Review of the Innokin Goby/JEM starter kit

 　　The Goby/JEM from Innokin is a retro-styled entry-level vape starter kit with a very attractive price point. Like most Innokin products, it is positioned to provide an excellent vape experience for beginners. In the United States, this device is called the Goby, while in other countries it is marketed as the JEM (to save time, it will be referred to below as the Goby).

  　　Although the Goby supports replaceable coils, its appearance and size make it feel more like an AIO device than a conventional kit. But can the Goby combine the strengths of both AIO devices and regular starter kits?   　　The Goby has a very obvious retro design. The button layout and placement feel like a blend of the older Eleaf iStick and Joyetech eGo devices — but the Goby is lighter in weight. Even when the tank is filled with e-liquid, the whole device weighs only 60 g, making it lighter than some slightly larger sub-ohm tanks. Sometimes, users may need to double-check just to make sure they really did put the Goby in their pocket.   　　The Goby comes with a 1.6-ohm replaceable coil and supports 10–13.5W output. The kit also includes a spare coil and spare glass section, which is a detail not often seen in similar products. The tank uses a top-fill design, and the fill ports are fairly wide, making it easy to add e-liquid. The USB charging port is located on the bottom of the mod. Although the Goby body is quite slim and does not necessarily have to stand upright while charging, placing the USB port on the bottom may still create some inconvenience.   　　Pressing the fire button three times in succession turns the device on or off. Two additional adjustment buttons allow users to choose among different power levels (10W, 11W, 12W, 13W, and 13.5W). While firing, an LED also indicates the remaining battery level: green means the battery is well charged, yellow means less than 50% remains, and red means the battery is nearly depleted.   　　The device has a 1000mAh battery. While that may not sound like much, the tank does not require much power, so the Goby’s battery life is still quite reasonable. At 13W, it can get through about two full tanks of e-liquid before running out of power. Lowering the wattage extends battery life a bit more, though the difference is not dramatic.   　　Unfortunately, neither the mod nor the tank in the Goby kit offers much standalone value. The battery capacity of the mod is somewhat too small for most tanks, and its 510 connection is not truly compatible with a wide range of atomizers. Although the tank can be used on most mods, its 15 mm diameter makes it look awkward when paired with other devices. From this perspective, the Goby feels closer to an AIO product. Still, if part of the kit needs replacing, at least users can buy the corresponding spare parts, which is a positive point.   　　Don’t judge the Goby by its size — as a starter kit, it delivers a very impressive vape experience. While vapor production is not especially notable, its flavor performance is excellent. The 15 mm tank diameter provides a purer flavor experience than many larger tanks, and the coil has no noticeable “break-in period.”   　　There are three 1 mm airflow holes on each side of the tank. With a single airflow hole open, the Goby delivers a satisfying mouth-to-lung draw without feeling overly restricted. Because the airflow is fully adjustable, users can also replicate the tight draw of a traditional cigarette. Opening up the airflow still keeps the Goby within mouth-to-lung territory, but offers more flexibility in draw resistance. Although the Goby can also be used for direct-lung vaping, many comparable products perform better in that regard.   　　The experience is at its best with single-hole airflow. Although there is not a huge difference between the various power settings, I preferred using it at 13W. When charging and using the device at the same time, the battery may get a little warmer, but otherwise there is no major difference. After a few minutes, the device temperature returns to normal.   　　With devices of this size, users will generally pair them with higher-nicotine e-liquid. Using 6 mg nicotine e-liquid in the Goby produces a very satisfying throat hit, and 9 mg also performs very well, though I do not think anything stronger is really necessary. I also found that the Goby performs surprisingly well with 20 mg nicotine salt e-liquid.   　　The tank’s simple top-fill design is easy to appreciate, and it did not leak at all during use. It handled 70% VG e-liquid without dry hits, though I would still recommend using e-liquid with around 50% VG. The coil life is also quite good: after 10 tankfuls of e-liquid, there was no noticeable decline in flavor performance.   　　It is hard to find much fault with the Goby. It is almost perfect, and its affordable price makes it especially suitable for smokers transitioning to vaping devices. Its performance is excellent for such a compact size, and its ease of use also makes it a great gift for friends interested in trying vaping. #p#Page Break Title#e#