VAPE DEALS – My Favorite Things 2018

Another year gone by…and it was another good one!  As usual, I decided to put together a list of my favorite products from this past year.  I want to preface this by saying that these products were not sent to me for free.  I’m a consumer, just like you.  When I find a good deal, the first thing I do is write up a post for you guys.  After it goes live, I’ll often click the link and order one for myself.  This is simply a summary of my favorite purchases.  They’re probably not the BEST products on the market…just what I liked the most.  I’ll provide links at the end in case you want to give anything a closer look.  If you have a minute, feel free to share your favorite things in the comments below.

My Favorite Things 2018

[MOD]

Since I made a new category for squonkers this year, I’m not going to include any of those in this section.  That being said, my favorite non-squonking mod was probably the OBS Cube.  It’s not the most exciting device in the world, but I certainly appreciate its simplicity.  No temperature control, no external batteries required, no LED lights.  It’s a perfect mod for travelling since I don’t need to bring extra batteries and a charger.  I also love the centered alignment of the design (24mm and 25mm attys look great on it), and the massive firing button.

HONORABLE MENTION: I’ve also been digging the Detonator by Squid Industries.  Another simple device that just looks cool and feels like it was built to last.

[SQUONKER]

Yep, you guessed it—my favorite squonker of 2018 is the Dovpo Topside (obviously!).  The top fill design is a revolutionary concept, so I gotta applaud TVC for that.  But what I appreciate the most about this device is the attention to detail.  The closer you look at it, the more you realize that every aspect of it was meticulously thought out.  Out of the dozens of squonkers that were released in 2018, the Topside seems to be on a completely different level.

HONORABLE MENTION: the Desire Rage Squonker.  This was a game-changer for me.  I usually drip at around 100w, so I was anxiously waiting for a solid dual-battery squonker to hit the market.  The Rage has served me well there.  It’s always in my regular rotation.

[DUAL-COIL RTA]

This is probably my favorite product in ANY category: the Hugsvape Lotus RTA.  How are people not talking more about this one?  I think it’s the best dual-coil RTA I’ve ever used!  This might be hard to believe, but the Lotus has actually matched a few of my RDAs in the flavor department.  It’s amazing.  Get one! =)

HONORABLE MENTION: Footoon Aqua Reboot.  For a few months, I was confident this was going to win the top spot…until the Lotus came out and changed everything.  It’s still a killer tank though.

[SINGLE-COIL RTA]

Another easy one: the OFRF Gear RTA.  I realize there’s a lot of hype surrounding this tank…but there’s no denying that it’s a fantastic vape!  It does have some flaws (like everything else on the market), but it’s still the best single-coil RTA I’ve tried in a while.  Highly recommended.

[SUB-OHM TANK]

As some of you know, I don’t use sub-ohm tanks anymore, so there’s not much I can say here.  Help me out!  Let the VAPE DEALS community know what you recommend in the comments below.

[RDA]

No surprises here: the Hellvape Drop Dead RDA.  It’s everything I like about the Dead Rabbit (one of my favorite drippers), but it also features some very big improvements.  I have zero complaints with this one.  Even if you already own a Dead Rabbit, I still think it’s worth picking up.

HONORABLE MENTION: the Stagevape Venus.  Such an underrated RDA.  The flavor is right up there with other popular (side-airflow) drippers like the Goon, CSMNT, Apocalypse, etc.  But the Venus only costs about $18!  At that price, I think it’s a no-brainer…as long as you don’t mind its unique design (and a slight whistle from the airflow).

[MTL TANK]

I almost didn’t want to do this category because I haven’t tried the Berserker V1.5 yet, and my Vapefly Galaxies MTL RDTA is still in the mail.  But, as it stands, the Ehpro True MTL RTA is my pick.  I’m not crazy about the way it looks, but it performs just as well as my Berserker Mini.  It features a better top-fill system and a more versatile build deck too.

[POD SYSTEM]

I haven’t tried many pod systems this year, but I still love the 7 Daze Zoor.  The flavors are amazing, the airflow is perfect, and the battery life is great (considering its size).  The pods are also very easy to refill.  The only downside is that the pods can be expensive and still aren’t widely available.

HONORABLE MENTION: I briefly owned a Kilo 1K earlier this year, but ended up giving it away.  I was really impressed with it though and I’ve been considering picking up another one.  As far as closed pod kits go, I think it’s one of the best options out there.

[E-LIQUID]

The types of e-liquids I enjoy are usually dependent on the airflow style I’m using.  For that reason, I’m breaking this into 3 parts: MTL, Restricted Direct Lung, and Direct Lung.

MTL: HFC by Mister-E-Liquid (Honey Flue Cured Tobacco).  Sound familiar?  Probably because this was my #1 pick last year too.  It’s my favorite e-liquid of all time.  For almost 2 years now, I haven’t gone a single day without vaping HFC.  It’s a strong tobacco flavor, so it won’t appeal to everyone.  But, for whatever reason, it just does it for me!

RESTRICTED DIRECT LUNG: One of my favorite combos (especially in the summer) is a single-coil RTA filled with a 6mg menthol juice.  Every year, I seem to fall in love with a new flavor; in 2018, it was Sakura by Sugoi Vapor.  Pineapple, mango, and peach with a hint of menthol.  I’m usually not a fan of tropical flavors, this is one of the few exceptions.

DIRECT LUNG: Juusu by Yami Vapor.  I honestly didn’t expect to like this one because I’ve been bored with apple flavors for a while.  But I usually enjoy lychee and peach, so I decided to give it a try.  Glad I did…wow!  Not too sweet, not too tart.  It’s just a perfectly balanced fruit blend.

BRAND/COMPANY: I wanted to mention this company because every flavor I tried from them was on my short list: Freeman Vape Juice.  I’m very critical when it comes to flavors.  My motto is: life is too short to vape mediocre e-liquid =)  With that in mind, I end up giving away a lot of the juice I buy.  I purchased 3 flavors from Freeman earlier this year…and I loved ALL of them!  That never happens.  In all fairness, maybe I just happened to try their best flavors.  Maybe all the others are mediocre.  I don’t know.  But what I do know is 1885, Trail Blazer, and Icebound are legit!  I’m anxious to get through my juice supply just so I can go over to Freeman and order all their other flavors.  **It’s also worth noting that they have some of the best branding out there; that is, it looks cool/professional and yet it’s not appealing to kids.

[BEST BARGAINS]

This is a deals site, so I always like to mention a few items that I think perform far better than their MSRP might suggest.  I’ve only got one this year: the Tigertek Morphe RDA (it came out in late 2017, but that’s ok).  It’s one of my favorite single-coil drippers for squonking.  It looks like a big dual-coil RDA on the outside, so you might be surprised when you pop off the cap and see the reduced chamber.  It’s almost like the Oumier Wasp Nano’s big brother =)  The flavor is solid and the screwless build deck is about as easy as it gets.

[OLDER PRODUCTS I STILL LOVE]

When I find something I like, I stick with it!  Here’s a few old favorites that have never left my rotation: Eleaf iStick Pico, Stentorian Basilisk, Digiflavor DF 60, Volcano Lavabox M, HexOhm 3.0, Vandy Vape Berserker Mini, Aspire Nautilus 2, Augvape Merlin RTA, Hellvape Dead Rabbit RDA, Kennedy 25 RDA, CSMNT RDA (I’m sure I’m forgetting a few!).

[LET’S WRAP IT UP!]

How do I summarize 2018?  I’d say it was the year of squonkers, mesh coils, and pod systems.  Personally, I had the most fun with the squonkers, but it was nice to see some innovation in the sub-ohm tank category.  The pod system craze was equally annoying and exciting.  On one hand, new kits have been getting released on a weekly basis, most of which aren’t bringing anything new to the table.  But I try not to get too annoyed because those are great entry-level kits for new vapers, and that should always be the top priority of this industry.  Personally, I’d prefer that manufacturers, vape shops, and e-liquid companies cater more to new vapers than the hobbyist crowd.  After all, it’s much more difficult to get a smoker to switch to vaping than it is for an experienced vaper to continue vaping.  That’s just my opinion, anyway.

Now that I’m at risk of going on a long tangent, I should probably just wrap it up =)  You guys are amazing and we are truly blessed to have your support.  Without you, this site would cease to exist.  As sincerely as I can possibly say it: THANK YOU.  Please never hesitate to drop a comment in our posts; we always look forward to hearing your feedback, opinions, and questions.  Happy New Year!

~Jeremy V.

 

[LINKS]

• ATOMIZERS
  • Aspire Nautilus 2 Tank
  • Ehpro True MTL RTA (10% off w/ coupon code “Hello2019”)
  • Footoon Aqua Reboot RTA (5% off w/ coupon code “NEW2019”)
  • Hellvape Dead Rabbit RDA
  • Hellvape Drop Dead RDA (extra 12% off w/ coupon code “3ANY12”)
  • Hugsvape Lotus RTA (5% off w/ coupon code “NEW2019”)
  • OFRF Gear RTA (log in for automatic discount, extra 15% off w/ code “XS15”)
  • Stagevape Venus RDA
  • Tigertek Morphe RDA
• MODS/KITS
  • 7 Daze Zoor Pod System
  • Desire Rage Squonker (5% off w/ coupon code “NEW2019”)
  • Dovpo Topside Squonker ($19 off w/ coupon code “TopsideE”)
  • Eleaf iStick Pico
  • Kilo 1K Pod System
  • OBS Cube (US / China)
  • Squid Industries Detonator
  • Stentorian Basilisk (10% off w/ coupon code “Hello2019”)
• E-LIQUID
  • Freeman Vape Juice (Use Coupon Code “vapedeals” to get 50% off)
  • HFC by Mister-E-Liquid
  • Juusu by Yami Vapor
  • Sakura by Sugoi Vapor

 

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]