5 Best SMOK Vapes (2026) – Top Pod Kits & Mods

SMOK has been manufacturing vaping devices since 2010, and following the ban on disposables in the UK, reusable devices are doing a lot of the heavy lifting for people who used to grab a single-use bar.

The problem is choice. Nord, Novo, RPM, Solus, a dozen coil names that all look similar. It is easy to end up staring at a shelf with no idea which one actually suits you.

This guide cuts that down to the SMOK devices worth your money right now, all of them rechargeable, refillable, and legal to buy in the UK. Every pick below is a kit we stock and would happily sell to a mate, sorted by the kind of vaper it fits.

The Best SMOK Devices At A Glance

The SMOK RPM 85 is our all-round pick, with real sub-ohm power in a shell that still fits a pocket. If you are stepping across from a disposable and want something simple, the SMOK Nord 2 is the easier starting point.

Every device here charges over USB-C or a swappable cell, takes a 2ml refillable pod or tank, and works with SMOK's own coil ranges, so spares are never hard to find.

Best SMOK Pod Kits (Beginners and Everyday Vaping)

Pod kits are where most people start and, honestly, where a lot of experienced vapers stay. Simple to fill, easy to carry, and tuned for nic salts and a cigarette-style draw.

1. SMOK Novo 6 Ultra: The Smart Everyday Pod

The Novo range has been SMOK's simple everyday line for years, and the Novo 6 Ultra is the version that finally feels finished. The touchscreen sounds like a gimmick until you use it, then the wattage and pod menus make sense straight away.

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https://piratevapes.co.uk/products/smok-novo-6-ultra-vape-kit

What stood out most is the leak resistance. Plenty of pods claim it, few deliver, and this one holds up even through the pressure change of a flight.

The dual-resistance pods are the clever bit. Drop the resistance for stronger flavour and a warmer draw, or run the tighter option for a cooler, more restrained vape, and the device sets a sensible wattage for each. For a no-fuss carry that you barely have to think about, it is hard to fault.

You'll love this if: you want a pod that just works, holds its liquid, and gives you a little control without a learning curve.

Pairs well with: a 50/50 or nic salt e-liquid, and a spare pack from the Novo Pod Range so a worn coil never leaves you stuck.

2. SMOK Nord 2: The Confident Step Up From Disposables

If the disposable ban left you looking for a proper replacement, the Nord 2 is the one we hand people most often. It is a single-button pod kit with none of the menu-diving of a mod, but it takes both the RPM and Nord coil ranges, which means one device can do a tight mouth-to-lung draw for nic salts or open up to a warmer direct-lung style. That flexibility is unusual at the price.

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https://piratevapes.co.uk/products/smok-nord-2-pod-kit

The 1500mAh battery gets most people through a day, and the 2ml refillable pods top up in seconds. It is not the flashiest kit on this list, but it is dependable, and dependable is what most ex-disposable users actually want.

You'll love this if: you want disposable-level simplicity with the option to grow into different coils later.

Pairs well with: 20mg nic salt for that firm throat hit, plus a set of Nord 2 Replacement Pods to keep in the drawer.

Best SMOK Pod Mods and Sub-Ohm Kits (Flavour and Clouds)

Ready for more power, more airflow and bigger clouds? This is where SMOK's RPM line, short for Real Pod Mod, earns its reputation. Pod convenience, mod-level wattage.

3. SMOK RPM 85: The all-rounder

The RPM 85 is the kit we point most people towards when they say they want more than a basic pod but do not fancy carrying a box mod. It pairs a 3000mAh battery with up to 85W, sits somewhere between a pocket pod and a full direct-lung setup, and its 2ml pod top-fills through a sliding cap so you refill without pulling anything apart.

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https://piratevapes.co.uk/products/smok-rpm-85-vape-kit

Out of the box, it runs RPM 3 mesh coils, and the two included heads cover most styles: the low-resistance one for warm sub-ohm clouds, the higher one for a tighter, cooler draw. Two people could share the same RPM 85 and set it up completely differently. That versatility, plus a coil range that is cheap to restock, is why it is our top all-rounder.

You'll love this if: you want real cloud production and flavour in something that still slips into a jacket pocket.

Pairs well with: a 70% VG shortfill at 3 to 6mg for the sub-ohm coils, and a stock of RPM 85 Replacement Pods to keep flavour sharp.

4. SMOK RPM 100: Power with a spare battery in your pocket

The RPM 100 takes everything good about the RPM platform and adds the one feature committed vapers keep asking for: a battery you can swap. Run a single 18650 or 21700 cell, carry a charged spare, and a flat battery becomes a fresh one in seconds instead of an hour tethered to a cable. For anyone who vapes heavily or is out all day, that alone justifies it.

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https://piratevapes.co.uk/products/smok-rpm-100-vape-kit

It pushes a full 100W through the same RPM 3 pods and coils as the RPM 85, so the flavour character is familiar, just with more headroom. Fit the separate RPM 2 pod, and you open up a milder, more mouth-to-lung-leaning set of coils. Do order a decent cell alongside it, because an external-battery mod is only ever as good as the battery inside.

You'll love this if: you want mod-level power and never want to wait on a charger again.

Pairs well with: a spare 21700 and a set of RPM 3 coils, both easy to reorder from the Replacement Pods and coils shelf.

5. SMOK Scar 18: The rugged cloud machine

Not everyone wants a pod. If you want a proper box mod that can take a beating, the Scar 18 is the SMOK to look at. Two 18650 cells drive up to 230W through the IQ-X chipset, and the IP67-rated, zinc-alloy and leather body shrugs off water, dust, and the odd drop, so it survives a work bag or a coat pocket far better than a standard mod.

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https://piratevapes.co.uk/products/smok-scar-18-kit

Unlike a lot of mods, it arrives ready to vape. The 2ml TFV9 tank and two 0.15ohm V9 mesh coils are in the box, tuned for warm, dense direct-lung clouds from high-VG liquid. The catches are honest ones.

You supply the batteries and a charger; the onboard charging is an old MicroUSB port rather than USB-C, and it is a big, heavy device that is complete overkill for a nic salt vaper. For a committed cloud chaser who wants power and durability, it earns its place.

You'll love this if: you want rugged, high-power direct-lung clouds and do not mind sourcing your own cells.

Pairs well with: a high-VG shortfill at 3 to 6mg, a matched pair of 18650s, and spare V9 mesh coils from the SMOK Coils Range.

SMOK Series Decoded: Nord vs Novo vs RPM vs Solus

The single most confusing thing about SMOK is the family names. Here is the plain version.

In short: Novo and Solus lean simple and tight for nic salts, Nord sits in the middle as the do-anything option, and RPM is the powerful, cloud-friendly end of the range. Newer lines such as Nex slot in around the same logic. Match the series to how you like to draw, and you have already narrowed the field.

SMOK Coil and Pod Compatibility

SMOK's coil naming trips up more people than any other part of owning one. The rule is simple once you see it: the pod decides the coil.

The trap on the RPM 85 and RPM 100 is worth spelling out. The RPM 3 pod takes only RPM 3 coils. Fit the separate RPM 2 pod, and it takes the RPM 2 range instead. Cross the two, and the coil will not lock in.

Older standard RPM or Nord coils fit neither. When in doubt, check your device name before ordering spares, and keep a couple of Replacement Pods ahead so you are never caught mid-week with a flat, tired coil.

Why Trust SMOK (and Why These Picks)

SMOK, run by Shenzhen IVPS, is one of the largest names in vape hardware, and that scale is the practical reason to buy one. Coils, pods, and replacement parts are stocked almost everywhere, so a kit you buy today is still easy to keep running in a year.

The RPM and Nord platforms in particular have huge coil libraries, which is why a single device can shift from a tight mouth-to-lung draw to open clouds with nothing more than a fresh coil.

We chose these five by ignoring the marketing and looking at what people actually keep using: reliable batteries, coils that last, pods that seal, and enough range to cover a first-time refiller through to a committed cloud chaser.

Are SMOK Devices Still Legal After the Disposable Vape Ban?

Yes. The thing that was banned on 1 June 2025 was the single-use format, not the brand and not the flavours. Every SMOK kit in this guide is both rechargeable and refillable, which is exactly what the law now requires.

A device stays legal when the battery charges and the liquid container can be refilled or the pod replaced. SMOK's pod kits and pod mods tick both boxes.

The other rules that have been in place for years still apply, and they are worth knowing before you buy:

• Pods and tanks are capped at 2ml.

• Nicotine refill bottles are capped at 10ml.

• Nicotine strength tops out at 20mg/ml.

• Every product has to be notified to the MHRA before it can be sold.

One more thing on the horizon: from 1 October 2026, a Vaping Products Duty of £2.20 per 10ml applies to e-liquid. That is a tax on the juice, not the hardware, so it will not change what a kit costs, but it is worth factoring into your running costs. Even with it, refilling a pod works out cheaper than a disposable habit ever did.

None of this is a health claim. Vaping is not risk-free, and these kits are for existing adult SMOKers and vapers only.

How to Choose the Right SMOK Device for You

Work backwards from how you vape, not from the spec sheet.

• New to refillables: a simple pod kit like the Nord 2 or a budget starter from the Refillable Pod Kits range. Low maintenance, cigarette-style draw.

• Everyday all-rounder: the RPM 85 covers a tight MTL pull and open clouds from one device.

• Heavy or all-day user: the RPM 100, so a spare charged cell keeps you going.

• Dedicated cloud chaser: the Scar 18, a rugged 230W box mod that comes with its tank.

On liquid: tight MTL pods want a 50/50 blend or a nic salt, usually at 10mg or 20mg. Sub-ohm coils want a high-VG shortfill, around 70% VG at a lower nicotine strength, because thick liquid wicks properly at higher wattages and thin liquid does not.

What Does It Cost to Run a SMOK Kit?

The device is a one-off. After that, you are buying pods, coils, and liquid, and that is where refillable wins. A 10ml bottle of nic salt refills a 2ml pod several times over, which is a fraction of what a disposable-a-day habit used to cost.

From 1 October 2026, the new liquid duty adds £2.20 per 10ml, so a cheap bottle creeps up a little, but the hardware price stays put, and refilling is still the cheaper way to vape by a distance.

MTL vs DL Vaping on SMOK Devices (Quick Explainer)

Two terms come up throughout this guide, so here is the quick version.

• Mouth-to-lung (MTL) is the tight, cigarette-style draw. You pull vapour into your mouth first, then inhale. It uses higher-resistance coils at lower wattage and suits nic salts. On this list, the Novo 6 Ultra and the Nord 2 in its tighter setup are your MTL kits.

• Direct-lung (DL) is the airier draw straight into the lungs: more vapour, more flavour, lower-resistance coils at higher wattage, best with high-VG liquid. The RPM 85, RPM 100, and Scar 18 are built for it, and the Nord 2 handles a restricted version.

If you are unsure, start MTL. It is closer to SMOKing and easier to get on with, and you can always open the airflow later.

Where to Buy Genuine SMOK Devices in the UK

Every SMOK kit in this guide is genuine, UK-market stock, TPD compliant and MHRA-notified, sold through an age-verified checkout to over-18s only.

Order on Pirate Vapes before 4 pm and it ships the same day, and Free Pirate Post kicks in once your basket passes £40, which a kit plus a bottle and some spare pods clears on its own.

Browse the SMOK vapes above to find the one that matches how you vape, then add the coils, pods and liquid to match. If you are still weighing it up, start with your draw style and the rest follows.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the best SMOK device for beginners?

The Nord 2 is the easiest genuine step up from a disposable, with single-button use and the option to change coils as you learn. For something even simpler, a basic Novo pod kit keeps things to fill-and-vape.

Are SMOK vapes legal in the UK after the disposable ban?

Yes. Only single-use disposables were banned from 1 June 2025. SMOK's kits are rechargeable and refillable, which is what the law requires, and they stay within the 2ml pod, 10ml bottle, and 20mg nicotine limits.

What is the difference between SMOK Nord and Novo?

Novo is the simpler, tighter MTL line built around its own mesh pods. Nord is more flexible, running both RPM and Nord coils so it can do MTL and direct-lung. Novo suits nic salts and easy carry; Nord suits people who want to experiment.

Which coils fit my SMOK device?

It depends on the pod. On the RPM 85 and RPM 100, the RPM 3 pod takes RPM 3 coils, and the optional RPM 2 pod takes RPM 2 coils. The Nord 2 uses RPM and Nord coils. Always match the coil to the pod, and check your device name before buying.

Can I use nic salts in a SMOK pod kit?

Yes, and they are a good match for the tighter MTL pods like the Novo and Nord in higher-resistance setups. Stick to 10mg or 20mg for a smooth throat hit.

How long does a SMOK battery last?

Most pod kits here get a day of moderate use from a full charge. Higher-wattage sub-ohm vaping drains faster, which is exactly why the RPM 100 uses a swappable cell.

Is SMOK better for MTL or DL vaping?

Both. The Novo and Nord lean MTL; the RPM line and the GX350 are built for direct-lung clouds. Pick the series that matches your preferred draw.