Powermatic II: The Ultimate Guide for Smokers | FESSONLINE

The Powermatic II is an electric cigarette injector machine that fills cigarette tubes with loose tobacco in seconds. It is built for regular smokers who want a consistent, hand-packed cigarette without the cost of commercial brands. If you smoke daily and care about what goes into your cigarette, this machine changes how you smoke.

What Is the Powermatic II and How Does It Work?

The Powermatic II is a tabletop electric injector that pushes loose-cut tobacco into empty cigarette tubes using a motorized spoon mechanism. You load tobacco into the chamber, place a tube on the nozzle, press the lever, and get a filled cigarette in under five seconds. No hand-rolling skills required.

• Load loose tobacco into the hopper tray
• Slide an empty cigarette tube onto the metal injector nozzle
• Press the arm down to activate the motor
• The spoon feeds tobacco evenly into the tube
• Remove your finished cigarette — ready to smoke

The key difference from a manual roller is consistency. Every cigarette comes out the same density and length because the motor controls the fill, not your hands. Smokers who have switched from hand-rolling report fewer loose ends, fewer air pockets, and a more even burn from first drag to last.

Powermatic II vs Powermatic I: Which One Should You Buy?

The Powermatic II fills faster, handles denser tobacco blends, and produces a more uniform cigarette than the original Powermatic I. If you smoke more than half a pack a day or use slightly moist or heavy-cut tobacco, the II handles it without jamming where the I struggles.

• Motor power: Powermatic II runs a stronger motor, reducing jams with coarser tobacco cuts
• Fill speed: The II completes a tube in roughly 3 to 5 seconds; the I averages 6 to 8 seconds
• Build: Both use similar plastic housings, but the II has a heavier base that stays put on the table
• Tube compatibility: Both accept 100mm and king-size tubes; neither handles 110mm tubes reliably
• Price gap: The II typically costs $20 to $35 more than the I depending on the retailer

For casual smokers who roll fewer than ten cigarettes a day, the Powermatic I still does the job. For anyone rolling a full pack or more daily, the upgrade to the II pays for itself in time saved and tobacco waste avoided within the first month.

How to Use the Powermatic II Step by Step

Using the Powermatic II correctly comes down to tobacco preparation and tube placement. Most jams and uneven fills happen because the tobacco is too moist, packed too tightly, or the tube is not seated flush on the nozzle. Follow these steps and you will get a clean cigarette every time.

1. Dry your tobacco if needed: Spread it on a paper towel for 10 to 15 minutes if it clumps together. Tobacco that sticks to itself jams the spoon mechanism.
2. Break up any clumps: Run your fingers through the tobacco before loading. You want a loose, airy texture in the hopper.
3. Fill the hopper to the fill line: Do not overfill. Packing above the line forces the motor to work harder and causes mid-fill jams.
4. Seat the tube fully on the nozzle: Push it all the way until you feel it stop. A half-seated tube splits at the end during injection.
5. Press the lever in one smooth motion: Do not pump it. One steady press down and release produces the cleanest fill.
6. Tap the finished cigarette: A light tap on the filter end settles the tobacco and removes any loose air pockets before you smoke.

Best Tobacco to Use with the Powermatic II

The Powermatic II performs best with medium-cut, low-moisture pipe and cigarette tobacco. Fine-cut tobaccos like those labeled "shag" or "ultra-fine" can slip through the mechanism and underfill the tube. Chunky pipe blends clog it. Medium-cut blends hit the sweet spot for a dense, even fill.

• Good choices: Medium-cut American blend tobaccos, Virginia flake broken by hand, Turkish blends at low humidity
• Avoid: Wet aromatic pipe tobaccos, ribbon-cut heavy blends straight from a sealed pouch, ultra-fine shag
• Tube size match: Use 100mm tubes for standard cigarettes; the machine fills them cleanly without adjustment

According to the Tobacco Merchants Association, moisture content in loose tobacco affects machine fill quality significantly, with an ideal range of 12 to 14 percent relative moisture for injector-style machines. Tobacco above that range clumps; below it, the cigarette burns too fast and tastes harsh.

What Cigarette Tubes Work Best with the Powermatic II?

Standard 100mm cigarette tubes from brands like Gambler, Premier, and Beretta fit the Powermatic II nozzle without modification. The machine is sized for 100mm as its native format. Longer tubes, including 110mm, can fit physically but often result in a loosely filled tip near the tobacco end.

• 100mm tubes: native fit, tight fill, clean smoke
• King size (84mm): fit with a slight gap; tap the tube before smoking to settle the fill
• 110mm tubes: physically possible but undersell at the tip; not recommended for daily use
• Filtered vs. unfiltered: both work; filtered tubes produce a slightly tighter draw

If you primarily use 110mm tubes, pairing your Powermatic II setup with a dedicated hand roller built for that length gives you better results for those specific cigarettes. The FESSONLINE 110mm Hand Cigarette Roller is designed to roll that exact size with consistent density every time, and it works alongside an injector setup rather than replacing it.

How to Clean the Powermatic II So It Lasts Longer

Cleaning the Powermatic II every 200 to 300 cigarettes prevents resin buildup on the spoon and nozzle, which is the main cause of jams and motor strain in older machines. A clean machine fills faster, jams less, and keeps producing even cigarettes years into daily use.

1. Unplug the machine before any cleaning
2. Remove loose tobacco from the hopper with a soft brush or dry cloth
3. Use a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to wipe the nozzle inside and out
4. Brush the spoon channel gently — do not bend the spoon arm
5. Wipe the exterior housing with a dry cloth
6. Let all parts air dry completely before the next use

According to a maintenance guide published by Powermatic's manufacturer, tobacco resin and natural oils are the leading cause of injector machine failure before the motor wears out. Regular cleaning extends machine life by an estimated two to three years under daily use conditions.

How to Store Your Tobacco and Cigarettes After Rolling

Rolling in batches saves time, but freshly filled cigarettes lose moisture quickly if left open. A proper storage case keeps your rolled cigarettes intact, protects the filter, and prevents the tobacco from drying out between smoking sessions.

A flip-top cigarette case designed for 100mm cigarettes holds up to 18 at a time and keeps them from bending or losing their shape in a bag or pocket. If you roll daily batches, a case like the FESSONLINE 100mm Cigarette Case 3-Pack gives you enough rotation that you are always pulling from a fresh batch rather than a single crushed case.

• Store rolled cigarettes away from direct sunlight to prevent tobacco from drying out
• Do not stack cigarettes loosely — they flatten and the fill shifts toward one end
• Keep loose tobacco in an airtight tin or jar between rolling sessions
• Room temperature storage is fine; avoid refrigerating tobacco as condensation affects the cut

Is the Powermatic II Worth It for Everyday Smokers?

For a smoker who goes through a pack a day, the Powermatic II pays for itself in under a month when you compare the cost of loose tobacco plus tubes against the cost of commercial cigarettes. The math is simple, and the control over what you smoke is a separate benefit on top of the savings.

A pack-a-day smoker buying commercial cigarettes in the US spends roughly $2,500 to $3,500 per year depending on the state, according to data compiled by the American Lung Association's tobacco cost calculator. Rolling with an injector machine using loose tobacco and tubes typically costs 60 to 75 percent less over the same period. The Powermatic II itself retails between $60 and $90, which means the break-even point arrives within the first few weeks of daily use.

• You control tobacco blend, cut, and flavor
• You control nicotine level by choosing your tobacco
• You eliminate the markup built into commercial packs
• You get a consistent cigarette that burns evenly, which a rushed hand-roll rarely delivers

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the Powermatic II roll cigarettes with filters?

The Powermatic II does not roll cigarettes — it injects loose tobacco into pre-made filtered tubes. You buy empty cigarette tubes that already have a filter attached, slide one onto the machine nozzle, and the motor pushes tobacco into the open end. The result looks and smokes like a commercial filtered cigarette.

Why does my Powermatic II keep jamming?

Jams happen for three reasons: tobacco is too moist and clumping, tobacco is packed above the fill line in the hopper, or resin buildup on the spoon needs cleaning. Dry your tobacco before loading, stay at or below the fill line, and clean the nozzle and spoon channel with isopropyl alcohol every few hundred cigarettes.

What size tubes does the Powermatic II use?

The Powermatic II is built for 100mm cigarette tubes, which is the most widely available tube size. It also accepts standard king-size (84mm) tubes. It can physically accept 110mm tubes, but the fill tends to be uneven at the tobacco end. For 110mm cigarettes, a dedicated hand roller built for that length produces better results.

How long does a Powermatic II last with daily use?

With regular cleaning every 200 to 300 cigarettes, a Powermatic II used daily typically lasts three to five years before the motor shows wear. The most common failure point is resin buildup that strains the motor rather than the motor itself wearing out. Cleaning is the single most effective way to extend its lifespan.