The Sigelei Top 1 is by a brand that looks hellbent on bringing their reputation back out of the slump it experienced recently with the wave of releases they have been putting out over the last couple of months and I certainly hope they manage it…
I’ve really been enjoying their products lately!
I had good fun researching the brand, especially since their ‘about’ page reads like a page from some sort of religious text. The founder of the brand claims divine inspiration for Sigelei as…after hearing 4 loud thunders while trying to come up with the name, he landed on Si ge lei, which actually means 4 thunders!!!! Fabulous.
I’m so excited about the vape mod I’m reviewing for you today, another hard hitting mod from Sigelei. Now, I’ve had the pleasure of vaping on a few items from them lately…including the Fuchai 213 Squonk Mod and the over the top Snowwolf V-feng but this mod is is no squonker, just a regular 230W mod that runs on dual 18650s and looks particularly good while doing it.
This product was sent to us for the purposes of this review. As always my views are my own.
What’s In The Box
- 1 x Top 1 Mod
- 1 x User Manual
- 1 x USB Cable
- 1 x Warranty Card
Features
- 10-230W
- Input Voltage 6.4-8.4V
- Output Voltage 1-7.5V
- Resistance range 0.05-3Ohm
- Temp range 100-300 Celcius
- Modes: Power/SS316/SS317/Ni200/Ti/TCR
- Dual 18650 run
- Leak Proof
- 0.0008 Second fire
- 1.3” Round HD screen
- 38A Maximum Current
- Comes in Black and Silver, Black and Gold, Woodgrain, Rainbow, White and Gunmetal, Gunmetal, Silver Gray, Dark Sea, Army Green Camo
Build Quality & Design
I had the wrong idea about Sigelei’s first round screened mod. Having seen it numerous times in advertising, I’d somehow picked up the idea that it was a lightweight pile of plastic, with nought but a massive screen to make it look good.
On receiving the neat TIN package, I was shown what for as I lifted the heavy, solid and absolutely beautiful mod out of its snug seating.
Damn, is this mod ergonomically perfect…and truly beautiful.
Designed with a car theme in mind, the flattened-gear-shift shape is adorned with a massive 1.3” screen, framed in chrome on my black version but the finish depends on which colour you choose.
Below the screen is a little, elongated depression, containing + and – adjust buttons, one above the other, clicky and finished to match your screen frame, fire button and other trimmings.
Below the buttons is a micro USB port for charging and upgrade…although we always recommend you charge externally for your own safety and the safety of your mod.
The lower, narrower part of the ‘gear shift’ has carbon fibre grips either side which extend around the mod and onto the wider sides, so that they are visible no matter which way you look at the mod. These grip sections are also framed in that shiny metallic finish that depends on which colour you chose and damn…are they aesthetically pleasing.
When looking at the screen from the front, the grip pad on your left has a contoured section above it which serves as leverage for your thumb when holding the mod and firing with the forefinger. Turn the mod around and it’s leverage for your forefinger, while you fire with your thumb. It’s a small feature that some might barely notice but for me, it speaks of absolute genius in ergonomic design and I love it.
The grip pad on the side opposite has the thumbprint shaped fire button above it, also in the same metallic finish.
The mod is a matte finished, heavyweight zinc alloy, with the decorative framing on thin, metallic finished zinc alloy.
Back of Mod
The back of the mod is where the branding sits and it’s also quite spectacular looking. A huge shield, also with a metallic and matte 2 tone finish of its own which depends on the colour you chose. The shield is decorated with staggered stripes and says both Top1 and Sigelei inside. It looks the bizznezzz.
On the base of the mod you’ll find 5 little battery ventilation holes on a hinged battery door which locks and unlocks with a satisfying but inaudible click.
On the inside of the battery door are clear markings and the chamber itself is snug, with prominent, gold plated connects.
The top of the mod has a nice centralized 510 seating in brushed SS, with a deep and springy, leakproof 510 connection. The top of the mod has a slight down-tapering edge and on either narrower side a small screw is visible.
The taper doesn’t, however, influence the mod’s ability to hold up to a 30mm RDA or tank with no overhang, thanks to the beautiful, centralized design.
With a couple of Samsung 2500 inserted, this mod weighs a hefty 286g so it’s not lightweight. Besides a fire button that is SO clicky it almost has a rattle, this mod is as solid as Jessica Biel’s bottom.
Its top-wide design and carbon fibre grip with thumb or forefinger leverage contouring makes it one of the most ergonomically pleasing mods I’ve held…with looks not far behind.
I have to say that pictures just don’t do this mod justice…it really feels like quality.
How Does The Sigelei Top 1 Perform?
I do really like the screen on this mod, I like the fact that I have 3 different layout options for the screen but would certainly have liked to see a few more colourful options.
Also…as cool as the Speedometer layout is, I feel that more info could have been included, such as Volts and readings for both batteries.
Dual battery reading is available, but on a separate screen, which seems unnecessary…unless of course, Sigelei were trying purposefully to keep it simple. If that’s the case, they succeeded.
I think the colourful clock that appears when you press a button on the powered down mod is an excellent touch, however…why not use this colour scheme in one of the GUI options.
I think the User Interface is super and the backgrounds really cool looking as well.
There is a slight delay on the screen, so no matter what you press, you’ll wait about 0.5 seconds for it to register on screen. This is, however, not true with the fire function.
Ramp Time
Beyond the superficial aspects of the Sigelei Top 1 mod, its ergonomic perfection and beautiful looks, it’s actually a Top performer too.
The 0.0008 second ramp time is noticeably better than a good many dual 18650 mods and I found the wattage performance to feel very much on point throughout the range of the device.
Having tested it on everything from a 0.8 to a 0.10 Ohm coil, I’m confident that this baby hits hard, just like she’s meant to…at least within the sub-ohm range.
I may have noticed a slight shyness, when hitting wattages above 160.
Preheat functions are effective…I particularly like the Hard setting and find this takes care of any shyness that the mod might have when hitting low resistances in the upper wattage ranges.
I find that the mod’s new coil and resistance readings are very sensitive and accurate.
Temperature Control
As far as the TC modes go…you cannot adjust wattage in TC mode, which is somewhat frustrating.
I like the fact that you can still see your wattage on the speedometer when in TC node but…why can’t I scroll the screen and adjust the wattage? Grrrrr.
I’ve read one or two reports of the performance being ‘muted’ in TC modes on the Top 1 but in my experience, this is not the case.
I think the chip performs a charm and temperature readings feel true. I tested on SS316 and Ni200 and had no issues or ‘muted’ vaping experiences whatsoever.
I actually have a tendency to use this mod in Temp Control mode more than I usually do as I find the TC performance really great and I get a solid and satisfying high temp vape on this, yum.
I did have one instance, when I turned the mod on at one point, of the screen saying ‘Update’ and just not letting me do a damn thing. There were no updates available…I eventually had to take the batteries out and reinsert, after which all was well.
This is odd and, I guess, a little worrying.
How To Operate the Menu System
- 5 Clicks on or off
- 3 Clicks to enter the menu system
- Adjust Buttons To Scroll
- Fire to select
- Up and Fire for dual battery and voltage reading
How To Replace The batteries
- Pop open the hinged battery door
- Insert batteries by following the markers
Battery Life
You’d think that a big, bright colour screen like this would suck the life out of your batteries but that’s just not the case. I get a good 8-9 hours vaping, at an average of 70W on a 0.15 Ohm coil with 2 x Samsung 2500s. I’m happy with that!
Pros
- Superior ergonomics with comfortable, real carbon fibre grips
- Mammoth colour screen with easy GUI
- Outstanding, 0.0008 Ramp time
- Clicky, indented fire button
- No overheating
- Full TCR suite
- Handles a 30mm tank with no overhang
- Decent battery life
Cons
- Feels a little shy when vaped above 160W
- Screen could be more comprehensive
- No wattage adjust in TC mode
Final Review Verdict
When I saw this mod in pictures, it looked somewhat tacky to me but on receiving it in 3D, I realized that I couldn’t have been more wrong. This mod truly does have flawless, if very unique aesthetics. Moreover, it has one of the most comfortable handfeels I’ve felt in ages, whether you are firing left or right handed, with your thumb or forefinger.
The screen is phenomenally bright and the interface intuitive. Ramp time is outstanding and, in my experience, performance is good throughout the range and in TC mode. I recommend the Sigelei Top 1 for mid wattage vapers (50-120W) who are after something with reliable features and a tight handfeel and aesthetic.
And..
Would I buy the Sigelei Top 1 if I lost/broke the device? I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on the wild looking rainbow option, whether or not I lose this one.
