Vaper Empire V-NIX Deluxe Vape Pen Starter Kit Review

Vaper Empire is an Australian based vape brand that offers a number of different starter devices and ejuices. Their offerings cover all different device categories, and they offer a pod vape, tank and mod kit, vape pen, and even a cig-a-like vape with a portable charging case. 

Vaper Empire’s V-NIX Deluxe starter kit is a vape pen kit that makes it easy for anyone to get started vaping. The kit includes a 1300mAh tube battery with a 510 connection, a 2ml refillable tank, a carrying case, four 10ml bottles of ejuice, and more. It comes with everything you need to start using it right away, and the single button operation should make it simple to use. It’s also a MTL-style kit, which could be perfect for those looking to make the switch to vaping.

We’ve previously reviewed Vaper Empire’s “Viggo” closed system pod vape, and it delivered on performance and flavor. Does the V-NIX perform similarly well? Is it worth picking up the entire starter kit? You’ll find out in this review.

Box Contents

• 1 x Rechargeable V-NIX Battery (1300mAh)
• 1 x Refillable V-NIX Tank 
• 3 x Bottles of 10ml Classic Collection E-Liquid
• 1 x Bottle of 10ml Artisan Collection E-Liquid
• 1 x Vaper Empire Premium Carry Case
• 1 x Spare Dual Atomizer Coil
• 1 x Spare ‘O’ Ring pack
• 1 x USB Power Cable
• 1 x USB Wall Adapter [0.5 Amp] (Type I – Australia / New Zealand)
• 1 x User Manual (English language)
• Includes 90-Day Limited Device Warranty

For this review, I was sent the Deluxe starter kit, which includes a carrying case and four ejuices; you do not get these items if you purchase the base starter kit. The carrying case is perfect for traveling, and inside there’s room for the four 10ml ejuice bottles that you get with the deluxe kit, as well as the V-NIX device itself.

Specifications

• Size: 154mm x 18mmØ
• Single-button operation
• 2ml Tank Capacity
• Uses Innokin 1.5Ω Coils
• 510 Thread Connection on Battery
• 3 Variable Wattage Settings
• 10.5W to 13.5W Output
•  Micro-USB Charging

Design & Build Quality

The V-NIX isn’t what I would expect a device from 2022 to look like — it looks like a vape pen straight out of 2018 with its old-school vape pen design and caged tank. It doesn’t necessarily look bad, but it doesn’t give off a modern vibe. I think that it looks classy in a way though. The V-NIX is only available in a satin black color with chrome accents around the airflow control ring.

Together, the tank and battery come out to 154mm tall with an 18mm diameter. It’s a tall device, but the 18mm diameter keeps it slim and at a nice size to use. This kit does have some weight to it, but it’s not heavy and still comfortable to carry around in my pocket. It’s comfortable to hold and use, and vaping with the V-NIX feels natural and intuitive.

The V-NIX tank has a cage around the glass which, while it’s an old-school look, definitely adds durability and drop resistance to the tank. There are four cutouts on the tank which allow you to see in through the glass. The tank will hold up to 2ml of ejuice and it is top filled by removing the threaded top cap. Once the top cap is off, the coil is smack-dab in the center and you simply fill your ejuice around the outside of the coil. 

The V-NIX tank comes with two drip tips, both of which are identical and MTL style. This kit also comes with a convenient magnetic dust cap that can be used to cover the mouthpiece when the device is not in use. This is useful to prevent dirt and dust from getting in the mouthpiece when you put it in your pocket or bag, and the magnetic mouthpiece will attach to the bottom of the V-NIX when you’re vaping on it so that it doesn’t get lost.

I’ve been using the V-NIX for about two weeks now and some of the black paint right around the top edge of the tank is starting to come off, revealing the bare stainless steel underneath. I’ve been quite careful with the kit too, and haven’t dropped or otherwise mistreated it, so it’s surprising to see the paint coming off.

The tank uses large, beefy coils which, judging by the logo on the coil, seem to be made by Innokin. That’s a good thing, as Innokin are known for producing some great, flavorful coils. You get two coils included in the kit, both of which have a resistance of 1.5Ω. These coils seem to be similar to the coils used by the Innokin T18X; a device that itself looks similar to the V-NIX.

The coils for the V-NIX have the 510 connection built right into them. The coils push fit into the bottom of the tank, and then you attach a beauty ring to the base of the V-NIX tank. I’m used to the 510 connection being built into the tank, not the coil, but the way that Vaper Empire has done it here definitely works. The 510 connector from the coil sticks out of the beauty ring, and with it on, the V-NIX looks like any other tank with a 510 connection.

The airflow control for this kit is built into the top portion of the battery, just below the 510 connection. There are 4 airflow holes and the airflow can be adjusted anywhere from fully open to fully closed. The AFC ring is smooth and works on a stopper.

The battery portion of the V-NIX kit has a feature that I really like, and that’s the rubberized power/fire button. It has a slight curve to it that fits my thumb nicely when firing, and overall it feels very nice. I wish more companies would make their fire button rubberized like this because it just feels great. The button is clicky, responsive, and overall works as it should. Just above the fire button are three LED lights, which I will get to in the features and functions section of this review.

On the ‘back’ of the battery is where you’ll find the micro-USB charging port. I’m sad to see that it’s not Type-C, but hopefully this is an upgrade that we’ll see in the next version of the V-NIX.

Before I wrap up the design and build quality section, there is something that I want to mention. As I stated earlier, this kit is composed of two distinct pieces; a battery and a tank. However, even though the tank and battery each use a 510 connection and can be separated from each other, you don’t really have the option to upgrade one or the other in the future. 

That’s because the 18mm diameter of this kit, while nice and slim, is much smaller than most any other tank or device on the market. If you want to upgrade the tank in the future to something else, a 24mm tank is going to look super awkward on the battery. Same goes for using the very small tank on another mod. 

Plus, because the airflow is built into the battery and the airflow for the tank comes in through the 510 connection, you won’t be able to draw on the tank if you use it on another mod. While the lack of upgradeability doesn’t affect the performance of the kit, it’s definitely something to consider. Just keep in mind that you’ll be purchasing a whole new device and tank if you want to upgrade in the future. 

Features & Functions

The V-NIX kit is meant for beginners so it’s simple to use, but it also has some customizability to it so that you can tailor the vaping experience to your liking. The main thing that you can change, aside from the airflow, is the wattage. The V-NIX has three variable wattage modes which allows you to get either a strong, medium, or mellow draw depending on your preference.

To change the wattage level, the device first has to be turned off. This is a mild inconvenience and different from every other device that I’ve used (most devices let you change the wattage level with the device turned on). To turn the V-NIX on or off, press the fire button three times. To change the wattage level, make sure the device is off and then press and hold the fire button. The wattage output will cycle through the three wattage levels, which is indicated by which of the three LEDs is lit up:

• 1st LED: 10.5W
• 2nd LED: 12W
• 3rd LED: 13.5W

When you reach the wattage output that you want, you can let go of the button, turn the device back on, and resume vaping.

How to get started with the V-NIX Starter Kit

If you purchase the base V-NIX starter kit, then you’ll get the V-NIX battery and tank, a charger and charging cable, two coils, and some spare o-rings. However, if you purchase the ‘Deluxe’ starter kit, you’ll also get a carrying case and four 10ml bottles of ejuice. You can choose which four flavors you want and in what nicotine strength, and one of these four flavors will be from their ‘Artisan Collection’, which is their premium ejuice blends.

Whether you get the base starter kit or the deluxe starter kit, the following steps will be the same. The only difference is that if you got the base starter kit, you’ll have to use your own ejuices to fill the tank.

To start, you’ll want to insert the coil into the bottom of the tank. First, remove the beauty ring from the base of the tank by unscrewing it. Now, line up the flat sides of the coil with the cutouts on the bottom of the tank and push the coil all the way in. Replace the beauty ring by screwing it back on.

To fill the tank, remove the top cap by unscrewing it. Take your preferred bottle of ejuice and insert the nozzle between the coil and the tank wall. You don’t want to pour ejuice directly into the coil. Once you’ve filled the tank, replace the top cap and wait for at least 10 minutes before using the device.

Once you’ve waited those long ten minutes, press and hold the fire button to set the wattage. You’ll want to start with the wattage output at the lowest setting first, and then you can work your way up if you find the draw to be too weak. Hold the fire button until the first LED is lit up, and then let go of the button. Now, you can turn on the device by pressing the fire button three times.

Before you vape, ensure that the airflow is fully open (you should see four airflow holes in the section just underneath the tank). Press the fire button and take a draw. How is it? From here you can customize the draw to your liking. 

Too loose of a draw? Close the airflow down a little. Don’t find the draw to be strong enough? Turn the device off by pressing the fire button three times, then press and hold the fire button until the second LED is lit up. Turn the device back on and see how you like it. You can repeat this process for the three wattage output settings until you find one that you like.

Battery Life & Charging

The V-NIX has a 1300mAh battery and it doesn’t fire at very high wattages, so battery life from this device is solid. The tank holds 2ml of ejuice and I vaped about a tank and a half of ejuice per charge. If you vape heavily, that’s going to last you at least a day. If you vape more sporadically, then multi-day use is definitely possible from a single charge.

When it comes to charging, the V-NIX unfortunately does not have Type-C charging and uses micro-USB. This is disappointing to see on a new device, but the charging times still aren’t bad. From dead, the V-NIX takes just over an hour for a full charge so there’s minimal downtime. It also features pass-thru charging so you can still vape on it while it recharges.

Performance

For this review, I was sent the V-NIX deluxe starter kit for review. This deluxe kit included four ejuices of my choice, which are what I used for the duration of this review. In addition to the device performance, I will be going over these flavors a bit in this section too. The flavors I received are Vaper Empire’s Orange Crush, Tobacco, Apple, and their Artisan Collection ejuice, Red Lemonade. All four ejuices are 6mg/ml nicotine strength.

The V-NIX delivers a solid vaping experience that beginner vapers and those transitioning from smoking cigarettes will really like. It’s a MTL device, so the draw is tight even on the loosest airflow setting. Closing the airflow makes the draw progressively tighter, so you can get the draw to just how you want it. It very much reminds me of the feeling of smoking on a cigarette, which is going to be a big plus for someone trying to make the switch to vaping.

On the highest variable wattage output of 13.5W, the draw is nice and strong, but the vapor is still smooth and warm without being too hot. The flavor is also the best at this wattage setting. The draw strength, flavor, and warmth get weaker as you go to lower wattage settings, so the highest output is where I preferred to vape. All three settings provide a smooth draw, so which one you use will be totally according to how you like your vape to hit.

Of the four flavors that I was sent, I particularly liked their ‘Tobacco’, and ‘Red Lemonade’ Artisan Collection flavor. The tobacco flavor is smokey and tastes like a nice mild tobacco, so this is one to get if you’re after that tobacco taste. Red Lemonade is the strongest and sharpest flavor of the four that I received and the lemonade flavor really pops.

Orange Crush is like an orange soda pop; they nailed it with this flavor. It’s a flavor to vape on when you’re feeling something a little sweeter. Finally, their Apple ejuice has a natural tasting flavor that is sweet, but without being over the top. It’s flavorful and tasty, but not candied or overdone.

The coils for the V-NIX have good durability and a long lifespan. The kit comes with two coils, but I haven’t even had to use the second coil because the first coil is still going strong. I’ve refilled this coil over ten times (20ml+ of ejuice), and the flavor and performance are the same as when I started using it. Depending on how much you vape, a single coil could easily last you two weeks of use, and that’s really good. The less frequently you have the change the coil means more money in your pocket, so that’s a pro for this kit for sure.

Verdict

The V-NIX is a device that is targeted at beginners, and for that target audience it does a great job of being easy to use, straightforward, and delivering a good vaping experience. Although it doesn’t have a ton of features, the three wattage output levels and adjustable airflow give plenty of customizability to get the draw to just how you want it, and that’s all that you really need when you’re just starting out vaping.

Are there cons to this kit? Yes, there are, but they aren’t cons that detract from the primary purpose of this kit, which is to be an easy-to-use beginner vape kit. However, one thing to mention is that, compared to other starter kits, the V-NIX is pricey at $99.99 AUD (about $63.00 USD) for the base starter kit. Whether it’s worth it for the ease of use is up to you. 

Price aside, the V-NIX is a great device to get started vaping with and I think that the tight MTL draw and overall user friendliness of this kit could go a long way in helping smokers make the switch to vaping.  

Have you used the V-NIX starter kit? Thinking of buying it? Leave a comment down below and let us know!

CHECK PRICE