Table of Contents
Kayfun 3.1 by SvoeMesto
The Kayfun 3.1 Rebuildable Atomizer Review – It has been a while since I sat down to write about a rebuildable atomizer. I’ve certainly continued to them, but to be honest, not nearly as much as I used to. Taking the time to clean, wrap, test, and all the other little things that you must do when you use RBA’s you need to have time to dedicate yourself to doing it right. I just haven’t had the time lately. A couple of weeks ago Julia asked me to take a look at the legendary Kayfun 3.1 RBA and write a review, if I had the time. So, when it arrived all I could say was “Now THAT I’ll make time for”. So I did, and below is that review. I hope you enjoy it. – Tom McBride
The Kayfun 3.1, made by the German company, Svoemesto, is one of the most advanced, if not the most advanced, RBA I’ve ever used. It is also one of the easiest and hardest to use, which I did not expect. Being a silica and wire based atomizer I found it to be easier to work with than other types I’ve used, but the little things like covering air holes, negative air pressure, and more, made it somewhat tedious and a bit more difficult than I expected. Its cone design allows for amazing and true flavors, and a vapor producer of almost biblical proportions (Well, you know what I mean.) But this is not a run-of-the-mill RBA, not by a long shot. Though I will say that the use of long-ish silica wicks is appealing.
The Kayfun 3.1 model comes in three finishes, all available through VapeRev; brushed, polished, and matte. They sell for $175, a bit more than the Zed Atty I got several months ago from ProVape, but nonetheless, for Vapers that are heavily into these kinds of atomizers it is money well spent. For Vapers content to use relatively simple Pyrex tanks, V-Fate Nova’s, Victory Visions and the like, a Kayfun is a bit overkill. This level of vaping is reserved for Vapers looking at the most minute changes in flavor and vapor, and only the most advanced Vapers should even consider the Kayfun 3.1, or any of the $125+ RBAs.
The Kayfun 3.1 is very popular with German enthusiasts. They are actually produced in a machine shop in Germany and such precision that tolerance is word you don’t even use when talking about how the pieces fit together. They all (all the Kayfuns) work in very much the same way; they have two very small channels that lead the eLiquid from the outer tank to the inner vapor ‘chamber’. There are these two little areas inside the chamber that hold a just a few drops of eJuice. The silica and wire wick reaches into those areas and lifts the liquid to the coils. All this leads to a massive amount of flavor and vapor; so much so that it really drives home the idea that vaping at the consumer level, with carto-tanks and short-wick atty heads of the EVOD, ProTank, and so on, is vastly inferior than vaping something at this level, but… using a car analogy, the difference is akin to driving a nice Cadillac or driving a Rolls Royce, both are pretty darn nice, and both get you to where you want to go, but the Rolls provides just enough of that something ‘more’ that riding in one makes you think less of the Cadillac when most people would love the Caddy.
Filling The Kayfun 3.1
I found that filling the Kayfun 3.1 is a bit complicated, despite the fact that the video at the bottom of the review seems to indicate otherwise. If the tank is filled but not sealed the juice will flood into the inner chamber, flooding the coils and leak through the side air hole. So it needs to be closed securely and airtight when you vape so you can build up the negative air pressure. In addition, it’s a good idea to leave about 10-15% of space in the tank for air. While doing this all I could think of is how I’ve been getting along just fine with unscrewing the top of a clearomizer and dripping in 2.5ml of juice and just vape. This is something altogether different.
“Only fill from the top of the tank!” I kept hearing. This was a warning from a friend that loves the Kayfun RBA’s, and he must of told me this a dozen times before I went off to review it.
My friend; “Unscrew the top and make sure you cover the air hole. If you don’t it will release the air pressure out comes all the eLiquid you put in it. Holding the air hole with the top of your tank off, fill down the side of the tank and continue filling until the eLiquid is just about over the threads on the atomizer. You need to leave a little gap to prevent pressure build-up. Screw the top cap on only slightly and then flip it upside down. Hold that position for a few seconds and then finish threading until the top cap is fully screwed on. Don’t worry Tom; it took me a few tries to do this without losing the air pressure and losing a ton of eJuice. But for those of us with a lot of experience with this level of Rebuildables it doesn’t take a long time to get the hang of it. “
I did get the hang of it, after losing the air pressure a few times, but I have to admit there is a method to the madness.
Stacking
The Kayfun has an option to stack tanks as well. The standard kit includes two tanks, one stainless steel and one tempered makrolon. It will hold a massive amount of eLiquid. Using only one of the tanks will allow you about 4 to 6 mils usually more than enough for several hours of vaping. It also comes with spare O-Rings and drip tip adapter so you can use your own drip tips. (From VapeRev)
Real World and Buying Advice
This short review covers about all you need to know about the Kayfun 3.1 if you vape at this sophisticated level. Most people don’t. Besides being one of the most accurate atomizers when it comes to eLiquid ‘taste’, and a massive vapor producer, it isn’t something that all Vapers should even consider. All RBA’s at the level are somewhat difficult to use, and even more difficult to master.
I loved the weight, the feel, and the silica/wire method of building a coil, and it performs like a dream with a coil outputting at 1.9ohms. Having said that, even for me this is not an atomizer I would find myself using all the time. The mere fact that owning a Kayfun 3.1 requires you to clean the condenser cup once a week, that allowing your isolator to melt means replacing the entire isolator, and a finger slipping off an air hole means losing all the eJuice in the tank means this is “hard core” vaping, this is something that takes an investment in time as well as money. Now, if I had someone to do all this for me then it would be the “only” thing I would use, and I pretty sure you would too.
The price, $175, doesn’t bother me. Any type of RBA at this magnitude is going to sit at this price point so that’s fine. The materials, the craftsmanship, and even the physics behind the Kayfun 3.1 are all magnificent. This is the Master of rebuildables, which means that the appeal is limited to the hard-core crowd. If you are a hardcore Vaper looking for a challenge, or a new, up and coming Vaper who wants the best that money can buy, the Kayfun 3.1 is certainly something you will want to consider. For myself, the Kayfun finally made me understand that when it comes to high-end vape gear, it goes higher than I ever imagined… and I’m no longer seeking anything at this level. The Kayfun 3.1 lives…well… in a different zip code than I do.
If any hard-core Vapers have used this Kayfun 3.1 I would love to hear about your experience in the comments below. Was this too much RBA for me?
By the way, watch this amazing video of building a coil, this makes it look so easy.
Tom McBride
The Kayfun 3.1
Features-
- Airflow control, air hole, and fill hole on side
- Clear window option
- Screw on and universal drip tip options
- Juice collector base
Additional Options-
- Full clear tank
- Bender – Angles drip tip
- ProVari collar
- Extension tube for longer tank
- Replacement isolators
- Replacement clear window
