What Are the Different Types of Vapes?

All vape kits are designed as an alternative to smoking, but did you know that there are different types of vapes? In general, you’ll come across six types of vapes: pod vapes, starter kits, vape pens, MTL vapes, sub-ohm vapes, and disposable vapes. However, keep in mind that each type can have a different variation. For instance, with pod vapes it can be prefilled, semi-disposable, and refillable.

In this article, we are going to take a look at the different types of vape devices available in the market today.

If you don’t have time to waste on reading, we’ve prepared a little ‘tl;dr’ types of vape comparison table that explains the different types of vapes in the simplest terms.

Pod Vapes 

Also known as: Pod kits, pod pens, and pod mods
Best for: Novice
Price range: £-££

Pod vapes use acrylic ‘pods’ or cartridges that are inserted into the vape mod. Some pod kit vaping devices allow you to install replaceable coils, whereas others use disposable pods with pre-installed coils. Other pod vapes (called prefilled vapes) will utilise closed, pre-filled pods that are disposed of once depleted of vape juice.

This vape device is simple, convenient to use, and portable. The downside is that a pod vape system usually has less airflow adjustment and fewer coil resistance options than traditional tank & battery vape kits.

Prefilled Pod Vapes

As mentioned earlier, there are pod vapes with a prefilled pod or cartridge. What this means is that there is an e-liquid already placed inside the cartridge. You can’t put your own e-liquid and replace the coils. You can think of prefilled pod vapes like a disposable, but you only dispose of the cartridge not the entire device.

Refillable Pod Vapes (With Replaceable or Built-In Coil)

So, how about refillable pod vapes? As its name suggests, you can refill the pod with whatever e-liquid you like (preferably that is compatible with the ohms of your coil, of course!).

Now refillable pod vapes can have either a built-in coil (non-removable coil) or a replaceable coil. What’s the difference?

With a pod vape with built-in coils, you will have to replace the entire plastic cartridge that holds the e-liquid because, as mentioned earlier, the coils are not removable.

On the other hand, for refillable pods vapes with a removable or replaceable coil, you will need to replace just the coil.

Starter Kits 

Also known as: Starter vapes
Best for: Beginners
Price range: £

Vape starter kits, as the name implies, are designed for total beginners looking for their first vape kit. Though they may have some advanced features buried in the menus on the vape mod and usually offer variable wattage for their power output, they’re primarily intended for simple use and, as such, are easy to master.

Starter kits can vary quite a bit, often presented as either pod vape devices or traditional vape mod devices. Ordinarily, starter vaping devices are intended for MTL use; however, they may provide enough battery life and wattage adjustment to permit some RDL or even DTL use.

Vape Pens 

Also known as: E-cig pens
Best for: Novice
Price range: £-££

Vape pens are a traditional form of vaping device that provides a simple way to enjoy e-liquid. While pod systems have somewhat replaced vape pen kits in terms of design, vape pens are still available for those who dislike pod mods and acrylic vape pods.

Vape pen kits will usually have cylindrical or lozenge-shaped battery units with very little in the way of extra features beyond some airflow adjustment and minimal power customisation. User-friendly and cost-effective vape pens are great kits for casual vaping styles, though they usually have smaller battery capacities due to more compact designs.

MTL Vape Kits 

Also known as: Mouth-to-lung kits and mouth-to-lung vapes
Best for: Novice
Price range: £-££

MTL vape kits are the most popular variety of vaping devices. Intended to replace cigarettes, MTL e-cigarettes usually match reliable battery life with moderate power outputs, as MTL vape coils never require high wattage settings.

MTL vape kits are traditionally tank & battery setups that can be recharged through a USB port. They ordinarily have larger mods than most vape pens that allow for power adjustment, often with menus offering different user modes and settings.

Sub-Ohm Vapes 

Also known as: Sub-ohm mod vape, sub-ohm kit, and DTL vape
Best for: Expert
Price range: £££

Sub-ohm vapes are unique among the device categories listed here. Sub-ohm kits are designed to produce vast vapour or clouds and feature longer battery life to power their high-wattage outputs.

They suit the more bombastic vaping style of direct-to-lung vaping, and their box mods often feature modes for experienced vapers, such as temperature control for those who make their own coils.

Sub-ohm kits get their name from the low-resistance coils used by sub-ohm devices, ordinarily lower than 0.8ohms.

A sub-ohm device with high battery power, low sub-ohm coil resistance, and e-liquid with a high VG content results in big cloud production. Many eschew sub-ohm cloud production as it usually costs more and isn’t as effective for those who wish to quit smoking.

Disposable Vape 

Also known as: Puff bars, disposable pens, disposable kits, and disposables
Best for: Beginner
Price range: £

Disposable vapes are a convenient, if inefficient, way to start vaping. There’s no maintenance to disposable devices at all; you just remove the packaging and start puffing! While streamlined and built for instant, simple use, disposables have a handful of downsides.

Regularly buying disposable vapes is an expensive vaping style with a similar financial cost to tobacco cigarettes. What’s more, there is little strength choice available, making it harder to lower your nicotine intake over time than you can with all other vape kits that can be refilled with nicotine salt e-liquid.

However, disposable vapes are a popular personal preference for a reason, and if you need a 1-2 day vape loaded with the notably rich flavours that disposable vapes are often praised for, then it’s a great way to try vaping an e-cigarette.

If you are in the UK, disposable vapes are set to be banned on June 1, 2025.

Cigalikes 

Also known as: E-Cigs, E-Cigarettes, Fake Cigarettes
Best for: Light Smokers 
Price range: £

Cigalikes are vape pens that strongly resemble traditional packet cigarettes, usually presented as a thin cylinder with an attachable pod on one end.

Cigalikes, while less popular than most vapes, are good for smokers who require nostalgic designs and use functions to stick with vaping. Cigalikes are always MTL vapes and attempt to replicate the cigarette-smoking experience as closely as possible.

Box Mod Kits  

Also known as: Mod Kits, Box Kits, Box Vapes
Best for: Advanced vapers 
Price range: ££ – £££

Box mod kits come in a wide variety of types to suit many different vaping styles. The unifying elements are that box mod kits will feature traditional tanks with a DIY or pre-built coil and either an internal battery or a removable vape battery.

Box mod kits feature aspects such as power output adjustment and display screens, and the more powerful sub-ohm units will often feature dynamic menus and user modes such as temperature control functions for RDA tanks.

MTL Box Mod Kit 

MTL Box Mod Kits are very user-friendly devices with larger batteries than the majority of vape pens and other types of MTL vapes. They often feature power adjustment, sometimes as direct wattage options and other times in the form of a low-medium-high tiered output system.

MTL box mods rarely have high power output potential, as they’re intended for mouth-to-lung tanks with high-resistance coils.

Sub-Ohm / DTL Box Mod Kit 

DTL Box Mod Kits are usually bigger and bulkier than the MTL variety. They either have an internal battery or an external 18650 / 21700 rechargeable battery.

DLT box mods provide accurate wattage-based power adjustment and also often come with user modes like Smart Mode to protect your coils and temperature control modes for RDA/RTA users.

These box mods will provide much higher outputs of power, as they’re intended for use with sub-ohm tanks that provide lots of power for optimal atomization.

Different Types of Vapes Comparison Table 

Need More Help?

We hope this primer on the different types of vape kits has been useful and informative. If you feel informed enough to make a decision on your new vape devices, then don’t hesitate to visit the MIST online vape shop today. Remember, choosing the right vape type can jumpstart your vaping journey, make your vaping experience more enjoyable, and ultimately, help you finally ditch those nasty cigarettes for good.