The iGo4M Dual is an interesting device that’s crossed my desk recently. It’s an eGo style device with a tank that holds two different flavors that can be selected based on your whim at the moment. If that sounds cool, you’ll have to wait a little bit before you get your hands on one.
Like several products I’ve found myself in possession of lately, this one hasn’t quite made it into the retail channel yet. I figured I’d do a review of the iSMK iGo4M Dual anyway so you’d be ahead of the game when it comes out in stores, or maybe you’re a merchant trying to figure out if this thing is worth carrying. Either way, here’s a quick review of this dual flavor, magnetic charging midrange e-cigarette.
Disclosure: I received this product directly from the manufacturer, China First Union for review purposes.
IGo4M Design
There’s so many unusual things about this product, that I almost don’t know where to begin. Perhaps a quick overview is in order.
The 4M is a midrange eGo style device at heart. The battery itself features magnetic charging and an LCD display. The “Dual” name comes from an interesting attribute of the included tank. The tank is actually two discrete tanks in one unit, capable of holding two different flavors separately, allowing the user to select which flavor he or she wishes to vape.
Now that I’ve got your attention, I’m going to start with the battery because I’m a big tease. Also, it’s more simple to explain, sort of like the opening act to the main attraction.
The iGo4 battery is fairly straight forward, other than the magnetic charging feature. The model I received is glossy black with a faux gem activation button that glows blue when pressed. Like most modern eGo devices, it has a 5-click on/off feature. Click the button 5 times rapidly and the unit will switch on or off.
I’m not sold on the hard plastic gem button. The activator on my test unit had an unfortunate habit of sticking. It’s not a huge deal since pressing the button again would get it to release. These batteries also have a ten second shutoff, so it’s not like it would keep firing until the tank burns out or anything.
A timed activation period is also pretty standard with this style of battery. Also unremarkable is the 650 mAh capacity which makes for a smaller battery, but means less use time.
Even at only 650mAh this isn’t the smallest battery of its class because of the LCD screen at the bottom. The electronics naturally add a little length to the device.
Just beneath the LCD screen is the other interesting feature of this battery: the charging terminal. Unlike most eGo batteries that charge via a screw-in charger where the cartomizer goes, this one has a magnetic plate at the bottom of the battery.
The charger is a somewhat chunky plastic sleeve. Just slip the battery into the sleeve and you’re charging away. In addition to the charging plate for the magnetic connector, there is also a blue LED ring in the bottom cap of the battery that glows along with the activator switch. It gives it that cool TRON-like look if you’re into retro 80’s cyberpunk.
This isn’t the only magnetic eGo on the market, I’ve reviewed similar models before. What is more unique is of course that dual flavor tank that comes with this kit.
Dual Flavor Tank
At first glance, the tank looks pretty straight forward. There’s a clear tube with chrome top and bottom sections. A black drip tip protrudes from the top cap.
Upon closer inspection, nothing is really like it seems. From the bottom, what looks like an eGo dress up ring is actually the tank selector dial. Rotating it changes which side of the tank is active by completing the corresponding electrical circuit.
When the tank is mounted on the battery, you don’t actually turn the ring, but rather rotate the whole tank. The ring stays stationary because it’s what is bolted to the battery.
Moving up to the tank itself, you’ll notice when held at the correct position a plastic divider running down the length of the tank. You’ll also notice there are two tubes, one on either side of the plastic divider.
The divider runs the whole length of the interior of the tank, bisecting even the metal base parts inside the tank. Effectively, this is two completely separate tanks with a common outer shell. This keeps the liquid in each tank isolated from the other.
You can have two completely different types of flavors in each of the 1.5ml tanks and not have to worry about the flavors mingling. Can’t make up your mind between menthol and mango? No problem, bring them both along.
In my testing, the isolation works quite well, there’s no blending of flavors that I could notice. The only downside of this tank is that it’s plastic and my two favorite flavors (cola and Ecto-cooler from Mt. Baker Vapor) are not plastic tank friendly.
I’m pretty sure making something like this out of Pyrex would probably be too difficult, but a guy can dream. Getting back to what actually exists here. The individual tanks are powered by top-coil setups that resemble old-school CE2 cartos. There’s no bottom coil stuff here, nor as far as I can tell, replaceable heads. I’m not even sure how you’d be able to get in there to replace heads. The tank is pretty well fused to the bottom and top plates.
Filling happens at the top just like the classic carto. Fortunately, it doesn’t strictly require a syringe, though a needle tipped bottle might be useful to make filling more simple.
The tip is held on with what could be thought of as two stoppers, one for each side of the tank. There’s also an airway hole on each side of the tank. Be sure to fill through the larger filling holes, and not the small air holes as those lead straight through the tubes on each side of the tank.
Looking at this tank and what I just wrote, it seems to me like the whole thing is just over-engineered. Yet, it works. Apparently this is one of these it’s so crazy it just might work sort of ideas an engineer somewhere cooked up.
From a performance standpoint, the tank works well with the included battery. Putting this tank on something like an iTaste CLK with the voltage set to the higher end is not a great idea.
I pretty much instantly started tasting burnt wick when I ran this tank at 5.0v on the CLK. 4.0 produced a much more civilized vape which is in line with the regulated 3.7v output of the battery.
Rolling with the setup stock, the performance isn’t terrible. The tank has what I think is a perfect level of draw. This isn’t exactly a fog machine, but there is a pleasing amount of vapor. The vapor is cooler than I’d expect considering it’s a top-coil design.
Of course those are secondary considerations. The main point is you can take your two favorite flavors along with you in the same device. I’ve had quite a few people mention that would be a great solution after seeing my YouTube video, so it seems like there’s a market for this thing.
Hopefully by the time you’ve read this review, the iSMK IGo4M Dual will be available at your favorite purveyor of vapor products.
Too Long; Didn’t Read
The iSMK IGo4M Dual is one unique midrange eGo style vaping device. The battery features magnetic charging and a display which is a little different, but not unique. The unique part is in the tank which is actually two independent 1.5ml tanks in the same body. It isn’t the strongest performer in the world but it works very well for those who want to keep their flavors isolated.
Vendor friends interested in carrying this product can see more here.
