Specifications:
Dimensions: 106.8mm*29mm*18mm
Battery capacity: 1400mAh internal cell
E-liquid capacity: 2ml
Charging: 1A Micro-USB
Hardware giants Innokin impressed us recently with the Podin and it seems they’re keen to continue developing a selection of miniature AIOs. Their latest release is the Sceptre, so how does it fare?
Construction, fit and finish of the Sceptre is excellent. Although this is a small device, it has a reassuring weight, with a mix of polycarbonate and what appears to be zinc alloy construction. A magnetic connection holds the pod section in place firmly, with a small amount of play that goes un-noticed when in use. The pod style form factor should be familiar to most vapers, though in this case it has been beefed up to accommodate a 1400mAh internal cell. The side fill port is admittedly small, but it’s caused me no problems when using standard sized bottles and doesn’t suffer from overflow issues, despite the 2ml capacity.
As with previous entry level Innokin releases, the Sceptre provides a simplistic user experience. Three clicks power the device on/off and when powered down, holding the power button toggles between two wattage settings, which change depending on the resistance of the installed coil. The Sceptre can be fired automatically by drawing on the device or manually using the power button. LEDs above the fire button provide three levels of battery feedback, which is plenty for a 1400mAh cell. An airflow valve is embedded in the bottom of the pod, with clear markings for MTL and DTL settings. That’s all there is to the Sceptre and I’m in favour of keeping things simple with starter kits.
At the time of writing, there are two coil options for the device, providing drastically different experiences. The first is a 1.2Ohm round wire build, rated for 9W-10W. Due to the 1W increment between power settings when using this coil, I was unable to detect any substantial difference in warmth or flavour output. This coil is intended for MTL vaping and provides a moderate-loose MTL draw with the airflow closed all the way down. For me, the vape it provides is a little cool, with average flavour output. I feel a slightly higher wattage ceiling is needed for this coil to really shine. Longevity is respectable considering the size of the coil, though. I was able to run 25mls of moderately sweet e-liquid through it before a replacement was needed.
The second coil is a 0.5Ohm mesh build, rated for 18W-20W. Again, the wattage increment on offer is small but in this case there is a more noticeable difference, with the full 20W resulting in faster ramp up time and increased warmth. Despite being designated for DTL, I found this coil to work nicely with the airflow closed down for MTL also at the 18W setting. In my view, the vape quality of this coil totally surpasses the 1.2Ohm option, handily competing with my favourite miniature AIOs. Coil longevity was good too, withstanding 30mls of moderately sweet e-liquid before needing to be replaced.
Though I do enjoy the 0.5Ohm option, I feel that a middle point would be beneficial to the mass appeal of this device. An MTL focused coil with more warmth than the 1.2Ohm build would be nice to see in the future.
Battery life will depend mostly on your choice of coil. I was able to get just shy of two full day’s vaping time on a charge with the 1.2Ohm build installed at 10W. This is cut down to just under a full day’s vaping, when using the 0.5Ohm coil at 18W. The Sceptre charges from flat to full in just over an hour, which is acceptable considering the run time.
In summary, the Sceptre is a promising device, with good build quality, a user-friendly design and widely available coils. I think further coil options are needed for it to reach its full potential, though.
Pros:
- Good build quality
- User friendly
- Great flavour from 0.5Ohm coil
Cons:
- 1.2Ohm coil produces cool vape
