Vaping Diaries #209: Angelcigs Aqua Clone Review

The Aqua by Footoon from UVO System is one of my favorite atomizers on the market. It’s something I vape on every day and it’s normal for me to have two Aquas at the ready. Since I was mostly impressed with Angelcigs’ Kayfun 3.1 clone, I was curious to see how the Angelcigs’ Aqua clone would compare to the real deal. While it does offer a comparable vape, the Angelcigs Aqua clone’s build quality is rough and it’s prone to leaking.

What’s in the Kit: The Angelcigs Aqua clone comes with the atomizer, a matching drip dip, spare o-rings, and two pre-made coils. The kit is complete and gives newcomers everything they need to start vaping. Experienced vapers will , of course, trash the pre-made coils in favor of their own. The box notes that the product comes with two drip tips and a hybrid adapter for the Origin mod; only one drip tip was included and there wasn’t a hybrid adapter in the box I received. This looks like a case of the company copying the text from the original manufacturer without checking.

Design: Like the original, the Angelcigs Aqua clone is a bottom-coil silica atomizer that’s great for dual-coil setups. It’s not a 1:1 replica, but it’s close. The o-ring positioning is a bit off. The differences in design and workmanship impact performance (more on that later). Aesthetically, the Angelcigs Aqua clone can pass for the authentic model when viewed from afar, but when you see it up close it’s fairly easy to tell that it’s a copy.

Build Quality: While I was generally impressed with the build quality of the Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone (for the price), I found the Angelcigs Aqua clone to be poorly made. The threads on this atomizer are very, very rough. You hear and feel the metal-on-metal grinding whenever you unscrew the atomizer. The tolerances are relatively low too, giving the atomizer a loose feel. Compare that to the authentic model, where everything fits together perfectly and the threads are smooth.

The o-ring material is different and the placement is slightly off. When you combine that with the poor threading, the Angelcigs Aqua clone doesn’t feel nearly as secure as the original. For a complex atomizer like the Aqua, precision workmanship is vital for a great vaping experience. I rarely have leaking issues with the real Aqua and when I do, it’s almost always my fault. With the Angelcigs Aqua clone, I experienced a lot more leaking due to the atomizer’s inferior workmanship and manufacturing shortcuts.

Performance: On a more positive note, the Angelcigs Aqua clone produces a vape that’s similar to what the real deal offers. That wasn’t surprising, since the design is straight-up copied. That being said, it’s not a precision copy. This replica can be a bit more finicky than the authentic model. You have to be more careful with your builds and how you screw the atomizer together in order to compensate for the inferior workmanship. Getting a great vape out of a real Aqua is fairly mindless, while a bit more care is required to get the same experience out of the Angelcigs Aqua clone.

Angelcigs Aqua Clone Review

Verdict: Considering the positive experience I had with the Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone, my experience with the Angelcigs Aqua clone was disappointing. The build quality and construction aren’t very good, the unit is prone to leaking, and it just feels cheap. The good news is that it only costs $22, while an authentic Aqua costs around $175 and the well-regarded Hcigar Aqua clone costs around $40.

If you’re curious about what the Aqua offers then the Angelcigs Aqua clone is an inexpensive way to dip your toe in the water and see what all the fuss is about. If you dig it, then you can either buy an authentic model or a superior clone. If you’re looking for an identical experience to the Aqua for a fraction of the price then you’ll want to look elsewhere. While the Angelcigs Aqua clone is very cheap, its build quality and workmanship are also cheap.

Vaping Diaries #202: Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 Clone Review

Angelcigs is a relatively new company that offers inexpensive vaping products from China that ship from local warehouses. It offers prices similar to the popular Fasttech, but with much faster shipping. The company recently sent me three atomizers to check out. The first one I’m reviewing is the Kayfun 3.1 clone. This $24.99 replica is a great deal. It offers a vaping experience similar to that of an authentic Kayfun 3.1, but for roughly 1/7th of the price. As long as they have reasonable expectations of build quality, many vapers will be happy with what Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone brings to the table.

What’s in the Kit: The Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone comes with the atomizer, one optional stainless steel tank, one optional 510 drip tip adapter, extra o-rings, extra screws, a juice bottle, one pre-made coil, extra silica wick, a keychain tool, and the instruction manual. It’s a complete kit that has everything novices need to get started. Experienced vapers will, of course, want to trash the keychain tool, coil, and wick.

Design: As you’d expect, this atomizer is pretty much a 1:1 replica of the Svoe Mesto original. For those of you not familiar with the Kayfun 3.1, it’s a bottom-coil silica atomizer that’s the most popular product in its category. The good news is that this copy looks and feels like a reasonable facsimile of the original. Unfortunately, that also includes the Svoe Mesto logo. I’m not a fan of clones that copy logos, markings, etc.

From afar, it would be fairly easy to mistake the Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone for the real McCoy. When you open up the atomizer, the differences become more apparent.

Build Quality: Obviously this product doesn’t match the build quality of an authentic Kayfun 3.1 or even The Russian atomizer. At a fraction of the price, it would be foolish to expect comparable workmanship. The threads aren’t machined as finely; you can hear and feel the friction whenever you unscrew the tank. The o-ring material is cheaper than that of the original’s too. The threads on the polycarbonate tank felt particularly flimsy (though I didn’t have any leaking issues). The stainless steel tank felt much more secure.

All that said, for a $25 product, the quality is pretty good. While it doesn’t compare to an authentic Kayfun, the Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone is as good or better than most other clones I’ve seen.

Performance: The Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone offers performance that’s comparable to the real deal. You get the great flavor production that many vapers love about the Kayfun, as well as excellent juice capacity. The airflow options aren’t as broad as the original’s, but it’s fairly close. Vapers that prefer a medium to stiff draw will be happy with what this atomizer offers.

Like the authentic model, the Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone is relatively easy to work with and to maintain. Building coils for the atomizer is slightly more involved than building coils for a dripper. Whether you use silica, cotton, kanthal wire, or kanthal ribbon, the atomizer is very accommodating. It’s also easy to maintain, though clumsy people (like me) should be careful when washing it over a sink, as it has several small parts and screws.

Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 Clone/Replica

Verdict: Out of the three Angelcigs atomizers I’ve been using for the past few weeks, the Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone is the best of the bunch. While it’s not made as well as the original, it vapes similarly and is much easier to acquire. The price is excellent and the product is backed by generous service. It’s a solid deal for newcomers that want to experiment with this type of atomizer and for longtime vapers looking for a good “beater” atty. As long as you don’t have any issues with clones and companies that copy logos, the Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 is definitely worth a look.

Vaping Diaries #184: Angelcigs Preview

Angelcigs is a relatively new player in the vaping space. It’s an online retailer based in China. As you’d expect from a Chinese vaping retailer, the company offers rockbottom prices. However, there are a few things that Angelcigs is doing differently that make it stand out.

First up, the company has a very generous replacement and warranty policy. The standard policy is, “Return for refund within: 45 days. Return for replacement within: 6 months. No restocking fee. Shipping charges may apply if returns are not results of Angelcigs’s error.” On paper, Angelcigs appears to offer superior service.

The really exciting aspect of Angelcigs (for American vapers, anyway) is that the company utilizes a Los Angeles warehouse. Currently, three popular products are being shipped from Angelcigs’ Los Angeles warehouse — replicas of the Aqua, Kayfun 3.1, and Kayfun Lite atomizers. Items shipped from this facility are typically received within two to seven business days.

Many vapers purchase replicas and clones from the popular Fasttech web site. While the company has great prices and strong customer service, shipping often takes several weeks, as the products are coming from China. Angelcigs offers low prices and generous customer service policies, but with much faster shipping, thanks to its Los Angeles warehouse. On paper, Angelcigs appears to be a great alternative to Fasttech.

That being said, great customer service and fast shipping are meaningless if the products aren’t any good. I have the three aforementioned Angelcigs atomizers and will be reviewing them in the near future. At a glance, two of them appear to be solid clones, while I have some concerns about the other product. Having said that, I need to spend more time with these atomizers before making any meaningful judgements.

Stay tuned for reviews of the Aqua, Kayfun 3.1, and Kayfun Lite atomizer clones being sold by Angelcigs. For now, check out the company’s web site and let me know what you think.

Angelcigs Aqua clone