ABOXOO ET001 Electronic Cigarette

Today I have a somewhat unusual review for me. There won’t be any teardown or special tests—mostly just a description, a look around, and my subjective impressions. The subject is an electronic cigarette with a design I’m not used to.


Late last year, I was offered the chance to try a relatively new product: an electronic cigarette where the liquid is “packaged” in a special cartridge. That’s what initially caught my interest, but let’s take things in order and start with a description and overview.

Some time later, I picked up a parcel from the post office. Inside was a neat little white box, with the main technical information printed on the back.


The first thing that catches your eye is how neatly everything is arranged. Each item has its own snug compartment, and nothing rattles around. Basically, the manufacturer set out to win the buyer over from the very start, and I think they succeeded. Obviously, this doesn’t affect the product’s functionality, but it’s a nice touch.


The package includes:
1. ABOXOO ET001 electronic cigarette
2. USB-to-microUSB cable
3. Two cartridges with liquid
4. Instructions in several languages
5. Quality certificate.


Another nice touch: the instructions are entirely in Russian. The translation is a little rough around the edges, but overall it’s fine.


Along with instructions on how to use it, there are also technical specifications:




A charger isn’t included; you only get a cable. Probably the most ordinary item in the package, but it looks neat too.


The cartridges.
This cigarette works on the same principle, but the atomizer is built into the cartridge. To change flavors, you can simply swap one cartridge for another. The advantage is convenience and a lower chance of leaks through the connector. The downside is the price, since you’re paying not just for the liquid, but for each heating element and container as well.


Besides the included “strawberry” and “plain tobacco” flavors, there are also “Mango Smoothie” and “Nutty Tobacco.” They’re sold in packs of four.
Cartridges, pack of 4 of the same flavor, price: 666 RUB - link


Each cartridge comes individually wrapped and sealed with a protective cap, which is genuinely great. Everything is clean, with no strange odors. It’s really convenient and, most importantly, hygienic.


There are a couple of vapor outlets at the top. At the bottom are the contacts and a small (I’d even say microscopic) cap covering the filling hole. Yes, although the cartridges are officially marketed as disposable, you can actually refill them.
A few words about the liquid. It uses nicotine salts, with a stated concentration of 50 mg, though it feels a little lower. Many people will say that’s way too strong, and I’d probably agree. Even though I’m used to smoking quite a lot and am fine with strong cigarettes, I could definitely feel it. I saw an ad somewhere claiming it would help you quit smoking. Well, I don’t know—with a concentration like that...
As I mentioned above, it uses nicotine salts. I’ve tried to get into vaping a few times, tried different liquids and so on, but I liked this one. Mainly because the effect comes on quickly, much like with a regular cigarette, rather than with the delay you get from conventional vaping systems.
There are downsides, though. First of all, you need to be very careful, because it’s easy to overdo it. I also read that it can cause coughing, and I can confirm that. Overall, the sensations are noticeably different.


Without a cartridge, the electronic cigarette looks like a toy, nothing more :)


It’s very compact. To get ahead of myself, after using it for a while I concluded that it really needs a clip so you can attach it to a pocket. Also, although the flat shape may seem unusual to some, it turned out to be very convenient.


Besides black, it’s also available in gray and blue, but that’s a matter of taste.


The cartridge compartment has two spring-loaded contacts. There’s a status indicator next to them. When the device is powered on, it glows white and fades in and out smoothly. At first I thought it depended on how hard you draw, but no—it’s just for looks.


Near the opposite end is a microUSB port for connecting a charger. There’s nothing else—not even a power button. Everything works fully automatically.
Heating starts when you take a puff, but there’s a slight “warm-up” effect: the first puff is noticeably weaker than the ones that follow because the coil is still cold.
The LED indicates not only when the device is active, but also when it shuts off because the battery is depleted and when charging is complete. The way it works isn’t particularly convenient, though.


It’s advertised as having a whole range of useful protections, including short-circuit and overheat protection, automatic shutoff, and voltage regulation. The latter shows up as stable operation right up until the device shuts off automatically.


The specs say it uses a 350 mAh lithium cobalt oxide battery. I won’t pretend to know whether that battery chemistry claim is true, but the capacity seems about right, and may even be higher: charging it took 380 mAh. Charging takes a little over an hour, and the current is no more than 500 mA, so you can charge the vape from pretty much anything. For comparison, I sometimes use another electronic cigarette, and its charging current is over 2 A. Not every charger handles that well.

The description claims that one battery charge is enough to vape one cartridge. That’s not true—it actually lasts about 20% longer :)
Though as the battery ages, it’ll probably end up being just enough.


Install a cartridge, charge the battery, and that’s all you need to get started.


I’m sure some people will say, “This design looks familiar,” and they’d be right. The design and operating principle are borrowed from another, better-known product: JUUL.


While experimenting, I nearly finished one cartridge and started another. Along the way, I noticed a few things:
1. The cartridge doesn’t leak, which is convenient.
2. The flavor is excellent—very pleasant.
3. At first, using a cigarette without a button felt strange. I got used to it in about half a minute, and now it seems like that’s how it should work.
4. The vape definitely needs a clip so you can attach it to a pocket.
5. I contacted the store about the clip and the need for a cap, but later realized you can use the cartridge’s own cap to cover the mouthpiece. For that to work, though, the cap would need a couple of small protrusions inside, and the mouthpiece would need a couple of matching recesses. That would be perfect.


On the left is an almost-used-up cartridge; on the right, one that’s just been unwrapped. You can see that the coil in the new one is mounted perpendicular to the body, unlike in most compact vapes. Whether that’s good or bad, I can’t say.
When I unwrapped the new cartridge, a little liquid had seeped out around the mouthpiece. I wiped it off and didn’t see any more during use.


Now for my conclusions and subjective impressions, compared with the manufacturer’s claims.
Cartridge capacity: listed as 2 mL; I also saw 1.8 mL mentioned elsewhere. I didn’t measure it, but that seems about right.
Battery capacity: rated at 350 mAh. It may well be higher; charging took 380 mAh, though that isn’t a completely reliable measurement.
Charging time: 1 hour. In reality, it takes a little longer—about 10 minutes more.
Charging current: 3 A. No—and it’s a good thing it isn’t. It’s actually 500 mA.
Puffs per cartridge: around 400. I didn’t count, but they say it’s equivalent to two packs of cigarettes. I’d say it’s closer to 1.5 packs, or 300 puffs.
How many times can you use a cartridge? This isn’t entirely clear: does it mean how long the battery lasts or how long the cartridge lasts? If they mean the battery, one charge really does last for one cartridge, with another 20% charge left over. If they mean the cartridge is disposable, you can actually refill it if you want, though it’s not very convenient.


And my overall impressions.
Design, controls, and ease of use: probably a 4+. I’d give it a 5, but it’s clearly missing a clip and a proper protective cap for carrying it in your pocket.
Flavor: personally, I’d give it 5 out of 5, but as always, “there’s one catch.” The liquid is quite strong and also takes effect almost immediately. That’s good in one way—you get results right away—but some people may find it unfamiliar, so use it carefully to avoid unpleasant effects.

There are drawbacks, too. The first is the price of the cartridges: a pack of 4 costs about 9 dollars, or a little over 2 dollars each. In practice, the total cost is about the same as regular cigarettes, so if you’re hoping to save money, you won’t—unless you use your own liquids.
Flavor selection: so far, I’ve only seen four options, but I think it’s just a matter of time. I liked both of the ones included in the kit, and I think I’ll try the others.

All in all, my impressions are positive. I almost feel awkward praising it so much—it’s a pretty simple thing, really, but I genuinely liked it.


That’s about it. I hope this information was useful, though I’ll remind you that all of this can harm your health. If you haven’t picked up this harmful habit, don’t start. And if you already have, it’s better to quit. I’ve been smoking for about 30 years myself, and I can say without a doubt that there’s nothing good about it.