How to use the SKE Crystal Plus: prefilled or refillable, set up right

The SKE Crystal Plus pod kit comes in three varieties: just the device, the device with a prefilled pod, or the device with a refillable pod. Whichever one you pick, you also get your choice of a pack of prefilled or refillable Crystal Plus pods, so the box usually contains the device, two Crystal Plus pods, a user manual and, on pod kits, one extra pod.

The battery is a built-in 400mAh cell and the device weighs 34g. It runs at a fixed 11W, so there is nothing to set.

No USB-C cable is included, so keep one handy for charging.

The Crystal Plus is inhale activated. Push a pod into the device and draw on the mouthpiece: the coil fires as you inhale, and you get a small, cigarette-like MTL cloud.

Prefilled pods are ready immediately. A refillable pod needs filling first, then a short rest so the cotton inside the coil can soak up the liquid. Skipping that rest is the number one cause of a burnt first puff on refillable pods of any brand.

Because the output is fixed, the only way to change the feel is how hard and how long you draw. Slow, steady pulls give the best flavour.

Prefilled pods contain 2ml of 20mg salt nicotine. Nic salt gives a smoother throat hit than standard freebase at the same strength. Nicotine is addictive, and 20mg is the maximum allowed in the UK, so step down with a refillable pod if 20mg feels too much.

The refillable pods can be filled again and again with your choice of 50% VG e-liquid. SKE's own Crystal Original range recreates the flavours of their disposables, which is handy if you want the taste without the prefilled price.

The prefilled flavour list covers fruit such as Watermelon Ice and Strawberry Burst plus a run of tobacco blends, including Caramel, Hazelnut and Vanilla Cream Tobacco.

A 400mAh battery is small, but the Crystal Plus charges fully in around half an hour, which makes top-ups painless. Plug it in while you get ready in the morning and again mid-afternoon if you are a heavy user.

Lithium cells last longest when they are not drained to zero every day, so a few short charges beat one flat-to-full cycle. Keep it out of hot cars and direct sun, which age batteries quickly.

If the device seems to stop charging, try a different USB-C cable before assuming a fault. Cheap cables that have been bent at the plug are the usual culprit.

• Burnt hit from a refillable pod: it was not left to soak, or the liquid is too thick. Use 50% VG, refill before it runs dry and wait five minutes after filling.
• No vapour: the battery is flat or the pod is not seated. Charge for half an hour and push the pod firmly home.
• Weak flavour from a prefilled pod: it is nearly finished. Hold it up to the light and swap it when the liquid is almost gone.

Wipe the contacts on the pod and device with a dry tissue now and then. A little condensation there can stop a perfectly good pod from firing.

The Crystal Plus is a great fit for fans of Crystal Bar disposables who want a rechargeable device and the freedom to use either prefilled or refillable pods in one kit. It is cheap to start, very light and has no settings to learn.

It suits MTL vapers rather than cloud chasers, and the small battery means heavy users should expect regular top-ups.

If you want the SKE look with a different pod system, the SKE Bar pod kit has a slightly bigger battery. For a similar Lost Mary option, see the BM600 guide.