The Anyvape CVI

One of the things people need to be aware of when joining co-ops is that they are not good for people who want instant gratification. With retailers you place an order, and usually within a few days, you’ll receive a shipping notice. With co-ops, things are a bit more unpredictable.

Take the co-op we joined for the Anyvape CVI v1, for example. We signed up for the co-op on ECF around the beginning of January, and paid for the mod January 16th. That’s the point in a co-op where the waiting begins. An order needs to be placed with the supplier, goods need to be shipped from overseas, and generally it’ll be weeks before you see anything. Or, in the case of the Anyvape CVI, it may turn out to be months… several of them.

Anyvape CVI

A series of quality control problems, material shortages, payment problems, and other delays kept pushing the delivery date back farther and farther. How many of these delays were just stalling tactics from the vendor, we have no idea. However, just when we’d all but forgotten we’d even ordered it, our Anyvape CVI finally showed up on our doorstep a couple days back, well over three months since we’d signed up for it.

The Anyvape CVI v1 is a variable voltage/variable wattage mod, a bit like the Joyetech eVic in appearance. Available in a variety of colors, the CVI allows the user to adjust voltage from 3 to 6 volts in .1 volt increments, or 3 to 15 watts in .5 watt increments, and has a maximum current output of 4 amps. A version 2 of the CVI is also available, with a different, more eVic-style look and an increased maximum current of 5 amps.

Anyvape CVI v1 with Kanger ProTank

The Anyvape’s variable wattage system uses RMS (root mean square) to calculate output, as most variable wattage devices do these days, as it produces a much more consistent vape then the “mean” method used by some devices. There’s some boring math involved in explaining the differences between the two, but if that’s your thing, you’d be better off Googling it than taking our word for it. Frankly, anything that looks like algebra tends to make us dizzy, and could potentially put us into comas if we continue past that point, and we’ve got a review to finish here.

The Anyvape CVI features a single-button interface, much like that of the Provari or ZMax, where pressing the button a certain number of times will bring you to a menu option. After pausing a second, you can then change the value of that option.  Using this interface, you can increase or decrease power output, lock the power button, check battery voltage, enable or disable the LCD display, and switch between variable wattage and variable power modes. The display is somewhat similar to that used by the Green Sound GS Sub 2.0 we previously reviewed, in that it uses two lines of seven characters each to display menu options and settings.  This can lead to some confusing displays, such as the “3. LOCK ATOMIZE” option which disables the power button (and which, oddly, one of a few all-uppercase option on the menu, while others are mixed-case). On the plus side, the display is quite bright and easier to read in daylight than some other mods, like the Joyetech eVic, we’ve used previously.

Anyvape CVI v2

While the CVI is designed so that pressing the button five times brings you to the first menu option, we’ve found it doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes it takes five, and more often it takes eight, since the first few presses bring up the operating mode and “Anyvape” name on this display. This can be a little annoying. While we’re used to this sort of interface on things like a Provari, predictability makes the interface easier to use over time, to the point that the display is no longer needed and it can be done by feel. Not knowing how many presses it’ll take to get to a particular option on the CVI means you won’t be changing settings without looking, since you’ll never know what you might be changing.

The Anyvape CVI comes with a tube to fit an 18650 battery, and an 18350 tube is available as a separate option.

The Scores

Build Quality: 7/10

The aluminum build of the Anyvape CVI seems sturdy enough, if not particularly noteworthy.  Threading is smooth and the finish is consistent throughout, though the whole thing maybe feels a bit too lightweight. The button works and fits well, with no play or rattle, but the display does have a bit of a low-tech look to it.  Inconsistencies in the way menu options are presented also give the mod a bit of a not-completely-polished feel.

Looks: 8/10

Those who like some color in their mods have several to choose from in the Anyvape CVI, including silver, black, .blue, orange, green, red, and pink, all with silver-toned accents. The color is carried all the way up to the top cap, giving the mod a very consistent look overall. The slant top of the mod is a good fit for 19mm atomizers.

Flexibility: 6/10

While there are some welcome features with the CVI, such as the use of eGo and 510 threading to allow a wide range of delivery devices, and variable wattage is always a plus as far as flexibility goes, an atomizer resistance display is something we would have liked to see. You are also limited to 18650 batteries exclusively unless you also get the optional 18350 tube.

Performance: 7/10

The Anyvape CVI did a respectable job of keeping voltage and wattage levels where they had been set, only varying by .1 to .2 volts across the range of the mod.  It should probably be noted that we were unable to push the mod past about 10 watts without using two 18350s, and even then we could only really approach 15 watts with the newer CVI v2.  While stacked batteries are a supported configuration of the CVI, it’s not one we generally recommend for safety reasons.

Price: 7/10

We’ve found the Anyvape CVI selling for $50-$60. While it’s possible to find variable wattage PVs like the Vamo selling for slightly less, the CVI  is still priced lower than most such mods. However, ongoing shipping delays may make it difficult to find in stock at retailers.

Overall Score: 7.0

The Anyvape CVI