Few hardware names are spoken as readily in a British vape shop as SMOK. The brand has spent more than a decade shaping what a refillable kit looks like, and has become a kind of shorthand for the whole category. At Vape EU we stock SMOK because the range is unusually complete and the coil platforms have aged well. This guide is for adults of eighteen and over who already vape or use nicotine. It sets out who SMOK are, why their kits were untouched by the disposable ban, how the Nord, Novo, RPM and mod ranges relate, and how to choose between them.
The SMOK story
SMOK is one of the largest vaping hardware companies in the world, and has held that position for most of the modern era of vaping. What sets it apart is breadth: it has built across the whole spectrum, from the smallest beginner pod to the most powerful enthusiast mod, along with the tanks and coils that surround them. Whatever style of vaping interests you, SMOK has almost certainly made a device for it.
The brand earned its early reputation in sub-ohm vaping, the higher-powered style defined by a warm draw and larger clouds. As pod systems took over for everyday use, SMOK adapted, bringing its design instincts to smaller devices through ranges such as the Nord and Novo. The catalogue now spans both ends, from a first pod kit to a full mod-and-tank setup, held together by a bold design language of confident finishes and colour screens on the larger models.
SMOK is a hardware company that produces nicotine-delivery devices for adult vapers. It is not a wellness product or any kind of health aid, and nothing here should be read in those terms. Nicotine is an addictive substance, and these devices are intended for over-18s only. You can see how SMOK sits within our wider range on our dedicated SMOK vape page.
Why refillable SMOK kits stay legal and cost less
On 1 June 2025 the United Kingdom banned single-use disposable vapes. For anyone considering SMOK the answer is reassuring: the brand's kits were never affected. Every SMOK device in the current line-up is refillable and rechargeable, so it was never within reach of the ban.
A disposable is closed by design; you cannot refill its liquid or recharge its battery, and once it stops the whole unit is binned. A SMOK kit works the other way around: you refill the pod from a bottle of e-liquid and recharge over USB-C when it runs low. It is meant to be kept and reused, the kind of product the legislation was intended to encourage.
Legality is only part of the appeal. Refillable hardware is also markedly cheaper to run. A 10ml bottle costs only a few pounds and refills a pod many times over, so the cost per millilitre lands far below disposables. Beyond liquid, the only ongoing outlay is coils, at roughly two to three pounds each.
One change is worth planning for. From 1 October 2026 a new Vaping Products Duty of £2.20 per 10ml of e-liquid takes effect, nudging liquid prices upward across every brand. That applies to the liquid rather than the hardware, so it does not alter the economics of choosing refillable. If you are weighing up where to begin, our roundup of the best refillable vape kits for beginners helps.
What we stock: Nord, Novo, RPM & mods
SMOK's catalogue is large, but it resolves into a handful of clear families. The descriptions below are kept general, since exact specifications shift over time.
Nord
The Nord is arguably the line that defines SMOK's modern era: a compact, refillable pod kit balancing simplicity against flexibility, with a wide choice of coils that tune it towards a tight mouth-to-lung draw or something looser. That adaptability is its signature; it can behave like a beginner pod or a more capable everyday device depending on the coil.
Novo
The Novo is SMOK's slimmer, more pocketable pod line. Where the Nord leans towards versatility, the Novo leans towards portability, with a flat profile that disappears into a pocket. It makes a natural first device or a discreet everyday carry.
RPM
The RPM range sits a step up in capability, built around SMOK's widely used RPM coil platform. An RPM device is a more powerful, more configurable pod kit, frequently with adjustable wattage and the headroom for bigger, cloudier direct-to-lung vaping as well as tighter mouth-to-lung. It occupies the pod-mod middle ground, more substantial than a Nord or Novo yet pocketable.
Nex
The Nex is a more recent member of the SMOK pod family. Like the rest of the range it is a rechargeable pod kit built around the SMOK coil ecosystem, sitting comfortably beside the Nord and Novo.
Sub-ohm mods and tanks
Beyond the pods, SMOK still produces the sub-ohm mods that made its name, including the Morph and Mag ranges, along with matching tanks. A mod is a larger, more powerful device, usually with a colour screen and a broad adjustable wattage range. Married to a sub-ohm tank, it is built for direct-to-lung vaping and larger clouds rather than tight draws. Mods are not the obvious first device, but for someone chasing power and fine control they are where SMOK shows its depth. To understand what that adjustability buys, our guide to the best wattage adjustable vape kits is a good place to start.
Across all of these, pod kits typically land around £15 to £25, while mods cost more. They share a refillable, rechargeable design and generally charge over USB-C. You can browse the current SMOK hardware on our vape kits page, where the Nord, Novo and RPM models sit alongside other UK favourites.
The RPM/Nord coil ecosystem
The part of any SMOK pod kit that does the real work is the coil, and here the brand holds a genuine advantage: the RPM and Nord coil ecosystem is among the widest and best supported in vaping. Get the coil right and the device performs as intended; get it wrong and you are left with thin flavour.
A coil is the small heating element inside the pod that turns liquid into vapour. What makes SMOK's system so flexible is that many of its pod kits accept a whole family of coils, and the one you choose changes the character of the device. Lower-resistance coils are built for direct-to-lung vaping, producing more vapour and a warmer draw; higher-resistance coils are built for mouth-to-lung vaping, giving a tighter, cigarette-style draw with more concentrated flavour. Because a single device can take both, one Nord or RPM can be set up for very different styles simply by swapping the coil.
The platforms are also cross-compatible across the range, so coils are easy to find on UK shelves and there is a fair chance two SMOK devices share parts. The mesh coils in particular heat the liquid evenly, contributing to the clean flavour these devices are known for. Coils do not last indefinitely; as a rough guide one gives a week or two before the flavour fades, sooner with sweeter liquids, so keep a few spares on hand.
The other half of the equation is airflow. Many SMOK pod kits, and all of its mods, let you adjust how much air passes through as you draw. Closing it down gives a tighter draw with more concentrated flavour, which suits mouth-to-lung coils; opening it up cools the draw and yields more vapour, which pairs with direct-to-lung coils. Match airflow to coil, and on the larger mods adjustable wattage lets you fine-tune warmth and cloud.
Choosing e-liquid and strength
Because these are refillable devices, the choice of liquid is yours. The most important rule is to match the liquid to the coil and the draw you are using.
For a tight, cigarette-style mouth-to-lung draw, the right choice is almost always nicotine salts, or nic salts, which deliver a smoother throat hit at higher strengths than older freebase nicotine. In the UK, nicotine-containing e-liquid is capped at 20mg, and the strengths you will see most often for pod kits are 10mg and 20mg, with 20mg suiting a stronger hit and 10mg suiting lighter users. For larger direct-to-lung clouds on a lower-resistance coil or a sub-ohm mod, salts are too harsh, so vapers use much lower strengths, often 3mg or 6mg freebase, in larger shortfill bottles. The more vapour a setup produces, the lower the strength you want. Our nicotine strength guide walks through the detail.
The PG/VG ratio, the balance of the two base liquids, matters too. More PG is thinner and carries flavour well, which suits the small coils in a mouth-to-lung pod kit; a balanced fifty-fifty ratio is ideal, while very high VG is thicker and built for larger sub-ohm devices. Flavour, finally, is personal taste, and the refillable nature of SMOK kit opens the whole UK e-liquid market to you, with inexpensive 10ml bottles making experimentation cheap.
How SMOK compares
SMOK is not the only major name in refillable hardware, and the right choice often comes down to small differences in feel and ecosystem.
One natural comparison is Vaporesso, which competes directly with SMOK and is praised for refined devices and its own well-regarded coil platform. SMOK arguably edges it on sheer range and the breadth of its coil ecosystem, while Vaporesso appeals to anyone after a more understated feel. Both are excellent and both are everywhere in the UK.
Another major name is Uwell, particularly its Caliburn pod line, whose strength is simplicity and consistent flavour in small mouth-to-lung pods. SMOK plays a broader game; it can produce that simple pod too, yet it also stretches up to powerful mods, which Uwell's core range does not. Voopoo and Geekvape are also worth a nod, both making capable kit with coil systems of their own. Where SMOK tends to win is on the combination of range, bold design and the enormous, widely supported RPM and Nord coil ecosystem. You can compare options across our wider catalogue on the store.
Questions, answered
What are SMOK vapes?
SMOK is one of the largest vaping hardware brands in the world, making refillable, rechargeable devices for adult vapers. Its range spans compact pod kits such as the Nord, Novo, RPM and Nex, along with larger sub-ohm mods like the Morph and Mag and the tanks to match. You refill the pod from a bottle of e-liquid and recharge over USB-C, so the device is built to be kept and reused rather than discarded.
Are SMOK vapes legal in the UK after the disposable ban?
Yes. The disposable ban that came into force on 1 June 2025 targets single-use devices that cannot be refilled or recharged. Every SMOK kit is the opposite: refillable and rechargeable, so the range was never affected and remains fully legal to buy and sell.
How much do SMOK kits cost?
Prices vary by retailer and model, so treat these as a guide. A SMOK pod kit typically lands around £15 to £25, and mods cost more. Replacement coils usually sit around two to three pounds each. E-liquid is bought separately, with 10ml bottles commonly costing a few pounds. From 1 October 2026 the new Vaping Products Duty adds £2.20 per 10ml of liquid on top.
Which SMOK kit should I buy?
It depends on what you want. The Novo is slim and pocketable, an easy first kit. The Nord is the versatile all-rounder, with a wide coil choice that handles tight mouth-to-lung or looser draws. The RPM steps up to adjustable wattage and bigger clouds. The Nex is another solid current pod. Mods such as the Morph and Mag are for enthusiasts who want maximum power. For most newcomers a Novo, Nord or RPM is the natural starting point.
What is the difference between the Nord, Novo and RPM?
All three are refillable SMOK pod kits that suit different users. The Novo prioritises slimness, the Nord prioritises versatility with a broad coil selection, and the RPM is the most capable, often adding adjustable wattage and the headroom for bigger, direct-to-lung clouds. In short, Novo for portability, Nord for adaptability and RPM for power and control.
What e-liquid should I use in a SMOK pod kit?
It depends on your coil and draw style. For a tight, cigarette-style mouth-to-lung draw, use nicotine salts in a balanced or PG-leaning ratio, in 10mg or 20mg. For bigger direct-to-lung clouds on a lower-resistance coil or a mod, use lower-strength freebase liquids, often 3mg or 6mg, in higher-VG shortfills. The rule is that the more vapour a setup produces, the lower the strength you want. Our nicotine strength guide explains how to choose.
Are SMOK coils interchangeable across devices?
Often, yes. Many SMOK pod kits share coils from the RPM and Nord ecosystem, so they are easy to find and you are rarely tied to an obscure consumable. That said, not every coil fits every device, so always check the coil matches your model. Mods and sub-ohm tanks generally use their own dedicated coils.
Why does my SMOK vape taste burnt?
A burnt taste almost always means the coil has dried out or worn out. A sharp, acrid taste means the wick has run dry, often from vaping faster than the liquid can soak in or running the pod near empty; slow down, keep it topped up and lower the power. If the flavour has gradually faded over a day or two, the coil is spent and needs replacing. Priming a new coil by letting it soak for a few minutes before use prevents most burnt first hits.
Vape EU sells to over-18s only. Nicotine is an addictive substance. This article is general information, not health or medical advice. Prices are approximate and vary by retailer.