Unless you’ve been living under a rock since the beginning of 2020, you’ll have noticed that less new products are being released. Production is now ramping back up again but with many of us having to tighten our belts, now is a great time to look at older mods, which can often be found at bargain prices.
Vaporesso Armor Pro: The Vaporesso Armor Pro was released in mid-2018 but with its features, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was newer. It’s rather compact for a single 21700 mod and is controlled by Vaporesso’s Omni Board, which is still a top tier chipset in our view. It has a huge number of settings, including solid temperature control and also features an interesting design which incorporates the display into a fire bar that runs down the side of the mod.
Joyetech Evic VTC Mini: This may be the oldest mod on our list, having been released in 2015, but it is still fantastic for low-mid wattage vapers. The chipset may not have aged that well in terms of temperature control but it’s very serviceable for wattage only users. With a clean industrial aesthetic and tiny form factor, the Evic VTC Mini pairs fantastically with any of the 22mm tanks in your collection. We like this one so much that we’d be interested to see a 2020 model with updated internals.
Eleaf Pico 21700: The Eleaf Pico is a true classic of vaping hardware and for our money, the Pico 21700 is the best model. Released at the start of 2018, it features the same basic chipset found in the original version, albeit with a slight wattage increase due to 21700 compatibility. Other than the increased power and very slight increase to size, the Pico 21700 is identical to the original, which makes it a brilliant choice for those who enjoy compact mods, regardless of the current year.
Innokin Proton: Innokin aren’t generally known for dual 18650 mods but the Proton is one of their finest devices. Originally released at the start of 2018, it still gets a strong recommendation from us, due to its compact design and reliable chipset. The only real down side to this device is that it’s not the most rugged we’ve seen and doesn’t always fare well with drops, though that’s something which applies to many devices with lightweight construction.
Smoant Battlestar: Released towards the end of 2016, the Battlestar put Smoant on the map. If you looked at any vaping forums around the time of release, it was one of the most hotly discussed devices on the market. Though its chipset may be basic by today’s standards, the durable all metal chassis and compact form factor means that it’s still a great dual 18650 mod in 2020, especially for those on a budget, since it can now be found at heavily discounted prices. A good option for those who want a simple, durable mod for high power vaping.
Of course, there are more great mods from yesteryear than we can discuss in one post, so we’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic!
