Today we’re reviewing another vape kit in the Voopoo Vmate product line, their Vmate i2 pod kit. This is an upgrade from their earlier Vmate Infinity, namely with an increased battery capacity. However, it doesn’t have the functionality of the Vmate Max which we’ve just recently reviewed.
The Vmate i2 is a beginner friendly, simple to use auto sensing power output kit that utilizes the range of Vmate pods. Although clearly designed as an entry level vape, the performance far outweighs its simplicity.
Considering the Vmate i2 is an entry level pod device, what’s taken us by surprise is the battery capacity. The earlier Vmate Infinity had a 900mA battery and Voopoo’s flagship Vmate Max with all its bells and whistles has a 1200mA battery. The Vmate i2 on the other hand has a much larger 1500mA battery so should last well over a day between charges.
If you’ve read any of my other reviews, you can breathe a sigh of relief and won’t have to set aside an hour as this one will be reasonably short because of its limited functionality.
As always we will give a quick overview covering the main points and features of the Vmate i2 and then jump into the main body of the review covering everything there is to know about it.
Overview of the Vmate i2
The Vmate i2 is a Mouth-To-Lung (MTL) and Restricted-Direct-To-Lung (RDL) draw activated pod device with an adaptive power output operating up to 30W (pod dependent). The only adjustment on the Vmate i2 is a variable airflow control lever. There are no selective menus or an OLED display other than an elongated color changing LED lightbar that monitors the battery status and provides an indication of the safety prompts.
Powered by an impressive 1500mAh capacity internal rechargeable battery, the Vmate i2 is charged via the Type-C USB charging port, specified as 5V/1.0A, on the bottom of the Vmate i2 body. Charging is not quick (1.5hrs) from the supplied charging cable but it does have pass-through so you can vape while it’s being charged.
The Vmate i2 comes supplied with just one Vmate 0.7 ohm refillable (top fill) pod with either a 2ml/3ml e-liquid capacity depending on your region. The Vmate i2 is compatible with all the Vmate pods which include a 0.4 ohm and 1.2 ohm (sold separately).
It’s an oval flattened tube style device measuring 113.7mm high (including the pod) by 28.5mm wide and 15mm deep with a weight of 55 grams (3ml version). It’s manufactured out of Aluminum Alloy making it feel solid and robust while also very lightweight.
There are a total of 7 different colors available in the Vmate i2 range.
Voopoo Vmate i2 Pod Kit Review
Features and Specifications
·Construction: Aluminium Alloy and PCTG
·Dimensions: 113.7mm (H) Including Pod x 28.5mm (W) x 15 mm (D)
·Weight: 55 grams (Including Pod)
·Charging: Type-C USB 5V/1.0A
·Charging Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
·Resistance Range: 0.4 ohms – 3.0 ohms
·Output Wattage: 5W-30W (pod dependant)
·Output Voltage: 3.2V – 4.2V
·Output Mode: Fixed Adaptive Wattage
·Battery Specification: Internal/Rechargeable 1500mAh Capacity
·Display: 256-color RGB light bar (50mm x 1.5mm)
·E-Liquid Capacity: 2ml/3ml
·Filling Method: Top Side Fill
·Firing Method: Auto Draw Activation
·Coils: Non-replaceable
·Coil Material: Kanthal
·Drip Tip: Duckbill Style Mouthpiece
·Airflow: Adjustable Slider
·Pod Connection: Friction Snap-Fit Top Loaded
·Pod Type: Vmate 0.7 ohm
·Compatibility: All Vmate Pods
·Vape Style: MTL + RDL
·Chipset: GENE AI
·Auto Sensing Optimum Power
·Pass-Through Vaping
·7 Different Colors
·6 Safety Protections
What’s in the Box?
·Voopoo Vmate i2 Device
·Vmate Top Fill 0.7 ohm Pod – pre-installed (* 2ml or 3ml)
·Type-C USB Charging Cable
·User Manual
* Note: Depending on your region, the Vmate i2 kit will include a 2ml (TPD) or 3ml (standard) Vmate Pod. We received the 3ml variant so the photos throughout this review will include that variant.
Packaging of the Voopoo Vmate i2 Pod Kit
The packaging consists of a top opening box with a slide out plastic insert that houses the Vmate i2 with the Vmate 0.7 ohm pod pre-fitted. On the underside of the plastic housing is the Type-C USB charging cable and a sealed polythene sachet that contains the user manual and a friendly tips for pod use information card.
On the front of the box is a photo of the Vmate i2 in the color of the included device together with the branding “Voopoo” and “Vmate i2”. To the right of the photo is a circular emblem that highlights “3X Upgrade; Longevity, Leak-proof and Flavor”. The reverse side of the box details the “Contents”, “Manufacturer’s Details”, “CE/Kitemark” logos and the relevant safety warnings.
The left side of the box highlights “30W Max Output”, “Airflow Adjustment”, “Built-In 1500mAh”, “Adjustable Airflow” and Voopoo’s “QR Code”. The right side displays “Vmate i2”, “Authentication sticker” and the “Color Name” of the device.
The overall dimensions of the packaging box measure 132mm x 58.5mm x 37.5mm.
Preparing to Use the Voopoo Vmate i2 Kit
When you first unbox your Vmate i2 device, it comes pre-fitted with the Vmate 0.7 ohm pod. Before you can use your device, take the pod out and remove the thin film protector from the base plate coil connectors and refit the pod.
Unplug the black silicone rubber e-liquid bung from the side of the Vmate pod, fill with e-liquid, refit the rubber bung and wait for 10-15 minutes before you first use the Vmate i2 to allow the e-liquid to fully saturate the coil/wicking material.
There is no on/off button, no adjustments other than selecting your airflow setting, so once you’re ready to use simply draw on the mouthpiece and enjoy your vape.
Voopoo Vmate i2 Pod Kit Design and Appearance
Vmate i2 Battery/Body
The Voopoo Vmate i2 is constructed out of Aluminium Alloy and measures 92.1mm tall (excluding the pod), 28.5mm wide by 15mm deep and weighs in at 45 grams. When the Vmate (3ml) pod is attached, the overall height is 113.7mm and the combined weight is 55 grams.
It’s a mid-sized flattened tube shape MTL and RDL style draw activated device (no fire button) with variable airflow control, capable of providing up to 30W of power. There are no wattage control adjustments as the Vmate i2 auto detects the resistance of the coil fitted in the Vmate pod being used and sets the optimum wattage for that specific pod.
Powered by a 1500mAh capacity internal rechargeable battery, it’s recharged using the supplied charging cable via the Type-C USB charging port on the bottom of the Vmate i2, specified as 5V/1A. Charging times are fairly slow as you’d expect and will fully charge the Vmate i2 in approximately 1.5 hours. Despite this, the Vmate i2 does have pass-through so you can charge and vape at the same time.
We received the Forest Green color for the purpose of this review which is a satin green, slightly color shaded light to dark finish with a finely detailed subtle chevron type pattern. On the front face of the Vmate i2 is the branding “VOOPOO” that’s screen printed onto the casing, The reverse face of the Vmate i2 has the variable airflow control slider and the branding “Vmate i2”.
When looking at the Vmate i2 face on (airflow slider on the back), the left side edge has a 50mm by 1.5mm elongated multi-color RGB light bar. This will illuminate when you insert the pod or when you draw on the Vmate i2. It helps to monitor the remaining battery charge and provides different flashing sequences for each of the safety prompts.
On the back of the Vmate i2 is a step-less variable airflow control lever which is fully adjustable. In the left position it will be closed (MTL) with 1 very small hole still visible so it doesn’t completely shut the airflow off. Opening the airflow by moving the slider to the right (RDL) opens up 2 larger holes where you can tailor your draw. This lever is very restrictive so it won’t move on its own.
The bottom of the Vmate i2 is flat so it will stand upright but because the surface area is quite small, coupled with the overall height of the Vmate i2, means it isn’t that stable. Slightly indented into the base is the USB-C charging port which has a black silicone rubber insert around the port and across its base making it a non-slip surface.
At the top of the Vmate i2 is the 12mm deep recessed oval opening for the pod to be located which can be fitted either way around. Within the pod recess are two gold plated spring loaded coil contact pins, a circular black auto draw sensor in between the contact pins and a rectangular airflow intake chamber that leads through to the airflow slider lever.
There are NO magnets in the pod recess as the Vmate pod is secured using a push fit latch mechanism on the Vmate pod that fits and secures into the two “U” shaped cut-outs at the top of the Vmate i2 casing.
Inside the pod recess are the “CE” logo and device identification; “VMATE i2”, “1500mAh”, “5.55Wh” and “3.7V” printed below the “U” shaped cut-outs.
As we mentioned earlier, the user interface on the Vmate i2 is the elongated multi-color RGB lightbar. When illuminated it’s quite bright and produces a multi-color cycling effect. Because there are no menu options, this lightbar cannot be turned off. The length of the illuminated bar diminishes as the battery charge drains as follows:
·Fully illuminated bar: Battery capacity between 75%-100%
·3/4 illuminated bar: Battery capacity between 50%-75%
·Half illuminated bar: Battery capacity between 25%-50%
·1/4 illuminated bar: Battery capacity below 25%
These lights do serve another purpose of changing color/flashing for the different safety prompts. We’ve covered the different light effects for these safety prompts in the Functionality section of this review:
·Overtime protection (5 seconds)
·Low battery protection (3.2V)
·Short circuit protection (<0.4 ohms)
·Over temperature protection
·Overcharge protection
·Output over-current protection
There are a total of 7 different colors available in the Vmate i2 range, these include:
·Forest Green (c)
·Dawn Blue (c)
·Rosy (f)
·Ruby Red (f)
·Neon (c)
·Space Grey (c)
·Matte Black (f)
The color we received to test was the Forest Green version. As you can see from the color range photo above, 4 of the different colors have a chevron effect (c) on the Vmate i2 casing while the other colors have a finger print style pattern (f). Both designs are subtle but do add to the overall aesthetics of the device.
Vmate Pod
Only one Vmate pod (0.7 ohm) is supplied with the Vmate i2 pod kit. We received the non-TPD version which have a 3ml e-liquid capacity whereas the TPD version is 2ml. They are top-fill so the pod doesn’t have to be removed from the Vmate i2 in order to fill. The earlier side-fill Vmate pods are compatible with this Vmate i2 device and equally these new top-fill pods are compatible with the other Vmate devices.
The Vmate top-fill pods continue to use the iCOMS CODE technology which improves the overall performance of the pods. They are marketed as 3X upgrade providing rich and intense flavor, 30 days leak-proof and 90ml coil/pod longevity.
When first installing your Vmate pod, make sure you remove the thin plastic film from the base of the pod. The pod comes shipped with this protector so it can’t be accidentally fired during transport, especially before e-liquid has been added.
To stop any confusion, these new Vmate pods are top-fill even though the fill port is on the side of the pod and concealed behind a black silicone rubber plug. Despite this it’s still visible when the pod is fitted. The earlier side-fill pods are not visible and have to be removed to fill.
These pods are manufactured out of lightly tinted (smoked) PCTG material and are clear enough to see your e-liquid level through the pod. Its dimensions are 34.5mm tall by 28.5mm wide and 15.5mm deep and the weight of the pod is 9.5 grams.
The mouthpiece forms part of the overall pod and is duckbill shaped with a 12mm oval opening tapering to a 4mm circular cut out leading down to the top of the coil.
To gain access to the fill port, the silicone rubber bung has an indented arrow on it which identifies the end to open and be lifted away to gain access to the filling port. As with most of these bungs, it does help if you have fingernails to get under the flap otherwise it is a bit tricky.
When the plug is opened, the other end of the silicone rubber flap will remain attached to the pod so it won’t get lost. It can be swiveled to the side to give easier access to the filling hole. This e-liquid fill port is a reasonable size measuring 4.5mm so it’s big enough to accept short stubby e-liquid tip bottles.
On the underside (base) of the pod are 2 very large circular gold plated coil plates and a central air intake channel. Either side of this channel are two circular indents that accommodate the auto draw sensor in the pod recess.
The pod is secured using the two oval ribbed fingerprint moldings on the flat sides of the pod that locate in the “U” shaped cut-outs of the pod recess. Once the pod is placed in the pod recess, press the pod down securely and it will be held in place by these fingerprint ribs.
When it’s fitted, the multi-color light bar will briefly illuminate once in the color green.
Removing the pod is carried out by grasping the oval moldings and pulling away from the Vmate i2 body/battery. It’s a reasonably secure fit and does require a little pressure to remove.
Branding on the pod has “Voopoo” on one side and the “CE” markings on the other side on the lower bottom section of the pod that’s obscured when fitted. The coil resistance (0.7 ohms) is indented into the silicone rubber fill port bung above the directional arrow.
Voopoo Vmate i2 Functionality
The Voopoo Vmate i2 pod kit is as simple and straightforward to use as it gets. It doesn’t have any menu options to worry about, there are no adjustment controls other than the variable airflow control lever and no fire button, not even an on/off switch.
It’s an auto draw device so firing is activated by drawing on the pod. Quite simply all that’s required is ensuring your Vmate i2 is charged, you’ve positioned the airflow lever to the type of draw you want and the Vmate pod contains e-liquid.
When using the Vmate i2 it will automatically detect the coil resistance in the pod and set the power level (wattage) accordingly. The maximum wattage the Vmate i2 is capable of providing is 30W. We believe when using the included 0.7 ohm Vmate pod, the optimum preset power level the Vmate i2 uses is 18W.
The user interface (UI) display on the Vmate i2 is the long multi-colour RGB lightbar that illuminates when the pod is inserted. This cycles in every color of the rainbow when you draw on the device or when the device is being charged and indicates the different levels of protection.
As you draw on the Vmate i2, the length of the cycling RGB lightbar reduces as the battery discharges as follows:
·Full length illuminated bar: Battery capacity between 75% – 100%
·3/4 length illuminated bar: Battery capacity between 50% – 75%
·Half length illuminated bar: Battery capacity between 25% – 50%
·1/4 length illuminated bar: Battery capacity below 25%
Once the battery approaches its low voltage cut-off, the ¼ length color changing lightbar turns to ¼ length “Red” as you draw on the device. Interestingly the lightbar continued to show “Red” for a further 1.5 hours before the battery finally cut off. This is great as once it turns red you know you still have quite a lot of time left to reach a charging point.
The visual display on the multi-colored lightbar for each of the included safety features and each function is detailed below as follows:
Note: The length of the cycling Green lightbar follows that of the battery discharge length but in reverse order:
·Full length Green cycling bar: Battery capacity below 25%
·3/4 length Green cycling bar: Battery capacity between 25% – 50%
·Half length Green cycling bar: Battery capacity between 50% – 75%
·1/4 length Green cycling bar: Battery capacity above 75%
While some of us like flashing or cycling multi-colored lights, there are times we want to be discreet and vape in stealth mode. The lightbar is quite bright so can attract attention and unfortunately there are no options to turn off the lights.
Airflow Control
The airflow control is a step-less design using a slider lever on the back of the Vmate i2 and is completely variable from closed to open. Closed in the left position tightens the draw leaving just a small pin hole to restrict the air intake whereas moving the slider to the right position opens the airflow with 2 larger holes visible.
Voopoo Vmate i2 Performance
Only one Vmate pod is supplied with the Vmate i2 kit; a 0.7 ohm Kanthal mesh top fill pod. It does have an integrated non-replaceable coil so when the coil degrades the pod is disposed of and a new one fitted.
I’ve been using an older Vmate 0.7 ohm pod in my Vmate Max since we reviewed that device several weeks ago and decided to continue using it while reviewing this new Vmate i2 kit. I’ve cycled approximately 120ml of e-liquid through this pod in the Vmate Max and a further 60ml while using it in the Vmate i2 and it’s still performing really well.
Voopoo state the longevity of these pods are good for approximately 90ml of e-liquid passed through the pod before you can notice any drop-off in performance. I’ve cycled in total around 180ml through the Vmate 0.7 ohm pod and I’ve not noticed any significant change in flavor or vapor yet.
As always, when filling the pod for the first time, leave it to stand for 10-15 minutes before you use it to allow the e-liquid to fully saturate the wicking material. Throughout the time I’ve been using this pod there have been no signs of any leaks with just minimal condensation on the coil contact pins. I’ve used a combination of 70VG/30PG and 50VG/50PG ratio e-liquids through the pod with no problems of dry hits or leaking.
Vmate 0.7 Ohm Pod (pre-installed)
Voopoo specify the recommended wattage range for this pod is between 15W – 25W. Obviously this doesn’t come into play as the Vmate i2 is a fixed adaptive wattage device and auto detects the pod resistance setting the optimum wattage accordingly. We believe this optimum wattage is set to 18W.
At this optimum wattage, only a short draw is required to achieve a full flavor with dense clouds of vapor. Airflow fully open worked best for me with a RDL/DTL draw which produced great results. Reducing the airflow restricted the draw to an airy MTL vape and closing the airflow further tightened the draw.
Any Leaks?
Throughout my time using this pod with the Vmate i2 kit there were no e-liquid leaks or seepage. However, if you’re not using the device, or any other device for that matter, for a day or two and the pod is still connected to the device, e-liquid seepage WILL occur over time.
This is not a criticism of the Vmate pods in any way, it’s just my experience when using any pod mod.
Auto Draw
Auto draw worked faultlessly irrespective of the airflow position and the draw was smooth with minimal noise. With the airflow open a slightly stronger draw is needed to activate the Vmate i2 but you would expect this.
Voopoo Vmate i2 Battery Performance
The Voopoo Vmate i2 is powered by a rechargeable 1500mAh internal battery which is a very good capacity for a pod mod of this size. Charging time is not the quickest by any means taking approximately 1.5 hours to fully charge via the on board Type-C USB port with the supplied cable when using a power source greater than 1A.
On average I was achieving nearly 2 days vaping on a single charge which is pretty impressive. Vape times will vary depending on your vaping style i.e. duration and frequency of your draw.
The Vmate i2 indicates the status of the remaining battery charge on the lightbar on the side edge of the casing. Drawing on the mouthpiece will illuminate and cycle the lightbar in multi colors with the length of the illuminated bar corresponding to the remaining battery charge that’s left.
·Full length = 75% – 100% of remaining charge
·3/4 length = 50% – 75% of remaining charge
·Half length = 25% – 50% of remaining charge
·1/4 length = less than 25% of remaining charge
When the battery drains to less than 25%, which causes the light bar to illuminate ¼ length only, after a short while the colored light will turn solid red each time you draw on the mouthpiece. I expected the battery to cut out pretty soon after this happened but amazingly I continued vaping for a further 1.5 hours before the battery finally stopped working and the lightbar flashed red 5 times.
At this point you will no longer be able to vape and will need to recharge the Vmate i2.
The intensity of the draw remains constant throughout the discharge cycle of the battery and it doesn’t diminish as the battery drains.
We’ve covered the charging process and what to expect in our How do I Charge the Vmate i2 section. Despite the fairly long charging time, the Vmate i2 has pass-through so you’re able to vape while it’s being charged. Just bear in mind this will increase the time it takes to fully charge.
How do I Fill the Vmate Pod?
These new Voopoo Vmate pods are a top fill design despite the opening being positioned on the side of the pod. In essence it’s called a top fill because the pod doesn’t have to be removed from the Vmate i2 in order to fill with e-liquid. It’s purely down to user preference whether you remove the pod or not.
The fill port is located on one side of the pod casing and is concealed behind a black silicon rubber flap. A small arrow, just below the pod resistance is indented on the rubber flap highlighting which end of the rubber stopper lifts away to gain access to the fill port.
This silicone rubber flap is attached to the pod by a small rubber pin so there’s no chance of it getting lost. It can be swiveled sideways when you’re filling to give a little more free room. Because the fill port opening is pretty wide (4.5mm), it’ll accept those larger e-liquid/shortfill bottle tips.
Pull open the flap and insert your e-liquid bottle tip into the opening. Tilt the pod on its side to aid filling and to get the maximum amount of e-liquid into the pod. Once filled, reinsert the silicon rubber flap making sure the fill port is securely reseated.
If you’ve removed the pod to fill, when it’s reinserted, the Vmate i2 lightbar will briefly illuminate green and then extinguish.
Quick Tip: If you are filling the pod for the first time, once filled, leave to stand for approx. 10-15 minutes before you start to vape. This will help saturate the wick fully in e-liquid and help prolong the life of the coil/pod.
When and How do I Change the Vmate Pod?
The included Vmate pod has a fixed non-replaceable coil. When the coil starts to degrade after a few weeks/months of use the pod will need to be discarded and a new pod fitted. Voopoo state these new pods have an increased minimum lifespan of 90ml of e-liquid passing through them. In my experience these pods far exceed this lifespan.
An indication of the coil degrading will show by either a loss of flavor and/or a lack of vapor. Continuing beyond this loss of flavor/vapor will finally result in a nasty burnt taste. Equally the coil could fail going open or short circuit. Either way, when this happens discard the pod and fit a new one.
Pull the pod away from the Vmate i2 battery/body. Unfortunately if you still have e-liquid in the pod, this will have to be discarded as well as it will have been tainted by the burnt out coil.
When fitting a new pod, follow the procedure for How do I Fill the Pod. As you insert the pod into the Vmate i2 body, the lightbar will briefly illuminate to identify the pod has made electrical contact with the Vmate i2 contact pins.
How do I Charge the Voopoo Vmate i2?
The Vmate i2 has an internal 1500mAh capacity battery so charging is carried out using the USB to Type-C charging cable (supplied in the kit). Simply connect the cable into the Type-C port on the bottom of the Vmate i2 body and the other end into a suitable USB power source. The specified charging circuit of the Vmate i2 is 5V/1.0A and it will fully charge the Vmate i2 in approximately 1.5 hours (1 hour 22 minutes measured).
I’m really pleased to see the Vmate i2 continued to indicate that it was being charged throughout the entire charging cycle. The green cycling lightbar remains illuminated until the battery is fully charged and will then extinguish.
When the Vmate i2 is placed on charge, the lightbar will cycle in the color green over the full length of the bar. As the charging time increases and it reaches 25% of its charge, the bottom ¼ part of the lightbar remains static with the other ¾’s of the bar still cycling. 50% of charge turns half the bar static green with the other half cycling. 75% of charge is ¾ static and full charge turns the entire lightbar static green.
Once the lightbar is static green, i.e. not cycling, after a further 1 minute with the charging cable still connected, the green lightbar will then extinguish. I’m a little uncertain if full charge is reached when the lightbar turns static green or when it extinguishes?
The Vmate i2 has pass-through so you can vape while it’s being charged but this will increase the overall charge time.
I did observe while the Voopoo Vmate i2 was on charge the case did get warm to the touch. While this is normal (although surprising as it’s only a 1A charging circuit), I strongly advise to always charge this, and any other device for that matter, on a non-flammable surface.
As with any vape device, NEVER leave it unattended whilst charging and don’t charge it overnight.
Voopoo Vmate i2 Pod Kit Price
The Voopoo Vmate i2 pod kit has only just been released and as such the main retailers are still showing the price as “to be confirmed” (TBC). Vapesourcing.uk has a listed price of £12.99 so I’m guessing other retailers should be around this price range.
As a starter kit or even if you’re after a second device, the Voopoo Vmate i2 is a very good performing kit with its performance punching well above its simplicity and price tag.
Voopoo Vmate i2 Pod Kit Verdict
Pros
·Good build quality and robust
·Good design
·Simple and very easy to use
·Top fill pod
·Compatible with all Vmate pods
·Variable airflow
·30W max power with auto-sensing
·256 color light bar display
·Lightbar remains illuminated while charging
·Very good overall performance
·Really good vapor and flavor
·Pod/coil life is good
·Tight – Airy MTL/RDL draw
·Auto draw very responsive
·Pass-through vaping
Cons
·256 color lightbar can’t be turned off
·Only 1 pod supplied with the kit
Voopoo Vmate i2 Pod Kit Summary
The Vmate i2 pod kit is a great device if you’re after an easy to use and simplistic pod kit with very good performance. It doesn’t have any functionality or variable wattage control so may not appeal to vapers that want to tailor their vape experience. That aside, it’s not aimed for more advanced users and has been designed primarily as a starter kit.
Saying this, it does have variable airflow control, is compatible with the other Vmate pods and does have a lightbar that displays the status of the device.
It would have been nice if a second Vmate pod was supplied in the kit. I’m guessing to keep the price to a minimum, Voopoo opted to go down this route. I do prefer variable wattage devices but have to say the Vmate i2 performs really well and gives a great vape.
Would I recommend it? Most definitely!