N
F
E
R
REVIEWS
H
D SALT By Benedict Jones
Specifi cations:
- Dimensions: 118mm*22.2mm (height including drip tip)
- Battery capacity: 1500mAh internal cell
- E-liquid capacity: 2ml
- Charging: 1A Micro-USB
Dovpo have been producing hardware for over fi ve years now but
it wasn’t until 2018 that they had their fi rst runaway success with
the Topside series of squonk devices. They’re primarily known for
intermediate and hobbyist-level equipment, so when they announced
a pod system, it came as something of a surprise. Does the D-Salt
stand out from the crowd?
Construction, fi t and fi nish are all excellent here. Make no mistake,
the D-Salt is very large for a pod system, but it capitalises on this
footprint with an all-metal construction that feels very robust. This is
practically a seamless device by design, so the only tolerances to look
at are the threading and drip tip, which are both on point. The glossy
metallic fi nish on our review sample is nicely done, though after a
month of extensive use and abuse there are some small scratches
and areas of wear, but this is hardly surprising as it has been put
through the ringer. The included 510 drip tip fi rmly snaps into place
and allows you to use any other 510, provided it has double o-rings.
In terms of user experience, the D-Salt is surprisingly stripped back
considering its size. Many pod systems and AIOs of this form factor
feature variable power, but in this case, we have a draw-activated,
button-free system, with replacement pods instead of a built-in tank
and coils. I would prefer to see replacement coils as they are less
wasteful and expensive, but that caveat notwithstanding, Dovpo have
executed their pod solution very well. The 2ml pod has a generous
top-fi ll port which hasn’t caused any flooding or over-flow issues
during my tests and the top airflow system means you can’t get the
D-Salt to leak, even if you try.
At the time of writing, only one pod option is available for the
D-Salt; a 0.5Ohm mesh coil. You might expect a restricted lung or
loose MTL draw from this kind of spec, but again, Dovpo subvert
expectations. The pod provides a moderate MTL draw, with warm
PROS
- Great vape quality
- Long battery life
- Very beginner friendly
190 VM25
CONS
- Only one pod included
in the kit
vapour, exceptionally smooth airflow and excellent flavour. The vape
quality here is head and shoulders above most pod systems and
competes handily with the best stock coil MTL tanks, though perhaps
this should be expected from a pod system that is the same size as
a more traditional starter kit. Coil longevity is great, too. I was able
to run 25mls of moderately sweet e-liquid through the pod before a
serious decline in vape quality was noticed.
Battery life is great, as you would expect from a 1500mAh internal
cell. Using 20mg/ml nicotine salt e-liquids, I was able to get 1.5 days’
worth of vaping on a single charge, and the device takes approximately
1.5 hours to charge from flat to full, which is well within acceptable
bounds considering the run time.
In summary, the Dovpo D-Salt is a great performer, though I feel
comparing it with pod systems is slightly disingenuous, considering
the large size of the device. But even when pitted against larger
traditional starter kits, this is one of the best on the market. My only
gripe with the device is that a single pod is included with the kit, which
is always an annoyance. Two should be the bare minimum.