Very light and ergonomic
Threaded 510 connection eliminates the need for any sort of adapters
Compatible with all 510 threaded carts
Soft touch body feels great
Super easy to use
Voltage adjustment in 0.1V increments from 1.8 to 4.2V
15s preheat mode effectively warms up material without vaporizing and wasting it
Low voltage is good for flavor, higher voltage is effective for thick material or stronger effects
CONS
Device becomes very tall with 510 cartridge installed
Higher chance of carts breaking due to the exposed cartridge design
Five minute auto shut off gets annoying
A full charge only lasts for a half gram cart
Black and white display looks dated
Our Verdict
The TIK20 is a great option for someone looking for a light and versatile device. It’s a thumb sized device that, even though it’s a little bigger than the TIK10, is surprisingly small considering it sports a 0.69” display. The thing to keep in mind though is that once you attach a cartridge, the TIK20 takes on a much taller form factor, one which is taller than most other 510 batteries on the market. However, it still remains extremely light and that’s going to be a main selling point for this device.
The 15 second preheat mode provides flavorful and dense vapor within the first draw and saves you from struggling to get your cartridge started, which is always nice to have.
The wider range of voltage levels compared to the TIK10 is great because it allows you to find the optimal voltage output for your material and preference and gives great choice over what you get out of your cart. For more intense effects and more vapor, turn the voltage up. For better flavor, keep the voltage low.
Unfortunately, the battery life isn’t great and only lasts for around a half of a full gram cartridge before needing to be recharged. This is much shorter battery life than the full gram battery that I would expect to vape with other 510 batteries, but the TIK20 is much smaller and lighter so it’s a tradeoff of portability for battery life. The exposed cartridge design is also another potential downside because it makes the entire device much taller and introduces the possibility of the cartridge breaking or snapping in your pocket.
Overall though, I enjoyed using the TIK20. If having a 510 battery that is as light as possible is your main concern, you won’t find many devices lighter than the TIK20.
Based out of Shenzhen, China, DOTECO is a company that focuses on producing 510 batteries to be used with CBD cartridges and THC carts. As a company, they pride themselves on manufacturing high end devices that are made with high quality materials, and all of their products are put through rigorous quality control testing.
Today, I have the DOTECO TIK20, the successor to the TIK10. The TIK10 was really small, so it surprised me to see that the TIK20 is not much bigger even though it has been fitted with a 0.69” OLED screen.
The TIK20 features a wider range of voltage outputs, with the option of setting the voltage from 1.8V to 4.2V in 0.1V increments. It still has a 15 second preheat mode. The TIK20 also has a 400mAh built-in battery that recharges using Type-C.
If you are looking for a new 510 battery, or currently own the TIK10 and want to know if the TIK20 is worth picking up, keep reading. I will go over all of the updates and even the things that have remained untouched.
Box Contents
1 x TIK20 510 Thread Battery
1 x Type-C Charging Cable
1 x User Manual
Specifications
400mAh battery
Type-C charging
0.69” OLED display
1.8V – 4.2V Output voltage (0.1V increments)
16W Output
15s Preheat mode
Auto shut off after 5 Mins of no use
Spring-loaded 510 connection
Design & Build Quality
The TIK20 is really not that much bigger than the TIK10 and that surprised me. I figured with the new 0.69” OLED screen the newer version would have to be much larger. But at only 10mm taller than its predecessor, the TIK20 is 61mm tall and remains 20mm deep and 20mm wide. It’s just slightly larger than my thumb, which is impressive. It’s a remarkably small and super portable device, at least without a cart attached.
The TIK20 is also very light, but it doesn’t feel cheap or of low quality. It has enough weight to it to feel like you are holding something in your hand, but it doesn’t have the heaviness of some other 510 batteries.
The device is tall and has a more squared off design than that of the TIK10. Despite having four sides instead of the original three sides, it does not feel much bigger in my hand at all. I do find the original three sided TIK 10 to feel more comfortable to hold, but the TIK20 is still a pleasant shape.
I found holding the device with three fingers was ideal. I usually rest my thumb on the button on the front side while my index and middle finger are wrapped around the back. Holding the TIK20 this way is perfect and it feels like this is the way it was meant to be used. The button is the perfect size and it is placed in the optimal location. The TIK20 features the same soft touch paint as the original. It feels nice to the touch and has not faded or worn out since I have been using the device.
Now that the general design is out of the way, I am going to break down the device from top to bottom. I’ll describe all of the new changes to the TIK20, as well as some of the same great features that have been passed on from the TIK10.
Looking at the top of the TIK20 you will notice that the 510 connection has been slightly recessed into the mod, with the back of the device coming up higher than the front. A benefit of this recessed 510 connection being is that it may protect your cartridge from being snapped while in the pocket.
While some devices have the cartridge folded into the battery, and others have the cartridge encased almost completely inside of the device, the TIK20 leaves the cartridge completely exposed. This slightly recessed 510 design may be used to reduce the chance of the cartridge breaking by providing support to the back of the cart.
This raised section also has a lanyard anchor spot, but you do not get a lanyard included in the box.
Like its older brother, the TIK20 has a spring-loaded 510 thread connection. However, the TIK20 connection has been improved and looks to be of much higher quality than the TIK10. The connection features the same 4 channel cutouts which allow for airflow when the cartridge is connected.
To connect the cartridge, you just screw it on — no magnetic adapters required. The TIK20 is compatible with any 510 threaded cartridge. I am a fan of this design as most magnetically connected 510 batteries cause the cartridge to wiggle, but this is a more secure connection that is solid and wobble free.
Once you attach a cartridge to the TIK20, it becomes a lot taller than other 510 batteries with recessed or hidden cartridge designs. So while the TIK20 may be smaller and more compact than other 510 batteries as a standalone battery, it actually ends up having a bigger footprint and becoming much larger once a cartridge is attached.
Since you need to attach a cart to the TIK20 in order for it to have any use, its small size isn’t really a benefit when you actually want to use it. However, it does still remain much lighter than a lot of other 510 batteries on the market, so if weight is a concern then the TIK20 definitely has an advantage.
Features and Functions
There are some new and great updates with the TIK20 including a 0.69” OLED display. This screen displays your voltage, puff count, battery level and even lets you know if your cartridge is connected or not. The screen is black and white and looks a little dated but it’s crisp and does a good job of relaying important information.
Just above the screen are three buttons: your power/fire button and two adjustment buttons. I was pleased to see the new adjustment buttons as it can be difficult to navigate one button having multiple uses. You can adjust your voltage level in 0.1V increments from 1.8V to 4.2V.
The TIK20 still features the same 15 second preheat mode, which can be activated by pressing the power button two times. The screen will show a 15 second countdown as well as a vapor icon that blinks. This preheat mode heats up your cartridge at 1.8V for a 15 second duration and I found it to work well to get the cartridge started while not actually vaporizing or wasting any of the material.
To conserve battery life the TIK20 automatically shuts off after 5 minutes of inactivity. This is a much shorter time than the 12 minute shut off on the TIK10 and to be honest this is one of my only cons to the device.
During a session, I would use the TIK20, wait a few minutes, then go to take another puff, only to find that the device had turned off automatically. In this situation, you have to press the power button 5 times to unlock the device and then press and hold to actually draw. This quickly gets frustrating after the first few times. I would have liked to see an option to disable this automatic locking, but unfortunately there’s no way to disable it.
Button Combinations
Press the power button 5 times to power device on or off
Press the power button twice to activate the 15 second preheat time
Press + to increase voltage by 0.1V increments up to 4.2V
Press – to decrease voltage by 0.1V increments down to 1.8V
To clear puff count press and hold the + and – buttons simultaneously, after 2 seconds the puff count will clear
Performance
I was able to achieve a really satisfying and good experience using the TIK20 with CBD and THC cartridges alike. The TIK20 is also a very simple device to use, so it’s perfect for users who just want something that works. You simply screw on the cartridge, without the worry of any adapters, set your desired voltage, and press the fire button to vape.
One thing that I found irritating with some 510 batteries is that the cartridge is not completely secure and wiggled around the device. Thankfully, the TIK20 eliminates this issue with its threaded 510 connection and this keeps the cartridge solid and firm in the device.
The 15 second preheat mode is also great and allows you to prime thicker materials without having to take a few draws to achieve the same thing. Once the preheat mode is finished, even the thickest materials are ready to go and provide thick vapor right from the first puff.
One of the better improvements on the TIK20 is the wider range of voltage. The TIK10’s range was between 2.7V and 4.2V and was only available in 4 different settings. The TIK20’s range is between 1.8V and 4.2V and allows you to set it in 0.1V increments. With these more precise settings, the TIK20 truly allows you to select the perfect voltage output for your materials and preference.
For most cartridges, I found that 3.6V was the ideal voltage output to get a good amount of vapor, flavor, and effects. For some cartridges with thicker distillate/oil, you may have to crank the voltage up a little bit higher. For those flavor chasers out there who enjoy tasting everything that their chosen strain has to offer, you can keep the voltage lower for the best flavor.
One downside to the TIK20 is the battery life. For a device to be considered as having “good” battery life, our standard judging criteria is that it should be able to get you through a full 1g cartridge, or at least close, on a single battery charge. Unfortunately, the TIK20 falls short in this category, with a full battery charge only lasting for half of a 1g cart. It does recharge quickly, but this short battery life means that I was recharging more often that I would with other 510 batteries and that means less overall vaping time.
Verdict
The TIK20 is a great option for someone looking for a light and versatile device. It’s a thumb sized device that, even though it’s a little bigger than the TIK10, is surprisingly small considering it sports a 0.69” display. The thing to keep in mind though is that once you attach a cartridge, the TIK20 takes on a much taller form factor, one which is taller than most other 510 batteries on the market. However, it still remains extremely light and that’s going to be a main selling point for this device.The 15 second preheat mode provides flavorful and dense vapor within the first draw and saves you from struggling to get your cartridge started, which is always nice to have.
The wider range of voltage levels compared to the TIK10 is great because it allows you to find the optimal voltage output for your material and preference and gives great choice over what you get out of your cart. For more intense effects and more vapor, turn the voltage up. For better flavor, keep the voltage low.
Unfortunately, the battery life isn’t great and only lasts for around a half of a full gram cartridge before needing to be recharged. This is much shorter battery life than the full gram battery that I would expect to vape with other 510 batteries, but the TIK20 is much smaller and lighter so it’s a tradeoff of portability for battery life. The exposed cartridge design is also another potential downside because it makes the entire device much taller and introduces the possibility of the cartridge breaking or snapping in your pocket.
Overall though, I enjoyed using the TIK20. If having a 510 battery that is as light as possible is your main concern, you won’t find many devices lighter than the TIK20.
Have you tried the TIK20? Let us know what you think about it down below.
