Tesla Punk 220W Steampunk Box Mod Preview

When the Tesla Punk 220W steampunk box mod arrived at Spinfuel VAPE HQ, I may have made a few enemies. But if throwing elbows and knocking over desks to grab it from coworkers’ hands was the only way to grab this hefty mod, I’m still glad I did it. (Besides, being invited to company events is overrated anyway.)

I’ve only had a few hours to get to know the Tesla Punk, but this steampunk box mod is a bronze beauty, whether or not you like that type of look. There are few things worth noting, though, so let’s take a quick peek at the Punk, before I get to my review next week.

After opening the streamlined Tesla packaging – simple box, foam insert, minimal add-ons – you’ll be taken aback by the sheer size of the dual-18650 Punk. Though Tesla’s previous steampunk box mods were extremely pocketable, the Punk is massive, with bold beveled edges. There is also thick glass on either side of the mod to see the steampunk gear designs, and the inner workings of the device.

It only feels more substantial in the hand. Despite the retro feel, and the rusted-out bolts and gears that make up the steampunk aesthetic, the Punk feels very much like a high-end vape device. It definitely feels durable and solid, but the glass panels and sheer heft make us wonder how well the Punk would handle a sharp drop onto a concrete surface.

(No, we’re not going to test that.)

At 86mm tall, the Tesla Punk isn’t exactly tall, but when combined with a 56mm width, 30mm depth, and a weight of 200 grams, this is a beefy device that might not be the best one to take out for a long evening. Even if the size and heft don’t deter you, the risk of dropping it and smashing that gorgeous glass is too high.

We should point out a few design quirks that jumped out at us when the Tesla Punk arrived. First, the 510 connection sits offset, on the opposite side of the mod, away from the display. While it didn’t affect the way the Punk vaped out of the box, it seemed an odd way to lay things out. We’ll see if this strange approach of ergonomics affects our enjoyment of the mod over the course of a week.

The other design element that we feel might be a bigger issue is the fact that the 510 is offset to begin with. On a mod as weighty and thick as the Tesla Punk, a centered 510 connection would have gone a long way toward being more balanced and symmetric. While I’m sure Tesla had its reasons for not including it, the offset placement just seems odd.

We do like the use of LED lighting, which is placed inside the mod, creating a nice glow from behind the gear and cog decorations. We’ve been highly critical of LED light use in the past, but the implementation of five preset modes is subtle, and doesn’t get in the way of the overall look and feel. Plus, it’s easy to turn off, thanks to a dedicated light button, should you want to be a little stealthier when using it.

Maybe that button could have been used for something more pertinent, but all the same, it’s nice to not have to go into a menu tree just to activate/deactivate a light show.

While we’ve become accustomed to more fleshed out and involved displays, Tesla kept things stripped-down for this retro-designed device, and the Punk mod is better for it. The familiar display shows all relevant info, including resistance, wattage, voltage, preheat setting, coil type and battery life – the things that matter most.

Our early impression of the Tesla Punk screen is positive – the display is nice and bright, visible outdoors, and doesn’t get in the way of the true design hero of the mod, the steampunk design.

This simplicity extends to the operation, which limits your wattage settings to 0.5-watt increments. Advanced vapers might balk at the “lack” of control, but if you show me a vaper who tells you his build is best used at 90.2 watts instead of an even 90, and I’ll show you a liar.

Though it’s early in our testing, the power output of the Tesla Punk steampunk box mod seemed pretty accurate. We haven’t pushed it all the way to its 220-watt maximum, but it seems to handle our regular outputs with ease. Draws have been smooth and powerful, with no noticeable pulsing or stuttering.

We also plan to test the Punk’s complete temperature control suite, including TCR slots, preheat and all the usual settings and modes. We didn’t notice any bypass option in the menus but will be sure to determine this when we get a closer look for testing.

Overall, we’re pretty excited to test the Tesla Punk steampunk box mod and will be putting it through the rigors soon enough. Expect our full review in the next few weeks!

If you can’t wait for our in-depth review, visit Element Vape and pick up one today.

• Measurements: 56 x 30 x 86 mm
• Weight: 200 g
• Made from zinc alloy & ABS & PC materials
• Classic OLED screen
• Retro punk style design
• Transparent faceplates
• LED lights: Can be set to 5 alternate modes
• 510-threaded connection bezel
• Output modes: VW / TC Ti / TC Ni / TC SS / TCR
• Power mode output range: 7 to 220 W
• Temperature mode output range:200 to 600℉ (or 100 to 300℃)
• Power mode resistance range: 0.1 to 3.0Ω
• Temperature control resistance range: 0.05 to 1.0Ω
• Utilizes dual 18650 batteries

• 1x Tesla Punk Box Mod
• 1x Micro-USB cable
• 1x User Manual
• 1x Gift Box