A tenner buys you either of these, and both are proper refillable pod kits rather than toys. The Xlim Go 2 gives you more battery and a little more power; the Caliburn G3 Lite is lighter on its feet with dual airflow. Here is the full breakdown.
The short version
- Both cost £9.99 and use 2ml refillable pods with mesh coils.
- Xlim Go 2: 1500mAh, 30W max, 45 minute charge, 45g.
- Caliburn G3 Lite: 1200mAh, 25W max, MTL and RDTL, dual airflow, 47g.
- The Xlim Go 2 suits heavier users; the G3 Lite suits people who like to switch draw styles.
Two tenners, two philosophies
Budget pod kits used to mean weak batteries and fiddly pods. Not any more. The Oxva Xlim Go 2 and the Uwell Caliburn G3 Lite are both £9.99, both refillable, and both perfectly capable of being your only vape.
The Xlim Go 2 is built around a 0.8 ohm pod for a classic mouth to lung pull, and it will take any Xlim or Xlim EZ pod if you want to change things up. The G3 Lite markets itself on flexibility, switching between mouth to lung and restricted direct to lung thanks to its 25W output and dual airflow.
Neither has a screen, both have a smart mode that picks the wattage for you, and both top fill.
Battery and power
The Xlim Go 2 carries 1500mAh against the G3 Lite's 1200mAh. That is a quarter more capacity for the same money, and Oxva quote a full recharge in about 45 minutes.
Power tells a similar story: 30W maximum on the Oxva, 25W on the Uwell. For a mouth to lung coil running at 10 to 15W, that headroom never comes into play. It only matters if you fit a lower resistance pod and want a warmer, cloudier restricted lung hit.
Uwell rate the G3 Lite to last up to a day between charges, which is realistic for light to moderate vapers. Heavy users who reach for their kit every few minutes will find the Xlim Go 2's extra capacity easier to live with.
Source: Manufacturer specs as listed on Spectrum Vaping.
Draw and flavour
Out of the box the Xlim Go 2 is a mouth to lung device. The 0.8 ohm pod gives a tight, cigarette-like draw that suits nic salts at 10 or 20mg, and the adjustable airflow lets you loosen it a touch.
The G3 Lite's party trick is dual airflow, which means you can open it up for a more airy pull without changing pods. If you like a loose mouth to lung draw one day and a gentle lung hit the next, that flexibility is the reason to choose it.
Both use mesh coils, which heat evenly and tend to bring out fruit flavours well. Whichever you pick, prime the pod with a few drops before the first puff and give it five minutes to soak.
How do you usually inhale?
Either works. The Xlim Go 2's 0.8 ohm pod is set up for exactly this out of the box.
The G3 Lite's dual airflow gives a looser pull without swapping pods.
The G3 Lite, which is pitched at both MTL and RDTL.
The G3 Lite for flexibility, or the Xlim Go 2 with a lower ohm Xlim pod.
The Xlim Go 2 up close
The Oxva comes in a long list of finishes, from Black Shadow and Metal Silver to Green Ripple and Black Carbon, and at 45g it is one of the lightest kits on our shelves.
Its biggest long-term advantage is pod compatibility. Because it takes the whole Xlim and Xlim EZ range, you can buy Xlim V3 pods in 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 or 1.2 ohm and change the character of the device for a few pounds.
If you outgrow a budget kit, that is usually the moment you want a different draw, not a new device. The Xlim Go 2 lets you get there with a pod swap rather than another £10 to £25.
The Caliburn G3 Lite up close
The G3 Lite is the stripped-back member of Uwell's Caliburn G3 family, keeping the 2ml top fill pod with its built-in coil and losing some of the bulk. It weighs 47g and comes in eight colours including Chili Red, Ice Blue and Mint Green.
Smart mode means you do not need to set anything: drop a pod in and the device picks a sensible wattage. That makes it a strong first kit for someone moving from a disposable-style device who just wants it to work.
If the G3 Lite appeals but you want more polish, its bigger brother the Caliburn G3 Pro sits at £17.99. For most people, though, the Lite does everything that matters.
Before you buy
A cheap kit is only cheap if it lasts. Run through this list and you will get the most out of whichever one ends up in your pocket.
The big ones are liquid choice and pod care. Thick high VG liquids soak into tight 0.8 ohm coils too slowly, so stick to 50/50 or nic salt. Wipe the contacts on the pod and the device every so often, because a bit of condensation is the most common reason a budget kit suddenly stops firing.
Finally, think about nicotine. Nicotine is addictive, and if you are coming from a 20mg disposable-style device, starting at 20mg nic salt in a refillable pod is a like for like swap, not a step up.
Quick answers
Is the Xlim Go 2 better than the Caliburn G3 Lite?
It has more battery (1500mAh vs 1200mAh) and more power (30W vs 25W). The G3 Lite counters with dual airflow and a more flexible draw. Both are £9.99.
Can the Caliburn G3 Lite do direct to lung?
It is designed for mouth to lung and restricted direct to lung. For full direct to lung clouds you want a sub-ohm kit.
Which pods fit the Oxva Xlim Go 2?
All Oxva Xlim and Xlim EZ pods, including the Xlim V3 top fill pods in 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.2 ohm.
What liquid should I use in a £10 pod kit?
Nic salt or 50/50 freebase. Thick 70/30 or higher VG liquids are better suited to sub-ohm tanks.
