VAPE DEALS – My Favorite Things 2016

I thought this would be a fun way to end the year.  With all the different products we feature here at VAPE DEALS, I rarely have an opportunity to talk about the things that I personally enjoy using.  I don’t do a lot of reviews, which means I don’t get to try as many new products as some people might think.  So with that in mind, it’s definitely not appropriate to call this a “BEST OF 2016” list.  I am in no way suggesting that these are the best products on the market, they’re just the ones that really won me over.

I’ll provide most of the links at the bottom in case you want to give anything a closer look.  And if you have a minute, I’d love to hear about your favorite things in the comments below.

VAPE DEALS – My Favorite Things 2016

[MODS]

This is a tricky category because I’m especially picky about the devices I use.  I often find myself relying on old favorites rather than gambling on something new.  I have tried a handful of new mods this year, but most of them were merely ok.  My favorite is the one that always goes with me when I leave the house: the Eleaf iStick Pico.  The build quality is nice, it’s extremely portable and reliable, and the screen is beautiful.  When it comes to getting the best value for your investment, it doesn’t get much better than this.  Keep an eye on the Gearbest Flash Sales, you can usually find them for around $23 shipped.

HONORABLE MENTION: I have a feeling this one is going to be controversial—the Wismec Noisy Cricket II-25.  Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much…but the price was right (about $25).  To my surprise, it’s actually a very nice device.  The build quality is significantly better than the original Cricket, and the size/form-factor is absolutely perfect.  The versatility that it offers is great too.  It doesn’t matter whether I’m running a 0.15Ω, 0.3Ω, or 0.5Ω build, I can simply switch the operating mode to accommodate it.  It does have a few cons: the potentiometer is kind of janky and the battery door is super snug.  But those things don’t bother me too much, because overall, I really enjoy using this device.  Obviously, it’s not something I would recommend to everyone, it just happened to be exactly what I was looking for.

[DUAL COIL RTA]

My favorite dual coil RTA (in case I haven’t raved about it enough already) is the CoilArt Mage.  Early in the year, I was in love with the Sigelei Moonshot; but as most of you know, it can be a bit of a chore to build on.  The Mage really picked up where the Moonshot left off.  It has a non-removable Velocity deck, which makes for a much easier build.  Also, although I don’t usually like proprietary drip tips, the Delrin chuff cap that comes with the Mage is perfect (as opposed to the Moonshot).  If you’re looking for a small tank that delivers a nice blend of flavor and clouds, this one should be on your list.

HONORABLE MENTION: IJOY Limitless RDTA.  It’s just so damn easy to build/wick, it never leaks, and it’s an overall great performer.  There are a few different versions out now, but you really can’t go wrong with any of ‘em.

[SINGLE COIL RTA]

As expected, the Augvape Merlin is taking the prize for my favorite single coil RTA of 2016.  I just love this tank—it has a great build deck and wicking design, and the flavor is outstanding.  I picked one up for about $15 in a Gearbest Flash Sale.  If I ever lost it, I would gladly pay twice that price for a replacement.

HONORABLE MENTION: I also don’t want to leave out one of the biggest sleeper hits of 2016—the Wotofo Serpent Mini RTA.  This is another solid flavor-chaser with an incredibly convenient build deck.  The only cons are that the juice capacity is minimal and you can’t access the deck without draining the tank.  All in all, it’s a fantastic little RTA for the money.

[SUB-OHM TANKS AND DRIPPERS]

I don’t feel like I’ve tried enough of the newer (2016) devices to offer a fair opinion here, so I’m forced to take a pass on these categories.  That doesn’t mean you have to though!  Let the VAPE DEALS community know what you recommend.

[E-LIQUID]

It’s going to be hard to top the custard line from Royal Vape E-liquid.  This is easily some of the best juice I’ve ever tasted.  Strawberry Donut Custard and Blueberry Custard are my personal favorites, but they’re all pretty amazing.  Just keep in mind that these guys are located in the UK, so you’ll have to be patient when making an order (about 2 weeks).

I also recently fell in love with Lemon Tart by Dinner Lady.  What’s strange is that I usually can’t stand even the slightest hint of lemon (or anything tart) in e-liquids.  This one is just so perfectly balanced—you can literally taste a flaky, buttery crust.  Yum!

Another juice that I simply can’t get enough of is Monkey Nuts by Hit That Juice.  If you like banana/bakery vapes, don’t hesitate to give this one a try.  It’s absolutely delicious.  I just ordered another 120mL bottle.

HONORABLE MENTION: French Dude by Vape Breakfast Classics and Batch #04 by Tinted Brew.

[ACCESSORIES]

This one is a no-brainer: Tenderfoot Stands.  Shout out to my friend Don for all of the awesome stuff he’s made for me over the past year (including some custom drip tips for my IJOY Limitless RDTA).  If you’ve been in the vaping game for a little while, you’re probably already familiar with his work.  He’s made stands for Mike Vapes, Matt from Suck My Mod, Trevor Jones, and countless others.  This guy is a true artist.  Each stand is handmade from exotic wood and the final product is absolutely impeccable (and surprisingly affordable).  You can pick up one of his stands over at SubTankSupply or you can check his Facebook page and see if he has anything else available.

HONORABLE MENTION: I’ve been really impressed with the acrylic display stands from HDZ Concepts (via Ebay).  They make display stands for attys, juice bottles, 18650 batteries, drip tips, etc.  There’s a lot of unique styles/designs to choose from.  Shipping is lightning fast and the quality is quite good for the money.  If you have a lot of gear that needs to get organized, this is a great way to do it without breaking the bank.

[BEST BARGAINS…That Haven’t Been Mentioned Already]

Here’s a few other things that I think are seriously underpriced considering how well they perform.  The OBS Crius Plus RTA and Smok TF-RTA are both excellent tanks that probably just got lost in the shuffle this year.  I’m not saying that they’re the absolute best tanks out there, but they shouldn’t be underestimated either.  In my opinion, they perform as well as many tanks that are significantly more expensive.  If you can find one of these for under $15 (which is fairly common), I’d say go for it.

If you like low-profile RDA’s, check out the Nobunaga Mini.  In a lot of ways, it’s comparable to one of my favorites: the Snubnose RDA by VPRS.  I feel like the Nobunaga Mini has comparable flavor but with a MUCH lower price tag (Vaporbeast has them on clearance for about $9!).

OLDER PRODUCTS I STILL LOVE

These products may be considered outdated, but I still use them EVERY single day: Wismec Reuleaux RX200 (original), Tobeco Mini Super Tank, and (this one may come as a shock) the Aspire Nautilus Mini.

LINKS (prices are obviously subject to change)

• Aspire Nautilus Mini ($18.54)
• Augvape Merlin RTA (China $15.99 / USA $26.99 with code “deals10”)
• CoilArt Mage RTA ($16.17 with code “YEAHBABY”)
• Eleaf iStick Pico – FULL KIT ($33.10)
• French Dude by Vape Breakfast Classics ($14.99/60mL with code “NEWYOU”- Expires 1/2/17)
• HDZ Concepts.com (Ebay Store)
• IJOY Limitless RDTA (China $12.99 / USA $19.95)
• Lemon Tart by Dinner Lady ($14.95/30mL)
• Monkey Nuts by Hit That Juice ($13.95/30mL)
• Nobunaga Mini RDA ($8.97 with code “YEAHBABY”)
• Royal Vape E-liquid
• Sigelei Moonshot 24mm RTA ($13.47 with code “YEAHBABY”)
• Smok TF-RTA ($5.97 with FREE shipping)
• Tenderfoot Stands ($38.99 with FREE shipping @SubTankSupply – limited stock)
• Tinted Brew Liquid Co.
• Tobeco Mini Super Tank ($14.50)
• Wismec Noisy Cricket II-25 ($24.49)
• Wismec Reuleaux RX200 ($35.99 @efun / $40.71 with FREE shipping @Fasttech)

Jeremy V.

My name is Jeremy and I’ve been writing for VAPE.DEALS since early 2016.  Digging for deals is what I do!  I’m a former 15-year smoker and will always be grateful that I found vaping when I did.  This site played a key role in my journey.  It kept me interested and excited about vaping during those first crucial months away from cigarettes.  Now, my ambition is to pass along that excitement to others; to help people make the switch and never return to combustible cigarettes.  This industry is important and I feel truly blessed to be a part of it.  Please feel free to reach out to me if you ever have any questions: [email protected]