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The Difference Between Vape Pods and Mods? The Difference Between Vape Pods and Mods? > The Difference Between Vape Pods and Mods?

The Difference Between Vape Pods and Mods?

Delve into the design variances between vape pods and mods, gaining insights into their portability, performance, and customization options.

Vaping offers a popular alternative to smoking and even helps people quit. There are huge numbers of choices in vaping. Where a smoker might stick to the same brand of cigarettes for their whole lives, the vaper has a plethora of flavour options to work through. There are thousands of types of devices to choose from, two of which are the pods and mods we often sell here at Vape Direct.

Understanding what the differences between a vape pod and a vape mod could boost your vaping experience and help you quit smoking faster. Knowing the differences will allow you to make an informed choice, choose the right vape device type for you, and give you the best vape experience possible.

While the vape pod kit is sleek and compact, the mod kits are bulkier, come with a huge array of controls or special features, and cater to more specific preferences. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. This article explains the differences between vape pods and mods in greater detail.

 

What are Vape Pods?

Vape pods began as one of the original ways to use a vape device. These compact e-cigarettes are made from a combination of parts. Just like other types of vape device, you can separate out the parts by breaking it down or putting it back together again.

A refillable vape device either uses an open tank system, or a pod system. When you break down a vape with an open tank system you will see that it has a glass tank which, although replaceable, does not need to change with every use. 

If you break down a pod system vape device, you will find that the tank area either opens and closes or detaches completely. You can buy the new pod ‘tanks’ pre-filled from the device manufacturer. Some pod devices operate using refillable glass pods which you can remove from your device to fill up.

Many people prefer a pod vaping system to an open tank system for the following reasons:

  • They are neater to refill
  • It can be quicker to use
  • The pod style of refilling allows for a smaller, sleeker product
  • You can grab and go in terms of flavour vape pods

What Are Vape Mods?

Those who are advanced vape users will eventually find themselves in the land of fine tuning, where the vape mods exist. Vape mods are those chunky vape devices you might come across in competitive vaping. They are modified electronic cigarettes capable of precision vaping. 

While an open tank or pod kit will break down into only a few parts, the mod kit would come apart down to the last screw if you really wanted to (you should never do this for safety reasons). It will often comprise of the usual parts but with a complex electronic system which allows you better control over input and output.

Vapers might prefer this way of vaping because:

  • Mods give you greater control over your vaping experience
  • They can give greater clouds of vapour
  • They work well with sub ohm vaping
  • Vapers can tweak their own settings
  • There are options for additional tanks etc.

Main differences: Vape Pods vs Vape Mods

There are easily recognisable differences between vape pods and vape mods. The following will give you a side by side glimpse at these differences.

Vape pods are:

  • Compact, smaller devices, often thin.
  • Designed for portability 
  • Uses pods which either refill or you dispose of
  • Vape pods are simple in design
  • They have one on/off button or are inhale activated
  • Brilliant for beginners due to that user-friendly design

Vape Mods are:

  • Larger design, often with a rectangular base
  • Popular with experienced vapers
  • Separate component parts 
  • Have advanced features
  • Give total control
  • Targeted towards vape users who want to fine-tune their experience

Ultimately both devices are nicotine delivery systems that can help you quit smoking. Although they have their differences, they also have their similarities. They each have a battery, tank, and coil which heats the juice into vapour. The main differences are over the complexity of the design used to create them with.

Size and Portability

The biggest area of difference asides from the complexity of the design lies with the size and portability features. While a pod kit vape device is smaller, thinner, and designed to be kept in your pocket – the mod kit is the opposite. It is bulky, larger in shape and size, and looks more like a box shape. This has earned them the nickname of box mods in the past.

The pod kit was built with portability in mind. Not only can you see it in the size of the compact device, but you can also see it One of the best things about the pod kit are the replaceable vape pods. Clicking these in and out of your device makes for a simpler system for refilling your vape kit. 

The mod kit, on the other hand, is all about adding modifications to the device. This might mean a shiny new chrome cover, an LED control panel, adjustable wattage, and a ton of other cool features. 

Simplicity Vs Customization

What it all comes down to is a choice between the simplicity of the pod kit or the customisable features which come with the mod kit. Which types suits you best might therefore come down to where you are on your vaping journey. 

The neatness of the refill and the simple to use design of a vape pod kit is better suited to the social vaper. Those who take their device to work or out socialising will prefer the sleek style of the vape pod kit. 

Vape mods are better suited to someone who is experienced enough in using vape devices that they treat it as a full time hobby. Those who want total control over every aspect of vaping to enhance their experience will enjoy the mod kit. 

Ease of Use

The ease of use of pod kits is undeniable. They are simpler than mods on every level. Any beginner vape user should be able to work out how to operate them in mere seconds. 

Mod kits, on the other hand, are far more difficult to work out. You buy many of the addon parts separately and it takes a while to learn how to use them all. Without expert advice you might even buy incompatible parts. 

If ease of use is what you need, stick to the pod kit.

Flavour and Vapour Production

If you want the maximum in flavour and intensity, you can get what you need from either vape kit. While the mod will give you the ability to switch between MTL and DTL vaping, the pod kit has easy to change prefilled pods which allow you to taste the full flavour range. Some even have pods you can click in and out that you refill with your own vape juice of choice.

When it comes to vapour production, you need to either find a vape kit with a battery power of over 10000mAh, or you must choose the mod kit. Side by side there is no debate about vapour production. The mod kit will win every time.

Cost Considerations

In terms of cost, you ought to notice a rather large difference between mod kits and pod kits. A pod kit uses less technology and will therefore always offers the lower price. This is nothing to do with a lack of quality and everything to do with the availability of the parts. 

The mod kit will always be more expensive because it has a variety of parts attached to it. Not only do you buy the original kit, but you must also buy the components you want to add to your device over time. 

Maintenance and Upkeep

This is another area where the two products differ. While a pod vape kit is very low maintenance, a mod kit will take up more of your time. 

The maintenance of a vape pod kit is relatively simple. You should clean your device once in a while if it starts to look grubby. This means taking all the bits apart and emptying out the last of the vape juice, then cleaning the tank and mouthpiece in hot, soapy water. A clean pod kit will return to the pre-use stage of perfect functionality. Just don’t dunk the coil or the battery pack in there.

A vape mod kit is cleaned in roughly the same way. You must clean the glass and the mouthpiece, but the rest should not get wet. The pod kit has a battery pack that contains electronics, but the mod kit has the electrical components within the handle and screen. 

Asides from the cleaning process, pod kits are less maintenance when it comes to refilling, too. Mod kits could contain refillable tanks or might even have detachable ones. There are mods which can switch between a double tank system, both set to separate coil resistance levels. One tank could sub ohm vape while the other could operate as a refillable system.

Which one is Better, Vape Mod or Vape Pod?

If we look at the pros and cons of pods vs mods together, we might arrive at a conclusion as to which is better. So far though, this is like comparing apples and peaches. Pod kits cover an area of the vaping landscape which mod kits don’t cover. They are too technical and advanced for a new user. Mod kits cover the experienced end of the scale where pod kits don’t reach, and vice versa. 

Let’s examine the pros and cons of vape mods versus vape pods.

Vape Mod Kits

Pros and cons regarding vape mods include:

Pros:

  • Large clouds of vapour
  • Full array of flavours
  • Fully customizable
  • Fine-tuned vaping
  • Collectable parts 
  • Create the vape you want

Cons:

  • Bulkier design
  • Likely to be pricier 
  • Higher maintenance

Vape Pod Kits

Pros and cons regarding vape pods include:

Pros:

  • Full array of flavours
  • High portability
  • Sleek design made for the pocket
  • Affordable
  • Easy to use for new vapers
  • Lightweight

Cons:

  • Less powerful
  • Some replaceable pods are brand specific
  • Easier to clean

Combining Vape Pods and Mods

The true key to enjoying the best of both of these types of vape device is to use them at the correct times. While the pod kit is small and discrete, the mod kit is bulky and powerful. There is a time in life when either will be your preference.

For example, you wouldn’t go to a vaping hobbyist club with a standard pod kit. You would not be able to compete with the large clouds of vapour others were producing. Alternatively, you wouldn’t want to sit in a friends car and blow huge clouds of vapour while they are driving!

True vaping equilibrium is reaching the plateau of realisation: that each type of vape device has its place in modern society. There are different vapes for different situations. It’s better to try new things to fully enjoy your vaping experience than it is to naysay a whole type of vape device because you don’t prefer it. 

There is no hate here. Only the realisation that sometimes you want easy and discreet, and sometimes you want hard-hitting and fine-tuned. 

Which Do You Prefer?

Ultimately, the choice between pods vs mods comes down to your personal interests in vaping. Newer users get on better with a pod kit, while experienced hobbyists prefer the mods.

If you are brand new to the scene, you probably don’t want to rush in with all guns a blazing. A mod kit is something to work up to, something to be treasured. Think of a mod as the katana of the vaping world. You don’t start with the big blade; you start with the wooden one. 

Alternatively, presuming you have already mastered vaping, then dive right in.

 

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