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REVIEWS
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DEGREE By Benedict Jones
Specifi cations:
- Dimensions: 90.5mm*41.5mm*16.5mm
- Materials: Zinc alloy, polycarbonate
- Battery capacity: 950mAh internal cell - E-liquid capacity: 2ml
- Power output: Variable wattage, range depending on coil
- Charging: 2A Micro-USB fast charging
Construction, fi t and fi nish of the Degree are all top tier. One of the
advantages of the box pod form factor is that it allows for sturdier
designs and Vaporesso hasn’t cut any corners. The chassis is made
of zinc alloy, which gives the device a nice weight and the brushed
fi nish on our review unit is understated but attractive. A resin panel
on one side adds a touch of flair to the aesthetic but doesn’t detract
from the industrial design too much. Tolerances are spot on across
the board.
In terms of user experience the Degree is a basic device but it does
offer more functionality than most pod systems. A stripped-back
Axon chip sits inside, which provides several benefi ts and some
adjustability. Five clicks turns the device on of off and when powered
up, the + and – buttons allow the user to scroll through wattage levels.
Vaporesso have locked the wattage ranges to each coil, meaning you
won’t accidentally burn out a high resistance CCELL pod by setting
the wattage higher than it’s capable of handling. The device can be
refi lled from the top with Vaporesso’s valve system and this works
fantastically.
The feature which will come in handy for most users, though, is
the automatic dry hit prevention. This is an always-on temperature
control that will detect when there isn’t enough e-liquid on the coil
and I’m a big fan of this feature. For new users, it means less burnt-
out pods, which is great. During my testing, this feature was almost
flawless, though I was able to make it activate early when using a
mesh pod and cutting the airflow right down to the smallest possible
setting. This was a slight nuisance but doesn’t happen often enough
to be a major issue.
At the time of writing, there are two pod options for the Degree and
they vape quite differently. The fi rst is a 1.3Ohm CCELL, rated for
7W-12.5W. I found this pod to vape best at the highest recommended
setting, with airflow closed down to a tight MTL draw. It’s a relatively
cool MTL vape, with good flavour production. Coil longevity was
particularly impressive and I was able to run 20mls of moderately-
sweet e-liquid through the pod before it needed to be replaced.
Though a pleasant vape, I would like to see a CCELL with slightly
PROS
- Great build quality
- Great performance from
0.6Ohm mesh pod
- Super quick charging
190 VM26
CONS
- Replacement pods, not coils
- CCELL provides slightly cool
vapour
higher wattage capabilities, to provide a warmer vapour.
The second pod has 0.6Ohm mesh internals and, for me, this was
the clear winner. Rated for 16W-22W, this pod can easily provide an
MTL or direct lung vape, depending on wattage and airflow settings.
I enjoyed it most at 18W, with the airflow closed almost entirely but it
still performs nicely wide open at 22W. I found flavour intensity to be
greater with this pod and coil longevity approximately matches the
CCELL variant.
Herein lies my only gripe with the Degree – it uses replacement pods,
rather than coils. I understand that this decision was made for the
benefi t of new vapers who look for the simplest possible experience
but replacement coils are less expensive and less wasteful than
pods. I sincerely hope Vaporesso intends to launch a cartridge with
replacement coils in the near future.
The 950mAh internal cell performs as you might expect, meaning a
full day’s use with the CCELL pod and about half a day’s use with
the mesh pod, when using higher strength e-liquids. Vaporesso’s 2A
charging means the Degree will charge from flat to full in around 30
minutes so downtime is almost non-existent.
In summary, the Degree is a nicely-built pod system, with excellent
performance. If you don’t mind replacement pods then this is a near
flawless device, though I do think this design choice will put some
users off.