For the mech technicians. What makes a great Mech and what brands have the best?
Safety:
++ vent holes at the top and/or bottom
++ strong, beefy insulators
++ spring inside the switch doesn't carry any current to prevent hot-button issue. Magnets are fine as well.
+ lockable or recessed or at least flush button to prevent unwanted activation of the device
+ insulation inside the tube and under the top cap may prevent a hard short.
If you keep your batteries in absolutely flawless condition and remember to thread on your atty first, that's not a necessity though
Good for performance:
++ "hybrid" connection. Make sure your atty has a protruding 510-pin. VandyVape RDAs never disappoint in that regard for example
++ beefy copper contact(s) for a good stable connection
+ 21700 compatible. The Samsung 30T hits a lot harder than all the other available cells
+ copper or silver body keeps voltage drop low, but brass is fine as well.
Good for cleaning purposes:
++ constant contact switch
++ beefy contacts
++ if the plastic insulator is threaded, make sure those threads are thick and beefy, so they don't wear out easily
+ nickel plating on the contacts keeps maintenance to a minimum
+ a short throw on the button means less arcing
RussianCustomMods and GodModRussia offer some very good performing mechs, albeit quite pricey.
The GMR Overlord clone is very, very good though and still one of my favorite devices.
If you want to go authentic and cheap, the Serisvape Bathala is a excellent mech tube. It ticks nearly all the boxes above and hits very hard.
For the mech technicians. What makes a great Mech and what brands have the best?