Atomiser cone, cap engagement and bottle weight
The shape of the spray, how the cap engages, and whether the filled bottle carries a plausible mass.
The reading sequence
3 steps, starting at surface and finish and running to weigh the filled bottle and compare by size. Evidence on this point is read at E1, and 3 of the 3 steps carries a condition that ends the assessment outright.
Ask for the spray against dark paper
Judge the spray's shape rather than its force, by capturing the pattern it leaves on a contrasting surface.
Evidence: E1 — a 5 second video of three presses onto dark absorbent paper held 15 cm from the nozzle, camera to the side so the cone profile is visible against the paper
- The wet mark spreads as a cone, widest at the paper and narrowest at the nozzle.
- Three presses produce three marks of roughly equal diameter and even density.
- The marks are even but the third is smaller than the first, which also happens as a pump primes.
- The cone is slightly narrow while the edges of the mark stay soft rather than sharp.
- The mark is a single straight streak, so the liquid arrives as a jet instead of a mist.
- One press delivers a visible runnel down the paper, or the pump needs several presses to fire at all.
Test how the cap engages and how it sounds
Decide whether the cap is held by magnets or by friction fit, and whether it seats without rocking.
Evidence: E1 — a 10 second video of the cap being lifted, replaced and turned over, with the camera close enough to hear the engagement and see the seating line
- The cap pulls away against a light magnetic resistance and drops back into place on its own.
- With the cap on, the gap between the cap's lower edge and the bottle shoulder is even all the way round.
- The cap is held by friction alone and seats firmly, which is normal on many units of this size.
- A magnetic cap that engages but needs a small nudge to sit flush on one side.
- The cap rocks on the collar when pressed at one edge, or falls off when the bottle is turned over.
- The cap's inner collar is cracked, split or separated from the cap shell.
Weigh the filled bottle and compare by size
Establish whether the filled bottle carries a plausible mass for its stated volume, using a kitchen scale rather than a hand.
Evidence: E1 — one photo per bottle of the sealed unit on a kitchen scale reading in grams, with the volume printed on the label legible in the same frame
- Filled mass is within about 10 percent of the sum of the stated volume and the empty bottle mass for that size.
- The two bottles in a multi-unit order fall within 5 g of each other on the same scale.
- A single bottle reads low by 10 to 15 percent, which also happens when a thick glass mould is used.
- The scale reading is legible but the volume on the label sits outside the frame.
- Filled mass is more than 20 percent below the sum for the stated volume and bottle type.
- The two bottles differ by more than 15 g on the same scale, which is a fill difference rather than a glass one.
Why the thresholds sit where they do
The atomiser is the one component of a fragrance unit that no still photograph can judge, which is why this point opens with a video and why the criterion is written about the shape of the wet mark rather than about the appearance of the nozzle: nozzles that look identical deliver jets and cones from the same mould. Cap engagement comes second because it is the part most often described in adjectives and least often demonstrated, and because the sound of the engagement and the evenness of the seating line are both readable from a ten second clip. Weighing a filled bottle against its stated volume comes third, and it is the step that turns the whole question into a number. A kitchen scale reading to within 5 g is repeatable by anyone, while judging fill by eye through coloured glass is not repeatable at all, and the 10 and 20 percent bands are set wide enough to absorb differences in glass thickness between moulds.
Common misreads
2 pairs recorded for this point. Each runs in both directions: 1 finding that looks worse than it is, and 1 that looks better.
- looks like Return actually Pass
A cap that is held by friction and needs a firm pull. Magnetic engagement is a design choice, not a quality marker. The test is whether the cap seats evenly and stays on when the bottle is inverted.
- looks like Pass actually Query
A tidy cone on the first press with no second and third press shown. Pumps that are correct when primed can still deliver a jet once the dip tube draws air.
Check this point against what you were sent
Insufficient evidence
Nothing decided on atomizer and cap weight yet: 0 of 3 steps have been read.
0 of 3 steps judged
| Step | Reading | Evidence | Stop met |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Ask for the spray against dark paperneeds E1 | The pump delivers a jet rather than a cone on every press attempted. A nozzle that jets cannot be corrected from outside the bottle without replacing the crimp, which is a workshop job. | ||
| 2. Test how the cap engages and how it soundsneeds E1 | The cap's inner collar is cracked or has separated from the cap shell. The cap no longer holds by either magnets or friction, and a cracked collar cannot be repaired from outside the unit. | ||
| 3. Weigh the filled bottle and compare by sizeneeds E1 | The filled mass is more than 20 percent below what the stated volume requires. A short fill cannot be topped up after dispatch, and the gap is visible on the scale reading already in hand. |
Sources and checks
- Public community thread — Threads describing spray behaviour and cap fit after arrivaln=36
- Editor analysis — 10 and 20 percent mass bands derived from repeated weighing of the same sealed unitno sample
Last checked · next review due · status current.
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