Uwell Caliburn Vape Review: Nic Salt Sword with Refillable Pods

avatar

by Thanush Poulsen

Updated: July 1, 2022

Uwell Caliburn Vape desktop

Review Score: 82/100

Price Range:
$22.69-$45
Color:
Grey, Black, Red
Battery Capacity:
520 mAh
Material:
Aluminum Alloy
Works with:
  • Eliquids icon

Pros

  • Very easy-to-use
  • Produces high-quality vapor
  • Short charging time

Cons

  • Uninspired aesthetic design

Starting Price: $ 19.95

The Uwell Caliburn is a pod system that combines a 2ml e-juice capacity cartridge with a 520mAh battery. The coil inside the cartridge is unique. It resembles a cartomizer or tank coil with its stainless steel wire in a parallel build.
The battery features a single power button, and vapers can choose between draw activation or manual firing when vaping. The device’s exterior is an aluminum alloy with plastic elements in the pod.

The Uwell Caliburn Pod Review: The First Look

The Uwell Caliburn has a very simple design. The vape kit is unremarkable in its simplicity. But its straightforward appearance and operation are also its biggest assets. The battery section has a single button on its front, along with a small LED to show cell life:

  • green – over 60%
  • blue – 30-60%
  • red – under 30%
  • and when this all-in-one device is in operation

The button not only turns on the vape pod but enables the auto-draw system of the cell. In addition, new technology on the cell automatically reverts to manual operation if the chip detects a problem with the auto-draw system.

Uwell Caliburn Vape desktop

The entire battery chassis features an aluminum alloy build. When the pod is installed, the unit weighs just over 30g, making it lightweight and portable. Together, the Caliburn measures just over 110mm or 4.3 inches and has a width of 0.5 inches.

The cell can also output a maximum of 11W, and the coil can fire as low as 1.4ohms. The Uwell Caliburn pods connect to the battery section through a magnetic connection. The micro USB port is on its tip for quick charging.

There is a bottom USB port for charging the 520mAh battery with 1A charging. The battery only takes about half an hour to recharge. Like the Suorin Edge, the Uwell Caliburn has a combination drip tip/pod. But there is one important difference – the drip tip is removable, which hides the top-filling method of the system.

Uwell Caliburn usb img

The fill ports (there are three of them) are wide and can support many different bottle tips without any chance of leaking, as the transparent body allows for easy visibility. While the rest of the Caliburn might seem like every other ho-hum pod vape, the real unique feature lies hidden in the pod.

A stainless steel/organic cotton coil head is in a parallel build inside the 2ml cartridge, almost unheard of with pod vapes. With this type of coil design, the Uwell Caliburn can create much bigger and more flavorful clouds than other typical coil heads.

Kit Content

Uwell Caliburn kit img
The Uwell Caliburn kit includes everything that users need to start vaping almost immediately after unpacking. So the Caliburn comes with the following kit contents:

  • One Uwell Caliburn device
  • Two 2ml Caliburn pods (one pre-installed)
  • One Micro USB charging cable
  • One user manual

Working and Vaping It

It is very little you need to do to get the Caliburn vape started.

  • Charging the battery would be the first thing to do. But even that simple task is not the easiest, adding to the device’s straightforward usability. Usually, it takes 45 minutes to fully charge the vape. After the battery is charged, filling the pods is another walk in the park.
  • The fill ports (did I mention there are three of them?) make for a simple filling process, much simpler than with other pods that have tiny (like the Edge) or proprietary fill ports (like with the Vaporesso Aurora Plus) that can lead to spillage and an overall mess.
  • Fill and attach the cartridge, then press the central firing button five times to activate the battery. The battery supposedly switches to manual draw operation if it detects the auto-draw functioning has stopped. But it’s unclear if you can select between automatic and manual operation. As soon as you turn on the battery, you can start vaping.

With a genuine, vertical coil head inside the pod, flavor and vapor production for the Caliburn is exceptional, especially for this type of vape. Most pods opt for wicking material (silica or synthetic) that is not common to other coil builds. The flavor and vaping experience are different from standard wire and cotton coil heads.

But with this design featured in a pod vape, the vapor is as good as it would be with those higher-powered devices. The coil fires at a resistance of 1.4ohms, so you can take some good MTL hits. But drawing longer on the mouthpiece can produce a satisfying DL hit along with great, voluminous clouds.

How Long Do Caliburn Pods Last?

The Caliburn pods are essentially a plastic shell around a stainless steel coil. They can hold 2ml of liquid, a good capacity for this type of vape. They connect to the battery section via a strong, secure magnetic connection. And there is very little movement when it is in the mod.

Uwell Caliburn pod image

  • A second latch clicks the pod into place when you insert it, but make sure the connection is made as the coil may not fire if the contacts are not touching.
  • The mouthpiece/drip tip is removable and acts as the stopper for the top fill ports.

The pod’s life depends on how strong and often you vape. Usually, it lasts up to fourteen days after the opening.

The Competitors

The Juul

Uwell Caliburn Vape Juul Review

The mother of all pod vapes, the Juul continues to reign over this style of vaping with its easy-to-use, buttonless, auto-draw configuration. The Juul pods are not refillable, but they come in almost five different flavors, with new ones being released all the time.

They can hold close to 0.7ml of e-juice, and the nicotine strengths of each flavor range between 3% and 5%. The Juul battery uses a proprietary charger and takes almost 40 minutes to charge.

The SMOK Nord

Uwell Caliburn Vape SMOK Nord Review

The SMOK Nord is a vape with a 2ml pod that can support both an MTL coil, 1.4ohms, and a DL 0.6ohm coil. In addition, the Smok cartridge is unique in that you can remove and replace the coil rather than the head being built into the device.

The Nord battery has a capacity of 1100mAh and uses dual-firing methods, with a central firing button for manual vaping and enabling the auto-draw feature.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can I Use Regular Juice with Uwell Caliburn?

    The coils stand up well to all kinds of juice, including nicotine salt, high VG, or PG e-juices that add even more cloud production for a tiny little vape. Of course, with a high VG e-juice, the flavor is excellent. But using nicotine salt with the above-ohm coil also produces amazing results.

  • Is Uwell Caliburn discontinued?

    Yes, the device has been pulled off the market by the FDA, as it did not comply with the agency’s Deeming Rule requirements. But Caliburn should still be available in countries like the UK or Canada.

  • Is the Caliburn MTL or DTL?

    The Caliburn was intended to be an MTL hitter with its low-wattage output and above-ohm coils. But with a refillable pod, users can use higher VG e-juices to get a more DTL vaping experience.

  • How do I know if my Caliburn is full?

    Users can remove the pod from the device to see if their e-juice level is at the minimum fill line marked on the pod.

  • How many cigarettes are in a Caliburn pod?

    There are no cigarettes in a pod. Instead, the pods come empty, and users decide what nicotine strength their e-juice will be when deciding to fill the pod.

  • Is Caliburn G better than Caliburn?

    The Caliburn G is the latest device to come out of the series. And it features a higher capacity battery (690mAh) than the original. In addition, the G pods are easier to open with a snap-back mechanism.
    The pods also use removable coils so users can mix up their vaping style with MTL or DL coils.

  • How to refill Uwell Caliburn pods?

    You can refill Caliburn approximately 40 times before replacing the cartridge. To refill the Caliburn cartridge:

    • Refill the Caliburn pod to about half capacity.
    • Turn the cap on the cartridge body and tilt the liquid from left to right.
    • Shake it for a few minutes. This is necessary to loosen the fine sediment accumulated in the cotton.
    • Remove the cap and drain the e-juice from the cartridge.
    • Hold the cartridge upside down on a paper towel until all the e-liquid has drained from the cartridge.
    • Fill your cartridge with the required e-juice. If that doesn’t work, the Caliburn cartridge has reached the end of its life.

Uwell Caliburn Specifications

Material: Aluminum Alloy
Dimensions: 110mm x 21.2mm x 11.6mm
Battery Capacity: 520 mAh
E-Juice Capacity: 2mL
Resistance Range: 1.2-1.5 ohm
Voltage Output Range: 3.2v-4.0v
Wattage Output: 11w

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Very easy-to-use
  • Produces high-quality vapor
  • Short charging time
  • Works well with regular and nicotine salts e-juice

Cons

  • Uninspired aesthetic design
  • Coils are not replaceable or interchangeable like the Nord

Conclusion: Closing Thoughts on the Uwell Caliburn

Pod vapes have taken up a large part of the market, as almost all vape companies have their version. They have tried to set their devices apart. But with an AIO vape, that is hard to do since they are so simple and making them more complicated is counterintuitive.

Uwell has succeeded, however, in setting its device apart and in the most obvious way. Their design succeeds by replacing the coil type customary to these types of vapes with a real coil head that translates to better overall vapor quality.

The cartridges are easy to fill, easy to install, and have a very good life, depending on usage. They work well with all kinds of e-juices and only slightly lose performance when the battery loses power.

The battery has quick USB charging. Although it does not have a pass-through charging feature, the short charge time can get the Caliburn burning again in no time. So what do you make of this sudden onslaught of pod devices?

Do you think it is the direct influence of the Juul that is inspiring companies to make their pod vapes? Share your thoughts by writing a few lines in the space below.

Published: May 14, 2019Updated: July 1, 2022
avatar

Thanush Poulsen

Being a regular Sweden student, I discovered innovative ways of living healthier. And with my very first e-cigarette, I’ve got obsessed with all things digital. So vaping collided my interests in electronics, science, and health. I enjoy bringing people into the world of vaping through my reviews, guides, and best-of lists.


Comments

Leave a comment

7 comments on “Uwell Caliburn Vape Review: Nic Salt Sword with Refillable Pods

  • Tanya

    August 15, 2022 at 1:50 pm

    How often do you need to replace the entire unit? I have had mine for just over two years.

  • Ysidro rodriguez

    May 20, 2022 at 3:07 pm

    Hello my name is Mr. Rodriguez and I just want to let you know that I bought a calibern you will I had a gorilla store in Lubbock Texas and it’s gonna smoke up on me without pushing the button and burning hot I take it back in but since it’s been more than 30 days they cannot warrantee it or exchange what can you do for it

  • moali

    October 21, 2020 at 4:55 am

    it’s amazing that in the ” life of a pod ” section , you managed to talk about everything EXCEPT FOR the actual life of a pod

    • James Bickford

      November 3, 2020 at 8:59 am

      Hi Moali, thanks for writing. The reason we didn’t give an exact date for the life of a pod is because it varies. People who vape the entire day are more likely to burn out the pod in only a week, while those who vape occasionally can use the same pod(s) for more than a week, even longer. The more you vape, the more you put stress on your pod, which brings down its operating life. The type of juice can also play a factor, as high VG e-juice can wear out the coils in a pod vape. You can let us know how long your pod lasts when you use a Caliburn. Hope this helps. Let us know how it goes. Happy vaping!

  • Tina

    January 25, 2020 at 4:57 pm

    My pods are only lasting about a Week. The juice turns brown and tastes burnt. Is this normal? I use arctic nic salt. Anyone have this problem?

  • Jeremy

    August 2, 2019 at 10:43 am

    The caliburn does support pass through charging. If its dead or low you can plug it in and get a green light when you hit it.

  • Ben

    July 3, 2019 at 7:39 am

    there’s only 2 fill ports on the caliburn. the middle one is not a filling hole. also the nord is only button activated, you are thinking of the Smok Novo which has both button and auto-draw.