My Top Five Best Pod Mods of 2020
This time last year, the term “pod mod” hadn’t even been coined yet, but today pod mods are the hottest vaping devices on the market. It’s a testament to the ever-changing nature of the vaping industry, where technological and design evolution can change the landscape seemingly overnight. That may not be the case for much longer, due to soon-to-be-enforced legislation, but for now let’s enjoy the fruits of evolution in the vape world – here is my top five best mods of 2020:
But before we get into the list itself, I think it’s important to clarify what a pod mod is and why it is different than a pod system (vape pod ). In my opinion, a pod mod is a compact and more simplistic vape mod that features variable wattage technology, as well as interchangeable coil-heads and a refillable pod-like tank. This is why I decided not to include devices like the Lost Vape Orion Plus or Smoant Pasito on this list. They either fit just one, or none of these conditions.
Also, do take this ranked list with a grain of salt. Every such post you find online is biased, to a certain degree. While I do keep in mind technical specifications and performance, personal preference still plays a big part in whether you like a vaping device or not. So just because I liked one device more than another doesn’t mean you will too. This is just a list of the pod systems I enjoyed using the most, out of the ones I have tested, obviously.
Finally, I just want to make it perfectly clear that this is NOT a sponsored post – I don’t do sponsored posts, ever – nor am I endorsing any of the manufacturers on this list. I’ve been working with some of them for some time now, but purely on a no-strings-attached basis; if they decide to send me a product for review, I test it and right my honest opinion about it, that’s it.
With all that out of the way, here is my top 5 pod mods of 2020:
No. 5 – VapeOnly Space
To be perfectly honest, I would have ranked the VapeOnly Space pod mod much higher on this list, if not for the nasty, plastic-like taste I struggled with before breaking in the tank. It’s just one of those devices that reeks of cheap plastic as soon as you take it out of the box, but it does go away completely after 1 or 2 juice refills, leaving with a really nice looking and surprisingly good vaping device.
I received the resin for review, and it remains one of the coolest-looking mods I’ve ever tested. The build quality is really nice as well, and the device feels super light in the hand, thanks to an all-aluminum frame. Design-wise, it seems inspired by the elegant Billet Box, with the concealed display and adjustment buttons and the location of the refillable pod, but also has its unique charm.
Powered by an external 18650 battery and a max output of 60W, the VapeOnly Space is no slouch in either battery life or power, and performance is pretty solid, thanks to a couple of very good mesh coil-heads and a precise airflow control system. The Space is designed primarily for direct-lung vaping, but can also be used for MTL with the airflow closed up almost completely.
VapeOnly Space Review | Buy the VapeOnly Space
No. 4 – SMOK RPM80 Pro
SMOK has been one of the most popular brands in the vaping industry for many years now, so it’s no wonder that they have some of the best-selling pod mods on the market right now. The RPM80 Pro is the Chinese manufacturer’s latest offering in this sector, and it’s definitely one worth considering.
If build quality and design are important, the RPM80 Pro probably won’t leave you very impressed. While very nice to look at, a closer inspection reveals that the resin-like material is actually just glossy plastic, which I for one found very disappointing, but if you can look past that, the RPM80 Pro is an above average pod mod.
Like the VapeOnly Space, the SMOK RPM80 Pro is powered by an external 18650 battery, and maxes out at 80W output. That’s a lot of power for such a compact device, and the external battery compatibility ensures than you can vape at max output and change the battery on the fly when you need to.
The RPM80 Pro comes with two different refillable pods, only one of which is compatible with the airflow control system. That may be a bit confusing for some, and to be honest, the airflow system is not the best I’ve ever seen on a pod mod, making MTL vaping virtually impossible.
SMOK RPM80 Review | Buy the SMOK RPM80 Pro
No. 3 – VooPoo Vinci X
Much like the RPM80, the VooPoo Vinci X is an external battery pod mod, requiring you to have an 18650 battery available, and has a similar power output, at 70W max. But when it comes to built-in features and airflow control, I think the Vinci X is the better vaping device.
While almost identical to the original VooPoo Vinci in design, the Vinci X is considerably larger to accommodate the bigger battery, and has almost all the features that made VooPoo’s first pod pod such a commercial success. The smart resistance detection, and the automatic setting to a suitable power output do a great job of preventing beginners from accidentally burning their coil-heads, and the puff tracking function was a nice touch as well.
But what really made the Vinci X stand out was the amazing performance. The plug-n-play (PnP) coil-heads the company had already introduced for its pod systems worked great on the pod mod, and the addition of an RBA only made the Vinci X more popular with advanced vapers. The innovative airflow control – inserting the refillable pod sideways – is not the most advanced, but it works and is simple to use for virtually anyone.
VooPoo Vinci X Review | Buy the VooPoo Vinci X
No. 2 – VooPoo Vinci
I’m sure that many of you reading this are shaking your heads at seeing the original VooPoo Vinci ranked over its successor, the Vinci X. It’s true that the second iteration of VooPoo’s pod mod had the superior battery life and power output (70W compared to just 40W), as well as most of the features of the first, but that’s the whole point, the Vinci was the first, so for me it was the most impressive.
I’ve already mentioned the main strong points of the Vinci series while going over the Vinci X, but it’s worth mentioning that it also has great build quality and one of the nicest color displays ever used on vaping device. And let’s not forget about the feature that VooPoo omitted to include on the Vinci X – manual/automatic activation, or both at the same time.
That’s right, the original Vinci has an automatic, draw-activated switch, as well as a power button, so you could activate the battery any way you wanted. I thought it was a brilliant idea that allowed VooPoo to target a bigger chunk of the vape market, but they decided to not include it on subsequent Vinci devices.
Using the same PnP coil-heads and RBA base as the Vinci X, as well as the same ingenious airflow control system, the original VooPoo Vinci offered the same impressive performance, making it one of the best pod mods money can buy.
VooPoo Vinci Review | Buy the VooPoo Vinci
No. 1 – Vaporesso Target PM80
I usually have a hard time picking the no.1 spot for such list, but in this case, there was never any doubt. As a whole, the Vaporesso Target PM80 is the best pod mod I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing so far. From design to build quality to vaping performance, it’s an impressive achievement that Vaporesso should be proud of.
The ‘Target’ brand is a very popular one in the vaping community, and the PM80 pod mod is a solid addition to the family, one that will further consolidate its reputation. While not as popular as the Vinci devices, the Target PM80 is more than a worthy competitor for VooPoo’s pod mod line, offering a solid line of coil-heads, built-in features, ergonomic design and one of the best color screens I’ve seen on a vaping device.
Not only is the built-in battery of the Vaporesso Target PM80 a whopping 500mAh larger than that of the Vinci (2,000mAh compared to 1,500mAh), but the features it offers rival that of Vaporesso’s pod mod. You have variable wattage as well as variable voltage, puff counter, as well as a smart wattage function that automatically sets the power output to match the resistance of the coil-head.
The Target PM80 probably has the nicest design of all the pod mod on this list, and the build quality is equally impressive, but the thing that puts it ahead of its competitors, for me at least, is the compatibility with VooPoo Vinci coil-heads. I don’t know if this was by design, but you can use any Vinci coil-head with the PM80, and that’s a real game changer, opening up all sorts of options to suit the pickiest vaper.
Vaporesso Target PM80 Review | Buy the Vaporesso Target PM80
Honorable Mention – VooPoo Navi
While it may lack the ‘Vinci’ branding, the VooPoo Navi is nothing short of a Vinci in disguise. It’s a much better looking device, in my opinion, but it has the same exact chip, same features and is compatible with the same coil-heads as the Vinci. The only thing it lacks, and this may be a deal-breaker for some, is the airflow control system.
I didn’t include it in my top best pod mods list because of how similar it is with the Vinci devices in all but design.
VooPoo Navi Review | Buy the VooPoo Navi
Honestly, I feel like these are five of the best pod mods money can buy, and even though I’m sure a lot of people will disagree, I stand by my ranking. I only wish I had the chance to try the GeekVape Aegis Boost as well, as I have heard some really nice things about it. If you’ve tried it, I would really appreciate it if you could leave your impressions of it in the comments section below.
Hi
About Vaporesso Target PM80
The mtl part of this device is really bad
omg just let people know they cannot use it as a pod
not evbven a mention for the best on ethe lost vape ursa
Vaporesso Target PM80 is appaling device for MTL as the holes you can see in the above pictures can only be closed off by a cheap plastic insert that falls off and gets lost after aq couple of days. Truly the worst air control device I’ve ever come across. Avoid this mod at all costs. It should be rated terrible.