The vape industry is awash at the moment with pod kits, from basic auto draw devices and no buttons to dinky little pod kits featuring variable wattage, a choice of pods, and a myriad of amazing screen designs. Over the past few weeks I have been tasked with testing some of our best selling pod kits to see how they stack up.
What is a pod kit?
A pod kit is a small and portable device, featuring a pod that is sat within the unit or sometimes on top, these sometimes clip into place and are sometimes held by magnets. A ‘closed’ pod kit comes with pre filled cartridges of e-liquid and non replaceable coils, these are quite limiting as you have to stick with the liquid supplied in the pod, in an ‘open’ pod kit, the coil is removed and replaced when necessary and you can mix or swap flavours as you please, a far wiser choice. Most pod kits have replacement pods available to buy just in case you damage the tank too.
What liquids can i use with a pod kit?
Pod kits vary so much that you can use pretty much any e-liquids with them, depending on the choices of coil available for them, most pod kits have a wide variety of coils available, and this makes them highly versatile. Coils with a low resistance such as 0.15 or 0.3, are highly suited to high VG e-liquids, with a VG level of 70 or above. Coils with a much higher resistance, for example from 0.8-1.6 ohms are suited to 50-50 e-liquids, or Nicotine salts.
Why choose a pod kit over a standard kit?
Open pod kits are fully rechargeable and can sometimes hold as large a battery capacity as some higher end sub ohm kits, making them long lasting and versatile, as well as easy on your wallet and pocket friendly, their versatility has made them a popular choice with may vapers.
Drag S by Voopoo. (Editors Choice) 🏆
Voopoo are really making their mark in the pod kit industry, with the fantastic variants of Vinci, Vinci X and Vinci Air, and of course the dinky little Drag Nano, they are keeping up this winning streak with the Drag S and the Drag X. These two fine specimens are distinguished by an internal 2500mAh battery in the Drag S, and a replaceable 18650 in the Drag X, how much more versatility could you ask for?
Voopoo are soon to be releasing a 510 adaptor, making this already versatile kit even more appealing. Voopoo have manage to combine high quality with stylish looks as well as brilliant performance here.
Drag S is a new pod kit with a leather and PCTG finish, the leather finish looks great and the Mashup version has a really soft material feel. The edgy good looks will mean that your Drag S gets noticed every time. A wonderfully designed airflow system allows you to custom your airflow every time and really complements the overall design of the kit. Ergonomically designed to look and feel good in the hand, the design is anti-scratch and anti-fingerprint to ensure the classic looks last.
A 2500 mAh internal battery will last you throughout the day, and the maximum 60W output power will satisfy all vapers. The Drag S features the GENE.TT chip, providing a fast ramp up speed and a myriad of intelligent functions.
The kit uses a bottom fill design, and has an innovative airflow system for a truly comfortable vape. It literally takes seconds to fill the tank, and the experience is out of this world. A range of PNP coil options allows you to fine tune your vape without sacrificing flavour or cloud production. The Drag S will very cleverly automatically detect the coil you insert and match the settings accordingly.
A super-fast ramp up speed of 0.001 seconds provides rich flavour and fluffy clouds instantly, 5-60W adjustable power will suit any vaper. Choose between automatic and manual modes by three fast clicks of the fire button. The unique score ranking mode allows you to combat with friends to travel from Iron level to King level!
Nord 2 Kit by Smok
After the huge success that Smok had with the Nord kit, the release of the Nord 2 was inevitable and it certainly lives up to our expectations. Keeping the sleek design found on the Nord, the Nord 2 has added a display screen on the side of the battery. The Nord 2 packs a lot more oomph than the original, the battery life has increased from 1100mAh to 1500mAh, and the adjustable wattage runs right up to 40w.
A truly petite pod kit, the Nord 2 fits perfectly into your pocket and is incredibly discreet, it has a bright 0.69-inch OLED display for showing clear vaping information. When attached to a power source, the charging interface displays with the percentage of battery power and the estimated charge time. Smok Nord 2 supports adjustments in the power range of 1-40 wattage with a quick click. Nord 2 Kit comes with a smart detection function to easily understand your device status.
As for the pod, this also has breakthrough improvements. There are two types of Pods: RPM Pod and Nord Pod, compatible with the coils of RPM series and Nord series respectively. They can be distinguished by the corresponding text (“RPM”/ “NORD”) on the rubber plug. Both have a TPD compliant 2ml capacity to store your favourite eliquid. Whichever pod you choose, the experience will be excellent. The Nord coils offer great performance in each variant but for this vaper, the RPM coils give it that extra bit of vapour and flavour, perfect.
With improved readability and upgrades to the useful original features, the Smok Nord 2 Kit is a fine successor to the classic Nord Pod System we all fell in love with. Totally simplistic and a dream to set up, even the most novice of vapers will find the Nord 2 a breeze, whilst seasoned vapers will enjoy the adjustable wattage to fine tune the experience.
Nord 2 is a great starter kit for a new vaper as there are no confusing menu systems and it can be used with standard e-liquids or nicotine salts.
AVP Pro by Aspire
The AVP pro has a futuristic design, keeping in line with other products from Aspire, it has been well designed and thought out. It’s fairly weighty for its size and boasts adjustable airflow as well as variable wattage.
Aspire know how to make great coils, and have produced two excellent ones for the AVP Pro, the 0.65-ohm coil is suited to a direct to lung vape and the 1.15 is an airy mouth to lung vape. Both are capable of producing the sweetest clouds of vapour.
The coils are inserted by pushing them straight into the bottom of the pod and are simple to replace. Replaceable coils are definitely a pro in my book, disposable pods just don’t keep up. The adjustable airflow is also a massive bonus, and should be standard on any kit. This is an ideal kit for a new vaper, as it is so easy to set up and use, however it is also a fine choice for nic salt lovers.
AVP Pro boasts an 1200mAh internal battery and is also an auto draw device. Rapidly click the fire button twice to select between pre-set wattages. The pod is refilled by pushing the nib of your eliquid bottle into a port under the pod, this opens the valve to the pod, it holds 2ml of eliquid.
Aspire have provided a coil removal tool with the AVP Pro as the coils can be fiddly to remove, nice one Aspire.
RPM80 and RPM80 Pro by Smok
RPM80 and RPM80 Pro are the follow on versions of the highly popular RPM40, the difference being that the RPM80 houses and internal 3000 mAh battery, and the RPM80 Pro uses external 18650’s. These aren’t simply updated versions of the RPM40, there has been a fair amount of redesign work going on. Both of the kits come equipped with two pods, the RPM and the RGC, the RGC having airflow adjustment on the base of the pod.
A portable pod mod shaped like a cuboid and covered with glossy finish. With characteristic material, making the whole device look fancy and stylish. Smok RPM80 Pod Kit is a device combining the advantages of both a pod kit and box mod. RPM80 is small in size but has a battery capacity of 3000mAh with an adjustable power range of 1W-80W. The internal IQ-80 chipset offers a variety of intelligent features and functional protections. How long the battery life will last on the RPM80 if you are regularly vaping it at 80w is definitely questionable.
As you would expect from a modern device RPM80 is packed full of safety features to ensure a safer vaping experience for the user. You can even change the screen colour to suit your own personal preference.
True to Smok’s style they have released an enormous range of coils so you can tailor your device to your exact tastes. While also taking the brand new RCG Coils by installing the RCG Pod supplied with it. Included in the box is a 0.4 mesh coil and a 0.17 RGC Conical Mesh coil. With an easy and mess-free fill port and push and plug coil options this tank is built for maximum flavour and super dense clouds.
Aegis Boost by Geekvape
The Boost is the newest in Geekvapes line of super strong, indestructible kits. It is remarkably light in comparison to other pod kits, but still retains the high-quality build that Geekvape is famous for. The kit has a lid that fits on top of the mouthpiece, which seems frankly a little pointless, however, if you’re throwing your Boost kit into a bag, it’s a nice feature to stop lint and dust entering it.
The Boost has style with a capital S! Available in a choice of five colours, the boost is versatile enough to be utilised as a pod kit, but you can also purchase an RBA deck if you like to fine tune your vape with your own builds. The Boost holds a 1500mAh internal battery and features adjustable airflow so you can choose how tight or airy you prefer it. Boost is refilled by a bung seated on the pod and is TPD compliant, and also large enough to fit a larger bottle nib inside, holding 2ml of E-liquid.
Boost has a very simplistic screen displaying wattage, voltage and remaining battery life. Its micro USB charging port sits on the side so it can be stood up whilst charging, and is nicely hidden underneath a rubber stopper. Alongside this it charges via micro USB at 1.5A meaning it can charge to full in just a couple of hours. Fully IP67 water, dust and shock proof, a reliable well-built and long-lasting mod.
Pozz X kit by Smok
How often are Smok releasing new kits? Over the last few years we have had a myriad of different designs and kits to suit each and every vaper from brand new to seasoned old timer, and Smok are doing a good job of catering for us all.
Pozz X is a breakthrough compact pod system by Smok. The device utilises a four-layer structure which ensures it is thinner and harder than similar devices. Also, in spite of its petite dimensions, it houses a 1400mAh internal battery, offering plenty of power for your average vaper, the display also times out after 15 seconds of inactivity, preserving your ever important battery life.
The Pozz X features variable wattage and can be used for MTL or DTL depending on which coil you select.
An adjustable airflow ring allows you to choose between open and restricted airflow, giving you more control over your vape. A three spoke air intake maximises the air inflow channel, providing stable intake, and enhancing flavour.
The Pozz X Pod System has a TPD compliant 2ml pod, and is compatible with coils across the RPM series. It can be used with different e-liquids, dependent on the coil inserted. For high VG e-liquids, such as 70:30 or 80:20, you should choose lower resistance coils such as the Smok RPM 0.4Ω coil. For e-liquids with higher PG, for example 50:50 you should generally choose a higher resistance coil such as the Smok RPM Quartz 1.2Ω coil. Once you have refilled your Pozz X, make sure to replace the bung before you put it back upright or you will end up losing some of your e-liquid.
This is just a small snippet of the many pod kits that are currently available on the market, there are new ones being released all the time with varying levels of high-end features or pure simplicity.
After only a few days of use, my choice was, without a doubt the Drag S by Voopoo which I have continued to use as my main device. Let us know in the comments which pod kit you like the best.
Jen - Store Manager (Preston)
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