ZQ Vapor Xtal Pro Pod System
https://www.zqvapor.com/zq-xtal-pro-pod-system.html
RRP $29.99 – Currently I cannot see this being sold from a UK vendor
I was very much looking forward to reviewing this as I loved the original Xtal pod kit and continue to use it. So of course, I jumped at the chance to receive this kit when I was contacted by ZQ Vapor directly. As always excellent service from them, great communication and friendly staff.
Key Specs and features
- 1000mAh battery
- Draw/Button activated
- 3ml pod capacity/TPD 2ml
- Replaceable coils!
- Switchable airflow
- 4 colours – Black, teal, gunmetal, and red
- 0.69” display
- 1-30W Adjustable Wattage
- 3 Modes – A, B and AB
What are the differences between the OG and the Pro? As well as the kit now having replaceable coils and a display screen, below are the other improvements/changes:
What’s in the box?
First I would like to mention the actual box, I know that’s a tad weird but sometimes trying to get the main box out of the outer sleeve is annoying as it's so tightly fitted, so I am very impressed that they have added a hole at the top so you can push the inner box out, it is simple but effective. In the box you get the device along with a 1.0Ω mesh coil and a 0.6Ω mesh coil, a USB C cable, and a user manual. Straight away I could feel the difference in quality and weight, as you can see it's slightly shorter but a little chunkier. They have kept the same style button, it is now just more of a rectangle than square. The pod is completely different and therefore you cannot use the original pods as they did not have replaceable coils.
The Device
The addition of the OLED screen is appreciated, this clearly shows you the voltage, coil resistance, battery bar with percentage, and wattage. The kit weighs 49.5g and is made from a light alloy, it’s not a fingerprint magnet either!
Operating is easy and is all done using the power button:
- Usual 5 clicks on and off
- 4 clicks to change Mode, it will show on the screen either A mode for auto draw, B mode for button, and AB for both. I like this as I mainly use A mode so I can chuck it in my bag and know its not going to fire on me
- 3 clicks to adjust the wattage from 1-30 in increments of 1
The ZQ logo is nicely positioned under the screen, the charging port is on the side, and above that there are two small air holes. The airflow is adjusted by rotating the pod, I will come to that later. There are three magnets that hold the pod in place. It’s an easy set-up with a nice clicky button and it feels smooth.
The Pod
The pods for the Pro are different and now utilise the push in coils which is much better for the environment. The mouthpiece is slightly thicker on the Pro but still very comfortable, I am lucky enough to have the 3ml pod which is so handy. The fill hole is on the side of the pod and is covered by a rubber bung which is fairly easy to open, I have nails so that helps! There are arrows on either side of the bung, so you know where to pull it open. I had no issues with this bung at all, it seems to be fixed firmly in place.
So, what about the airflow? You will see that one side has a larger oblong air hole on the base of the pod and the other side has just one small hole. For a tighter MTL, you would insert the pod with the single small hole lining up with the device airholes. If you prefer a looser MTL or RTL, you just rotate it 180 degrees and have the longer airhole aligned instead. This is a common way to incorporate adjustable airflow but without having a slider or wheel. I have to say this works well on the Xtal Pro.
Performance
So I started with the 1.0ohm coil (of course) and filled it with Juice Head Strawberry Kiwi 10mg Nic Salts. I patiently waited ten minutes and set the wattage to 12W as it's recommended between 12-15W. I had the pod positioned with the tightest airflow, and off I went…..WOW! Within a few puffs, it was delivering great flavour and a superb MTL draw, so smooth. Using the DD-DrawOmeter, the 1.0ohm coil is around a 2 to 3 (1 being tight and 10 loose). It was the perfect temperature for me too, just a really nice mtl vape. These coils are a dream. I rotated the pod and I got a nice very loose mtl or a tight RTL, both very nice flavour but just not my thang! I have been using the 1.0ohm coil on and off a lot over the last three weeks and it is still going strong. I’ve had zero leaking. The only issue I have had is a few times a day I get the "Check Atomiser" warning and it wont fire at all. After a quick wipe on the base of the coil, it's fine, so I am not really sure why that happens. It is annoying but it hasn’t stopped me from using it. I found that setting it to 13W was my ideal setting and didn’t have to really do anything else with it. Unfortunately I have not tried the 0.6ohm coil as I cannot find it anywhere, this is the reason for the delay in getting this review out as I have been looking for it! So, I am sorry about that, but I can only imagine that the 0.6ohm will be just as good as the 1.0ohm but more RDTL. The 0.6ohm is recommended at 15W-18W and will probably run a little warmer.
Pros
- Many improvements on the Pro
- Easy to use
- Clear juice visibility
- Coil flavour and life!
- MTL Draw – YES!
- 1000mAh battery
- 3 modes
Cons
- Some glitches using the 1.2ohm not reading the pod/coil
- Would have preferred a slimmer mouthpiece
Final Thoughts
In all honesty I think this would suit any MTL or RTL vaper whether a complete newbie or a golden oldie! It's very good at what it is. This one is a keeper for sure, I will find out when we can purchase from a UK vendor as I need me a box of coils pronto!
DeeDee's Overall Score: 9/10
Good Job ZQ Vapor! Thank you for allowing me to review this for you
Diane Wagerfield
Reviewer at POTVIn August 2019 I joined POTV & in Sept I bought a Caliburn and some nic salts & have not touched a cigarette since! I was smoking around 20 cigarettes a day for 26 years!! Mental! I honestly appreciate all the help and guidance from the POTV members, they made the switch so much easier!I am very much into MTL PODs & AIOs. Enjoy mingling with the members, helping others and having a good laugh!
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