The article will talk about a disposable electronic cigarette called TK-Mini, released by the world famous company Xiaomi under the Takihealth brand.
It so happened that disposable electronic cigarettes, in fact, were invented first, but never received significant recognition and distribution among the vaper community. At the very beginning they were too expensive, and then, after a general reduction in prices, they could not compete with reusable and serviceable devices. Their only use is to be a backup device in case of an emergency or to provide an opportunity to get enough nicotine where you cannot smoke a regular cigarette. The invention of salt nicotine and the sudden popularity of Pods may well give “disposables” a second wind, although, perhaps, we should not expect explosive popularity.
Until the last moment, I was not sure that the manufacturer of TK-Mini was indeed the giant company Xiaomi, which has gathered an incredible number of smaller companies under its wing. There is no information on the packaging confirming this; all links lead to the website takiheath.com, which is entirely in Chinese and is practically impossible for online translators to work with. australian vape shop sydney The official Xiaomi website knows nothing about TAKI, and Google is treacherously silent. After carefully studying the hieroglyphs and the links under them on the manufacturer’s website, I still managed to find a single link to the xiaominaonao page on the Chinese microblogging service weibo, and there was no other mention of the big name on it. But remembering that Xiaomi manages more than 200 brands and sub-brands that produce literally everything from toilet paper to refrigerators, we can fully assume that Takihealth is one of them.
Presentation of TK-Mini
TK-Mini disposable electronic cigarettes are sold both individually and as part of gift packaging, which is what ended up in my hands, and now on your screens. A box made of thick cardboard, with a magnetic lid and a strict design. On the front side, in addition to incomprehensible hieroglyphs, you can find warnings, a link to the manufacturer’s landing page and a large inscription TAKI. The reverse side contains a little more information, some of which is in English (warnings and key nuances), and some in Chinese (manufacturer’s legal address).
What is in the box
Inside is a set of five possible TK-Mini flavors, each in its own individual packaging.
This almost “blister” is made of thinner cardboard and is divided into two parts: a colored one with a description of the purpose of the device and a “foil” part with the name of the device, flavor and other information in Chinese.
XIAOMI TAKI – protective package
To prevent possible spontaneous leakage, activation and spread of the smell of the refilled liquid, the sticks are additionally placed in sealed disposable bags indicating the production date. The shelf life is stated to be 24 months, which can only be understood by translating the Chinese characters.
TK-Mini. Constructive
The design of the TK-Mini sticks is as minimalistic as possible – just an elongated rectangle, divided into two parts by the color on the sticker. The picture on both sides is the same: the name, nicotine content (5%, i.e. 50 milligrams per milliliter!) and its type (salt), and a link to the promotional site. To protect against dust, each stick has two silicone caps, which, however, will most likely be lost instantly.
The taste of the liquid filled into the stick can be determined either by the color of half the label or read on the end of the device, both in English and Chinese.
The stick turns on automatically during a puff, but it is important not to confuse which side to puff on. The correct side is marked with a color, an arrow and two holes at the end. The second end is intended for air intake; a small LED is installed right there, which lights up blue during a puff.
TK-Mini. Description of flavors
The format of the device itself does not imply any incredible flavor transfer, and the huge content of salt nicotine will definitely not allow you to savor the shades for a long time. Therefore, all my sensations are based on a maximum of three puffs per hour (no more is needed, saturation occurs instantly, and somehow I don’t want to catch an “overdose”).
TK-Mini. MUNG BEAN ICE
Mung beans, or mung beans, or lui dau, Asian beans, golden beans. The term “moong” comes from the Hindi language. Mung bean is actively used in Chinese cuisine, in which it is called lǜ dòu (绿豆, literally: green bean), but also in the cuisines of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia. Mung bean is usually eaten whole, shelled or sprouted. Mung bean starch is used for gelling and the production of a special type of Chinese noodles. In the Chinese world, mung bean starch is used to prepare noodles called “fensi” or “funchoza”. It is sold in dried form, and in Russia and Ukraine – often under the guise of rice noodles or vermicelli. Used in soups, salads, deep-fried dishes. “Glass noodles” got their name because of the translucent appearance they acquire after cooking.
XIAOMI TAKI – MUNG BEAN ICE flavor
The very first stick and immediately an unexpected and pleasant surprise! I have never steamed a flavor like beans before. The smell after removing the protective silicone caps was disconcerting, something like the smell of canned green peas, but the taste suddenly turned out to be very pleasant. On inhalation there is a slight chill, which develops to a moderate freezing of the throat during a deep puff, and on top of the cooler are juicy and green peas, which are not from a can, but from a bush, so unripe that you can eat without picking out the peas, but straight away, whole with tender pod. Very unusual and delicious at the same time.
TK-Mini. ICE LICHI
The second not most common fruit in our area is lychee. I won’t say that it’s very expensive, I just rarely come across it in stores (I can’t say about Defaul City, but I’ve only bought it in my city a couple of times in three years). The smell is quite identical, maybe even slightly chemical, with a too bright resinous note. The taste is practically without a cooler, the chill appears only in the aftertaste, and even then, uncertainly, on the verge of perception. The lychee itself is desperately lacking in freshness, but it seems similar. The result is normal.
TK-Mini. FLUE-CURED TOBACCO
Like tobacco cured over an open fire, I couldn’t find a more adequate translation of the name. It smells like Chinese tobacco, the taste is soft, rich and pleasant. There is no trace of tar or ash, it doesn’t look like cookies or socks. But sometimes something smoked slips through. It’s even a pity that there is such a large amount of nicotine; I would gladly vape such a tobacco mix every day.
TK-Mini. ICE COFFEE
The stick smells like ground coffee, not freshly ground, but from a store-bought pack, i.e. with a little sourness. The taste is also sour and is most similar to ground coffee from the second brew, and even slightly burnt. At first glance, it seems that everything is very sad, but as you exhale, a rather powerful cooler appears and corrects the situation, in the end it seems that you just chewed a frozen and previously well-roasted coffee bean. For a tank or drip, this mix would be too bitter, but in a stick, with a couple of puffs per hour, it’s quite good.
TK-Mini. BLUEBERRY BURST
The smell of blueberries is distinct, fresh and sweet. But the taste is not very pronounced and is more reminiscent of triangular chewing candies with cold and blueberries. The cold is closer to mild than average, which is not bad for hot weather, but when it’s +10 outside, it’s not so comfortable.
TK-Mini. What’s inside the stick
Naturally, I couldn’t resist the temptation to disassemble the TK-Mini and find out what’s inside. Under the sticker was a simple light alloy case without a single identifying inscription.
XIAOMI TAKI – condensate filter
Under the top plug (working like a mouthpiece) a silicone plug with an air duct hole was found, and in the plug itself there was a piece of figuratively cut padding polyester, which should absorb drops of condensation during puffing.
XIAOMI TAKI – view with covers removed
Under the bottom plug you can see the tightening sensor (microphone) and a small LED, wrapped in translucent silicone; the wires and battery are visible a little deeper. Unfortunately, I was unable to further remove the insides, and I did not cut the body for fear of damaging the battery. Under the top silicone plug there is a filler impregnated with liquid and a silica tube, inside of which a heating element spiral is hidden.
TK-Mini. Personal impressions
XIAOMI TAKI – size comparison
What I liked
Small, light and simple stick
Strict design
Interesting tastes
Condensation absorber in the mouthpiece
Which is just good
Individual packaging of each stick
Light indication when tightening
Gets high quickly
What could be better
Most information is in Chinese
Relatively high price.
Suddenly, the device turned out to be quite good. All five flavors are not unpleasant and provide a pleasant sensation while vaping. “Pea” surprised, “tobacco” pleased, “blueberry” slightly upset. As a spare device or for a couple of discreet puffs during a long meeting, this is it. The price without discounts and coupons is not the most humane, but after markdowns and discounts, you can easily buy six pieces and leave a couple at work, a couple in the car and carry two more in your bag pocket, fortunately, they don’t take up much space.
