Huoqi Shafen Vape Unboxing Review

Last week, I received a new product sent by Huoqi—SAVINELLI. This is the first product launched since Huoqi officially announced the acquisition of the century-old Italian pipe brand's electronic cigarette business on July 31. A friend from Huoqi told me that when the prototype was showcased at the Shenzhen exhibition on August 23, it attracted a lot of attention. However, it was only a display at that time, and many details were optimized before mass production began. According to my friend, SAVINELLI signed 15 municipal agents in just four days last week and is already sold out. This made me even more curious about what makes Huoqi's SAVINELLI different?
 
Brand Information

Huoqi is an electronic cigarette brand under the Hong Kong-listed company Borton. In 2015, Borton Group acquired 100% of the shares of the then second-largest electronic cigarette manufacturer in the world for 750 million RMB, officially entering the electronic cigarette business. A year later, Borton launched its own electronic cigarette brand—Huoqi. It can be said that Huoqi was born with a golden key. With the R&D advantages of Borton and Jiri, Huoqi has developed many products, including ECS pod systems, GS5.0 heated non-combustion devices, and Huoqi ammo disposable e-cigarettes. SAVINELLI is the first product launched since Huoqi's acquisition of the brand.
 
Product Specifications

Here are the product data for SAVINELLI provided by Huoqi:
 
Packaging
 


The SAVINELLI packaging box features a flip-top design. The top contains the manual, and underneath the manual is the SAVINELLI logo, surrounded by two pods, the main device, and a charging cable.
 

The SAVINELLI pods are individually packaged, with one pod per box, sealed in a capsule, with two silicone plugs on each end, and the flavor printed on one side.

Usage Experience

The SAVINELLI body is made of zinc alloy, giving it a substantial feel in hand, weighing almost twice as much as other pod systems. The surface features a black tactile paint finish, enhancing its quality while feeling soft and comfortable in hand. When viewed closely under light, the surface of SAVINELLI is not pure black; it has a starry shimmer that is not glaring, giving a low-key luxurious high-end feel. The front of the device is printed with a golden SAVINELLI logo, while the back features the unique green, white, and red stripes of the Italian flag.
 

The bottom of the device features a Type-C charging port, with a pod insertion slot on one side and three LED indicator lights on the other. The breathing light is on during operation; when not in use, the breathing light turns off, and the three battery lights indicate the current battery level: all three white lights on indicate 70%-100% battery; two white lights indicate 20%-70%; a red light indicates 0%-20%; during charging, the battery lights run in a sequence, and all lights turn on when fully charged. Next to the indicator lights is a lanyard hook, showing that SAVINELLI is different from the previous ammo, leaning more towards a trendy and fashionable vibe.
 

After using it for a few days, I found several improvements and features in the SAVINELLI.

First, the SAVINELLI pods have a capacity of 1.9ml, which is a suitable size among current pod systems. As I mentioned in my previous experience with MOTI·C, a higher pod capacity is not always better; larger capacities require better oil leakage control, and the atomizer core has an optimal lifespan, which can affect flavor if the capacity is too large. However, increasing pod capacity can significantly reduce usage costs, making it one of the most effective ways for brands to enhance their products' cost-performance ratio in consumers' minds. Therefore, balancing capacity with the aforementioned two drawbacks is a challenge every e-cigarette manufacturer must consider. Around 2ml seems to be a suitable capacity that can achieve both no leakage and good flavor under current technological levels.
 
Secondly, the SAVINELLI has excellent atomization performance, producing significantly more vapor than similar pod systems, with a very rich flavor reproduction. I asked friends at Huoqi, and they said that SAVINELLI is the first to use horizontal ceramic core technology, which increases the total heating surface area of the e-liquid, resulting in more thorough atomization. During the week of testing, I did not notice any residual condensation despite the large vapor production.

Thirdly, the SAVINELLI has a battery capacity of 650mAh, which is almost a 50% increase over traditional pod systems. Even under heavy testing, it can last two days on a single charge, making it more convenient for users with fewer charging cycles.
 
The SAVINELLI pods support reverse insertion, and the mouthpiece has a noticeable narrowing that fits comfortably against the lips. The initial launch includes eight flavors: SAVINELLI Green Bean, SAVINELLI Watermelon, SAVINELLI Peach, Italian Ice Cream, SAVINELLI Strawberry, Milan Mint Leaf, Roman Gold Silk, and Turin Fruit Tea. The SAVINELLI kit comes with Milan Mint Leaf and SAVINELLI Green Bean flavors. Both have a nicotine content of 3.5%, and from my personal testing, the flavor reproduction and craving satisfaction are excellent.

Milan Mint Leaf has a deep cooling sensation that is very refreshing. The SAVINELLI Green Bean is not overly sweet, with a slightly sweet green bean paste flavor. Huoqi's e-liquid flavors are quite popular in the industry, likely due to their backing by Borton, which gives them an advantage in flavoring.
 
Conclusion

SAVINELLI has abandoned the mainstream long rod shape of current pod systems and adopted a square design similar to a lighter, continuing the unique tone of SAVINELLI. The overall shape is compact yet elegant, giving a trendy and high-end visual impression. In terms of atomization performance, the 6.5w constant pressure and innovative horizontal ceramic core technology help SAVINELLI provide a better experience for users. In my opinion, this product is suitable not only for new pod users but also for traditional large vapor enthusiasts.

The emergence of SAVINELLI has further confirmed my belief that there is a trend of product fusion between large and small vapor e-cigarettes. Just like I raised in my previous article "Four New Changes in the E-Cigarette Industry—My Exhibition Summary," the future of e-cigarettes in China may still be dominated by small vapor products, but as users mature, there will also be significant development space for large vapor products. This is a strategic question that any e-cigarette brand hoping to establish a foothold in China must consider.

SAVINELLI is a possibility.