Kanger NeBox or the promising tool for all-in-one vaping
In first, one has to re-center the debate and render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s since in November 2014, almost one year ago, I was starring at a minimalist and handy all-in-one device, the eGrip by Joyetech. It was already the second version of this jewel. These “all-in-one” kits by Joyetech were one of the company’s hallmarks until KangerTech has lanched its NeBox, a serious concurrent, at least on paper because neither the dimensions nor the finishing criterions do compare between the two brands.
KangerTech proposes, on year after Joyetech, its own version of a all-in-one, re-using the successful Subtank’s RBA base with the added value of new resistors, more compact but still reliable. Be reassured, your old resistors will still fit in it, if it is one of your concerns.
Let’s see if the vaping quality is commensurate with the ultimate concept of the NeBox, and if the purchase of a separate clearomizer is mandatory, for the compactness of its format that however requires large hands.
KangerTech proposes, in addition to Joyetech, an exchangeable battery that is, from my point of view, a benefit compared to the eGrip. The compactness and the finish remain Joyetech’s prerogatives because NeBox’s coating, after use, is found similar to the Subox, ie bad.
With such compactness, you can easily hide your NeBox in you pocket, without needs of questioning about security. The paradox of this box is that it looks like something that you no longer want to ear about, and it is what I appreciated with the eGrip.
And in the compact setting, you get all you need. The NeBox is intended to vapers wishing something discrete and accessible. Here, no question about the choice of a clearomizer because everything is provided in the kit. For novices, it is a reassuring purchase to start vaping in comfort and without worrying.
Add to that prime quality an iStick-style single OLED display and you will get a long-standing solution that will allow you upgrading easily to a more expert one.
If, like much of us, you are already fully equipped, you will still enjoy to be able to forget it in your pocket with a battery full and a 10 ml tank, and see it lasting till the end of the day without worrying. With the temp control OFF, the RBA base and a resistor of 0.45 Ω, it lasted for 9 hours without touching anything else but the Fire. When temp control is switched ON, it is another game.
KangerTech proposes the essential – without anything in excess – for vaping by this end 2015. Temp control, reconstructible base and classic resistors, and everything in the palm of you hand.
The box’ content is correct for the price. You will find a RBA base with two prebuilt coils, cotton, a USB wire, 2 extra resistors, a screwdriver and a user manual.
In the hand, it is light and rather flat which make it not so easy to handle for small hands. It is a bit too large for my taste, even if I have to admit that the whole is finally compact. It make it easy in some cases, for example when you don’t have a jacket or a bag.
As for the two other boxes by KangerTech, the assembly is correct and the finish is shoddy. Mine, in black, keeps the fingerprints, especially the upper part made in a shiny plastic. The whole remains, as a all-in-one, more robust than a kit.
ΩThe operation buttons of the NeBox are classic with a Fire, a little LCD display and 2 small buttons +/-. The Fire, located on the side falls just below the thumb, but from my experience, it does not look reliable in time, which is of concern for the durability. The control of vaping, beside all kinds of temp controls, is extremely simple and efficient. Do not however forget to set it TOFF by pressing three times on the Fire then accessing to a menu showing the Ni200-, the Ti- and the W-mode. Navigating through the menu is easy with the small buttons.
This NeBox by Kanger is built in with a clearomizer and a 18,650 exchangeable battery for a very tight price. A complete solution for vaping right away. The finish is not the best but vaping is of prime quality.
Technical Review
The main characteristics are:
- LCD screen
- Round Fire button on the side (ON and OFF by 5 pressures)
- Power selection by 2 +/- buttons
- Variable Wattage: 7 W to 60 W by increments of 0.1W
- Temperature control with a Ti or a Ni resistor
- Compatibility: None since the atomizer is built in.
- Weight: 165 g to 225 g with liquid and battery
- Length: 86 mm
- Thickness: 22.8 mm
- Width: 58 mm
- Battery: 18,650 not included
- USB charge (not protected)
- Display of the remaining charge
- 1 POM tip
- Zinc, Aluminium alloy
- 2 resistors SSOCC: 0.5 Ω and 0.15 Ω in Ni200 for the TC
- 1 mini RBA+ base
- 1 screwdriver, 2 coils and some cotton for the RBA
- A user manual
- 1 kit of extra screws
- a USB cable
I just deplore the intermediate manufacturing quality and the basic closing system of the battery cap and atomizer base requiring a coin.
With this NeBox by Kanger, 10 ml, 2 batteries and you are ready for the day, provided that you manage to handle the unintuitive menu and you are very clever for calibrating your resistors.
After 5 pressions on the button, the LCD screen lights up and lets you know the resistance value, the mode (Watt or Degree) setting and the remaining battery charge. The screen is rather small but readable when you are in front of it and you avoid any reflection. You will not find any light setting, here, but you will have access to the left-handed mode.
To simplify the understanding of its operation, I will guide you in the menus: classic vaping in Watt is achieved with M4 and M5, Temp control from M1 to M4.
If you want to vape without any control on temperature, on a Khantal, for example, press 3 times on the Fire to access the Mode menu and choose W in mode M3. But be cautious with the M3 of this shortcut menu since another M3 appears in another menu that sets the temperature. Instead of unintuitive, I should have said not well designed. Finally, once in this menu, you will have access to the Watt settings using the +/- buttons.
Afterwards, if you use the temperature control, get relax, you will need a lot of self-control to handle the menu from M1 to M4. To access it, you will have to long-press (more than 2 s) on the two small buttons. But before all, you have to understand that using the temp control requires calibrating the Ni or Ti resistors. Even if you and I now understand the usefulness of this procedure, it is not straightforward when reading the user manual. Kanger goes in line with the others -except Pipeline– showing only the minimum, which in turn makes this mode not popular among beginners.
Each time you switch the resistor, you will see appearing a small menu that lets you select, using +/-, the same or a new resistance. I have never been fast enough to do it correctly since the menu disappears very quickly. This setting is without any consequence if you keep the same or a similar range of resistance. However, it is very painful to access it again to do the calibration of a new resistor because it is the only way to initiate the procedure.
With a bunch of chance, you are done, and you will have to come through the menu to select the type of the resistor, Ti or Ni, by choosing M1 or M2. After this, the temperature setting from 100°C to 300°C is easy with the small buttons.
Then, if you are still okay, you can choose the setting via temperature or via power. The original presets are 300°C 60 W (M1) or 300°C 7 W (M3). M2 and M4 are in Fahrenheit. You will be able to select the power delivered to reach the desired temperature with a long-press on the two small buttons together, in M3. Here again, it is not easy since you have to remove your finger to be able to see the display. Not easy because unintuitive but also because the user manual is not well detailed on this topic.
Filling up is easy but adjusting the air flow is not possible
Filling up the tank is achieved by unscrewing the cogwheel. I suggest you to use a coin to do the operation otherwize it may leak. I also recommend to forget the pipette. You’d better choose the rough method, using the bottle directly. This is very easy and one of the best features of this NeBox, with its large 10 ml tank, that prevents you from refilling all the time.
The airflow system is coherent to me since I appreciate aerial draughts and I use the RBA base. I am very lucky, but for those who prefer dense vapor, the NeBox might be disappointing since no adjustment is allowed. That’s a pity because the eGrip by Joyetech has proposed this option more than a year ago. However, an issue with this type of airflow, like with this kind of box in general, is that you can inadvertently plug the hole with a finger.
NeBox is then hard to clean. It is feasible but it requires to be very careful. The resistor can be removed easily, which makes its cleaning efficient and quick. In contrast, cleaning the tank requires precision. Once the resistor is removed, you can fill up the tank with hot water by the top, avoiding to wet the rest, and drain it by the drip tip.
NeBox is an endearing box, efficient and providing good feelings when vaping
NeBox offers the same recognized Kanger’s vape quality but in an odd format that, in spite of being suitable to every use, makes you vape with your hand very close from the lips. It is not very class nor enjoyable, and I would have appreciated a longer drip tip to keep my lips far from the body of the box.
The two resistors provided in the box are efficient and you will get no bad surprise using them. This is one domain where KangerTech has become expert.
To continue with the feelings, I deplore the same loud noise as with the eGrip, when switching on the resistor. Its location at the bottom of the box amplifies the noise which makes it disturbing for people around.
The vaping is highly versatile, following your taste. The different types accessible through the box are satisfying for anyone and it would best fit as a gift to a neophyte.
The passthrough system allows you to charge it while vaping. As with the Subox, the plug is located on the side and you can place it upward while charging.
The “+”:
- Tank volume 10 ml
- Compactness, easily fits in a pants pocket
- Easy fill up
- LCD display
- RBA base included
- Temp controle in Ni or Ti
- Temp excess safety (70°C)
- Complete kit
- USB charge on the side, possible while vaping
- Price justified
The “-“:
- Resistance calibration too furtive
- Medium assembly quality
- Not intuitive menu
- Setting via the temperature to be improved
- Dimensions: a bit too wide
- Noisy airflow
- Battery not included
- Hot steam
- Limited tank cleaning
- Short drip tip
Conclusions: 3.9/5
NeBox has valuable qualities, especially on a daily use and for the vaping quality. But for the price, one could expect a better finish and a higher quality. The menu is not straightforward and sometimes burlesque.
