Pod systems are small, simple to run and strong enough for nicotine salt liquid, which is why so many vapers moved to them. Among the pod systems stocked at ejuice.deals in 2019, three drew the most interest: the Juul, the Mi-Pod and the Suorin Air. This comparison sets them side by side on cost, ease of use, battery life, flavor choice and what buyers said about them.
No single device wins for everybody. Each one does something the others do not, so the right pick comes down to how you like to vape.
The three devices in brief
Suorin Air
The Suorin Air is shaped like a card, with a glossy shell that sits comfortably in the hand. It comes from Suorin USA, the maker of the Suorin Drop, Suorin Edge and Suorin Vagon.
Mi-Pod
The Mi-Pod is a compact rectangular unit rather than a slim stick. A small power button on its side switches on the draw-activated firing. It is sold in a number of finishes and textures, so there is plenty of room to choose a look you like.
Juul
The Juul Starter Kit was developed by PAX Labs. It has no buttons or switches: temperature is regulated for you and the device takes Juul pods. The liquid inside those pods is made from glycerol, propylene glycol, nicotine, benzoic acid, natural oils and extracts or flavors. It was among the best known vape devices on the market.
Open pods versus closed pods
This is the clearest difference between the three. Juul is a closed system: its pods arrive filled, click in and are thrown away when empty. The Mi-Pod and Suorin Air are open systems, so you fill the cartridge yourself before first use, with whichever salt nic juice you like.
A pod on any of the three gives roughly 200 puffs. A finished Juul pod goes in the bin, while Mi-Pod and Suorin Air pods can be topped up 5 to 7 times before they need replacing.
Cost
At the time of writing, the Suorin Air, the newest of the three, cost noticeably less as a device than the Juul or the Mi-Pod. Plenty of long-term Juul and Mi-Pod owners stayed with what they had anyway, because they preferred how those devices handled and performed.
Running costs matter as well. Juul pods were priced a little above replacement pods for the other two, and they cannot be reused. Many Juul owners considered the convenience worth the difference.
Shape and handling
How a device sits in your hand and your pocket affects how much you enjoy it. The Juul is a plain stick that feels natural straight away. The Mi-Pod is the smaller of the two rectangular designs, closer to a square with flattened corners. The Suorin Air is longer, thinner and rounded at the edges. Which shape suits you is a matter of taste.
Battery life
- Juul: the Juul website states that one charge lasts about as long as one pod, and most owners got through a day without plugging in. An indicator light shows the charge level: green for full or close to it, yellow for 50%, red when it is almost flat and needs charging before use.
- Mi-Pod: built to run for up to two full days, depending on use. Constant or heavy use shortens that and wears the battery over the long term. If yours stops holding a charge, ask the retailer you bought it from about warranty cover.
- Suorin Air: results depend on the model, but a new Suorin Air pod should see you through five refills. Owners reported different run times, which is expected, since how often and how hard you draw changes the result.
Whatever you own, the battery lasts longer if you keep the pods clean, avoid running them dry and swap out faulty parts.
Flavor choice
Juul makes its own pods and tunes them for its own device. The trade-off is a short menu of 8 flavors, and the pods are not meant for refilling. Nicotine strength comes in just two options, 5% or 3%. If you settle on one or two flavors and stay there, that may be all you need.
If you like trying new e-liquids, the Mi-Pod or Suorin Air is the better fit, because their refillable cartridges accept any juice you choose.
What buyers said
Reviews for all three were mixed, as they are for most products.
- Juul: praised for battery life, strong draws, small size and ease of use. Reviewers noted that 60 seconds on the charger from flat was enough for a few puffs. Complaints centered on single-use pods, being tied to Juul’s own pods, and pods working loose after being pulled out repeatedly to check the liquid level.
- Mi-Pod: scored highly for flavor. Critics said it did not give a true mouth-to-lung draw, or that it cost a little more than rivals.
- Suorin: liked for the breadth of its range, with models at several price levels.
Which one to pick
Choose the Juul if you want the simplest routine and a draw designed to feel like a cigarette’s. Choose the Mi-Pod if looks matter to you and you want a device that performs well in a finish of your choosing; see the Mi-Pod options. Choose the Suorin Air if size comes first: it is slim enough for a wallet and still runs through a full day. The Suorin collection lists it alongside the brand’s other devices.