RELX Classic Review: Enjoying a Globally Popular Vape

Intro

The RELX Classic is a popular prefilled beginner vape across the globe. In some parts of the world, the RELX name holds more weight than “Juul.”

The Classic is a simple device. It's lightweight and compact with magnetized drop-in pods and an automatic MTL draw. It incorporates a standard TPD-compliant 2 mL pod capacity with a form factor that's similar to the VFOLK Pro. Also like the VFOLK Pro, the RELX Classic utilizes FEELM atomization which has a micro honeycomb wicking design. Interestingly, the RELX Classic has a staggering menu of flavors that are actually available. The prefilled pods come in either 3% or 5% nic salt. The pods come in three-packs and retail for $16.99. Right now on the RELX site, they're running a BOGO deal on certain flavors that gets you two free packs for every two packs you buy (limit 4 free packs).

Price: $39.99

Colors: Classic black, Red, Navy blue, Space gray, Rose gold, Turquoise blue, Sunset glow, Solar eclipse, Mystic aurora, Radiant nebula

Size, weight, and feel

The RELX Classic is a pod vape designed to be simple. It's only got two parts, a battery device, and the pods. They attach together via a magnetic connection that, in our opinion, could be a bit stronger. The pods are held in firmly enough that the pods won't fall out on their own, but if you drop the device there's a good chance that they will. Of course, to put them together again only requires dropping the pod back in.

Including the pod in, the RELX Classic measures 4-1/4" x 13/16" x 7/16". The Classic only weighs 25 g, which makes it light enough to hold in your mouth, hands-free. It's not the lightest prefilled pod vape, but it's not too many grams away from it. Holding the Classic will feel slightly familiar to smokers but especially familiar to those looking for a JUUL-alternative.

Getting started

Getting started with the RELX Classic is about as easy as it gets. There’s an instructional manual if you need it, but there's little to learn. Just drop the pod into the battery and take a draw when you're ready. There's literally nothing else to do after you insert the pod.

There are no buttons or LED readouts. The RELX classic is draw-activated, which means it makes vapor simply from the user taking a drag on the mouthpiece. There's a teardrop-shaped LED in the middle of the battery lights up when you take a hit, indicating the device is active. Once you finish your drag, the device goes into sleep mode and only needs an inhale to turn back on. You'll never have to remember to turn it off.

How does it hit?

The RELX Classic has a tight but easy draw. If you like the hit of a cigarette, this hits like a dream! It's a legit MTL pull, but you don't have to collapse your cheeks. The automatic switch engages with very little effort. We've been able to take long drags, all the way up to the cutoff, without ever getting a burnt or dry hit. And there’s been no gurgling, spitting or leaking whatsoever.

The standout feature of the performance is the FEELM ceramic wicking. You can take a long hit with confidence! I've looked up and seen the pod look totally empty, all while getting fairly saturated hits. You can basically vape the pods down to the last drop...although I don't recommend you do that. It's safest to stop just shy of a bone dry pod. Luckily you can see your juice level with the tip of the pod.

The throat hit is a solid thump, with no scratchy feelings. But if you're not a heavy vaper or smoker, you might want to opt for the 3% nicotine instead of the 5%. For 3% nic salt, the RELX Classic hits fairly hard. We point this out because depending on the nic salt formulation, one brand’s 3% can feel light where another brand's nic salt can feel more assertive. The nic salt in the RELX Classic is assertive.

Are the flavors any good?

The flavors we’ve tried of the RELX Classic are all well done. Our favorite is fragrant fruit, which tastes sweet and succulent blend of fruits with the intoxicating aroma of something almost floral. It’s an incredibly well-crafted and sophisticated flavor. But don’t worry, they’re not all that kind of different—and we think the flavor lineup is still being determined. How this works with flavor bans, we don’t know.

Important to note: The majority of flavors we tested have a cooling, mentholated sensation...but we’ve only tried ¼ of the menu! There are so many flavors, we can’t speak to them all. There are almost 20 total options available through the RELX website. They have a few categories of flavors, including tobacco, drinks, fruits, etc. Here’s a list of their flavors:

Some of the tea flavors are really tasty, but maybe only if you're a fan of teas like oolong (which I am). Some of those flavors explain why RELX is so popular in Asia. Recently they've added some Westernized flavors like tropical fruit, pink zest (grapefruit), fresh cucumber, and dark sparkle (cola) to name a few.

We really like dark sparkle. It tastes of dark cola with something slightly herbal. No, not medicinal. It’s really good! Maybe similar to how an original coca-cola may've tasted when there were actual ingredients besides sugar and color. The point is simply that the RELX Classic has some well-crafted flavors.

Battery life and charging

The RELX Classic uses a standard micro USB charge cord that plugs into a port on the bottom of the battery. The device only has 350 mAh, but the 10.0-1.2-ohm coil is perfectly tuned to the battery, making it efficient at getting the most life out of the battery.

When the battery needs a charge, you’ll notice what feels like a ghost hit. You’ll take a draw, but the hit will be very faint. After another couple hits, you might notice the little teardrop LED is flashing. That means it’s time to charge.

The total charge will take about 45 minutes, but you can vape the Classic while it charges. The charge is complete when the LED goes out.

Pros and cons

Gallery

Verdict

The RELX Classic is a surprisingly satisfying pod vape. There’s just one little con and no real deal-breakers. Particularly with the wicking, awesome throat hit and various flavor profiles, the performance has not disappointed. This is a great prefilled pod vape to begin with, or to replace another. We often get comments from readers asking what device they should buy after quitting a JUUL. The RELX Classic is the perfect answer.

Highly recommended