The Rincoe Mechman Mod Starter Kit Review

Intro for the Rincoe Mechman Kit

Let me come right out and say it – Rincoe got the naming wrong for their all-new Mechman Mod Kit. For starters, this isn’t a mechanical (mech) mod – it’s a fully regulated and protected 228-watt vape mod kit, with all the modes and features we’ve come to expect in 2019. But that aside, the company should have given this a name worthy of its design – the ‘MuricaMan’.

No, I’m not looking to start a tired Trump argument. But just look at the three design stickers/cards to choose from with the Mechman vape kit:

• Howling wolf
• Distressed American flag
• Military camouflage

Mechman or Murican

These designs couldn’t look any more ‘Murican’ if they were airbrushed on the side of a conversion van. (Yes, there’s also a matte black and British Union Jack option, but don’t stop me now, I’m on a roll…) Let’s just get to the details and revisit the looks in a few paragraphs.

A rapidly emerging name within the vaporizer industry, Rincoe has recently concentrated on delivering world-class starter kits. Among these, the Rincoe Mechman 228W Starter Kit already garnered mass acclaim for the included Mechman Box Mod’s ridiculous good looks, its comprehensive modularity options, and the Mechman Mesh Sub-Ohm Tank’s ability to generate high-quality vapes time and again.

Yep…

Initial Impressions and Aesthetics Rincoe Mechman

Beyond the sticker inserts, the Mechman also offers three varieties of case/cover to frame them:

• Steel case
• Steel wings
• Steel bone

The names don’t differ much, and neither do the designs (though the wings tend to cover more of the graphics than they probably should). But all do a good job conveying the mechanical/industrial vibe Rincoe is going for here.

Despite all the frames and angles and metallic heft, the Mechman is extremely comfortable to hold, even for extended periods. It’s not the “lightweight,” “throwaway” kind of comfort, though. Rather, the Mechman is confident in its weight, sitting perfectly in the palm, while reassuring users with its hefty durability.

Best Quality and More

The rest of the build quality only serves to bolster this feeling. The magnetic rear battery door is secure and solid, the fire and operation keys are clicky and rattle-free, and the centered 510 connection would probably survive a wolf attack and a tactical bomb. Even the gold-plated pin is stiff, without being too firm to handle longer connections.

In one interesting note, the side-positioned USB port was great for updating – well, the computer recognized the device, but no firmware updates have been made available yet. But the port proved useless for charging, having no effect on the 18650 batteries I had installed. I’m seriously hoping a firmware update comes soon, because while I always prefer charging batteries externally, this is a major oversight.

But overall, the Mechman is a unique and attractive – even tough-looking – piece of vape gear, and users seeking something that will stand out amid seas of fake carbon fiber and plastic-like frames will definitely appreciate the design.

Standout Features of the Rincoe Mechman

Unfortunately, the Rincoe Mechman Mesh Tank (seriously, why wouldn’t you call this the Meshman, Rincoe? Missed opportunity…) doesn’t stand out for the right reasons, and also doesn’t live up to the mod’s promise. In the box you’ll receive a 25mm tank, two mesh coils (which are shockingly similar, single- or dual-coil), spare glass section and the usual accompaniments. Nothing earth-shattering, but nothing to sneeze at, either.

While the coils initially give users a solid balance of flavor and vapor performance, they simply don’t hold up to regular use, with both waving the white flag after just three days of steady vaping. Of the two coils, the dual-coil slightly outperforms the single head, both in flavor and longevity, but it’s really splitting hairs to compare them, since there’s a good chance your experiences may vary.

Even if you take the coils out of “testing conditions” and use it more moderately, the Mechman tank still woefully underperforms when compared to today’s better sub-ohm offerings. I was happy with the flavor while it lasted, but those dreaded foul flavors and diminished clouds reared their heads a lot sooner than I would have expected.

Vaping the Rincoe Mechman Mod Kit

We’ve read several accounts on the web (<sarcasm>because when you need unbiased, thorough reviews, you turn to Reddit</sarcasm> ) about the Mechman actually being a little underpowered. But we got three for testing, and none of them seemed to waver at all, even when pushed to their limits. To be fair, if you can tell the difference between a 200-watt draw and a 210-watt draw, you’re a better person than me, but the performance seemed steady and consistent throughout our experience with the mod.

When using the Mechman with the included companion tank, you won’t need nearly that much power, since both of the included heads see their best performance at around 70-80 watts. Staying in that range keeps things flavorful and predictable for this tank. Using other tanks affords you more flexibility with power, but there aren’t any surprises along the way – the Mechman is a rock solid, no-nonsense dual-18650 mod, and your experience will probably be the same as ours.

Rock solid and no-nonsense… if that doesn’t scream ‘Murica’ I don’t know what does.

In temperature control mode, performance isn’t AS consistent. While not nearly as jumpy and erratic as some mods in this price range, the Mechman tends to be a little jumpy when trying to lock down a resistance and temperature setting. It didn’t happen all the time, and it didn’t ruin the performance once things settled down, but people really shouldn’t have to struggle with these things in 2019.

Our suggestion? Stick with wattage and enjoy the simpler things in life. There’s no need to wrestle with resistances on this device.

The Pro’s and Con’s of the Rincoe Mechman Starter Kit

Pros:

– Awesome build quality and durability

– Interchangeable plates could be fun over time

– Reliable power performance

Cons:

– Unreliable temp control performance

– Goofy graphic options at launch

– Useless USB charging

Spinfuel VAPE Recommendation and Score

Look, we like the Rincoe Mechman Mod Kit. It’s built like a tank, looks great and stands out in any collection. But it’s far from an American dream, even with Old Glory adorning the side of your mod. The temp control performance is too skittish, the tank is middling, and the inactive USB charging port is inexcusable.

No doubt, we’re still gonna use ours, because the Mechman just looks and feels so damn good … but there was so much more potential here and we can’t help but wonder “what if…?”