SMOK Stick V8 Review

SMOK has hit it out of the park again with the SMOK Stick V8. This brilliant little device is sleek and pocketable, but it’s got a secret weapon that puts it on a level normally reserved for much larger mods. Read our full review of the SMOK Stick V8.

Here at Vapekit we have a wide selection of SMOK Vape Kits! Take a look before you leave and you might find the perfect starter kit!

It would be fair to make an argument that SMOK is the leading manufacturer in the vaping industry today. With the release of the TFV4 sub-ohm tank in 2015, SMOK became the first company to mass produce a tank with a quadruple coil head. The TFV4 quickly became a hit, but SMOK didn’t stop there. In 2016, the SMOK TFV8 became the first mass-produced tank with an octuple coil head. SMOK has continued to produce one successful tank after another, and other manufacturers have found it difficult to catch up. At this point, it’s hard to match the funds that SMOK has available for research and development.

SMOK earned plenty of money from its tanks, enabling the company to double down on its selection of vape starter kits. Virtually every SMOK vaping device is available in a huge variety of colours and comes with one of the best sub-ohm tanks on the market. A device from SMOK is an affordable vaping product that looks great and includes a spectacular tank. How could you choose anything else?

The SMOK Stick V8 is SMOK’s affordable new vape pen for e-cigarette users who want a lot of power in a small, easily pocketable device. Are you a member of the V8’s target audience – and will you like the device if you buy it? Continue reading to see our thoughts.

SMOK Stick V8: Specs and What’s Included

The SMOK Stick is a sub ohm vape pen that aims for simplicity from the start. There’s no lengthy list of features here. There’s no menu system, no adjustable settings and no controls apart from a single fire button. Despite its simplicity, though, the V8 isn’t a device aimed at the beginner market. It deftly straddles the line to please vapers who prefer simplicity and those who want to blow huge clouds. With its small size and simple operation, the Stick V8 is a bit like a mechanical mod. Unlike a mechanical mod, though, this device has all of the safety features that you’d expect in a regulated mod.

In short, if you want a small device that can do big things, the SMOK Stick V8 is probably the e-cigarette for you.

Here’s what you’ll find in the box:

• 3,000 mAh Battery
• TPD-compliant SMOK TFV8 Big Baby tank
• Two dual-coil atomizer heads at 0.15 and 0.25 ohms
• Extra parts
• Instruction manual
• USB cable
• Vape band

Getting Started With the SMOK Stick V8

Preparing the Battery

After opening the box, you’ll want to charge the battery by connecting it to your computer via the included USB cable. Depending on the battery’s state when you receive it, charging may take up to a few hours. You can read the instruction manual while you wait. The SMOK stick V8 battery has a charge capacity of 3,000 mAh, so it’s better than average compared to most single vaping batteries. The SMOK Stick V8 functions almost like a mechanical mod in that it always delivers the full battery voltage to the connected tank or atomizer. On a full charge, the output power is 4.2 volts. When the battery reaches 3.3 volts, it’s time to recharge. The light around the fire button will begin to flash repeatedly when you deplete the battery. Since the V8 isn’t regulated to a single wattage or voltage, you’ll notice that the device’s vapour production drops noticeably as you deplete the battery’s charge. The lack of power regulation features does, however, help to keep the device very inexpensive.

The lack of power regulation features also means that you’ll need to choose carefully if you want to try pairing the SMOK Stick V8 with a different tank or atomizer. SMOK selected the TFV8 coil specifically for this device because the coil’s amperage draw fits well within the device’s capabilities. If you want to try a different tank, you’ll need one with a coil that draws 20 amps or less at 4.2 volts. Luckily, the device’s safety features help to ensure that you won’t make a mistake.

Filling the TFV8 Big Baby Tank

The Big Baby Beast Tank is perfect for those who enjoy vaping at a higher level. This tank holds 5mls of juice and comes with both 0.25-ohm and 0.15 ohm coils to ensure that there are enough options when it comes time for you to upgrade or change your setup! The V8 Baby M2 dual core design provides an amazing vapor production experience, all while still being able to taste flavours as if they were coming from an actual cigarette. This is great news for those of you that are switching right now – we know that switching may be hard.

While the battery charges, you’ll prepare the tank by unscrewing the bottom cap. You’ll see the atomizer coil attached; wet the exposed cotton with a little e-liquid to prime the wick. Replace the bottom cap and flip open the top cap. You’ll see the filling hole here; add e-liquid until the tank is almost full. Close the cap and wait several minutes to allow the cotton to saturate. By the time you’re done reading the manual and filling the tank, the battery will likely be charged. Connect the tank to the battery and push the fire button five times quickly. This unlocks the device and turns it on. You can now vape by simply holding the button and inhaling.

Because of its very open airflow, the TFV8 Big Baby tank is poorly suited to mouth-to-lung inhaling. If that’s how you prefer to vape, you should probably consider another device. The open airflow of this device means that it works best for direct-to-lung inhaling.

Over time, the atomizer coil in your TFV8 Big Baby beast tank will start to darken or produce less vapour than it once did. At that point, it’s time to change the coil. You’ll do that in the same way as prepping a new coil. Unscrew the bottom cap of the tank. Twist out the old coil and replace it with a new one. Prime the coil, fill the tank and wait several minutes before vaping.

How Does the TFV8 Big Baby Tank Perform?

In short, the TFV8 Big Baby is one of the best e-cigarette tanks on the market. It’s a big part of why the SMOK V8 Stick works so well. Although the TFV8 Big Baby works with all TFV8 Baby coils, SMOK included the M2 coil specifically because it has the ideal performance characteristics with the SMOK Stick V8. Eight coil heads in all are available for the tank – including a rebuildable head for those who like to build their own coils. The tank makes a gentle “whoosh” sound during vaping and isn’t prone to popping and spitting like some other sub-ohm tanks. The flavour quality is rich, and the vapour production is astronomical for such a small tank. The TFV8 Big Baby is one of the world’s most popular vaping tanks, and it’s unlikely that you’ll ever want to use anything else with your SMOK Stick.

Safety Features

Earlier, we mentioned that this device works a bit like a mechanical mod because it always delivers the full battery voltage to the connected tank or atomizer. The crucial difference is that mechanical mods offer no safety features – and this device has no shortage of features to keep you vaping safely. The first of those features is a built-in status monitor that warns you with a blinking light and shuts the device down if the battery’s charge level is too low. The SMOK Stick V8 also has an eight-second puff timer to prevent overheating and accidental firing.

The most important safety features of the Stick V8 are those that prevent you from using the device unsafely. Would you like to experiment with third-party tanks? No problem. If you connect a coil that would overwhelm the battery’s maximum continuous discharge rate of 20 amps, the device will detect that and refuse to fire. The device will also refuse to fire if you connect a coil with a short circuit – an important feature for those who build their own atomizer coils.

Compatibility With Other Tanks

The SMOK Stick V8 is an innovative new product that has a lot of potential. It’s compatible with many tanks, and use can be limited only by how much juice you want to put in!

While the tank can be replaced, many people opt for keeping the Big Baby Beast Tank because it’s just perfect for this type of vape pen.

SMOK Stick V8 Battery Life Notes

We have tested and we have asked some other SMOK Stick V8 users and the word is in – this starter kit has a great battery life.

These vape pens have a pen-like base that holds the 3000mAh battery as well as the tank. You have to know that there is no power flexibility on this device – it all depends on the charge of this battery. This vape pen performs best will a full battery. This might turn some people off, but you have to know that the charge holds for a long time and with such a powerful battery, the vape pen will hold its sweet spot for so long you won’t notice any change in flavour.

POWER HACK: If you want to adjust the power of the SMOK Stick V8, then choose different replacement coils.

SMOK Stick V8 Review: The Bottom Line

Is the SMOK Stick V8 the right e-cigarette for you? The first step in making that decision is coming to grips with what this device is and isn’t. The SMOK Stick V8 is a simple device that a beginner can use, but it’s not right for you if you want to inhale from the mouth to the lungs as you would with a cigarette. Mouth-to-lung inhaling requires slightly tighter airflow; the TFV8 Big Baby has free, open airflow ideal for direct-to-lung inhaling. If you wanted to use the SMOK Stick V8 for mouth-to-lung inhaling, you’d need to buy a different tank.

Some people may consider the V8’s lack of power regulation a shortcoming. Without power regulation, you will notice decreased vapour production as you drain the battery. That being said, omitting power regulation keeps this device extremely affordable. It’s hard to fault a cheap e-cigarette that only has one button but can still put some large box mods to shame.

Who should buy the SMOK Stick V8, then? This is the ideal device for you if you want an e-cigarette with a compelling combination of high power, small size, safety features and low price. This is an e-cigarette that costs less than a good meal, but there may not be another e cigarette in the world that can match its cloud production capabilities in such a small package. Whether you’re a new vaper, an experienced vaper who wants to upgrade from a smaller e-cigarette or simply someone who needs to own as many unique e-cigarettes as possible, the SMOK Stick V8 is a great choice.

Here at Vapekit we have a wide selection of SMOK Vape Kits! Take a look before you leave!