JUUL really doesn’t need any introduction given it’s still the world’s largest selling vape product, with reports of upwards of $3.5 billion sales per year – wow…

Despite those huge sales, the company has been dogged by controversy from both members of the wider vape community and indeed politicians and anti-vape groups.

It’s fair to say JUUL was targeted rightly or wrongly for being the catalyst for the so called US teen vape epidemic – something more in the minds of those rabid soccer mom anti-vaping groups and virtue signaling politicians than actual fact.

JUUL recently announced plans to throttle back its workforce and presence in some parts of the world, however it is firmly committed to the UK market.

Indeed it’s so committed to the UK vape market, JUUL pods are available from Sainsbury’s and Tesco – two of this country’s largest supermarket chains – as I said the company isn’t about to quit these shores anytime soon.

OK, enough of the politics and onto the JUUL pods taste test and in particular the UK only Rich Tobacco.

JUUL Pods Flavour Review

As stated, I thought I’d do a quick update on all of the JUUL pods available here in the UK.

They are nicotine based flavours with containing 0.7mls of nicotine salt e-liquid with a choice of 9mg or 18mg nic strength.

Please remember, taste is subjective, so what I may like/dislike may be the opposite for you.

JUUL Pods – Rich Tobacco

JUUL Says:

Rich tobacco flavour with earthy notes.9mg / 18mg nicotine strength

I Say:

A reminder the JUUL pods Rich Tobacco flavour is only available in the UK…

OK, the aroma definitely shouts strong tobacco with a kind of nuttiness to the back note.

Sounds promising…

The inhale delivers a decent tobacco taste with that dryness I enjoy.

The flavour actually holds right to the back of the throat where despite being nic salts, the tonsils do get a gentle tickle.

Not quite a throat hit, but definitely a little scratchiness.

The flavour just about holds its own on the exhale delivering a not quite mild and not quite strong tobacco flavour.

I think the word ‘rich‘ is maybe pushing it a little, just a tad though, as its not that generous in depth.

However, of all the JUUL pods on sale in the UK, this one is by far the tastiest I’ve tried by a country mile.

JUUL Pods Golden Tobacco

JUUL Says:

A blend of rich traditional tobacco flavour with a smooth finish. 9mg / 18mg nicotine strength

I Say:

A VERY smooth vape indeed – not quite gently flavoured fresh air but very close.

I said in my original review – think a much milder Silk Cut if you ever smoked those.

Sure I’m getting a smell and the taste of tobacco – just not strong enough for me I’m afraid.

What I will say is this one’s ideal for those newer vapers that don’t like overpowering flavours.

Glacier Mint

JUUL Says:

Bold and crisp mint flavour with an icy finish. 9mg / 18mg nicotine strength.

I Say:

Yes it’s refreshing and yeah there’s a hint of mint.

However once again the flavour whilst not actually muted – is a little low key.

If you’re looking for a shuddering brain freeze – this one isn’t it.

It’s a sweet mint for sure – more Polo then Extra Strong.

Apple Orchard

JUUL Says:

Freshly picked apple flavour with a crisp finish. 9mg / 18mg nicotine strength.

I Say:

The stunning smell promises much – you can even feel the apple juice on your chin.

In the first review I said you get so much promise of flavour on the inhale but it kind of melts away.

I stand by that because this flavour in particular is very frustrating and I find myself puffing on it more to get that hit of apple.

Again this one’s ideal for new vaper averse to strong flavours…

Mango Nectar

JUUL Says:

Tangy mango flavour with notes of tropical fruits. 9mg / 18mg nicotine strength.

I Say:

Again with the dare I say washed out flavour.

I said in the original review it tastes like a watered down mango fruit squash and sadly that’s still the case.

Why muzzle the mango is my question?

It’s a vibrant sharp and tangy fruit that needs to speak for itself.

So close – but once again I’m almost shouting “more mango please!”

Alpine Berry

JUUL Says:

Berry flavour with bright and fresh notes. 9mg / 18mg nicotine strength.

I Say:

Another flavour that is so close to being delicious it’s untrue.

The smell once again promises great things as does the first split second of inhale.

Sadly, and yet again, as soon as that vapour hits the taste buds it seems to surrender, wilt away and die.

Such a bloody shame because this one could be so good…still the best of the none tobacco flavoured JUUL pods I’ve tried.

Final Review Verdict

I still stand by my original review that most of the JUUL pods on sale here in the UK are just short of being very tasty.

However the new Rich Tobacco flavour is a welcome arrival as the mixologists seem to have dialed it up a little – just a touch mind.

However, and given the phenomenal success of the brand globally, it’s maybe my tired old taste buds that might need a little extra concentrate.

Vapers I’ve spoken to from the USA do say there’s definitely a difference between the two countries blending, however as I haven’t tried them I can’t comment.

I may be talking out of my ample ass – but maybe we Brits prefer a more robust flavour from our vaping starter kits and vape juice?

You really can’t argue with the fact that millions of smokers across the world have managed to quit thanks to JUUL – so they must be doing something right.

If you’re a smoker looking to quit I certainly wouldn’t put you off trying them – especially as JUUL pods are readily available in Sainsbury’s – Tesco’s – corner and vape shops.

Questions About JUUL Pods Answered:

What are JUUL pods?

The are pre-filled proprietary pods for use only with the JUUL battery.

The contain a choice of 9mg and 18mg nicotine salts and are available here in the UK in 7 flavours:

Alpine Berry – Glacier Mint – Golden Tobacco – Mango Nectar – Menthol – Royal Creme and the new Rich Tobacco.

How long do JUUL pods last?

It really depends on how much you vape is the short answer.

I tend to vape a lot more in the morning and have found on average I can get about a day and a half out of each pod.

However the battery is rather small and if you’re out and about you would be advised to take a fully charged spare with you.

I actually timed the battery level from fully charged to empty and with regular vaping the best I got was 2 and half hours – not good.

More mAH please in any future device!

Do JUUL pods leak?

I can honestly say in the dozens of JUUL pods I’ve tried, I’ve never had one leak OR experienced a build up of condensation.

That’s not say they don’t leak…I’ve just never had that happen.

Where can I buy Juul pods?

JUUL pods and the JUUL full kit and/or battery are readily available here in the UK both online and off.

Sainsbury’s sell JUUL pods and kits as do Tesco’s and of course many vape and corner shops do too.

Checkout our links above and below to buy JUUL pods online from sites such as Amazon.

How much are JUUL pods?

Here in the UK JUUL pods sell for £10.99 for packs of 4.

However, if you buy direct from the JUUL store – there is a subscription service.

A minimum order of two packs per month sees the cost drop to £9.34.

The post JUUL Pods Review – Including UK Exclusive Rich Tobacco Flavour appeared first on Ecigclick.

It’s infamy stems from the huge 59% nicotine salt eliquid strength sealed pods and the fact it seemed the message it was ‘cool to JUUL’ had attracted shall we say a younger adult following.

I’ve covered all this on numerous occasions and whilst some politics is important to set up the review – I won’t go into too much depth here.

So Is the JUUL the Jewel In the Pod Kit Crown?

Obviously due to the TPD/TRPR here in the UK and wider Europe we can only buy the max 20mg nic sealed pods, as to if that level playing field is putting JUUL’s chances of success at risk over this side of the pond we shall see in the future. Incidentally the pods have a 1.7ml capacity which is under the allowed 2ml…

The company has attracted the wrath of EcigClick award winning reviewer Vaping With Vic who is extremely unhappy about the company’s ‘practices’ and ties with both Big Tobacco and the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) – I’ve linked to his video. Also this week Chris Bell another EcigClick award winner from Empire Vape Co has removed all his JUUL stock from his shelves and binned them!

More on that here if a little read takes your fancy – JUUL ‘secret shopper’ visiting his vape shop in Liverpool

It’s A Free Market So Will JUUL Hold Its Own?

OK so as I said JUUL next to IQOS are really putting the cat among the pigeons on the UK vape scene so is all the fuss worth it?

What I mean by that is in a free market where purchase power is everything – does the JUUL cut it as a vape device especially against a market flooded with both closed (pre-filled pods) and open (refillable) pod systems? And can it grab the incredible 75% of the the vape market it holds in the USA here in the UK?

I’ve had one JUUL on the go for a while however the device and x5 pods for this review were sent out direct from JUUL free of charge. As always my thoughts and opinions in a review are unswayed by freebies or indeed the politics within the vape scene.

Like it or lump it JUUL is here and whilst some claim they might have aggressive marketing methods – particularly towards vape shop owners – as always in a free market the product will have to be good to ‘make it’ and certainly if it’s to keep its incredible UK sales targets – no matter how strong the marketing and PR team are. If it’s good enough it will survive – if not it will just be another vape kit on the shelf.

Right…let’s see if indeed JUUL is the jewel in the crown of the pod kits.

Inside the Box

There’s a couple of ways of buying the kit – the device on its own with no pods – as a starter kit with the battery and x 4 pods and of course the JUUL pods can be bought separately in packs of four.

For this review I received the device/charger and x5 packs of pods. Inside the starter kit you’ll find:

• Rechargeable JUUL device
• USB Charging Dock
• Four JUUL pods (Mango Nectar, Royal Creme, Golden Tobacco, and Glacier Mint)
• User manual
• Includes 2 year limited device warranty

JUUL Specs

• Length (battery): 8.72 cm
• Length (battery + pod): 9.48 cm
• Width: 1.51 cm
• Pod capacity 0.7 mL [200 puffs]
• 200w internal battery
• 4.5v
• Between 6w and 10w approx!

Quick Start Guide

• Plug charger into USB port and snap on device
• Remove all packaging from pod – including coloured cap and slot into device
• Tap device gently twice to check battery life:
• Green – 50 – 100%
• Yellow 25 – 50%
• Red under 25%
• Also tap twice to ‘wake device up’
• Vape is draw activated

Key Features

Simplicity is key here as it is with most pod kits.

It’s really a simple matter of popping the pod into the device and vaping!

One issue the JUUL has here in the UK and Europe is the cap on nicotine strength the pods can contain – sub 20 mg. In this case the flavoured pods are 20 mg/mL e-liquid (1.7% by weight) – a long way off the 5 % (59mg) and 3% available in the USA.

There are currently a total of 6 different flavoured pods available however in the UK the Alpine Berry is ONLY available from the JUUL website.

Design and Build Quality

The outer shell is aluminum and is powered by an internal 200w lithium battery [4.5v] so not only is the JUUL pretty tough it’s also light as a feather.

Build wise it’s very well put together though some pods can be a little tight to get in which on the other hand means once snapped in there’s no wiggle room and the magnets also make for a firm fit.

The pods are 0.7ml capacity so under the limit of the TPD/TRPR and are sealed as in they cannot be refilled.

Design wise it’s extremely simple and whilst I usually like those kind of clean lines the JUUL won’t win any beauty contests.

But also from a design point of view the different coloured caps on say the Apollo Brez do add a bit of ‘interest’ to the look of the set-up.

It is comfortable in the hand however even the brushed finish does make it a little slippery and I have dropped it more than once. That could be old age but as I said it is quite slippy in the hand.

One major gripe I have is the charge dock. I have an old school tower PC under my desk with USB ports on top. This means the JUUL dock doesn’t sit up and proud like you see on a laptop and a few times the battery has lost the connection – despite magnets – as gravity takes over – definitely something to bear in mind.

• Check out our JUUL Alternatives

How Does the JUUL Pod Mod Perform?

As I’ve already explained using the JUUL is as simple as it gets. Tap it twice to wake up and puff away – easy.

I didn’t receive all the pods – the Royal Crème was missing – I’ll get on the flavour/vapour of the 5 I did get in a moment.

First up the charge time from flat to full is around an hour according to the website. That’s about right in my experience though I was sub 60 minutes a few times.

OK it’s a 200mAH internal battery which compared to many pods out there is very low and from what I can gather you’re looking at between 6 and 10w max.

And there’s my real issue with the JUUL – it feels extremely underpowered to say the least.

Add to that the pods are nicotine salt based and the throat hit is pretty much non-existent.

The vape is extremely and I mean extremely smooth and despite the max allowed nic level as I’ve said the e-liquid is also smooth meaning I’m dubious as to if this is suitable for the majority of smokers coming straight off lit cigarettes. However the draw is the tighter side of restricted which I found reasonably comfortable…so almost the perfect MTL vape with decent vapour.

I had my original JUUL about a month ago and have used it as my ‘go to’ MTL set-up for quite some time. Indeed I’ve taken it pretty much everywhere with me as I really and I mean really wanted to put it through its paces.

Sure I can feel my personal nic levels are OK…just about lol…however I do find I’m chain vaping it to get even the slightest tickle at the back of my throat. The JUUL tickle is feather-like to say the least.

As someone who still enjoys a robust throat hit – even after all these years – I’m not sure this is the best kit to buy straight off the fags if that’s what you’re looking for. I would however say it’s not a bad back up or shall we say an intermediate kit for a few weeks down the line on a quit smoking journey.

JUUL Pod Flavour Review

As I said I received x5 of the 6 available flavours and all at 20mg nic salt. As always taste is a subjective thing so what I may like/dislike may be the opposite for you.

Golden Tobacco

JUUL Says:

A blend of rich traditional tobacco flavour with a smooth finish. 1.7% nicotine strength

I Say:

Smooth is most definitely the word here…think Silk Cut rather than a stronger blend.

The taste kind of deceives if that makes sense. Sure it’s a decent tobacco – certainly better than any of the all-out Big Tobacco company e-liquid blends…however almost as soon as it hits the taste-buds it kind of melts away coming back on the exhale but far too weak for my strong tobacco flavoured preferences.

The nic salt base means there’s no throat hit at all [consider this line added to the next 4 flavours!].

Glacier Mint

JUUL Says:

Bold and crisp mint flavour with an icy finish. 1.7% nicotine strength.

I Say:

Regulars will know what I’m about to say…I don’t do menthol lol.

Bold is a bit of an overstatement – if you like almost harsh brain freeze menthols this isn’t for you.

What you get is a sweet minty inhale with a not quite extra strong mint exhale. It is quite refreshing and definitely palate cleansing – to a point. By that I mean that after roughly half a pod it became a little sickly for my personal palate…but then I must stress menthol flavours are not my cup of tea.

Apple Orchard

JUUL Says:

Freshly picked apple flavour with a crisp finish. 1.7% nicotine strength.

I Say:

So close to being an awesome apple flavour!

The smell off the pod and vapour is divine to say the least however that inhale promises a lot but doesn’t deliver at all.

It’s actually very frustrating as in you can almost taste fresh crisp apples but just like the tobacco flavour as soon as it hits the tongue it just fades away – quite bizarre actually lol.

It’s actually quite weird on the exhale because as the vapour blows over your taste buds it once again registers as fresh tasty apple but mutes just before you blow the clouds…frustrating to say the least.

Mango Nectar

JUUL Says:

Tangy mango flavour with notes of tropical fruits. 1.7% nicotine strength.

I Say:

Oh dear…

Again lovely aroma from the pods and yup once again the taste just disappears the more you puff on the pod.

The only way I can describe this one is a fruit squash that’s been watered down.

Once again that initial inhale promises a rich fruit punch however it never makes it on either the inhale or exhale.

A real let down for me…

Alpine Berry

JUUL Says:

Berry flavour with bright and fresh notes. 1.7% nicotine strength.

I Say:

For some reason this flavour is only available on the website.

Again the smell is bloody lovely and this time it just and I mean just about manages to holds it’s own.

Flavour off the inhale is slightly more defined and does come through a tad stronger on the exhale. Still a bit under-flavoured for me but certainly the best of the bunch I’ve tried.

Pros

• Dead simple to use
• Fast charging
• Choice of flavours
• Decent vapour
• NO leaking at all

Cons

• Feels way underpowered
• Poor throat hit
• Poor battery life
• Flavours muted
• Fiddly charging unless using laptop
• Only one nic strength option
• Pod caps all same colour
• Pricey when not on offer!

Final Verdict

As I said at the start one if not the key to JUUL’s phenomenal success and some might say notoriety over in the USA is the strength of nicotine within the pods. Over here it’s a very different story and it seems that somewhere in the calculations they’ve cut back the strength – but also on the flavour formula.

From what I’ve seen and read the flavours over here are definitely muted and putting all 5 to the taste test I have to agree. They’ve cut back on the nic and it definitely feels like a cut back on the flavour concentrates.

I’ve seen too many claims on the net of the flavours nowhere near as tasty here compared to the US and that stands up for me and that’s without tasting the US versions!

Hey if I’m wrong tell me so as I’m sure you will!

I’d use one word to describe the whole vape experience off the JUUL – underpowered.

Pumping out a max of 10w isn’t cutting it for me and trust me the battery life isn’t that good either. Less than full power only adds to the flavour drop meaning the tiniest almost non-existent throat tickle fully powered just drops away to nothing halfway into battery life.

It’s back to those flavours again and the way they promise from the aroma and millisecond into a draw – then literally melt away on both the inhale and exhale is really quite bizarre!

Is The JUUL the Pod For Qutting Smoking?

Maybe…but only just…let me explain.

I don’t think the JUUL is the go to device for smokers looking to come straight off the lit cigs – however each to his/her own.

IF the throat hit isn’t high on your list then the 20mg nicotine will obviously get into your system and help the cravings.

If however you need that scratch/tickle on your tonsils the JUUL is one for a little further into your vaping journey.

And IF you’re looking for robust flavoursome flavours then sadly like the device they too are underpowered! I will say they do last well – I lost count but got at least a day and a half from each pod using it as my go to.

Bear in mind also that a packet of x4 Juul pods is around a tenner which means you’re paying that for less than 8 ml of e-liquid…though to be fair that’s pretty standard if a little cheaper than some other sealed pod systems…and also bare in mind the pods have just a 1.7ml capacity.

Final thoughts?

Not impressed with the flavours at all…sure the system is a cinch to use but here’s that word again…underpowered.

It’s not one I’m going to carry around however I think they’ll sell plenty if only for the curiosity factor…

The post JUUL Review – Is This Pod System Worth All the Fuss? appeared first on Ecigclick.

So the big questions are, does it actually work? How do you refill a JUUL pod using the Jumate? Well, we are going to answer both in just a minute!

The company is based in California USA and also has a couple of nifty gadgets for use with a JUUL, the Jumate charging case and the smart-looking JUUL wallet charger.

OK, so what can we expect from this one?

Without treating you all like idiots lol, we can expect – or at least hope – the Jumate refills JUUL pods – that simple!

Before I get into the review a disclaimer from the company who want to make it clear:

JUUL is the registered trademark of Juul Labs, Inc. Jumate is not associated with or sponsored by Juul Labs, Inc. Any reference to use of JUUL brand products or related trademarks, patents, and copyrights of JUUL Labs, Inc. are for identification of compatibility and informational purposes only.

Let’s hope there are no lawyers sniffing around

The Jumate was sent to me free of charge from Vaporl for the purpose of this review – thank you – and as always my thoughts and opinions can’t be bought.

Inside the Box

• 1 x Refiller for Pods
• 1 x 5pcs Oil Guiding Cotton
• 1 x 2pcs empty JUUL style pods
• 1 x 20pcs Cotton Swab
• 1 x User Manual

I didn’t have any ‘guiding cotton’ in my box and can’t seem to find what they do anyway!

Key Features

As the title suggests this a device that refills closed JUUL and JUUL style pods. I have tried a few others, namely: the Apollo Brez – the SMOK Infinix 2 and the MOTI but none fit.

The company says the kit is designed for JUUL and JUUL styled pods but you might get lucky with whatever pod kit you have and I would imagine they’ll eventually bring out a universal version – maybe!

The key feature is blatantly obvious – it refills JUUL pods which are closed lol.

How Many Times Can You Refill a JUUL Pod?

The company makes the bold claim that if you vape carefully enough, each JUUL pod and the pair in the box can be refilled between 5 and 10 times – we shall certainly take a look at that!

There’s no battery as this is operated through air-pressure that once the two pins pierce through the mouthpiece, allows the e-liquid to be forced into the pod chamber.

So does it do the job with no fuss and most importantly no leaking mess?

We shall see.

Design and Build Quality

It’s a handy little gizmo measuring 84 x 20 x 52mm and is made from ABS and PCTG and certainly looks quite smart and feels well made. And despite being plastic it certainly doesn’t feel cheap and nasty.

Design-wise it looks functional and wouldn’t look out of place in a kitchen or on desktop, and it kind of reminds me side on of those ‘pump up’ a baseball shoes back in the day!

You have an option of choosing a ‘special message’ written on the side of the device should you so wish – nice touch.

Not much more to say really – it is what it is!

How Do You Refill a JUUL pod with the Jumate?

OK, this is pretty much a performance and quick start guide!

To refill a pod you simply slide it in with the mouthpiece facing the two long pins inside the housing.

Once clicked into place insert your e-liquid nozzle into the rubber port on the top of the device and fill to the MAX line. Don’t overfill as this can cause the system to clog.

You then remove the pod and use the q-tips to clean the holes in the mouthpiece to remove any excess juice – you can find them in a handy little compartment under the rubber seal on top.

And that really is it – simple!

Checkout the video of the Jumate in action:

So Does the Jumate Do the Job?

Yes it does and very efficiently too.

Let’s put it this way as a typical bloke I never read instruction manuals and was able to work this one out no bother lol.

The pods fill really quickly so keep an eye on the fill level and despite having those cotton swabs I’ve yet to get any residue – but I use one nonetheless.

The empty pods that come with the kit are decent enough flavour and vapour wise and I’ve ran nic salts and freebase e-liquid through them and found even an 80/20 VG PG Wick Liquor Contra filled up easy enough.

I will say using thinner consistency nic salts and runnier 50/50 VG PG juices, meant one squeeze of the juice bottle pretty much did the job – so don’t be heavy-handed!

• Find out more about the PG and VG in your e-liquid
• Read all about Nic Salts

Refilling JUUL Pods

I’ve had this nearly 3 weeks now and it’s been a while since I did the JUUL kit review.

Given I really didn’t like the flavour or vape off the pods – it took me a while to actually empty one lol.

But in the interest of science and vape reviewing, I eventually managed to empty one – tough job but someone has to do it

OK, in all seriousness now, I used the JUUL Golden Tobacco pod and refilled it using Black Note Legato – a strong bold sturdy flavour that I hoped would mask any lingering bad taste.

The first few puffs soon cleared away the remnants and whilst not the best flavoursome vape I’ve had with that juice, it was surprisingly decent – and as you might expect it got better the more I refilled.

I managed 6 refills before I could tell the flavour had dipped – so not bad.

However with the 80/20 VG PG Contra – I only managed x4 refills before the flavour dropped considerably.

I know the JUUL pod isn’t really meant for thicker cloud chucking juices, but I wanted to see if I could eke more flavour out of those pods.

Please note: should the needles become blocked press the rubber button on the side of the device to flush out excess juice. Clean needles regularly with warm water.

So yeah, if you’re a JUUL fan and are looking to not only eke out those pods – but try your favourite flavours – then yup, the Jumate does exactly what it says on the box – impressive!

Pros

• Simple to use
• Refills closed JUUL pods!
• Mess and leak-free
• Saves money on pods in the long run
• The average for me was 5 to 7 refills
• Reasonably priced

Cons

• Only JUUL pod compatible – but hey not really a con!

Final Review Verdict

If you read my review of the JUUL you can see I was not impressed with the flavours.

However, the guys over at Jumate have given those like me the chance to experience a whole new vape off the JUUL and whilst the flavours aren’t popping – they are much much better. It’s still way underpowered as a device though…

I have kind of begun using the JUUL again – if only for this review, and whilst I’m still not a fan as I said adding your own e-liquid brings it back to life somewhat.

It’s a nifty little device that is not only a pod saver but a money saver too so well worth investing in.

• Not a fan of the JUUL? Checkout out our ‘Duel’ for some good JUUL alternatives

The post Jumate Pod Refiller Review – It Refills Closed JUUL Pods So Does It Do the Job? appeared first on Ecigclick.

The JUUL Dukes It Out To See Which Is The Last Pod Kit Standing

The JUUL is probably the most notorious vape kit on the planet at the moment surpassing even the IQOS Mesh in the notoriety stakes, so the simple question is…is it any good and are there any better JUUL alternatives?

It’s obviously a massive seller and currently owns at least 75% of the American vaping market. Insiders say much of that success is down to the huge nicotine levels found in the pods sold over the pond with up to an eye watering 59mg!

JUUL has been in the UK for sometime now and is already creating ripples on the vape scene – in much the same way as IQOS has done. The company is currently pushing the kit out to every corner of the UK in a massive sales campaign. Setting the politics aside for a moment, with the TPD/TRPR limit on nicotine set at 20mg can the JUUL match the performance and vape experience of other closed and open pod kits on the market?

To answer that question we’ve taken 4 ‘alternatives’ and run them all through a series of comparisons over a six week period:

• Flavour
• Throat Hit
• Battery Life
• Ease of Use
• Value for Money

The 4 pod kits we’ve chosen to duel it out with JUUL are:

• JAC Vapour Wee Vim
• Aspire Spryte
• Mi Pod
• Apollo Brez

To keep a level playing field I’ve used a similar e-liquid in the testing in both the open and closed systems. In the case of the JUUL the Alpine Berry – the Wee Vim Blackcurrant Squash and for the refillable devices Super Berry from Double Drip and all are 20mg nicotine salt based.

Find out more about nicotine salt based e-liquids.

I have received all 5 pod kits free of charge – thank you – and as always this in no way affects my thoughts or opinions. *Note: despite not personally reviewing the Mi Pod I did receive one free of charge for the purpose of this comparison.

OK enough of the ‘pre-fight preamble’…

“Let’s get ready to rumble” and see if any of the fab four can deliver a knockout blow to JUUL’s hopes of the UK heavyweight pod kit crown.

Will this fight go to points or will it be all over in the first round?

Flavour Comparison

No matter what I’m vaping on, be it the most expensive RDA out there, a stock coil tank or a pod, the key to me and I’m sure for a lot of you out there is the flavour. Forget reputations – if the flavour is lacking then as far as I’m concerned it’s game over.

So how do the flavours off the pod kits fare with my notorious shall we say hard to please taste buds?

Let’s take a look.

JUUL Flavour Test

I only recently reviewed the JUUL starter kit but have been working on this article for around 6 weeks now so I know the flavours off all the pods – in particular the Alpine Berry.

Of all the JUUL pods I’ve tried this particular flavour is probably their best – however as I mentioned in the JUUL review there is some kind of bizarre disappearing act going on with all the flavours – they just seem to melt away on both the inhale and exhale.

It’s not something I’ve noticed before with any other e-liquid and for the life of me I can’t work out what’s going on.

It’s almost as if you take a swig of a decent cordial turn away and someone adds more water diluting the taste…wishy washy is the phrase that comes to mind.

Score: 5/10

JAC Vapour Wee Vim Flavour Test

I quite enjoyed using this little cutie and in my review I gave the flavour a reasonable 8.5 out of 10.

Like the JUUL this is a closed pod system – but can also be used with the refillable VIM tank – so for this test I used the closest to the Super Berry and that was the Blackcurrant Squash 18mg nic salt pod.

First few puffs and the flavour wasn’t anything to write home about however persevere and half a dozen to a dozen draws and the flavour comes through.

Not the richest by a long shot but certainly pretty good especially half way through a pod.

Score: 7/10

Aspire Spryte Flavour Test

We ummed and aahed about including the Aspire Spryte in this comparison piece as technically it’s a hybrid AIO and pod system. However as this is also showing you what JUUL is up against we thought we’d add it.

OK I also scored this one 8.5 out of 10 for flavour in my review so has my mind been changed now I’ve picked it back up again?

Not really – despite those awesome BVC coils the flavour whilst good still isn’t popping – as in bringing out all the layers of the berry notes.

Don’t get me wrong for a pod/AIO set-up it’s still right up there with the best pods for flavour and one I recommend.

Score: 8.5/10

Mi Pod Flavour Test

This is definitely a funky looking pod kit and one for those who like something a little different that stands out from the crowd.

Flavour wise for me it was decent enough and just on the right side of good. I know Kevin gave it full marks – which proves taste is subjective – but for me it wasn’t a perfect 10.

The flavour whilst good was just a tad lacking for me – a case of oh so close…

Score: 7.5/10

Apollo Brez Flavour Test

I used the Berry Blend pod for the taste comparison and trust me this is bloody lovely.

Not too sweet with a lovely tangy twist on the exhale and as pods go this is a standout flavour.

Highly recommended.

Score: 9/10

Throat Hit

For brand new vapers the one thing they tend to miss is that throat hit they get from the smoke/nicotine.

Many tanks and starter kits have fallen at this hurdle even using regular 50/50 e-liquids which tend to be slightly harsher.

Nic Salts are in general a much smoother vape and can therefore lack that all important tickle unless of course the pod/coil and device can deliver. ..Let’s see if any of the 5 can.

JUUL Throat Hit

None existent it’s as simple as that.

If you’ve tried other starter kits and found them maybe too harsh then you’re looking at the smoothest of smooth vapes off the JUUL.

Score: 2/10

JAC Vapour Wee Vim Throat Hit

Again the use of nic salts is going to cut back on that throat hit. However in this case there is the slightest and I mean slightest little tickle and certainly more noticeable than the JUUL.

Score: 3/10

Aspire Spryte Throat Hit

The Spryte does have an advantage here given it’s using those famous BVC coils.

Using that Super Berry flavour really did mean the usual smoothness off a nic salt e-liquid was negated somewhat giving me a decent hit and reasonable scratch at the back of my throat.

Score: 5/10

Mi Pod Throat Hit

You can add a bung to the pod airflow to add more restriction – meaning a tighter draw. I found doing this did add a little more of a throat hit but certainly not enough for me to say you’re getting a good one…once again using nic salts means this is a smooth vape.

Score: 2/10

Apollo Brez Throat Hit

Whilst not enough to make you cough the throat hit off the Brez is impressive even with nic salts.

Obviously not up there with tanks or rebuildables but as a pod kit goes this one is very good indeed.

Score: 8.5/10

Battery Life

Pod kits are in most instances great for beginners and ideal as backups for established vapers who need a quick hit or something to pop in a pocket or bag whilst out and about.

Given these types of kits are generally small and compact there’s not much room for a large internal battery.

So key here is longevity, as in from fully charged to empty how much life can you get out of the featured 5?

JUUL Battery Life

The consensus seems to be a fully charged JUUL will last one day or the time it takes to empty the pod around 200 puffs.

It’s a 200mAH battery and powers between 6 and 10w so small/low to say the least.
Using the JUUL for as long as I have I’m lucky to get half a day which is about half a pod…

Score: 4/10

JAC Vapour Wee Vim Battery Life

Despite being tiny the Wee VIM has a very large 900mAH internal battery and this one really does last a full day no bother.

Score: 9/10

Aspire Spryte Battery Life

A mid-sized 650mAH battery and pumping out up to 21w meant I was getting about 6 to 7 hours max out of the Spryte which is slightly less than I expected but still pretty good.

Score: 8/10

Mi Pod Battery Life

Another tiny pod kit with a larger than life battery! In this case the Mi Pod’s 950mAH internal battery is pretty much the Duracell bunny…it just keeps going and going…I easily had a day and a half vaping out of this one as a go to and much longer as a backup.

Score 9.5/10

Apollo Brez Battery Life

At 320mAH the Brez has a little over 50% more capacity than the JUUL and that certainly shows longevity wise. During my review I timed this one as a full 8 hours as my only used device for the day…very good indeed.

Score: 9/10

Ease of Use for New Vapers

Key too many smokers turning to vaping is ease of use and it’s fair to say that on the whole most pod kits are dead simple to use.

So which of the 5 I’m comparing is the easiest of the bunch to get started with?

JUUL Ease of Use

Dead simple to use is the best way to describe this one! Remove the packaging from the pods – make sure the battery is charged – snap on the pod and vape. No buttons – no messing around.

Only issue for me is the charging. If you’re using a laptop USB port no problem…however if like me and you use a PC then depending how the ports are set up you may run into an issue as the JUUL charger likes to stand up and proud.

Score: 9/10

JAC Vapour Wee VIM Ease of Use

As easy as it gets! Again simply remove all packaging from the pod and slot into the device…to make a connection you do need to have the ridges facing outwards.

Unlike the JUUL the Wee VIM can be vaped on whilst charging…bonus!

Score: 9/10

Aspire Spryte Ease of Use

This is a refillable pod so a little more to do with this one! However saying that filling, whilst a little fiddly, is a doddle even for the most fingers and thumbs newbie.

Can also be vaped on whilst charging.

Score: 8.5/10

Mi Pod Ease of Use

Another refillable pod kit and to be honest I found this one a little confusing at first glance – yes I know I’m a doddery old bloke these days but straight out of the box I was a little unsure where what went!
So given I’m allegedly an experienced vape reviewer [stop laughing!] it may faze someone absolutely brand new to vaping until they check the instruction manual as I had to do lol.

Score: 7.5/10

Apollo Brez Ease of Use

Very similar to the JUUL with an equally different kind of charger. This one’s tiny but flexible with no pass thru – as in vaping whilst charging.

Apart from that it’s once again a case of popping in the pod and vaping – easy!

Score: 9/10

Value for Money and Price

When it comes to quitting smoking two key factors come into play – better health and saving money.

Many vaping hobbyists scoff at the latter – we all know how much we want that new shiny mod or tank lol.

However, money is a big part of quitting the cancer sticks so which of the 5 offers the best value?

Is the JUUL Value for Money?

There’s no getting away from it closed pods are expensive it’s that simple.

The JUUL starter kit containing the device and x4 1.7ml pods costs £29.99.

You can of course buy the device alone for £24.99 – but you’re going to need pods! To that end a packet of 4 JUUL pods are on average £9.99.

I reckon when not on sale the JUUL starter kit is a little pricey with sub £25 being about right.

Score: 7.7/10

Is the JAC Vapour Wee VIM Value For Money?

Very competitively priced with the device and x3 2ml pods for just £12.99.

Great pod kit great price and packs of 3 pods start as low as £5.99…excellent value.

Score: 10/10

Is the Aspire Spryte Value For Money?

At around £24.99 and with refillable pods for under a fiver the Spryte is a pretty standard price for the average starter kit.

Not the cheapest out there but for the vape quality it’s a good price.

Score: 9/10

Is the Mi Pod Value For Money?

The most expensive of the quintet with an average online price of £34.99 for the kit which includes x2 refillable pods. A replacement packet of two pods is around £7.99.

For me this is style over substance. Sure it’s a half decent vape but you’re paying for the design more than anything else IMHO.

Score: 7/10

Is the Apollo Brez Value for Money?

I really rate this device however as I said in the full review I think it’s over priced and in the exact same price range as the JUUL at £29.95 for the deluxe kit although it does include 5 pods.

Those packets of pods then retail at a WHOPPING £16.95 for a pack of 4! Crazy – but do checkout any offers as this is a very good kit IMHO.

Score 5/10

Final Thoughts On the 5 Pod Kits

OK so we’ve looked at everything from flavour to value for money and given I’ve been working on this for over 6 weeks I’ve had plenty of time to reflect.

So let’s take a look at my final thoughts:

Verdict On the JUUL

To conquer the UK and European market as they have done over the pond then JUUL really, and I mean really, needs to up its game.

Its selling point over in the US is the huge 5% / 59mg nicotine level – there is a smaller 3% which is still way way over our legal nic level thanks to the TPD/TRPR.

Here in the UK it’s severely underpowered as a device – 200mAH pumping out a max of 10w with 20mg nic salts just doesn’t cut it.

Neither do the flavours, and trust me, folks in the know in the US who have tried the UK/EU versions say the flavours are really muted over here.

I can’t comment on that as I’ve never tried the US – but if enough people say it…

As I said in my review of the JUUL – I reckon they’ve obviously reduced the nic content but maybe miscalculated the flavour concentrate ratio? What else explains what is a weak watery vape?

Price wise it’s a little on the expensive side – however once you’re set up the pods are reasonable but getting through one per day means you’re looking at spending just under twenty quid a week on sealed pods.

As we established vapers well know e-liquids are coming down in price so pretty soon sealed pods will simply be passed over as the cost may not be enough for the convenience.

Verdict On the Wee VIM

It’s a great little pod kit that delivers decent enough flavour and is an absolute cinch to use.

Of them all this one is incredible value for money and perfect for newbies to vaping…hopefully JAC will be releasing a few more flavours and lower nic strengths in the near future, although the option is there to buy and use the refillable tank.

Verdict On the Aspire Spryte

This one is a little more advanced than the others but still easy enough for brand new vapers to get to grips with. Being refillable and using a recognized coil means you do get a very good vape experience and good flavour.

As to the price? Despite being around a while now it’s still just under £25 which is about average for a starter kit.

However being refillable means you’ll save money in the long run.

Verdict On the Mi Pod

Personally I don’t like the looks of this one – hey I’m old lol. The vape was OK thought the flavour wasn’t as good as I hoped or expected…but then my taste-buds are tricky to please lol.

The price for me is just ridiculous at £34.99 however as a refillable pod kit you will save cash over time…a balance of initial layout to look cool and down with the kids but a saving of a few quid juice wise over time

Verdict on the Apollo Brez

My preferred pod kit of them all if I’m honest and as I said in the review that shouldn’t have surprised me given Apollo has an excellent track record.

Dead simple to use – great flavour and vapour with a good battery life.

However, I cannot get over the price!!!

£34.99 for the deluxe starter kit including pods I can just about handle but £16.95 for x4 pods is just silly.

If Apollo want to go after JUUL’s attempt to corner the market they need to drop their prices – it’s that simple.

A Quick Note On the Final Scores On the Doors!

So here are the results as I saw them with the Apollo Brez definitely getting in some seriously hard punches and maybe even a knockout blow:

Based on this comparison set of tests I have no doubt the JUUL will certainly sell plenty over here – mostly due to marketing / availability and curiosity. However I seriously doubt they’ll corner the market or retain as many vapers as they seem to have done over in America.

Is that just the nicotine strength factor?

Maybe, however the fact the JUUL is most definitely underpowered and I have to say under flavoured compared to others of its type means that for me the market will speak.

Would I recommend the JUUL for a smoker looking to quit?

I wouldn’t…mainly due to poor flavour – lack of throat hit and low power. There are indeed much better alternatives to the JUUL Pod Mod out there and just from the 4 we’ve chosen to compare, you can see for yourselves the results.

One thing you can’t call me is biased and hey if you’re using your JUUL for either quitting smoking or as a back-up device and you’re enjoying it – then more power to you…anything that helps smokers quit is OK in my book…mostly…

While there isn’t much in it I think as it stands now JUUL will struggle to take 75% of the UK vape market as it did in the USA…however a little birdie tells me they might be coming up with something new…so watch this space

So, to sum up…JUUL is over here – over hyped and looks to be trying to punch above its weight

For us there are better alternatives to the JUUL Pod Mod starter kit.

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