Powerful Kanger Dripbox 160 TC – The Review

KANGER DRIPBOX 160W REVIEW

Kanger has bumped up their first, very successful, Dripbox to a full 160w of power, added full Temperature Control, and added one more 18650- battery to ensure the full 160w of power is ready to go. MyVaporStore has the new Dripbox 160 TC in stock for just $79.99. If you like the idea of Automated Dripping, then you’re going to like this new, more powerful and feature rich Kanger Dripbox.

Kanger Dripbox 160 Temperature Control Starter Kit

Available Now – MyVaporStore

Kangertech has created a tiny sub-section in the vaping community for the “squonker”, or bottom-feeder, mods with a built in RDA… and man, the number of Dripboxes being sold around the world has shocked a lot of people… people that believed that the day of squonk box has long passed, and that full RDA prebuilt decks would become a thing. The Dripbox is unique among all mods, and by all indications it’s a product we wanted, but didn’t realize it.

It’s been a few years since any type of squonk-box was even considered as viable by more than a handful of vapers, and although there has always been a significant number of vapers using RDA’s, the idea of building a powerful squonk box with a powerful RDA that used prebuilt decks just wasn’t on the short list anywhere, until Kanger decided to build one.

An Interesting Aside: “:The Squonk is a mythical creature reputed to live in the Hemlock forests of northern Pennsylvania.^[1][2] Legends of squonks probably originated in the late nineteenth century, at the height of Pennsylvania’s importance in the timber industry. The legend holds that the creature’s skin is ill-fitting, being covered with warts and other blemishes and that, because it is ashamed of its appearance, it hides from plain sight and spends much of its time weeping.” – Wikipedia –  Come on now, that is sad, is it not?

Anyway, the Kanger Dripbox 160 TC Starter Kit is a very cool vaping instrument, and I’ve had a ton of fun using it over the past 10 days. Either model, original or new, of the Dripbox is a convenient dripper, and anyone that has read the “The Art of the Drip” article we published a while back, will undoubtedly experience and understand the true Dripper vape experience that can be had with the Dripbox, without any of the minor (but worth it) annoyances of dripping with an RDA that requires building and wicking dripper coils, and constantly dripping juice into it. As an RDA mod the Dripbox 160 TC makes the art of dripping stupid-easy. Now, even new vapers can choose to jump to the head of the class with flavor and vaper found only in the most advanced gear…until now of course.

DRIPBOX 160 TC DEMO VIDEO

Can users vape at 160W with Kanger’s prebuilt decks? Let’s just see….

New Features and Specs

The Dripbox 160 TC features the venerable variable wattage output from 7 to 160 watts. This alone is pretty ideal, but the Dripbox 160 TC also features Temperature Control modes that supports Nickel (Ni200), Titanium (Ti), (SS) Stainless Steel and Ni-chrome (NiChr) wire in temperature sensing mode, working with a temperature range of 200-600 degrees (100 – 315 Celsius).

The Temperature Control system works similarly to all the TC mods currently on the market. The Dripbox 160 TC is a 5-click on/off mod, with a 3-click access to the menu. After 3 clicks you’ll have the choice to choose the wire you are using in the deck. You can also choose Wattage mode at this time. The Temperature Control system does not include manual TCR, but other than that, you’re pretty much set to enjoy some serious TC vaping.

Once you choose the wire material of your coil you can then increase or decrease the temperature. If you remove the Subdrip RBA and reattach you’ll be asked if you’ve changed the coil; reply with a Y or N.  This is done to calibrate the Temperature Coefficient of Resistance.

Subdrip RBA

The Subdrip 160 RBA features a velocity style build deck. This type of deck makes for easier coil builds and allows for ample wicking space as well. The Subdrip in the new Dripbox seems to have been improved.

The Subdrip 160 RDA/RBA use replaceable and rebuildable 0.2ohm fully assembled cotton/dual coils ($2.99 each at MVS), ready to pop into the RBA and popped out to make it easy switch out when the coil/cotton needs to be replaced. Or, should the user wish, the deck can be rebuilt with a new coil/cotton assembly that fits the user’s personal preferences.

Squonk – The Subdrip 160 RBA has a juice delivery mechanism at the bottom of the 510 threads. This mechanism allows the e-juice fed up from the squonk bottle to fully saturate the cotton without flooding it. The e-liquid is squeezed upward from the plastic squonk 7mL bottle at the bottom of the unit, up to the mechanism under the threading, and into the deck, saturating the coil and cotton. While all this may sound complicated, it really isn’t. An easy way to put it is: E-liquid in the bottle at the bottom of the Dripbox is squeezed into the RDA/RBA and vaped the usual way. You don’t have to care how it happens, only that it does happen. The hardest part of all this is knowing when to squeeze the bottle, and for how long. You’re just going to have to feel around and adopt to your style of vaping. Some will squeeze the bottle more often than others, and harder as well.

Top-Fill – If the user prefers to fill the Subdrip from the top, it is easily done. The top cap of the Subdrip can be removed for refilling. Though, honestly, if I’m buying a mod that has a squonk box that does it for me, I’m not spending time actually “dripping” when I could be vaping. Although I was tempted to fill the bottle and the RBA, but I didn’t.

The top cap of the RBA/RDA pulls off instead of being unscrewed. In addition, Kanger did something really innovative with MTL and DL vapers. The top cap twists to a MTL (mouth to lung) or a DL (direct lung) position, creating the first RDA to my knowledge that can be vaped as a mouth to lung atomizer.

Filling the Squonk Bottle – On the bottom of the Dripbox 160 TC mod is a magnetic bottom plate directly below the squonk bottle. Simply pull it off, and place it somewhere that you won’t lose or forget, fill the bottle with juice to the barely seen fill mark, then insert the bottle up through the juice mechanism, then reattach the magnet squonk door.

One you fill the bottle and insert into the Dripbox, remove the top cap of Subdrip, apply 8-10 drops of juice directly over the coil/cotton, put the top cap back on, making sure to align it for MTL or DL vaping. Leaving the cyclops style airflow slots open is the DL position.

Vaping – With the top cap set to maximum airflow for DL vaping you’re going to get massive amount of air. I had to close off the airflow about 50% for a nice Direct Lung hit. After a couple of pre-burns at 30W, I moved up the wattage mode to 50W. (interestingly, the Kanthal dual coil, 0.4-ohm x 2, 0.2-ohm prebuilt deck read 0.37-ohms.). That setting was a nice solid vape, but I wanted more. I opened the airflow back up to full, and bumped the wattage to 75w. At this setting there was way more vapor than I could take, but I could also tell it could go to 100w easy for a warm massive vape.

Flavor – Whenever I vape a new tank or RDA for the first time I use an eliquid with a very distinctive flavor and I measure the flavor from the new tank/RDA to my experience with the ejuice and my Goliath v2, my person preference for flavor/vapor pairing.  I chose Vape Dudes Bananas Foster. Many tanks, especially ones with Stainless Steel wire, barely register the banana flavor. The RDA/RBA Dripbox 160 TC gave me a very thorough Bananas Foster flavor that was every bit as good, or better, than my Goliath v2.

I ended up at 61-watts with a little more than half-way airflow for dense vapor and dense flavor. It was in every way an awesome vape.

Batteries – The Dripbox 160 requires (2) 18650 High Amp Batteries (not included), and the batteries can be charged in the unit via the USB port and included USB cable, or removed for external charging. Spinfuel always recommends recharging outside the unit, but in a pinch this feature can be used safely. Accessing the batteries is done by using the hinged battery door on the bottom of the Dripbox.

Because the Dripbox 160 TC is a Dual Battery device, always use matched pairs, never deviate from that. Use a felt tip pen to number the batteries 1 and 2, and rotate the position for each of them every few charges. You’ll get longer lifespans from the batteries.

Battery Life – That depends on how high the wattage is, and how aggressive you vape. For myself, I was halfway through two fully charged batteries inside of an hour.

The Dripbox 160 Audience

The Kanger Dripbox 160 TC Starter Kit is ideal for vapers still wanting that RDA vape experience, that exceptional

flavor and massive vapor that RDA’s are known for. That’s not to say you can’t get the ultimate flavor and vapor from non-RDA tanks, but for some people, the RDA vape is still unmatched. The Dripbox 160 TC gives you ‘that’ vape. Anyone that wants this kind of experience, the new Dripbox 160 TC will do very nicely.

Warning: The Dripbox 160 TC Mod and the Subdrip 160 RBA are not compatible with other devices. The reason is obvious after you begin using one, the design of the juice delivery system makes for specifically designed components. Please don’t attempt to use a different tank or RDA/RBA on the Dripbox 160, or attempt to use the Subdrip 160 on other mods.

Real World Report

When I reviewed the original Kanger Dripbox I gave that device a grade of an “A”.  As the first iteration of a brand new device Kanger touched upon an idea that was simple, delivered an awesome vape experience, it was affordable, and most of all, it was original. Now, with more than double the wattage (60w in the original), the addition of Temperature sensing, and of course a larger footprint due to dual 18650’s, the Dripbox 160 TC grades even higher.

With a box full of the replaceable coil/cotton ‘coil heads’, ($2.99 each) I was able to test the new Dripbox 160 TC and Subdrip RBA with plenty of different e-liquids, in 3 different PG/VG ratios. Results were incredibly good with all of them, though I would recommend higher VG ratios over 50:50 blends. This kit was built to deliver massive clouds and rich flavor found in the Higher VG eliquids.

While the original KangerTech Dripbox output a single wattage setting (which is why there is no adjustment buttons on the original), the Dripbox 160 TC does have adjustable wattage. You’ll notice the OLED display and the two adjustment buttons.

Variable Wattage is going to allow vapers the choice of any wattage setting from 7-160w, so no matter what juice you’re vaping with, you can set the wattage or temperature you want, while setting the RBA to MTL or DL vaping.

High VG ejuice is going to produce intense flavor and massive vapor at 50 watts and above with the standard 0.2 prebuilt decks. (I don’t see how the dual coil 0.2-ohm replacement coil ‘packs’ of Kanthal or Stainless Steel dual coil 0.25 can go any higher than 100w) If anyone is going to take the Dripbox up to 160w that rebuildable deck is going to require some custom coil builds and plenty of wicking. But I’m sure vapers are doing that already.

Rebuilding on the velocity style deck is easy enough, but if you plan on sticking to the 0.2-ohm coil ‘packs’ you’ll do best at no higher than 60 watts. For that reason, keep in mind that there are plenty of the original Dripboxes in stock at MVS for $28.95. Blowout prices for sure, but a great addition to your collection if you plan on using the coil packs and not rebuilding them.

All in all, I have only one concern about this truly innovative Dripbox; since I am not used to using a squonk I am overly careful about keeping eliquid saturated around the coil/cotton. If you decide to purchase one, keep that in mind. No one wants to be vaping a Kanthal coil in an RDA environment, at 80 or 90 watts and let the thing go dry. The dry burn would be deadly…almost. Other than the overcompensating with the squonk bottle, the Kanger Dripbox 160 TC is a spectacular mod. Highly recommended for those that found this review describing an experience they would like to have.

Grade: A

“A much improved upgrade to a very good squonk/RDA mod. With more than twice the wattage and Temperature Control, the new Dripbox has grown up.”

Tom McBride

Pick one up at MyVaporStore for $79.99

In the Box:

• 1x – Dripbox 160W kit
• 1x – Velocity Style RBA Coil – Prebuilt Kanthal
• 1x Velocity Style RBA Coil – Prebuilt Stainless Steel
• 1x – Drip Box Coil
• 1x – Spare Squonk Tube
• 1x – USB Charging Cable
• Extra Coils, Allen Wrench, RBA Filter, Cotton

Pre-built coils and replacement build decks can be found here:

Replacement Drip Coils

 Features and Specs:

• Dimensions: 4-3/4″ x 2″ x 1″ (Including Subdrip 160 RBA)
• Includes the Subdrip 160 RBA and Dripbox 160 Mod
• 22mm Diameter
• Bottom Feeding Design
• Juice Delivery System
• Temperature Control
• Top-Fill Option
• Variable Wattage Output: 7.0 – 160.0W
• Temperature Control: Ni200 / Ti / SS / Ni-Chrome
• Temperature Control Range: 100 – 315C / 200 – 600F
• Resistance: 0.05 ohm or above for Ni/ Ti/ SS Wire
• Resistance: 0.10 ohm or above for Ni-chrome Wire
• 7ml e-Liquid Capacity
• Velocity Style Base for Rebuildable Coils
• Use pre-built 0.2ohm drip coils or build your own
• Subdrip 160 RBA – Stainless Steel Casing
• Dripbox 160 – Zinc Alloy Casing
• Requires (2) 18650 High Amp Batteries (Sold Separately)
• Micro USB Charging Port
• *External charger recommended for faster charging speeds*
• Low Resistance Protection
• Low Battery Warning Indicator
• High Temperature Protection