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Julia Hartley-Barnes And The Case of the Joyetech eCom-C
We are entering an exciting time in the evolution of electronic cigarettes. It seems every month new, higher-tech eCigarettes are either released or announced, like the Joyetech eCom-C
Some are purely mechanical while others are loaded with hi-tech electronics. Just last month Joyetech released the eVic Supreme, arguably the most advanced electronic cigarette to date, and on the expensive side of dial, and this month Joyetech follows up with the eCom-C, a much less expensive eCigarette but a hi-tech marvel in its own right.
Pre-Production
The Joyetech eCom-C is so new that my review is based on pre-production batteries and their accompanying atomizers. Hopefully you won’t have to wait long should you decide that the eCom-C is to be your next electronic cigarette.
After spending a week with the pre-production batteries I can say with a certain confidence that the eCom-C easily outperforms the Joyetech eGo-C, and the price/performance ratio is outstanding.
On Being Assigned
When I was given the assignment to review the new eCom-C I had no idea how advanced it would be. When I opened the box I could see that it was an attractive, elegant electronic cigarette.
The eCom-C is offered in two types; the eCom-C Twist and the eCom-C. Sleek, slender, and well balanced, the eCom-C batteries seem to be at least a three-generation jump from Joyetech’s eGo-C batteries.
The Joyetech eCom Series
The eCom-C will appeal to new vapers especially, as well as vapers moving from cig-a-likes to something “more”, and even to some veteran vapers that want something ‘dressier’ for a night on the town, or for the office. Let’s face it, even the most passionate cloud chasers won’t necessarily want to bring along their bigger batteries and RBA’s when in a club atmosphere or office setting. The eCom-C allows you the opportunity to vape in public without being gawked at.
Particulars
As I said above, there are two battery types, and there are two threading choices. The eCom-C ‘series’ also offers three different glassomizers made specifically for the eCom-C batteries. As I go through the batteries and glassomizers I’ll try to keep the confusion down to a minimum, although it can look a bit complicated if this is your first read-through of the review. My summary at the end lays out the basics though, so make sure you catch that before you leave.
In Common
The eCom-C battery is offered in 650mAh, 900mAh, and 1300mAh. (The mAh rating is an indicator of how long the charge lasts, the larger the number the longer it will last before needing a recharge.) My pre-production batteries are 900mAh. Naturally, the higher the rating of the battery the taller it is as well.
Both the eCom-C Twist and eCom-C offer a wide range of safety and performance features.
Both are regulated batteries, constantly outputting the power level until the charge has been depleted to the point of needing a recharge. Both provide short circuit protection, a 10-second ‘puff’ limit, battery charge indicators, and a low battery warning.
Both batteries are charged via a supplied USB cable. On the side of each battery is a Micro USB port. This port is covered with the same type of rubber cover the eVic uses, except there are no hinges attaching the cover to the battery.
The very first time I recharged the battery I dropped the rubber cover while removing it and it took a good 5 minutes to find it. You’ll get extra covers in the starter kits; you’ll need them I’m sure.
The charging times vary according to the mAh rating of the battery and looking at the various times we charged the batteries I would say that the charging time is more or less equal to one-half the charge life of the battery with moderate to heavy vaping.
Battery Indicator
I don’t want to offer you a users manual and try to pass that off as a review, but I do want to illustrate one aspect of the level of hi-tech electronics in the eCom-C batteries.
For that example I’ve chosen the “battery indicator” feature. If you can make it through the next couple of paragraphs without getting lost then you won’t have any problems with your eCom-C since this next part is the most complicated aspect of the devices.
To find out how much battery charge is left in the batteries Joyetech do the following.
Press down the firing button, if the light stays on it indicates that there is at least a 60% charge left, and if the light blinks continuously it means there is less than 60% charge remaining. With me so far?
But now get this; the less battery charge remaining in the battery the faster the light will blink.
So, say the charge left in the battery is between 30% and 60% then the light blinks, but does so slowly. When the charge is down to 10% to 30% the light blinks in a not-so-slow steady rate, and when the charge drops below 10% the light flashes very quickly. Because the batteries are the latest Li-on batteries you can recharge them whenever you want, no need to wait until it drops to a certain level.
In reality it’s a simple process, but when reading it aloud it sounds complicated as hell. In any case, Joyetech has made the eCom-C intelligent enough to give you more information without the need for a display.
eCom-C line is 510 and 510/eGo threading
Now I’ll get into each of the batteries. In my pre-production eCom-C starter kit I received there is an eCom-C with a standard 510-threading and an eCom-C Twist with a standard Joyetech eGo threading and 510-threading.
Simply put, the (black) eCom-C in the kit can use any 510-threaded device, but only 510-threaded, it cannot use an eGo-threaded device.
While the eCom-C Twist can use both 510 and eGo-threaded atomizers. During my review period I used the atomizers/glassomizers that came with the package as well as an X.Jet Spider and a number of 510-threaded tanks, including a Kanger AeroTank Mini with no problems.
Why?
To be frank, I’m really not sure why the eCom-C (the black one in my package) doesn’t have both sets of threads like the eCom-C Twist. It seems overly complicated to me, and not necessary. I have to wonder why anyone would choose an eCom-C battery with ‘just’ the 510-threading when the same battery is available with both. In any case, you’ll need to choose one over the other when you buy the battery or starter kit.
Differences
eCom-C Twist – Variable Wattage – The eCom Twist is a Variable Wattage-only device with a range of 5.1W to 10.W. The dial on the bottom does not feature any sort of dial-in clicks-locking. Instead, the dial allows for a smooth, non-locking turn either clockwise or counter-clockwise.
Though the dial moves freely without locking into any certain setting the wattage increases or decreases in .1w increments.
eCom-C – The eCom-C offers two modes; constant output (3.5v) mode and variable voltage mode. Switching between the two modes is a simple matter of shutting down the battery (5 swift clicks), then holding down the firing button for 5 seconds. If the bottom indicator light flashes 3 times in white the battery is set in constant output mode of 3.5v, if the light flashes 3 times in orange the battery is set to variable voltage mode.
Some of you might be wondering how the eCom-C can offer variable voltage output mode when there is no dial at the bottom of the battery for variable voltage. So, I’ll tell you.
In constant output mode the eCom-C delivers a steady 3.5v, and when you switch to variable voltage mode the battery automatically adjusts to the atomizer being used and adjusts the voltage accordingly.
That’s all there is to it. Simple, no? The idea is to be able to use the eCom-C like you would a mechanical mod, with the power level remaining steady no matter what the ohms are for the coils. With Variable Voltage mode you’ll be able to switch out atomizers without much concern for adjustments in voltage because the eCom-C will read the coils and adjust the voltage output.
The eCom-C Clearomizers/Glassomizers
There are three types of atomizers for the eCom-C, Joyetech refers to them as follows. (The three clearomizers are sold as 510-threaded OR eGo threaded.) All three have an eLiquid capacity of 1.5ML.
Type A: This clearomizer is an all-metal Clearo with a clear glass window cut into the side.
Type B is an all glass tank that is both aesthetically gorgeous and will handle any eLiquid thrown at it because its glass.
Continue this review on page 2…
Type C: Described as “steel clipper-built”. Basically, the Type C atomizer has a smaller window to view the eLiquid level, as well as a smaller drip tip. Type A and B use interchangeable drip tips, while Type C must use the specific drip tip made for it.
Still with me?
Coil Heads – All three use a new C2 head. In my pre-production kit I received a 5-pack of replacement heads. The heads are quite different than the replacement heads for the Joyetech eGo-C.
Unlike the eGo-C heads there is no angle-cut stem, and there are 4 air holes around the bottom of the head, and the head screws into the base of the atomizer rather than being placed there. The heads I received don’t have the ohms etched into the stem, but Tom tested them for me and told me they were 1.8ohms, which makes sense when considering the eCom-C’s constant output mode of 3.5v.
Options Galore
The eCom-C is available in seven colors: black, pink, red, purple, blue, silver, and white. I received a red eCom-C Twist, and a black eCom-C.
When shopping for the eCom-C you’ll have the choice of buying individual batteries, in 510 or eGo threads, in 3 different mAh ratings, 650, 900, and 1300mAh, or in complete starter kits. That’s a lot of choices and I can just imagine the product page on a vendors website where you’ll need to make decisions with respect to mAh, threading, color, modes available (Twist or No-Twist)
Starter Kits will be available in single battery and double battery configurations. Unfortunately I do not have any information on pricing or availability. The eCom-C was officially released on May 21st, and should begin arriving in vendor warehouses perhaps as early as next week.
Single Battery Kit
- 1x Battery
- 1x Atomizer Tube
- 2x C2 Heads
- 1x USB Cable
- 1x Wall Adapter
- 3x USB Port Covers
- 2x Mouthpiece Covers
- 1x Manual &Warranty Card
Double Battery Kit
- 2x Batteries
- 2x Atomizer Tubes
- 5x C2 Heads
- 1x USB Cable
- 1x Wall Adapter
- 5x USB Port Covers
- 2x Mouthpiece Cover
- 1x Manual & Warranty Card
Real World Usage
And finally, we get to our vape experience with the new eCom-C and eCom-C Twist. I asked Keira to pitch in and we spent several days with both batteries, switching off and on periodically. Both of us came up with the same conclusions about the eCom-C lineup, which follows below.
We definitely prefer the eCom-C Twist to the eCom-C. Variable Wattage makes vaping so easy, and enjoying my vaping instead of fiddling with the settings was nice change of pace. Of the three clearomizers we found the performance pretty similar, if not exactly alike.
But from an aesthetic point of view we liked the Type B the most (transparent glass tank), despite the fact that the Type B was our 510-threaded atomizer, so we couldn’t use it with the eCom-C Twist.
Vapor and flavor were true to form, offering accurate flavor renditions and a more than expected vapor production. I think what added to the pleasure of the vape was the plastic drip tips. These are hard Delrin plastic tips, with a slightly wider opening at the top. Had they been metal tips they would have scored much lower.
Battery Life was about what we expected for a 900mAh battery. With the eCom-C Twist set to 8.5w I was able to get a steady vape going for a total of about 3.5-4 hours of vape time. Keira got a little less time on average, but I believe that’s due to Keira’s aggressive vaping style.
The eCom-C batteries are heavier than I expected, though they balanced beautifully. Comparing the weight (by feel, not scale) of the eCom-C Twist to a Vision Spinner II, they were about the same, though the Spinner II has a much larger diameter and is just slightly taller.
Both Keira and I have a fair amount of experience with last years eGo-C and eGo-C Twist, and while we enjoyed them back when reviewing them it didn’t take long to move on to something else.
That’s one of the problems of constantly reviewing new products, unless they really impress you during the review they don’t stick around long. The eCom-C and eCom-C Twist are head and shoulders above the eGo-C Twist and eGo-CC batteries and clearomizers in just about every way.
The eCom-C series are modern, sleek, and elegant. Switching to Variable Wattage from the Variable Voltage of the eGo-C Twist was the right move for Joyetech. We also appreciated the new 1300mAh rating, besting the eGo-C by 300mAh.
The clearomizers and atomizers used with the eCom-C series is so much better than the ones that were used in the eGo-C series. The atomizers are more like the ones used in Aspire and X.Jet, and perform equally well.
And although it might seem like a minor, if not insignificant matter, the fact that the new atomizers screw into the base of the clearomizers instead of being placed there made at least a ‘perceptive’ change in the overall quality of the eCom-C series.
Finally, I don’t know what Joyetech is planning to do with the eGo-C line once the eCom line is integrated into the pipeline to vendors, or if the eCom-C line is meant to replace it or supplement it. I do know that the eCom-C line feels better, looks better, and performs better.
As for a personal preference, I’d have to say that the eGo/510 threading would be my and Keira’s choice over the 510 threading alone. We can’t determine a single reason for offering a 510-only eCom-C. After the eCom-C series has been on the market for a few months I would love to see how many vapers chose the 510-thread-only option instead of the 510/eGo.
Recommendation
Joyetech puts out excellent, high quality products on a consistent basis. The eCom-C is no exception. They are built extremely well, and they certainly appear to be long lasting.
Our plan right now is to pick up several more eCom-C batteries, both Twist and non-Twist versions, to replace our aging eGo batteries, and depending on the retail price when they reach the vendor shelves and product pages will determine just how quickly, or slowly, we replace them.
Julia Hartley-Barnes
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