Smok Priv M17 Review – House of M

Updated: September 26, 2022

The masses have spoken and it looks like Smok has listened. With the flood of handy-dandy ultraportable mods coming into the market, it’s no surprise that Smok would do their best to keep up with the changing trends. Enter the Smok Priv M17, a tiny baby of a mod, but packing performance that might surprise most. Delivering sub-ohm performance in a sub-compact form factor, the Smok Priv M17 just might be your next portable daily driver. Let’s check out the details of the kit down below and see how it stacks up to today’s standards.

Be sure to check the vape buyer’s guides for important information to take into consideration before making your purchase.

Review: Smok Priv M17

Smok Priv M17 Review

Smok Priv M17 front display

Manufacturing Quality

In true Smok fashion, the prolific manufacturer has taken something simple but packaged it in an attractive exterior chassis that most will find difficult to dislike. With it’s expertly finished zinc alloy body, the Smok Priv M17 is definitely a looker.

Available in up to 9 different colorways, including Smok’s signature Prism Rainbow, there’s a good variety of color options to select from regardless of your personal preferences.

In order to fit a sub-ohm vape into such a tiny package, some corners had to be cut. The Smok Priv M17, for instance, lacks a proper LED display and instead uses a single LED light that functions as an indicator for the device’s battery life and current status. It’s visible enough even under direct sunlight so most users shouldn’t have trouble gleaning information from it at a moments notice. If you are someone who also uses 510 oil cartridges and other vapers have reported Yocan Uni Pro is a good place to start.

Like most sub-compact devices, the Smok Priv M17 functions the same way that any smart mechanical mod would. Having said that, you won’t find any extraneous buttons on the exterior with the exception of the large firing bar located on the side which is typical of Smok’s design language. It does its job well enough, being sufficiently clicky and tactile, but there is a hint of rattle or play when using it.

Smok Priv M17 available colors

On the top of the Smok Priv M17 is the stainless steel 510 connection; the machining on this is pretty good, and there have been no problems so far with threading the included Stick tank on top. The connection is stable as well, which can also be attributed to the gold plated spring loaded connection that should be able to accommodate atomizer pins of various lengths.

The only drawback in this regard is that the Smok Priv M17 only manages to accommodate tanks or RDAs up to 17.5mm in diameter without any overhang, so your options for aftermarket atomizers will definitely be limited.

Smok Priv M17 mouth piece

Flavor Quality

The Smok Priv M17 kit comes packaged with two Stick M17 0.6 ohm coil heads. Despite their smaller size in comparison with the rest of Smok’s lineup of coils, these manage to output a good deal of flavor and vapor with lots of airflow available for tweaking. Expectations have to be managed though.

You’re not going to get the exact same vaping experience as you would have on Smok’s flagship series of tanks such as the Smok TFV12 Prince which use much larger coils, so while flavor density might be similar, vapor production will be slightly less.

An unexpected but very welcome feature of the included Stick tank is its adjustable airflow ring. Featuring dual adjustable air slots, the Stick tank offers lots of options for tweaking the airflow exactly to your liking, so getting a tight and dense vape or a loose and airy vape are both very possible with this kit.

Smok Priv M17 power controlPower Flexibility

The Smok Priv M17 kit comes packaged with two Stick M17 0.6 ohm coil heads. Despite their smaller size in comparison with the rest of Smok’s lineup of coils, these manage to output a good deal of flavor and vapor with lots of airflow available for tweaking. Expectations have to be managed though.

You’re not going to get the exact same vaping experience as you would have on Smok’s flagship series of tanks such as the Smok TFV12 Prince which use much larger coils, so while flavor density might be similar, vapor production will be slightly less. People who use 510 cartridges tend to prefer the Smok Micare.

An unexpected but very welcome feature of the included Stick tank is its adjustable airflow ring. Featuring dual adjustable air slots, the Stick tank offers lots of options for tweaking the airflow exactly to your liking, so getting a tight and dense vape or a loose and airy vape are both very possible with this kit.

Smok Priv M17 flat display

Smok Priv M17 tankEase of Use

It’s easy as it gets when it comes to setting up, operating, maintaining the Smok Priv M17. A single 0.6-ohm coil is already pre-installed in the tank straight out of the box, so all that’s left to do for first-time users is to charge the mod via the micro USB port.

Refilling the 2ml tank is a breeze thanks to the push swivel mechanism on the top cap which has thankfully been included as part of the Stick tank.

If I were to be nitpicky though, I would’ve preferred an extra milliliter or two in regards to the tanks e-liquid capacity. 2 millilitres of e-liquid does tend to run out quickly when sub-ohm vaping, so you might find yourself refilling a bit more often compared to other larger tanks.

Smok Priv M17 with armor case

Portability

One major weakness of the Smok Priv M17 is it lacks the ability to function as a reliable all day vape. The tiny 1200mAh integrated battery just isn’t enough to drive the mod to satisfying vaping levels for long.

As the battery life begins to dwindle, you can definitely feel it in the performance of the mod, and while the mod can be topped up via a powered micro USB cable, keeping the mod topped up can feel pretty tedious.

On the plus side, it’s very ergonomic and fits practically anywhere. From your shirt pocket to your tiniest purse, the Smok Priv M17 shouldn’t have any issues fitting. The handfeel is satisfying enough with the way the mod is slightly sculpted to rest in the palm of your hand, which makes taking this device on the go a worthwhile endeavor.

Smok Priv M17 mouth piece detached

Smok Priv M17 full kit

Overall Experience

The Smok Priv M17 offers good performance in a tiny form factor design. Unfortunately, it’s not the best mod for first time vapers who need a device to last them the entire day.

If you’re looking for an alternative mod to take on the go for short trips, the Smok Priv M17 should fit the bill well enough. The excellent flavor production coupled with decent vapor output should satisfy pretty much every vaper out there.

We hope you enjoyed reading our Smok Priv M17 review! We would love to hear from you! Feel free to leave a comment in the section below, you can do so anonymously ;) Thanks for reading and as always, keep vapin’! 😉
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About Author
Avatar for Alex Karakatsanis

Alex is a cannabis enthusiast, long time vaporizer lover, writer and filmmaker. He is also a board and video game nerd with a penchant for hosting a weekly board game night. Partygoers have been heard saying things like “is anyone else going to show up?” and “I don’t think I can make it next week”. He strives to make people laugh at every opportunity and sees cannabis as a helpful tool in doing so.

The reviews and ratings are based on personal and decade-plus of industry experience. Such content is based on the opinion of the Editor/Author. They are solely provided as a basis for research and should be used only as guidance. We encourage thorough research by all visitors to attain the most objective viewpoint before purchasing.