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For the last few weeks, I’ve been using the Odyssey e-cigarette from Totally Wicked. This is an unusual and beautiful vaping device that really stands out. What I mean by unusual is that unlike most vaping products (or products of any kind, really), it’s not made in China. The Odyssey was designed in the UK and is manufactured there as well. What I mean by beautiful is…well, just look at it. This is a gorgeous mechanical mod that’s made from steel and glass. Considering the top-notch materials and craftsmanship, the Odyssey comes at a surprisingly low $99.99 price (increasing to $119.99 on November 26, 2012). Let’s go through the details!

What’s in the Kit: Totally Wicked did a phenomenal job with the packaging. The presentation is really classy — I’m talking Apple-level classy. Inside the box you’ll find the e-cigarette, two 14500 batteries, a charger, a tank-filling tool, a registration card, a guarantee card, a certificate of authenticity, and one of the most detailed instruction manuals I’ve seen for a vaping device. The device is backed be an atypically long five-year guarantee.

Construction and Build Quality: This is easily the most outstanding aspect of the Odyssey. Most of the unit is made from 303 austenitic stainless steel, while the tank also features laser-cut borosilicate glass (often marketed as pyrex). The lines are smooth and clean. It’s just incredibly well-made and gorgeous. One thing to note is that the firing button/locking mechanism is very tight out of the box. It loosened up for me after a day of use.

Ergonomics: Using the Odyssey is unusual compared to other vaping devices. Due to its steel construction, the unit is heavier than it looks. The balance is also bottom heavy. Whereas you’d hold a cigarette or a similarly sized vaping device towards the top, you’re supposed to grip the bottom half of the Odyssey. The firing button is at the end of the unit and meant to be activated with your pinky finger. It felt odd, but I got used to it after a day. While I found the Odyssey comfortable and easy to use after a brief adjustment period, I can understand someone else finding the device too heavy.

Performance and Battery Life: The Odyssey produced consistent power for the first 3/4 of the included 900 mAh batteries. After that, there was a significant drop-off in power. With that in mind, it usually took three battery charges to get me through the day. Since the kit includes two batteries, I just swapped one out when performance started declining. Naturally, battery life depends on your vaping habits and the resistance of the cartomizer used. I tried the Odyssey with both single-coil and dual-coil cartomizers. For me, single-coil cartomizers in the 1.5-1.7 ohm range were definitely the way to go. The Odyssey uses a 510 connection. You can use it with standard 510 cartomizers and, if you take off the plinth, eGo-threaded products. This gives it some nice versatility.

Verdict: Looking at photos or video clips of the Odyssey doesn’t do it justice. Feeling the device and seeing it with your own eyes makes it seem like a steal compared to competitors. Keep in mind you’re getting a body that’s made from steel and a glass-and-steel tank; pyrex tanks alone can cost $40 to $50. The construction and build quality are brilliant. I’ve seen competing devices made of plastic and mass produced in China sold for similar prices. I’ve seen products made from inferior materials sold for twice as much. As far as fixed-voltage vaping devices go, this is one of the finest I’ve ever seen.

That said, it’s not for everyone. Although it didn’t bother me, I can see the device’s weight being a problem for some people. This also isn’t a device for demanding vapers that often change voltage or wattage. (On a side note, I’d love to see the Odyssey’s makers come up with a mod that’s compatible with the Evolv Kick for variable-wattage performance. That would rule me.) If a fixed-voltage mod works for you and you don’t mind having to change batteries once a day or more then you’ll be happy with Odyssey. It’s a beautiful and luxurious e-cigarette that comes at a surprisingly low price.

The Vapor4Life Handle is a nice, compact vaping device that offers big power and amazing battery life. It’s part of V4L’s OMG line, which is geared towards advanced vapers. The Handle is currently available for $89.95 and comes in four colors: black, blue, green, and magenta. I’ve been using the blue model for a little under two weeks and I’m super-impressed with the product, save for one aspect. Read on for the details (please)!

What’s in the Kit: The Handle comes in a nice box with the unit, a battery, a charger, and the instruction manual. The 18650 battery is rated at 2,800 mAh, which is considerably higher than the competing batteries.

Form Factor and Ergonomics: This box mod has a simple but sleek look. With the battery in the unit, it strikes a nice balance between feeling light and having a good heft. The Handle is a pocketable device that you can safely place on a desk. I put a full 7ml tank on top of the device and it was totally stable on flat surfaces. The side of the unit has four finger grooves, but I found that using all four was too tight and my hands aren’t particularly big. For me, placing three fingers on the grooves and my pinky on the bottom was the most comfortable way to hold the Handle.

Operation: Using the Handle is a snap. It turns on and off with five clicks of the power button. A single click shows you the resistance of the cartomizer you’re using and the battery’s remaining charge. The former feature is fantastic for trying to figure out what voltage setting you should use (generally speaking, higher resistance cartomizers require higher voltages). The voltage can be adjusted from 3.0 to 6.0 volts in increments of 0.10.

Build Quality: This is the only aspect of the Handle that I wasn’t pleased with. The device is made from a rubberized plastic that has a nice texture, but feels a bit chip and flimsy. The battery door has a hinge that feels delicate. If you’re clumsy or not careful, I can see the battery door ripping off. While the plastic hardly screams luxury, the unit is put together nicely and the lines are clean.

Performance and Battery Life: The Handle’s performance exceeded my expectations. Output was very consistent for the first two-thirds of the battery. After that, I had to turn the voltage up a bit to achieve the same vape. This is normal behavior for an unregulated device. Battery life was outstanding. A full charge usually got me through a day and a half of heavy vaping. I can easily see many vapers getting two days out of a full charge.

Verdict: Aside from the plastic, I really enjoyed using the Handle. It’s a strong performer with stellar battery life. That said, it’s slightly overpriced. The good news is that Vapor4Life provides strong customer support, so the price is justifiable. For existing V4L users, I’d suggest picking up this product straight away. It’s easily the best device V4L offers and is compatible with the company’s many 808D parts. If you’re not part of the V4L family and have an abundance of 808D cartomizers/clearomizers, the Handle is definitely worth considering.

Here’s a stylish and unique e-cigarette that’s geared towards casual and social smokers: the Emini from Ovale USA. This vaping device comes with two batteries and a cool charging case that strongly resembles an Apple iPhone 4/4S. While it’s not powerful enough for hardcore vapors, it’s a compelling choice for social smokers that don’t want to fuss with charging cables and want a product that looks good. Here’s the rundown.

What’s in the Kit: The Emini comes with two batteries, a charging case, three e-liquid cartridges, two atomizers, two atomizer heads, a USB charger, and a wall adapter. The kit currently lists for $69.99 on the Ovale USA site.

Form Factor: The e-cigs are a little bit shorter than the standard ones offered by competing companies like Safe Cig and V2. They look like “real” cigarettes, which is good for people that want to blend in with smokers and want to vape without drawing attention to themselves. The charging case, which holds one battery at a time, is smaller than an iPhone 4. The setup is very much pocketable.

Performance: As far as the batteries go, the Emini performs inline with other automatic batteries for competing vendors. The draw is decent, while the vapor is good for this type of device. Each 90 mAh battery lasts around 20 to 30 minutes. The case is rated at 1,090 mAh, which is more than enough for the type of vaper this product targets. The charging case should provide enough power to get casual smokers through a day. If that’s not enough, the case can be recharged with a standard micro-USB cable.

Consumables: The batteries use standard Ego-C atomizer heads, which are common and easy to find. The e-juice cartridges are proprietary and costs $5.99 for a five-pack at Ovale USA.

Verdict: This is a really cool e-cig that’s stylish and practical. The charging case is super convenient. Personally, I prefer the Elips-C as far as smaller e-cigs go, but this is good choice for casual vapers that want something that resembles a tobacco cigarette. Remember, this product is not meant for heavy vapers; the battery life, vapor production, and draw won’t satisfy them. If you’re the kind of person that occasionally takes smoke breaks at work or wants to vape over drinks, the Emini’s looks and convenience will keep you happy.

One of the vaping devices in my current rotation is the eGo VV from Apollo E-Cigs. This is a straightforward variable-voltage battery that’s backed by an unusually high level of service. For those new to variable-voltage vaping, this is a great device to start out with. It’s also a compelling choice for vaping veterans. I’ll explain it all as I break it down (cue the Degeneration-X music).

What’s in the Kit: This is a barebones kit that includes a battery, a UC-E6 to USB cable, instructions, and a certificate of inspection. As of this writing, it lists for $26.95 on Apollo’s web site.

Form Factor: Like the packaging, the form factor and looks are totally straightforward. This is a grey eGo-style e-cig that’s given a bit of flash with the Apollo logo. The threaded tube is topped with a connection that accepts 510 and eGo-threaded parts. I used it with a CE2 clearomizer, a Kanger T3 clearomizer, and a Cirrus Vapes tank — all of them worked just fine.

With the CE2, I’d say the device is pocketable. With the T3, it’s borderline pocketable. As for the tank…well, I don’t really recommend walking around with a large glass e-juice tank in your pocket (but perhaps that’s just me).

Performance: The eGo VV can be adjusted from three volts to six volts in increments of 0.10v. Considering how much this vaping device costs, I was impressed by its accurate and consistent performance. Using the clearos and tanks mentioned above, I vaped anywhere from 3.5v to 4.4v. The voltage was on the money and stayed that way for the majority of the battery’s life. It tuckered out towards the end, but that was totally expected.

Battery Life: I was getting about five hours of battery life per charge with the eGo VV. I’m a fairly regular vaper, so your mileage may vary. With my habits, I was going through a little less than three full batteries per day. Obviously I was getting more battery life at lower voltages and less at higher voltages. If you’re a heavy vaper that’s considering picking up the eGo VV, I’d suggest getting a few.

Two Issues: I had two problems with the eGo VV — one minor and one somewhat major. The minor problem was the USB passthrough charging. While it’s true that you can vape while the battery is charging, you can only do so if there’s sufficient power in the battery. If the battery is low or totally depleted, the unit will not draw enough power from a USB connection to charge the battery and allow you to vape at the same time. To be fair, a lot of USB devices — not just e-cigs — are like this.

The bigger issue I had was with the unit’s firing button. The slightly raised rubber button is too subtle. In conditions with bright lighting, you either have to feel up the battery for a few seconds or briefly look at it to locate the firing button. Low-light situations are more problematic. When I brought it with me to that PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale party last week, I was constantly holding it up to my face for several seconds so that I could find the firing button. While I wouldn’t say the firing button is a deal-breaker, it can be very annoying.

Service and Warranty: The eGo VV is available for a bit less through other vendors, but I highly recommend going with Apollo for this device. The company offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, which is fantastic for those that are just starting out with variable-voltage vaping. It’s also backed by a one-year warranty, which makes this device attractive to novices and veterans alike.

Apollo’s support is also noteworthy. The company offers customer support Monday through Friday, with phone agents available from 8AM to 5PM PST and online-chat agents available from 8AM to 11PM PST. I had a few issues with another Apollo product I’m using and the online support solved my problems (two occurrences) in a snap.

For a relatively small company, I was very impressed with Apollo’s support service, guarantee policy, and warranty policy.

Verdict: If you’ve been thinking about dipping your toe into the world of variable-voltage vaping then the eGo VV from Apollo is a great way to go. It’s a good device, but if it’s not your cup of tea then you can take advantage of the company’s 30-day guarantee. If you’re an experienced vaper looking for a solid but low-cost variable-voltage solution, then picking a couple of these units is a compelling option. The eGo VV is a good vaping device backed by a generous warranty and great service.

If you have any question about my experience with the Apollo E-Cigs eGo VV then please fire away in the comments section.