Pod System Reviews

Artery Nugget AIO 40W Pod Kit

Heaven Gifts have sent latest member of Nugget family, the Artery Nugget AIO 40W Pod Kit, for us to check out. So is it a jack of all trades or master of none?

by Si Davies
Dec 4, 2019

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Artery Nugget AIO 40W Pod Kit 1500mAh

Provided by Heaven Gifts for review purposes.
https://www.heavengifts.com/product/Artery-Nugget-AIO-40W-Pod-Kit.html
Current Discount Price = £32.44 (33% off)

Artery’s latest release is a very interesting one. With their already very successful PAL series, they have taken a different direction with the AIO (All In One) which is a bit of a cross breed of a Pod, AIO and a traditional Mod/Tank using Artery’s existing Pod coils along with new ones specifically for this system. It also suits MTL & DTL, so is it a jack of all trades or master of none?

In a Nutshell

The Artery Nugget AIO is a strange evolution to the already superb Pal series but it is a very good progression. Flavour and performance are superb for both MTL and DTL. It is still compact enough to be pocket friendly and its form is perfect in the hand. My Pal 2s are being neglected as this is a pod beater in my opinion. With an RBA on its way, it can only get better.

Highly recommended

Unboxing and contents

Unboxing wise there’s little to discuss. There is basic info on the outer packaging, just a plain Artery branded box with notches to aid opening it. Inside is just the one layer with the mod and tank assembled with a safety seal and it already has the 1.4 Ohm coil preinstalled. There is also a box which includes the USB-C cable and the 0.4 Ohm coil and base adapter, along with a couple of spare O-rings. The user manual is a large folded sheet of paper with limited info and multiple languages, and finally there is a warranty card.

1 x Nugget AIO Mod
1 x Nugget AIO Tank
1 x Extra Coil With Adaptor
2 x O-Rings
1 x Type-C USB Cable
1 x User Manual
1 x Warranty card

The Tech Stuff

Size: 84x27x32mm
Battery capacity: 1500mAh
E-juice capacity: 2ml
Wattage range: 5-40W
Resistance range: 0.3 Ohm-2 Ohm
Charging port: Type- C
Charging current: 1.5(MAX)
Display: LED screen
Coil: 0.4 Ohm mesh coil for DTL (Not compatible with pal 2/pal 2 pro)
1.4 Ohm parallel coil for MTL (compatible with pal 2/pal 2 pro)

Artery Nugget AIO 40W Pod Kit from all angles

Guided Tour

A picture speaks a thousand words so the above photo shows its form factor and detailing. The mod itself is quite weighty and solidly constructed. The main chassis is metallic painted with a really nice high gloss embossed ‘NUGGET AIO’ on the tank side. There is a large viewport of the tank to see your eliquid level. Each side has a resin effect decorative panel which is very shiny yet fingerprint resistant (as is the whole mod). There is a lot of ventilation for the battery and board on the sides and base. The fire button and adjustment buttons match the black high gloss tank side and feel metallic. The screen side is very neat and compact, the screen itself seems small but it’s very easy to read and bright. Underneath the bottom switch is the USB-C port (yay Artery have finally caught up!).

On the top there is the tank port which is lined with thin transparent plastic. The base has magnetic contacts to keep the tank in place (no 510 connection), it feels really secure with no rattle at all. The tank itself is very proprietary with its size and mouthpiece fitting perfectly. The mouthpiece is all in one piece with a silicone seal and is probably the worst part of this kit, just plain black with no knurling, and has a large bore which is ideal for DTL but poor for MTL, which is a shame. It would have been nice if they added an MTL option.

Charging is really fast for its 1500mAh battery thanks to the welcome USB-C capability, it charges in under an hour from drained.

The Tank

Stripping the tank to change coils is intuitive, though I could not get the glass section stripped without resorting to force and since there is no spare glass, I didn’t risk it. It must be possible as Artery supplied 2 spare tank seals.

Artery Nugget AIO 40W Pod Kit pod strip down

The two different coil options are where it gets interesting. The 1.4 Ohm standard coil is the same size as the Pal 2 range of coils and fits into the standard coil adaptor which is ideal for MTL vaping and you can use the current HP Core coils which is a huge pro. The introduction of a physically bigger 0.4 Ohm mesh coil really makes a difference for DTL vaping. It requires a larger base adaptor as the thread is larger (so won’t fit the Pal 2).

Artery Nugget AIO 40W Pod Kit coils

The coil base adaptors also feature dual side adjustable airflow slots which open up for a very airy DTL draw or can be almost closed off to give a reasonably tight MTL draw.

Artery Nugget AIO 40W Pod Kit tank section

So after charging the mod and priming the coil, it’s time to fill up the tank which is done by unscrewing the top cap/mouthpiece. You need to remove the tank to do this as it just spins inside due to the magnetic connection. The fill port is large enough for 10ml bottles and gorilla style shortfills. The 2ml capacity is no problem for nic salts or freebase high nicotine juices but not ideal for 70/30 juices using the 0.4 Ohm coil. That said, its maximum rating of 28W won’t make it too thirsty.

Operation

The Nugget AIO is very simple and intuitive to use. There are limited functions but all you need for this setup. The LED screen shows Ohms, Wattage and a puff counter.

I didn’t need to refer to the manual to discover all of the settings!

Artery Nugget AIO 40W Pod Kit functions

First setting I would change is turning off the light which is draw activated. It’s pointless and you can’t even see it while vaping unless you are in a very dark room or it is night time, a waste of battery life so I turned mine off.

So onto the performance

I started off with the 1.4 Ohm MTL coil so set it to 7 watts but found it needed 9-10 watts for my tastes. I also needed to almost close the airflow to achieve a tight draw. The flavour was spot on and very ‘Pal HP’ like, though I soon wanted to try a 1.0 Ohm HP coil which is my favourite Artery coil. It was in fact better than the 1.4 Ohm for me and produced more flavour so I am glad Artery made the coils cross compatible. I really enjoyed the whole vaping experience. The mouthpiece being big bore didn’t bother me as much as I thought it might as I was still getting a tight draw. Naturally the battery lasted ages (400+ puffs) before needing to recharge.

The ‘in the hand’ feel and use was really pleasing and felt so natural with your finger or thumb naturally resting on the fire button. It has a light clicky feel to it, as do the adjustment buttons. Although they protrude, I have had no pocket firing incidents.

So I moved onto the 0.4 Ohm DTL mesh coil, opened up the airflow fully and took it outside for a vape, just wow! The flavourful, airy draw at 25 watts was sublime and a far cry from the Pal 2 0.6 Ohm HP core coil which could only achieve a restricted DTL draw. This coil really sealed the deal for the Nugget AIO and I knew Artery had made a smart move with this progression device, it really is a great all-rounder. I was expecting the battery life to be poor but this wasn’t the case, it won’t last you the day of full use but it's not far off. I forgot to reset the puff counter so I haven’t got an exact figure but I proper hammered it with long draws.

Cloud wise, for such a low wattage DTL coil it really chucked them out so it’s an outdoor vape for me, with the HP 1.0 Ohm coil for indoor use which obviously produces little vapour.

Artery Nugget AIO 40W Pod Kit size

I’m unsure about the ‘Nugget’ branding as it's nothing like its older brother which was basically a miniature mod and tank but had more options and is ‘nugget’ shaped. Perhaps they could have named it in the Pal series? Pal Ninja B*#tard AIO or something like that?

**Comparing the Nugget AIO is a bit of a grey area as I reviewed it prior to reviewing the GeekVape Aegis Boost 40w so I have revised this review accordingly.

Artery Nugget AIO 40W Pod Kit pod comparison

Comparing to the Pal 2 series

Size wise, I was surprised when I lined them up. The Nugget is not as large as I expected compared with its little brothers, especially with the round tank and external screen, and it’s definitely more comfortable and powerful than the Pals. The tank is much better and leak free, also the airflow will please DTL fans more.

But there’s one thing I can’t help but feel, the Artery Pal 2 Pro just looks nicer which is subjective. I love the Nugget AIO but it’s not as attractive.

Golden question: if I had to choose just one then I would definitely go for the Nugget due to its flexibility and higher performance. Also with an RBA on the way, I will be grabbing this one first when leaving the house.

Where does it sit in my current line-up of Pods/AIO’s?

Artery Nugget AIO 40W Pod Kit top of the pods

For Flavour, the Geekvape Boost, Sense Orbit and the Vapefly Jester (RDTA Edition) beat it but only in MTL mode. The Nugget AIO for DTL beats all but the Geekvape Aegis Boost which is too close to call.
Ergonomics, the Geekvape Aegis Boost almost pips the Nugget but not quite due to its larger size. The Nugget is the most comfortable in the hand and during usage.
Stealth is straight forward, the Sense Orbit wins as it’s small, light, has a low vapour production and is great on a lanyard and in a shirt pocket (without nipple rub!).
Looks, I’m leaning towards the Aegis Boost, it’s interesting from every angle and an full of neat detailing.
Performance, this gets tighter and I’m really struggling to pick a favourite but I’m going to go with the Boost judging by which one I reach for when they are together.
These are my current favourites and all have different strengths and flaws but all belong as the best of 2019 in my opinion.

Overall the Aegis comes up on top but it’s a close call, and personal preference in looks and size will play a part in your choice. The Artery Nugget is not far off and certainly beats the original Pal 2.

Conclusion

With the evolution of the Pod and AIOs, it was inevitable they would come full circle back to a ‘mod & tank’ setup or a ‘POD MOD’ which is yet another term to throw in the mix just to blur the lines even more. Is this an AIO? I would narrowly say yes due to its proprietary tank and use of Pal 2 coils with no traditional mod features such as TC and 510 connection, going back to my earlier question:

Is it a jack of all trades or master of none?

I’m going with the former. It’s a superb device for both MTL and DTL and delivers superb flavour, good battery size, ergonomics, style and it's just a good all round device. Sure it has a couple of flaws, but I’ve yet to find a device without any.

The Artery Nugget AIO is a contender for AIO of 2019 and highly recommended.

Pros

Great for MTL & DTL
Superb Flavour
40 Watts Variable Wattage
Leek Free
Stylish and Ergonomic
Feels great in the hand
Beginner Friendly
1500mAh Battery
USB-C Fast Charge
Large Juice Window
Cross Compatible With Pal 2 HP Core Coils
Optional RBA
Pocket Friendly
Wide Airflow Range
Pod Beater

Cons

Drip Tip is its worst feature (wide bore and proprietary)
Limited options
Tank is difficult to fully strip
No spare glass

Final Thoughts

I have to admit I’m getting pretty fed up with the avalanche of new Pod and AIO systems flooding the market at the expense of other innovations. Often when browsing for new hardware, it’s mostly ‘JAFP’ (Just Another F**king Pod), but the Artery Nugget AIO shows there is still progress and innovation in the market. This is leaning back towards traditional roots but with a twist. It is the best of both worlds, an AIO with superb coils. I still think some manufacturers have plenty more tricks up their sleeves.

Thing is, if this AIO had a top mounted 510 connection tank, would I still rate it the same? Probably not, the inset tank is a great feature and is robust.

Score: A solid 9/10 – Simply Superb AIO

Finally a big thanks to Heaven Gifts for making these reviews possible.
https://www.heavengifts.com/product/Artery-Nugget-AIO-40W-Pod-Kit.html

Artery Nugget AIO 40W Pod Kit the mutts nuts!

Si Davies

Reviewer at POTV

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My background is Engineering and Professional Photography. Mostly from POTV users knowledge I learned so much about pretty much all styles of vaping and equipment, Cloud Chasing, Squonking, Mouth To Lung, Direct To Lung, Pods, Mechs, Rebuild-able tanks and atomisers etc, and have experience with many many devices and atomisers, it's become a hobby and enjoy trying out the latest gear. I like to think my reviews are plain speaking and informative without getting too technical, if I have to resort to reading the manual then I don't consider it user friendly!