While the CE3 is the successor to the CE2 in name, it shares very little with its predecessor other than the ability to heat liquid into vapor. The new version is designed with the heating element at the base of the unit rather than being perched atop a steel tube. The Somkymizers probably have more in common with the G4 cartomizers than the CE2 lineup.
[update: my review of the Vortex 2.0, the updated version of the G4 is now live – SteveK]
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| Now with hologram sticker |
The similarities to the G4 include a center chamber to keep liquid out of the coil area with a tube that extends to the mouthpiece of the cartomizer. However, the overall design of that center tube/chamber is quite different in the CE3. The wick protrudes from the top of the chamber and therefore, no eliquid flows to the sides of the heading coil’s cozy little home.
A small hole exists opposite the wick opening on the top of the coil housing to allow airflow and improved wicking. Most importantly, unlike the G4, the CE3 actually keeps it’s liquid payload inside the cartomizer. I detected no leaks after leaving a Smokymizer sitting upright on the battery connector overnight.
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| Not your father’s CE |
Externally, the difference is immediately noticeable. Gone are the clear acrylic (or steel) tubes and instead a completely different semi-transparent plastic. The new tubes aren’t just there to look pretty in their new colors, this new plastic virtually eliminates the cracking issues that plagued both the CE2 and the G4 cartomizers.
The new tubes are also thicker and taper at the bottom to accommodate the atomizer portion of the CE3. If you use accessories with your cartomizers such as eGo cones, there’s a good chance they won’t fit around the Smokymizers. The good news is standard 510 drip tips fit without an issue.
Filling and Cleaning
When the time comes to fill the CE3, it’s hard not to notice things are different now. The fact that each 5 pack of these things come with a set of tweezers in addition to the traditional filling needle and a nice 510 drip tip should also have been a clue things have changed. Also in the pack (and easy to mistake as nothing) a tiny black rubber stopper.
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| We’re going to need to operate |
That little cap is a spare for the one that is located inside the cartomizer covering the fill hole. As you may have guessed because you’re smart like that, the tweezers are required to remove and replace that minuscule cap. Carrying around a syringe to fill cartomizers is bad enough, but also having to tote around a pair of tweezers may be just a bit over the top.
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| Condensation inside |
I particularly found replacing the stopper frustrating. I just couldn’t get the plug lined up with the hole and pushed in. I learned this little trick which I will now pass on to you. Hold the cartomizer parallel to the ground, making sure the fill hole is on the bottom. Use the tweezers to place the stopper in the hole but don’t try to push it in. Flip the tweezers around and push the cap all the way into the hole with the handle of the tweezers.
I could also grouse about the condensation build up, but it really hasn’t been a huge deal breaker for me. Basically condensation forms when the vapor trapped between the tip and the top of the cartomizer cools. Once condensed, the liquid has a tendency to flow back into the airhole leading to the coils which causes some slight gurgling. Removing the cartomizer and a quick puff into the tip will blow most of the excess out.
Finally, I had some trouble in the disassembly department. Despite the fact the included instruction card clearly outlines a process for disassembly and cleaning, my attempt in doing so was not a success. Two problems plagued my valiant effort to take these things apart.
First, the tube is easy enough to remove as the instructions imply. The problem is, the inner tube and atomizer cover doesn’t come out when you remove the tube. That thing is wedged in there and it took quite a bit of coaxing with a paper clip to work it out.
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| Way harder than it looks |
You would think that it’s not entirely necessary to remove that inner housing since the coil and wick are the things that need to be cleaned. Very true, but the problem comes in reassembling. The wick sticks through the top of that housing through a hole, much the same way thread goes through the needle. Except the thread frays incredibly easily and the needle hole appears to be smaller than the thread.
Once I finally did get the wick threaded and the whole mess reassembled, the cartomizer was still doomed. As soon as I filled the thing up, my liquid began just running out the battery connector hole. Apparently my wick wasn’t fully threaded. While I’m not saying disassembly can’t be done, it’s just not something for people as uncoordinated as I.
Performance
I guess the big question here is if the Smokymizer’s performance outweighs the potential hassle of having to use tweezers and trying not to lose the tiny little caps. I would like to mention at this point, the version I purchased is the higher resistance variety (2.9 ohm). Therefore, performance on my eGo battery wasn’t that spectacular. Going with the lower resistance version should improve the performance on those types of batteries.
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| The test subjects |
I used a few different e-cigarette mods to test the Smokymizer including the Provari for higher voltages and the Puresmoker Icon 1.1 for 3.7 volt. I think the sweet spot for these cartos is anywhere between 3.7 and 4v. They work well up to 4.5v but there isn’t much of a performance bump. I detected a burnt taste at 5 volts, however, some users reported a good experience all the way up to 6 so the e-liquid in use may play a role.
The vapor production is pretty good, it’s not the biggest fog machine I’ve ever used, but it produces a substantial cloud of vapor. As is pretty typical with bottom coil cartomizers, the vapor temperature runs on the cool side of the scale. Oddly, I always consider throat hit to be more dependent on the e-liquid, but I found the CE3s to have a less pronounced throat hit than I expected.
Flavor production is good with no funny aftertastes. The cartomizer didn’t really bring out any of the subtle notes in my test e-liquid either. I’d call the flavor middle of the road, but not offensive. I’d say this is probably on par with a lot of clearomizers I’ve tried.
I normally talk about draw in these reviews, but that’s sort of an odd thing with these cartomizers. The draw varied widely depending on which e-cigarette I used. For example the draw was fairly average on an eGo, airy on others, but on the Icon, the connector sealed off all vent holes making it impossible to draw without adding a 510 to 510 adapter.
Too Long; Didn’t Read
The CE3 Smokymizer is a radical departure from its predecessor the CE2. In many regards, it is the total opposite of the original with its bottom coil and resulting cooler vapor. While the CE2 wasn’t exactly easy to fill, the CE3 complicates matters even more by requiring the use of tweezers to manipulate a tiny plug and still requiring a syringe to fill. Performance is fairly competent, but I think like the CE2 before it, the CE3 will be one of those things people either love or hate.
Pros:
- No leaking from the battery connector
- Available in a variety of colors
- Improved tube to significantly reduce cracking
- Accepts standard 510 drip tips (and comes with one)
- Decent performance
- Complicated to fill
- Disassembly and successful reassembly very difficult
- Filler hole stopper very small and easy to lose
- Requires the use of tweezers in addition to a syringe
34 Comments
Isoplus
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)Thanks for the review, I was wondering between smokymizer or new Vortex2… still undecided…
Steve K
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)I have some Vortex V2s on their way, so hopefully by this time next week I'll have a review for those up here as well, maybe that will help :)
Rick M
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)Thanks Steve, very helpfull information. It does sound like a lot of work involved just to vape.
My recent post The SS Copper
Steve K
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)You do kind of get used to dealing with that cap, but it still adds extra stuff to deal with. I hope they continue to revise these like they did with the CE2s to come up with a design that doesn't require its own tool. Hopefully without losing the ability to use a standard drip tip. All these cartos coming out that use some kind of proprietary tip drive me crazy.
Jagsaund
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)brought 2 packs from different well known sites. they were poorly made in each test buy. one seller even gave me another replacement pack but they were still poor for the following reasons. they often had pre-existing liquid inside and looked like they had been washed out before they were packed and sealed. in each test buy and the replacement 3 out of the 5 carto's – the e-liquid poured straight out of the bottom of the 510 connection. all of it just leaked straight out. two worked ok in each pack. The area where the tiny plug is put in, the small chamber, also filled up with e-liquid regularly. when they do work they are a great vape. dont bother trying to clean and re-assemble – its impossible, just throw away. my enquiries revealed they had been badly constructed in china in the end. the fact i brought from two very different sites shows theres a bunch of bad product out there full stop. the products i brought were different colours of the CE3 smokymizer.
Steve K
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)Possibly a dumb question, but was the little black stopper put back in? It will leak like crazy without that tiny black stopper in place. With it in place, I didn't have any leak, also from 2 different batches from 2 different vendors. Condensation does tend to build up in the chamber between the mouthpiece and the inside though. I hate to say it but I'm not entirely surprised to hear about quality control problems, it seems to be common in a lot of the inexpensive Chinese hardware, especially clearomizers.
Cliff C
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)My stopper went back in. I picked these up from uh, a "devilish" store. They blow! Like Jagsaund said, the liquid just drained out the bottom. The black stopper was in.
Steve K
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)I haven't had any leak with the stopper in. If I had to guess based on other stuff like the G4s and Buddy tanks, there's likely not a good seal somewhere, or the wick isn't quite in right allowing too much air to escape. I'm interested to see if/when they do revisions on this design if they might find away to improve the wick system (like make it actually possible to reassemble and lose the black stopper) Did all of them do that, or just the one so far?
Judy
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)I REFUSE to buy anything from that company. I had something in my cart out of their sale link, and by the time I went to go pay, the sale ended….and my cart was empty. I called them and said that the item was IN MY BASKET and was about to pay. They basically told me "Too bad, sale is over". So, poop on them. They lost a potential loyal customer.
Steve K
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)Which company, TW?
Judy
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)Yep.
Judy
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)Yep!o.0
Steve K
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)That's unfortunate. I've only placed a couple orders with them for some basic stuff, so I haven't run into customer service.
Judy
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)Thanks for the info on this. I contemplated trying these out, but I'm glad I read ur review first. I know I would drop that stupid plug somewhere and never find it! Plus, having to fumble around with the little plug and tweezers doesn't sound very convenient.
Steve K
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)I'm hoping these will get a revision at some point that will make them more user friendly.
Judy
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)Me too! I liked the idea of it being able to hold so much liquid, as it appeared. Cleaning it looks to be a big pain in the a**.
Judy
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)I've added your site to my favorites. I've been experimenting (or cheating, so to speak) with ecig stuff for about 5 months now…….looking for the perfect fit for me. I just ordered the Joye 510 and am waiting its arrival. Right now I'm on 21st Century Smoke and boiling cartomizers. I also have the other 21 Century Smoking brand (diff company), but I won't be buying from them again. Too expensive. I buy all my liquid from ecblend.com cuz they are very decently priced, and they have child-proof caps on the bottles. I have kids so that was a bonus for me. I lock all my ecig stuff in a lock box and put it up high. On a diff note, I took my sis-in-law to the store with me the other day and let her smoke a reg cig in my vehicle. I was amazed on how putrid the cig smoke was to me! LOL! I'm NEVER going back to tobacco!
Steve K
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)First of all, thank you! I'm glad you are enjoying the site and find it useful. Knowing that people find it of use keeps me going every day :)
Switching to e-cigarettes is a lot like quitting in that very often the smell of traditional cigarettes is pretty unpleasant. And to think, that's exactly how we used to smell :)
Good point about keeping this stuff away from kids. I have a lock box and keep stuff high. However some of the stuff I get in but haven't used yet isn't always secured since it doesn't have nicotine in it, I'm not too worried. Except of course I had a very expensive atomizer I was going to review go missing, and nobody wants to admit to it. Lesson learned there I think :)
Judy
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)I will definately check back with u often! Thanks so much for the input on this stuff. It helps the rest of us in not wasting money on crap that doesn't work! LOL!^_^
Steve K
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)Thanks, I frequently make bad purchases, so if it can do some good for others, that's great!
Paul
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)I got some from the same "devilish" supplier and they leaked like crazy. I wrote them and they acted like I was the only one that had that problem. Do they think that we are stupid? The forums are full of people having the same problem. They say that I am getting a credit for the two packs that I bought, I have yet to see it. FYI, the price has been dropped to about $6 so I guess they have not been the best seller…
Steve K
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)Yeah, TW is indeed clearing them out, like they did with the CE2s when they decided they weren't good quality. They now have the following note on the product page. I certainly have not had any short out a battery, that's downright disturbing. Maybe they'll fix some of the other issues/annoyances that have been reported with these things while they are at it.Although we believe the CE3 Smokymizers to be a great product concept, there have been a small number of reported incidents where the Smokymiser is believed to have been responsible for the shorting of a tornado battery. To address this matter, we are liaising with the manufacturers to isolate any design flaws and selling our remaining stock at a 50% discount. Please be aware we can offer no warranty on the Smokymizers at this current discounted price nor any related affects when used in conjunction with your device.
Stone
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)Been using CE3 for couple of weeks now and haven't had any trouble filling them. No leaks either. A lot better than cartos or tanks. Didn't buy from TW.
Steve K
(11/29/99 - 2:00 pm)I'm not sure if TW is really any different from anywhere else, although nobody has mentioned any shorting issues other than that company, so I don't know what the deal is there. Glad you are enjoying the CE3s, like most things e-cigarette everyone has a little different experience from others. I never really had much leaking myself on these.
Aaron
(01/10/12 - 2:11 pm)I have the CE3's and I really do like them! There is a bit more work than a pre-filled carto but I haven't had any problems. Yes condensation builds up but you can either use the syringe and pull it our or shake it out. and if you use a rubber cap on the end it wont leak at all! I think the pros outweigh the cons and i will recommend these until i find something that i like better but for the time being these are a good one.
Steve K
(01/10/12 - 2:14 pm)Glad they've been working out for you. It's cool to see so many opinions for and against these things :)
Kingsley
(01/21/12 - 9:55 pm)I'm also in the "love CE3's" crowd. I too when condensation accumulates in the top reservoir tend to pull the drip tip off and draw the juice out with a syringe to return to the bottle. That said as I generally fill half a dozen at a time to keep on rotation, I have sometimes found myself pulling of nearly half a ml of juice at each refill.
Alternatively, if I am not at home just using a bit of tissue paper to clean up the excess does the trick.
The bung is the annoying point, on that I certainly agree! I have lost more than a few of them. Experience helps a lot. The advice given in Steve K's article is very good and not far from what I do myself. One addition I would make is to make sure your tweezers are clean and the bung is too. Having either of these wet with juice makes losing the little buggers so much more likely!
One tip I have found is that after drawing off excess juice with a syringe use a cotton bud to actually remove the bung and drop it straight onto tissue paper. Use the and of the cotton bud to roll it around a bit before you fill and then it should be nice and dry before you try to pick it up with the tweezers.
In the first pack I tried on of them shorted my battery from new. As it was only one of the five I did not complain to the supplier and of all the others I have used since I have not had another electrical problem with one until this afternoon, when one I had half vaped went. This was after two or three weeks of being used in rotation (It stopped producing any vapour on my Lava Tube and made a fully charged eGo battery tell me it need charging – I assume these are signs of a short).
One of the nice things though about CE3s is that when one does go wrong it is easy to draw the existing juice out of it to return to a bottle for use in something else.
Cleaning of them is a nightmare as is stated. Pulling them apart is the easy bit but I have never put one back together with any success. I do love the Engrish on the instruction card though: "dry burn and place all in good way"! Lovely. Don't tell us how, just tell us to do it in a good way!
I know this all sounds like I hate them but the opposite is very much the case. They may be fiddly and have the odd quality control issue but overall they have given me a far better tasting and more consistent vape as well as having a better life expediency of anything else I have tried so far. I have only been vaping for three months and so am well aware that there are many things I haven't tried, but the CE3s are doing it for me and vaping is yet another area of human endeavour where one size very rarely fits all.
If someone comes out with something that has an improved version of the filling system of the X7 Micromizer and without the stupid annoying LED that wastes capacity, I think I will be sticking with CE3s. They may be fiddly but I find them great.
Of course, this is just my anecdotal personal experience and your mileage may vary…
Steve K
(01/21/12 - 10:25 pm)There are some interesting new cartos coming out. I have a review of one coming up next week. And it looks like CE4s are coming, probably the beginning of next month. I'll try and get my hands on some soon, but it looks like they may be eGo versions of the CE3… we'll see if they have any fixes.
Tawnya
(01/12/12 - 3:21 pm)BEWARE! They will short out your battery. I loved the CE3s so much that i refused to believe it. But 4 batteries later and after trying every other possibility. The darn things short batteries. Including 2 brand new ego-t.
McAldo
(03/11/12 - 9:47 pm)Good review.
I would only add that the thing leaks like a champ and reassembling it after cleanign is indeed not the easiest of the tasks.
Steve K
(03/11/12 - 11:46 pm)Indeed. You might want to check out the recent review I did of the CE3 XL which is another bottom coil put out by a different company. It's clearly a ripoff, but doesn't do either of the things you mentioned :)
Frederic
(04/18/12 - 2:08 pm)I have been using for a year now and I love them. They very rarely leak.
I have tried many other carto and nothing – absolutely nothing came even close to the ce3.
The best part of the ce3 is the flavor. I had no idea how good my liquids tasted until I started using the ce3. This is why I am sticking with it.
Folks are talking about retiring it for the x7. This is stupid for two reasons:
– the x7 has the led light. Therefore it is for immature adult – not to use in a professional environment.
– the x7 forces you to use the rubber drip tip – which is pretty crappy.
Because it is getting very hard to buy the ce3. I just bought 50 of them yesterday directly from china. This should hold me for another year before royal smoker comes with something better (and it is not going to be the x7 – that one is a failure).
Steve K
(04/18/12 - 2:20 pm)I'm not a big fan of the X7s either. However, these which for some reason are also named CE3s are clearly not CE3s, but I like them a lot. http://www.stevevape.com/ce3-xl-clearomizers-revi…
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