Xros 6 Mini vs Xros 5 Mini: is the upgrade worth a pound?

Vaporesso's Mini line is about keeping the Xros formula in a smaller, button-free body. Both the Xros 6 Mini and the Xros 5 Mini are inhale activated, take 2ml refillable pods and charge over USB-C.

The newer model adds 100mAh of battery, a stated 5 to 30W range, separate Eco and Power modes and an LED indicator, and Vaporesso quote a 57 minute full charge. The older one is lighter at 50g against 62g and recharges in under an hour.

That is genuinely the whole list. If you were hoping for a revolution, this is more of a tidy-up.

A 100mAh bump is roughly 7% more capacity. For most vapers that translates into a little more breathing room at the end of the day rather than an extra day of use.

The flip side is weight. The Xros 6 Mini is 62g, the Xros 5 Mini 50g. On a lanyard or in a shirt pocket, 12g is noticeable; in a jeans pocket, it is not.

Where the 6 Mini earns its pound is the mode switch. Eco mode trims power to stretch the battery, Power mode pushes harder for a warmer, denser hit. If you vape with a 0.6 ohm or 0.4 ohm Corex pod, being able to choose is genuinely useful. On a 1.2 ohm pod at low power, you will barely notice.

Here is the good news for your wallet: both Minis take the full family of Xros Corex pods. A four pack is £9.99 and you can choose from 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 ohm in Corex 2.0, plus the Corex 3.0 versions.

One catch worth knowing: the 0.4 ohm Corex pods are listed for the Pro, 4, 5 and 6 series only. Check the pod listing before you order the lowest resistance for a Mini.

Because the pods are shared, running costs are identical. Over a year, the device price difference is a rounding error next to what you spend on pods and 10ml liquids.

Choose the Xros 6 Mini if you like having control. The Eco and Power modes, the LED and the extra 100mAh make it the better daily driver for someone who vapes steadily and wants a tiny bit more say over the hit.

Choose the Xros 5 Mini if you want the lightest possible kit, or if you already have one and are thinking of buying a backup. A matching spare that takes the same pods is a smart buy.

And if neither feels like enough battery, the full-size Xros 6 steps up to 1800mAh for £23.99. We cover that one in our Xros 6 vs Xlim Pro 3 head to head.

The 6 Mini comes in eighteen finishes, from plain Black and Brown to the Jelly and Plume colourways. One Corex pod is in the box, so all you need to add is liquid.

If you are new to refillables, start with the pod that comes with it and a 50/50 or nic salt liquid. Nicotine is addictive, so match the strength you currently use rather than guessing high.

Give the coil five minutes to soak after the first fill, then take a few gentle puffs before you settle into normal use. Most early complaints about burnt tastes on any Xros come from skipping that step.

The Xros 5 Mini is the proven older sibling. It offers fourteen colours including Sky Blue and Rose Red, and at 50g it is one of the lightest refillable kits Vaporesso make.

It is pitched at mouth to lung vaping with the included pod, and moves into restricted direct to lung with a lower resistance Corex. Adjustable airflow lets you fine-tune the draw without swapping anything.

Both Minis are covered by our usual returns policy, so if a kit arrives faulty, you are looked after. Have a look at the current stock and colours below.

A quick one to lock in the most useful fact from this whole comparison. It is the thing that saves you money long after you have forgotten which Mini has the LED.

Pod compatibility is the hidden cost of any pod kit. Buy into a family with cheap, widely stocked pods and the kit pays for itself over and over. Buy into a dead end and you end up replacing the device when the pods disappear. The Xros range has been going through several generations now, and the Corex pods have stayed compatible across them, which is about as safe a bet as pod kits get.