Refillable Vapes

Refillable Vapes

Refillable vapes are the perfect blend of convenience and cost effectiveness when it comes to vaping. A refillable vape is any vape that comes with an empty pod or tank that you can refill with your own liquid. Thanks to this design you can choose whichever brand of vape juice in whichever nicotine strength you’d like, giving you more control over your vaping experience. They’re also perfect for beginners or those transitioning away from disposable vapes thanks to their simplistic designs, and they will still be around after the disposable vape ban.

Refillable vapes are also re chargeable, meaning your kit can be used over and over again minimising your environmental impact and saving you money!

Refillable Vapes For Beginners

The type of refillable vapes that we would recommend for a beginner would be  pod vapes. These are refillable vapes where you just swap out the pod when the coil is burnt out and the liquid starts tasting funny.

With non-pod vapes, it often involves the removal and replacement of the coil itself which can be quite fiddly and messy. Pod vapes are not messy at all because the part you’re removing is completely sealed with the coil preinstalled inside.

One of our favourite brands for the best refillable pod vapes is the Xros range by Vaporesso. They have simple and straightforward kits like the Xros 4 Mini, and slightly more high tech pod vapes with adjustable wattages such as the Xros Pro. Both of these refillable vapes are great options for beginners and both have amazing flavour output thanks to the Corex technology in the pods that all kits in the Xros range use. Vaporesso are slowly transitioning all of their standard mesh coils over to the new Corex design, so any pod, coil, or vape that you purchase from Vaporesso will have some of the best flavour output on the market.

Refillable Disposable Vape

Unfortunately there is no such thing as a refillable disposable vape. This is because disposables are designed to be single use and are not made to be refilled or recharged, with the liquid often in a sealed compartment within the kit. So refillable and disposable are not words that can be applied to the same product in the vape world.

The closest you’ll get to a refillable disposable would be with a kit like the Elfa Pro which has been made to replicate the Elf Bar but with replacement pods. You can purchase empty refillable pods for the Elfa pro, and that’s the next best thing to a refillable disposable device. The Elfa Pro is also re chargeable! 

How Long Do Refillable Vapes Last?

This can completely depend on the type of kit you use! If you want to go for a semi disposable refillable kit like the Aspire R1, this will last you around 2-4 weeks. If you wanted to go for a proper vape kit like an OXVA Xlim Pro 2, the kit itself can last years! Of course you’ll need to replace your refillable pods more frequently but you won’t have to re purchase another kit unless it breaks because they are designed to be reused, unlike disposables.

How Long Do The Pods Last?

If you’re using a refillable kit with replacement pods, depending on the brand, you can expect between 2-4 weeks of use with 1 replacement pod.

This will depend on the type of liquid you’re using, how frequently you’re vaping and many other factors.

How To Make Your Pods Last Longer

If you’re using nic salt e-liquids such as the Elfliqs or Bar Juice that have a 50VG/50PG ratio (the most common), then make sure to use a pod with a resistance of 0.8Ohms or above.

If you’re using a kit with adjustable wattage, make sure the power is appropriate for the kind of liquid you’re using too.

How Long Do The Coils Last?

Coils have a pretty similar life span as pods, with between 2-4 weeks being the average. Follow the same rules as above to extent the life of your coils.

How To Refill A Vape

Pod Vapes

1. To refill a pod vape, remove the pod from the device and identify the refill port. If you’re using a pod like the Xros pods, then you need to snap the top off by pushing it forwards with your thumb. If it’s a pod like the OXVA V3 pods, there will be a rubber bung on the side of the pod which you need to pull out.

2. Once you have found the refill port, insert the nozzle of your e-liquid bottle and squeeze gently until the pod is 80% full. Make sure that if the refill port it on the side of the pod, you’re tipping the pod sideways to stop the liquid running out.

3. Once you’ve refilled it, either snap the top back on or close the rubber bung and you’re ready to go!

If it’s the first time you’ve added liquid into that pod leave the liquid to soak into the coil for around 15 minutes before you take your first drag. If it already had liquid in you’re fine to start vaping straight away once the pod is filled.

Non Pod Vapes/Vape Pens

The majority of non pod vapes are a little more tricky to fill. If your vape is similar to the Aspire Pockex then you’ll need to unscrew the top of the device and add in your liquid to the reservoir. Some non pod vapes so also have removeable bungs. If you’re not sure which kind of vape you have you can get in touch with us on live chat in the bottom right hand corner and we’ll be able to give you specific instructions based on your kit. We’re available on live chat between 8AM-8PM 7 days a week.

Best Vape Juice For A Refillable Vape

Nic Salts

Our top picks for the best vape juices to use with refillable kits are as follows:

1. Bar Juice – Available in 20mg, 15mg, 10mg, and 5mg, the Bar Juice range is one of the best e-liquids for gradually lowering your nicotine. It also has incredible flavour and remains one of our bestselling e-liquids ranges.

2. Elfliq – The Elfliqs are a range of nic salts made by Elf Bar, using the same liquid as they use in their disposable vape ranges. The Elfliqs come in 20mg, 10mg and 5mg and have every classic disposable vape flavour you can think of. They’re also high quality and tasty.

3. Elux Legend – The Elux Legend nic salts have been around for what feels like forever; the flavours were modelled on their range of Legend disposable vapes and they have much more unique flavours compared to the Bar Juice and Elfliq ranges. They’re available in 20mg and 10mg.

Make sure that when using Any of the above nic salts you’re using a coil that has a resistance of 0.8Ohms or above to avoid any leaking or premature burning of the coil.

Freebase E-liquids

Our top recommendation for freebase liquids would be the 88 vape range. They’re available in a much wider range of strengths than typical nic salts and have a stronger throat hit than nic salts do. They’re a great first choice if you’ve just quit smoking thanks to this throat hit. You can also taper off them much more easily thanks to the varying strengths available. The 88 vape liquids are all 50VG/50PG so again are best used with a coil that’s 0.8Ohms or above.

Shortfill Liquids

Shortfills are a great option for if you want low nicotine and more flavour. If the shortfill you’re going for has a 50VG/50PG ratio, use it with a coil that’s 0.8Ohms or above. If it’s 70VG/30PG, or has a higher VG than this, use it with any coils/pods that are 0.6Ohms or under.

Our top recommendations for shortfills are as follows:

1. Drifter Bar Juice 100ml – Any e-liquid range that has ‘bar’ in the title has been specifically designed  to replicate disposable vape flavours. The Drifter range is 50VG/50PG and is one of our bestselling and tastiest ranges available.

2. Doozy – Any of the Doozy ranges are some of the best liquids on the market, however the 50VG/50PG Doozy Seriously Podfill 2 is one of our favourites. Not only does it have fruity flavours, but it has coffee, tobacco, and dessert options available too.

3. Bar Series – The Bar Series range was released after the great success of their nic salt liquids. They come in a 70VG/30PG ratio which guarantees a stronger flavour and bigger clouds than the other 2 on our list, just make sure to use this with a 0.6Ohms coil for best results.

Refillable Pod Vape

A refillable pod vape is a vape kit that has a detachable and refillable pod on the top of the kit. They’re the most beginner friendly type of vape kit on the market and are especially handy if you’re wanting to move away from disposable vapes thanks to how easy they are to use.

They’re compatible with a vast range of vape juices and have styles for complete beginners all the way up to vape experts.

Pod devices also have the added benefit of having large replacement pods, meaning you can fit more liquid in than in a standard vape kit. We ranked the best refillable vapes with a large e-liquid capacity here!

Best Refillable Vape

Pod Vape

We have 2 top contenders for the top refillable pod vape kits. Our first is the Vaporesso Xros 4 mini thanks to it’s user friendly design and insane flavour output. It’s also one of our top picks for a CBD compatible kit if you’re looking to use CBD juice with a refillable kit! This is our top pick if you’re a complete beginner and don’t know where to start. We promise you won’t be disappointed!

Our next top choice would be the OXVA Xlim pro 2. This vape kit has a design that’s a little more complex, with an adjustable wattage and display screen, but it’s very easy to pick up on. The flavour is also great on the Xlim pro 2, and OXVA have also recently released 3ml sized pods giving you extra room for your e-liquid!

Non Pod Pen Style Vape

The Aspire Pockex is a great option for a pen style vape. Refills aren’t too messy, and you can buy replacement glass, tanks, and top caps should any of yours break. It’s really cost effective and as long as the battery is ok, it will keep going for a long time.

The Innokin Endura Apex is also another great pen style vape kit and has a more uniquely shaped mouthpiece. The battery on the Apex is also huge, at 1800mAh (an Elf Bar battery is 500mAh) meaning you can comfortably go for multiple days without having to re charge your kit.

The pen style kits can often appeal to ex smokers more due to the shape of the mouthpiece, with pod kits being better for disposable users because of the similar ‘duck bill’ mouthpiece. Pen kits also often have much bigger batteries than pod kits.

Refillable Vapes Vs Disposable Vapes

Disposable vapes are typically the most expensive way to vape when you consider how much e-liquid you actually get for your money. For example, in a 600 puff Elf Bar there’s 2ml of e-liquid and on average you’ll pay around £5 per Elf Bar. For one 10ml bottle of liquid that can be used in a refillable kit, you’ll pay roughly £3.49. If you wanted to use Elf Bars to vape 10ml of liquid you’d be paying £25! £25 Vs £3.49 is a no brainer.

Although Elf Bars and other disposable devices are extremely convenient, it’s really not that much more effort to use a refillable kit. The only difference is that you’ll have to buy a kit once, and then refill it once or twice a day depending on how much you vape.

Not only are also refillable vapes better for the environment, but you will save a huge amount of money in the long run for a little extra effort.

Is It Worth Getting A Refillable Vape?

If the instant cost savings you’ll make when switching over to a refillable kit aren’t enough for you (£25 Vs £3.49 as a reminder) then we’ll go over some more benefits of getting a refillable vape.

1. More control over your nicotine intake – Disposable vapes are typically only available in 20mg, and very rarely 10mg. If you go for a refillable kit to use e-liquids with then you’ve got free range of the nicotine strengths you can choose ranging from as low as 1mg all the way up to the full 20mg.

2. Wider range of flavours – You will have access to so many more flavours when using a refillable kit, with loads of unique e-liquid ranges such as the ohm boy Volume 2 range and the Elux Legend range. Disposables typically have a finite amount of the most common disposable vape flavours with similar flavours across all disposable ranges.

3. More appealing design – I think we can all agree disposable vapes are not the prettiest of vapes; they look cheap and a little tacky. You can get really nice refillable kits for great value for money, take the Xros Pro and OXVA Xlim Pro 2 ranges for example!

Are Refillable Vapes Cheaper?

Yes, by quite a lot!

In a 600 puff Elf Bar there’s 2ml of e-liquid, and on average you’ll pay around £5 per Elf Bar. For one 10ml bottle of liquid that can be used in a refillable kit, you’ll pay roughly £3.49. If you wanted to use Elf Bars to vape 10ml of liquid you’d be paying £25. This can quickly add up over the course of a year!

How Much Will You Save Over A Year?

In this example we’ll say you’re vaping 2ml of vape juice per day (1 Elf Bars worth).

If you’re only using 600 puff disposables at £5 each, you’d be paying £1,825 per year.

If you’re using bottles of 10ml nic salts at £3.49 each, and still using the same 2ml per day, you would only be paying £254.77 for the year.

So by switching from disposables to a refillable vape, per year, you’ll be saving £1,570.23. That’s a staggering difference and hopefully one which will motivate you to move over to a refillable kit! Even if you splash out on a fancy pod kit, you’ll still be making huge savings in contrast.

Are Refillable Vapes Getting Banned?

When disposable vapes get banned on the 1st of June 2025, this will not include refillable vapes. We’ve read through the legislation so you don’t have to, and can confirm that in order to not classify as a disposable, a vape kit has to either be refillable, or rechargeable, or both. All of the vape kits we have on this refillable vapes page, and the pod vapes page are all exempt from the ban and will still be available after the 1st of June.

What Will Be Banned?

From the 1st of June only disposable vape devices that cannot be re charged or refilled will be banned. This will also include any big puff vape kits that also can’t be refilled or re charged.

What Vapes Will Be Available After The Ban?

1. Refillable Vapes
2. Pod Vapes
3. Anything on our disposable alternatives page

What Will Replace Disposable Vapes?

We think that most people will move straight onto prefilled pod vape kits purely out of convenience, and because they’re the closest thing you can get to a disposable vape. They are a great place to start, and even though they won’t save you as much money as using a refillable vape will, they’re still a great first step.

Refillable kits are also becoming more and more popular, and once people realise that refillable vape kits are better, cheaper, and much easier to use than they think, they’ll be more comfortable switching over.

Do Elf Bar Do A Refillable Vape?

They do! They have the Elfx vape kit and the Elfx Pro vape kit. The Elfx is more beginner friendly but they’ll both offer great flavour output and work really well with the Elfliq nic salts to get you a vaping experience that’s as close to an Elf Bar disposable as possible.

Do Lost Mary Do A Refillable Vape?

Currently there isn’t a Lost Mary branded refillable vape kit on the market. Given the way things are going with more and more vape kits being released by brands who usually make disposable vapes, we can probably expect to see one soon, and we’ll update you here when we know more.

However, Elf Bar are actually the manufacturers of Lost Mary, so the Elfx and Elfx pro kit are also great options if you use them with the Lost Mary Maryliq e-liquids (the same liquids as in the Lost Mary disposables).

We have lots of resources available for those of you looking at choosing a new refillable vape kit. You can check out the best vapes for after the ban here; this blog details the best and closest alternatives for disposable vapes that will still be available after the 1st of June. We also have a blog on the top most frequently asked questions regarding the disposable vape ban here, and if you use CBD disposables and you’re looking for the best refillable kit for CBD e-liquids then you can find that here.