What’s a Pod Mod?

 

A “Pod Mod”is a type of e-cigarette that is generally considered to be a good fit for beginners because of its simplicity, portability and ease of use.

Pod mods (sometimes referred to as vape pods or cigalikes) remove most of the complexity from vaping with their dummy-proof designs, and we mean that in a good way. Pod mods are compact, adjustment-free, user-friendly devices that offers an easy entrée into vaping.

Most pod mods were designed specifically for smokers switching to vaping because, like cigarettes, they are pretty small and don’t come with a bunch of technical bells and whistles. For this reason, many former smokers swear by them as the best first step in the vaping journey.  

The word “pod” is key to understanding how a pod mod is different from other vaporizers. It’s because the e-liquid that is being vaped is in a self-contained pod, as opposed to a big refillable tank. (People like to compare them to Nespresso pods, where you pop a capsule of espresso into the machine to make your cup of joe. Tide Pods are another example of a well-known consumer product that uses a pod system.)

It’s a convenient and portable system that lies between the smaller and simpler disposable cigalike-type devices and the bigger, more powerful and complex vape mods that have refillable tanks with replaceable atomizers as well as other high-tech add-ons. [For the purpose of this article, we will refer to any device that uses a pod instead of a tank as a “Pod Mod”]

Pods mods range in size and shape. Some resemble a long USB stick, rectangular and flat (e.g. a JUUL, blu, Vuse) while other devices look like a very thick credit card and still other pod mods are shaped like teardrops or hearts. But the one thing they all have in common is they are portable and inconspicuous since most of them can easily fit in your hand.

Most devices can be simply plugged into a USB port to recharge and so they don’t contain external batteries. Because it is so small a pod mod has limited battery power, and might not last a whole day depending on how often you use it. The good news is they only take about 30 mins to charge up and can last for a full day for a light- to average vaper, which is a lot of power for such a little device.

Pod mods are also low-power, which means they consume less e-liquid than more advanced mods. This also adds to their under-the-radar advantage, since they generate less visible vapor and none of the giant clouds often associated with vaping.

Some use a “fire button” that must be pressed in order to take a drag. Others feature automatic firing, meaning they are buttoness; you simply have to inhale to activate them.

Pod mods are also particularly suitable for former smokers because they work with what's called a mouth-to-lung (MTL) style of vaping. This technique has a fancy name but is essentially the same method used to take drags off of cigarettes. Instead of inhaling the vapor right away, you’ll pull a bit into your mouth before you inhale, much like you’d do with cigarette smoke. Most ex-smokers prefer to start with MTL because it’s a similar technique, and it makes the experience more familiar.

Pod mods are also affordable. They can start around $15 or less. However, closed-pod systems can quickly grow expensive because you have to buy pre-filled pods from the manufacturer, which costs more in the long run than an open system where you can buy the liquid yourself and refill the pods manually.

Reasons to choose a pod mod:

•          Simple
•          Compact
•          Discrete
•          Quick startup
•          Low learning curve
•          Low maintenance
•          Not messy
•          Designer for cigarette smokers
•          Cigarette-like draw
•          Low e-liquid usage

Reasons not to choose a pod mod:

•          Limited battery life
•          Limited cloud vapor
•          Pod replacement costly
•          Certain types have limited flavor/nicotine options
•          Not most environmentally friendly option

In summary pod mods are a...

Good Choice for:

• Beginners who want to switch from cigarettes
• Those who like to K.I.S.S. (Keep It SImple, Stupid)
• The non-technical, non-tinkerers .

Bad Choice for:

• DIY’ers
• People who want to blow big clouds
• Inhabitants of remote villages or campers who are not near power sources and need a device that lasts for more than a day.