ElfBar BB3500 Disposables Review

Despite the recent trademark issues, Elfbar appears to be in no rush to relinquish its position as one of the most popular vape brands in the world. The company seems determined to provide disposable vapes in as many sizes, shapes, and capacities as possible, and the BB3500 is one of their latest launches.

At first glance, the BB3500 looks both new and familiar. It’s similar enough to other Elfbars to appeal to existing fans, while also different enough to pique their curiosity. The specs seem to be nothing unusual: it’s a 3500-puff device, using 50mg/ml liquid, with the option to recharge the battery, and it’s available in a decent range of new and existing flavors. But is there more to it?

I was lucky enough to get my hands on several of these vapes to test for a few weeks, and I was keen to find out if the facelift is just about design or if there’s more to the BB3500 than first meets the eye.

Specifications

• Size: 73mm x 34mm 
• 650mAh rechargeable battery
• Micro USB charging
• 50mg per ml nicotine strengths
• Up to 3500 puffs
• Prefilled with 10.5ml of e-juice
• Mesh Coil
• 12 Flavors

Design & Build Quality

The design of the Elf Bar BB3500 is something of a departure from their previous disposables. Rather than going for the now common pen-like or flat-square shape, the BB3500s are short, fat, and cylindrical, a bit like a mini beer bottle.

At just 73mm tall and 34mm wide, they are easily small enough to fit comfortably in a pocket or purse but not as low-profile as the brands’ other disposable vapes. Even so, this isn’t a big device, and I found them easy to completely conceal in my hand when a bit of stealth vaping was required.

What isn’t ideal for stealth vaping is the ring of eight LED activity lights embedded in the body. When you draw, almost the entire device lights up for three or four seconds, which looks pretty cool, but definitely won’t help you to vape discreetly. It’s unlikely to be a problem for most users, but it’s worth considering if you like to keep your vaping low-key.

Like several other Elf Bars, these vapes are coated in silicone, making them very easy to grip. A textured section near the bottom of the vape adds more grip, along with a bit of visual style. Almost all of the vapes in the range feature a single-color design, although the most striking are the few that deviate from this with a second color on the base.

The only parts that aren’t silicone-coated are the tip of the mouthpiece and the base of the device, where you can find the Micro USB port and airflow control holes. In another change from most other Elfbars, the mouthpiece is cylindrical rather than flat. As someone who prefers a round drip tip on my vapes, I found this great to use and it definitely works with the overall shape of the device.

There isn’t much branding on these vapes other than a small Elfbar logo, model name, and the flavor printed on one side. This helps to give the BB3500s a reasonably stylish and understated look (at least until you take a puff) compared to some other disposable vapes.

Features

The list of features you’ll find for the BB3500 contains very few surprises. Despite the slightly unusual styling, when it comes to what’s inside, it clearly isn’t a device that’s trying to break the mold.

Power is provided by a 650mAh rechargeable battery which, during my testing, lasts around a day on a full charge. Charging is done with Micro USB rather than USB-C, which could be a bit annoying if all your cables are of the newer USB standard. It also means the charging isn’t super-fast, taking around 45-60 minutes to complete. But if you really can’t wait, pass-thru charging lets you vape while the USB cable is inserted.

As the name suggests, BB3500s are rated to provide 3500 puffs from the 10.5ml of e-liquid they contain. That’s equivalent to around 230 cigarettes and, depending on how heavily you vape, could last for more than a week. Currently, only 50mg/ml strength is available, so you’ll have no problem getting your nicotine hit. However, it would have been nice to see a lower-strength option.

Firing is draw-activated only, like most disposables. There’s nothing to adjust or tweak apart from the airflow, which can be reduced by covering the three small holes on the bottom of the vape. It’s all very simple, and everything works just as you would expect from an Elfbar disposable.

Flavors

If you have previously used Elfbar disposables, you’ll probably be familiar with many of the 12 flavors available in the BB3500 range. There’s nothing particularly new or daring here, but what more do you need other than some popular taste combinations and a nice mix of ice, fruit, and sweet choices. The 12 available flavors are:

• Blue Razz Ice
• Kiwi Passion Fruit Guava
• Strawberry Watermelon Bubblegum
• Watermelon Ice
• Mango Peach
• Blueberry Jam
• Grape
• Pineapple Coconut
• Strawberry Sundae
• Cotton Candy
• Cranberry Soda
• Energy

The names given to vape juice flavors can sometimes be slightly ambiguous, but there is little of that here. If you choose Blueberry Jam, it’s safe to assume it will be a sweet berry flavor. There are a few surprises, however, such as the Energy flavor. If you haven’t tried this before, it manages to be both sour and sweet at the same time and is well worth seeking out.

I got to try out several flavors for this review, some good, some not-so-good, and some great. Here’s what I thought about the flavors I tried, what I liked or disliked, and whether I would use them again. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth when it comes to vape flavors, so bear in mind that my comments are based on my personal opinion, and just because I didn’t love a flavor, it doesn’t mean you won’t.

Blueberry Jam

This reminded me of eating a blueberry cake, with the sort of rich fruitiness that comes when berries have been cooked. It is, however, pretty sweet, and I can’t say I loved it for more than a few puffs at a time. This could be a great choice if you prefer jam sweetness over fresh fruit flavors.

Kiwi Passion Fruit Guava

If tropical fruit flavors are your thing, there will be little about this one which won’t please you. It was slightly sweeter than I expected but provided enough tangy fruit flavor to make it enjoyable. The kiwi flavor is rather subtle, but there is enough to be noticeable, and the passion fruit tang is lovely.

Cranberry Soda

Cranberry isn’t a fruit I usually enjoy, but it really worked for me in this vape juice. The first thing I noticed was the slightly sour, tart flavor cranberries are known for. Then the soda sweetness hits, somehow transforming the taste into something much more rounded. A pleasant and quite unique vape flavor.

Blue Razz Ice

This is a well-known and popular Elfbar flavor, and it’s easy to see why. You get the fruitiness of ripe blueberries and raspberries, with a bit of relief from some of the sweetness provided by the hint of icy mint that follows. That coolness reduces the throat hit and combines to make this a flavor I could easily vape all day and every day.

Pineapple Coconut

If (to quote the well-known song) you like pina colada and getting caught in the rain, this could be your perfect flavor. Well, not the rain so much, but definitely the pina colada. Coconut is not a flavor I have tried in vape juice before but enjoyed it when mixed with the fresh pineapple taste. It could, however, be slightly too sweet for some.

How do they vape?

Elfbars are known to be disposables that work well, provide a simple vaping experience, and excel at sweet fruit and candy-inspired flavors. And that is precisely what you get from the BB3500 devices.

At the high end of the scale, the 50mg/ml liquid provides a good throat hit without being harsh. This is also helped by the mainly sweet flavors, which tend to make even high-strength vapes taste smoother. I generally vape with 20mg/ml liquids, but I didn’t find these too strong.

The draw activation works perfectly every time, and a satisfying amount of vapor can be produced. Because the airflow control holes are in the middle of the base, you can easily cover them without looking. Even holding the vape in a closed fist, I could quickly curl my little finger under to block the airflow. That makes it a snap to tighten up the fairly loose MTL draw that this vape provides.

Like most rechargeable disposables, these vapes will lose flavor if the battery runs low or if the liquid is nearly used up, but nowhere near as much as other disposables I have used recently. This can actually be useful because it gives you advanced warning that you’ll soon need to either charge or replace the vape, rather than just dying between one puff and the next.

The whole vape lighting up with each puff takes a bit of getting used to, but it’s pretty unique and, if you aren’t worried about hiding your vaping, not something that should put you off trying the BB3500s. I rather enjoyed watching other people do a double-take in the street as I puffed away on my little glowing gadget.

Leaking isn’t generally too big of a problem with disposable vapes, and that’s certainly true of the Elfbar BB3500. I sat it upside down on my desk for 30 minutes, and not even a drop of liquid came out. But if you are worried, the little silicone bung that comes with the device can be fitted when you aren’t using it.

Verdict

Despite the unusual shape and the fact that it lights up like a UFO when you draw on it, there isn’t a lot new about the Elfbar BB3500. But why rock the boat when you have a brand as successful as Elfbar and a range of flavors that hit the spot with millions of vapers?

The vape works reliably, all of the flavors I tried were pleasant (and a couple were delicious,) the throat hit is satisfying without being harsh, and you get a lot of puffs for your $14. What’s not to like? Ok, USB-C charging would have been nice, but at least it has pass-thru so you can vape while it charges.

It could be argued that the shape and lights are gimmicks. But to me, they say that the company behind Elfbar is willing to try new things rather than sit back with their success and bang out the same disposables over and over again.

There is nothing about the Elfbar BB3500 disposable vape that would prevent me from recommending it, especially if you already enjoy the sort of flavors the company is known for. And if you like to stand out, puffing away on one of these stubby little glowing vapes will do the trick.

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