PMI Gear retools SmokeNINJA into a spitting-free, fast-vanishing handheld fogger

PMI Gear has updated its compact handheld fogger with a substantial rethink of the parts that actually make and shape fog. The SmokeNINJA PRO V2 keeps the same handheld body and the familiar one-button presets, but the internals have been rebuilt around a new chamber, new nozzles and a specially formulated fog fluid.

At the heart of the mechanical changes is a chamber that re-routes the usual failure points away from the machine’s output. PMI says the chamber moves the fix inside, and the headline feature there is a patented Aero Mesh. That mesh does its work not by blocking droplets with a solid barrier but by steering airflow: "uses airflow rather than a physical barrier to stop the droplets." Any liquid gathered by the mesh is channelled back into the heater rather than being expelled out the nozzle.

The company’s test figures, cited by Kelvin during a hands-on demonstration, suggest the combination eliminates the hot-liquid spit that can plague small foggers — he used the phrase "zero spitting" to describe the outcome — and also stretches the runtime you get from a single fill. PMI says the chamber runs about 20% longer on a fill, increasing run time from 15 minutes to over 18 minutes. Kelvin added that the Aero Mesh element has been put through extended testing: it was tested to 200 hours, and each unit should last at least 100 hours before replacement is required.

Alongside that hardware work, PMI has launched a new fluid formula designed to clear quickly in locations where residues or alarms are a concern. The company calls the fluid the Vanishing Formula and describes it as "a fluid that evaporates fully at room temperature." Left sitting, any film is reported to disappear in 30 to 40 minutes, though directing airflow over treated surfaces makes that happen much faster — Kelvin demonstrated the effect and the visible film disappeared within a few seconds when he blew on the area.

PMI sells this fluid as the Vanishing Formula Kit; the package includes 100ml of fluid, a dedicated chamber and the Amplifier Nozzle, and the company recommends the kit for use with the SmokeNINJA PRO only. The fluid’s dissipation has also been tuned to a target distance: Kelvin said PMI can control how fast the smoke breaks down and that the Vanishing Formula is set to clear by about 8ft (2.5m). The guidance is to keep the machine at least that distance from a detector and, in Kelvin’s words, "it will not trigger."

Shaping the output is a trio of new nozzle options. The Amplifier Nozzle acts like a jet tip: holes along its sides entrain surrounding air and fold it into the smoke column, increasing apparent volume. With a length of tube attached to the tip, Kelvin measured the output gain at "50% or more" compared with running the unit without the nozzle. That combination is supplied with the Vanishing Formula Kit and is aimed at users who want a stronger, longer-reaching column of fog without changing the heater.

A second nozzle, the Auto Bubble, is also a new, patented accessory and removes the need for the traditional tray-based bubble rig. PMI stresses the piece contains no electronic or mechanical parts; it is a simple airflow-driven attachment and produces "six minutes of continuous bubbles" on a single operation. The company expects that continuous output to be popular on wedding shoots and in work with children. The same package includes a nozzle that makes a snowstorm-style effect: it requires an external fan to move the output and it breaks the stream into very small bubbles so they read as falling snow. Kelvin described that combination as the first portable snow maker on the market.

PMI has also reworked the remote. The handheld controller now carries a physical on/off switch so it can go into a bag without risk of accidentally firing the machine, and it gains a pairing function so multiple machines can be controlled together. Several units can be linked to a single button and Kelvin recommends using no more than "up to ten machines per remote." The pairing addition is aimed at event setups and multi-unit drops onto larger stages.

On pricing, PMI quoted the SmokeNINJA PRO V2 kit at $229, the Vanishing Formula Kit at $69, and said the Auto Bubble nozzle is due at dealers in October for around $30. PMI also said both the main V2 kit and the Vanishing Formula Kit are available now.

Taken together, the changes target two common user frustrations: spit from hot fluid and lingering residues. The Aero Mesh reclaims and reuses stray liquid before it can become a hot droplet, while the Vanishing Formula aims to leave grounds and surfaces clear relatively quickly. The Amplifier and bubble/snow nozzles broaden the machine’s creative uses, and the updated remote addresses operational safety when transporting controllers.

For filmmakers and photographers who need controlled atmospheric effects on location — especially in hospitality or indoor venues where alarms and residue are legitimate concerns — the combination of a spitting-free chamber and a rapidly vanishing fluid is likely to be the headline. PMI’s own numbers give a concrete picture: longer runtime per fill, Aero Mesh durability measured in hundreds of hours, a fluid that clears in as little as 30 to 40 minutes if left alone, and output options that increase apparent smoke by "50% or more." The bubble option and snow effect also add new creative tools without adding power or electrical complexity, since the Auto Bubble is mechanically passive and the snow nozzle depends on an external fan.

If you’re planning to test a V2 unit for productions, note the company’s guidance around detector distance and the pairing limit for remotes. For event rigging, the ability to pair multiple machines to one controller could simplify multi-point setups, and the new physical switch on the remote reduces the risk of accidental activation while traveling between locations.

PMI’s changes are less about reinventing what a handheld fog machine is, and more about smoothing the parts that get in the way of using one on real shoots. By moving the spitting fix into the chamber, introducing a rapidly evaporating fluid and offering purpose-built nozzles for jets, bubbles and snow, the SmokeNINJA PRO V2 aims to be both cleaner and more flexible than its predecessor.