Minority Atomisers - The 401, 4801 And 601 Atomisers

This article is about three atomisers which are not in common use amongst regular vapers - although there are many new vapers who come across them in "cig-a-like" e-cigs purchased as starters.

Although the "cig-a-likes" may be poor devices, none of these atomisers are poor as atomisers - but they have particular weaknesses (that could be overcome).

The one thing these atomisers all have in common is that, like the 306, they have cartridge covers which slide over the outside of the atomiser body, rather than plugging into it like 510 or 901 atomisers. Unlike the 306 though, drip-tips are not readily available for them.

ONE: The M401 Atomiser

The M401 atomiser was originally made by Smoore, but there are, as you would expect, clones...

The M401 has its own fitting thread (and is an "inny" like the 901):



The atomiser pulls out of the cartridge cover. It has a broad band at the screw end which the cover butts up against:



The atomiser has a strongly protruberant bridge as you can see. Here is a top view:



The cartidge has a separate inner part which holds the liquid:



It is REALLY small - you have to push it up with a paperclip to fill it, here it is pushed right out alongside the cartridge cover:



EDIT: Toby would like me to point out that he has found you can just drip liquid down into the inner cart without removing it from the outer. Also that the 601 carts DO wick really well (which I can confirm)

Experienced M401 users usually stop bothering with these tiny carts and instead use "dipping". This consists of literally dipping the atomiser bridge into a bottle of juice and then sliding the cartridge cover (WITHOUT the inner cartridge) over it.

The M401 shown here tested out at 2.6ohms

The M401 provides good vapour and excellent flavour and would make a very decent dripping atomiser (if you could get drip-tips). Here is a picture of an M401 fitted to my Precise Plus using a 510 to 401 adapter:



TWO: The M601 Atomiser

The M601 atomiser is also made by Smoore, and is, in many ways, the M401's "big brother". It's not a commom atomiser though...

The M601 has its own fitting thread (and is an "outy" like the 510):



Again, atomiser pulls out of the cartridge cover. It has a narrow "stopper" band at the screw end which the cover butts up against:



The atomiser has a "big fat" bridge. Here is a top view:



As with the M401, the cartridge has a separate inner part which holds the liquid:



Although much bigger than the M401 cartridge, it's still not really big enough - as before, you have to push it up with a paperclip to fill it. Here it is pushed right out alongside the cartridge cover:



The M601 used here tested out at 2.7ohms

The M601 is a very good "dipping" atomiser, providing good vapour and hit with excellent flavour and cries out for a drip-tip. Here is a picture of an M601 fitted to my Precise Plus using a 510 to 601 adapter:




THREE: The RN4801 Atomiser

The RN4801 atomiser was originally made by First Union, and is by far the most common of these three atomisers. It is the atomiser used in "Super" e-cig-a-likes.

The RN4801 has its own fitting thread (and is an "outy" like the 510) - this thread is also used by SLB DSE103 atomisers:



Again, the atomiser pulls out of the cartridge cover. Like the M601, it has a narrow "stopper" band at the screw end which the cover butts up against:



The bridge is recessed inside the atomiser body. Here is a top view:



NOTE - the DSE103 has a protuberant bridge like the 401 and 103 cartridges are NOT compatible with the 4081. As with the other atomisers here, the 4081 cartridge has a separate inner part which holds the liquid:



On standard "Super Cartridges" this inner is ridiculously small. But you can get "double length" 4081 catridges which are a bit better:



These are just about useable a cartridges, but as with the 401 and 601, you have to push the inner cartridge up with a paperclip to fill it, here it is pushed right out alongside the cartridge cover:



The RN4081 used here tested out at 3.3ohms

The RN4801 is a decent atomiser, providing a good balance between hit and flavour and again cries out for a drip-tip. Here is a picture of an RN4801 fitted to my Precise Plus using a 510 to 4801 adapter:



These are all decent atomisers, and if drip tips were available they would all be perfectly useable. Each has a a unique character and would widen choice if they could be easily dripped