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I missed out on this one for the front end reviews but Innokin kindly sent me a kit to review.
https://www.innokin.com/coolfire-z80
You can read @ForestMagpie 's excellent review here:
https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/reviews/mods/innokin-coolfire-and-zenith-ii.html
Intro
So Innokin have been on fire developing some superb MTL kits over the past year, for me they have just been getting better and better, I didn't think they could beat the Sensis kit as that was close to perfection for me, however that was essentially a pod kit (even though it didn't look like one) so is the Coolfire Z80 the answer for those that prefer the traditional mod & tank?
Specs
Unboxing
Innokin are continuing their planet friendly packaging, I often contradict myself in other reviews where I love a nice box (oooer missus) but it was great to see a less guilty recyclable bundle.
Apart from the hardware the rest is all made from recycled paper and cardboard, naturally this can also be recycled and there's no reason to cling onto the box, I'm no tree hugger and I am a weapon of mass consumption but I really do try to minimise my impact when possible so well done Innokin for this welcome contribution.
The included extras are just right, a good quality USB-C cable, 2 different coils, the tank and an optional RDL drip-tip (all wrapped in paper).
Z80 Mod First Impressions
As soon as I picked up the Z80 I felt like I had something rather classy and high quality in my paws, the main body has a classic look to it and sculpted to near perfection, perhaps perfection sounds too far but that was the feeling I got when admiring the mod, all the little assembly details stand out with the torx screw heads showing which is something I like to see in mods.
The leather wrap has a slight sheen to it on the white version which makes it more grot resistant and feels really smooth and comfortable in your grip, it looks so much nicer in real life than in photos, I'm sure there are many like myself that are getting a little bored with the leather wraps but Innokin have freshened things up with a different twist on this, the other kit they sent had a suede look and feel to it which felt quite novel.
Popping a battery in was strangely satisfying, the little catch is very well done and the threading feels smooth, it just felt less fiddly than some others I have tried, the orientation marking is clear on the inside with a red cross on white.
Zenith 2 Tank First Impressions.
I'm not quite sure what to make of the tank, it certainly has that sub-ohm look, feel and size to it and quite blocky in style, it strips down easily into 3 everyday components and strips down further into 6 components for easier cleaning which is ideal.
For those of us unlucky enough to suffer TPD's ludicrous 2ml rules the 'glass' section is a thickened clear plastic which makes the 24mm tank size all seem a bit silly, 2ml in such a large tank is a bit pointless, replacing this is the first thing on my list to improve it.
TPD rules still piss me off, did they limit cigarettes down to 2 per pack? nope, they just decided to punish us that try to quit smoking - rant over.
It takes Innokin's Z coil series which are threaded but they are a press fit on the Zenith 2 but the threading makes them still fit into older Z-series tanks.
You get 2 options included; the 0.8 Ohm is more suited to MTL or RDL at a push and the 0.3 Ohm offers a slightly restrictive DL right down to an adjustable RDL draw.
There are plenty of other options to choose from in the Z Coil range:
The top-fill is quite novel as it rotates to reveal the filling port which makes it so much more convenient and mess free to fill it up, the TPD 'glass' gets slightly in the way with some short-fills so removing the drip-tip makes it easier.
The included drip-tips aren't to my liking, the 'ultem' MTL one is very comfortable and the bore is just right, it has that cigarette size and feel to it, I just didn't like the colour, the DL/RDL tip is just bland, black and ugly, again it does the job but just looks and feels cheap, I did end up using the MTL one during the review period as I liked the way it feels but I swapped it over to a nicer looking one, thankfully it has a standard 510 fitting.
(Innokin - if you're reading this, employ a drip tip expert).
Controls
I'm not going to waffle on too much about all the features that the Z80 mod offers as it has been covered in other reviews but I will mention the most useful ones later.
The screen is reasonably bright but a bit tricky to see in bright sunshine, I found it really clear to read and even more clear when you turn off 'Advanced' mode which dumbs down the display.
The F Zero (4th Gen Vaping Technology) might seem daunting to new users but rewarding as you suss it out as you can really tailor your vape and it helps prolong the coil life, I am all for that and I use it all the time now, you don't have to use this feature as it is good right out of the box but it's easy to do and Innokin provide guide settings:
I go into this feature further in my Sensis review if you want to know more:
https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/reviews/pod-systems/innokin-sensis-find.html
Operation and Ergonomics
With the battery and tank fitted the Z80 kit really comes together, I love how it feels in the hand, perhaps a little heavy for some but I wouldn't call it too heavy, it just has a quality weighty feel to it if that makes any sense, the balance feels perfect and the button positioning feels natural, I never found the need to lock the adjustment buttons, you simply don't notice them in your hand.
All the edges have been smoothed off and the leather wrap makes this feel so natural to hold and fire, the shape always makes the fire button intuitive to find and fire, even if I tried to nit-pick I simply have no complaints with the ergonomics whatsoever.
Though there are a few hidden features I didn't find the need to adjust anything, it all worked right off the bat with both coils, naturally I had a tinker with the F Zero settings but going back to defaults was no hardship this makes the Z80 great for novices and experienced users.
Performance
Since I am already a very satisfied Sensis user I did wonder if the vape was going to be much different, to my genuine surprise; it was indeed, more to the point it was better! The Z Coils appear to be what makes the difference, the larger coils really come alive with the F Zero function enabled and you notice the frequency adjustments more, rather than a faff I did enjoy messing around with the F Zero and the results were rewarding, with the added bonus of prolonging the coil life I'm even more of a fan of this feature, I have been properly hammering the 0.8 Ohm coil which I would have killed by now in another mod/tank.
As for the vape quality, it is on par with the Endura T22 Pro which impressed me a lot for the flavour and tight draw for MTL but you can adjust the airflow on the Zenith 2 tank so it is even better, the flavour, smooth airflow is right up there with the very best stock coil MTL kits.
Using the 0.3 Ohm Z coil was quite surprising, I was expecting a good RDL but it actually gave a decent DL draw, slightly restrictive but not enough to say it is only RDL, that said I soon set it up for RDL as I preferred it that way, this kit should suit most vapers and you can happily swap between styles, there aren't many kits I could say does that.
The biggest gripe I had at this point was the poxy TPD 2ml capacity, I was forever filling the tank up and I found it annoying, do yourself a favour if you order this kit, try and get a proper glass section for it as it will make all the difference, it wasn't so bad with the 0.8 ohm coil but still an annoyance.
Battery life using a Molicell P26A was reasonable, using the 0.8 Ohm coil at 15w it easily lasted a full day, the 0.3 Ohm lasted me longer than I expected, at 35 watts I was getting a good 6 hours of exclusive use before I felt it needed recharging, I would 5 hours of use was a happy medium to prolong your battery health.
You might find the above different for you, shorter or longer but I tend to hammer kits exclusively when reviewing so it should be a good average, charging time was decent as it uses type-C fast charging at 1.7amps, I tend to recharge my batteries in a dedicated charger but I'm quite happy charging it within the mod at this speed, the charging shows a percentage and an animation, it would have been nice if it had a time remaining but you can estimate easily enough.
Compared to the Z50
I wrongly assumed that the Z80 would be an upgraded Z50, this was so far from the truth, for me the Z80 is a clear replacement as it is so much better in every way.
As much as I loved this little device I did find it a little disappointing in the performance, the flavour was superb but the coil life left a lot to be desired and the battery life wasn't great, you can see the inspiration for the Zenith tank but I'm not quite sure that the larger 24mm size suits the Z80, certainly not if you're stuck with the same 2ml capacity.
The strange part was the size in the hand, the Z80 is larger but not as noticeable when you are using it, the tank is noticeable though, that blocky shape suits a smaller tank but looks a little odd when enlarged. but the bottom line is my Z50 is redundant now, not furloughed, REDUNDANT - off ya pop Z50, hello Z80!
Conclusion
Without a doubt the main quality of the Coolfire Z80 kit is the vape quality, it has it all, smooth airflow, flavour and extended coil life, the mod is a thing of beauty and performs really well, the F0 makes quite a difference and I am curious to try it with an RTA, the Zenith 2 tank is a bit of an acquired taste, it performs really well but it looks a little blocky for my taste, especially the top which is unfortunate as that is the main thing you see while vaping.
If you are happy with the tanks looks then I think you will love this kit all round, it's one of those kits that's a good all-rounder from MTL to DL, for me this will be one of my MTL setups, even if Innokin manage to out-do themselves with future tanks then the mod will still look great and it's pretty future proof.
Pros
I'm going to leave this as all I have are subjective niggles:
Niggles
24mm Zenith 2 is an acquired taste.
Likewise for the drip-tips.
2ml in a 24mm tank - but that's those TPD killjoys fault.
Final Thoughts
I always take time to ponder the cons at the end of a review, in all faith I really couldn't find one that would come close to a deal-breaker, I had to put my thoughts aside for the tank as a neighbour pointed out how he likes the industrial looking tank (I replied "like an oil barrel?") All in all I am very happy with the Z80 kit, the quality of the vape negates my niggles and this kit jumps up into my main vape rotation (possibly replacing my Sensis!).
I popped it on charge while I was finishing off this review and I'm missing it, that convinced myself how much I like this kit.
https://www.innokin.com/coolfire-z80
You can read @ForestMagpie 's excellent review here:
https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/reviews/mods/innokin-coolfire-and-zenith-ii.html
Intro
So Innokin have been on fire developing some superb MTL kits over the past year, for me they have just been getting better and better, I didn't think they could beat the Sensis kit as that was close to perfection for me, however that was essentially a pod kit (even though it didn't look like one) so is the Coolfire Z80 the answer for those that prefer the traditional mod & tank?
Specs
- Battery External 18650 battery
- Wattage range 6-80W adjustable
- Voltage range 1-7.5V adjustable
- Cut off time 3-18s adjustable
- Tank Zenith II
- Max. output current 28.5A
- Resistance range 0.1Ω-3.5Ω
- Body material Zinc-alloy
- Thread type 510 thread
- Charging current 5V/1.7A
- Device dimensions Without tank: 83.55 x 38.30 x 27.60mm
- With tank 131.75 x 38.3 x 27.6mm
Unboxing
Innokin are continuing their planet friendly packaging, I often contradict myself in other reviews where I love a nice box (oooer missus) but it was great to see a less guilty recyclable bundle.
Apart from the hardware the rest is all made from recycled paper and cardboard, naturally this can also be recycled and there's no reason to cling onto the box, I'm no tree hugger and I am a weapon of mass consumption but I really do try to minimise my impact when possible so well done Innokin for this welcome contribution.
The included extras are just right, a good quality USB-C cable, 2 different coils, the tank and an optional RDL drip-tip (all wrapped in paper).
Z80 Mod First Impressions
As soon as I picked up the Z80 I felt like I had something rather classy and high quality in my paws, the main body has a classic look to it and sculpted to near perfection, perhaps perfection sounds too far but that was the feeling I got when admiring the mod, all the little assembly details stand out with the torx screw heads showing which is something I like to see in mods.
The leather wrap has a slight sheen to it on the white version which makes it more grot resistant and feels really smooth and comfortable in your grip, it looks so much nicer in real life than in photos, I'm sure there are many like myself that are getting a little bored with the leather wraps but Innokin have freshened things up with a different twist on this, the other kit they sent had a suede look and feel to it which felt quite novel.
Popping a battery in was strangely satisfying, the little catch is very well done and the threading feels smooth, it just felt less fiddly than some others I have tried, the orientation marking is clear on the inside with a red cross on white.
Zenith 2 Tank First Impressions.
I'm not quite sure what to make of the tank, it certainly has that sub-ohm look, feel and size to it and quite blocky in style, it strips down easily into 3 everyday components and strips down further into 6 components for easier cleaning which is ideal.
For those of us unlucky enough to suffer TPD's ludicrous 2ml rules the 'glass' section is a thickened clear plastic which makes the 24mm tank size all seem a bit silly, 2ml in such a large tank is a bit pointless, replacing this is the first thing on my list to improve it.
TPD rules still piss me off, did they limit cigarettes down to 2 per pack? nope, they just decided to punish us that try to quit smoking - rant over.
It takes Innokin's Z coil series which are threaded but they are a press fit on the Zenith 2 but the threading makes them still fit into older Z-series tanks.
You get 2 options included; the 0.8 Ohm is more suited to MTL or RDL at a push and the 0.3 Ohm offers a slightly restrictive DL right down to an adjustable RDL draw.
There are plenty of other options to choose from in the Z Coil range:
The top-fill is quite novel as it rotates to reveal the filling port which makes it so much more convenient and mess free to fill it up, the TPD 'glass' gets slightly in the way with some short-fills so removing the drip-tip makes it easier.
The included drip-tips aren't to my liking, the 'ultem' MTL one is very comfortable and the bore is just right, it has that cigarette size and feel to it, I just didn't like the colour, the DL/RDL tip is just bland, black and ugly, again it does the job but just looks and feels cheap, I did end up using the MTL one during the review period as I liked the way it feels but I swapped it over to a nicer looking one, thankfully it has a standard 510 fitting.
(Innokin - if you're reading this, employ a drip tip expert).
Controls
I'm not going to waffle on too much about all the features that the Z80 mod offers as it has been covered in other reviews but I will mention the most useful ones later.
The screen is reasonably bright but a bit tricky to see in bright sunshine, I found it really clear to read and even more clear when you turn off 'Advanced' mode which dumbs down the display.
The F Zero (4th Gen Vaping Technology) might seem daunting to new users but rewarding as you suss it out as you can really tailor your vape and it helps prolong the coil life, I am all for that and I use it all the time now, you don't have to use this feature as it is good right out of the box but it's easy to do and Innokin provide guide settings:
I go into this feature further in my Sensis review if you want to know more:
https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/reviews/pod-systems/innokin-sensis-find.html
Operation and Ergonomics
With the battery and tank fitted the Z80 kit really comes together, I love how it feels in the hand, perhaps a little heavy for some but I wouldn't call it too heavy, it just has a quality weighty feel to it if that makes any sense, the balance feels perfect and the button positioning feels natural, I never found the need to lock the adjustment buttons, you simply don't notice them in your hand.
All the edges have been smoothed off and the leather wrap makes this feel so natural to hold and fire, the shape always makes the fire button intuitive to find and fire, even if I tried to nit-pick I simply have no complaints with the ergonomics whatsoever.
Though there are a few hidden features I didn't find the need to adjust anything, it all worked right off the bat with both coils, naturally I had a tinker with the F Zero settings but going back to defaults was no hardship this makes the Z80 great for novices and experienced users.
Performance
Since I am already a very satisfied Sensis user I did wonder if the vape was going to be much different, to my genuine surprise; it was indeed, more to the point it was better! The Z Coils appear to be what makes the difference, the larger coils really come alive with the F Zero function enabled and you notice the frequency adjustments more, rather than a faff I did enjoy messing around with the F Zero and the results were rewarding, with the added bonus of prolonging the coil life I'm even more of a fan of this feature, I have been properly hammering the 0.8 Ohm coil which I would have killed by now in another mod/tank.
As for the vape quality, it is on par with the Endura T22 Pro which impressed me a lot for the flavour and tight draw for MTL but you can adjust the airflow on the Zenith 2 tank so it is even better, the flavour, smooth airflow is right up there with the very best stock coil MTL kits.
Using the 0.3 Ohm Z coil was quite surprising, I was expecting a good RDL but it actually gave a decent DL draw, slightly restrictive but not enough to say it is only RDL, that said I soon set it up for RDL as I preferred it that way, this kit should suit most vapers and you can happily swap between styles, there aren't many kits I could say does that.
The biggest gripe I had at this point was the poxy TPD 2ml capacity, I was forever filling the tank up and I found it annoying, do yourself a favour if you order this kit, try and get a proper glass section for it as it will make all the difference, it wasn't so bad with the 0.8 ohm coil but still an annoyance.
Battery life using a Molicell P26A was reasonable, using the 0.8 Ohm coil at 15w it easily lasted a full day, the 0.3 Ohm lasted me longer than I expected, at 35 watts I was getting a good 6 hours of exclusive use before I felt it needed recharging, I would 5 hours of use was a happy medium to prolong your battery health.
You might find the above different for you, shorter or longer but I tend to hammer kits exclusively when reviewing so it should be a good average, charging time was decent as it uses type-C fast charging at 1.7amps, I tend to recharge my batteries in a dedicated charger but I'm quite happy charging it within the mod at this speed, the charging shows a percentage and an animation, it would have been nice if it had a time remaining but you can estimate easily enough.
Compared to the Z50
I wrongly assumed that the Z80 would be an upgraded Z50, this was so far from the truth, for me the Z80 is a clear replacement as it is so much better in every way.
As much as I loved this little device I did find it a little disappointing in the performance, the flavour was superb but the coil life left a lot to be desired and the battery life wasn't great, you can see the inspiration for the Zenith tank but I'm not quite sure that the larger 24mm size suits the Z80, certainly not if you're stuck with the same 2ml capacity.
The strange part was the size in the hand, the Z80 is larger but not as noticeable when you are using it, the tank is noticeable though, that blocky shape suits a smaller tank but looks a little odd when enlarged. but the bottom line is my Z50 is redundant now, not furloughed, REDUNDANT - off ya pop Z50, hello Z80!
Conclusion
Without a doubt the main quality of the Coolfire Z80 kit is the vape quality, it has it all, smooth airflow, flavour and extended coil life, the mod is a thing of beauty and performs really well, the F0 makes quite a difference and I am curious to try it with an RTA, the Zenith 2 tank is a bit of an acquired taste, it performs really well but it looks a little blocky for my taste, especially the top which is unfortunate as that is the main thing you see while vaping.
If you are happy with the tanks looks then I think you will love this kit all round, it's one of those kits that's a good all-rounder from MTL to DL, for me this will be one of my MTL setups, even if Innokin manage to out-do themselves with future tanks then the mod will still look great and it's pretty future proof.
Pros
- Z80 mod design looks and feels high end.
- F0 function works well.
- Ergonomic.
- High quality construction.
- Z Coils with a longer lifespan.
I'm going to leave this as all I have are subjective niggles:
Niggles
24mm Zenith 2 is an acquired taste.
Likewise for the drip-tips.
2ml in a 24mm tank - but that's those TPD killjoys fault.
Final Thoughts
I always take time to ponder the cons at the end of a review, in all faith I really couldn't find one that would come close to a deal-breaker, I had to put my thoughts aside for the tank as a neighbour pointed out how he likes the industrial looking tank (I replied "like an oil barrel?") All in all I am very happy with the Z80 kit, the quality of the vape negates my niggles and this kit jumps up into my main vape rotation (possibly replacing my Sensis!).
I popped it on charge while I was finishing off this review and I'm missing it, that convinced myself how much I like this kit.
