In for review is the JustFog Q16FF Kit.
JustFog are a Korean based manufacturer specialising in vape starter kits and pod devices. Their background story is a familiar but reassuring one. To protect a billion adults around the globe from the harmful chemicals found within tobacco.
They do this by offering maximum vape with minimal battery requirements. Also by solving the problems associated with tank leakage.
The original Q16 starter kit was released back in 2016 and stayed on the market for more than three years. JustFog boast that’s longer than many other well know vape devices.
I reviewed the Q16 Pro back in 2019 stating its significance to the newer vaper. However, I didn’t feel it delivered enough impact to lift itself above a multitude of similar starter kits.
Will the JustFog Q16FF Kit allay those concerns? If the vape is maximised and the tank doesn’t leak we’ll be off to a flyer so let’s find out.
What Can We Expect From The JustFog Q16FF Kit?
The JustFog Q16FF now comes with an upgraded 1.2ohm vertically mounted organic cotton coil. It’s also compatible with the 1.6ohm bottom OCC coil of the Q16 Pro.
The Q16 Pro featured 4 step voltage control whereas the upgrade uses 3 step wattage output. Micro USB has been ditched in favour of the faster Type C but the overall dimensions and material used are the same.
One of the reasons we can expect the JustFog Q16FF to perform as nothing more than a simple, straightforward MTL starter kit is in its battery capacity.
It’s the same 900mAh integrated battery as before and has a maximum output of 13W. So expect conservative amounts of vapour.
As mentioned, JustFog have retained the familiar ‘stepped’ power function. LED’s replace screen functionality so expect heavier than usual button bashing to make any necessary changes to power and flavour quality.
Finally, JustFog are touting the Q16FF as being flavour focused so I’ll be expecting plenty of it..
Inside the Box
The JustFog Q16FF comes in a basic cardboard box with the four available colour schemes shown on the front. Inside, the contents are placed in a moulded plastic tray.
- Battery (Q16FF Mod)
- Tank (Q16FF)
- 1.2ohm Q16FF coil
- USB cable (Type C)
- Instruction manual
The content list is misleading because the 1.2ohm Q16FF coil is included although not installed. It even has its own dedicated space within the plastic tray.
JustFog Q16FF Kit – Key Features
The Q16FF vertical coil is said to be flavour focused. I wasn’t able to discover the material used but it’s probably a standard round wire Kanthal build using organic cotton.
JustFog have bucked current plug and play trends and used a screw in coil, just as they did with the Q16 Pro.
The kit uses simple three step variable wattage to power the coil. The power is displayed via a series of LED’s. All three settings are said to retain a constant level of power regardless of battery strength.
An independent colour LED advises of current battery strength.
The Q16FF tank is top filling and incorporates dual adjustable bottom airflow. As well as being fully TPD compliant there’s also a child proof version available. (Q16FF-C)
The Mod has a series safety features built in to prevent malfunction. These include short circuit, over charge and over heating protection.
It comes in four colour schemes, Blue, Red, Silver and Black.
JustFog Q16FF Kit –Â Mod Specifications
- Size: 17 x 25.6x 70.2mm
- Weight: 40.1g
- Material: PC, anodised aluminium
- Battery: 900mAh (integrated)
- Display: LED indicators
- Output: 9-13W – 3 power levels – 9W, 11W, 13W
- Type C USB charging
- Resistance range: Not specified
JustFog Q16FF Kit – Tank Specifications
- Size: 16 x 59.4mm (Q16FF-C 16 x 60mm)
- Weight 20.7g
- Capacity: 1.9ml
- Coil: 1.2ohm vertical replaceable coil
- Dual airflow adjustment
- Rotational top fill system
- Anti Leakage
JustFog Q16FF Kit – Design and Build Quality
The Tank
The Q16FF tank is dinky with a diameter of 16mm. That’s probably where the number in the name originates.
The plastic drip tip is removable and includes a single O-ring. It didn’t take very long to find a shorter, more suitable alternative.
Filling is achieved by turning the top cap in a clockwise direction as shown by the arrow. This will expose the fill port. It’s not the largest in the world but will accommodate bottle nozzles of the 10ml TPD variety.
Remember to twist the slider back again to prevent any potential leakage!
There’s dual adjustable airflow at the base of the tank. Restriction on one side is mirrored on the other. It’s a bit fiddly to use but the turning tolerances are pretty good to be fair.
The QF16FF tank is comprised of plastic and Pyrex glass, held together by two substantial O rings, designed to keep things leak free.
Installing The Coil And Filling The Tank
- Unscrew the deck clockwise to remove the tank from the base
Screw the coil clockwise into the deck making sure it’s finger tight- Pour e-liquid onto the cotton areas of the coil (this helps with wicking)
- Screw the tank back on to the deck
Screw the coil clockwise into the deck making sure it’s finger tightJustFog have applied micro knurling around the deck which helps when changing the coil. There’s more at the top of the tank to facilitate filling.
- Twist the top cap a quarter of a turn until the fill gasket is shown
- Tilt the tank at a 45deg angle and gently pour e-liquid through the gasket
- Turn the top cap back until the arrow sign is shown to fully seal the tank
Let the e-juice soak into the cotton for around five minutes before vaping.
The Battery
There’s very little size or weight to the battery so it oozes portability. Does that make it fragile? No – it doesn’t and actually feels quite solid and compact. The spray coat finish over the alloy frame is also consistently layered.
Being proprietary to the tank, the 510 connector isn’t spring loaded or even gold plated. The tank itself screws down without any crunching or squeaking but there’s still a slight gap between tank and battery. It’s nothing to lose sleep over..
The fire button is large and well positioned which makes it very comfortable to use. It also has a reassuring click when pressed.
A small horizontal colour LED is situated just above the fire button and shows current battery capacity.
- White – 100 – 65%
- Blue – 65 – 30%
- Red – under 30%
An independent power button is situated at the base of the battery. Pressing this once will illuminate the vertically mounted power LED’s.
- 1 LED – 9W
- 2 LED – 11W
- 3 LED – 13W
Pressing the power button increases or decreases the number of illuminated LED’s.
Five clicks to turn the device on or off? Nope. With the Q16FF it’s four.. I guess JustFog like to be a bit different.
Further LED Functionality
- The currently selected LED’s and battery strength indicator blink three times if the tank is incorrectly connected
- The battery strength LED blinks red four times when charging is required
- When connected via USB the battery strength LED shows current level of charge
- In the event of a short circuit the battery strength LED cycles through white, blue and red
JustFog Q16FF Kit – How Does It Perform?
Given the design and build of the vertical 1.2ohm coil I would only suggest using a juice ratio of 50VG/50PG. I used Lumo Liquids Original C Cherry with a 3mg freebase content.
If any of these terms are over your head – have a read of our handy guides below!
- MTL V DTL – A Guide To Vape Styles
- VG and PG in E-liquid – all you need to know
- Beginners guide to E-liquid
1 LED – 9W
I carried out my first test using the lowest setting and with adjustable airflow wide open. It was surprisingly strong and crackly and did offer a restrictive direct lung vape.
Air bubbles were dancing and popping so there were no issue with wicking with a thinner juice ratio.
The flavour quality wasn’t exactly vibrant or lively but restricting airflow to around half way did make a slight difference. Vapour production was satisfactory but a little less than I was expecting.
The JustFog Q16FF clearly isn’t going to cause too many distractions when out and about.
2 LED – 11W
I noticed a change in flavour quality. The cherry content of the e-juice was a bit more ‘flavour focused’ bringing out some of the sweetness but less of the fruit while still remaining a cool vape.
The best vape experience was gained with a 50% airflow restriction. This allowed a bit more flavour concentration – not by much but still noticeable on the exhale.
3 LED – 13W
It’s definitely the strongest setting in terms of output. Despite a few jumps in wattage it’s noticeable against the lowest setting.
As before the coil has no problem handling extended inhales and using a thinner e-juice prevents any dry hitting.
It’s also a very smooth all round vape with little turbulence and vapour production is non obtrusive. It’s on par with what an ex smoker would be expecting.
Unfortunately the flavour still isn’t very focused and it continues to leave me feeling disappointed.
Pros
- Lightweight and very pocket friendly
- Easy to fill on the go. The top slider is convenient and easy to use
- Leak free
- Bright LED’s visible in direct sunlight
- User friendly to the newer vaper
Cons
- Poor flavour quality across the three power settings
- Average vapour production (subjective)
- Exaggerated drip tip. It’s tall and loose fitting
- Adjustable airflow can be a bit fiddly (subjective)
- Bottom mounted USB port (subjective)
- Not the fastest type C USB charging
Final Review Verdict
I was impressed with how the coil could handle long inhales. I’d have to say that JustFog are correct in their claims of a sustainable wattage output because it was strong and consistent.
I should reiterate the coil is best suited for 50VG/50PG juice ratios. I don’t recommending going above this.
Even when the battery charge dropped to under 30% it was still feisty and powerful for the limitations it has.
However, flavour quality across any of the wattage settings is quite poor. Simple, single flavours are generally quite intense but the JustFog Q16FF fails to deliver even the most basic of ingredients.
It felt like the coil had already reached the end of its active lifespan, making it dull and uninspiring, unfortunately.
The adjustable airflow settings do work quite well. It was possible to get a restrictive direct lung vape as well as a pretty effective MTL.
Battery Performance
The 900mAh integrated battery did a good job.
It took two and a half hours for the white led to turn blue. It then lasted a further five and a half hours before turning red. At this point the battery provided ninety minutes before requiring a recharge.
So the average vaper can expect to harvest a full day’s use from a single charge. The output remains consistent at all stages of drain.
Type C charging isn’t quite so good, taking 90mins to complete. That’s when the white LED switches off.
Pass through charging is possible for those eager for a cheeky pull or two!
Recommendations
The JustFog Q16FF doesn’t really fall into the category of a fully fledged starter kit, even though appearances would suggest otherwise.
Why?
The wicking ports of the 1.2ohm vertical coil are the first indicators. The other is the copious amount of airflow possible. It offers a decent MTL vape for the new vaper. It also includes the option of a restrictive direct lung vape for the more experienced user.
So it’s a kit suitable for either type of casual vaper.
The design and build quality is generally very good and it maximises portability with a stealth like vape.
Unfortunately it doesn’t live up to the phrase of being flavour focused, which is a shame.
is it possible to place the q16ff clearomizer/tank on the q16pro battery?