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Last Updated on November 14, 2023 by
KANGER SUBOX MINI STARTER KIT – FULL REVIEW
Kangertech Continues It’s Winning Rollout
First thing I have to say is “Thank you” to Jack at Ave40 for making sure we got some of these terrific box mods this early in the game. I only wish I could have brought this review to you guys earlier, but I did have to actually use it for several days before I felt comfortable telling you how I feel about it.
The Kanger Subox Mini Starter Kit is destined to go down in VapeLandia history as one of the first game changers in the box mod category. What I mean by game changer is this; the box mod is not the best box mod on the market, nor is the tank that comes with the Starter Kit the best tank on the market. But together they bring to vapers a perfectly matched “kit” that will allow new vapers, and some advanced vapers looking for a small but powerful device, the opportunity to buy just one ‘thing’ that includes everything you’ll need for a wide array of vaping styles at a great price point… and the only extras you’ll need is an 18650 battery and ejuice. Is it perfect? No. But it is a quality kit that offers a fantastic vape and it is attractive as hell.
So, before I get into what it was like to use the Kanger Subox for the past 6 days, let’s take a look at the official specs.
Subox Mini Starter Kit Specs:
- Subox Mini – 7w to 50w Output – .1w increments
- Display: OLED
- Height: 82mm
- Length: 39mm
- Width: 22mm
- Charging: Micro USB, DC 5V at 1A – Replaceable 18650 >20A Battery
- Fires Down to .03-ohm
- Cannot attain 50w at ohms higher than 1.6
- Casing – Zinc Alloy Ceramic Coat
- Threading: 510
- Magnetic Battery Cover
- Available in Black or White
Subox Mini Tank:
- Width: 22mm
- Length: 48mm
- Coil: OCC and/or RBA
Here’s what’s in the box when you buy the Subox Mini Starter Kit:
- SUBTANK Mini
- KBOX Mini
- OCC 0.5 SUB Ohm
- OCC 1.5 Ohm
- RBA coil
- RBA Mini Plus Base
- Mini RBA Plus desk screw (2)
- Mini RBA Plus cover screw (2)
- Screwdriver
- Japanese organic cotton sheet
- Manual
Impressions
After seeing and using the Kanger KBox I honestly thought this Subox Mini Starter Kit was simply the KBox and a Subtank Mini, I did not even begin to consider that the Subox Mini was something new…but it is. The Subox Mini is smaller than I thought it would be.
I had no doubt it would fit in the palm of my hand, I’m 5’9” and my hands are normal for my height. Keira, on the other hand, is 4’11”, and with her tiny hands, as beautiful as they are, I thought the Subox Mini would still feel a bit large for a ‘palm of the hand’ box mod. Truth is, it’s a nice fit. She loves hers (in white), and I have a feeling the Subox Mini will be her primary vaporizer from here on out.
The Subox Mini Tank looks a lot like a Subtank Mini with a ceramic paint job. For the most part it is exactly that, but with a few ‘refinements’, though I can’t tell the difference between the two tanks, but the .5-ohm coil head does produce a richer flavor than the usual .5-ohm OCC’s for the Subtanks… Not a lot, but some.
On the subject of the coils; Kanger has developed a nice “mouth to lung” coil head that restricts your ability to take a decent lung hit with it. Spec’d out at 1.5-ohm, this coil produces good flavor, and a healthy amount of vapor, but the draw is tighter, almost forcing you to do a mouth-to-lung hit, so in that respect that succeeded easily.
Using both coil heads and a couple of usual OCC’s I’ve determined that the wait time for the new coils are a bit longer. By that I mean that while I can apply a few drops of ejuice into the top of the coils and vape away after a few minutes with a normal OCC, the new ones require more time. I would suggest at least 15 minutes of saturating, if not more.
The new coil head also take longer to break in than the usual OCC’s. When I began using mine I was somewhat disappointed with the stiffer draw of the tank with the .5-ohm coil, a substantial decrease in vapor production, and even a ‘tin’ taste of the eliquid. At first blush I think many new vapers might be put off by the initial performance, especially if they’ve watched any YouTube videos of the Subox Mini in action. I believe Kanger would do well to mention this break-in period in their manual. It takes a few hours before the coils loosen up and begin to product some serious vapor and flavor. When it is broken in it performs every bit as good as the Subtank, perhaps even better.
Lastly, the coil heads seem to require more wattage than the older OCC’s from Kanger. I have used the Subtank Mini for months now, always the .5-ohm coil head, and at 30w I get a fine vape experience. I seldom need to take it higher and I have discussed this at length with some of my Delta 2 loving friends. The Delta 2 requires 40w at least for optimum performance, and the Subtank’s optimum was 30-32w (personally). Now, the Subox Mini is set to 40w with the .5-ohm coil head. The 1.5-ohm gets along fine at less than 20w.
The Vape
The Subox Mini feels great and performs like a champ. I can carry it everywhere and never feel burdened by it. The magnetic doors hold the battery securely, and by making the device with a replaceable 18650 it takes mere seconds to change out the battery. I have a plastic box that fits 2 18650’s perfectly and I keep them charged and in my purse at all times. When the Subox runs low of power I pull the door off, remove the battery and replace it with one in my plastic box. This is going to be a bigger hit with vapers than it sounds.
I’ve used both Max VG and 50:50 ejuice in the tank and it doesn’t have any issues at all with very thick ejuice. The vapor plumes are dense, flavorful, and it performs as well as much larger vaporizers. And that’s the thing, isn’t it? I mean I’ve heard some criticisms from vapers that indicate their opinion of the Subox is nothing more than a toy box mod. I don’t know where they get this idea, and I know for a fact they can’t possibly own one because if they did they would need what we know, size is not important. The 50w in the Subox are not somehow a toy version of 50w, ya know? The 18650 battery is the same one that powers much larger devices, so when I hear this kind of criticism I shake my head and consider the source to be either jealous or ignorant, or both.
Conclusion
The Subox Mini Starter Kit is going to run around $60 or so, and Kanger will be selling just the Subox Mini itself for right around $35-40. I promise you that if you watch a video, say John’s video, and like what you see, then you will not be disappointed in it. The Subox is a quality device, and unlike some, I don’t think the ceramic coat on the box or the tank is going to cause a problem. I have every expectation that the Subox Mini will last a very long time.
Now, after this admittedly glowing review, I have to add that by no means am I saying that vapers should toss out their current vaporizers and tanks and jump on the Subox bandwagon. Just because the Subox Mini is a real delight, and I love using it, it does not mean I’m going to stop using my Joyetech eVic-VT, my eGo ONE Mega, or any of the other devices I own and use. What I am saying is that if you are looking to pick up another box mod, if you like Kanger products, than consider the Subox Mini Starter Kit.
Would I Replace The Subox Mini If I Lost It?
In a word, yes! The price for this kit is surprisingly low. If the vendors that are taking preorders wind up selling it for $55-$60 it will be very difficult to ignore. Considering all you get in the Starter Kit version, the price is a steal.
The Kanger Subox Mini Starter Kit is a 5-Star product.
