Uwell Fancier RTA/RDA Tank A 2018 Review

I almost never mention the names of the products I review… even when some of them are pretty ridiculous. But I can’t help but laugh that Uwell decided to coin this combination RTA/RDA the Uwell Fancier. I mean, for starters, fancier than WHAT? Another tank? The mod itself? Is your mom good in china? Silly name, to be sure.

But there’s nothing cute or playful about the massive performance of the 24mm Uwell Fancier. Whether it’s being put to work as a flavor-focused dripper, or shining as the best RTA I’ve used in a long while, the Fancier can call itself whatever it wants.

Yes, I said this was the best RTA I’ve used in a while, and I mean it. Though I wasn’t initially encouraged by the 2-in-1 format, the light juice capacity, and the oddball-wicking style, the Fancier has proved me wrong every day since I opened the box. And it’s not going anywhere, anytime soon.

When you first look at the Fancier, you’ll be a little thrown off by its appearance. Initially, it seems like any other RTA, but a closer look reveals that the glass section extends down to the base, showing the standard velocity-style deck beneath the juice compartment. It also allows shows that the coils are wicked UPWARD in the RTA mode – a novel approach that puts a lot more importance on wicking properly.

(Note: As an RDA, the Fancier is decidedly less fancy, with a standard design on the top cap, and traditional wicking procedures.)

The four airflow slots are well-constructed and move smoothly, but I didn’t notice a hell of a lot of difference between slightly closed and wide open. It’s definitely an airy experience, and something to note if you prefer MTL-type draws.

Taking the Fancier apart reveals the unique upward wicking holes, which are fairly sizable, considering the format. This means you need a decent amount of cotton to ensure your deck doesn’t flood BUT at the same time, too much cotton might result in a lack of flow downward to the coils. RTA enthusiasts should have no concerns, but newcomers might want to take notice.

Finally, the drip tip seems like a standard wide-bore 810, but other tips don’t seem to fit as well as you might want. The stock one works well, so I wouldn’t worry too much here.

Feature Highlights of the Uwell Fancier

Obviously, the biggest selling point of the Uwell Fancier is the 2-in-1 design, but I actually see this as a detriment. While it’s always nice to carry fewer devices on road trips and such, the RDA is “basic” in every sense of the word. Show me an RDA enthusiast who doesn’t already have a tapered dome, velocity-style dripper in their collection, and I’ll show you a liar.

Don’t get me wrong, for basic dripping, the Fancier is more than capable. But I would bet my Spinfuel salary you already have five others more worthy of your time.

However, as an RTA, the Fancier really comes into its own, offering a unique take on the concept. At first, the upward wicking made me nervous that the deck section would fill with gravity-powered e-liquid, but it never once happened. (The deck section DID fill with condensation from the heat, rendering the transparent glass meaningless, but that’s a minor gripe.)

On the top section above the coils, you’ll notice seven juice flow ports. This virtually guarantees you won’t get any dry hits, but I was surprised there wasn’t more juice flow control implemented here. I was lucky to build and wick properly, but I foresee some messy situations for newcomers. Just remember to fill the holes, without stuffing them, leaving enough “tail” on each end to account for moisture and movement, and you should be fine.

Another key design element was the tiered plates surrounding the chimney section, which look like meaningless eye candy, until you realize they’re there to block spitback. You’ll realize that right after you don’t have any! In three weeks with the Fancier, I have yet to get a drop of it, separating itself from the RTA pretenders on the market.

I first used the Fancier as an RDA, and (like I mentioned above) was satisfied, but not impressed by the performance. Though the juice well was adequate, and the vapor both plentiful and flavorful, I just can’t get behind the Fancier as a dedicated dripper. Even when attaching the BF pin and squonking, I was largely non-plussed. The flavor was decent, but the cap and mouthpiece got awfully warm on the lips, making me revert to other BF RDAs in my collection.

However, as a dedicated RTA, the Fancier is an elite product. Because, for what might be the first time ever, the RTA mode is the more flavorful one. Where the excessive heat and simple design keep the RDA flavor at bay, the unique build structure of the RTA mode leads to outstanding, abundant flavor with massive cloud production.

I tried several Kanthal builds in the Fancier, ranging from 0.12 to 0.75 ohm, and the tank performed admirably at all resistances and wattages. The glass did get a little warm at higher elevations, but not excessively, and never at the expense of flavor or enjoyment.

Thanks to the massive juice flow, even my max-VG juices flowed like the mighty Mississippi, leaving my wicks coated and the vapor flowing. Most of my RTAs struggle under “chain vaping” situations, but the Fancier kept up admirably without ever drying out, even for a moment.

Some minor quibbles … first the velocity deck itself. While I know this is a proven design, in 2018, I expected an innovative tank like the Fancier to offer something more advanced and unique. As it stands, the 24mm Fancier probably didn’t have the real estate to do much more, but I felt a little creatively stifled when positioning my coils.

Also, speaking of diameter, the 4mL capacity seems a little weak, especially for such a cloud producer. I found myself filling a LOT over the course of an average day. It was worth it based on flavor alone, but I admit that I don’t always take the Fancier out for longer trips, out of fear of capacity issues.

Despite a few minor issues, the Uwell Fancier impressed the hell out of me. For starters, the RTA flavor and vapor performance is unparalleled in 2018, and I can see a lot of companies “borrowing” this design in the months and years to come. Plus, for the money, you also get a decent RDA in the same box. It might not be good enough to justify the purchase alone, but as a complete setup, there are few better values in rebuildable atomizers today.

Score: A-