Lemo 3 RTA Review

eLeaf’s Lemo 3 RTA+ Atomizer

Whenever a new RTA, like the Lemo 3, hits the market, I immediately.  if the atomizerRTA or if it offers a rebuildable deck and a coil head option for Vapers who are not necessarilyt a rebuildable tank atomizer. It seems to me th looking for jusat when a strictly rebuildable option RTA is released, the companywant to find out is eliminating a large portion of potential buyers.

The Vaporesso Gemini RTA is an example of that. That RTA is gorgeous-looking and a big performer. But, because Vaporesso made a tank that a lot of non-RTA Vapers wanted, they had to release another tank, the Gemini Sub-Ohm, which, while a good tank, didn’t have the pizazz of the RTA model. Here, eLeaf avoids this by providing both options for Vapers in one atomizer.

The RTA Plus

Luckily, the new eLeaf Lemo 3 offers a solid RBA deck, and some new coil heads. Switching from the rebuildable deck to the coil head option is complicated, but in my opinion, it is very much worth the hassle. I’ll get to switching from RBA to Coil Head later in this review. First let’s go over some of the basics and why you may want to make the Lemo 3 your next atomizer/tank purchase.

Basic Features

The Lemo 3 is all high grade stainless steel and glass. With a capacity of 4mL+, 22mm diameter, large rectangular airflow slots on the base, wide-bore drip tip, and a truly delightful top-fill system. All this, and the RTA option makes this LEMO edition a much needed shot in the arm for a new eLeaf top of the line atomizer/tank.

Demo 3 Body

Despite being 22mm exactly, it looks larger than it really is. Perhaps it’s the squat body shape topped with a wide bore drip tip, but as you can see in the photo below of all the current eLeaf atomizers, it looks “butch”. Everything is stainless steel, with a glass tank.

(Companies continue to say “Pyrex” glass, and the first company to prove to us they are using real Pyrex glass, we’ll shout it from the rooftops. Pyrex is a brand, and we’ve never seen real Pyrex that didn’t have and logo engraved on it. Still, the glass is thick, and almost optical-quality.)

Deck and Coil Head Options

When you purchase the new Lemo 3 you receive two coil heads and the deck, plus 2 pre-wrapped Clapton coils, organic cotton, hex wrench and this really nice tool (unexpectedly large handled tweezer thing).

Two New Coil Heads

These new coils are compatible with just about all eLeaf tanks.

The first is the EN NC 0.25 SS316L, a NotchCoil with a wattage range of 30-60w. For myself I found the range is best between 50w and 55w. 50-watts brings out some great flavor and huge clouds of vapor, but the vapor is on the cool side, while closer to 55w really nails the flavor and bumps the vapor production by about 35% or more. However, while vaping a High VG ejuice at 60w I found the coil can easily overheat in wattage mode, not so in TC mode. Best performance for me is in TC mode, wattage set to 45w and temperature of 550F. Your experience may differ.

The EC 0.3ohm Head is also included in the Lemo 3 package, with a wattage range of 30-80w. Also Stainless Steel (but nowhere does it indicate 316L SS), this coil shines above 65 watts for a warm vapor and good taste. This dual coil (vertical) head handles wattage well, and its 0.5-ohm sibling can handle up to 100W.

Lemo 3 – Coil Head O-Rings

Another interesting innovation is the use of one of the 3 small o-rings that comes with the Lemo 3 RTA. As you can see by the photo, eLeaf is not simply depending on an accurate threading to prevent leaking from the coils, it uses an o-ring to create a solid and secure leak-proof threading pair.

You’ll discover the three black o-rings inside the package that sits under the Lemo 3 in the box. As an  anti-leaking method it’s nearly foolproof. My only concern is that any o-ring has a finite lifespan and will need to be changed at some point. That said, if the o-ring brings about a better vape through a complete seal then I’ll for it. 

Stainless Steel in W and TC Modes

Since Stainless Steel can be used in wattage or temperature modes, the flavor will be somewhat different in each mode. I’m a fan of Kanthal and Ceramic, but I got to be honest and say that using the SS coil heads in the Lemo 3 produced a satisfying vape, better than I expected actually, though I would love for eLeaf produce a ceramic coil head with SS316L and Ceramic/Kanthal A1. But it seems as though Joyetech/eLeaf and WISMEC are committed to Stainless Steel.

The Rebuildable Deck

The rebuildable deck is hidden under a large chimney. The deck is held to the chimney with two small screws. To reach the deck you’ll use the ubiquitous blue screwdriver. Unscrew, place the screws somewhere you won’t lose them, lift off the chimney and either use the two Clapton pre-wrapped coils that come with the Lemo 3, or wrapped your own out of any wire you choose. Check out the animated GIF provided by eLeaf to see how attaching the coils is an easy affair. The airflow, coming in from the base and moving up through the two coils does a good job, and the airflow slots are so large that the Direct Lung style of vaping amasses a huge amount of vapor while still keeping the temperature of the vapor on the cooler side. In order to great more warmth from the vapor you’ll need to close the airflow some, wide open airflow will allow the RTA base to bring out such a smooth and steady airflow that I haven’t experienced in a while.

The wide bore drip tip certainly doesn’t hurt the airflow, which lends credence to how a nicely designed tank and RBA or coil heads can work to the benefit of each other.

Alternate Chimney for Coil Heads

While not really a chimney, when you switch to coil heads you must remove the RTA chimney and replace it with its counterpart. This piece uses a O-Ring to seal it, and after screwing it into the base you can then use the EC coil heads. This is what I meant above when I said it was a complicated process. It’s not difficult, but it means a few extra steps are involved when you want to move from RTA or coil head, or vice versa.

Performance between the Dual Clapton RBA and organic cotton and either of the Stainless Steel coil heads are minimal. Since there is no mention in the manual that the pre-wrapped coils are Stainless Steel or Kanthal, I can’t say or guess. Flavor and vapor production from both the RTA with the pre-wrapped coils and cotton is on par with either of the coil heads.

 

Top Fill of the Lemo 3

I’ve said this before, and it worth saying it again; from the factory many of these top-fill top caps are really on tight. In this case however, the new yellow tool comes in really handy. Using the wide side of the tool you can grip the top cap and remove it with a simple turn. This tool makes the job of removing top caps from a variety of tanks an easy job.

Once the top cap is removed it’s a simple matter of filling the tank through the fill slots on either side of the tank.

Bottom Line

I’ve been using the Lemo 3 in both RTA and Coil Head methods for 4 days, and so far I’ve experienced no spitback, gurgling, or anything else that interferes with an excellent vape experience. It’s nice to see that the Joyetech/eLeaf/WISMEC engineers are still creating bottom up coil tanks, and it continues to support Spinfuel’s position that top-down coil heads are problematic, to say the least.

RTA or Coil Head Design

In the end, whether you prefer to use this atomizer as a pure RTA, or as a coil head tank, or any

combination, the Lemo 3 is an excellent tank, if it continues to operate as it has been. The Lemo 3 has been my go-to atomizer since it arrives, and I plan on picking up a few more, in Black, as soon as they are on vendor shelves.

The Lemo 3 is expected to sell for $20 to $25. You may find them a little cheaper at certain vendor sites, but please, only buy from vendors you trust. It won’t take long for counterfeit Lemo 3’s to hit the shelves, so make sure you buy from a vendor that guarantee’s authenticity.

Grade: A

“A very well-designed atomizer that offers a true RTA experience and a true coil head tank experience. Large ejuice ports on the coil heads assure you won’t worry about dry hits in wattage mode, and with its large airflow slots you’ll push the wattage range to max, without getting uncomfortably warm vapor and a burnt taste. eLeaf did a good job with the Lemo 3.”

Tom McBride

eLeaf Lemo 3 Specs

Material: Stainless Steel + Glass;

510 threading connection;

E-juice capacity: 4ml;

Diameter: 22mm;

Height: 77mm;

Adjustable airflow control

In the Box:

1 x Lemo 3 RTA atomizer;

1 x Atomizer head base;

1 x EC 0.3-ohm coil head;

1 x EC NC 0.25-ohm coil head;

2 x 0.85 ohm Clapton coil heads;

1 x Lemo 3 glass tube;

1 x pure cotton;

1 x small tool;

1 x screwdriver;

6 x extra screws;

3 x O-rings;

1 x Silicone ring