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Avatar Controls VapeNut Vapor Filtration System
The Avatar Controls VapeNut is a great idea. That idea is to build an effective filtration system that can sit on a nightstand, coffee table, end table, and even on the console of an automobile and eliminate vapor production by our very own vape gear. It’s easy to set up and operate, and the electrical cost to run it 24/7 is less than minimal. It’s an elegant design, very ‘Apple-like’, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Jonathan Ives did the actual design (he didn’t). But, it’s just not doing its job anywhere near where it should be for the $139.99 price-tag.
The VapeNut is sold by WISMEC, Joyetech, and eLeaf, perhaps through some special deal, but Avatar Controls is a company that manufacturers many other devices than just the VapeNut, including the SmartPlug, SmartSafe, and SmartCamera. Spending an hour on avatarcontrols.com was intriguing, and I have my eyes on the E1, a smart home security robot.
Avatar Controls is a company based in Shenzhen China, where most electronic cigarette manufacturers are based. WISMEC, eLeaf and Joyetech had a hand in the design and specifications of the VapeNut, which is probably why the device isn’t called SmartVapor (maybe?). The VapeNut is sold on all three websites, but the VapeNut is also available on Amazon, and NewEgg, among others.
About the VapeNut
As you can see by the photos included in this review, the design is a rounded, elegant device, manufactured with high quality plastic and metal materials. The owner of the VapeNut can use it and maintain it without the need of any tools. On Amazon, the VapeNut sells for $139.99, about the same price its sold everywhere else. I’ll talk about its ‘value’ in a bit.
Inside the VapeNut is a circulating air ‘turbocharger’ system (a fan) that draws vapor and into the body of unit through a fine mesh top cover. The vapor then goes through the filter, a replaceable and high-density filter, and the air comes back out clean. Unlike an actual ‘air purifier’ there is no ionization taking place, it’s basically a fan that pushes vapor through a dense filter.
Four modes vary the speed of the fan and rate of filtration automatically. The owner can also set the VapeNut manually by touching the on/off button on the front of the device. Raising the level of filtration simply means having the ‘default’ set to a faster spinning fan.
The ‘Smart’ system of the VapeNut senses the vapor concentration levels directly
around the VapeNut and will automatically adjust the filtration level (speed of the fan) to a higher or lower speed, unless set manually as stated above.
The VapeNut is incredibly quiet in its original default, or ‘green’ mode, and when it’s activated but not filtering the vapor it’s easy to forget it’s on. The silent fan and air duct design is said to produce less than 50 decibels of sound when not filtering. When the fan kicks into high gear you’ll hear rushing air, but you still won’t hear the actual device. Avatar Controls did a marvelous job engineering this little ball of an air filter.
Before I get to my Real-World Experience, it’s worth noting that the VapeNut includes a car adapter for the cigarette lighter or, rather the AUX port on cars made within the last 5-10 years. This adapter allows the VapeNut to operate inside the vehicle. I had the opportunity to use it in my car just once, and although it did its job kinda, sorta, that sound of rushing air seems louder in the small space inside my car. The filter disc on the inside of the unit is supposed to last about 3 months.
The Real World VapeNut Experience
The Avatar Controls VapeNut arrived at Spinfuel HQ more than 3 months ago, before Christmas. No one here knew where it came from, nor if it was sent as a gift or a product to review. We never received an email from our contacts about it, so I wound up taking it home.
I opened it up, recognized what it was immediately, then scanned the QR code to download the set up and operating manual. After I set it up, I placed it on my end table next to my recliner, and, honestly, forgot about it.
When I’m not at the office I work at my recliner on my laptop, and while I’m working I vape… I vape a lot. For several weeks the VapeNut never went into action, it sat there with its two lights glowing a nice even green. (one light is on the top and an off/on light on the side)
Because I had no idea where it came from, or why, I didn’t pay it much attention. Then, one evening while vaping the new SMOK TFV12 Cloud Beast King at 145W, I turned to look at the VapeNut and I asked it; “Do you work at all?”… then I exhaled the vapor from a deep lung hit, aimed the vapor at the VapeNut and it sprang into action. The lights went through the 4 modes until they were deep red and the fan was sucking in the vapor like crazy. That was my “Ah Ha” moment. “So, this is how it works.”
I should mention that in addition to my VapeNut sitting on the end table I have a
desktop fan ‘tower’, about a foot tall that I leave on “Refresh” mode 24/7. About 6 feet from my recliner I have a 3ft tall Air Purifier, which I leave on the maximum setting while I’m in the room working. Yet, even with all this circulating air my wife will come through the living room and tell me, more times than not, that the living room is “too vape-y”.
Once I discovered that the VapeNut will work when faced with a direct stream of vapor aimed at it, I moved my end table fan so it no longer blew air at me, and instead aimed it so it redirected the air outward toward the room. Without the fan sending its forced at directly toward me, the VapeNut started to work every few minutes. And that’s the secret to getting the most out of the Avatar Controls VapeNut.
If you expect to place a VapeNut in any room where you vape to eliminate the vapor you’re creating with good sub-ohm tanks, high wattage, and deep lung hits, you’re going to be disappointed. That’s not what this is. The VapeNut is effective when its’ within a foot or two of the origin of the vapor producer, any further and the VapeNut stays ‘green’ and never activates….and you shouldn’t expect it to.
The VapeNut is a neat product as a personal vapor filtration unit, in close proximity, when you’re exhaling in its direction. Even then, Cloud Chasers or heavy Vapers won’t escape a room that some may call “vape-y”.
Conclusion
I’m not dismissive of the VapeNut. As I said above, as a personal filter unit with limited expectations, it does an okay job. But with a selling price of $139.99, I can’t see word of mouth being an effective selling tool. Some Vapers may opt to buy one, but after some time goes by I doubt it would be recommended to friends and other Vapers.
Grade: C
“A well-made, high quality, personal air filter that works when vapor is exhaled in the direction of the device, when that device is no more than two feet away. The price is nonsense, it’s nowhere near worth $140, plus shipping. After using it much longer than the other reviewers who have reviewed the VapeNut, I would place the value of the device at $39.99, or $100 less than it sells for today.”
John Manzione
Avatar Controls VapeNut Features:
- Intelligent Vapor Detection and Elimination
- Built-In Sensor
- Adjusts Fan Speed for Vapor Filtration
- Four Fan Speed Cycle
- Manually Adjustable Fan Speed
- Low
- Yellow LED
- Medium
- Orange LED
- High
- Red LED
- Low
- High Quality Silent Fan and Circular Air Duct
- Reduced Noise
- Less Than 50dB
- Circulating Air Turbocharger System
- Replaceable High Density Vapor Filter
- Tool-less Replacement and Maintenance
- Includes Two Filters
- LED Light Indication
- Center Light Indicates Concentration of Vapor
- Power Light Indicates Mode and/or Speed
- 10 Cubic Meter Rated Filtration
- Perfect for Personal Spaces
- Perfect for Vehicles
- Car Adapter Included
- DC12V Working Voltage
- Includes Wall Adapter
- Durable Plastic Housing
- Non Slip Rubber Base
VapeNut Dimensions:
- 200mm by 200mm by 121mm
The VapeNut Package Includes:
- One Avatar VapeNut
- Two VapeNut Vapor Filters
- One Wall Adapter
- One Car Adapter
- One Quickstart User Manual – QR code download
