Now that I’ve gone over my top 10 e-liquids of the year, it’s time to talk about my top 10 vaping devices of 2013. Like the juice list, my hardware list is completely subjective. In most situations, I almost always prefer mechanical mods and rebuildable atomizers. This list reflects my tastes, so to borrow a line from the Diff’rent Strokes theme song, “What might be right for you, may not be right for some.” (What? Was that joke too dated?) Anyway, here are my favorite mods and atomizers of 2013. After you’ve checked out the list, I’d love to hear about your top 10 vaping devices of 2013. Kindly share your favorite hardware in the comments section.
- GP Paps X (Vapour Art) — This one was easy. I had no doubt that the GP Paps X would lead my top 10 vaping devices of 2013 list. It’s easily the best mod in my collection. The craftsmanship is among the finest I’ve seen in vaping, the materials are top notch (316 stainless steel!), and the performance is great. I dream about a GP Paps X made from aluminum bronze, like that GP Paps Lux; that would be the equivalent of Scarlett Johansson being utterly smitten by Asian-American men that are nerds about coffee, comics, vaping, and videogames. While Vapour Art Perseas has explained why a GP Paps X Lux isn’t possible at this time, it’s still good to have dreams. Anyway, this mod is phenomenal. Full review here.
- GP Paps Lux 2.5 (Vapour Art) — There are times when I prefer the Paps Lux over the Paps X. Its aluminum bronze looks stunning and helps the mod deliver great performance. While there are numerous naval brass and tiger brass mods that look lovely, aluminum bronze is just sexier to me. If the GP Paps X is Natalie Portman (beautiful, elegant, and educated) then the GP Paps Lux is Scarlett Johansson (sexy and immensely alluring). While the GP Paps X is the “best” mod I have, the GP Paps Lux is the most beautiful. Review coming soon!
- The Russian (Kebo) — I’ve always been a huge fan of the Kayfun 3.1, but it’s an expensive atomizer that’s difficult to obtain. The Russian is pretty much an exact copy and there are some tales floating around that a former SvoeMesto (the Kayfun creators) partner was involved in its creation. Whether that tale is true or not, The Russian gives you the full flavor of dripping combined with 4.5ml of capacity. Best of all, it’s relatively inexpensive and much easier to get than the Kayfun 3.1. While full respect should be given to SvoeMesto for creating one of the best atomizers on the market in the Kayfun 3.1, The Russian is simply more accessible to more vapers. Full review here.
- Aqua by Footoon (UVO Systems) — A lot of people are calling this atomizer a “Kayfun killer,” and I completely disagree with that assessment. It offers a very different type of vape and has a lot less capacity, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t love my Aqua. For vapers that want a warm vape and airier draw, the Aqua is fantastic. It’s super-easy to make dual-coil builds on the Aqua, making it a great choice for bakery, dessert, and tobacco vapes. While I use The Russian most of the time, for certain e-liquids — ones that are better hot — the Aqua is my go-to atty. I liked my review Aqua so much that I’ve already picked up another. Full review here.
- SurfRider Brass (Bay City Vapor) — I love that more American companies are making high-end mods. That said, very few of them are doing anything innovative and unique. One of the few is Bay City Vapor out of Seal Beach, California. The SurfRider uses a unique top cap that doesn’t have a typical 510 connection. Instead, your atomizer connects directly to the battery. You get the lossless performance of a hybrid with the flexibility of a 510 top cap. While I wish the button used a softer spring, I’m really, really impressed with Bay City Vapor’s debut mod. Full review here.
- Precise Simplicity 18650 (Super-T Manufacturing) — There was a stretch when Super-T Manufacturing was inarguably the best American mod maker. Although it has more domestic competitors in 2013, the company is still pushing out great products. The Precise Simplicity line offers Super-T’s renowned workmanship at a relatively low price. For $135, you get a brilliantly-made mech that’s backed by a lifetime warranty. Full review here.
- El Kapitan v2 (Wu Tang House of Mods) — It’s Filipino. It’s copper. It looks frickin’ cool. That’s the El Kapitan v2 in a nutshell. While I’m rooting for American mod makers to step up their games and dominate the world, I’m always happy to see great vaping products from the Philippines. The El Kapitan v2 is stylish and its copper body helps it deliver strong performance. I’ve been on a copper kick for the last couple of months and now have three copper mods. The El Kapitan v2 is still my favorite. Full review here.
- GP Spheroid v2 (Vapour Art) — While Vapour Art fans adore this atomizer, I think it’s criminally underrated. It delivers outstanding flavor and throat hit while offering decent capacity. Since it uses filler to hold juice, there’s a horrible misconception that this atomizer’s flavor is comparable to that of a cartomizer. That’s dead wrong. You get dripper-like flavor, around 2.5ml of capacity, and Vapour Art’s stellar workmanship. Full review here.
- iTaste VV 3.0 (Innokin) — See, I like digital mods too! While there are many small variable-voltage vaping devices, there aren’t many variable-wattage ones. The first one I used was the iTaste VV 3.0. It is easily pocketable, offers the flexibility of variable-wattage, and has great performance for this type of vaping device. It’s what I grab when I go out for a quick errand. While I generally prefer mechanical mods, I’m happy that the iTaste VV 3.0 is in my arsenal. It’s super-convenient and has been a lifesaver on several occasions. Full review here.
- RPadTV Mod — This mechanical mod has my face on it. Do you really need more reasons?!? Just kidding. Seriously, it’s fun having a mod that’s “you” and I sincerely hope you considering picking one up to help keep this site’s vaping content going.
Now it’s your turn! I’d love to hear about your favorite hardware of the year. Kindly share your top 10 vaping devices of 2013 (or however many you’d like) in the comments section. For my favorite juices of the year, check out my top 10 e-liquids of 2013 list.
The K100 is my favorite mechanical. They work great, look great, are inexpensive, and come in every color. I’ve lost count of how many I own! For VV/VW I discovered the MVP 2 this year. I never tried the first version and am really liking the 2.0. I bought the black and a blue and now have the “Petals” version on the way. Off all the devices I’ve bought (SVD, eVic, Vamo, K200, SID) the MVP 2 is the only non-mechanical that I like as much as my Provari.
I’ve been slowly collecting everything to start to try making coils. I have a cheap Kayfun clone on the way. I figured it would be wise to wait and buy a better one once I figure out how to use it.
Hmm.. There were so many great mods this year. On my list: The Kaleido from Standout Vape, the Atomo V1.1 and V2 from Gille, the Russian 3.1, the Origen Dripper. Happy New Year!
It seems weird to review my 2013 favorites, more shocking actually, that everything I own except my Provari was purchased in 2013: GP PAPS X, Super-T ELA, Super-T TI Simplicity, GP PAPS LUX 2.5 (best button of the year!), Kraken, hAtty, Aqua (found more love for it after a friend shared his build tips for micro coils with cotton), Spheroid, Kayfun 3.1 and the Microstick by Chels – and Lotus (yeah, that’s 11).
My biggest disappointment was probably the SvoeMesto Semovar with a Nivel chip . Hopefully the mod can redeem itself when they release the mechanical button. With the 20×1 threaded hybrid connectors now available the novelty of the Semovar as a hybrid Kayfun mechanical mod has worn off.
Your 2013 collection is brilliant! So many incredible mods and atomizers.