The 11 Best Vape Kits for 2021 (UK)
When I started vaping in 2008 there wasn’t much choice when it came to vape kits in the UK. But as 2021 approaches, the opposite is almost true – there are so many devices and kits available that it’s hard to wade your way through the myriad of options.
What helps, though, is to narrow down your criteria. Are you looking for a starter kit or a high powered mod? What’s more important – flavour or clouds? Do you need something light and compact or is battery life more of a priority?
After all, the best vape kit for a new vaper will be a very different beast from the best vape kit for an experienced vaper who takes part in cloud-chasing competitions!
So, to help navigate to the best option for you, you’ll find a table view below which identifies what is special about each device in this post, along with a more detailed write up highlighting their key features.
How we selected these kits
It’s always tempting when writing a post like this to fill it with the latest, shiny devices.
But that would be a mistake.
Despite advances in technology, there are older vape kits that have withstood the test of time – and they’ve done so for a good reason.
The Aspire PockeX is a prime example of this – although it’s been around for several years now, it retains huge popularity. That’s probably down to the superb throat hit it gives – pretty much unmatched by any other starter kit we’ve experienced.
Instead, to select the kits here we’ve used a combination of our own ratings, the popularity of these devices, both in terms of sales and ‘on the scene’, as well as taking into account customer feedback. Very occasionally we’ll add a just launched kit to the list – but only if it totally blows us away in testing.
All the kits here are made to UK standards and are compliant with EU and UK regulations.
Types of vape kit
In this post you’ll find four types of vape devices.
Pod Systems: Pod vape systems were designed to be more compact and easier to use than mod systems. Typically, a pod system consists of a pod that clips into the part of the device that holds the battery. Closed pod systems refer to pods which come pre-filled with e-liquid (and can not usually be refilled), while open pods are refillable. See our round-up of the best pod systems here.
Pods have been evolving, and some devices have a power, battery life and functionality approaching that of an advanced mod device. These are often referred to as ‘pod mods’.
All-in-one vape devices: These devices contain everything you need to get started except the e-liquid. AIOs distinguish themselves by having no separate pod or tank, with e-liquid simply being filled into the top of the device itself.
Pen-style devices: Just as the name suggests, these devices are like an oversized pen and fit easily in the hand. Think chunky marker pen as opposed to a biro and you’ll be on the right track. See our round up of the best vape pens here.
Mod/tank kits: Mods are usually larger, more powerful vapes, often with a box design, and come with a separate tank. Some vape mods also come with more advanced functions and modes.
In this post you’ll find we also refer to MTL (Mouth-to-Lung) or DL (Direct-Lung) inhale. You can find an explanation what these terms mean in our MTL v. DL guide.
