Mod Reviews

VIP Mini Kit 40W Sub Ohm

The new VIP Mini Kit is a highly compact device that comes with its own Sub Ohm tank so you can start vaping right away. The Mini Kit has 1100mAh internal battery, offers a maximum output of 40 Watts and has Variable Wattage and Temperature Control Modes.

by VapeMaster
Jan 11, 2017

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VIP Mini Kit 40W Sub Ohm

VIP Mini Kit 40W Sub Ohm features

Output Power Range 5.0 - 40 Watts
Adjustable Temperature Range: 330-600°F / 125-315°C
Temperature Control Mode supports Ni200 (Nickel) and Ti (Titanium)
Minimum Coil Resistance: 0.2ohm
Battery Capacity: 1100mAh
2ml Tank Capacity
LED Display
Size: 38.5(L) x 25.3(W) x 105.1(H) mm
Available in black with various logo colour variations

What’s in the box?

VIP Mini Kit 40 Watt Device
1x VIP Tank
1x Ni200 Coil (Pre-Installed)
1x Spare Ni200 Coil
Micro USB Cable
FAQ Card
Caution Card
User Manual

VIP Mini Kit 40W Sub Ohm styling and build quality

The VIP Mini Kit 40W is an extremely compact device that literally fits into the palm of your hand. The device comes in black and it has a really well done two tone finish with some parts matte and the others glossy. On both sides of the device you will find the VIP logo and word “Mini” but they are tastefully done and don’t heavily stand out since they are a subtle dark red in colour.

The Mini Kit 40W is made of aviation grade aluminium alloy and the overall construction feels excellent. The form factor is superb and the device really does feel extremely comfortable to use since the device is nicely curved. The 510 connector appears to be made from Stainless Steel so should have excellent long term durability. The 510 pin appears to be made from brass and is spring-loaded but the travel distance is not that generous and while the VIP tank sits completely flush you might find you get a slight gap when using other atomizers.

The white LED display is located on the top of the device and shows the current power setting and the battery status and also the temperature when in that mode. There are three buttons on the device that have no rattle whatsoever and all of them are responsive and comfortable to use.

Located on the base of the device is the Micro USB Port which allows you to connect the Mini Kit 40W to your computer and charge the battery. The device has no obvious venting but I assume air can pass through areas of the casing and the Micro USB Port.

The included VIP Tank is nicely put together and has a top filling design and adjustable airflow. It has a 2ml capacity so is completely TPD compliant assuming you that is a concern for you.

Ease of use

The VIP tank is simple to use and features a nice top filling design. Airflow adjustment and coil replacement are also simple and you can break down the tank for thorough cleaning. The Ni200 coils that come with the tank don’t exactly have huge wicking holes so I advise you don’t use very VG heavy E-Liquid.

The Mini Kit 40W is extremely straightforward to use so even a newcomer to vaping will not feel overwhelmed.

Five clicks of the main fire button powers the device on/off.
Three clicks of the fire button opens the menu. Use the fire button to cycle between the menu options.
Several Modes are available. PPP (Wattage Mode) Temperature Mode Ti (Titanium) °C, Ti °F, Temperature Mode Ni (Nickel) °C, Ni °F.
When using Temperature Controlled Mode the Resistance can be read and set by holding down the plus and minus buttons. Always do this when the atomizer is completely cold.

VIP Mini Kit 40W performance

While this device certainly works in both Variable Wattage and Temperature Control Mode it does seem somewhat underpowered. I first tried out the Temperature Control functionality by using the included VIP tank which is fitted with a pre-installed Ni200 coil.

Vaping at my typical 240°C felt far weaker than normal with noticeably less heat. Vapour production was reasonable considering the small size and airflow of the tank but flavour seemed rather lacking and I was left with the impression that this tank might benefit from stronger flavoured juice. I did wonder if perhaps the VIP Arcadia juice (strawberry and vanilla) which I also received with the Mini Kit was to blame so I tried it out in both a Snapdragon RDA and also in my SQuape R[S] but to be fair it was very pleasant and I could certainly pick out both flavours in the juice which tasted very natural and convincing.

As such I can only draw the conclusion that the VIP coils that come with the tank are rather lacklustre but they might yield better results if you were to use stronger flavoured E-Liquid such as Vampire Vape’s Heisenberg or T-Juice’s Red Astaire. To a first time vaper who is using the strongest E-Liquid they can buy it may give better results.

Funnily enough when I fitted the tank to the Eleaf Aster which I also received for review the vape in Ni200 mode was actually pretty good and there was definitely better flavour from the coil even though it won’t exactly rock your world. This suggests to me that the price you pay for such a compact device is something of a compromise in terms of the power it actually delivers since while it may say 40W it feels like considerably less.

To be absolutely certain I fitted my Sense Herakles to the Mini Kit 40W and even though I knew that it wouldn’t have quite enough Wattage to be at its best (typically needs about 45-50W with the Ni200 coils) I figured that it would be a good indication of the devices limits. Vaping at 240°C with the Wattage set to 40W was acceptable, vapour production was fairly good and flavour was decent but there was very little heat. I actually had to increase the temperature to 270-280°C to get anywhere close to the vape I would get from my other devices. Realistically this means that you should ideally up the desired temperature by possibly 30 degrees higher than normal to compensate.

The same situation occurred in Variable Wattage mode when vaping my SQuape R[S] and Kayfun 5 which both need about 15-16W for the coils that I currently have fitted and I found I had to increase the Wattage to 18-20W to get anything close to normal. As a final test I fitted the Vaporesso Estoc Tank Mega to the device which needs about 28 watts to get the best from its ceramic coil and to be fair it didn’t feel too underpowered at that setting but ideally needed about 30-32W to offer a similar vape to other devices.

It’s a shame really because the device is lovely and compact and feels good to use but the fact remains that it is rather underpowered even when vaping at wattages much lower than its maximum output. When you factor in the limited 1100mAh capacity internal battery that will drain quickly unless you are an extremely modest vaper or are using very low Wattages the overall performance does let this device down somewhat.

Conclusion

The Mini Kit 40W Sub Ohm is a nice product featuring a highly compact and good looking design but it will only appeal to a select niche of users. The people who will get the most from this device will likely be modest vaper’s who ideally want a discrete mod that is ideal for breaks at work or for drivers who want a quick vape when stuck at the traffic lights. There will of course be those who might enjoy a compact product like this when out and about on short trips but for anyone who wants to do a lot of vaping it is not at all practical due to its very limited battery. In terms of output 40W is fairly decent but you do have to compensate for the device’s somewhat underpowered nature even when vaping at low Wattages and do keep in mind that realistically you won’t get a lot of vape time out of it either.

In my opinion this product is nicely put together and very well packaged with a good amount of useful information included for a new vaper (always nice to see) but it does have noticeable limitations. As a general rule with a lot of products the more compact it is the more you tend to pay for it and Mini Kit 40W is no exception since it is currently priced at £39.99.

Only you can truly decide if this a worthwhile buy or not but all things considered it is a highly discrete and stylish device that can be easily carried around so might be ideal for a very modest vaper or make for a handy stealth vape for other users but do keep in mind that there are devices out there that have far more to offer in terms of performance in the same price range.

Many thanks to VIP who sent this product to Planet of the Vapes for us to review. If you would like to purchase this device you can get it directly from VIP.