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The Best Vape For You: Pod-Style Mods Explained

While pod-style vapes are more convenient and easy to use, finding the best one for your personal taste can be complicated. Let’s explore how pod vapes work so you can narrow down your search and find the best vape for your needs!

Xros 5 Nano @ Digital Imports

What is a Pod Vape?

Think of a pod vape as the "modern, streamlined" version of an e-cigarette. It’s a compact, user-friendly device designed for portability and ease of use. This style bridges the gap between basic disposables and those bulky, high-powered box mods you might see people using to blow massive clouds.

These types of devices are more cost-effective, easier to use, and convenient to maintain. The parts that make up a pod device include the pod, juice, and battery. They differ from box mods by limiting the ability to switch to an entirely different tank and produce less power than their tankier counterparts.

Types of Pod Vapes

Pod-style vapes will typically be one of two types: Open or closed. Check out their key differences and the pros and cons of each below:

Closed Pod Vapes

Closed pod vapes are the closest you can get to a disposable vape without the need to throw away the whole device. They use pods that are prefiled and typically aren’t designed to be refilled with your own juice. Because of this, the pods used need to be replaced whenever the pod is empty or the coil begins to taste burnt. The nature of pre-filled pods make the vape perfect for individuals who want the most convenience without buying a disposable.

Closed-pod vapes come in different shapes and sizes to ensure comfort in both your hand and pocket. Some of the most popular brands that carry closed-pod style vapes include Keystone Flex-3, Triple X, Ripper X, Mr. Fog, and FlavourBeast. 

• Pros: Very convenient, typically cheaper than disposables, and requires minimal maintenance
• Cons: Still more expensive than refillable devices and is more limited in flavour and nicotine-strength options.

Open Pod Vapes

These styles of vapes differ from closed-pod devices by allowing users to refill the pod with their own juice. Many brands that carry open-pod devices will offer different coil resistances to let vapers choose the best hit for their preferences. In most cases, they add convenience by removing the messy need to replace the coil. Instead, users will replace the entire pod once it tastes burnt or loses flavour. These devices can offer a wide range of features, including wattage control, puff counters, displayed coil resistance values, and controllable airflow.

The refillable nature of these pods allow you to use your favourite juice, opening up a wide range of flavours and nicotine strengths to suit your preference. Some of the most popular open-pod devices include: The Uwell Caliburn Series, Vaporesso Xros Series, and the Smok Novo Series.

• Pros: Various coil options; for use with a wide range of coil resistance options, juice flavours, and nicotine strengths; small form factor; are very easy to use and maintain.
• Cons: Less battery life than a box mod, bottles of juice may need to be carried around, limited to model/brand specific pods as opposed to changeable tanks.

Usage and Maintenance Tips

Here are some quick tips to help you get the most out of your pod-style vape.

Closed Pod Vapes

Triple X Pod - Aloha @ Digital Imports

• Clean the Contact Points: If your vape is firing inconsistently or the puff feels too weak (little to no vapor) double check the contacts to make sure that they are clear of anything that may disrupt the connection.
• Avoid “Chain Vaping”: Taking too many puffs in a rapid succession can overheat the coil and burn the cotton. This happens when the cotton isn’t absorbing juice quick enough to keep up with your puffs.
• Keep the Pod Upright When Possible: Having the pod on its side or upside down can cause juice to pool in a specific spot in the cotton, which may lead to spitting and leaking. 
• If you get spitback: Remove the pod and blow gently through the mouth piece to clear the coil chamber.

Open Pod Vapes

Xros Pod Replacement @ Digital Imports

• Prime Fresh Pods: A common mistake that most users make is taking that eager puff just a moment too soon. When you fill a brand new pod, give the cotton some time (5-10 minutes) to absorb the juice to avoid burning the cotton and taking a dry hit.
• Keep Juice Topped up: Most pods have the coil visible; make sure that your juice is at least covering the exposed cotton to help even wicking and reducing the risk of a dry hit.
• Find the Right Coil Resistance: Lower resistance pods will produce more heat than higher resistances, which results in more vapor production and a stronger throat-hit. Try out different ones to see which one suits your preferences.
• Regularly clean the pod connection: Juice and condensation can build up in the port where the pod sits. We recommend cleaning this whenever you change your pod to avoid connection and misfiring issues.

Bonus Battery Tips!

• Most pod vapes use Lithium-ion batteries: Similarly to a cellphone, you can improve the life-span of your battery by only charging the battery between 20-80%.
• Don’t leave the battery charging overnight: Monitor the charge indicators to avoid over charging. 
• Use a suitable charger: Overcharging can lead to battery malfunctions and excessive voltage output (which can quickly burn your pod). Fast chargers can also heat up your battery and thin the juice which may lead to leaking. 1A charging blocks are generally safe for most pod vapes.
• Avoid storing the vape in extreme temperatures: This will help maintain the life-span of the battery and prevent issues that are caused by leaking pods.

You can find more information about battery safety here!

Which Pod Vape is Best for You?

Choose a closed pod system if you’re looking for the most convenience without worrying about the costs. 

When choosing a closed pod system it is important to consider the following factors:

• Flavour options;
• Nicotine-level options;
• Shape and size;
• Battery capacity; and
• Pod availability.

Choose an open pod system if you’re looking for versatility and longevity from your devices. 

Consider these factors when choosing an open-pod style vape:

• Coil resistance options;
• Pod capacity;
• Device battery life;
• Pod availability; 
• Features and functions (wattage control, airflow control, etc.); and
• Shape and size.

Key Takeaways/Final Thoughts

Short on time? Here are the main things you need to know to see if a pod-style vape is right for you:

• Pod-style devices are more compact and less bulky than box-mods.
• Coils are typically built into the pods and require replacement of the entire pod when it is finished.
• There are two-types of pod vapes: Open and closed pod systems.
• Closed pod systems use pods that are pre-filled and lack the ability to refill with your own juice. 
• Open pod systems are refillable and require the replacement of the pod/coil when it loses flavor or starts tasting burnt.
• Closed pod vapes offer more convenience but less customization than open pod devices.
• Always make sure you properly maintain your device by keeping it clean and stored properly to avoid leaking and battery issues.

Are pod-style vapes right for you? Check out the selection of some of the best pod vapes on the market here!