Mod Reviews

SMOK R-Steam Mini

The R-Steam Mini by SMOK is a compact single 18650 battery device that supports Variable Wattage and Temperature Control functionality. The device has full support for Ni200, Titanium and Stainless Steel coils. In addition manual TCR adjustment is included as are a variety of draw settings.

by VapeMaster
Jan 26, 2017

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SMOK R-Steam Mini

SMOK are certainly releasing some nice devices lately so let’s take a good look at the R-Steam Mini and find out exactly what it has to offer.

SMOK R-Steam Mini features

Zinc Alloy Construction
Variable Wattage and Temperature Control Modes
510 Spring Loaded Connector
Atomiser Connector Diameter: 22mm
0.91 Inch OLED Screen
Micro USB Charging Port
Voltage range: 0.8 - 9V
Output Wattage: 80W
Variable Wattage Resistance Range: 0.1 – 3.00ohm
Temperature Range: 200°F - 600°F/ 100 - 300°C
Temperature Resistance Range: 0.06 - 2.0ohm
Requires a Single 18560 Battery (Not Included)
Size: 8.20 x 3.80 x 2.23cm
Weight: 0.120 kg
Available in Four Different Colours

What’s in the box?

1 X R-Steam Mini
1 X Micro USB charging cable
1 X User’s manual

SMOK R-Steam Mini styling and build quality

The R-Steam Mini is a compact device that stands just over 8cm in height. Constructed from high quality zinc alloy it feels very well put together and has a nicely balanced weight to it. You can purchase the device in four different colour finishes. I received the silver version for review and so far it has shown absolutely no signs of wear in the time I have spent using it. The finish has a very smooth feel to it but it is not slippery.

While the R-Steam Mini is certainly attractive it does have a boxy shape to it but all of the edges are nicely chamfered which makes for a comfortable feel when holding the device. In some ways it reminds me a lot of the Vapecige SD Mini 75 but the R-Steam Mini feels like a much nicer build overall and thankfully has a secure battery compartment door.

The R-Steam Mini offers a Variable Wattage range of 1-80 Watts and adjustments are made in 0.1 increments. It will fire standard coils between 0.1ohm to 3.0ohm and in Temperature Control Mode it will fire Ni200, Titanium and Stainless Steel coils with a Resistance of 0.06- 2.0ohm. The Temperature can be adjustment in increments of 10° when set to Fahrenheit, and in 5° increments when the device is set to Celsius.

Unlike some devices the OLED screen is not actually covered by a screen protector but it is nicely recessed so you are unlikely to scratch it. However by not having a screen protector fitted the display is much brighter and certainly easier to read in strong sunlight. All of the usual information is shown including Resistance, Wattage and Voltage. In addition Temperature and battery life are displayed as is the currently set vaping strength, soft, normal or hard.

The R-Steam Mini has three buttons that have a nice soft feel to them. They are responsive and thankfully rattle free. The 510 connector at the top of the device is 22mm in diameter so any larger tanks or drippers will overhang. The connector features a brass spring-loaded 510 pin and there is a slightly recessed airflow channel on one side.

A single 18650 battery is required to power this device. The battery compartment is nicely set out and the correct orientation is clearly marked. The compartment has brass contacts and there is a ribbon included to assist with battery removal but to be honest it isn’t really needed since it is very easy to fit and remove the battery. The battery door is a good fit and does not wobble or shift in your hand when using the device. It is secured by four magnets and although it is easy for the user to remove it never comes loose on its own accord.

The battery can be charged externally or via the included cable which connects to the Micro USB port located on the bottom front of the device. Like a lot of devices we have seen lately the R-Steam Mini has absolutely no obvious venting but there is a slight recess in the base where it meets the battery door so it is possible that air can pass through there.

SMOK have designed the R-Steam Mini with upgradeable firmware in mind. Simply connect the device to a computer with internet access and download the latest firmware from SMOK’s website.

The device has plenty of safety features to give users peace of mind including twelve second cut-off, overheat protection and short circuit and low Resistance protection.

Ease of use

At first glance the menu system might seem a bit confusing since the major options all have a specific symbol much like the Kooper Mini mod which might have you consulting the manual for a while until you get used to them. The device does have quite a few features that may seem a bit overwhelming to a vaping newcomer but considering that you don’t need to do everything at once they can be learnt over time.

Switch on the device by clicking the fire button five times.
When fitting a tank or dripper for the first time the display will ask “New atomizer?” Use the down or up button to select “yes” or “no” and press the fire button.
To access the menu press the fire button three times.
The first menu option allows you to select the mode you want to use, either Variable Wattage or Temperature Control. In addition you have the option to set the draw effect to either minimum, soft, normal, hard or maximum. If you choose to use Temperature Control you are able to select the coil material; Ni200, Titanium or Stainless Steel as well as also specify whether you are using a single or dual coil.
The second menu option is the puff counter and it displays the number of puffs you have taken since the last reset. You can also set a maximum number of puffs for a 24 hour period and if you try to go over that the device will not let you. To get around this make sure to select “never” to disable the puff plan.
The third menu option allows you to set the initial Resistance of your attached atomizer.
The fourth menu option allows you to adjust the TCR (Temperature Coefficient of Resistance).
The fifth option allows you to make display adjustments including stealth mode, contrast, orientation and the length of time the display stays lit.
The sixth menu option allows you to switch the device off.
The seventh menu option exits the menu system.
There are two shortcuts available in addition to the menu system. Press the fire button and the down button simultaneously to switch between Wattage and Temperature Control Modes. Press the fire button and the up button at the same time to switch between the draw effect settings.
The R-Steam Mini can also be locked/unlocked by pressing the fire button five times.
To lock the power hold the up and down buttons simultaneously.
When the device is locked you can view the puff counter by holding the up and down buttons simultaneously.

SMOK R-Steam Mini performance

To test Variable Wattage Mode I fitted my Tilemahos V2 Plus to the device. The tank is currently fitted with a 1.2ohm coil so I started vaping away at 14 Watts. I encountered absolutely no problems at all with the actual vape and it was just as enjoyable experience as any of my other devices.

The only real issue is the Puff Counter which can be really annoying if you vape often and forget to set the counter to “Never” because it will stop you from vaping. However once disabled you should have no further issues.

When using my Sense Herakles Sub Ohm tank fitted with a Ni200 coil the Temperature Control Mode seemed to work well and I got a decent vape with no obvious heat spiking or Resistance fluctuation. The only thing which might bother some users about the Temperature Control Mode is that you can only adjust the temperature 10° increments in Fahrenheit and 5° increments in Celsius. Personally I am not that specific and I generally set the temperature to either 400°F or 240°C so it doesn’t bother me and it is unlikely to trouble the average user.

All of the draw effects seem to work well with the “soft” option being useful for newly wicked RTA’s when you don’t want to risk burning the cotton and the “hard” option is ideal for RDA’s with thicker coils that take longer to ramp up.

Battery life was very typical of a single 18650 device but I did question how accurate the battery indicator display was since when first using my tank and taking about three to four draws at 14W the battery indicator dropped by 25%. I personally think it is just some weird quirk of the device because I was using a good quality Sony VTC5 and after this initial drop I was vaping for a long time after that.

Conclusion

The R-Steam Mini is a compact and well-built device that works well and includes all of the functions that the typical vaper would want. In some respects it does feel a little overloaded with options and I suspect it won’t be as straightforward for a newcomer to get to grips with but at the end of the day you don’t necessarily need to use them and I won’t criticise a device for including extra features since somebody out there might actually find value in them. The Puff Counter and its daily limit is something of an annoyance but as long as you remember to set it to “Never” it won’t interrupt your vaping.

Apart from one slightly irritating feature which can be easily disabled and a menu system that takes a little getting used to the R-Steam Mini works really well and does everything you need it to so if a new single 18650 device is something you are currently looking for then this is certainly a decent choice!