CCELL Sandwave 510 Battery Review

Design & Build Quality

My first takeaway when I saw the CCELL Sandwave was how small and portable the device was. At just 60mm tall, 38.2mm wide, and 16.2mm deep the device is great for taking on-the-go. It is also the perfect size if you are looking for a 510 battery that can be concealed in your hand.

The CCELL Sandwave is made of PCTPE and is very light, weighing just 29.3g without a cart installed. It has a soft-touch coating that makes it very comfortable to hold while also adding lots of grip. The body also features a wavy texture that adds even more grip (maybe this is why it’s called the Sandwave). It is safe to say that you should not be worried about dropping this device. 

For this review I received the pastel pink and purple color combination called Coral Pink. It features an all pink body with a purple bezel at the top of the device. I am a fan of this color combination but it may not be for everyone. There are 6 different color options and, with the exception of the midnight black color, the majority of them are pastel colors. 

One thing I have noticed with devices from CCELL is that they tend to have a clean and minimalist aesthetic. The Sandwave very much so sticks to this winning formula. Like other CCELL devices, there are minimal logos with only a single CCELL logo located on the front of the device. There is no branding of the name “Sandwave” anywhere on the device itself. 

When looking at the top of the Sandwave you will see a voltage slider that is labeled “H,M,L”.  This represents “H” (high) for 3.6V, “M” (medium) for 3.2V and “L” (low) for 2.8V. The slider is firm and clicks into place for each of the output levels.

Setting the slider to each of the three levels is distinct so there’s no ambiguity about which setting you’re in. Although firm, this slider still allows you to easily change the voltage when needed. 

Next to the voltage slider you will find the battery LED light. The location of this light is absolutely the biggest flaw on the device. There is no easy way to look at the light while drawing on the device, unless you cross your eyes and strain to get a peek. Normally this wouldn’t be an issue, but the light doesn’t stay on long enough for you to look after you stop drawing. This makes it very difficult to track the battery level.

Atop the Sandwave is where you will insert your cartridge. You have to use one of the included magnetic adapters as this is not a “screw-in” type of connection. There are two of these adapters provided in the box. 

I much prefer these types of magnetic adapters because It’s very simple to screw your cart onto the adapter and then pop it in. The magnet is very strong and it takes quite a bit of force to remove the cart so you don’t have to worry about the cartridge falling out. 

With this type of connection you have to be careful not to misplace your adapter. Luckily, CCELL supplies two adapters in the box, so in case one goes missing you have a backup. Both adapters are the same size. 

The Sandwave houses the entire cartridge inside of the device so there are limitations on the size of cartridges that can fit. You will be able to use the majority of carts on the market, such as 0.5ml and 1.0ml carts. However, it will not hold oversized cartridges that are wider than 11.5mm in diameter. 

The Sandwave comes with two cutouts, one on each side of the device, which act as windows for you to see your cartridge level without having to remove it. I really like that the cutout is on both sides as it allows a little bit of light to shine through, making it easier to see your carts level.

When it’s time to charge, you can easily recharge using the Type-C charging port on the bottom of the device, along with the included charging cable.

Features

If you are looking for a battery that has an abundance of features, the Sandwave is not that. There is no haptic feedback, no preheat, and no screen. However, there are a lot of awesome qualities that make the Sandwave a really great device for the right user. 

The main feature of the Sandwave is its variable voltage which allows you to cater the temperature to your liking. There are three temperature settings, each one appropriate for different user needs. The “L” (low) setting is set at 2.8V, the “M” (medium) setting is set at 3.2V and the “H” (high) setting is set at 3.6V. This is as simple as it gets and I had no issue with the slider while using the Sandwave. Again, the three settings are:

• 2.8V : L (Low)
• 3.2V : M (Medium)
• 3.6V : H (High)

If you are someone who is looking for maximum flavor and minimal vapor, the low setting is perfect for you. For someone who is looking for lots of vapor and is willing to sacrifice a bit of flavor, the high setting is there. The medium setting is ideal for those looking for a more balanced experience of flavor and vapor. 

The Sandwave uses a magnetic adapter to attach your cartridge to the device. The adapters are easy to install and the magnets are super strong so there is no need to worry about losing the cartridge or it falling out on its own. This type of connection is better than screw-on devices in terms of convenience because it’s super easy to insert or remove a cart. The tradeoff is usually that this would be less secure, however the strength of the magnet here negates that concern for me.

The dual window allows you to easily track your cartridge level. The best way to use this is to hold the Sandwave up to the light and allow the light to illuminate the cartridge. This makes it a lot easier to see and keep track of the contents of your cartridge. 

The CCELL Sandwave is draw activated and does not require the use of any buttons. The LED indicator will light up when you take a draw. However, as I mentioned before, the location is less than ideal. 

For how small it is, the Sandwave has a massive 400mAh battery that recharges with Type-C charging. Unfortunately this device does not support pass-thru charging and so it cannot be used while it charges.

The LED indicator only lights up white, so there is no indication of when the battery is going to die. A three color indicator would have been ideal for easier tracking and more notice on when the battery is running low.

While there is no preheat mode on the Sandwave, it still heats up very quickly. As soon as I take a draw, the device reacts nearly instantly and quickly heats up my cartridge. Even with thicker resin oil the device performs well and provides great vapor within the first few pulls.

Performance

For a device the size of a tic-tac box, the Sandwave has some serious power. It has enough power to be able to effectively vape all distillates and oils, while also being small enough to take on the go.

I put the Sandwave to the test with some of my favorite cartridges and I’ve been surprised at the vapor and flavor quality from such a small device. I tried each cartridge with all of the different voltage settings to see how they performed and I got favorable results with all of my carts.

After quite a bit of testing and back and forth, I tended to use either the medium or high setting on the Sandwave for all of my cartridges. I liked that the medium power level gave a balanced and more mellow experience with my material, while the high setting was best when I really wanted to get the maximum effects from my carts.

Even without a preheat setting the CCELL Sandwave performs really well and reacts almost instantly when drawing on the device. Whether you use really thick oil or something of a thinner viscosity, the Sandwave is able to keep up. It’s also worth mentioning that I didn’t experience any clogging of my carts when using the Sandwave as it’s really effective at quickly heating up cartridges. 

The Sandwave comes with a 400mAh battery that quite honestly seems to never die. It’s very difficult to track the battery level as the LED is only one color and it’s difficult to see as you vape. However, it’s safe to say that you can go a few days without needing a charge, even if you use it quite often.

Verdict

If you’re in need of a 510 battery that is lightweight, portable, user-friendly, and which performs really well, the Sandwave is a great option. It has all of the core features that most would want in a 510 battery, such as variable voltage and long battery life, while also being very affordable.

However, if there was one thing that I could change it would be the location and function of the battery LED indicator. A three color LED indicator would make tracking battery life much, much easier. As it is now, there’s no warning of when the battery is going to die and that’s inconvenient to say the least.

The three temperature settings are what makes this device stand out. The low setting offers very strong flavor profiles and minimal clouds, while the high setting delivers tons of clouds and a more subtle flavor profile. The medium setting sits right in the middle of high and low, with great flavor and a nice amount of clouds.

I didn’t have any issue with the fact that the Sandwave doesn’t come with a preheat option, as the device was able to perform even with thick resin oils. The device reacts almost instantly when I take a draw, offering great vapor within the first few pulls. I had no issue with clogging either, even on the low setting, so it clearly does an effective job of quickly heating up cartridges.

Do you own the Sandwave? Considering picking one up? Have a question or opinion? Leave me a comment with your thoughts down below.

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