4stars

Uwell Caliburn Prime Review

Caliburn is one of Uwell’s most popular product brands, so it’s not surprise that they have been milking it ever since the original Caliburn pod system proved such a big success. We’ve seen the Caliburn Koko, the Caliburn G, and now we have the Caliburn Koko Price. Luckily, these are not just more of the same, but considerably improved versions of the pod system that started it all. So let’s see what Uwell did with the Koko Prime, shall we?

Caliburn Koko Prime Specifications

Dimensions: 68 mm x 45.6 mm x 16 mm
Weight: 48g
Material: PCTG, PC+ABS
Battery: 690mAh (non-removable)
Power: 15W maximum
E-liquid capacity: 2 ml

Caliburn Koko Prime Packaging and Presentation

The newest version of the Caliburn comes in a rectangular cardboard box featuring a picture of the pod system with a splatter of colors indicative of its actual design, on the front, and a list of contents and manufacturer information, on the back.

Inside the box, we have the tine vape pod sitting in its own slot in a Styrofoam holder, a smaller box of accessories (a USB Type-C charger, an extra coil-head, and a lanyard), as well as a user manual and warrantee card. It’s your fairly standard starter kit, to be honest, nothing more, nothing less.

Caliburn Koko Prime Design and Build Quality

As you can see in the photos, the new Koko Prime pod system looks a lot like the Caliburn Koko we reviewed a while back. It retains the same general shape, although it’s visibly more beveled this time around, the same refillable pods, and event the large ‘KOKO’ logo. Only there’s a lot more to this little guy than meets the eye.

First, let’s start with the visual changes. The Prime is slightly thicker than the original Koko, a change justified by the increased battery capacity (690mAh compared to 520mAh), and has a differently-shaped mouthpiece that also acts as a cover for the fill port of the pods.

But perhaps the most obvious change is the us of magnetically-attached decorative panels. For example if you get bored with the colorful exterior of the Koko Prime, you can simply detach the metallic panels by inserting a fingernail in that little notch you see in the photos, and simply use the pod system without it, or attach a fresh pair.

We’ve seen magnetic interchangeable panels used on pod system before, like on the Vapelustion Hannya Nano, so it’s not the most innovative feature, but it’s an extra layer of personalization, and that’s always nice. That said, there doesn’t seem to be much diversity in terms of choices, meaning that all the available options seem to feature differently-colored paint splashes.

I don’t love the positioning of the USB charging port on the bottom, which means that you won’t be able to charge the Koko Prime upright, but it is USB Type-C, and that’s definitely a big plus for this type of vaping device.

The truly impressive changes are not visible at first sight, but they make a big difference in terms of performance. The pods still feature that nice little window on the thin side of the pod system where you can check the e-juice level, but, more importantly, they now use replaceable coil-heads. If you’re already familiar with the Caliburn G, this isn’t anything new, but for older Caliburn users, it’s a huge change.

The disposable pods of the original Caliburn were very nice, after all, we’re talking about one of the most popular vape pods in history, but these replaceable coil-heads are sure to please most vapers even more, as they drastically bring down the cost of vaping in the long-term, plus they open up more options.

The Caliburn Koko Prime comes with two 1Ω round-wire MTL coil-heads, but you can also try the device with an excellent 0.8Ω mesh coil-head, as a separate purchase. Why Uwell didn’t include one of each coil in the kit, I couldn’t tell you

The Prime version also features an ingenious airflow control system, which, while not the most impressive, definitely works. On the bottom of the pod, next to the coil-head, you’ll see a small air hole. Depending on how you insert the pod into the battery unit, you will get less, or more airflow when you vape. There is another small air slot on the thin side of the Koko Prime which connects to the hole on the bottom of the pod, and the further one is from the other, the more restricted the draw will be.

As I said, the Caliburn Koko Prime doesn’t have the most advanced airflow control system, but it does work, and any sort of airflow control on this rudimentary pod system is a plus.

Uwell Caliburn Koko Prime Battery Life and Performance

When it comes to battery life, the Caliburn Koko Prime is a big improvement over the original Koko, for only a minimal increase in thickness. It’s still a thin, very compact pod system, only with an extra 170 mAh battery capacity. Plus, this newer version features fast-charging via the USB Type-C interface.

In terms of performance, while I was a fan of the first Caliburn Koko, I have to admit that the Prime is definitely better, if only for that simplistic but effective airflow control system. I’m a fan of MTL when it comes to these tiny pod systems, and the Koko Prime works great as a mouth-to-lung device. If you’d like an airier vape, just flip the orientation of the pod, and maybe invest in a compatible mesh coil-head as well.

I’ve only been using the Caliburn Koko Prime for about a week now, but so far I have experienced no issues with it whatsoever, no leaking, no misfires, and definitely no dry hits.

Conclusion

In my review of the first Caliburn Koko, I complained that apart from the different form factor, it basically used the same formula as the original Caliburn, but that definitely can’t be said about the Koko Prime. This is a different beast altogether, one that introduces a series of improvement, both esthetic and functional, so if you were on the fence about which one to choose, I’d say go for the newer one.