A few months ago, UK coil builder Chris Grimes reached out to us and offered to send over a sample pack of his products. Never ones to turn down such an opportunity, we gladly accepted. We were surprised by the sheer volume and variety of coils that he sent and now we’ve had the chance to try them properly, it’s time for a review!
0.4Ohm Fused Clapton
Specifications: 2x27g Ni80 core, 40g Ni80 outer
The smallest of the coils sent in our sampler. These low mass Fused Claptons may not be very large but the quality is still top notch. They’re ideal for small RBAs, such as the ones that are compatible with devices like the Geekvape Aegis Boost AIO. We found them to perform best in the 25W-35W range per coil, where they provide great flavour and a smooth vape.
0.3Ohm Fused Clapton
Specifications: 2x26g Ni80 core, 38g Ni80 outer
A slightly larger Fused Clapton. This is a very similar build to the “benchmark” coil that we regularly use in smaller single coil RDAs, as well as many mid-sized dual coil RDAs. This is bang on the money in terms of what we look for in a mid-wattage coil. They shine at 35W-45W per coil, striking a great balance between flavour, warmth and e-liquid consumption.
0.25Ohm Alien
Specifications: 3x28g Ni80 core, 36g SS316L outer
Aliens are generally seen as the “gold standard” of hand-built coils. This is another win for Chris Grimes, since these are some of the most immaculate, we’ve ever seen. These Aliens are a little lower in mass compared with some on the market, but they still need a good amount of power to get going. We found the sweet spot to be 50W-65W per coil, where they produce a flavourful, crackly vape.
0.25Ohm Staggerton
Specifications: 6x .3 ribbon Kanthal plus 2x28g Ni80 core, 40g Ni80 outer
A step up in terms of mass compared with the Alien. The use of ribbon wire means that these don’t need too much extra power to get going, though. Due to the flatter nature of this build, we found that it produces a little less crackle than the Alien, so this is something to consider if you enjoy that in your vape. In our testing, these performed best in the 65W-75W range per coil.
0.25Ohm Alien Framed Staple
Specifications: 6x .3 ribbon kanthal plus 2x28g Ni80 core, 36g Ni80 outer
These coils look absolutely stunning and they vape just as great as they look. There’s only a slight increase in mass here compared with the Staggerton, owing to the lower gauge outer wrap. They can handle a little more heat as a result and we found these to perform best at 70W-80W per coil, though they could definitely be pushed further if you enjoy a super warm vape and know what you’re doing in the wicking department. Like the standard Aliens, these produce a satisfying crackle. Great for high wattage vapers.
0.25Ohm SSFC
Specifications: 6x .3 ribbon Kanthal, plus 2x28g Ni80 core, 38gNi80 outer
SSFCs are usually the largest coil you can buy from a builder and these are certainly the chunkiest that arrived in our sampler. By looking at the specs, it would appear near identical in mass to the Framed Staple Alien and we found that it had the same sweet spot of 70W-80W per coil. The main difference compared with the Framed Staple Alien here is that it produces a less crackly vape, which some people will prefer. There is a slight boost to surface area, too, though we did not find any noticeable increase to flavour compared with the Framed Staple Alien, so either of these are a great choice if you’re looking for high wattage and flavour production.
In summary, we’re mightily impressed with Chris’s coils. Not only do they arrive in great packaging, with immaculate construction, they also perform very nicely. Due to his wide range of builds, there should be something on offer for just about any vaper, which is great. If you’re looking for some UK handmade coils, Chris is a fantastic option!
