Domestic Capsule-Style Vape — Huoqi ECS E-Cigarette Review

 　　Many players are saying that this year is the year of the small e-cigarette explosion, with small e-cigarette products emerging one after another. Today, I would like to introduce a product that stood out at the Shenzhen exhibition, the Huoqi ECS! Let's first learn about Huoqi.<\/p>   　　Huoqi e-cigarettes are a brand under the Boton Group (a Hong Kong-listed company, stock code: 03318), located in Nanshan District, Shenzhen. It is a high-tech enterprise specializing in the research, development, production, and sales of e-cigarettes, with products covering e-cigarette finished products, atomizers, e-liquids, and e-cigarette accessories. Its research and development capabilities are very strong, equipped with many advanced experimental instruments in the industry, senior flavorists in the tobacco industry, and a production environment that meets EU standards. The Boton Group laboratory not only conducts independent research and development but also serves as a testing center for e-cigarette e-liquids in the industry, making it highly authoritative and a pioneer in the industry.   　　(Excerpt from Huoqi)   　　The first thing that catches the eye is the hard paper box with a flip-top lid. The packaging fits tightly, and opening it has a slight resistance. Closing it again requires aligning it properly, which can be a bit tricky. The surface features a large embossed gold logo of ECS, giving it a three-dimensional feel. The box's surface has the words "Huoqi - Pure Flavor E-Cigarette", and on the left side of the top lid, you can see what color of "Huoqi" you have purchased (available in navy blue, Chinese red, and white). The side introduces the product's enjoyment without harm and the groups that should not use it, clearly defining the product's positioning. The bottom clearly labels the components of the Huoqi device, manufacturer, color, phone number, expiration date, and production date in both Chinese and English, which is very good as buyers do not need to open the box to know what the product consists of, making it simple and clear. 　　Inside the packaging box, the components include: the Huoqi device body, charger, product manual, a velvet carrying pouch, certificate of conformity, and a box of pods. The manual is also bilingual, providing comprehensive information, making it easy for someone completely new to this type of product to have a good experience. The manufacturer-provided portable velvet pouch is very nice, convenient for carrying, and also protects the device, making it less likely to be lost, which is quite thoughtful (thumbs up).   　　Taking the device in hand, it feels comfortable, with a soft matte texture that is quite nice and not easy to slip out of hand (it really feels good to touch, and I can't help but want to touch it a few times). It is neither too light nor too heavy, with a gold-plated ring at both the top and bottom as decoration, and the dark gold Huoqi lettering adds a touch of elegance. At the bottom of the device, there is a ring of breathing lights that serve as a good reminder when inhaling or charging.   　　Overall, the appearance is simple yet elegant, with the pod and device connected magnetically, and the two alignment points on either side have small protrusions and recesses for fixing.   　　Without the pod, the length is 130mm.   　　With the pod, the length is 150mm, which is relatively long among small e-cigarette devices.   　　The battery capacity is 450mAh, and the total charging time from empty to full is about 1.5 hours. (Here, I have to complain about the charger and charging method; to charge, you need to remove the pod and unscrew the atomizer, then screw the charger interface onto the battery rod and then charge. I find this very inconvenient, as the atomizer and pod can easily get lost on a messy desk, and the cumbersome process conflicts slightly with the convenience and simplicity that small e-cigarettes aim for. I suggest the manufacturer change the charging method to a universal charging port at the bottom for easier use.) 　　The pod consists of a main pod body and four mouthpieces, with flavors available in mint, peach, and kumquat. Each small e-cigarette's e-liquid flavor is the same, which is tobacco flavor (PS: I personally think this is the most tobacco-like e-liquid I have ever tried). The so-called flavor differences are merely due to the different flavors of the beads in the mouthpieces, which is similar to the principle of flavored cigarettes; you need to squeeze the small bead before use (make sure to burst that little egg). The e-liquid content in the pod is 0.85ML, which is a bit small, but I had no issues using it for two days.   　　User experience:
  　　This product uses a draw-activated switch, with two small air holes on either side for airflow. I tested blowing into the small holes, and the device did not produce vapor, greatly reducing the chance of accidental activation. I tried various methods and did not encounter any accidental activation; only when inhaling through the mouthpiece does vapor get produced, which is excellent. Upon closer inspection, the air intake holes in the pod are located on the inside of the pod's threads, and when the pod is screwed onto the battery rod, the external air intake holes of the battery rod do not align with those of the pod, creating a small internal space that greatly reduces the chance of accidental activation. This design is very thoughtful and outstanding.   　　This Huoqi device has three ways to use it: the first way is to screw on the pod and draw directly, but this method has very low resistance and is not recommended; the second way is to attach the atomizer without the mouthpiece, which provides a reasonable resistance for inhalation, and the advantage is that the tobacco flavor is very well restored, with an excellent throat hit, but the flavor cannot be changed; the third way is to attach the filter mouthpiece, which can greatly simulate the feeling of smoking a cigarette, and the flavored beads add variety to the taste.   　　PS: I personally feel that the resistance with the mouthpiece attached is a bit too high, requiring more effort to inhale, and the vapor may become smaller. If your inhalation force is insufficient, it may not activate the airflow switch, causing the device not to work. I suggest the mouthpiece could be slightly improved (perhaps by adding a hollow soft tube) to reduce the resistance a bit so that this issue does not occur. During my use of the mouthpiece, I found that after a period of time, there would be oil saturation at the bottom of the mouthpiece (as the vapor passes through the mouthpiece, a small amount of vapor condenses and adheres to the mouthpiece), which is also one reason for the reduced vapor volume when using the mouthpiece. Moreover, it can be seen that the mouthpiece is much longer than that of traditional cigarettes, and when attached, it directly contacts the pod, but I did not find any condensation issues during the use of the Huoqi device, nor did I notice any saliva saturation in the mouthpiece, which suggests that one cannot have both fish and bear's paw.<\/p>  #p#分页标题#e# 　　One pod comes with four mouthpieces, and when the flavored beads lose their flavor, you can replace the mouthpiece, which is completely sufficient. The pure tobacco flavor is very well restored, and without the mouthpiece, you can even feel the taste of tar (though it actually contains no tar). This is the first time I have tasted this flavor in a small e-cigarette. I must reiterate that the oil capacity of the pod is a bit low; 0.85ML lasts about two days, and if you vape too frequently, it may not last two days.
  　　Summary
  　　I personally think this product's creativity is outstanding, and the details and craftsmanship are quite well done. During use, I did not encounter issues like condensation or oil leakage, and the tobacco flavor restoration is excellent. The effects of the flavored beads are fully achieved, and the three flavors are also very good. The mouthpiece is suitable for those who prefer higher resistance. However, there are also drawbacks: the charging method is somewhat outdated and inconvenient, the vapor volume decreases with the pod attached, and the pod's oil capacity is slightly small, leading to issues with the device not working when using the mouthpiece.
  　　Suggestions
  　　1. Change the charging method and replace the charging interface and location;
  　　2. Increase the pod capacity and reduce the mouthpiece resistance, so that even if I keep vaping, I can still enjoy it for a long time.
  　　3. It would be best to modify the pods to be refillable, introducing a small e-liquid for this product, and the manufacturer could indicate the lifespan of a pod and the number of times it can be refilled. Additionally, independent small e-liquids could be included in the packaging of the pods to ensure flavor and taste while avoiding waste.