Corona – Steampipes

Steampipes Corona, masterizing top coil atomizers

Let’s be direct, I never felt trying this German brand before for a simple reason: I hate top coil atomizers and any types of mountings that look like Genesis. Note that it is not because I despise them but simply because it does not correspond to my vaping style. The mounting’s apparent complexity always kept me away from them.

Upon wise recommendations, I moved on to test this Corona and I have to admit that I am glad I did. This SteamPipes atomizer vaporized all my reluctancy for this type of product. The vapor it produces is not too warm, no more than a bottom coil like the lastest Stattqualm, for example. Mounting also is not more complicated than any other type of system with steel wires and, Ô surprise, this Corona is very good at rendering flavors.

You probably know that the Corona originates from Steampipes’ Change Competition. An atomizer that I cannot comment since I haven’t tested it, yet. The advantage is that I started with a blank page with regard to the subject.

The Corona is placed in the high price range, making it a high range product. At this price, one can expect the very best. First advice, if you take a bank loan to buy it, take an extension to buy your juices because it is by far the highest consumption I ever seen. The Corona produces huge clouds, renders flavors very well but anyone knows that there is no vapor without liquid, so a word to the wise.

Such atomizers are not for an all-day use because of e-liquid huge consumption combined to a relatively small capacity. A small capacity that is partly due to the presence of the four steel braids, once they are placed in the tank. This remark also stands for a single coil mount that despite it lowers a bit consumption, it also makes vaping with it less captivating.

For a product manufactured in Europe, its price is proportionate to its overall quality that remains within the standards of such devices.

So I have in hands an atomizer made of stainless steel with a solid and outstanding design, a top coil system equipped with an airflow, aerial and noiseless, and a smart filling mechanism even if it has not been so easy to use.

With this Corona, Steampipes proposes, for 135 €, an outstandingly well finished atomizer that will satisfy your needs for a powerful and tasty vaping experience.

Technical characteristics

• Size (with drip-tip): 78 mm
• Size (without drip-tip): 53 mm
• Diameter: 23 mm
• Weight: 85 g with cable
• Threaded 510
• Drip-tip : type 510, Delrin with cooling fins
• Capacity: 4.5 ml
• Material: Stainless steel 1.4301
• Tank: pyrex/PMMA for the first versions/a spare tank
• Coil: Rather dual coil but a single coil can be mounted as well
• Adjustable Airflow: Dual or single air inlet for dual or single coil
• Spare screws, O-rings.
• Four 3 mm steel braids. Pre-cut for supplying the wick.

Corona : Top coil conception, a peek velocity-type deck and an adjustable airflow system

The Corona was born in Germany and, hence, got the genes of a prestigious design and a meticulous finish. A beautiful Delrin touch for the drip-tip, no apparent screw, serial number and logo carved in the body. Everything is very well finished. The Pyrex or Pmma tank is protected with a shell, the steel braids that can be seen from the outside, reinforce the ideal of a beautiful object.

The windows’ design is beautiful and makes the overall even more aerial and light, even if the liquid level is not that easy to check. The view of the four metallic braids inside is extremely aesthetic.

Its design is as massive as a Vapor Giant, for example, and gives the feeling that it will last much longer than any other. It can be noticed that the O-rings in the top cap and the airflow system are hard to manipulate at the beginning.

Corona, like Xdream and Flash e-vapor, gives easy access to the coils to rapidly check their visual aspect. One has to admit that it is very convenient. I like to check wick’s position from time to time to optimize the air flow and get the best flavors from my juices.

A good first impression, then. Let’s turn to practice and test the system with braids and the Corona’s mounting in single or dual coil.

Liquid supply by metal capillarity, single or dual coil and velocity-type deck

I straightforwardly opted for the dual coil mounting because I sincerely believe that the Corona is dedicated to this vaping type. Even if I confirm that it can also easily be mounted as a single coil atomizer.

Running out of 0.4 mm resistive wire at home, I used two 6-spire 2.5 mm coils to end at 0.64 Ω. The mounting is facilitated by the deck that can be completely uncovered and the highly accessible two rows of wholes that may cope with your needs (Clapton coil or other large wires). Note that below 0.35 mm, the wholes may be too large for the wires. The screws are also too short but it may not be a major issue.

Do not forget to set up the four braid tips in the wholes. In a second step, put the cotton wicks in contact with the tips. Then, capillarity makes the job. Magic. The system does not suffer from short supply, I am stuck with the efficiency of this system.

Once finished, you only have to put the bell back in place. The airflow system in integrated to the bell.

First warning: Take the precaution to grease the O-rings with liquid since they are very hard in a new device. If the system it too hard to put in place with the two O-rings, you can easily remove the lowest one without altering the functioning.

A second warning: Verify the position of the air inlets compared to the coils. The absence of a marker on the body to set the coils in a right position is regrettable but such an issue needs to be addressed to the manufacturer. Each time you refill, the airflow setting will be lost because of unscrewing the top cap.

But when the airflow is correctly adjusted and everything is capped, the Corona is giving its very best in the absence of any leakage or seepage. And no need to be a geek, this mounting is accessible to anyone.

With this top coil easily accessible, there is no issue to lift up or lower down a coil, depending on your expectancies. My special setting for a maximum of flavor is one coil in front of the airflow hole, the other a little bit higher. Then, the steam is dense and tasty, not exactly at the same level of a Flash e-vapor, but very close.

To come back on the deck, the screws are rather tiny but accessible, much more than on the Xdream. An insulating part in PEEK is also present to prevent shortcuts. A child’s play.

A much higher consumption than the average, an easy top-filling system but tedious with time

To refill, the operation is easy. A first step consists in opening the top of the atomizer by unscrewing a large ring to create an opening where you can insert the pipette of your bottle. Not that the opening is large enough to accept any type of bottle tip available on the marketplace.

But with the high consumption of juice, I felt weariness to unscrew the 20 turns of this long thread several times a day. Then, I happened to over-tighten the ring, which drove me straight to the tool box to use a plier. And once, I was not completely on the job, I unscrewed the tank itself…

Airflow is outstanding, noiseless despite the two inlets

The airflow system is a real success. Its operation is easy with the two small fins at the top of the top cap. It is also rather noiseless. It can be set up very aerial, with the atomizer remaining in the lower range of temperature and the steam released close to room temperature. A big surprise to me with a top coil.

In turn, when the two inlets are closed and the puffs chained, the body may become very hot but the drip-tip in Delrin with the cooling fins make the job.

The contact with the drip-tip is pleasant, even perfect. Notwithstanding the few remarks about the refill and the airflow, the Corona by Streampipes is very cosy to use and makes dense and tasty clouds.

This is, in my opinion, the true performance of this atomizer, the one that I want to put forward. Big clouds are allowed without sacrificing the taste. I admit that it was challenging for Streampipes who made it very well.

The Corona is unfortunately very greedy in juice, which makes me believe that it won’t be my companion of the day but rather for evenings or at parties.

In Summary

Conclusions

Rating of 3.9/5: Beautiful design for a very efficient top coil that ends up with the production a very dense vapor without sacrificing the rendering of flavors. An apparent contradiction that has been addressed with success by Streampipes. The Corona is a good choice for cloud lovers and a good second atomizer for thrilling vaping instants.

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