JUUL Alternatives For 2023 (That Don't Suck)

By Internal Contributor

JUUL Alternatives For 2023 (That Don't Suck)

Vaping.com's best JUUL alternative vapes

  1. SMOK Novo 2C
  2. Freemax Galex Nano Kit
  3. SMOK Nord 4
  4. SMOK Novo 4 Mini

How we scored the best JUUL alternatives. We gave each a score out of 5 for each of the following categories:

5/5 Ratings

Scroll down to see how we scored the JUUL...

Background

JUUL - it's the e-cigarette that everyone is talking about, but why do a lot of vapers dislike them? JUUL's are everywhere these days, and represent a 75 percent of dollar market share in the four-week period ended Oct. 6 2018. Pod-based JUUL e-cigarettes aren't like larger box mod devices. They are small and discrete and slip easily in your pocket. They're classy too, and with no buttons they're so easy to use that even your grandma "who struggles to operate a smartphone" could use one easily.

The JUUL pods don't make big clouds of vapour and they use nic salts, which gives a nice smooth vape experience, similar to smoking a tobacco cigarette. People also like the fact that you can buy pods in places like gas stations and general stores, rather than just in vape shops. But there are some big issues with JUUL devices as well, the price of JUUL Pods to start with. So let's see what the main issues are and if there any alternatives to JUUL pods.

Non-refillable pods

Our main issue is with the pods. JUUL pods are made exclusively by the manufacturer, so you are stuck with their flavours. Now that the flavour ban on prefilled pods is in place the flavour options are extremely limited. Additionally, the pods only contain 0.7 mL of e-liquid and they are non-refillable, so you can get through them very quickly. There is a way of 'hacking' the pods open, but it isn't easy to do and the hacked pods are prone to leaking. Oh, and they aren't cheap either.

Lacking power

JUUL devices aren't particularly powerful either. They run at between 3.6 and 4.2V based on the charge level with a wattage output of (we think) between 6.5 and 9 Watts. A JUUL also only has a 200mAh battery that quickly fades with consistent use. Some people can get over these problems quite easily, but we believe that there are some much better alternatives out there that you should at least consider before you buy a JUUL.

How We Rate The JUUL Starter Kit

Before we get started with our best JUUL alternative devices here's how we score the JUUL in our quick look format.

JUUL Starter Kit

JUUL Performance Rating

Below is our ultimate guide to the best JUUL alternative products. They're cheaper, more powerful, have better battery life and provide a better vaping experience. Vapes similar to JUUL but better!

SMOK Novo 4 Mini
How We Rated the SMOK Novo 4 Mini

A truly wonderful piece of design by SMOK, the Novo 4 Mini is a compact pod kit with all the features you need for a long-lasting vape capable of catering to any preference. The device is buttonless, meaning auto-draw is used to ignite the SMOK Novo 4 Mini, with the added bonus of not having to worry about pocket firing by mistake!

Accompanied by adjustable airflow and an LED battery indicator, you'll be fully in control of your vaping experience. Airflow can be easily switched from MTL to RDTL and DTL with a simple twitch of your thumb, controlled comfortably whilst in the palm of your hand. Replaceable LP1 coils come in many varieties including 0.8, 0.9 and 1.2ohm resistance, easily popped in and out of the 2ml refillable pod. 

Coming at just 91.6mm in height, who knows how SMOK managed to fit inside a 900mAh integrated & rechargeable battery? Lasting up to 48 hours of uninterrupted vaping, your favourite vape juice will be squeezed of all its flavour potential. 

Customer Review: "Novo 4 Mini holds up to the hype and worth buying again"

PROS

  • No firing accidents
  • Simple
  • Compact and stylish
  • Range of coil resistances
  • Comfortable hold
  • Transparent, refillable pods 
  • Leakproof
  • USB-C fast charging

CONS

  • MTL is loose

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Freemax Galex Nano Kit

As you can see from the picture above, the Galex Nano by Freemax boasts a dazzling LED window, flashing once it detects the pod along with a colour-coded wattage indicator. Freemax took inspiration from the galaxy itself when designing this pretty pod kit. Cool gradient colours are available to accompany the light show located in the 800mAh battery. Not bad for a 79.96mm nano kit.

Airflow is restricted to a tight MTL, perfect for those looking to transition to vaping due to its familiar pull. Users have a choice of auto-draw or fire button-draw thanks to a locking system integrated into the software. 

Each 2ml refillable pod has a top fill port and silicone valve that prevents any leaks from escaping the device. One factor that sets it apart from your old JUUL device is the adjustable wattage. Indicated by colour-coded flashes inside the cool LED window, you can adjust your wattage based on your coil's preference. This has a huge effect on the overall flavour of your e-liquid. Coils included are a 0.8ohm and 1.0ohm GX meshed coil, perfect for providing a beautiful MTL hit.

PROS

  • Auto-draw or fire button-draw
  • 3 wattage levels
  • Cool LED window
  • Tight MTL for transitioners
  • Compact and comfortable
  • Top fill port
  • Leakproof
  • USB-C fast charging

CONS

  • Not so discreet

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SMOK Nord 4

SMOK Nord 4 Rating

SMOK Nord 4 might be a chunky monkey in comparison to the JUUL but it's a super versatile pod vape. Firstly instead of having to constantly replace pods with the Nord you can just change the coils. Not only does this cut down on waste it also cuts down the cost of vaping. Pods can contain up to 4.5mL of vape juice and the battery is an impressive 2000mAh. This means you won't be worrying about charge levels or refilling the pod very often. The pods are transparent so that you can easily see juice levels.

The best bit about the Nord 4 is the coil options. You get two pods in the kit, one for RPM coils and RPM 2 coils. Whatever type of vaper you are there's a perfect RPM Nord coil for you.

On both sides are airflow control rings which gives you a huge variety in how much airflow you have. More of a direct lung vape than MTL (like the JUUL) but it is one of the most versatile pod vapes in the industry so easily makes the list. It's also unlike any other vape on this list, we try to give you as many different options as possible so that you can make the best most informed purchasing decision.

You get an OLED screen where you can adjust the wattage from 1-80W. Super powerful for a pod vape.

Customer Review: I absolutely love my vape. Easy to operate and maintain! I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for one. I'm constantly asked what kind I have. Battery life is great! The clouds are adjustable and amazing. It's given me the ability to give up smoking cigarettes!

Customer Review: I've had the Nord 4 for about a week and absolutely love it. The battery holds a charge well and charges fast with the type c charging cable. The capacity of the pod holds a lot of juice and I've only had to refill it twice so far. Overall I'm happier with the Nord 4 than I was with any of the sub ohm mods that I've owned. Also the clouds and flavour are so much better with salts than they ever were with standard juices in a sub ohm system. Vaping.com is now the only website I will be ordering from!

PROS

  • Great coils options
  • Coils for DTL or MTL
  • Easy to change coils
  • Use multiple pods for different flavours
  • Tasty flavour
  • Excellent battery life
  • Lots of 5 Star customer reviews

CONS

  • Pretty chunky for a pod system
  • Not very JUUL like in form factor

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SMOK Novo 4 Mini
How We Rated the Novo 4 Mini

A truly wonderful piece of design by SMOK, the Novo 4 Mini is a compact pod kit with all the features you need for a long-lasting vape capable of catering to any preference. The device is buttonless, meaning auto-draw is used to ignite the SMOK Novo 4 Mini, with the added bonus of not having to worry about pocket firing by mistake!

Accompanied by adjustable airflow and an LED battery indicator, you'll be fully in control of your vaping experience. Airflow can be easily switched from MTL to RDTL and DTL with a simple twitch of your thumb, controlled comfortably whilst in the palm of your hand. Replaceable LP1 coils come in many varieties including 0.8, 0.9 and 1.2ohm resistance, easily popped in and out of the 2ml refillable pod. 

Coming at just 91.6mm in height, who knows how SMOK managed to fit inside a 900mAh integrated & rechargeable battery? Lasting up to 48 hours of uninterrupted vaping, your favourite vape juice will be squeezed of all its flavour potential. 

Customer Review: "Novo 4 Mini holds up to the hype and worth buying again"

PROS

  • No firing accidents
  • Simple
  • Compact and stylish
  • Range of coil resistances
  • Comfortable hold
  • Transparent, refillable pods 
  • Leakproof
  • USB-C fast charging

CONS

  • MTL is loose

^ BACK TO TOP ^

Don't Support Big Tobacco - Avoid JUUL
Big Tobacco in the form of Altria  (formerly Phillip Morris Companies) has a 35% stake in JUUL labs worth 10.2 billion. Big Tobacco has a dark history and many vapers and ex-smokers don't want them to have another cent of their money. Smokers and Government departments have been filing lawsuits against Big Tobacco for over 50 years. Luckily there are a significant number of alternatives to Big Tobacco. Let's take a look at the biggest and best alternatives brands to JUUL.
Best JUUL Alternative Brands
The popularity of vaping as an alternative to smoking has increased over the last 5 years. As the popularity has increased so has the quality and quantity of products available. So you'll tried a JUUL, like it, but want a cheaper alternative? Find out more about the vape brands with JUUL alternatives listed above.
SMOK
SMOK is the biggest and most popular vape brands in the industry. Founded in 2010 it's also one of the oldest and well-established brands. During this time SMOK has driven the industry forward by consistently releasing new innovative products. And when it comes to SMOK have some of the most popular products in the sector.
Smoking Vapour
When it comes to quality over quantity you can't go wrong with Smoking Vapour. The Mi-Pod is a perfect example of this. Some vapers experienced some leakage issues when it was first released. Smoking Vapour quickly fixed this and offered replacement Mi-pod cartridges for those who had bought the original. With customer support like that you know you're in good hands with Smoking Vapour.
JoyeTech
JoyeTech is one of the oldest vape brands, having been established in 2007 when vaping was in its infancy. After significant success in releasing industry changing kits,  and coils JoyTech quickly joined the pod system revolution. The new and super innovative JoyeTech Exceed Grip Kit, they have firmly established themselves as a perfect alternative to JUUL. A real JUUL killer. Here at vaping.com we absolutely fell in love with the Exceed Grip kit the moment it arrived.
Vaporesso
Founded in 2006 Vaporesso is the oldest brand on this list, much older than JUUL which was founded (as Pax Labs) in 2015. Vaporesso has been creating excellent vape products for over 12 years, so you know you're getting a device that's been manufactured to the highest standard. When it comes to pod systemsVaporesso created a whole new brand (Renova), who are dedicated to perfecting the pod vape for smokers looking at alternatives. And with the Renova Zero some say they've done it with their first attempt! All you need to do is read the reviews on our site to see just how much our customers love it. That's why we simply had to add the Renova Zero to our list of JUUL alternatives.
Are pod vapes right for you?
If you've already used/owned a JUUL then yes. You're no doubt already used to a pod system and just looking for a cheaper alternative. Finding a cheap JUUL alternative isn't hard (they're very expensive) but finding a good one can be difficult. That's why we created this helpful guide, to help you get the best one for your own personal requirements. If you're looking for an alternative to smoking, most certainly yes. Pod systems are the perfect gateway into vaping. The restricted (MTL) draw is very similar to smoking a cigarette. Pod systems are designed to vape smooth but strong nicotine salts, so you can be sure you're going to get the nicotine hit to satisfy your cravings.
Benefits of pod vapes
Vaping high strength salt nic MTL vaping (just like smoking a cigarette)
Super portable - always to hand in either your pocket or purse (much smaller than a packet of cigarettes)
Smallest vape kits on the market
Change flavours instantly (with additional pods)
Perfect for stealthy vaping
Efficient vaping - low juice consumption & super easy to use
Negatives of pod vapes
Battery life can be small (the bigger the mAh, the better the battery life)
Lower vapour production compared to vape kits & pens
What vape juice is best to use for refillable pods?
We recommend nicotine salts but you can also use standard 50/50 PG/VG rated vape juice. If you're looking to give up smoking we recommend choosing a higher strength nic salt initially (50mg like a JUUL), you can slowly reduce the nicotine levels once you are smoke-free.
Read our guide on the best nicotine salts currently available.
How is JUUL different from vaping?
To JUUL is the term used to describe vaping with a JUUL device. It's extremely popular because of how small, portable and effective it is at delivering nicotine. After the flavour ban the JUUL has become less popular and other, more powerful pod vapes have replaced it.
How much does a JUUL cost?
A JUUL is about 14.99 but the major expense is the pods. Currently a pack of 4 pods costs around 5.99 which given they only contain 0.7mL of juice is very expensive.
What is the closest thing to a JUUL?
The best and closest thing to a JUUL would be the SMOK Novo 2. Battery has 4 times more capacity, nearly 3 times the wattage and double the vape juice capacity. Just grab some 50mg nicotine salts and you'll never JUUL again!
What vape juice is best to use for refillable pods?
We recommend nicotine salts but you can also use standard 50/50 PG/VG rated vape juice. If you're looking to give up smoking we recommend choosing a higher strength nic salt initially (50mg like a JUUL), you can slowly reduce the nicotine levels once you are smoke-free.

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