Pods for vapes are the small cartridges that clip onto a pod kit's battery. Each one holds the e-liquid and contains the coil that heats it. They come in two kinds: prefilled pods, which arrive sealed with liquid inside and get swapped when empty, and refillable pods, which you fill from a bottle. Pods are not universal, so you need ones made for your exact kit. In the UK a nicotine pod holds 2ml at most. For the bigger picture on how pods, coils and refills fit together, start with our pods and coils hub.
What's inside a pod
Take a pod apart (or look at a clear one) and you'll find three things:
- A reservoir. The plastic or glass chamber that holds the liquid.
- A coil. A small metal heating element wrapped in cotton. The cotton soaks up liquid and the coil turns it into vapour when the battery fires.
- A mouthpiece and airflow path. The tube that carries vapour from the coil to your mouth.
On the bottom there are metal contacts, or a magnet and contacts, that connect the pod to the battery. That base is what makes a pod fit one kit and not another.
Prefilled or refillable
This is the first thing to decide, and it's usually decided by the kit you already own.
| Prefilled pods | Refillable pods | |
|---|---|---|
| How you get liquid in | Comes sealed with liquid | You fill it from a 10ml bottle |
| Flavour choice | Whatever that brand makes for that kit | Any e-liquid that suits the coil |
| Effort | Click in a new one, done | A minute to fill, plus priming new coils |
| What you throw away | The whole pod each time | A coil or pod every so often |
| Running cost | Usually higher | Usually lower |
Prefilled pods are the closest thing to the old disposables, which is why a lot of people moved to them after single-use vapes were banned in June 2025. Our prefilled pod vape guide goes into that side in detail. If you like the idea of picking your own liquids, the refillable pod vape guide covers how those kits work.
Built-in coils or replaceable coils
Refillable pods split again into two designs.
Built-in coil pods. The coil is fixed inside. When it wears out, the whole pod goes and you click in a fresh one. Most packs come with two or more pods.
Replaceable coil pods. The pod is a shell and the coil pushes into the bottom. When the coil goes, you swap just the coil and keep the pod. You'll still replace the pod shell now and then, usually when it gets scratched, cloudy or starts to leak.
Neither is better across the board. Built-in pods are simpler. Replaceable coils often let you choose between resistances in the same pod, which changes how the draw feels. Our vape coil guide explains what those resistance numbers mean.
Why pods only fit their own kit
There's no standard pod shape. Each brand designs its own, and often each range within a brand has its own pod too. A pod for one kit won't fit another even if it looks similar, and forcing it can damage the contacts.
The safe way to buy pods:
- Check the full name of your kit, including any model number or "mini", "pro" or "2" on the end.
- Look for pods that list that exact kit as compatible.
- If a pod range comes in more than one resistance, pick the one that matches the draw you like.
Some ranges do share pods across several kits. Vaporesso's XROS pods, for example, come in several resistances, including 0.8 and 1.2 ohm, and fit a family of XROS devices. Even then, not every pod in a range fits every model, so check the compatibility list.
The 2ml limit
Under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, regulation 36, the tank of a refillable e-cigarette and any single-use cartridge holding nicotine liquid can't exceed 2ml. That's why every nicotine pod sold in the UK is small, and why pod packs that advertise huge puff counts are usually counting several pods together.
When to replace a pod
You don't need to count puffs. Watch for:
- Flavour fading. A gradual drop over a day or two usually means the coil is wearing out.
- A burnt or harsh taste, even with plenty of liquid. The coil is done. Our burnt taste guide helps you tell a dry hit from a dead coil.
- Leaking or gurgling that doesn't stop after you've cleaned and dried it. Cracked or tired pods leak. The vape leaking guide has the fixes to try first.
- The kit not firing with a fresh pod but working with an old one, or the other way round. See vape not hitting.
On a prefilled pod, empty means replace. On a refillable, empty means refill, and only the coil decides when the pod is finished. How long that takes varies a lot with how you vape; our guide to how long a vape pod lasts runs through it.
Filling a refillable pod
If you've gone refillable, filling is quick: pod off, bung open, tilt, fill to just under the line, close, wipe. New coils need five to ten minutes to soak before the first puff. The full method is in how to refill a pod vape.
What you put in matters too. Most pod coils are built for nic salts or 50/50 liquids. Thick, high-VG liquids can struggle to soak into small pod coils. Our e-liquid hub explains the differences, and the flavour library is a good place to find something to fill it with.
Choosing a kit if you don't have one yet
If you're picking pods because you're picking a kit, start the other way round. Choose the kit, then the pods follow. Our best pod vape guide compares kits that run on prefilled and refillable pods.
Questions people ask
Do vape pods fit any vape?
No. Pods are made for a specific kit or range, and the connection, size and contacts differ from brand to brand. Check the pod name against your device before you buy.
How much liquid does a vape pod hold?
In the UK, a pod holding nicotine e-liquid can't hold more than 2ml. Some pods hold less.
What's the difference between a pod and a coil?
The pod is the small container that holds the e-liquid and sits on the battery. The coil is the heating part inside it. In some pods the coil is built in; in others you can swap it on its own.
Can I refill a prefilled pod?
No. Prefilled pods are sealed at the factory and are meant to be swapped when empty. If you want to fill your own, you need a refillable pod.
