Uwell Nunchaku Single-18650 Stick Mod Kit Preview

For a first effort, you have to hand it to Uwell. Because the famed tank company’s first device – the Uwell Nunchaku single-18650 stick mod kit – manages to take a classic design and make it something really unique.

But as we know from reading the pages of Spinfuel VAPE, “unique” doesn’t always mean “good.” But we’ve spent a few minutes with the striking gf stick mod, and like what we’ve seen so far. Let’s take a look inside the box to see what else Uwell is bringing to the table.

For those who don’t know, a “nunchaku” is a handled weapon made famous by ninjas in old movies. And, to be sure, the Uwell Nunchaku stick mod certainly resembles one of those handles. My metallic purple test model might not be the color of choice for assassins in hiding, but the mod definitely feels good in the hands.

With a slightly bowed-out, curved design, Uwell clearly wanted to add something new to the stagnant regulated tube mod marketplace. The top portion of the tube narrows, similar to a beer bottle, as it approaches the included Nunchaku tank atomizer, making for a kit that meshes beautifully as a cohesive pairing.

And even though we’ve only spent a short amount of time with the device, if aesthetics are important to you, we highly recommend using the 80-watt Nunchaku with its companion tank, since it’s such a seamless match. That said, any standard 510 sub-ohm tank will fit the mod just fine, even if it doesn’t look quite as much like iconic weaponry.

In an interesting design choice, Uwell chose to put the tiny display and adjustment buttons at the bottom of the device, while the fire button sits near the tank. Given the tiny overall size of the Nunchaku stick mod, it’s not terribly difficult to operate – but I probably would have reconsidered moving all operations to one section of the device.

(Hey, if it’s good enough for a Vamo, it’s good enough for the Nunchaku.)

The single-18650 format and 80-watt maximum output means the Uwell Nunchaku isn’t exactly going to replace your 200+ watt room foggers. But considering its compact 94mm height, the Nunchaku seems to be pretty good at filling a room with flavorful vapor.

In addition to the 80 watts of power, the Nunchaku stick mod also has a limited temperature control offering, with support for Ni200 and stainless steel coils, alongside a bypass mode that allows the Nunchaku to operate like a traditional mech tube, rather than the protected, regulated beast that it is.

Interestingly, the included Nunchaku tank coils are both Kanthal-based claptons, so we’ll have to venture to other atomizers and RDAs to test temp control functionality.

The minimalist display and control scheme means newcomers will likely need to refer to the instruction manual more than once to get accustomed to the menu trees. But Uwell is promising an intuitive, user-friendly control setup, so we’ll be sure to run that through its paces during the next few weeks.

Of all the questions we have about the Nunchaku stick mod, perhaps the most prevalent is “Why?” Not “Why is Uwell creating vape mods?” but rather “Why did they choose to make a mid-wattage stick mod, instead of a more-powerful box mod, in line with its high-wattage tanks?”

Yeah, we’re not entirely sure where the Uwell Nunchaku fits into the company’s future plans. Its line of Crown tanks are best enjoyed in mid-wattage situations, so it’s clear that they’re not solely focused on cloud production. But making a debut with a minimalist stick device seems a little limiting, given the current state of the vape marketplace.

Also, we’re very curious to see the performance of the Nunchaku tank and coils, both on and off the companion mod. With so many mid-wattage contenders in Uwell’s lineup, including the Crown and the SE-1, why introduce another SKU just to pair with a single-18650 device?

We’ll be sure to test the tank under all conditions, to see if it stands on its own as a viable vape atomizer, or if its another “one off” tank we’ll forget about when the next big thing comes along.

Finally, we’re very curious as to what Uwell means by its tagline “…makes the tube as safe as a box mod.” Regulated tube mods may not be common, but they’ve existed long before the Nunchaku. Is Uwell trying to explain an advanced set of protections for this format? Are they claiming that the Nunchaku can do more with 80 watts than comparable box mods?

Yeah, we have a lot of questions about this intriguing debut offering from Uwell. But, as always, our team is going to run the Nunchaku through an extensive week of testing, to see if this is a stealthy gem, or a forgettable mod a few years behind the times. Stay tuned!

Uwell Nunchaku Single-18650 Stick Mod Kit specs:

• Size: 27.4 mm x 94.5 mm
• Material: stainless steel
• Power range: 5-80W
• Voltage range: 0.7-7V
• Resistance range: 0.1-3 ohms (VW), 0.1-1ohms (TC), 0.1-0.5ohms (Bypass)
• Multiple work modes: power mode, TC mode(NI,SS), bypass mode.
• Replaceable 18650 battery, or charge over USB.
• Ergonomic design makes it feel perfect in hand.
• Simple interaction system.

Uwell Nunchaku Single-18650 Stick Mod Kit contents:

• Uwell Nunchaku mod
• Uwell Nunchaku tank
• Extra quartz glass
• 0.25Ω coil (installed)
• 0.4Ω coil
• Pack of replacement O-rings
• Micro USB cable
• User’s manual
• Drip tip cover (to cover the drip tip when it is not used)