How to Choose a Box Mod Vape Tutorial Instructions
Choosing a Box Mod Vape
If you enjoy vaping e-liquids, there will come a time when you're ready for a box mod. Box mods are power batteries that attach to oil tanks to provide a premium vaping experience. They are also far more cost-effective to operate since they provide refillable oil tanks. If you are a daily vaper, you'll eventually become interested in transitioning to a box mod (if you aren't already).
Of course, knowing you want a box mod and knowing how to pick out a box mod are two entirely different concerns. There are all kinds of box mods on the market to choose from, and the choices can easily overwhelm first-time buyers. The last thing you want to do is make a significant investment in a box mod only to endure a lengthy return process.
Before you make a purchase, take a look at some of the following considerations to make when you begin shopping for a box mod. They'll help naturally narrow down your choices and make it easy to make a great first choice!
1. How Big Do You Want Your Box Mod to Be?
This is a simple place to start and will quickly eliminate a lot of choices. Box mods have a reputation for being larger and bulkier devices, as this allows them to accommodate large batteries, display screens, and other high-end features. While many vapers don't particularly care about the size, it's an important sticking point for many potential buyers.
Why sizes are available aside from the traditional, boxy look? There are super-compact box mods that are great for those looking for easy traveling and discrete public vaping. Some look closer to a traditional vape pen design, but many will still have common box mod features, including:
- Variable heating
- Replaceable batteries
- Display Screens
Of course, not all compact box mods are fully-featured. You may end up sacrificing a premium feature in order to accommodate a smaller form factor. While there isn't a right or wrong answer to the size of the box mod you choose, it's one of the first decisions you'll make about what you're looking for from a box mod.
2. Do You Want Precision Heat Settings?
One of the biggest perks of a box mod is its ability to offer precision heat settings. This means you can adjust the temperature by either individual watts or by degrees to customize how hot or how cool you'd like your vapor to be. For experienced vapers, this is usually extremely important, since being able to vary the temperature is key to creating perfect puffs of vapor.
Precision heating settings also allow a box mod to be compatible with a wider variety of oil tanks. Being able to manually adjust the power output can mean the difference between an oil tank getting enough power to make vapor clouds and hardly making anything at all.
Some box mods offer a middle ground for heat settings. They either offer just a handful of preset heating options, or they are designed to automatically detect the oil tank and will adjust the power output accordingly. Features like these are usually ideal for beginners, though experienced vapers may feel constricted by the inability to manually adjust the power.
3. What Do You Want to Vape?
While box mods are end-game devices for vape oil users, their versatility allows them to be compatible with a wide range of other attachments. As long as an attachment can physically attach and the box mod has the right power requirements, you can use attachments meant for wax concentrate or dry herb vaping.
If you're interested in vaping more than just oil, here are a few characteristics to consider when looking at box mods:
Precision Temperature Control
This feature is a must if you plan on using your box mod for wax concentrate or dry herb vaping. Your vaping experience with these substances varies greatly depending on the temperature, enough that it can mean the difference between having an incredible vaping experience or throwing the attachment away.
Wattage
While you may associate a high wattage range with premium quality, super high wattage is only important if you are a serious oil vaper. If you plan on primarily using the box mod for waxes or dry herb, the wattage range can be considerably lower. For wax concentrates, a wattage range between 15-25W will likely be sufficient. For dry herb vaping, the wattage range can be even lower.
You don't need a big burst of power to enjoy waxes or dry herbs. You need long, sustained temperatures. Which brings us to our next quality.
Battery Capacity
If you plan on vaping wax concentrates, replaceable batteries will be a very nice perk. You end up using more power (since exposed heating coils use more power than atomizers), so having spare batteries handy is great for vaping while traveling.
If you plan on vaping dry herbs, we strongly recommend a box mod with replaceable batteries or a box mod with a huge internal battery. Dry herb vapes are very power hungry. This is because they use heating chambers instead of heating elements, which have a large surface area that not only needs to reach your set temperature but also needs to maintain it.
Vape Battery capacity is far more important that a high wattage output when you consider vaping wax concentrate or dry herbs.
Box Mod Vape Size
Finally, the physical size of a box mod may impact whether it can be used with dry herb or wax concentrate attachments. Even if the threading matches (most threading on box mods, oil tanks, and attachments will be 510 threading), an attachment my physically be too large to fit or may have a form factor that doesn't allow it to properly connect.
If you have an attachment in mind, make sure the box mod you're looking for is compatible. Check the physical dimensions of each, and if you still have questions, reach out to the manufacturer (or retailer) to determine compatibility.
3. Do You Want Replaceable Batteries?
Box mods often offer the ability for batteries to be replaced, which is a great perk to have. Being able to swap out batteries can mean you're never without a charged box mod, but it also means you can exchange batteries as they gradually lose their ability to hold a charge. If you're focused on the longevity of your device, this is an essential feature to have.
However, there are downsides to replaceable batteries; their price. Box mods don't just use typical AA or AAA batteries. Instead, most use high-amp 18650 batteries, and box mods that use them rarely come with them, which adds noticeable cost to your bottom line. While these batteries can be recharged, their initial cost is often overlooked by shoppers.
Internal batteries are common in box mods and are more cost-effective upfront, though you're at their mercy as they eventually lose their charge over time. The battery style you end up with is your preference, though daily vapers should consider investing in box mods that accommodate replaceable batteries.
4. Want the Ability to Read Variable Resistances?
Most beginner vapers may not even know what resistance is, but experienced vapers will know how important it is to the overall vaping experience. In short, resistance refers to how easily power is able to flow through certain materials and is measured in ohms. Low resistance means power flows quickly, while high resistance means power flows slowly.
How does this affect your vapor? Low resistance vaping (sometimes called sub-ohm vaping if resistance is less than 1.0ohms), means that there is a blast of power all at once in your oil tank. This means that the atomizer heats quickly, the vape juice vaporizes quickly, which enables you to get gigantic puffs of vaper.
High-resistance vaping is going to be similar to what most vapers already experience in disposable vapes or vape pens. Many box mods come with separate sets of coils (one with low resistance and one with high resistance), though this is certainly not true of all.
When shopping, you'll need to check what coils come with the box mod in question, as well as what resistances the box mod can read. If you're unsure of what you'll need, just make sure your box mod at least supports a wide range of resistances, which will allow you to alter future vaping sessions as you narrow down your specific preferences.
5. Do You Want a Display Screen?
One of the great perks of having a box mod is the ability to have a display screen included. Display screens allow easy, visual access to all kinds of data, though what they display will be dependent on the specific box mod you're looking at. In general, display screens usually show battery levels, wattage output (if available), temperature, as well as information regarding your connected oil tank.
Display screens come in all different sizes and qualities, and the fancier they are, the more they add to the price tag. If you like the idea of having a large, easy to read display, then be sure to consider box mods that offer this feature!
6. Do You Want a Box Mod Battery or Kit?
Box mods usually come in two varieties while shopping; standalone batteries or paired with an oil tank. If you're buying a box mod for the first time, you may not have an oil tank at all, so a box mod kit might be something you see as appealing. It's a cost-effective way to jump into box mod vaping while having an attachment that is guaranteed to be compatible.
However, if you already have several oil tanks that you enjoy using, considering a kit may be a waste of money when a standalone battery would work just fine. Just make sure that the box mod you purchase is compatible with your oil tank (you'll need to consider features like the power requirements and resistance requirements of your tank, as well as if it will physically fit on your box mod).
7. How Durable Do You Want Your Box Mod to Be?
Box mods can be surprisingly fragile, depending on which model you end up choosing. For those of you that are perpetually dropping your vaporizers or spilling liquids on them, you may want to consider a box mod that sports a rugged design.
Rugged features include thick rubber that helps absorb the shock from falls, scratch-resistant coatings on the paneling or display screen, and certified water-proofing. Wanting a box mod that is super durable will limit your choices, but the choices that remain still offer an excellent vaping experience.
Where Can I Buy Box Mods?
Box mods are extremely commonplace nowadays. They are available wherever vape juice is sold, include vape shops, head shops, CBD dispensaries, and even gas stations. Buying in a physical retail location has the added benefit of getting one-on-one assistance in choosing a device, though the available selection may be small and pricing may be steep.
Online retail stores are another easy avenue to purchase box mods. You'll usually find the best selection to choose from online, which is ideal if you're unsure of what you want. That includes here at Vape Vet, where we not only can help you decide on a box mod, but you'll get FREE U.S. shipping with any box mod (or any other product) you buy from us.
Box mods are excellent devices that add a special layer of depth to oil vaping. If you have any questions about whether a box mod is right for you, reach out to us! We'll make sure you get in one you love on the first purchase!