What Vape Should I Buy? A Guide to Choosing the Right Device

What vape should I buy? The answer starts with the type of device, because the type decides how the vapour feels, how often you refill and how much you maintain. The main choices are prefilled pod kits, refillable pod kits, vape pens, tank kits and box mods, and our vape kit range covers all of them. For a first device, our starter kit guide is a good companion, and our guide to vape pods vs vape tanks goes further on that choice. Vapes are for adults only.

Types of Vapes at a Glance

Each type below is a trade-off between simplicity and control. The draw style column refers to how you inhale, which the mouth to lung and direct to lung section explains.

Type	How you fill it	Draw style it usually suits	Upkeep	Who it suits
Prefilled pod kit	Swap in a sealed pod	Mouth to lung	Charge it, replace the pod	Someone who wants nothing to set up
Refillable pod kit	Fill the pod with your own e-liquid	Mouth to lung, some adjustable	Charge it, refill, replace the pod when flavour fades	Someone who wants a small kit and a choice of e-liquid
Vape pen	Fill a small tank	Mouth to lung	Charge it, refill, replace the coil	Someone who wants a slim, simple, one-button device
Tank kit	Fill a tank on a battery	Mouth to lung or direct to lung	Charge it, refill, replace coil heads	Someone who wants more airflow control
Box mod	Fill a tank on a separate battery device	Usually direct to lung	Charge or replace batteries, refill, replace coil heads	Someone who wants adjustable power and is comfortable with upkeep

Disposable vs Pod Vape: What Changed in 2025

Disposable vapes are no longer part of the choice. GOV.UK states that the single-use vapes ban came into force on 1 June 2025, and it covers online and in-shop sales of all vapes with or without nicotine. A vape counts as single-use if its battery cannot be recharged or if it is not refillable.

The same guidance says a reusable vape needs a rechargeable battery, a refillable container (such as a pod or tank) and, where it has a coil, a removable and replaceable one. Refills and coils should also be available to buy separately. That leaves two practical routes: prefilled pods, where you replace a sealed pod, and refillable pods, where you fill the pod yourself. Prefilled pods ask the least of you. Refillable pods give you a choice of e-liquid and strength. Before buying any kit, check that it recharges and that replacement pods or refills are on sale. Our guides on disposable vapes vs prefilled pods and alternatives to disposable vapes cover the switch in more detail.

Pod Vape vs Vape Pen

Both are small and rechargeable, and the difference lies in what you replace. A pod kit takes a pod with the coil built in, so when the flavour fades you swap the whole pod. A vape pen has a small refillable tank and a coil you replace separately, and it is usually operated with a single button.

If you would rather swap a part and carry on, a pod kit fits. If you want a slim device and do not mind replacing coils, a pen does. Both are mostly used with a mouth to lung draw, and a pod kit is generally the easier of the two to look after.

Mouth to Lung vs Direct to Lung (MTL vs DTL)

Mouth to lung (MTL) means drawing the vapour into your mouth first, then inhaling. Direct to lung (DTL) means inhaling straight into the lungs in one open breath. The style you prefer decides the coil, the airflow and the e-liquid, so it is the choice to settle early.

	Mouth to lung	Direct to lung
Inhale	Into the mouth, then the lungs	Straight into the lungs
Airflow	Tighter, with holes up to about 1mm	Looser, with holes of 2mm or more
Coil resistance	Usually about 1 ohm or more	Usually under 1 ohm (sub ohm)
E-liquid	Higher PG, about 50 to 70%	Higher VG, about 70 to 100%
Vapour	Smaller and warmer	Larger and cooler
Battery use	Lower	Higher
Typical devices	Pod kits, pens, MTL tanks	Sub ohm tanks and box mods

The airflow, e-liquid, vapour and battery rows come from Vaping360's comparison. The same article notes that coils between 0.5 and 0.7 ohm can serve either style, so the resistance row is a rule of thumb, not a hard line.

Sub ohm describes a coil resistance of under 1 ohm and a type of tank. DTL describes how you inhale. Sub ohm tanks are the usual choice for a direct to lung draw, and our sub ohm tank range and mouth to lung tank range show both ends.

Nicotine strength differs between the two styles. Vaping360 pairs DTL with lower-strength e-liquid than MTL, and UK law caps strength at 20mg/ml for both. Our guide to choosing a nicotine strength and our explainer on PG and VG cover how to match both to your device.

Tank vs Pod System

A pod system keeps the coil inside the pod and replaces the two together. A tank kit has a separate tank with replaceable coil heads, so the coil is replaced on its own and the tank stays in use. Tank kits give you more say over airflow, and some run in either style, depending on the coil fitted.

Pod systems need less looking after: there is no coil to fit, though a new pod needs a short wait to saturate before the first puff, and the pod is the part you replace. A tank takes a little more attention and gives you more control over the draw. For more on the tank side, read our ultimate guide to vape tanks.

Box Mod vs Pod System

A box mod is a separate battery device with adjustable wattage, fitted with a tank. Its power comes from replaceable cells (18650, 20700 or 21700) or a built-in battery, and the larger models hold two. Most pod systems are smaller and simpler, with no wattage to choose, as the pod fitted sets it.

That control suits someone who wants to tune the draw and is comfortable looking after batteries. Mods are larger, and they have more parts to keep clean and charge. Our box mod basics guide explains the features, and our vape battery guide covers cells in depth.

Battery and Charging Safety

The Office for Product Safety and Standards, via Trading Standards, gives these points for any vape with a rechargeable battery:

• Charger: use the charger that came with your vape, and never charge it with a phone or tablet charger.
• After charging: unplug the charger once the battery is full.
• Spare batteries: keep them away from coins and keys, and store them in a plastic case.
• Damage: stop using and replace batteries that are damaged, wet or leaking.

What Vape Should I Buy? Four Starting Points

• Coming from cigarettes and want nothing to set: a prefilled pod kit or a simple refillable pod kit. Vaping360 describes mouth to lung as the style closest to smoking and a good fit for beginners, and the starter kit range has the entry-level options.
• Vape every day and want better flavour or battery life: a refillable pod kit or a tank kit. Both let you choose your own e-liquid, and tank kits give more control over airflow.
• Want larger vapour and enjoy tinkering: a sub ohm tank kit or a box mod, with a direct to lung draw and a higher VG e-liquid.
• Want a small, discreet backup: a compact pod kit or a vape pen. For help picking within pods, see our guide to choosing a pod vape kit.

UK Rules to Know Before You Buy

The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 set the limits that shape every device on sale in the UK: nicotine e-liquid up to 20mg/ml, tanks and pods up to 2ml, and nicotine e-liquid bottles up to 10ml. The single-use ban described above sits alongside these.

The age of sale for nicotine vapes is already 18, and from 29 October 2026 it will be 18 and over for all vaping and nicotine products, according to GOV.UK guidance on selling vaping and nicotine products. Vaping Products Duty has applied to vaping liquid since 1 October 2026, at a flat £2.20 per 10ml. Our vaping rules guide covers the wider picture.

FAQs

What is the easiest type of vape for a beginner?

A pod kit has the fewest parts to learn: you charge it, fill or swap the pod and inhale. Vaping360 says pod vapes are usually mouth to lung friendly and still good for beginners. The right choice still depends on the draw style you prefer, so check the table above.

Are disposable vapes still legal in the UK?

No. GOV.UK states that selling single-use vapes became illegal on 1 June 2025, and the ban covers online and in-shop sales. Reusable vapes, which recharge and can be refilled, remain on sale.

Can you use any e-liquid in any vape?

No. Prefilled pods come sealed, so they take no e-liquid of your own. Refillable pods and tanks do, but the coil needs a matching liquid: higher PG suits mouth to lung coils and higher VG suits sub ohm coils. Check the strength against the 20mg/ml UK limit and the e-liquid type the maker recommends for the coil or pod.

What does sub ohm mean?

Sub ohm describes a coil with a resistance of under 1 ohm. It is used with sub ohm tanks and a direct to lung draw, normally with higher VG e-liquid. It is a type of coil and tank, and direct to lung describes how you inhale.

Should a beginner choose mouth to lung or direct to lung?

Vaping360 says mouth to lung is closest to the feel of smoking, which makes it a natural start for people moving on from cigarettes. Direct to lung gives larger clouds and suits experienced users who want lower nicotine strengths and a more powerful device. If you are unsure, a pod kit gives you the mouth to lung draw with the least to learn.

What else do I need to buy with a vape kit?

Check the box contents on the product page, because kits differ. Some include a charging cable and some do not: the OXVA Xlim Go has no e-liquid and no USB-C cable in the box, while the Vaporesso XROS Mini includes a USB-C cable. Replacement pods or coils are the other running cost, so check that they are on sale before you buy.