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By a show of hands, how many of you are nostalgic for 2013? Well, consider this your lucky day. Because Vision e-cigarettes — one of the original “biggies” of the vaping industry — has rebooted the classic Spinner vape pen, in the form of the all-new Spinner 3.
Does a dial-driven, voltage-only vape pen have a place in 2020? At first, we didn’t think so. But after coming back to the Spinner 3 a few dozen times, we realize there might still be an audience for this type of mod. As long as the user rarely strays from a certain type of vaping.
Let’s explain, starting with the specs and description…
Discover the Vision Spinner 3 Battery, featuring a bottom voltage adjustment dial, 4 voltage output levels, and is equipped with a nifty preheating function for thicker blends of eJuice.
Crafted from zinc-alloy, the chassis of the Vision Spinner 3 is lightweight and portable, making it easy to bring around in a purse or pocket. Outfitted with a single firing button. The Vision Spinner also possesses a preheating button to help vaporize thicker blends of eJuice. Implementing a voltage output range from 3.3-4.8V.
The Vision Spinner 3 can be paired with a myriad of atomizers and cartridges but must abide by the 0.8ohm resistance minimum.
Vision Spinner 3 Battery Features:
- Dimensions – 100mm by 19mm Diameter
- Integrated 1600mAh Rechargeable Battery
- Voltage Output Range: 3.2-4.2V
- 4 Power Level Output: 3.3V, 3.8V, 4.3V, 4.8V
- Minimum Resistance: 0.8ohms
- Preheating Function
- Zinc-Alloy Chassis Construction
- LED Battery Life Indicator Light
- Intuitive Firing Button
- Preheating Button
- Bottom Voltage Adjustment Dial – 4 Settings
- Low Voltage Protection
- 8 Second Cut-Off Protection
- Short Circuit Protection
- Type-C USB Port
- Threaded 510 Connection
- Available in Black, Red, Stainless Steel, Blue, and Rainbow
Vision Spinner 3 Includes:
- 1 Vision Spinner 3 Battery
- 1 MicroUSB Cable
Aesthetics of the Vision Spinner 3
One tube, one dial, two buttons. Yep, that’s the extent of the aesthetics. We don’t mean to sound flippant, but unless a pen/tube mod transforms into a small car, there really isn’t much to discuss. That said, the finish is clean and bright, the buttons are easily accessed, and the design is relatively timeless. Clean and simple, just as Vision has provided since the early days of this industry.
The deeper specs are just as predictable. The 19mm diameter Spinner 3 features an octagonal fire button, integrated 1,600mAh battery, USB charge port, LED light indicators and little else.
Well, except for that “other” button at the bottom of the mod. In an effort to differentiate things a bit, Vision took a relatively conservative voltage limit and gave it an additional boost through a preheating button for thicker e-liquids. An interesting addition, that proved to be unnecessary in our testing.
Meh…
For the purpose of aesthetics, the second button looks fine and is suitably clicky and responsive. But it’s far too easy to hit accidentally, giving me unwanted bursts of heat through inadvertent clicks against my palm. (More on this below…)
Also, I really wish there were more indicators than just the requisite LED lights. While that seems to be par for the course with these “less is more” pen mod schemes, there are only so many flashes and color changes a person can reasonably remember. Would a small OLED screen be THAT difficult to fit inside here?
That said, the indications WERE accurate, and did throw warnings when my coil resistance fell below the Spinner 3’s lower limit of 0.8 ohms, or too close to the device’s output cap. It’s not high-tech, but it is clean and easily legible, once I learned the system.
Vaping the Vision Spinner 3
Let’s not waste time ignoring that new function. I WILL say that we appreciate how Vision tried to mix things up with the preheat button. We’re always bemoaning the lack of innovation in modern products, so we credit Vision for trying something new.
But, given the relatively low voltage (and restrictive sub-ohm limitations) there really isn’t much need for a preheat setting to accommodate high-VG liquids. We stuck with less-viscous juices and more mouth-to-lung (MTL) use cases, and the Spinner 3 worked well without any second-button shenanigans.
After all these years, and all these testing scenarios, it’s funny that I still struggle with vape devices that have no adjustments or displays. Ever since I bought my first Vamo pen, which was only slightly less powerful than the Spinner 3 (and only made me feel slightly more like Kenny G when using it) I’ve enjoyed seeing what’s going on inside a device. Unfortunately, outside of that LED, there really isn’t anything here to help the user.
Battery sans Tank
Instead, the Vision Spinner 3 simply asks you to prime an appropriately rated (>0.8ohm) coil, attach the tank and vape. And to be fair, it does the job well enough. Though I couldn’t really tell how much power the Spinner 3 was providing at any one time, it ramped quickly and forcefully when fully charged. And after an hour or so of steady vaping, the performance continued at a good pace.
Because the integrated battery is just 1,600mAh, the Spinner 3 isn’t designed for all-day chain vaping, but it works powerfully when charged, which is likely all its target audience wants. But if you’re planning a long day away from a USB power source, you might want to pack a different device as backup, since the Spinner 3 isn’t a thoroughbred in this department.
Battery Life of the Spinner 3
On my best session, I managed a little over three hours of moderate vaping on the Spinner 3 before the power output was too low to create an enjoyable experience. This was also a concern, since my performance waned LONG before the “low battery” warning flashed on the LED.
Perhaps the battery wasn’t so low as to become dangerous, but there wasn’t even a little bit of vapor coming from the device at these moments. Just limp, flavorless draws that made me want to use the Spinner 3 just a little less than anticipated.
One final thing to consider — at just 19mm in diameter, the Vision Spinner 3 isn’t going to look too good with modern tanks. If you’re a collector, and have a few narrower throwback tanks, you’ll be just fine. But if you’re hoping to attach something larger than 20mm, you’re looking at an imbalanced, top-heavy vape rig.
Spinner 3 Pros:
- Throwback style and functionality
- Bold finish is eye-catching
- Strong vape quality when fully charged
Spinner 3 Cons:
- Not sold on the preheat button/functionality
- Lack of display hinders enjoyment for some
- Narrow diameter limits device pairings
Bottom Line
Overall, the Vision Spinner 3 is a decent, slightly more-versatile vape pen for those fearful of more-complex mods. It’s not my preferred way to vape, but if you have better things to do than tinker with wattage curves and preheat settings, the Spinner 3 might be right up your alley. Just make sure you have the right atomizers to meet the device’s needs.
