Pod Tips & Tricks: Important Things No One Tells You about

Vaping has been likened a lot to smoking. But unlike smoking, vaping has a bit of a learning curve that is not often talked about.

Modern e-cig devices such as the latest pod systems by AquaVape, namely the Pod Air and My Blu starter kits, are designed with ease of use in mind.

While most of the pod devices on the market today are user-friendly, there are some tips and tricks not obvious to a good number of vapers; tips and tricks that can enhance your pod vape experience even more.

Conversely, there are potential issues you could encounter when using pod systems, and being aware of them in advance and knowing how to fix them is crucial.

If you’re a pod user, having these nuggets in mind should either prove useful, revealing or both.

Most ‘single-use’ pods are actually refillable

Up until recently, the most common pod vape kits were those that came with single-use pods intended to be discarded after draining the pod.

These types of pod kits are a dream in terms of convenience, but on the downside, they tend to create a lot of plastic waste – a deal-breaker for the eco-conscious vaper.

Compared to refillable pod systems, it can also be argued that they’re more expensive, averaging in the region of £3- £4 per disposable kit.

Obviously, most manufacturers will recommend a single-use-and-dispose approach, but unbeknownst to many users, there’s a hack that allows you to convert these units to refillable devices, albeit briefly.

To do that, simply pry the mouthpiece away from the pod’s top. Underneath, you’ll encounter a rubber stopper that serves the purpose of preventing leakage. Take out this stopper, fill the pod, put everything back again, and voila.

Generally, you can do this several times before you find the need to dispose the pod.

You’ll get more vapour by inhaling gently

Majority of pod devices rely on airflow sensors to generate vapour automatically when you take a draw. Therefore, it’s important that you’re familiar with the best inhalation technique if you’re using a device with an airflow sensor (versus one that uses a manual button).

Usually, there is a misconception that vape devices will give you bigger, more satisfying vapour when you take stronger draws. Like regular cigarettes. Truth is, though, harder inhales will not yield bigger clouds, and this applies to all e-cig devices; not just pod systems.

In fact, too strong a draw can result in all sorts of problems especially with small vape devices. Too much air pressure sucks juice from the reservoir of the pod into the coil assembly, resulting in issues like device spitting, gurgling, and leaking.

Thus, if you’re using an automatic pod kit (activated by inhaling vs. pressing a button) only use as much air pressure as is needed to turn on the light indicator on your device.

Always leave some room when filling a vape pod

If you’re using a refillable pod device like the AV Click & Vape pod kit – whether it’s single-use or designed for multiple refills – it’s a good idea to leave some room at the top when refilling.

This is to prevent e-liquid from being pushed out of the pod when you replace the rubber or silicon stopper.

Plus, leaving some bit of room at the top of the pod creates an internal vacuum which serves a very important role: preventing your device from leaking e-juice.

Cover your pod’s vent for a stronger hit

If you inhale on your pod device and feel like the draw is weak and airy, adjusting the airflow can help you solve the issue, although that is limited to refillable devices.

Alternatively, covering the air intake vent of your pod with your finger while inhaling can help you achieve a stronger hit. What this does is reduce the airflow, increasing the air pressure (which in turn also results in warmer vapour).

Air bubbles cause dry hits. Here’s how you can fix them

The standard pod vape packs a pair of small silica wicks that deliver e-liquid from the reservoir to the coil. What else travels through the heating coil assembly is air, something that can sometimes lead to air bubbles forming around one or both of the wicks.

When that happens, the air bubbles can compromise your vape experience in that they prevent e-liquid from effectively flowing through to the heating coil.

A pod kit with temperature protection mechanisms will deliver weak hits or stop producing vapour entirely. On the other hand, a device with no temperature protection will give you dry hits.

The solution to getting your pod kit performing as it should is to pop the air bubbles. To do that, simply tap the pod on a surface like a table or squeeze the sides of the pod gently. See if it makes a difference.