If you’ve been vaping for any length of time, you’re no doubt very aware of the fact that pod vapes are the hottest vaping devices in the world right now. No matter what type of vape you’re currently using, there’s a good chance that you’re at least considering a pod system if you're in the market for an upgrade. Well, we’re here to help. In this buying guide, we’ll list the best pod vapes on the market and explain the things that you should consider before buying any pod system.
Vaporesso XROS 5
Key Features:
- High-resolution color display with six selectable themes
- High-capacity battery with 3-amp charging support
- Includes Vaporesso’s latest COREX 3.0 pods
The XROS 5 is the latest numbered device in the long-running XROS series, and it’s an amazing little pod vape at a surprisingly affordable price. It’s one of the first small pod systems with support for 3-amp fast charging, which means that when the battery dies, you can get it back up to a usable level after just a few minutes of waiting. It’s also the first device in the mainline XROS series with a screen and full wattage control, which makes it a necessary upgrade for any XROS fan.
Like all vapes in the XROS series, the XROS 5 works with all Vaporesso XROS pods. You’ll love the included pods, though, which feature Vaporesso’s new COREX 3.0 technology for flavor quality and durability.
SMOK Novo Eco
Key Features:
- Removable battery for easy recycling
- Can switch between Soft and Hard vaping modes by clicking the button twice
- Adjustable airflow
Feature creep is a real thing in the vaping industry. When a company releases a new device in a series, people expect it to be better than the last one. Inevitably, the series becomes more complicated over time. If you’re looking for a pod vape that provides a more straightforward experience, the SMOK Novo Eco has a back-to-basics approach you’ll probably love.
The fact that a device is easy to use, though, doesn’t mean that it can’t have some useful quality-of-life features – and you’ll get plenty of those with the Novo Eco. This device has two power modes, and you can switch between them by clicking the button twice. It also has adjustable airflow. Our favorite feature, though, is the removable battery. When the battery stops holding a charge, you can simply slide it out of the device and drop it off at any recycling collection point.
Vaporesso XROS Pro 2
Key Features:
- Ultra-light magnesium alloy makes the device significantly lighter than other pod systems and even most disposable vapes
- First stick-shaped pod vape with 2,000 mAh of battery capacity
- “Hidden” color screen disappears when the device isn’t being used
There are plenty of Vaporesso XROS fans these days. If you’re one of them, that means you’ve got a tough decision on your hands because the XROS 5 and XROS Pro 2 were released around the same time and have some overlapping capabilities. Both devices operate at up to 30 watts, but the XROS Pro 2 is unique because it’s the first small pod vape with 2,000 mAh of battery capacity. That’s enough to vape for several days between recharges, based on your usage patterns. You’ll also love the feather-light magnesium alloy shell, which makes the XROS Pro 2 lighter than almost all other vapes – even ones with plastic shells.
Uwell Caliburn G4 Mini
Key Features:
- Stylish, minimalistic design
- Very straightforward and easy to use – just charge, fill and enjoy
- Adjustable airflow
The extremely affordable Uwell Caliburn G4 Mini costs just $11.49 at the time of writing, making it an excellent starting point if you’re currently using disposables and want to step up to your first refillable vape. Although it’s very inexpensive, there’s no compromising on flavor with the Caliburn G4 Mini because it uses the same Pro-FOCS flavor technology as in Uwell’s full-sized Caliburn vapes. The G4 Mini is incredibly simple to use – just charge the battery, fill the pod and puff to vape. You’ll appreciate the addition of the built-in airflow slider, which allows you to adjust the tightness of the draw to suit your preference.
Vaporesso Luxe XR Max 2
Key Features:
- Pod mod delivers the same power as a full-sized vape mod in a much more compact package
- Battery capacity of 3,200 mAh is incredible for such a pocketable vape
- Unique dual-mesh coil structure delivers huge clouds and vivid flavors
If you’re ready to step up to a new pod vape that’s a bit more powerful, you’re really going to love the Vaporesso Luxe XR Max 2 because this device delivers an amazing 80 watts of power in a package that’s only slightly thicker than a traditional stick-shaped pod vape. Thanks to technological improvements, it also delivers 14 percent more battery life than the original Luxe XR Max despite being almost exactly the same size. You’ll love the unique look of the Luxe XR Max 2, which has transparent sections in the front panel to let you view the circuit board underneath.
Geekvape Digi Max
Key Features:
- Amazing touch-screen display with 2K resolution
- Delivers up to 80 watts of power in a package that’s slim and light
- Four selectable vaping modes: Smart, Boost, Eco and Custom
If you want the most advanced pod vape on the market today, it’s got to be the Geekvape Digi Max. Like the Luxe XR Max 2 described above, this device operates at up to 80 watts – but the features don’t end there. The Digi Max has the sharpest screen that’s ever been put on a vaping device, with an amazing 2K resolution crammed into just 1.47” of space. Supporting both taps and swipes, the touch-screen interface gives you a fast and easy way to change your settings and makes the Digi Max feel like a true piece of luxury consumer hardware. There’s nothing else on the market like it today.
Vaporesso XROS 4 Nano
Key Features:
- Incredibly small for a pod system with 1,350 mAh of battery life and 30 watts of power
- Full-color circular display with excellent text quality and attractive animations
- Offers adjustable wattage or three preset power settings depending on the installed pod
As they’ve become more and more capable over the years, the best pod vapes of today are almost like tiny vape mods. They offer the same cloud production that full-sized mods would have just a few years ago, but they’re practically invisible in your hand and weightless in your pocket.
You’re going to be amazed the first time you look at the Vaporesso XROS Nano, which is the first device in the XROS series to feature fully adjustable power when used with the 0.4-ohm XROS pod. Want things to be a little simpler than that? With other XROS pods, the XROS 4 Nano uses a more straightforward low-medium-high system for power adjustments. The circular high-resolution display also adds greatly to the XROS 4 Nano’s visual appeal.
SMOK Novo 5
Key Features:
- Adjustable power with 30-watt range
- Supports both button-activated and puff-activated firing
- Convenient top-filling pod
The SMOK Novo series has historically been SMOK’s offering for newer vapers who want something that’s small, simple and easy to use. With the Novo 5, though, they’ve moved the series into the modern age to satisfy the demands of today’s vapers for devices that offer more features and greater power. Working with the new Novo 5 0.7-ohm mesh coil pod, the SMOK Novo 5 offers fully adjustable power and works at up to 30 watts. It also has fully adjustable airflow, ensuring that you can enjoy exactly the airflow tightness you prefer.
Why Should You Buy a Pod Vape?
Let’s begin by discussing the features that make pod vapes different from other types of vaping devices. Why should you choose a pod vape instead of another type of vaping device such as a vape pen or a box mod?
The simple answer is that pod systems represent the furthest evolution that the industry has reached to date in terms of making vaping as easy, user friendly and satisfying as it can possibly be. We love pod systems because:
- They’re simple. To vape, all that you need to do is charge the device, fill the pod and inhale.
- They’re satisfying. Pod systems are designed to deliver big, satisfying vapor clouds. Fill your pod with a strong nicotine salt e-liquid, and you’ll experience the same type of throat hit that you’d get from smoking a cigarette.
- They’re user friendly. You can always see how much vape juice you have left just by looking at your pod. Some pod systems even feature automatic temperature limiting, which prevents you from experiencing an unpleasant “dry hit” if you forget to refill the pod.
- They’re fun. If you’re the type of person who enjoyed clicking a lighter open and closed back when you were a smoker, you’ll enjoy the simple satisfaction of feeling a vape pod locking into place when you use a pod system.
How to Choose the Best Pod Vape for Your Needs
Now that you have a better understanding of what makes pod systems so great, how do you choose the best pod vape for your needs? In this article, we’ll list our picks for the best pod systems on the market. Before we do that, though, these are some of the decisions you’ll need to make during the process of buying a pod vape.
Buy a Refillable Pod System
You’ll notice that here at VapeJuice.com, we only offer refillable pod systems and do not sell any of the pre-filled vaping devices that you can find at convenience stores and supermarkets. There are some very simple reasons for that. A pre-filled vaping device can be a great and inexpensive introduction to vaping, but we’d never suggest a pre-filled device for long-term use because:
- They’re extremely expensive to use. A single pre-filled vape pod can cost almost as much as a pack of cigarettes. If you can’t limit your vaping to one pod per day, you’ll end up spending more on vaping than you would on smoking. With a refillable pod system, on the other hand, you’ll use bottled nicotine salt vape juice. Vaping is always more affordable when you buy your e-liquid by the bottle.
- They’re only available in two flavors: tobacco and menthol. You might end up loving tobacco or menthol e-liquid, but the research suggests that you won’t. You’re far more likely to enjoy something else, like a fruity vape juice. The only way to choose from the full range of e-liquid flavors is by buying a refillable vaping device.
Choose Between Simplicity or a Large Feature Set
Most of the pod vaping systems on the market work the way we described above; all that you need to do is charge the device, fill the pod and vape. Some people, though, have already had their fill of the simple vaping experience and are looking for devices that offer more advanced features. The manufacturers have heard that request loud and clear and have begun to develop more advanced pod systems called pod mods. With a pod mod, you’ll get more advanced features like sub-ohm coil compatibility and variable power levels. You’ll need to choose the type of vaping experience that you want.
Choose Between a Replaceable Pod or a Replaceable Coil
The biggest decision you’ll need to make when you buy a pod system is whether you want a replaceable coil pod system or a device that uses disposable pods. The benefit of using a device with disposable pods is simplicity; when the pod’s flavor changes, you just throw it away. The drawback of disposable pods, however, is that they cost more than coils. You’ll spend a bit less on replacement components for your device if you choose one that allows you to replace the atomizer coil while keeping the pod.