Digiflavor HELIX & Cerberus Sub-Ohm Tank Review

Digiflavor Helix & Cerberus Review – Whenever we see a new pen-style vape kit cross our desks, our first reaction is usually, “What does it do differently than the hundreds of similar devices out there?” When we see a new pen-style vape kit that doesn’t have any adjustments beyond a single-button/three power setting approach, we’re even more skeptical.

Sadly, we didn’t get the answers we were looking for in the Digiflavor Helix & Cerberus Tank Kit. Don’t get me wrong, the Helix does what it says it’s going to do, and the tank pairing makes some sense. But the limited scope of options and adjustments makes the Helix kit a niche package for a VERY specific type of vaper – probably not the niche they were targeting. Let’s dive in.

The Tease….

The Digiflavor HELIX & Cerberus Tank Kit is a complementary vaping set-up, combining a single 18650 platform, the advanced AS Chipset, and is paired with the Geek Vape Cerberus Sub-Ohm Tank to make bountiful flavorful clouds while retaining portability.

Powered by a single 18650 battery (sold separately), the HELIX works in conjunction with the Cerberus Tank in a symbiotic fashion, lending an ultra-fast responsive firing time thanks to the advanced AS chipset within the plastic ABS chassis construction. In addition, the HELIX Box Mod features multiple voltage output modes spanning 3.2V, 3.4V, and a bypass mode to offer more vaping styles to meet user preferences.

With a resistance range of 0.1-3.0ohms, the Digiflavor HELIX can be paired with nearly any atomizer on the market currently, however, it comes paired with the magnificent Geek Vape Cerberus Sub-Ohm Tank.

Unlike most weapon-like pen vapes, the Helix is made of lightweight and durable ABS plastic. I was a little hesitant at first but grew to appreciate the plastic exterior the more I used the device. For a pretty traditional, unadorned tube frame, the Helix was comfortable to hold, and felt weighty enough to instill confidence without ever becoming cumbersome.

My only long-term concern is the ability of the ABS plastic to withstand repeated drops and dings. By nature of the tube-style format, the Helix is more prone to rolling off surfaces and sliding out of pockets – believe me, it happened a lot. While my Helix only had a handful of scuffs at the end of testing, I can imagine the plastic will chip and ding quite a bit with regular use.

The rest of the Helix & Cerberus was a nice, if plain affair. The single-button scheme meant the fire key needed to be excellent, and Digiflavor definitely delivered here. Not only was the parallelogram-like button clicky and responsive, but the extra shallow throw means you could change voltage output settings rapidly, without even looking at the device. And because the Helix is another “rapid-ramping” mod, this becomes even more important.

The frame itself is nicely grooved, allowing for air to flow between the mod and your palm. That doesn’t sound important until you have a tube mod without this design, leading to sticky, sweaty palms and uncomfortable feelings in the palm. Do I wish Digiflavor didn’t feel the need to drill a giant company logo in the side of the mod? Sure, but I’ll let it slide because of the comfort it offers.

Overall, when coupled with the Cerberus tank, the kit makes a mature, understated impression. That’s more than most mods in this category can claim.

Standout Features of the HELIX/Geek Vape Collaboration

Normally, this is where I’d talk about a companion tank and its synchronicity with the kit as a whole. But the included Cerberus tank is about as pedestrian a sub-ohm tank as there is today. Sure, it has its own mesh coil system, a decent e-liquid capacity, and relatively leak-free performance. But at this point in 2019, what sub-ohm tank doesn’t?

While it lasts, the Cerberus Super Mesh coils are decent performers, offering a week or so of solid performance before tapping out. But what’s more telling about the tank’s antiquated design – it’s compatible with SMOK TFV8 Baby Beast coils. Those are certainly proven, quality vape coils. But they’re a little behind the times, compatible or not.

To me, the REAL standout feature is the AS chipset. This is an interesting thing to say on a mod kit that has only three voltage output options (one of which is bypass), but for a device with limited control features, the Helix is smooth-ramping and effortless. And those who’ve read previous pen-style mod reviews on this site know that it’s difficult to get that from single-18650 mods.

Vaping the Digiflavor Helix & Cerberus Tank Kit

On paper, the Helix kit is designed to fill, fire and enjoy. And in that sense, it works fine. Because of the direct voltage format, I chose to only test the Helix with the companion Cerberus tank, to make sure the coils were appropriate for the power output. And on that level, the Helix worked fine.

Like we mentioned above, the tank is just passable for 2019. There was decent flavor and surprisingly ample vapor production, but nothing that would make you trade in your Uwell Valyrian II anytime soon. As a starter kit, it was adequate. As a modern sub-ohm tank, it’s underwhelming.

As to the device? Well, as we’ve said 1,000 times before in digital ink, there simply isn’t enough visual feedback to let new vapers – a likely target audience – know what the hell is going on with their devices.

Yes, there’s a limp LED light setup to let you know which mode is activated and how much battery is left. But wouldn’t a small OLED screen readout be more effective in teaching newcomers how to use vape gear? If you’re going to throw mesh coils and claims of safety protections all over the place, why not dedicate a little real estate to SHOW new users what’s up?

But, if you’re a seasoned vaper and want to eliminate things like “wattage adjustment” and “control,” then there’s certainly a market for devices like the Helix. It’s definitely safer than mech mod use, and the tank seems to be optimized for these three voltage settings, so there’s that. I may be too hell bent on educating, when Digiflavor just wants to get to the vaping.

Pros:

– Lightweight ABS plastic frame

– Nice cutouts for comfort

– AS chipset

Cons:

– Limited functionality

– More limited readout

– Iffy tank

Spinfuel VAPE Recommendation and Score

We get it – we’re jaded vape reviewers, not “real people.” Many vapers would probably get the Digiflavor Helix & Cerberus tank kit and be perfectly content with the functionality and performance. But we also have to consider what the kit is intended to do, and who it’s intended FOR. And truth be told, we don’t see many experienced vapers opting for a new single-18650, direct-voltage tube mod these days, unless it’s offering out of this world performance.

That’s not what’s happening here. Instead, the Helix kit is really best suited for newcomers… and would be even better with some kind of visual readout. Unfortunately, while the Helix performs fine, there’s just too many other kits we’d recommend for newcomers and vaping veterans alike.