Kangertech Subtank Plus Review
Kangertech Subtank Plus
Pros
- 7.0 ml capacity
- OCC Coils don't interfere with taste
- Includes 3 coils
- Adjustable airflow
- Tons of vapor output
Cons
- Doesn't work with lower powered mods
- Cotton retains flavor of previous ejuice longer than other coils
- Tendency for ejuice seepage
Once again Kangertech has upped the stakes in the off-the-shelf sub ohm tank category, this time with the addition of the fourth model in the Subtank line, the Subtank Plus. Kanger is not alone in the category, Aspire has three models (at last count) in their Atlantis line and others, like Eleaf, Joyetech and Smoketech also offer tanks with 0.5 ohm coils.
But Kangertech remains at the forefront of this competitive category for a number of reasons. First, they include not only a 0.5 ohm coil, but also a 1.2 ohm coil and a mini RBA deck so that you can build your own coils, and all of those coils are included with the purchase of every Subtank model, with the exception of the Subtank Nano, which is too small to accommodate the RBA.
With the Subtank Plus, Kanger has again revised its adjustable airflow system. Something they seem incapable of NOT doing. We’ll look at what’s changed on the airflow system a little later in this review. The Plus not only boasts that new airflow system but also the largest ejuice capacity in the line, 7.0 ml which dwarfs the 5.0 ml capacity of the newest Atlantis model from Aspire, the dubiously named Mega.
The Subtank Plus is 510 threaded with a Pyrex tank and stainless steel base and removable drip tip. Its diameter is 25 mm and ejuice capacity is 7.0 ml. The cotton in the OCC (organic cotton coils) and that included as part of the RBA kit is organic Japanese cotton.
What’s In The Box
- 1 X Subtank Plus
- 1 X OCC 0.5 ohm head
- 1 X OCC 1.2 ohm head
- 2 X Mini RBA 0.5 ohm coils
- 1 X Mini RBA base
- 1 X Replacement Pyrex tank
- 1 X Package of organic Japanese cotton
- 1 X Screwdriver
- 2 X Screws
- 3 X O-Rings
- 1 X Owner’s manual
Performance: Like the other Subtanks before it, the Plus puts out loads of vapor. And that vapor is some of the purest tasting you’ll experience with an off-the-shelf tank. The organic cotton in the coils doesn’t interfere at all in the taste of whatever ejuice you’re vaping.
Kanger has engraved their suggested wattage range on the base of each of the OCC heads. The 1.2 ohm coil is rated for use at 12-25 watts and the 0.5 ohm for 15-30 watts. The coils that Kanger has included for use in the RBA base are rated at 0.5 ohms with a wattage rating of 30 watts.
Features: When I reviewed the Subtank Mini I said I didn’t know how Kanger could have added any more features to that model, short of providing more coils. Well, they managed to up the feature package on the Plus. Like all of the Subtank models it comes with one each of the 1.2 ohm and 0.5 ohm OCC heads, and like the original Subtank and the Mini it includes that RBA base with two pre wrapped coils so you can ease into the world of rebuilding.
New on the Subtank Plus is what Kanger refers to in the owner’s manual as a “new reliable airflow” system. On the Plus the adjustable airflow system has three presets. Now on first read that may seem like a step backwards, since both the Mini and Nano airflow systems had four presets. On the Plus you twist the outer collar of the airflow control, which has a wide slot, to reveal the smallest hole, a bigger hole or another slot. The real improvement comes in the fact that those openings are on two sides of the airflow control, giving you a really airy vape when wide open and a surprisingly tight draw when the smallest opening is selected. This new airflow system is also being included on new models of the Subtank Mini.
The other major feature on the Plus is its ejuice capacity of 7.0 ml. I had been using the Subtank Nano with a 3.0 ml capacity. Before 0.5 ohm coils and vaping at 20 – 25 watts, 3.0 ml of ejuice would have seemed like a pretty healthy amount. But vaping at those power levels meant I was refilling the Nano three to five times a day. With the 7.0 ml capacity of the Plus I can vape through the better part of a work day and not need to refill the tank.
Quality: If there’s any area where the Subtank Plus (and all of the Subtank models for that matter) has a little problem, it’s in the area of quality. Not that these are poorly made tanks. They’re not, they’re very good in fact. But they do have a tendency to allow ejuice to seep out of the airflow ports. They don’t (at least in my experience) do it constantly, not even predictably, but they do allow ejuice to seep out and if you’re not constantly checking those airflow ports you can pick up your mod and find that enough ejuice has seeped out that it’s oozed down the side of your mod.
Other than that, the Subtank Plus is a quality built device. The coils are tremendous, providing the best taste experience I’ve had, even with ejuices that I already enjoyed, the flavor just seems to pop, without any taste interference from that organic Japanese cotton. And they last a good while too. I’m regularly getting two to three weeks of heavy vaping out of each coil, sometimes more.
Looks: The Subtank Plus is a big tank, and its size gives it an impressive look. Lots of stainless steel and Pyrex. And with a variety of colors of O-rings (mine came with red installed and black replacements) you can personalize it. The upper hardware slides into the Pyrex tank and there are four stainless steel supports that are visible from inside the tank, giving the whole tank a rather ominous look.
Price/Value: Kangertech lists the Subtank Plus at the same $49.99 as the Subtank Mini. I paid $51.99 for mine at Vapes Gone Wild in Newnan, GA, which was about $8 less than they were originally charging for the original Subtank. With its increase capacity and improved airflow system, that makes the Subtank Plus a real bargain. Other off-the-shelf sub ohm tanks offer RBA decks, but none (at leas as of this writing, to the best of my knowledge) include them with the tank. And those that come with an RBA deck don’t include non-rebuildable coils, making the Plus an even better bargain.
Those OCC heads are going to cost a little more than standard coils. But they’re also going to last a good deal longer. And they provide an amazing vaping experience, thanks to the high power levels they can handle and that organic cotton that provides nothing but pure flavor from every ejuice.
B
efore you run out to your local vape shop or go online to your favorite e-vendor, there are a couple of things to keep in mind about the Subtank Plus, and all of the Subtank models. First, that organic cotton in the coils has to be fully saturated before you start vaping. Kanger even suggests that you drip a couple of drops of ejuice directly into the coil. Don’t dry fire it or you’ll burn up that cotton.
The second thing is that you have to have a mod that’s capable of firing those coils. Some mods won’t read coils that are below 1.0 ohms, so make sure what you’re using can handle the Subtank Plus.
I previously reviewed both the Subtank Nano and Subtank Mini, and both of those are fine tanks, I like each of them. The Plus is even better. I can recommend any of the Subtank models without reservation. Let me tell you how much I like these tanks; Kangertech supplied the Nano and the Mini for Seven Report to review and then I went out and bought the Subtank Plus. I can’t think of a higher recommendation, even with that little ejuice seepage issue.
I tested the Kangertech Subtank Plus on an Eleaf iStick 50 Watt with a wide variety of ejuices. I purchased the Subtank Plus at Vapes Gone Wild in Newnan, GA.
(For details on the Seven Report review methodology click here.)
