Drive-by Review: Stainless Aspire Vivi Nova

Today I'll be doing my first "drive-by review".  It's a real review of a real device or eLiquid, but cut down in length in order to give you a quick review of something I think is either awesome or destined for the junk heap!

So without further ado, I bring you the Stainless Aspire Vivi Nova!

As most of you who read this blog regularly know, I have been having a love affair with my original ProTank and its associated (single coil) atomizer coils for about a year now.  Now that isn't to say that the ProTank heads don't have their faults, because they do.  They don't do 100% VG very well, some flavors don't get reproduced correctly and the only heads that have been 100% reliable for me have been the 2.5Ω ones.

For the past 4-5 months, I've been reading the reviews on the Aspire Vivi Nova BDC (bottom dual coil heads) and to be honest, it's just like the reviews for everything else.  Some people think they're the greatest things ever invented and others can't help but wonder why a 4 year old was allowed near a lathe!  Anyway, you get the idea....

So I finally decided to take matters into my own hands and give this puppy a shot!

The Aspire Vivi Nova doesn't come in a kit, just what you see above, with a single 1.8Ω coil.  At the time of ordering, I wasn't thrilled that it came with such a HOT coil. so I ordered some 2.1Ω coils to use instead (more about that in a minute).

  

I was testing out an unreviewed eLiquid in my ProTank when I received this device, so I decided to throw some into this one, just to see if there was a difference...  HOLY COW -- was there a difference!

First of all, this device has a TIGHT draw.  I'm not a fan of the tight draw, as it makes my mouth tired.  It also forces me to take slightly longer draws.  I average 3 seconds with a ProTank coil and I average about 5.5 seconds with the Aspire Vivi Nova coils.

Aside from the draw, it also does something else the ProTank can't do.  It gives you HOT VAPOR!  Which I have to admit, is something I don't particularly care for either.  The cool Vapor from the ProTank coils just appeals to me more.

But the real HERO, is the flavor.  Just for a test, I decided to load up some Gorilla Juice (which if you don't know, is Boba's Bounty with Banana flavoring).  What can I say?  Using Gorilla Juice with the 1.8Ω head @ 3.6V on my Sigelei LEGEND, the Aspire Vivi Nova coil made this eLiquid taste EXACTLY like it would have in my AGA-T2!  In other words, PERFECT!  However, once the 1.8Ω coil gave out and I moved over to the 2.1Ω coils, that all changed.  At 2.1Ω, there's no Voltage or Wattage setting on the planet that reproduces the flavor correctly.  Coils DO make a difference!

One thing I'd like to share, is a "debunking" of some of the rumors about this device...  The single biggest complaint I've read about this device, is that it floods and gurgles.  Perhaps the first generation 4-hole coils did, but the current 2-hole coils have not presented with that symptom.  I've thrown a few eLiquids at different PG/VG ratios at it and I've had no troubles.

Next, there's another rumor that says the coils short out (or open for that matter), either at the 510 connection or internally.  Again, I have not experienced this condition.  If you look at the inner design of these coils, I would think it's highly unlikely to see this happen.  Again, maybe they had an issue on their early 4-hole coils, but I can confirm it didn't happen for me.  Or perhaps it's the foolish suggestions I see out there, to run your device at 15 Watts that's causing the problems?  1.8Ω @ 15W is bad joo-joo, not just for these particular coils, but for 99% of eLiquids as well!

So do I recommend it?
Well....
Ummm.....
YES!  YES I DO....

I had to think about it, because like I said, the draw is too tight, the Vapor is too hot and the 2.1Ω coils won't dial in to save your life.  HOWEVER, the ACCURATE FLAVOR REPRODUCTION over a wide range of different eLiquids has endeared this device to me.  So much so, that I ordered an Aspire Nautilus tank!  Why?  Well, it overcomes the tight draw with an adjustable airflow ring, at the time of this writing there are no 2.1Ω coils, only 1.6Ω and 1.8Ω.  This device holds 3.5ml of eLiquid and the Nautilus holds 5ml!!!  That really excites me!  More capacity equals less refilling!  The only thing that I'm not so keen on, is that the Nautilus is a bit on the UGLY SIDE.  I'm hoping I get used to it!

Anyway, it may not seem like it, but that's my first drive-by review.  If I had done a real review on this thing, it'd be twice as long and to be honest, I don't know that it would have been "better", just longer.  We'll see what happens when the Nautilus gets here, as to whether or not it's a full or a drive-by.  Regardless, let me know what you think of the drive-by styled review!

As always, thank you so very, very, very much for your continued support, thank you for your comments and thank you for Liking it, Tweeting it, Sharing it, +1ing it and telling your dog about it, etc...  ;)

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(images used sourced from Google)