Sigelei Top 1 Review: The Vape that Puts You in the Driver’s Seat

The Sigelei Top 1 is a dual-18650 mod from Sigelei that features a car-inspired exterior design. The mod features a top, full-HD screen that measures 1.3” in diameter. The display is the centerpiece of the device as the mod has a low-profile, measuring a little under 90mm (3.5”) in height.

The rest of the mod is outfitted with carbon-fiber accents on the sides. The main control panel is divided between the two adjustment buttons under the screen and the firing button on the side of the box mod.

Table of Contents

• General Overview
• What’s in the Box
• How the Device Handles
• Battery Life
• Instructions
• Vaping Performance
• Competing Mods
• Closing Thoughts

A Closer Look at the Sigelei Top 1

The Sigelei Top 1 is top-heavy, meaning the top portion of the box mod is what attracts the eye. The top section is circular, as it houses the full-color TFT screen that presents its information like the odometer on a car dashboard. The TFT is crowned by the 510-plate that measures as wide as 32mm but can hold tanks as large as 30mm.

The circular section is also where users will find the power/firing button, on the side of the screen. The placement of the button is good, as it gives users the freedom to use their thumb to both fire the device and make adjustments. It has an ergonomic design, as it enables one-handed control of the box mod.

The Top 1 features a sturdy zinc alloy build and features carbon-fiber inlays on the sides for an improved grip. The batteries are installed via the base, which has a slide-door to open the bay. The door opens easily and does not rattle or shift when the device is in use or when users change out the batteries.

The Top 1 also features a two-button control panel, with two raised buttons sitting under the TFT screen. There is also a USB charging port under these buttons that users can employ to charge the cells or install firmware upgrades.

A Look in the Kit

The Sigelei Top 1 comes as a stand-alone mod so there is no accompanying tank. The device has a basic design and has little to few accessories included in the kit. Here is the packing list:

Build Quality and Design

The Top 1 has a reduced-size shape that makes it very comfortable to hold and handle. The mod measures less than 90mm tall so it is easy to pick up and take with you. It’s not the most pocket-friendly but neither are a lot of other similar mods. The best thing about the Top 1’s design is the separated control panel.

The placement of the firing button is good for both left and right-handed vapers, while the screen and control buttons are also easy to access. The large TFT screen is also very well-done, as its large, open-face resembles an oversized watch face so it is easy to read. The box mod comes in several color options, which range from sober and serious (black and gunmetal, black and stainless steel) to the more light-hearted like rainbow and wood grain.

Battery Performance

The Top 1 takes two 18650s and has a high-power limit of 230W TC. Whether that is accurate or not seems to be up for debate. A lot of vape makers exaggerate their box mod’s capacities, and Sigelei was one of them, as many of their devices advertised high-wattage outputs, only to be less than the stated limit.

The Top 1 is not one of those box mods. It seems accurate that the device can reach as high as 230W thanks to the improved chipset inside. The chipset is also responsible for the speedy ramp-up time of the device that can fire in under 800ms.

The fast ramp-up time does not drain the battery it saves battery life as it drains the battery at a lower rate. Users can use the bottom-battery bay door to install their cells. The door has a slide-to-open design, so users need only push-back the door to reveal the two empty slots.

Making Sense of the Menu

The Top 1 230W has very simple functioning. The menu options are reduced and users can easily scroll through all the installed options with the three-button interface. The screen is circular, and not only does it look like a watch-face, but the screen also doubles as a clock when the device is not in use. The main menu has many graphics options, even though it comes pre-selected with the odometer-type readout.

The device has only two secondary menus. Users can click the power button three times to enter into the first secondary menu, where uses will find only the Top 1’s vaping outputs like power mode (variable wattage), temperature control for nickel, titanium, two stainless steel options, and TCR.

When users select the Power Mode option, the TC box mod prompts them with four selections for the preheat option, soft, normal, hard, and user (similar to a curve mode). In the first secondary menu, users will also find the “Set” option that opens up the second menu option. In this menu, users can set the preheat options for power and temperature control mode, as well as the vape timer, the clock settings, and the options to change the main menu display.

Vaping the Sigelei Top 1

The Top 1 230W can take several types of atomizers. It is a 2x 18650 device that uses temperature control as well as variable wattage up to 230W TC. The various preheat options for the TC box mod also lets users have more control over their vape. Users can set the preheat option to soft, normal, hard, or user, which offers even more precision control.

The box mod has an ergonomic shape, which makes it comfortable to hold and handle. The ramp-up time is negligible and it does not affect the mod’s overall performance. The control panel is also easy to navigate and the many graphic options make reading important information like battery levels, wattage, resistance, amperage, and voltage simple.

The box mod also feels solidly built save for the buttons, which are a little loose. The firing button responds fast and does not lag at all, but it feels like it could be more securely fastened into the mod’s chassis. The battery bay door is also not as durable as you would like. It is a little floppy when not engaged, but it manages to stay in place.

The Competition

SMOK T-Priv 3

The SMOK T-Priv 3 is an advanced vaping device that features a stealth-firing bar at its side, and a tiny OLED atop its zinc alloy frame.

The T-Priv is a triple-18650 device that stands at 86mm tall (3.3”) and has a bottom-loading battery bay. The T-Priv 3 is paired with the TFV12 Prince tank that uses several coil options like the T10 Decuple coil or the Q4 quadruple coil. The T-Priv 3 can reach a high-power output of 6-300W and also features a full temperature control.

Positives and Negatives

Conclusion: Sigelei Top 1 Review: Somewhere Near the Top, but not #1

The Sigelei Top 1 is a return to form for the beleaguered vape maker from China. The Fuchai and Snowwolf (also a Sigelei device under another brand name) suffered usability problems on their release, so the Top 1 is a re-introduction for them.

The device has only average performance, but the exterior build and design are ideal for long-term vapers. The screen is easy-to-read and navigate so it does not present any navigation issues. Users can easily move between all the options and have a good understanding of what’s going on with the device. It has good battery life and an accurate power limit of 230W for a dual-18650 device.