Hi Ecigssa members, In this review i take a look at the Cog MTL RTA from Wotofo. The Cog MTL RTA was supplied for the purpose of this review by Antonio from Wotofo.
https://www.wotofo.com/products/wotofo-cog-mtl-rta
Introduction
Over the last 4 years Wotofo have grown into one of the giants in vaping manufacturing bringing us countless popular RDA's and RTA's and a few devices that haven't been too shabby. The Cog is their latest MTL RTA and another collaboration with Matt aka "Suck My Mod" which offers a lightweight transparent design and innovative cog (gear) driven airflow design. MTL vapers would of been eyeing the Cog up ever since it's marketing first appeared so let's give it a look!
___________________________________________________________________
In The Box
Contents:
1* COG MTL RTA
2* 2.5mm Thick Cotton Strips
1* Dual Core Fused Clapton Coil 0.8ohm
1* Single-Strand Coil 1.2ohm
1* Cross Head Screwdriver
1* Bag O-rings
1* User Manual
___________________________________________________________________
Aesthetics
The Cog MTL RTA came in the usual Black and Woofo Green packaging with clear lid so the product can be fully viewed before opening, i received the Black version, the options are Black, SS, Gunmetal, Gold, Blue and Rainbow.
The RTA's construction involves a lot of plastic making it extremely lightweight and has a cheap almost semi-disposable feel to it but that is in contrast to it's looks which i actually like reminding me slightly of one of my Doggystyle versions. Although it involves a lot of plastic where it matters for durability the threaded areas are metal such as the top-cap threading, also the deck area and chimney.
Up top we have a curved style MTL delrin 510 drip tip so you can use your own and the chamber has a nice curved shape to it similar to the "Recurve" sleeve. On the front of the chamber we have the Cog Logo which looks very nice but is over shadowed by large etched safety marks on the rear which i'm sure i'm not the only one that will dislike. I understand the safety marks have to be present but surely they could be smaller.
Moving to the bottom the Cog has a transparent look allowing to see the Gears in action as the airflow is adjusted, we have dual slots (which are not for airflow adjustment) and both an arrow head and markings showing the selected airflow setting.
As mentioned in my opinion the Cog looks great but do wonder about the plastic lightweight approach and how durable over time the gears will be as these also appear to be plastic.
___________________________________________________________________
Cog Specs and Features:
Build Deck Diameter: 22mm
Height: 34mm(Without Drip Tip & 510 Pin)
Tank Capacity: 3ml / 2ml TPD version
Material: Stainless Steel (body) + PCTG (tank tube)
Coil Configuration: Single Coil
Resistance: 0.4-1.8ohm
Resistance of Included Coil: 0.8ohm
Wattage Range: 5-30W
Drip Tip: 510 Delrin Drip Tip
Airflow Type: Bottom Airflow
Insulator Material: German PEEK
Connector Threading: 510 Thread
Colours Available: Black, SS, Gunmetal, Gold, Blue, Rainbow
Included Coil Specs As Given:
1. Dual Core Fused Clapton Coil
Material: Ni80
30G*2+38G Resistance: 0.8ohm
Inner Diameter: 2.5mm
2. Single-Strand Coil
Material: Ni80 28G
Resistance: 1.2ohm
Inner Diameter: 2.5mm
Number of Wraps: 9-wrap contact build
___________________________________________________________________
What You Receive?
A big plus for receiving two different pre-wound coils and cotton (specs listed above) but other than that not a lot! A screwdriver which i used to try and undo the first clamp screw with before tossing it in the bin and a few O-rings and spare clamp screws, that's it! No spare PCTG tube or different drip tip option, normally Wotofo products include a lot but not on this occasion!
___________________________________________________________________
It's Various Parts!
The Cog is made up of a 510 drip tip, central threaded top-cap, PCTG tube (3ml standard, 2ml TPD), chamber and chimney section, and base section including deck. It has a gear airflow system and Gold plated standard 510.
___________________________________________________________________
Filling The Tank
I know there is not much logic to covering this before airflow but the airflow is the interesting part so will keep you in suspense.
The top-cap is very thin and no knurling is present for grip so it can be quite difficult to unscrew. This is a bit of a chalk and cheese RTA for me so although unscrewing the top-cap can be a pain all metal sections including the threading and underside of the top-cap is very well machined.
Once off we have two large fill ports allowing for a quick mess free fill and then screwing the top-cap back in position is no dramas with that silky smooth threading.
___________________________________________________________________
The Airflow
This is were the Cog gets interesting using a gear system directly underneath your coil rather than airflow having to travel from the side of the tank and then upwards, losing pressure on it's journey.
We have two slots on the base which look like adjustable cyclops slots but do not adjust at all, these are just to allow plenty of air to get below where the real adjustable airflow is, underneath the coil. You do turn the section where the slots are situated though and we can see an arrowhead and different sized round indents to show the size of the airflow setting.
As you turn the base section it has inner teeth like a Gear which interlocks with a central gear so any rotation of the base in turn rotates the inner gear which has different sized airflow inlets. The sizes of the airflow inlets are 1.6mm, 1.4mm, 1.2mm, 1.0mm and 0.8mm. As it adjusts to each airflow size as well as the arrowhead pointing at the corresponding setting it also clicks satisfyingly into place.
___________________________________________________________________
The Deck And Build
I used both supplied coils and as i just get a feeling most reviews will show the build using the Fused Clapton i included photos of the Ni80 build although there is no difference in the build it'self and just to mention up to 3.0ID coils will sit great in this.
The Cog has such a user friendly build deck utilising horizontal clamps sitting opposite each other both with a central screw so it doesn't matter which way your coils are wound they will slot in nicely.
Just place your leads on the shelves underneath the loosened clamps and holding your coil in a central position tighten the clamp screws down from above. If needed use a coiling rod or fit for purpose tool to adjust the height and position of the coil then snip your access leads, that's all done!
The deck is raised allowing for a GTA style of wicking so just poke your cotton ends down in the channels without over stuffing, make sure e-liquid can circulate below the cotton.
___________________________________________________________________
My Experience Using The Cog And Thoughts!
I did mention earlier this being a chalk and cheese RTA but personally as i don't mind too much if it's sometimes a pain to unscrew the top-cap, it gives the draw spectrum that i like, the question mark about the durability of the plastic gears could turn out favourable and a leaking issue i had i now have solved, so it's mostly Cheese for me as the Cog has outstanding performance.
The top-cap not being the easiest to grip and get undone is more when i didn't use the tank for a while but actually when in continuous use it wasn't that bad, it seams to tighten and seal tighter the longer it is between fills.
The other issue i had was after using the first day the next morning i found the tank had emptied everywhere and couldn't understand why as the wicking is straightforward and this style of GTA wicking is common and has not given me leaking issues before. So i re-wicked and it was much better for a couple of days with just a bit of leakage and then overnight the tank emptied again.
After another re-wick which turns out like the first wasn't actually needed i noticed during use weeping coming from where the PCTG tube seals to the base so investigated further. The issue is the PCTG tube just sits on the base as the o-ring is that thin it's not the best of seals so the tank needs to be tightened together so tightly else the seal is compromised. The turning of the base to alter the airflow can very easily just slightly loosen the tube which will cause weeping which if isn't noticed and fixed will cause a real mess if left overnight.
Once i found what the cause of the leaking was from then on after changing airflow and taking off or putting the tank on a mod i just made sure the tube was re-tightened and in the last 10 days i have had no leaking whatsoever.
This idea of reducing loss of pressure really seems to work as the flavour from the Ni80 coil was outstanding but then the fused Clapton blew me away. This without doubt has been giving me the best flavour and smoothest airflow i have witnessed from a MTL tank manufactured in China, not saying there are not better ones just none i have tried.
What did surprise me was although the Cog is still what i would class as an authentic MTL tank the draw is not as tight as many MTL vapers might be looking for being more variants of mid to loose draws which for me is perfect.
So performance is great as long as you don't want a tight draw, i love the innovation shown and the sound and feel of the airflow clicking into place but a constant check is needed on the seal between the PCTG tube and base and it's not easy to grip and undo the top-cap!
Before i put my likes and cons i would just like to say thanks for reading and stay safe!
___________________________________________________________________
Likes
Love the look (subjective)
Lightweight
6 Colour options
Very user friendly build deck
Unique Gear direct airflow system
Innovation shown
Airflow settings click satisfyingly in place
Machining of metal parts and threading spot on
Outstanding flavour
Silky smooth airflow
Mid to loose MTL (my cup of tea)
Can use your own 510 drip tip
2 different pre-wound coils included
3ml Capacity (standard version)
Cons
Top-cap hard to grip
Plastic Gears, how durable?
Seal between PCTG tube and base needs regular checking
Doesn't give as tight a draw as some MTL vapers might prefer
Safety marks on chimney an eyesore
No spare PCTG tube
No alternative drip tip
I would once again like to thank Antonio from Wotofo for supplying the Cog MTL RTA for the purpose of this review.
https://www.wotofo.com/products/wotofo-cog-mtl-rta
___________________________________________________________________
https://www.wotofo.com/products/wotofo-cog-mtl-rta
Introduction
Over the last 4 years Wotofo have grown into one of the giants in vaping manufacturing bringing us countless popular RDA's and RTA's and a few devices that haven't been too shabby. The Cog is their latest MTL RTA and another collaboration with Matt aka "Suck My Mod" which offers a lightweight transparent design and innovative cog (gear) driven airflow design. MTL vapers would of been eyeing the Cog up ever since it's marketing first appeared so let's give it a look!
___________________________________________________________________
In The Box
Contents:
1* COG MTL RTA
2* 2.5mm Thick Cotton Strips
1* Dual Core Fused Clapton Coil 0.8ohm
1* Single-Strand Coil 1.2ohm
1* Cross Head Screwdriver
1* Bag O-rings
1* User Manual
___________________________________________________________________
Aesthetics
The Cog MTL RTA came in the usual Black and Woofo Green packaging with clear lid so the product can be fully viewed before opening, i received the Black version, the options are Black, SS, Gunmetal, Gold, Blue and Rainbow.
The RTA's construction involves a lot of plastic making it extremely lightweight and has a cheap almost semi-disposable feel to it but that is in contrast to it's looks which i actually like reminding me slightly of one of my Doggystyle versions. Although it involves a lot of plastic where it matters for durability the threaded areas are metal such as the top-cap threading, also the deck area and chimney.
Up top we have a curved style MTL delrin 510 drip tip so you can use your own and the chamber has a nice curved shape to it similar to the "Recurve" sleeve. On the front of the chamber we have the Cog Logo which looks very nice but is over shadowed by large etched safety marks on the rear which i'm sure i'm not the only one that will dislike. I understand the safety marks have to be present but surely they could be smaller.
Moving to the bottom the Cog has a transparent look allowing to see the Gears in action as the airflow is adjusted, we have dual slots (which are not for airflow adjustment) and both an arrow head and markings showing the selected airflow setting.
As mentioned in my opinion the Cog looks great but do wonder about the plastic lightweight approach and how durable over time the gears will be as these also appear to be plastic.
___________________________________________________________________
Cog Specs and Features:
Build Deck Diameter: 22mm
Height: 34mm(Without Drip Tip & 510 Pin)
Tank Capacity: 3ml / 2ml TPD version
Material: Stainless Steel (body) + PCTG (tank tube)
Coil Configuration: Single Coil
Resistance: 0.4-1.8ohm
Resistance of Included Coil: 0.8ohm
Wattage Range: 5-30W
Drip Tip: 510 Delrin Drip Tip
Airflow Type: Bottom Airflow
Insulator Material: German PEEK
Connector Threading: 510 Thread
Colours Available: Black, SS, Gunmetal, Gold, Blue, Rainbow
Included Coil Specs As Given:
1. Dual Core Fused Clapton Coil
Material: Ni80
30G*2+38G Resistance: 0.8ohm
Inner Diameter: 2.5mm
2. Single-Strand Coil
Material: Ni80 28G
Resistance: 1.2ohm
Inner Diameter: 2.5mm
Number of Wraps: 9-wrap contact build
___________________________________________________________________
What You Receive?
A big plus for receiving two different pre-wound coils and cotton (specs listed above) but other than that not a lot! A screwdriver which i used to try and undo the first clamp screw with before tossing it in the bin and a few O-rings and spare clamp screws, that's it! No spare PCTG tube or different drip tip option, normally Wotofo products include a lot but not on this occasion!
___________________________________________________________________
It's Various Parts!
The Cog is made up of a 510 drip tip, central threaded top-cap, PCTG tube (3ml standard, 2ml TPD), chamber and chimney section, and base section including deck. It has a gear airflow system and Gold plated standard 510.
___________________________________________________________________
Filling The Tank
I know there is not much logic to covering this before airflow but the airflow is the interesting part so will keep you in suspense.
The top-cap is very thin and no knurling is present for grip so it can be quite difficult to unscrew. This is a bit of a chalk and cheese RTA for me so although unscrewing the top-cap can be a pain all metal sections including the threading and underside of the top-cap is very well machined.
Once off we have two large fill ports allowing for a quick mess free fill and then screwing the top-cap back in position is no dramas with that silky smooth threading.
___________________________________________________________________
The Airflow
This is were the Cog gets interesting using a gear system directly underneath your coil rather than airflow having to travel from the side of the tank and then upwards, losing pressure on it's journey.
We have two slots on the base which look like adjustable cyclops slots but do not adjust at all, these are just to allow plenty of air to get below where the real adjustable airflow is, underneath the coil. You do turn the section where the slots are situated though and we can see an arrowhead and different sized round indents to show the size of the airflow setting.
As you turn the base section it has inner teeth like a Gear which interlocks with a central gear so any rotation of the base in turn rotates the inner gear which has different sized airflow inlets. The sizes of the airflow inlets are 1.6mm, 1.4mm, 1.2mm, 1.0mm and 0.8mm. As it adjusts to each airflow size as well as the arrowhead pointing at the corresponding setting it also clicks satisfyingly into place.
___________________________________________________________________
The Deck And Build
I used both supplied coils and as i just get a feeling most reviews will show the build using the Fused Clapton i included photos of the Ni80 build although there is no difference in the build it'self and just to mention up to 3.0ID coils will sit great in this.
The Cog has such a user friendly build deck utilising horizontal clamps sitting opposite each other both with a central screw so it doesn't matter which way your coils are wound they will slot in nicely.
Just place your leads on the shelves underneath the loosened clamps and holding your coil in a central position tighten the clamp screws down from above. If needed use a coiling rod or fit for purpose tool to adjust the height and position of the coil then snip your access leads, that's all done!
The deck is raised allowing for a GTA style of wicking so just poke your cotton ends down in the channels without over stuffing, make sure e-liquid can circulate below the cotton.
___________________________________________________________________
My Experience Using The Cog And Thoughts!
I did mention earlier this being a chalk and cheese RTA but personally as i don't mind too much if it's sometimes a pain to unscrew the top-cap, it gives the draw spectrum that i like, the question mark about the durability of the plastic gears could turn out favourable and a leaking issue i had i now have solved, so it's mostly Cheese for me as the Cog has outstanding performance.
The top-cap not being the easiest to grip and get undone is more when i didn't use the tank for a while but actually when in continuous use it wasn't that bad, it seams to tighten and seal tighter the longer it is between fills.
The other issue i had was after using the first day the next morning i found the tank had emptied everywhere and couldn't understand why as the wicking is straightforward and this style of GTA wicking is common and has not given me leaking issues before. So i re-wicked and it was much better for a couple of days with just a bit of leakage and then overnight the tank emptied again.
After another re-wick which turns out like the first wasn't actually needed i noticed during use weeping coming from where the PCTG tube seals to the base so investigated further. The issue is the PCTG tube just sits on the base as the o-ring is that thin it's not the best of seals so the tank needs to be tightened together so tightly else the seal is compromised. The turning of the base to alter the airflow can very easily just slightly loosen the tube which will cause weeping which if isn't noticed and fixed will cause a real mess if left overnight.
Once i found what the cause of the leaking was from then on after changing airflow and taking off or putting the tank on a mod i just made sure the tube was re-tightened and in the last 10 days i have had no leaking whatsoever.
This idea of reducing loss of pressure really seems to work as the flavour from the Ni80 coil was outstanding but then the fused Clapton blew me away. This without doubt has been giving me the best flavour and smoothest airflow i have witnessed from a MTL tank manufactured in China, not saying there are not better ones just none i have tried.
What did surprise me was although the Cog is still what i would class as an authentic MTL tank the draw is not as tight as many MTL vapers might be looking for being more variants of mid to loose draws which for me is perfect.
So performance is great as long as you don't want a tight draw, i love the innovation shown and the sound and feel of the airflow clicking into place but a constant check is needed on the seal between the PCTG tube and base and it's not easy to grip and undo the top-cap!
Before i put my likes and cons i would just like to say thanks for reading and stay safe!
___________________________________________________________________
Likes
Love the look (subjective)
Lightweight
6 Colour options
Very user friendly build deck
Unique Gear direct airflow system
Innovation shown
Airflow settings click satisfyingly in place
Machining of metal parts and threading spot on
Outstanding flavour
Silky smooth airflow
Mid to loose MTL (my cup of tea)
Can use your own 510 drip tip
2 different pre-wound coils included
3ml Capacity (standard version)
Cons
Top-cap hard to grip
Plastic Gears, how durable?
Seal between PCTG tube and base needs regular checking
Doesn't give as tight a draw as some MTL vapers might prefer
Safety marks on chimney an eyesore
No spare PCTG tube
No alternative drip tip
I would once again like to thank Antonio from Wotofo for supplying the Cog MTL RTA for the purpose of this review.
https://www.wotofo.com/products/wotofo-cog-mtl-rta
___________________________________________________________________
