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November 25, 2016

SMOK H-Priv Review

E-Cigarette Reviews

SMOK has made impressive strides since its 2010 debut as a producer of basic eGo e-cigs. These days, SMOK is constantly launching new modifications with visually arresting designs, and with tanks that are popular for their ability to produce more vapor than most e-cigs with built-in coil heads. The brand’s new 220-watt, double-battery SMOK H-Priv mod is now available at a remarkably low price. It also includes a cutting-edge functionality that makes your hits smoother and faster by doing away with the necessity to heat up the coil beforehand.

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Shop online for the SMOK H-Priv now. Use the coupon code ecig15off to save 15 percent sitewide on items not already on sale. If your price goes up after applying the coupon, the H-Priv is already on sale for more than 15 percent off.

smok-h-priv-review

What Sets the SMOK H-Priv Apart?

The SMOK H-Priv’s 220-watt box design uses two 18650 batteries. It is available on its own or with a SMOK TFV4 tank for a few extra bucks. The primary new attribute of the SMOK H-Priv is a pivoting, triangle-shaped fire bar which substitutes for the conventional fire key on many box mods. This fire bar lets you use the device by just grasping it, which eliminates the need to feel around for the fire button when vaping.

Another special element of the SMOK H-Priv is its variety of “strength” modes, which impact how fast the device reaches your chosen wattage. There five available settings are Min, Soft, Norm, Hard, or Max, which powers up the coil to your desired wattage almost immediately for full vapor output on your initial hit, even before the coil gets hot. I observed a major surge in vapor output in comparison to most e-cigs when selecting this setting.

Safety and Operational Features

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Resistance, Temperature and Wattage

The SMOK H-Priv has both a temperature regulation setting (with a .06-ohm minimum coil resistance) and a conventional wattage setting (with a .1-ohm coil resistance). The wattage may be set anywhere from 6 to 220 watts, and the temperature can be set from 200 to 600°F. The device offers plenty of ventilation at its base and comes with gold-plated connectors.

Resistance Configuration

The H-Priv gauges the starting resistance of an atomizer when it’s first hooked up. If it senses that you’re using another accessory, it will ask you if your coil attachment is new and recompute the resistance level. The SMOK H-Priv gauges resistance well into the sub-ohms, so it’s very precise. It’s also possible to configure the resistance with the menu function if you’ve got a more exact resistance meter.

Hit Counter and Controller

The SMOK H-Priv not only keeps a count of your hits while you use it, but it even lets you set a firm limit on how many inhalations you want to afford yourself each day to avoid chain vaping. When you’ve reached the limit, the unit exhibits the warning “Max Puffs.” While you can easily reset the counter, just being aware of a limit you’ve placed for yourself enables you to be more conscious of how you vape. The H-Priv restricts single hits to 12 seconds and even keeps track of the hit count if the batteries are removed.

Safety Functions

The SMOK H-Priv comes with all the typical safety functions like short circuit, low voltage, and heat protection. Should you attempt to use the unit in dangerous circumstances, it will instantly display an error warning; if you attempt to use it again, it will advise you not to misuse the unit’s safety functions.

SMOK H-Priv Review

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Style and Appearance

After unboxing it, I immediately discovered that my SMOK H-Priv sample had one or two quality management concerns. The top portion of the unit had what looked like some kind of oil on it, and the device had a minor indention on its side. Not really a major problem, but something that probably should have been spotted during quality inspection. Normally you can send a device with these flaws back, but I decided not to since my H-Priv was a sample for reviewing purposes. In general, the SMOK H-Priv is visually very attractive and one of the most appealing e-cigs I’ve encountered thus far.

Fire Bar

I really enjoy the H-Priv’s triangle-shaped fire bar. It clinks slightly when released, making it a little noisier than a typical e-cig fire button, but the feel in the hand is truly wonderful. You’ll never realize how awkward a small fire switch is until you no longer need to push one. It’s a lot of fun to be able to use this unit just by squeezing it.

Vapor Output

The vapor output of the SMOK H-Priv is true perfection. Being able to fine-tune how fast the unit gets to your selected voltage does indeed result in increased vapor output. Holding the device up to a different unit with an identical power setting, I noticed that the H-Priv created significantly more vapor since the coil warmed up so much faster.

Battery Power

The SMOK H-Priv doesn’t come with any batteries, so you have to supply your own set of paired 18650 batteries. I used a couple of lithium-ion batteries and discovered that they held a charge beautifully. With somewhat moderate wattage levels and continuous use, I only had to recharge the batteries once a day. I configured mine at about 50 watts, so if you set your H-Priv near its 220-watt capacity, your batteries will need to be recharged sooner.

Disadvantages of the SMOK H-Priv

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Apart from the minor quality management concerns, I did observe a couple of other downsides while composing this H-Priv review.

Battery Cover

It’s rather hard to reseat the H-Priv’s battery cover when replacing its batteries. I got used to it pretty fast, but I did find changing the batteries somewhat challenging at first. You basically have to apply very firm pressure to the battery cover as you slide it back into place. Side-mounted battery panels are a bit simpler to handle, but they have a tendency to tear up battery wraps. Thus I favor the H-Priv’s drop-in mechanism, although the battery cover has a learning curve.

USB Support and Firmware Updates

The SMOK H-Priv cannot be charged via USB. You have to take the batteries out and recharge them in a separate charging station. The device’s USB port is just for firmware updates. My H-Priv evaluation sample came with the most recent firmware already installed, so I couldn’t check its update efficiency.

To update the firmware, you must first take out the batteries and press down on the fire bar as you hook the H-Priv up to your PC. You’ll need to keep the fire bar pressed down until the update is finished. The firmware update process seems a little bothersome to me. Having said that, you’ll probably only update the firmware one time for as long as you have the unit — if at all — so the challenge is pretty easy to bear.

SMOK H-Priv: The Bottom Line

Vaping with the SMOK H-Priv mod is an outstanding experience on the whole. With its convenient fire bar and potential to heat a coil almost instantaneously, the H-Priv is a supremely satisfying vaping tool. In all honesty, I hated to even set it aside and proceed to reviewing other units. If my H-Priv evaluation sample were to ever go out on me, I would absolutely buy a replacement. If you’re looking for an effective and appealing box unit, the SMOK H-Priv is well worth adding to your shortlist of contenders.

Shop online for the SMOK H-Priv now. Use the coupon code ecig15off to save 15 percent sitewide on items not already on sale. If your price goes up after applying the coupon, the H-Priv is already on sale for more than 15 percent off.

SMOK H-Priv Review: The Pros

  • Adjustable pre-heating means that the coil reaches your target wattage instantly
  • Large fire bar gives the device a great hand feel
  • Extremely low price for a device with its capabilities and slick looks

SMOK H-Priv Review: The Cons

  • My unit had a couple of small quality control issues
  • USB port only works for firmware upgrades — not for charging

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