Product intro and specs
The SKE Crystal CL6000 is a pre-filled pod vape designed for users of disposable vapes who still want ease of use but also reduced waste. While the Crystal CL6000 looks like other disposable at first glance, it’s actually a modular pre-filled pod system. The device features a transparent shell that houses two removable pods: a 2 mL pod containing the dual-mesh coil and a 10 mL pod with an integrated mouthpiece. The 10 mL pod feeds the atomizer pod once it runs out of liquid. Because of this design, you won’t be tossing more batteries in the trash like with disposables.
Powered by an 800 mAh rechargeable battery, the CL6000 is rated for up to 6k puffs per charge. Where most disposables nowadays come with buttons, adjustments of power, and even flavor, the Crystal CL6000 keeps it simple. Although it lacks buttons and adjustments, its simplicity makes it a solid choice for anyone looking for a good vape, especially beginners.
The SKE Crystal CL6000 is available in nine colors with a menu of ten flavors in 20 mg/mL of nicotine salt. So, is this the right device for you? Let’s get into the review so you can see for yourself.
Price: TBA
Flavors: Strawberry burst, blue razz lemonade, blueberry raspberries, blueberry sour raspberry, cherry ice, fizzy cherry, lemon lime, pink lemonade, sour apple, watermelon ice
Size, look, and feel
The SKE Crystal CL6000 is compact and ergonomic, measuring 50 x 26 x 87 mm and weighing about 80 grams. Its plastic, rounded body feels good to grip, and its small size makes it easy to carry in a pocket. The all-transparent body is reminiscent of many disposables on the market, which is an aesthetic I'm fond of.
As mentioned, the Crystal CL60000 comes in nine colors, all subdued color tints. When buying your first kit, the color of the device will be indicative of the flavor, but all the power units can be used with any of the flavors. While testing mine, I did forget these weren’t disposables. When it was time to charge a few of them, it finally occurred to me that I didn’t have to wait to vape the flavor I wanted since I could just pull out the pod and put it into a device that was already charged. I found myself doing the happy dance! Considering that, if you do get one and like it, I recommend having at least two power units.
Since disposables are getting more and more feature-heavy these days, I do appreciate the simplicity of the device being devoid of adjustments and buttons. The only tech feature is a small battery status screen near the bottom of the front panel. It does what it’s supposed to do. However, one issue I have with it is that there is no way to check the battery status without either taking a draw or pulling out the pod and putting it back in. It’s not the most inconvenient thing in the world, but it’s still a hassle. There should be a quicker way to check the status of the battery. So, while the lack of buttons and other features keeps things minimalistic, some of us will miss having quicker access to information.
Getting started
When I first unboxed the SKE Crystal CL6000, the setup confused me a bit. I thought it was just a disposable. Inside the box, there are three separate small packages.
- A transparent battery case
- A 10 mL (transparent) pre-filled pod
- A 2 mL pre-filled atomizer
When you take out the battery case, you’ll see that it houses a dummy pod. SKE told us that you could technically use this pod after combining it with the 2 mL atomizer, but I took the advice of the sticker it had on it and threw it away. With that gone, simply attach the pre-filled atomizer (black piece) to the refill tank/mouthpiece, then slide it into the battery case. The case has a magnetic suction connection, which keeps the atomizer firmly connected to the battery without any wiggle room or ease of falling out.
There are no buttons—just inhale to start vaping. The Crystal CL6000 has an automatic draw, meaning it activates simply by puffing on the mouthpiece. And although there isn’t an indicator for liquid status, you won’t need one since the feeder tank is transparent.
As an aside, there is a lot of packaging between the rubber pieces attached to the pods, the plastic packaging, and the dummy pod. I'm sure that every piece serves a purpose, but considering SKE is billing this as “greener” than disposables, I wish they could’ve found a way around creating so much waste!
How does it hit?
The SKE Crystal CL6000 has a smooth, loose MTL draw. I’ve become a fan of this type of draw, particularly with mesh coils that generate as much warmth and vapor as this device. It’s not quite suitable for a strict MTL.
In most of my devices, the dual mesh coil in the Crystal CL6000 performs very well. It hits quickly and with very little effort. Unfortunately, a couple of mine have given slight burnt-tasting hits. I’m not sure why, but luckily, it’s only been with a couple and not the whole lot. Other than those two that had burnt hits, there were no other issues. They were all free from leaking, spitting, or popping. In general, the performance has been reliable and enjoyable, save for those two anomalies.
Lastly, for 20 mg/mL, it has a solid throat hit. I normally vape 50 mg/mL with nic salt and 24 mg/ml with freebase. I am impressed that these devices do not feel weak due to the lower nic salt concentration. I didn’t even realize they were 20 mg/mL until I had already depleted a few batteries
SKE has informed us that the burnt-tasting hits are likely caused by vaping immediately after combining
the 2 mL pre-filled atomizer and the 10 mL e-liquid bottle. They advise waiting for one minute for the coil to absorb the liquid and added that in the manual of future batches.
SKE Crystal CL6000 best flavors
The Crystal CL6000 offers ten flavors, with most being sweet and refreshing profiles of fruits. The flavors are well-executed, with no strange aftertaste. The only flavor I didn’t care for was sour apple. These are my five favorites:
Strawberry burst: Sweet and juicy, with a blend of candy and natural strawberry flavor. It’s familiar, but not necessarily like every other strawberry vape. It’s got its own personality.
Blueberry raspberries: Tart, tangy, and slightly sweet. The blueberries and raspberries mix well and almost taste like a singular fruit flavor. An all-day-vape type of flavor.
Cherry ice: A vibrant cherry flavor with just the right amount of menthol for a lively exhale. Nicely done.
Fizzy cherry: Effervescent and sweet. The “fiz” is noticeable and a nice break from the omnipresent “ice” flavors. Expect to start seeing these flavors more and more.
Watermelon ice: The sweet ephemeral taste and aroma of watermelon, with only a slight bit of ice. If you want major ice, this won’t do it for you. If you’re like me and only want a touch of ice with your watermelon flavor, you’ll dig this one.
How long does it last?
With an 800 mAh battery, the CL6000 produces an average runtime, which is about a full day of vaping before needing to charge it again. From what I can glean from looking into the tank after my first charge, the prefilled 12 mL will likely only last two charges, with maybe a little left over for a third charge. It’s highly unlikely you’ll get to three charges before needing to replace the pod.
The battery charges via USB-C in about 80 minutes. Since there are devices like this that have fast charging, I think 80 minutes is a bit too long. Fast charging has me spoiled.
It’s worth mentioning again that the battery status indicator only turns on when you take a draw or when you insert a pod. I have ten of these, so figuring out which ones need a charge is a bit of a hassle. It’s not that inconvenient, but it’s still a con.
Pros / Cons
Gallery
Verdict
I think the SKE Crystal CL6000 strikes a good balance between simplicity and performance. Frankly, several years ago, the performance from the Crystal CL6000 would’ve been only available to advanced vapers with advanced hardware. It’s nice that nowadays a beginner can start with top-notch performance from a simple device.
While the lack of quick access to the battery indicator is a misstep, and I got a couple of pods that gave burnt hits, I still am fairly confident in recommending these devices to those looking for a simple device with solid performance.
Recommended but with advice to consider the cons.
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