How to use the Elf Bar 600 pod kit, and which pods fit it

The Elf Bar 600 pod kit comes with the device, one prefilled Elf Bar 600 pod and a user manual. The pod flavour matches the option you chose, from Apple Peach to Watermelon.

The device carries a 500mAh built-in battery that recharges in less than an hour, and weighs just 30g. It is roughly the size of a disposable, which is the point: same feel, but you keep the battery.

As with most budget pod kits, the USB-C cable is not included, so make sure you have one handy before the first charge is due.

There are no buttons or menus. You prepare the pod as shown on its packaging, insert it into the top of the device, and inhale on the mouthpiece. The device produces a small cloud for an MTL draw that feels much like a single-use vape.

The built-in LED ring is your fuel gauge. When it turns red, plug it in.

A smooth, unhurried draw gets the best flavour from the mesh coil inside each pod. Short sharp puffs tend to produce less vapour and can pull liquid into the mouthpiece.

This is where the Elf Bar 600 kit earns its keep. Besides its own prefilled pods, the listing confirms it works with Elfa, Elfa Pro, Lost Mary Tappo and Hawcos x Lost Mary Crystal Pro prefilled pods.

If you want to choose your own liquid, it also accepts refillable Elf Bar 600 and Elfliq Elfa pods. Fill those with a 50/50 or nic salt e-liquid such as Elfliq, which is made by the same people to match the disposable flavours.

Mixing families means one battery can cover your whole rotation, from Elf Bar's Mad Blue to Lost Mary's fruit blends.

Every prefilled Elf Bar 600 pod contains 20mg nic salt. Nic salt is smoother than freebase at high strength, which is why 20mg is comfortable in a small MTL device. Nicotine is addictive, and 20mg is the top UK legal strength, so it is not a starting point for occasional vapers.

With refillable pods you can go lower. Pick a nic salt e-liquid at 10mg, or a 50/50 freebase if you prefer a slightly harsher throat hit. Avoid thick high-VG shortfills; they soak into small MTL coils too slowly.

Fill a refillable pod and leave it standing for five minutes before the first puff so the cotton is fully wet.

• Not firing: the pod is not fully seated, or the LED has gone red and the battery is flat. Reseat the pod and charge.
• Burnt taste: the pod is finished or a refillable pod was not soaked first. Swap or refill it and wait before vaping.
• Spit-back or gurgle: often from very hard draws. Ease off, remove the pod and tap out any liquid from the mouthpiece.

For the battery, charge before it is fully empty, keep it out of hot places, and use a cable you trust. The under-an-hour recharge makes a quick top-up painless.

This kit is perfect for disposable users who want the same size and draw with a battery they keep. The wide pod compatibility is the standout feature: few small kits let you jump between two brands' flavour lists.

It is less suited to heavy vapers who want a big battery, or anyone after adjustable airflow. If you like Elf Bar but want an even slimmer device, the Elfa Pro takes the same pods.

For a bigger refill and fewer pod changes, look at a big puff kit like the Lost Mary BM6000.