How to Fill a Pod Kit: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you've just moved from prefilled devices to a refillable kit, the first fill can feel like a leap. It isn't — the whole routine takes under a minute once you've done it twice. Here's the process, plus the two mistakes that catch almost every new refiller.

Step 1: Find the fill port

Remove the pod from the device. Modern pods fill from the side or the bottom through a silicone-stoppered port — look for a small rubber bung, often marked with a droplet icon or an arrow. You never pour liquid down the central airflow tube in the middle of the pod; that channel goes straight to the mouthpiece and flooding it means a mouthful of liquid.

Step 2: Fill slowly

Peel back the stopper, seat the bottle nozzle in the port, and squeeze gently. Fill to around 90% — leaving an air gap helps pressure equalise and prevents leaking. A 2ml pod takes a fifth of a standard 10ml nic salt bottle, so each bottle is roughly five fills.

Step 3: Reseal and wait (the step everyone skips)

Push the stopper firmly home, refit the pod — and if this is a brand-new pod or coil, wait ten minutes before vaping. The cotton inside needs time to saturate; firing it dry scorches it permanently and gives you a burnt taste for the pod's whole life. On refills of an already-used pod, a minute or two is enough.

Step 4: Vape, then top up early

Don't run the pod bone dry — once liquid falls below the coil's wicking ports (roughly the last quarter), you risk dry hits. Topping up early keeps the cotton saturated and the flavour clean. If you do get a burnt taste, our guide to why vapes taste burnt walks through every cause.

Which liquids go in a pod kit?

Pod kits are built for 50/50 and nic salt e-liquids — thin enough to wick through small coils. Thick, high-VG shortfill liquid struggles in most pods and belongs in sub-ohm hardware. If you're unsure what strength to fill with, our nicotine strength guide covers it; the short version is 20mg nic salt for recent switchers, 10mg for lighter use.

How often do pods need replacing?

The pod (or its coil) is a consumable — expect one to three weeks depending on use and how sweet your liquid is. When flavour goes muddy or burnt despite proper filling, swap it. Keep spares from our coils and tanks range, and if you're still choosing your first refillable device, the beginner kits collection starts at £6.99.

18+ only. All products TPD-compliant.