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Pen-style vape mods. You either love ‘em or loathe ‘em. Me? I’m usually bored by them, but occasionally one comes along that changes your tune. While there’s nothing groundbreaking or revolutionary about the all-new Innokin Plexar 100W pen-style mod kit, it does its sole job exceedingly well, which is statement unto itself.
Light, but substantial. Sturdy, but slender. Powerful, but consistent. The direct-wattage Plexar takes the standard pen-style vape archetype and just makes it better, with 20700 battery capability, and a nicely textured exterior that makes it more comfortable than the typical smooth, metal tube devices. It’s far from perfect, but when you factor in the solid PLEX tank, this is a pretty good value for the money.
Let’s see what the official word is on the Plexar kit (abbreviated a lot – those Innokin guys know how to write!)
The Plexar is ergonomically designed, fits easily in your pocket and features a comfortable high-quality firing button. Crafted with copper, the Plexar has a 25.6mm diameter and stands 149mm tall.
Easy to use! Simply attach the Plex tank, fill it with your favorite eliquid and get ready to experience amazing vaping with the press of a button. No adjustment required!
The Plexar 20700/18650 replaceable battery can be recharged with an external charger or by using the included micro-USB.
Specs:
- Manufactured By: Innokin
- Battery Capacity: 20700 mAh
- E-Juice Capacity: 4.0 ml
- Body Material: 304 Stainless Steel
- Tank Material: Borosilicate Glass
- Maximum Output Wattage: 100
- Diameter: 1 Inch (25.6 mm)
Contents:
- 1 x Innokin Plexar Vape Pen
- 1 x Innokin Plex Tank
- 1 x Scion Plex3D 0.14-ohm Kanthal Coils
Impressions
I somewhat covered it already, but as a pen-style, direct-wattage device, there isn’t much to discuss other than the overall feel, which is excellent. Though the body is made from stainless steel, there’s an oddly comfortable and “soft” texture to the exterior that puts it a touch above standard pen devices. And with the groove cutouts that run the length of the mod, the Plexar is easy to hold and less likely to slip than a uniformly smooth finish.
The shield-like fire key is appropriately located near the top of the mod, and it has a great, clicky throw with near-immediate responsiveness. It seems odd to be discussing a fire key in 2019, but there are a bunch of clunkers still populating shelves, especially on direct-wattage mods. This was a nice job by Innokin.
My only concern is the screw-off battery door, which was wiggly and poorly threaded on my test model, requiring several “turn/turn back” attempts before it found the right groove and settled into place. And even though the mod was designed for use with the 20700 cells, there was still a little bit of play in the battery compartment, creating a noisy, ratter-ly device.
Standout Features
We’ll have a more detailed PLEX tank review in the next few weeks. But for the purposes of the Plexar review, just know that the Innokin PLEX tank is not the world-beating sub-ohm machine people claim it is. Nor do the Plex3D coils outlast every other competitor on the market. But as a collective unit, it still does okay, just like it did when I first used it with the Proton kit last year.
I still enjoyed the convenient and easy to use “push top” retractable top fill system, which locks into place nicely, even if filling is prone to more “blowback” from captured air than most tanks. Once filled, the PLEX is leak-free and smooth vaping.
The coils? Well, they’re thirsty. Which is why it’s so odd that Innokin pushes them as ultra-long-lasting. Don’t get me wrong, the tank is one of the better options on the market, but with thirsty heads and a limiting 4mL max capacity, you’re going to be refilling this thing a lot – something to consider if you have a big night planned with friends.
Also, like last time, I noticed that the coils don’t seem to want to go as high as the recommended wattages state. There isn’t an output reading on the Plexar tank, so I wasn’t sure if the device was hitting its full 100 watts when fully charged, but I did experience a few “less than savory” draws at higher power. Nothing tragic, but worth noting.
But the flavor WAS better than in previous experiences with the PLEX, so there’s a good chance Innokin is working on making a better experience with this series – something we’ll always prefer versus canning a coil design and starting new.
Vaping the Innokin Plexar Kit
I have to say, the Plexar delivers some of the smoothest, most-measured draws I’ve ever had on a direct-wattage pen mod. Normally, these devices get irregular hits, depending on a variety of reasons, from older batteries, to loose connections or some other minutiae. But even with the rattly compartment, the Plexar always maintained good contact.
I’m not sure the Plexar ever got up to full speed – a 100-watt maximum output – but it definitely felt like it at times. That’s because the stainless steel exterior is an excellent conductor for heat. And there’s a LOT of heat coming from the Plexar device, especially under heavy use. I never felt in danger or even overly uncomfortable, but nervous types and newcomers are likely to think something’s wrong when chain vaping. I was hoping the mod wouldn’t struggle with this, thanks to the ample venting on the battery cap, but the entire frame heats quickly – more quickly than I like, to be honest.
Battery life was about what I’d expect from a direct-wattage mod, even with the 20700 cell in place. It wasn’t terrible, but these straight-laced mods are never going to be as efficient as regulated devices, even with newer tech in place. I managed to get a few solid hours of strong performance, before the draws got a little limper, and the clouds a little wispier.
But, tech is still in your favor here, with a strong list of protections in place to ensure the Plexar never overheats, overuses the battery, or just overextends past its limits. Though I never saw a warning light, I’m confident a company like Innokin has them set up right.
Pros:
– Comfortable, compact design
– 20700-compatible
– Outstanding, responsive fire key
Cons:
– Gets way too hot
– Middling battery life
– Rattly battery compartment cap
Spinfuel VAPE Recommendation and Score
If you’re a pen-style vape mod enthusiast (and I know some of you are out there) the Plexar kit offers a good value for the money. While nothing here is screaming “must buy,” the combination of a smooth, solid-performing tube mod and a better-than-average tank is worth checking out if you’re in the market. Maybe it’s not a world-beater in this day and age, and that heat is a little annoying, but there’s enough to like about the Plexar to encourage fans to check it out.
