Clone Vape Mods: Deal or Disaster?

Knock-off products are nothing new; Purses or shoes that look identical to the real thing, with a much lower price tag, of course. You can't fault people for buying them. Sometimes they're even great for a laugh. But, what about clone vape mods? Are these drastically cheaper kits a great deal? Or, is there something far more insidious going on?

What Are Clone Vape Mods?

Clone vape mods are, as the name suggests, clones of another vape mod. These are often identical to a brand name mod, and nearly impossible to tell apart at a glance.

Despite them looking identical to a brand name mod, clone vape mods are also much cheaper than their name brand counterpart. If they look the same and function the same, you're probably curious is there's a catch.

There is. And it's a big one.

The Truth About Clone Vape Mods

In short, clone vape mods are cheap. They're cheap in price, cheap in build quality, and the materials are cheap.

Is this necessarily a bad thing? Yes, yes, and yes.

When compared to other industries, vaping is still in its infancy. It's only recently started to get a ton of mainstream coverage, both good and bad. Due to the newness and fragility of the industry, there are numerous reasons you should avoid clone vape mods.

Cheaper Materials and Poor Build Quality

When you're buying a real name brand vape mod, you're getting something that's been carefully engineered and designed using top-notch materials. A counterfeit or clone vape mod will look identical to the real thing, but a closer look will reveal cheap materials.

This even goes down to the battery. Vape kits and e-cigarettes use lithium-ion batteries, which can degrade over time. Even the most well-made lithium-ion batteries will degrade over time. A clone vape mod will likely be using a low-grade battery, meaning it will degrade faster and pose a greater risk to your safety.

There's also little quality control where clone vape mods are concerned. Any reputable name brand will have a QC department that ensures every product meets regulations and passes their safety tests. The makers of a clone vape mod may or may not be testing their products. That's the problem: there's no standard.

They're Not Required to be Regulated

If you're buying from a reputable brand a reputable shop, vape mods and kits are likely regulated. These safety features that can prevent overcharging, prevent any kind of malfunction and keep you safer.

A clone vape mod manufacturer has no requirement to include these safety features. Why? They're not regulated. This isn't to say every single clone device or mod will be lacking all safety features, but there's also no guarantee they'll have them either.

Even worse, many sites that sell clone vape mods and kits have very lackluster descriptions of the build, materials, and specifications. It is very much a you get what you pay for situation.

With vape explosions getting media attention anytime they occur and vaping under increasing scrutiny, it pays to buy from reputable brands that follow safety standards and regulations. There are even lawsuits forming over faulty batteries. Buying from reputable brands can reduce the likelihood you fall victim and help build vapings reputation.

You're Hurting the Big Brands

When you're buying a clone device, you're buying an imitation of the hard work put in by a big brand. These big brands spend millions in R&D and research to ensure they release quality vape kits. When you buy a box mod clone or vape kit imitation, you're ultimately hurting the large brands that built the source mod.

Not to sound dramatic, but if everyone bought clone mods, the big brands would tank and there'd be nobody left to design the quality mods that the clones are based on. It's simply not a sustainable model and it's a disservice to the reputable brands.

Avoiding Clone Vape Mods

Clone vape mods and box mod clones may be difficult to spot, but avoiding them is definitely doable.

Avoid eBay, Craigslist, and Swap Sites

Just like the low price of a clone mod, the low price of a device on eBay or a swap site can be really tempting. There are plenty of genuine sellers on eBay, Craigslist, and the like, but if you want to be certain you're not accidentally buying a clone it's best to avoid purchasing from an unverified third-party.

This is especially true with eBay, where many clone manufacturers from China sell their mods en masse. Again, these can be lacking in safety features and are not regulated.

Don't Buy Atomizers or Mods from Vape Shops Unless Certified

Similar to the eBay situation, many vape shops carry mods and atomizers at unbelievably low prices. Sometimes these are legit, but oftentimes these are clones that they've purchased in bulk online to sell in their store.

If you want to purchase an atomizer or mod from a local shop, ask if they're a certified reseller of that brand first. It is possible for shops to become certified as official merchants for different brands, in which case they're legit.

Buy from Reputable Sellers

Like the previous point, make sure you're always buying from a reputable seller. Do your homework and find sites that have a partnership with a brand or at the very least offer a quality guarantee and return policy.

If a site is incredibly transparent about their products, allows for customer interaction and feedback, and has a solid reputation, you're probably in good hands.

You Get What You Pay For

At the end of the day, we can't make you buy the real deal. You get what you pay for, and there's always going to be a market for clone mods.

Buying a brand name mod from a reputable seller like SMOK, Eleaf or VooPoo is the only way to know you're getting an authentic product. It's also the only way you can find something that's been certified and follows regulations. The vaping industry is always under pressure and scrutiny by critics, so why risk the reputation of this hobby we all love and buy a clone?