Best Refillable Pod Vapes 2024
For a smooth transition into vaping, refillable pod vapes are your best bet. Simple, compact, and easy to use, even for smokers.
The pod vape market is still on the rise! Although pod vapes are convenient and most often small, the number of products on the market is astounding... But fear not! Because our team has either purchased, tested, or reviewed the most popular pod vapes, we can help you significantly narrow your search.
This list features the best reusable pod vapes for refilling with your own e-juice, which make for great alternatives to the JUUL. If you are looking for pre-filled pod vapes, make sure you visit our best beginner vapes. Otherwise, let’s get to it.
What is a pod vape?
A pod vape is a mini vape based on a two-part system: a pod filled with vape juice that snaps into a small battery. They’re available in pre-filled or refillable designs. Some will have power buttons, but often, they’re automatic—meaning you just take a drag on them to produce vapor.
Most pod vapes—also referred to as vape pods, mini vapes, or pod systems—are designed for smokers transitioning into vaping. Although the ultimate in ease of use is something like a disposable e-cig, refillable and reusable pod vapes are a close second. They're often compact and lightweight, with a focus on simplicity and flexibility—made possible by being refillable.
Pods are also considered the best nic salt vapes, as their lower power output is a perfect fit for the higher strength of nicotine salts.
Types of pod systems
Pods have come a long way since first introduced with the JUUL back in 2015. While still fitting the general definition of what a pod vape is, today’s devices have pushed things forward in regards to features and capabilities.
A pod vape in 2024 will belong in one or more of these categories:
A standard pod system can be further sorted into two categories: refillable and pre-filled. Both types are reusable, but each style comes with its own pros and cons. When purchasing a pod system, it ultimately comes down to personal preference.
How to use a pod system
Pod vapes are some of the easiest vapes to operate. This five-step guide will cover the basics of using most pod vapes on the market.
That’s it. Enjoy your vape! To get the most longevity out of your pod, make sure there’s always juice in it—or you can run the risk of a burnt coil. Once the liquid is almost gone, refill it or dispose of it. You can usually get about a week out of a refillable vape pod before needing to replace the pod or the coil… depending on how often you use them. Note that if your device takes replaceable coils, you don't have to replace the pod. Just remember to dispose of it immediately if you notice any discoloration on it—or do it proactively once every month or two.
Who should use pod vapes?
Advantages of pod vapes
Pod systems offer many advantages over other vaping devices. The main ones are convenience and simplicity. They’re easy to use, making them more appealing to ex-smokers who don’t want to be bombarded with technical features. But there are benefits to pod vaping that even experienced vapers can appreciate. For example, switching flavors is easier than before. Just pop in a different pod and go.
If you want to conserve e-juice, a pod vape is your best bet. They use less e-liquid in a day, which is more cost-effective and makes them a great pairing for nicotine salts. Additional benefits include needing lower maintenance than other types of vape kits, and coming with a smaller footprint and lower vapor production, which makes them ideal for stealth vaping.
Downsides of pod vapes
Due to their compact size, pod vapes have less battery capacity than a regular vape mod—although their lower power output allows their battery to last for a day in most cases. Other downsides include the fact that they produce less vapor than vape tanks and the higher cost of replaceable vape pods when compared to coils, especially the pre-filled pods. Fortunately, many of the newer refillable pod systems now utilize replaceable coil heads too.
Pod vapes FAQs
Are pod systems cheap?
Refillable pod systems are generally considered to be more affordable than cigarette smoking and other types of vapes.
The affordability of any given pod system is based on factors such as the brand of the pod vape, the battery life, the type of coil used, whether the cartridges are pre-filled or refillable, and the quality of the pod system in general. Most pod vapes, though, are in the range of $20 to $35.
Unlike disposable vapes, you don’t have to throw away the whole pod vape after using it. Depending on the device you use, you’ll need to replace the coil or pod when your juice doesn’t taste good anymore (usually weekly, but that depends on the amount of juice you’re going through). On a device that takes replaceable coils, pods also need to be changed, but not that often.
When comparing the cost of refillable pods to pre-filled pods, refillable pod systems are cheaper in the long run and can help you save some money on your vape purchases. This is because juice is cheaper than pre-filled pods per mL.
For the cheapest option, it is recommended to use a refillable pod vape that has replaceable coils.
What type of coils do vape pods use?
The types of coils used vary between different pod vapes.
Some vape pods use replaceable coils. More often, though, the coils are built into the pod itself. This means that you probably won’t be able to make your own coils when using a vape pod, although some larger pod vapes come with rebuildable coil options.
Materials used
Pod coils can be made of a variety of materials. The most usual is Kanthal, but some coils may be stainless steel or nichrome. Some pods take mesh-style coils, which are known for faster heat-up times. Finally, some vape pods use ceramic coils, although this is becoming less common lately.
Size
The coils used in vape pods are usually small in size, thinner, and shorter than other kinds of coils. This is so that they can fit into the small size of the vape pod.
Resistance
The resistance of the coil is important to consider. Most pod vapes use high-resistance coils that are between 0.8 and 1.2 ohms. The higher the ohms, the greater the resistance is.
High-resistance coils are necessary because pod vapes are usually low-power and produce less vapor than other types of vapes. High-resistance coils also help to create the mouth-to-lung vaping experience that many people choose vape pods for. But pods made for direct lung vaping may have much lower-resistance coils.
Often, a vape pod will come with two different coils that have different resistances, and sometimes the coils will suit different vaping styles (usually MTL and restricted-DL vaping).
Regardless of the coil used, it’s essential to replace it if you notice a burnt taste when vaping. The coil should also be replaced every one to two weeks, depending on how often you use the vape pod and the type of juice you use in it. Since most pods have coils built in, you’ll need to replace the whole pod if you want to replace the coil.
What vape juice should you use with a refillable pod mod?
Some vape pods are “closed systems” that come pre-filled with vape juice. The device itself is reusable, but the pods are not refillable. This simplifies the decisions that you’ll need to make because you only need to choose from the juice flavors that are available for your specific pod device.
Other vape pods are “open systems” that have refillable cartridges. This allows you to choose your own juice based on your personal preferences. You’ll need to buy the vape juice in a bottle and refill the pod cartridges as needed.
It’s also important to note that some countries have introduced restrictions on the type of vape juices that are available for purchase. For example, in Canada and some countries in Europe, vape juices can only contain a maximum nicotine strength of 20 mg/mL (2%).
Using nicotine (nic) salt juices in refillable low-power pod vape systems is highly recommended. These juices come in different nicotine strengths, generally ranging from 20 mg/mL to 50 mg/mL (although there are lower and higher-strength options). Nicotine salts are recommended because:
Here’s some more info about vape juice and refillable pod vapes:
Over 70% VG is not recommended because VG is thicker than PG, which makes it more difficult for a small coil to vaporize. It’s also not recommended to go over 50% in PG because you may experience leaking due to the low viscosity of the juice.
Are pod systems safe?
Pod systems are considered to be relatively safe. This is mostly due to the small size of the batteries and the advancements in the QC from manufacturers.
Some safety tips that you may wish to consider when using pod systems, and to ensure the longevity of your pod, include:
Is the hit of a pod vape similar to a cigarette?
Pod vapes and cigarettes both use nicotine. This means that the experience of using pod vapes is similar to cigarette smoking, especially if you use pod vapes that are very small in size. The similarity of the hit of a pod vape to a cigarette largely depends on whether the pod vape is vaped directly to the lung, or if it is drawn mouth to lung (which more closely resembles how a cigarette is smoked).
People who use pod vapes often say that they’re just as satisfying as cigarette smoking, and that vaping a pod satisfies the body’s cravings without having the adverse effects of cigarette smoking. The low vapor output from a pod vape also means that the clouds produced are less obvious to see, much like a cigarette.
Finally, it also depends on the liquid used in the pod vape. Compared to other vape juices, nicotine salts are more likely to provide a throat hit that’s similar to cigarette smoking, just without the harshness.
What types of pod vapes are best for nic salts?
Pod systems, in general, are thought to be the best vapes for nic salts. They were initially used when JUUL —the first vape pod—was introduced back in 2015. The best pod vapes for nic salts are small-sized pods that have low power and vapor output. This covers most of the pod vapes on the market.
If unsure, check for the coil resistance of a pod vape. As a general rule of thumb, a high resistance (at or above 1.0-ohm) means less power on the coil and less or cooler vapor. That’s what you’re looking for when using nicotine salt juice.
How small are pod vapes?
Pod vapes come in a variety of sizes, ranging from mini pods to high-power sub ohm devices. But the prototypical pod vape is very lightweight and compact. This makes most pod vapes very discrete and easy to keep out of sight.
Generally, pod vapes are small enough to tuck into your pocket, sit in the palm of your hand, or hold between two fingers. To picture this, pod vapes are typically around the size of a highlighter or a USB flash drive.
How long do pod batteries typically last?
Pod batteries have a smaller capacity than larger types of vapes—although they are pretty efficient. The smaller capacity makes sense because the batteries themselves are smaller. So, be wary of this if you’re planning to vape for an extended period of time.
Generally, a vape pod battery will last you a day. However, it can depend on the exact type of vape pod and your juice consumption. We’ve tried pods with capacities that range from 300 mAh to 2000 mAh.
The batteries of vape pods usually take between half an hour and an hour to fully recharge. Sometimes, they can be used while they are charging.
The batteries in a pod vape can usually be used and recharged daily for up to a year before the battery capacity drops drastically and the device needs to be replaced. But that’s not always the case, and manufacturers are sometimes using battery charging safety features to minimize capacity loss.
Other terms for pod vapes
Are pod cartridges leak-proof?
Most cartridges nowadays are leak-resistant but is possible for pod cartridges to leak.
Refillable pod cartridges are more likely to spill or leak than pre-filled cartridges. This is because the juice isn’t as contained, and you may be more likely to make a mistake when filling the cartridge.
As a result, manufacturers have taken steps to reduce the chance of leakage as much as possible. However, these anti-leakage designs aren’t making pods 100% leakproof.
Some things that you can do to minimize the risk of leakage further include:
Are there nicotine-free pod vapes?
If you have a refillable vape pod, you can fill it with your chosen nicotine-free vape juice—although not all juices come in zero nicotine. A lot of companies offer their best-selling juices in 0% nic options, but that’s more common for regular (freebase) nicotine juices than nicotine salt juice brands.
As for prefilled pods, some companies offer zero nicotine options. Again, these may be harder to find, so if you are looking to wane off nicotine using a pre-filled pod vape, make sure you check if the device you are interested in offers 0% nicotine pods.