Hi Ecigssa members, In this review i take a look at the Charon Baby Pod Kit 750mAh from Smoant. The Charon Baby Pod Kit was supplied for the purpose of this review by Jessi from Smoant.
https://www.smoant.com/charon-baby-repla...smart-chip
Introduction
Smoant are one of the most popular vaping manufacturers especially when it comes to mods and have released some of the most popular devices over the last few years. Here we have their latest pod/AIO offering which is an area they have been more inconsistent until the Pasito. Smoant have two main ranges they are best known for which are the Battlestar and Charon devices. So after the release of the Battlestar Baby Pod Kit which despite it's very simple nature impressed me it's no surprise we now have the Charon Baby Pod Kit which is identical in it's main specs and uses the same pods and coils, so let's see how the Charon Baby stacks up!
___________________________________________________________________
In The Box
Contents:
1 x Charon Baby Mod
1 x Type-C USB cable ( lanyard )
1 x 0.6ohm mesh coil ( pre-installed )
1 x 1.2ohm Ni80 coil
1 x Cartridge
1 x User Manual
1 x Warranty Card
1 x Certificated Card
___________________________________________________________________
Aesthetics and Ergonomics
I received what looks like the retail version which came in a sturdy cardboard box with outer cardboard sleeve but there was a sample sticker which is worth bearing in mind. On the front of the sleeve there is a picture of the device in the colour that matches the colour of the device which is in the box.
I received the Blue version, it's also available in Black and Stainless Steel. The device is rectangular with curved edges and has a very metallic chassis which attracts fingerprints. Front and back we have some very nice designs on panels which have been achieved by using CPR Technology which gives very glossy bright colours with incredible detail but unlike the chassis doesn't attract fingerprints.
Down one edge of the device we have an LED indicator light towards the bottom. The pods mouthpiece protrudes out of the top of the device but the tank section is hidden within the pod bay and we have no viewing window. On the opposite side to the protruding pod we have an opening and another opening on the side to feed through the included lanyard. Moving to the bottom we have a type C USB port which i'm happy about, i just wish it wasn't situated on the base.
Like most small pod/AIO devices it's nice and portable and not sure what the metallic material is but it has more weight to it than expected. The panels have a couple of very nice vibrant designs and the paint finish on the chassis seems high quality and durable, also there is a plain Black option if you prefer solid colours.
___________________________________________________________________
Charon Baby Specs and Features:
Size: 73x44x19mm
Weight: 87g
Battery Capacity: 750mAh
Power output: 10/15 W
Charging: 5V/0.8A
Charging Port: Type-C
Charging Time: 45-60 minute
Powered by a 750mAh built-in battery with long-time endurance
LED indicator: Red 5%-30%, Blue 30%-60%, White 60%-100%
Over time protection (8 seconds)
Short circuit protection
Low power protection
Compatible with 2 types of coil: 0.6ohm mesh coil and 1.2ohm Ni-80 coil
Adopting airflow design and leakproof design to provide cloudy flavour
The Ant Smart Chip that adjusts and delivers automatically the output
Compact size for easy daily carry
CPR technology for colourful and durable stunning finish
Battlestar Baby Pod Specs:
Capacity: 2.0ml
Material: PCTG
Coil: Mesh Coil (0.6ohm, 15W) / Ni80 Coil (1.2ohm, 10w)
Colours: Black, Stainless Steel, Blue
___________________________________________________________________
The Pod/Cartridge
The pod is one piece but is made up of a rectangular top mouth section and lower much larger rectangular tank section which has a capacity of 2ml. The Pod is tinted but with a good look the juice level can be seen, if a quick glance to see your juice level was to cause visibility issues it's a non issue as to see what juice is in the pod it needs removing from the device anyway. You only receive one pod but that's fine because the coils are replaceable and 2 coil heads are included.
On one side of the pod we have a silicone strip with attached fill bung, the bottom edge of the strip acts as a flap that can be easily gripped to lift up to reveal the fill port. The fill port is a good size compared to most pods so as long as you take a bit of care filling can be mess free, the smaller the nozzle the easier and quicker filling is.
Moving to the bottom of the pod we can see the circular positive with negative surround with peek between the two. The base has a metallic casing with some sought of coating, also on the base to one side we have the small opening that leads to the membrane switch.
Moving back up top to the mouthpiece we have your inhale opening and then to one side a much smaller opening, studying the pod you can see this small opening feeds the opening for the membrane switch via a pipe that goes right down to the bottom of the pod. The pod has fixed airflow that can't be adjusted so any variant in the airflow can only be achieved by the bore of the installed coil, the Charon Baby pods house replaceable coils.
___________________________________________________________________
The Coils
As mentioned the coils are replaceable and their are two different coils available both of which are included. We have the pre-installed 0.6ohm mesh coil head and also a Ni80 regular 1.2ohm vertical round wire coil head. The coil head and base section with positive and negative that comes into contact with the device are all in one so the coil doesn't get screwed into the base section as usual, instead a whole new base + coil is installed each time, the coil head with attached base easily pulls out of the bottom of the pod to remove and to install are simply press fitted.
___________________________________________________________________
Installing The Pod
Looking inside the pods deep bay we can see the positive and negative Gold plated, spring loaded contacts to one side and to the other side the small opening to the membrane switch with metal surround. We have a magnet in each corner to secure the pod which should give a very secure fit but whether the coating i described on the metallic base of the pod is weakening the magnetic pull i'm not sure but the pod has plenty of play and can be removed with no effort at all.
To be honest because the pod doesn't come out during vaping and the contacts stay connected giving a good vape how loose the pod is doesn't concern me as it constantly needs removing anyway to check your juice level, but the side to side play did bug me slightly at times.
___________________________________________________________________
The Lanyard/USB Charging
You receive a rather nice Lanyard that doubles up as your charging cable but as i have never ever seen a single person using a lanyard with a vaping device (despite them being regularly included) i don't think this will convert people, but still it's a nice touch and well thought out. But wait, it's also a tape measure now this is quite neat!
Taking the plastic end piece off which clips on and off reveals both ends to your type C USB cable which can then be used to charge the device. Charging took approximately an hour which is acceptable and it does support pass through although this will slightly alter the charge time as charging pauses when taking a draw.
When charging the device shows charging indication by how the LED behaves, the indications are:
Red Blinking 5% - 30%
Blue Blinking 30% - 60%
White Blinking 60% - 95%
Solid White 95% - 100%
___________________________________________________________________
Using The Charon Baby
The Charon Baby is a very simple draw activated device that has no settings or physical button so you simply take a draw to vape.
The device auto detects which of the coils is installed and then delivers the appropriate constant wattage output for that coil. With the 0.6 mesh coil installed it gives 15W constant output and when the 1.2ohm coil is installed the constant output is 10W.
The device does give battery status indication and when i first saw it had four levels i thought great! but then realised that was only for charging and it has the usual 3 levels we see on most of these types of devices, the indications are the following:
Red 5% - 30%
Blue 30% - 60%
White 60% - 100%
The LED also flashes when a safety protection kicks in, protections include:
Over time protection (8 seconds)
Short circuit protection
Low power protection
___________________________________________________________________
My Experience Using The Charon Baby
I wish the pods fitted more securely in the device and there was a viewing window to see your liquid as it is a pain needing to pull the pod out to check the juice level, if there was a viewing window then the pods being tinted would be another con but as this isn't the case it's a non issue because with the pod pulled out the liquid can be clearly seen inside the pod. For the size of the device i found the battery life very good with the 1.2ohm coil and also acceptable when using the 0.6ohm coil, also an hour to charge is par for a 750mAh battery so no issues there.
Having the separate air pipe down to the membrane switch makes the device very responsive and the constant output gives a reliable vape. When it comes to the draw i wouldn't recommend this to either a DL vaper or to someone trying to quit cigarettes as it covers everything in-between which actually will suit many who like the loose MTL style. The 0.6 mesh coil does give a DL draw but it's very restrictive and i found it much better as a very loose MTL, the 1.2ohm coil is tighter due to the narrower bore in the coil head but doesn't quite give a tight enough draw for someone quitting the stinkies as it's more of a medium looseness.
The LED indicator lights up when you take a draw to show battery status, i could easily see the light while vaping and it's both a good size and bright.
When it comes to possibly the most important areas like the Battlestar Baby the Charon Baby is a winner (no surprise as the pods and coils are identical), the flavour i have been getting from both coil heads has been fantastic, which is giving the best flavour? it really is too close to call. Again when it comes to longevity i didn't know if i got lucky with the coils i received with the Battlestar version and lightning i doubt would strike twice so can confirm they last twice as long as i would consider acceptable.
I tend to describe a device and say how i personally found it but fall short of saying whether i would recommend it as i believe vapers should seek out as many reviews as possible and also do their own research to come to a decision. Occasionally though i break this rule so if you like your looser MTL draw just based on the flavour and longevity of the coil heads alone i have to say i would spend my money on this.
___________________________________________________________________
Likes
Very nice build quality
Durable quality finish
Colourful CPR Designs
Portable
Fair battery life
Auto detect coil
Constant wattage output (consistent vape)
Switch responsive
Very nice looser MTL draw
Battery status indication nicely spaced out
Simple device
Decent size fill port with silicone bung
Excellent flavour from both coils
Excellent longevity both coils
Replaceable coils
Both 0.6ohm mesh coil and 1.2ohm Ni80 regular coil included
Included Lanyard, also USB cable and tape measure
Type C USB
Charges in about 1 hour
Supports pass through
Cons
Pod doesn't fit very securely (ok during use)
Need to remove pod to see juice level
No settings and can't switch device off
Limited vape range mid MTL draw to Very restricted DL vape (not an ideal DL vape in my opinion)
Fixed airflow
USB port on base
Chassis is fingerprint magnet
I would once again like to thank Jessi for supplying the Charon Baby Pod Kit for the purpose of this review.
https://www.smoant.com/charon-baby-repla...smart-chip
___________________________________________________________________
https://www.smoant.com/charon-baby-repla...smart-chip
Introduction
Smoant are one of the most popular vaping manufacturers especially when it comes to mods and have released some of the most popular devices over the last few years. Here we have their latest pod/AIO offering which is an area they have been more inconsistent until the Pasito. Smoant have two main ranges they are best known for which are the Battlestar and Charon devices. So after the release of the Battlestar Baby Pod Kit which despite it's very simple nature impressed me it's no surprise we now have the Charon Baby Pod Kit which is identical in it's main specs and uses the same pods and coils, so let's see how the Charon Baby stacks up!
___________________________________________________________________
In The Box
Contents:
1 x Charon Baby Mod
1 x Type-C USB cable ( lanyard )
1 x 0.6ohm mesh coil ( pre-installed )
1 x 1.2ohm Ni80 coil
1 x Cartridge
1 x User Manual
1 x Warranty Card
1 x Certificated Card
___________________________________________________________________
Aesthetics and Ergonomics
I received what looks like the retail version which came in a sturdy cardboard box with outer cardboard sleeve but there was a sample sticker which is worth bearing in mind. On the front of the sleeve there is a picture of the device in the colour that matches the colour of the device which is in the box.
I received the Blue version, it's also available in Black and Stainless Steel. The device is rectangular with curved edges and has a very metallic chassis which attracts fingerprints. Front and back we have some very nice designs on panels which have been achieved by using CPR Technology which gives very glossy bright colours with incredible detail but unlike the chassis doesn't attract fingerprints.
Down one edge of the device we have an LED indicator light towards the bottom. The pods mouthpiece protrudes out of the top of the device but the tank section is hidden within the pod bay and we have no viewing window. On the opposite side to the protruding pod we have an opening and another opening on the side to feed through the included lanyard. Moving to the bottom we have a type C USB port which i'm happy about, i just wish it wasn't situated on the base.
Like most small pod/AIO devices it's nice and portable and not sure what the metallic material is but it has more weight to it than expected. The panels have a couple of very nice vibrant designs and the paint finish on the chassis seems high quality and durable, also there is a plain Black option if you prefer solid colours.
___________________________________________________________________
Charon Baby Specs and Features:
Size: 73x44x19mm
Weight: 87g
Battery Capacity: 750mAh
Power output: 10/15 W
Charging: 5V/0.8A
Charging Port: Type-C
Charging Time: 45-60 minute
Powered by a 750mAh built-in battery with long-time endurance
LED indicator: Red 5%-30%, Blue 30%-60%, White 60%-100%
Over time protection (8 seconds)
Short circuit protection
Low power protection
Compatible with 2 types of coil: 0.6ohm mesh coil and 1.2ohm Ni-80 coil
Adopting airflow design and leakproof design to provide cloudy flavour
The Ant Smart Chip that adjusts and delivers automatically the output
Compact size for easy daily carry
CPR technology for colourful and durable stunning finish
Battlestar Baby Pod Specs:
Capacity: 2.0ml
Material: PCTG
Coil: Mesh Coil (0.6ohm, 15W) / Ni80 Coil (1.2ohm, 10w)
Colours: Black, Stainless Steel, Blue
___________________________________________________________________
The Pod/Cartridge
The pod is one piece but is made up of a rectangular top mouth section and lower much larger rectangular tank section which has a capacity of 2ml. The Pod is tinted but with a good look the juice level can be seen, if a quick glance to see your juice level was to cause visibility issues it's a non issue as to see what juice is in the pod it needs removing from the device anyway. You only receive one pod but that's fine because the coils are replaceable and 2 coil heads are included.
On one side of the pod we have a silicone strip with attached fill bung, the bottom edge of the strip acts as a flap that can be easily gripped to lift up to reveal the fill port. The fill port is a good size compared to most pods so as long as you take a bit of care filling can be mess free, the smaller the nozzle the easier and quicker filling is.
Moving to the bottom of the pod we can see the circular positive with negative surround with peek between the two. The base has a metallic casing with some sought of coating, also on the base to one side we have the small opening that leads to the membrane switch.
Moving back up top to the mouthpiece we have your inhale opening and then to one side a much smaller opening, studying the pod you can see this small opening feeds the opening for the membrane switch via a pipe that goes right down to the bottom of the pod. The pod has fixed airflow that can't be adjusted so any variant in the airflow can only be achieved by the bore of the installed coil, the Charon Baby pods house replaceable coils.
___________________________________________________________________
The Coils
As mentioned the coils are replaceable and their are two different coils available both of which are included. We have the pre-installed 0.6ohm mesh coil head and also a Ni80 regular 1.2ohm vertical round wire coil head. The coil head and base section with positive and negative that comes into contact with the device are all in one so the coil doesn't get screwed into the base section as usual, instead a whole new base + coil is installed each time, the coil head with attached base easily pulls out of the bottom of the pod to remove and to install are simply press fitted.
___________________________________________________________________
Installing The Pod
Looking inside the pods deep bay we can see the positive and negative Gold plated, spring loaded contacts to one side and to the other side the small opening to the membrane switch with metal surround. We have a magnet in each corner to secure the pod which should give a very secure fit but whether the coating i described on the metallic base of the pod is weakening the magnetic pull i'm not sure but the pod has plenty of play and can be removed with no effort at all.
To be honest because the pod doesn't come out during vaping and the contacts stay connected giving a good vape how loose the pod is doesn't concern me as it constantly needs removing anyway to check your juice level, but the side to side play did bug me slightly at times.
___________________________________________________________________
The Lanyard/USB Charging
You receive a rather nice Lanyard that doubles up as your charging cable but as i have never ever seen a single person using a lanyard with a vaping device (despite them being regularly included) i don't think this will convert people, but still it's a nice touch and well thought out. But wait, it's also a tape measure now this is quite neat!
Taking the plastic end piece off which clips on and off reveals both ends to your type C USB cable which can then be used to charge the device. Charging took approximately an hour which is acceptable and it does support pass through although this will slightly alter the charge time as charging pauses when taking a draw.
When charging the device shows charging indication by how the LED behaves, the indications are:
Red Blinking 5% - 30%
Blue Blinking 30% - 60%
White Blinking 60% - 95%
Solid White 95% - 100%
___________________________________________________________________
Using The Charon Baby
The Charon Baby is a very simple draw activated device that has no settings or physical button so you simply take a draw to vape.
The device auto detects which of the coils is installed and then delivers the appropriate constant wattage output for that coil. With the 0.6 mesh coil installed it gives 15W constant output and when the 1.2ohm coil is installed the constant output is 10W.
The device does give battery status indication and when i first saw it had four levels i thought great! but then realised that was only for charging and it has the usual 3 levels we see on most of these types of devices, the indications are the following:
Red 5% - 30%
Blue 30% - 60%
White 60% - 100%
The LED also flashes when a safety protection kicks in, protections include:
Over time protection (8 seconds)
Short circuit protection
Low power protection
___________________________________________________________________
My Experience Using The Charon Baby
I wish the pods fitted more securely in the device and there was a viewing window to see your liquid as it is a pain needing to pull the pod out to check the juice level, if there was a viewing window then the pods being tinted would be another con but as this isn't the case it's a non issue because with the pod pulled out the liquid can be clearly seen inside the pod. For the size of the device i found the battery life very good with the 1.2ohm coil and also acceptable when using the 0.6ohm coil, also an hour to charge is par for a 750mAh battery so no issues there.
Having the separate air pipe down to the membrane switch makes the device very responsive and the constant output gives a reliable vape. When it comes to the draw i wouldn't recommend this to either a DL vaper or to someone trying to quit cigarettes as it covers everything in-between which actually will suit many who like the loose MTL style. The 0.6 mesh coil does give a DL draw but it's very restrictive and i found it much better as a very loose MTL, the 1.2ohm coil is tighter due to the narrower bore in the coil head but doesn't quite give a tight enough draw for someone quitting the stinkies as it's more of a medium looseness.
The LED indicator lights up when you take a draw to show battery status, i could easily see the light while vaping and it's both a good size and bright.
When it comes to possibly the most important areas like the Battlestar Baby the Charon Baby is a winner (no surprise as the pods and coils are identical), the flavour i have been getting from both coil heads has been fantastic, which is giving the best flavour? it really is too close to call. Again when it comes to longevity i didn't know if i got lucky with the coils i received with the Battlestar version and lightning i doubt would strike twice so can confirm they last twice as long as i would consider acceptable.
I tend to describe a device and say how i personally found it but fall short of saying whether i would recommend it as i believe vapers should seek out as many reviews as possible and also do their own research to come to a decision. Occasionally though i break this rule so if you like your looser MTL draw just based on the flavour and longevity of the coil heads alone i have to say i would spend my money on this.
___________________________________________________________________
Likes
Very nice build quality
Durable quality finish
Colourful CPR Designs
Portable
Fair battery life
Auto detect coil
Constant wattage output (consistent vape)
Switch responsive
Very nice looser MTL draw
Battery status indication nicely spaced out
Simple device
Decent size fill port with silicone bung
Excellent flavour from both coils
Excellent longevity both coils
Replaceable coils
Both 0.6ohm mesh coil and 1.2ohm Ni80 regular coil included
Included Lanyard, also USB cable and tape measure
Type C USB
Charges in about 1 hour
Supports pass through
Cons
Pod doesn't fit very securely (ok during use)
Need to remove pod to see juice level
No settings and can't switch device off
Limited vape range mid MTL draw to Very restricted DL vape (not an ideal DL vape in my opinion)
Fixed airflow
USB port on base
Chassis is fingerprint magnet
I would once again like to thank Jessi for supplying the Charon Baby Pod Kit for the purpose of this review.
https://www.smoant.com/charon-baby-repla...smart-chip
___________________________________________________________________
