Uwell Caliburn Review

Product 

Pod systems have taken the vaping community by storm. With the introduction of nicotine salts allowing the use of high nicotine concentration to be used in weaker vape devices to provide a similar nicotine hit as using lower nicotine concentrations in stronger devices. As far as pod devices go, there has been an influx of pod vapes from various companies. At Ace Vape Melbourne, testing each device that comes through our store is important to us and to us and one company has stood out from the rest. 

It has been the most popular vape pod in store for several months now, boasting amazing flavour from a compact small palm sized device. From the makers of the renowned Crown 4, Uwell has put their pro-FOCS technology taken from what they’ve learnt by creating one of the best sub-ohm tanks on the market and placed it into a pod device. This allows the Caliburn pod vape to deliver flavour unlike any other pod on the market. The Caliburn comes in 2 variants, the original Caliburn and the second iteration, the Caliburn Koko. 

The difference between the 2 is that the original version comes with a 1.4 ohm pod and the Koko comes with a 1.2 ohm pod. These two pods are distinguishable with their different coloured bases. The 1.4 ohm pods come with a black base and the 1.2 ohm pods have a red base.

The big misconception is that the Koko can only use the 1.2 ohm Koko pods. Both devices actually house the exact same battery size and fire at a maximum of 11 watts meaning the pods for both the original and Koko pods can be used in either device. 

The only 3 physical differences between the 2 devices is that the original comes in a pen style vape pod while the Koko is designed into a more compact square shape. The Koko’s smaller design also allows a chain to be attached to the device, making it ideal for the vape pod users who regularly lose their devices to hang it around their neck. The final difference is that the original Caliburn has a dual firing mechanism with a button on the housing which allows it to be turned on and off or be used as a manual firing button while the Koko is drawn activated only.

Despite only firing at a maximum of 11 watts out of the 1.4 ohm and 1.2 ohm pods, the flavour delivery in the pod device punches well above its weight class. This is all powered by a 520mAH battery shielded behind its aluminium construction. A battery light indicator which is also built into the Caliburn’s aluminium shell shows 3 levels of battery life, with green being fully charged to 60% charge, blue indicating battery life is 30% to 60% remaining and red at less than 30% battery charge.

Build Quality

In terms of build quality the Caliburn and Koko are constructed with a single piece aluminium casing. While most vaping pod devices are generally made from plastic in order to reduce weight, it also means the two piece plastic construction tends to fall apart and crack after many months of abuse and dropping. The Uwell Caliburn is far superior in terms of its construction, with a single piece aluminium construction able to take a decent level of abuse without the shell splitting into two pieces. 

Both iterations of the Caliburn use a Type B USB charger which encourages a slower charge in order to prolong the lifespan of the battery. Our use testing with fast charging the pod vape has shown that the battery life for usage you are able to have after several months would end up becoming significantly shorter. 

Flavour

If you are changing to a pod device from regular sub-ohm direct to lung devices, the hardest thing to get used to is the lack of flavour in a large majority of pod devices. Essentially, having less smoke to inhale simply means tasting less flavour. While it is unlikely you will achieve a similar level of flavour as you would have in the Uwell Crown 4 tank, the Caliburn and Koko uses the similar technology that Uwell have used in their crown 4 tanks. This allows exceptional flavour to be delivered despite its small handheld size and low output power. Comparing the flavour in both Caliburn devices to even several mouth to lung vape tanks, you will find that the flavour from the little vape pod is not only comparable but at times superior to some mouth to lung tanks. 

The Koko, using a lower resistance 1.2 ohm pod is an upgraded version of the 1.4 ohm pod, burning slightly hotter with a marginally more restricted airflow. This concentrates the flavour to an even greater level making it one of the best vaping pods on the market at the moment. It is no surprise why the Caliburn has created such a lasting impression on the vaping world as a whole. 

Pros/con

Pros :

The essence of every vape device is having more liquid vaporized and a higher level of vapour vapour production to provide better flavour and should nicotine liquids be used, a stronger nicotine hit.

Whenever a nicotine pod vape is mentioned, the names that get mentioned the most in both our Carlton and Tullamarine stores are usually the Juul or the Relx. Unfortunately with Australia’s laws surrounding vaping with nicotine, those devices are not available in any vape store within Australia. Should you require nicotine to add to your e-liquid, find more information HERE.  

The caliburn is a far superior device, compared to the Juul’s 8.5 watt maximum output, the 11 watt caliburn not only gives you a much stronger hit with less nicotine but much better flavour. The caliburn is a refillable pod device, producing less environmental waste since pods can be refilled more than once instead of being discarded after a single use. Nicotine content is measured as (X) MG / ML and the stronger output power allows more liquid to be burnt, increasing the amount of vapour inhaled and inturn giving you a stronger nicotine hit. More juice burnt also directly translates to better flavour. 

Having to use less nicotine in your own liquids is an added benefit considering the scarcity of nicotine within Australia with everyone having to import their own nicotine liquid to add to e-liquids bought locally.

Both Caliburn devices also come with 2 pods in the box where most pod devices will only come with one. The flow of the original 1.4 ohm pods is much smoother than that of a Juul. A less restricted inhale also enables a higher level of vapour production.  The Koko pods however are slightly more restricted with a much more concentrated flavour and heats with a higher heat output. 

The aluminium construction of the Caliburn and the Koko is not just robust, but light enough for the average person to carry around without a significant weight anchoring your pocket like most big battery sub-ohm devices. 

The 520 mAH battery provides more than enough battery capacity for the average vaper to have a single day use from the device before having to recharge. For the heavy users however, a recharge in the middle of the day may be required. The benefit of having a smaller battery also means recharge times are much quicker, with a slow charge only requiring an hour for a complete charge. 

Cons: 

While the LED indicator built into the aluminium casing of both the caliburn and koko is essential, the plastic LED piece is also used as a securing piece in holding all the electronics within its aluminium casing. The staff at Ace Vape Melbourne have tested the Caliburn and after several months of abuse, we found that the plastic LED indicator has the tendency to fall out from the casing. Without this piece, the electronics within the caliburn itself will start sliding upwards and downwards occasionally upon impact when the pod device is dropped. The button on the original caliburn also continues to hold all the electronics in place making this mostly just a negative that affects the visual appeal of your pod device. This issue however has been fixed with the new iteration of the Koko. 

The inhale mechanism of the caliburn can also get stuck and stay in the “firing” position or the “not firing” position should juice leak into the device. This is key for customers who do not take great care of their vapes and regularly use the refillable pods past their replacement durations. As with all electronic devices, care should be taken to ensure no liquids enter the circuitry of any electronic device as it may cause the device to short circuit. 

Another negative of the Koko 1.2 ohm pods is their higher heat output with lower air flow causing the pods to have a significantly shorter life span compared to the original 1.4 ohm pod. Lifespan varies greatly based on each person’s vaping style but based on our testing, the general lifespan in a 1.2 ohm pod can be less than the original pods by approximately 1 to 2 days. 

Conclusion

While there are many pod devices on the market at the moment, the Caliburn is by far the best pod device in terms of both flavour and compactness. Having a tiny device which can provide a similar nicotine hit and flavour delivery as sub-ohm devices is perfect for the working adult who would enjoy a discreet yet high quality vape. While there are several negatives with the caliburn, the positives far outweigh the negative and comparing the performance of the Caliburn to other similar vape pod devices in a similar price point, its flavour, vapour production and cost of maintenance is the best in its class. If you would like to know more about the Caliburn, feel free to give us a call at 0488 383 842 for our Carlton store or (03) 9338 7002 at our Tullamarine store in Melbourne.