice that Kanger have etched on the recommended power ranges to be used depending on the VG content of your juice. If you can’t read them, they are as follows-

0.5ohm coil

15-40w for 80-100% VG
15-50w for 50-70% VG
15-60w for 20-40% VG

1.5ohm coil

10-18w for 80-100% VG
10-22w for 50-70% VG
10-26w for 20-40% VG

Having tested both coils out at the suggested ranges they do ring true, although I did feel the OCC coils struggling with max VG Suicide Bunny Cloud Company at the higher wattage ranges. The 1.5ohm coil especially struggled with max VG juices, but wicked up to 80VG with no discernable issues. The 1.5ohm coils are marketed by Kangertech as being suitable for mouth to lung inhales- they definitely are if you restrict the airflow settings right down. I found the flavour to be a little muted with the 1.5ohm coils, however the 0.5ohm coils produced some lovely flavour, vaping South Coast Vapes Nipple Juice was a particular highlight.

I found I was previously using the ‘old’ OCC coils at around 28W on average, now I have found myself using the newer ones at an average of 37.5W, and the flavour and clouds are a massive upgrade over the old coils, the flavour is pronounced and warm, clouds are plentiful. The Subtank Mini doesn’t seem to get too hot running the coils at this range as well, which is a bonus.

Subtank Mini New Mini RBA Deck

Comparing the ‘old’ and new Mini RBA decks side by side the first addition you will notice is the addition of two large juice flow holes on either side of the chimney sleeve- you want to ensure you use more wick than you did previously with the ‘old’ Mini RBA deck to avoid any spitting and gurgling issues. Owing to a popular YouTube video many people drilled out the same holes in the ‘old’ Mini RBA deck themselves in order to improve wicking of high VG juice and improve juice flow performance at high power. Kangertech obviously took note of this and included these holes in the newer version of the Mini RBA deck and they really work well, high VG juice is wicked with ease and I have been able to run the Subtank Mini with the Mini RBA deck at wattages of 40-50w, resulting in a lovely, flavourful, warm vape and big, dense clouds.

It’s still as easy to use as ever, the chimney sleeve is now held in place with a small screw, the issues some people faced with the ‘old’ RBA deck was that it could be stiff at times to get on and off, not so now- simply loosen the screw and the sleeve slides off, allowing you access to the build deck. The kayfun style two post build deck doesn’t seem to have been changed, and the latest PEEK insulators are present here. Loads of room to build, and easy to build too.

The Mini RBA deck always did provide excellent flavour- now it is even better!

Subtank Mini Airflow and Performance

Kangertech have improved the airflow over the old Subtank Mini simply by plonking a second airflow slot on the other side of the tank. It’s made it much more airier with the airflow wide open and even bigger clouds can be blown. Other airflow settings perform exactly as they did on the previous Subtank Mini.

The joyous airflow control ring has been ported over from the previous Subtank Mini too, it’s very user friendly and each airflow option slides into place with an audible click and sits firm. It does the job perfectly well.

The most noticeable improvement in performance is that with the upgraded OCC coils and Mini RBA deck, the Subtank Mini can now be run at much higher power, and run very well it does. I’ve been using it at about 10 watts more than I used to with the ‘old’ OCC coils, and the Mini RBA deck hasn’t even been troubled at 40w and over with a 0.5ohm coil. The addition of the second airflow slot and improved (in the case of the Mini RBA deck, added) juice flow holes have gone a long way to making a reliable tank perform even better at high power with even better performance results!

Conclusion

I absolutely am in love with the small form factor of the Subox Mini kit, the finish is absolutely superb, kit itself a lot smaller and stealthier than you would expect, and it just looks the part. It’s one of the very best looking kits around. Performance wise I can have no qualms, it’s excellent. The little tweaks such as upgrading the OCC coils to vertical ones for better flavour with wider juice channels for easier wicking, a magnetic battery door making battery swaps a dream, the revamped Mini RBA deck have all made for a really impressive little unit. Well done Kangertech, you have well and truly done it again, coming up with a brilliant little bit of kit here. They have listened to the issues raised by vapers with the original KBOX and Subtank Mini, and added little tweaks here and there to improve what was already a very good vaping experience.

An outstanding starter kit, or even an outstanding kit for those already bitten by the high power bug, the Subox is excellent value for money, you also get the very latest version of one of the very best and most dependable sub tanks on the market- the Subtank Mini, and the upgraded 50W KBOX with a generous amount of spares thrown into the package. Its probably the most comprehensive complete kit available, and it’s incredible value at under £55 for both!

This kit was provided for review by Smoke Purer and can be found on their site here - Subox Mini from Kangertech. It is priced at £54.99 and POTV readers can get 10% off this price by using the code POTV at checkout.

Dan Willis

Reviewer at POTV

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Dan was an early adopter of vaping as a way to quit smoking and has seen and done pretty much all there is to see and do in the vaping world! From Ego batteries to mechs and from rebuildables to pods there isn't much that Dan hasn't tried.