The cute little Artery Nugget has proved to be an extremely popular ‘mini-mod’ and so the arrival of its big brother — the Artery 80w Nugget Pro — is something many fans of the original are excited about.
For the purpose of this review I received the white version of the mod and in a separate box the silver/stainless steel Artery Mate tank.
At the time of writing I’m not sure if you can buy these as a kit form.
I’ll break the review down into x2 sections – first up the all-important the mod and then the tank.
So is this tiny vape mod a little gold nugget and has the tank indeed become my mate..?
Let’s take a closer look.
In the Artery 80w Pro Box
It’s a sturdy compact box with that lift up magnetic cover which always – at least I think it does – add a ‘little something’ to the packaging.
The mod itself is wrapped in cellophane as is the really quite short charger which doubles up as the cable used to upgrade your firmware – more on that later.
Inside you’ll find:
- 1 x Box Mod
- 1 x Micro USB Cable
- 1 x User Manual
Not a lot to get excited about but all you need to get vaping I guess.
Key Features
Artery really has packed a ton of features into the Nugget Pro and I could bore you all to death with a detailed description of every single one lol.
So to save you some time I’ll list the key features and pick up on a few of the more important aspects later.
- 510 threading connection with gold-plated brass;
- Variable wattage: 5~80W;
- Output Voltage: 0.5~8V;
- Resistance: 0.1~3.0 ohm;
- Temperature control range: 200~600’F / 100~300’C;
- USB port for charging and software update;
- Built-in 3300mAh polymer lithium battery;
- Supporting 5 vaping mode:
- 1. TM: Temperature Mode;
- 2. VM: Voltage Mode;
- 3. PM: Power Mode;
- 4. TCR: Temperature coefficient resistance Mode;
- 5. CM: Ceramic Mode;
- 510 connector made of stainless steel, anti-oxygenation
- Positive pin is made of gold plated brass, anti-oxygenation;
- Lower resistance and better performance;
- Maximum power up to 80W;
- Adjustable brightness of LED screen;
- Software update through normal USB cable, no need for customized USB cable
One thing to pick up on right away is the built in 3300mAh battery – this thing is like the Duracell Bunny – it never seems to stop – or at least in the 10 days I’ve been using it I’ve had to charge just once and that’s using the mod most mornings.
Another is one slight gripe about the original Nugget and that was the dimness of the LED screen.
Out of the box this screen was crystal clear and extremely bright.
In the Nugget Pro Artery has added a nifty little feature where you can dim or brighten the screen to your perfect setting – nice little touch.
But it’s to the sheer amount of settings you can have that makes the Nugget Pro stand out – you really can tinker those settings to your heart’s content meaning a fine tuned vape is just a few button clicks away.
You have the bog standard Power Mode [PM] which you just charge and vape after setting your preferred wattage and then a whole host of other settings including Temp Mode – which I have to add worked extremely well with no dry hits or indeed coil burn when I fired on empty.
Other ‘modes’ are:
- Power Mode [PM]
- Power Multiplication Graph [PMG]
- Temp Mode [TM]
- By Pass Mode [By Pass]
- TCR
PMG mode is simply a way of setting your perfect vape and locking it into your device once you’re happy.
The key feature of this is you can save up to three profiles which literally gives you x3 different ways to vape.
As I said I could wax lyrical on all the possible profiles but to be fair the user manual does a much better job than I could of explaining them all — in a nutshell if it’s fine-tuned vaping you want then the Nugget Pro will be one of your go to devices.
Design and Build Quality
This is a solid box mod — both in looks and build quality. The 3300mAh battery does indeed add significant weight at 150g (5.29oz) but in the hand it feels like a well-made high end piece of kit.
I received the white version [black is available] and the stainless steel buttons were snug with no rattle at all and are pleasingly ‘clicky’.
I’ve mentioned the LED screen and it is indeed a generous size with the addition of the clock [how long the device has been on not time!] and ambient temperature a nice touch – everything is clear and concise.
As to the design I can’t say I’m thrilled by the look of the Nugget Pro — the thought ‘white goods’ comes to mind with my white one resembling a washing machine or fridge.
If you like your mods boxy with clean lines then this will be an eye catcher.
On one side is the Artery name in red – whilst the other has the familiar Nugget logo with ‘Nugget Pro’ written underneath.
The base has a 5 ventilation holes in the shape of a cross and along one side is the battery casing screwed tight by two tiny steel screws.
The battery is built in and for the record I didn’t attempt to unscrew the case to see if you can replace the battery – pretty sure you’d screw up your warranty if you did!
How Does the Artery Nugget Pro Perform?
Turning on and off is x5 clicks on the fire button within x2 seconds with the + and – buttons used to decrease/increase your settings as well as scrolling through the menu – with everything ‘round robin’.
The screen is extremely responsive and speedy!
I’m not much of a tinkerer when it comes to vaping if I’m honest indeed temp control and profile modes are not something I bother with except of course when I’m reviewing ☺
To get to the menu with all its bells and whistles you need to hold down the + and – buttons at the same time then use them to scroll through your options – of which there are very many!
To choose the mode you wish to fine tune you hit the fire button and then of course scroll through until you’re happy.
To exit the menu you’ll need to keep on clicking until you hit Exit.
As to vaping on the Nugget Pro, the three different profiles I managed to set up were indeed extremely accurate and whilst in Temp mode using the Temp Power Limit setting [in my case 50 watts and out of the box standard] made sure the tank and atomizer I was using did not go above the 50watts.
You can of course set yours to whatever you desire so long as your coil can take it!
There’s no delay whatsoever from hitting the fire button to getting a mouthful of vapor – so all in all this is I have to say one hell of a piece of vaping kit!
What I Like
It’s a tricky one for me to be honest about the Nugget Pro – if I’m honest lol.
As a vaper that pretty much doesn’t tinker or bother with settings – temp control – and vaping profiles there’s a lot going on here that I don’t need or even need my brain to think about – I’m a ‘vape and go’ kind of bloke.
However if it’s setting your vape experience to the ‘unth degree’ that floats your boat then you will be absolutely delighted with the Nugget’s big brother – this vaping mod has bells and whistles on its bells and whistles!
I do like the build quality though — it’s exceptional to say the least and despite being extremely boxy it still feels nice in the hand with that pleasing weight to it.
Maybe ‘white goods’ was a bit unfair – think a Volvo car — solid — sturdy – well-built — well engineered with no exterior frills.
What I Don’t Like
I’m not big on the design – too boxy for my taste and the Nugget logo for me anyway ‘cheapens’ the overall look.
The Artery Mate Tank
The same type of packaging as the Nugget Pro — sturdy with open flap magnet sealed box and everything nicely packed away.
Inside you’ll find:
- X1 Mate tank
- X1 Extra BOT coil
- X1 User manual
- X1 spare glass tube
- X1 spare ‘O’ rings
Artery Mate Tank Specs
- Size: 39.9*22mm (with drip tip)/ 30mm*22m without
- Color: Black / Stainless Steel
- Capacity : 2ml
- Pre-made Coil: 0.5kanthal (5-50w)/ 0.3SS(5-60W)
- Material : 304 stainless steel
Key Features
OK the obvious ‘key feature’ here is the claim the Mate tank is the world’s first using what Artery are calling “Capillarity.”
Yeah I had to look that one up despite having a vague idea it was something to do with capillary action and not wicks that look like caterpillars 😉
Here’s what Wiki says about “Capillarity:”
“Capillary action (sometimes capillarity, capillary motion, or wicking) is the ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces without the assistance of, or even in opposition to, external forces like gravity”
I failed physics and to be honest my mind went more than a little blank after reading that a few times.
I came to the conclusion [tell me in comments just how wrong I am] that I could vape on this in outer-space in a broom cupboard. As I am not in space I could only try the Mate in my broom cupboard and yeah it worked the same as it did in my lounge [adds physicist to CV].
OK back down to earth and out of the closet and back to the nitty gritty.
Mate Tank Design and Build Quality
It’s a 2ml [TPD compliant] squat but nice looking top filling tank with that stubby tapered drip tip that I have begun to enjoy [see SMOK Brit Tank review].
I have the stainless steel version – I think they do a black one the website isn’t too clear – and it’s nicely uncluttered with the black ‘O’ rings and drip trip adding a nice contrast.
There’s a refreshing lack of logo or wiring and indeed the only real design are the grips and the air-flow holes.
There are x2 airflow holes at the base of the tank and the tight fit means there’s little if no chance of them swivelling around in your bag or pocket.
All in all a pretty smart looking tank especially when paired with the Nugget Pro.
How Does the Artery Tank Perform?
As I’ve already mentioned this is a top fill and a relatively simple job it is too – simply screw off the top cap and fill — easy peasy — or is it?
Straight out of the box and top cap certainly unscrewed easily but it managed to unscrew the coil too.
The coil was very tight to the top cap and took quite some pressure to free it.
Then came putting the coil back in the base. The seal on the glass tank to the ‘O’ ring is FIERCE!!!
Indeed I tried screwing — pulling — warm water — cold water and now a couple of days later the thing is still refusing to budge.
Unfortunately this means [on mine anyway] I have to screw the coil into the top cap and hope it screws into the base – it can be a pain with ‘Check Atomizer’ flashing…a lot.
But hey this might just be mine and we’d rather have a tight fit than spillage [insert smutty joke here].
However once it’s filled and I let it soak for a good ten mins my first vape on the Mate was a pleasant surprise – taste and vapor wise anyway – this tank whistles like an episode of One Man and His Dog!!!
Noisy ain’t the word – I was worried at one point the crowd of builders thought I was whistling at them such was the racket coming from this tank lol.
Open the air flow up fully and the whistling seems to die down a bit but I was pretty sure the neighbourhood dogs were all on edge as the frequency of the whistle hit their level.
If you can put up with the tight fittings and noise the taste profile is actually very good indeed with acceptable cloud volume.
Opening up the air-flow gives you markedly more clouds with little [if any] loss of taste.
What I like
I like the design and top fill [once it all loosens up I’ll like it better lol].
And as design and looks go the Artery Mate is a very nice looking tank.
The air-flow control works extremely well with the coil keeping the flavour profile beautifully.
What I Don’t Like
It could be just mine but the glass tank will NOT come off lol.
Final Review Verdict
Personally I wouldn’t buy The Artery Nugget Pro but I know there are the real ‘enthusiast vapers’ out there that will absolutely adore this and good on you!
If you loved the original Nuggets then you are going to love the big brother and if tinkering with your settings is your thing then you are gonna be like a kid in a sweet shop!
As to the Artery Mate tank it’s a bit of a mixed bag with half decent clouds a superb flavour but one hell of a whistle!
If I dropped my Nugget Pro into a bag of McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets would I fish it out before I’d finished the box?
I wouldn’t – but I know many of you would 😉
Mod Pros
- Ton of options
- Instant fire to vape
- Firmware upgrade
- Bypass vaping
- Powerful battery
- Long battery life
Tank pros
- Compact
- Decent clouds
- Superb flavour
Mod Cons
- Slightly heavy
- Slightly bulky
Tank Cons
- The glass on mine was/is stuck fast
