Today we will look at a small update to the already familiar nexPOD Pod system from the Chinese company Wotofo, which works with pre-filled cartridges.
Like last time, the set came into my hands not in a sales package, but in a large cardboard promotional box. On the front side you can see the manufacturer’s logo and the name of the device, the note POD-BASED DISPOSABLES (something like “Disposable devices built on a pod-system”), as well as a list of proprietary Wotofo technologies used in the device – nexMESH and NEXPOD. All other information is collected on the back: restrictions and warnings, country of production and the name of the manufacturing company.
Along with the set, I also got a few goodies: a large sticker and two lanyards. We will take a closer look at one of the laces, located in a separate bag, just below; it is curious because it has a suspiciously large fastening.
Wotofo nexPOD Pod-based Disposables package cover Wotofo nexPOD Pod-based Disposables package contents
The inside of the packaging looks even more beautiful. On the lid you can read about the advantages of using nexPOD (“user-friendly”, “economical”, “environmentally friendly”) and the main advantages of the system, and in the lower half ten refilled cartridges, two devices and a white bag are neatly laid out in their compartments.
The bag contains silicone hygienic caps that can be put on the cartridge mouthpiece. You need them if you want to offer to let someone vape your device, but you have no desire to catch a cold or any illness transmitted orally. geekvape vape To the right in the photo you can see a cartridge that is visually no different from those seen before, then there is the nexPOD Stick battery, a new device in the “Nexpod” line, and the last, rightmost, rectangular nexPOD is already familiar to us.
The Lanyards that came to me with the set turned out to be different. Both with the name of the device NEXPOD and the green Wotofo logo, but one is thin and with a rubber ring, while the second only has a carabiner and a suspicious thickening at the end. Oh yes, also with a ruler. Doesn’t remind you of anything? That’s right, it’s not just a lanyard, but also a charging cable on which you can carry the device. To get to the connectors, you need to press the latches on the sides of the plastic rectangle and pull out the tape. Hidden inside are USB Type-A, which we plug into the charger, and a rotating bar. At one end there is USB Type-C, at the other there is Lightning for iOS devices. Why is it here and not micro USB? And in general, why it is needed – one can only guess.
Since our last acquaintance with nexPOD, Wotofo cannot say that it has taken some kind of radical step forward, but rather just a small step. To the rectangular pod, which has been available on the market for more than a year, an option has been added for those who prefer a classic, cylindrical shape in their vape devices. The new device received the appropriate name – nexPOD Stick, and both devices are now part of a small “family” called nexPOD Series.
Appearance of Wotofo nexPOD Pod Stick in hand
There are few differences other than the shape of the case, although they exist, and therefore further I will rather focus on the difference in the devices. Otherwise, both devices fully comply with the manufacturer’s promises: user-friendly, since they do not have any controls and operate from a tightening sensor; economical, you only need to buy additional cartridges, and not replace the entire device; environmentally friendly, because the battery pack is reusable, and the lithium-ion battery, unlike a disposable battery, will not go to landfill in a couple of days.
Both devices have a metal body, which will preserve their appearance longer. The coating is applied by anodizing – a pleasant, rough-to-the-touch surface that practically does not collect fingerprints and does not peel off in your hands (tested). The round nexPOD Stick is taller, but naturally fits easier into a long, narrow pocket. You can also wear it around your neck using a lanyard by pulling a rubber ring over the body. This trick won’t work with a rectangular nexPOD, and there’s no eyelet for a loop. So there is no need to argue about which device is more convenient – just choose the one that you like best.
Characteristics of Wotofo nexPOD Stick
Materials: aluminum (anodized), PCTG
Dimensions:
battery pack: ∅22.3 * 89.6 mm (with cartridge installed: 113.5 mm)
cartridge: ∅22 * 66.9 mm
Weight:
battery pack: 34.5 g
cartridge: 15 g
Battery: built-in 600 mAh
Cartridge volume: 8/10 ml
Approximate number of puffs: 3500/5000
Nicotine strength: 2 or 5 mg/ml (depending on country)
Vaporizer: built into nexMESH cartridge (on mesh)
Resistance: 1.1 ohm
Board used: nexCHIP
Charging: USB Type-C
Splash-resistant cartridge connector
Number of flavors: 18
Case colors: Black, Bronze, Gray
Since both devices work with absolutely identical cartridges, they are equipped with identical connectors on top. At the bottom there is a USB Type-C charging connector. And it is on the lower platform that the first and main difference between the devices becomes immediately noticeable – the old nexPOD model is equipped with a tightening adjustment, for which there was no longer room in the new nexPOD Stick. The tightening that the new product offers is approximately the same as if you installed the adjustment slider in the middle, i.e. quite a pleasant “average” cigarette, which can be found in many disposables.
Wotofo nexPOD Stick connector
Inside the connector there are three magnets that hold the changer (the cartridges themselves do not have magnets), two contacts for supplying voltage to the evaporator, and a hole behind which the tightening sensor is hidden. The cartridges hold quite confidently, and fly out of the battery pack only with a very sharp and strong jerk.
nexPOD cartridges
Appearance of the Wotofo nexPOD cartridge from above Appearance of the Wotofo nexPOD cartridge from below
The cartridges remain the same: made of very dark, almost black plastic. At the top there is a wide, slightly thick mouthpiece mouthpiece, at the bottom there is a metal cover that holds the evaporator and a reservoir with liquid. In the center of the cover there is a round contact pad connected to the contacts in the battery pack connector. New replacements are protected from weathering and leaks by a silicone plug on the top and a plastic sticker with the Wotofo logo on the bottom. According to the Wotofo website and some foreign sites, there are cartridges for 10 ml and 5000 puffs, but I find it difficult to say how they differ from the 8 ml and 3500 puffs that came to me for the second time.
NEXPOD cartridge disassembled
After the last review, the device was successfully used (all cartridges were evaporated and disposed of), only one empty consumable remained, on which you can show disassembly, internal structure and even refilling the container. Everything here is quite simple: using a negative screwdriver from the side of the plastic latches, we pry up the metal cover, get to the contact pad, remove it (the wires are not soldered), take out the silicone plug and we can admire the filling of the cartridge. The container is filled with a porous material that retains liquid and protects against leaks; in the center there are two wires leading to the evaporator winding.
Refilled NEXPOD cartridge Contacts of the evaporator in the NEXPOD cartridge Contact pad of the NEXPOD cartridge
If you haven’t “shaked” the evaporator to a sure burn, i.e. If the cotton is not burned while winding, you can try to refill the container. In this case, it is better to check in the light how saturated the material is, so as not to overfill the cartridge. After refueling, carefully thread the wires into the center of the plug and seal the tank. The wires must be positioned approximately as shown in the second photo above (spread in different directions, but so that they do not stick out), then place the contact pad on top (there should be a ring contact on the outside), and close the whole thing with a lid, placing plastic latches in its side holes.
To my surprise, I was able to disassemble, refill and put everything back together the first time, and the cartridge labeled Mint now delights me with a rich mango flavor with a slight hint of mint. Well, there’s nothing you can do about it, the mint flavor was the first one here after all and pretty much permeated all the insides of the replacement.
Charging Wotofo nexPOD Stick
The battery built into the nexPOD Stick turned out to be even smaller than in the rectangular device – 600 mAh versus 650 mAh. And this is the second, also the last constructive difference between the two versions. The current consumption turned out to be the same, only 5V/0.6A, here you will also have to wait about an hour for full charging. Unfortunately, the manufacturer did not add support for Pasta; you cannot use the device while charging; you must either wait for it to finish or turn off the device. Near the connector there is a white LED, which glows to indicate the operation of the board when tightened, and also glows during charging, and goes out when finished. When the battery runs out, the indicator flashes repeatedly and the device turns off. In general, everything is like a one-off.
Watermelon Ice
The smell from the cartridge is more reminiscent of candied watermelon than the classic “watermelon ice”; in addition to the candy, sweet pulp, the aroma also has a distinct hint of dried seeds and peels. However, even in pairing it remains, although in the background behind the main taste – sweet and sour, noticeably cold, although not an ice-cold cocktail of watermelon juice. If it weren’t for this foreign aftertaste, it would be just wonderful. It has the same extra spice as the Watermelon Lychee cartridge.
Impression
Wotofo continues to develop its pod system, which many users may like for its unpretentiousness and simplicity. Some people need serviceable devices, some need refillable systems, and some need simple disposable ones. It is for the latter that nexPOD is intended, which sometimes allows you to save a lot of money. The cost of the nexPOD Stick is not yet listed anywhere on the manufacturer’s website; the device itself is not presented there either.