Vaporesso XROS Mini

https://www.vaporesso.com/vape-kits/xros-mini
RRP $24.99 but already selling for around £15 in the UK.

• Updated 1.2Ω pod
• 1000 mAh Built-in Battery
• Diamond Pattern Design
• SSS Leak-Resistant Technology
• Top Filling System

Simon’s Intro

I highly rated the original XROS pod kit, at the time it ticked all the boxes for me with that Vaporesso flavour and adjustable airflow, things move on quickly and the XROS soon got left behind, so is the XROS Mini a worthy contender in the overwhelming pod market?

DeeDee: I hope so Si, indeed the market continues to be flooded and manufacturers are bringing out multiple versions of the same thing, so I really do hope this little Mini kit is a diamond in the rough

Unboxing

It’s clear that the XROS Mini kit is a true starter kit on a budget, you get everything that you need to start vaping other than e-liquid, however Vaporesso have stuck with the odd decision to only supply a single pod with the kit. Though this keeps the cost down for the consumer, it a poor decision in my eyes, personally I would prefer an extra pod instead of a USB cable but I understand that not everybody has one.

DeeDee: I agree with Si on this one. As we have said before, one pod is a problem, especially for a newbie that may fill it wrong or not prime it properly, we need to be making things easier for them. I would rather pay another few quid for an extra pod. Now, looking at the packaging, it’s great, nicely presented with everything you would need. Vaporesso aim to impress, I think!

Si’s First Impressions

I’m having to put my ‘new vaper’ hat on for this part as I think the XROS Mini will be ideal kit for beginners, for less than two 20 packs of cigarettes you can buy this kit and a 10ml bottle of 20mg nic salts which should last up to a week so it’s quite a saving for a 20 a day smoker, obviously the benefits of vaping are far greater than just money, but I digress…………

I’m going to ignore the original XROS for the time being, the XROS Mini is a light, compact and simple pod system that still has a quality finish and feel. The 1000mAh battery is impressive for the size and is very welcome as it will easily last a full day’s vaping and some.

Cross The Limits

Vaporesso’s slogan for the XROS Mini is ‘Cross the Limits’ but I have no clue what this actually means in regard to this pod kit? So I have made the following photo instead:

DeeDee First Impressions: Haha, I agree Si. I also have no idea but I love the photo (show off!). First impressions are good, it’s a beautiful looking little pod kit and like you, I have tested MANY, I like this one a lot! I will touch on why in detail later, but the fact it's small and a 1000mAh…. HELL YEAH! Back to Cross the Limits, maybe it means we can cross the limits and stop the smokes? I suppose it’s open to interpretation! They say all good things come in small packages………but do they really?

The simple and efficient two-piece design has a battery section which has absolutely no user controls or buttons as it is ‘auto-draw’ with a fixed power setting dependant on the chosen pod. The inserted pod is held in place by magnets and the fit is nothing short of perfect.

DeeDee: Si nailed it with “Simple and Efficient”, this is so easy to use which fits me well as the less faff the better. I prefer auto-draw mode on pods anyway. The top fill, whilst it took me a while to work out how to take the top cap off because I was being a thicko, is really easy, a flick and push type cap, and hassle free. The pod, as you can see, is completely clear too. You get the body and the pod and voila!

Though the XROS Mini is a really basic rectangular shape, it still has a little style added. The front face has an embossed diamond pattern with a little branded cover that has a notch to show the LED light. The base houses the USB-C port and has been smoothed off for comfort.

I really like the styling on this. There are six colours to choose from, three have this ombre effect going from dark at the base to lighter at the top, and three are a solid colour. I have the orange one and it's summery. The small silver branded plate at the front with the tiny LED is so understated. I do really like the look and feel of it. There are two tiny airholes on either side that line up with the base of the pod, I think they are positioned and sized perfectly. The dimensions are 98.9 x 23.4 x 13.5mm, nice and compact. It's lightweight though unfortunately I cannot find the weight online and I’m at a friend’s so cannot weight it myself. I thought being that it’s a 1000mAh it would be heavier, but it is not. It fits in your pocket or in those tiny handbag compartments, you know what I mean lads, right?

The pod is one of the best that Vaporesso have produced, the quality and style is superb, and the flip-top filling is genius. There’s no need to remove the pod to fill it up as you simply press the top of the pod over at an angle and it clicks off to reveal the fill ports which accept 10ml bottle spouts into the silicone sealed hole. The visibility is perfect as the pod section is clear plastic, and there is a second breather hole which prevents airlocks to make filling reasonably mess free. However, you need to make sure that you don’t overfill it as any excess juice will come out of this hole.

The pod is cross compatible with the original XROS, though the Mini boasts an ‘improved’ 1.2Ohm pod but I don’t know what the difference is exactly, but at least these pods will be widely available and the original one is already superb.

Deedee: I liked the pod on the OG and I probably even like the 1.2Ohm even more on the Mini. I agree with what Si has said above, of course the only downside is they are throwing away pods, this is an issue for many and not great for the environment at all but at the same time, I really do understand why manufacturers go down this route, for ease, it's perfect. Many newbies get overwhelmed with everything they need to know, and coils is a topic that puts people off, so having a throw away pod is more appealing especially in the beginning. I have been using this little kit for around six days now and I have had no drop in flavour, no leaks, not spluttering, literally no issues at all……TICK

Performance

Once the pod is filled, you need to leave it to saturate for around ten minutes, after that it is ready to vape. Although it is advisable to fully charge the battery first, I tried it straight out of the box and it had plenty of charge already. There’s no adjustments or settings so simply draw into your mouth as you would a cigarette then inhale/exhale. The auto-draw is just perfect and instant, the MTL (Mouth To Lung) airflow is one of the best I have tried in a fixed airflow device, it is super tight like a filtered cigarette. The flavour was sublime, and the vapour production was similar to a cigarette too.

The battery life wasn’t quite the two days that Vaporesso claim but to be fair I am a heavy user, and it did comfortably last well over a day which makes it one of the few small pods I own that achieve this. Charging was around an hour from low which was average and acceptable for a larger battery.

Deedee: For me this is near on perfect, agreed it hasn’t lasted me a full two days, but I too vape all day long especially working from home, but I got a good day and night of solid vaping, no problem. I found the original a little too warm, but I am not getting that with the mini, it's slightly warm, and I mean SLIGHTLY. I tend to use the same three or four flavours all the time and I found they popped more in this kit, and I’ve started to enjoy the flavours again. So how did it fair on the DD-Drawometer?? Well both Si and I are rating the MTL draw at a 2, we are in total agreement on that one, it’s a solid 2 and for me spot on (1 being super tight and 10 super loose).

Compared to Original XROS

On paper the original XROS wins as it offers the following features that the Mini does not:

• Fire button
• Adjustable power settings
• Adjustable airflow
• Power On/Off
• two included pods

Now I anticipated the Mini to be inferior due to this, however, I actually preferred it due to its simplicity and the vape quality right out of the box. Vaporesso didn’t just skimp on the features as they have simplified it into a very refined pod that ticks all the boxes for me.

With the controls removed, the Mini is just that; a mini version as the height is considerably shorter. As it accepts the existing XROS pods, the width and depth remains the same, but they have managed to squeeze in a larger 1000mAh battery.

One of the improvements I really appreciated was the smoothing off of the base which was my main gripe with the original as it was sharp in your hand, the Mini feels so much better as a result.

You can see my overly excited review of the original XROS here:
https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/reviews/pod-systems/vaporesso-xros-pod-kit.html

I never expected to prefer the XROS Mini over the original, but I much prefer it as it happens. Vaporesso nailed it as a MTL vape without the need for adjustable airflow or power settings, the vape is just right out of the box. However there are some that prefer a looser draw so they may prefer the original, for me; I will happily take the Mini.

Deedee: To be honest, I don’t think I can add much more to that. I 100% agree with Si. This is one that I will be keeping for a while

Conclusion

In the case of the XROS Mini, I felt that ‘less is more’ as the simplicity and smaller size made it more convenient to use, and the smoothed off base made it more comfortable to use. The flavour and draw easily make this one of the very best MTL pods in my arse….nal (sorry I couldn’t resist).

The XROS Mini is an ideal choice for anyone trying to quit smoking, the simplicity and vape quality without needing any vaping knowledge doesn’t really get any better than this little kit.

Deedee: I love it, easy, tasty, looks delightful, and Vaporesso really do listen to their users. The changes they made I believe were worthwhile. They have nailed that MTL airflow and have managed to shrink it down but it still has an awesome battery life!

Pros

• Absolute simplicity
• Compact and comfortable
• Tight MTL draw (fixed)
• Clear juice visibility
• 1000mAh battery
• Near perfect starter kit
• Beautiful design with a good mix of colours

Cons

• Always ‘on’ power
• Just one pod included
• Throw away pods

Final Thoughts

When I look back on my original review of the XROS, I was pretty impressed at the time as it was one of the few to feature adjustable airflow and Vaporesso’s flavour made it a winner, who would have thought that simplifying this made it better? For me, the Mini has replaced the original due to its size and better battery without that nasty hard base.

The disposable pod may not win over those that prefer the less wasteful option of replacing the coil, but for someone that is looking to quit smoking and has no clue about vaping, then this option is a strength. Buy it, pop in some nic salts, and vape, that is all they need to know.

Deedee: Scores are in………. 9.5/10 – put a replaceable coil in it and it would have been a 10!

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