# Refillable vs Prefilled Pod Kits: Which Costs Less Per ml? **By Wolfvapes.co.uk** · 2026-11-09 Refillable pod kits usually cost less per millilitre than prefilled pod kits, because a 10ml bottle of nic salt is cheaper than the same amount of liquid sealed inside a prefilled pod pack. At Wolfvapes prices in November 2026, nic salt e-liquid works out at roughly 20p to 25p per ml, while popular prefilled pod packs come to about 46p to 50p per ml. That gap is the main reason people move from [prefilled refill pods](/collections/prefilled-refill-pods) to a refillable kit. Price per ml is not the whole story, though. A refillable kit asks you to buy replacement pods, fill them by hand and choose a coil resistance, while a prefilled kit is ready to use straight from the box. This guide works through the real numbers, explains how the new Vaping Products Duty fits in, and helps you decide which format makes more sense for the way you vape. ## Quick Answer **Refillable pod kits are cheaper per ml; prefilled pod kits are more convenient.** Using current store prices, refilling with 10ml nic salts costs around half as much per ml as buying prefilled pod packs. - Nic salt e-liquid: about 20p–25p per ml (10ml singles or boxes of 10). - Prefilled pod packs (2ml pod plus 10ml refill container): about 46p–50p per ml. - Refillable kits add the cost of replacement pods, as each pod's coil wears out over time. - Vaping Products Duty is £2.20 per 10ml (22p per ml) on both formats, so it doesn't change which one is cheaper. - Prefilled kits suit people who want no filling, no coil choice and no spills. ## What is the difference between refillable and prefilled pod kits? Both formats use a rechargeable battery and a replaceable pod, which is why both are legal to sell in the UK after the single-use vape ban of June 2025. The difference is what happens when the liquid runs out. ### Refillable pod kits A refillable kit, such as the [pod kits](/collections/pod-kits) from the Vaporesso XROS or OXVA Xlim ranges, uses an empty pod with a built-in coil. You fill the pod yourself from a bottle of e-liquid. When the coil stops tasting right, you swap in a fresh pod. You choose the e-liquid brand, flavour, nicotine strength and the pod's coil resistance. ### Prefilled pod kits A prefilled kit uses sealed pod packs that arrive full of e-liquid. Many current designs pair a 2ml pod with a 10ml refill container that tops the pod up as you vape, so one pack holds 12ml in total. When the pack is empty, you replace the whole pack and keep the battery device. There is nothing to fill and no coil to choose, but you are limited to the flavours and strength (usually 20mg nic salt) that the brand makes for that device. If you are comparing specific prefilled devices, our [prefilled pod vape kits compared](/blogs/news/prefilled-pod-vape-kits-compared) guide goes through the main models side by side. ## How much does each format cost per ml? The fairest way to compare the two is cost per millilitre of e-liquid, because that is what you actually use up. The table below uses Wolfvapes prices checked on 6 November 2026. Prices change, so treat these as a snapshot rather than a fixed rate. | Product | Format | Liquid per unit | Price | Cost per ml | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Bar Juice 5000 Nic Salts, box of 10](/products/bar-juice-5000-10ml-e-liquids-box-of-10) | Refillable (bottle) | 10 x 10ml | £19.99 | about 20p | | [Elux Legend Nic Salts, box of 10](/products/elux-legend-nic-salts-10ml-e-liquids-box-of-10) | Refillable (bottle) | 10 x 10ml | £21.99 | about 22p | | [Bar Juice 5000 Nic Salts, single](/products/bar-juice-5000-10ml-nic-salts-e-liquid) | Refillable (bottle) | 10ml | £2.49 | about 25p | | [Hayati Pro Max Plus 6000 Prefilled Pods](/products/hayati-pro-max-plus-6000-prefilled-pods) | Prefilled | 2ml pod + 10ml container | £5.50 | about 46p | | [IVG 12 Pro Replacement Pods, pack of 5](/products/ivg-12-pro-replacement-pods-pack-of-5) | Prefilled | 5 x (2ml + 10ml) | £27.99 | about 47p | | [IVG 12 Pro Replacement Pods, single](/products/ivg-12-pro-replacement-pods) | Prefilled | 2ml pod + 10ml container | £5.99 | about 50p | On these figures, refilling costs roughly 20p to 25p per ml, and prefilled packs cost roughly 46p to 50p per ml. Buying bottles in boxes of 10 brings the refillable figure down further. Multipacks of prefilled pods are not always cheaper per pack than singles, so it is worth checking both prices before you order. ### Don't forget replacement pods The bottle price is not the full cost of a refillable kit. Each refillable pod has a coil that gradually wears out, and when the flavour fades or tastes burnt you replace the pod. For example, [OXVA Xlim Pods 2ml (pack of 3)](/products/oxva-xlim-pods-2ml-pack-of-3) cost £7.99, which is about £2.66 per pod. Vaporesso XROS replacement pods are also sold in multipacks. How long a pod lasts depends on how much you vape, the e-liquid you use (sweeter liquids tend to wear coils faster) and the power setting. Manufacturers don't publish a fixed figure, so the safest approach is to work out your own: note how many bottles you get through before a pod needs changing, then divide the pod price by that number of millilitres. ## A worked example: 60ml of e-liquid To make the numbers easier to picture, here is what 60ml of e-liquid costs in each format at current prices. The refillable example assumes, purely for illustration, that each pod lasts for three 10ml bottles. Your own pod life may be shorter or longer. | Item | Prefilled route | Refillable route | | --- | --- | --- | | E-liquid | 5 x Hayati Pro Max Plus 6000 pod packs (60ml) = £27.50 | 6 x Bar Juice 5000 10ml singles (60ml) = £14.94 | | Pods or coils | Included in each pack | 2 x Xlim pods at about £2.66 each = £5.33 | | Total for 60ml | **£27.50** | **£20.27** | | Cost per ml | about 46p | about 34p | Even with pod costs added, the refillable route works out cheaper in this example, and switching to boxes of 10 bottles would widen the gap. The gap narrows if your pods burn out quickly, or if you only vape occasionally and a bottle goes stale before you finish it. ### What about the cost of the device? The battery device is a one-off cost in both cases. At the time of writing, refillable kits such as the [OXVA Xlim Go 2](/products/oxva-xlim-go-2-pod-kit) start at £9.99 and the [Vaporesso XROS 4 Mini](/products/vaporesso-xros-4-mini-pod-vape-kit-device) is £12.99. Prefilled starter kits are often similar or lower, and some include the first pod pack, such as the [IVG Pro 10K Prefilled Pod Vape Kit](/products/ivg-pro-10k-prefilled-pod-vape-kit) at £8.99. Over a few months of regular use, the price of the liquid matters far more than the price of the device. ## How does Vaping Products Duty affect the comparison? Since 1 October 2026, Vaping Products Duty has been charged at a flat **£2.20 per 10ml** of vaping liquid, which is 22p per ml. It applies whether the liquid contains nicotine or not, and it applies to the liquid in prefilled pods just as it does to bottles. VAT is then charged on the duty-inclusive price. Because the duty is the same per ml on both formats, it does not change which one is cheaper. A 12ml prefilled pack carries £2.64 of duty and a 10ml bottle carries £2.20, so the duty on equal volumes is identical. What the duty does change is the share of the price: on cheaper bottled liquid, duty makes up a larger proportion of what you pay. One thing to be aware of: retailers can sell stock that was made or imported before 1 October 2026 without duty stamps until 31 March 2027, and from 1 April 2027 every product must carry a duty stamp. Shelf prices may move as older stock sells through. Our [Vaping Products Duty explained](/blogs/news/vaping-products-duty-explained) guide covers the dates in full, and HMRC's guidance is on [GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/introduction-of-vaping-products-duty-from-1-october-2026/introduction-of-vaping-products-duty-from-1-october-2026). ## Convenience: what you pay for with prefilled kits The extra cost of prefilled pods buys real convenience, and for some people that is worth it. - **No filling:** you click in a new pack, so there is no risk of spilling e-liquid or overfilling a pod. - **No coil choice:** the pod is matched to the device by the manufacturer, so there are no resistance or wattage settings to think about. - **Fresh coil every pack:** every pod pack comes with a new coil, which keeps flavour consistent. - **Easy to carry:** a spare pack in a pocket is tidier than a bottle of liquid. The trade-offs are a smaller flavour choice (limited to that brand's range), fixed nicotine strength in most cases, and more packaging per ml. ## Flexibility: what you gain with refillable kits - **Any compatible e-liquid:** you can use any [nic salts](/collections/nic-salts) or [e-liquids](/collections/e-liquids-1) that suit your pod, including freebase or 50/50 liquids. - **Choice of strength:** nic salts are commonly sold at 10mg and 20mg, and some brands offer lower strengths, so you are not tied to 20mg. - **Choice of draw:** pods come in different resistances, from tight mouth-to-lung to looser restricted direct lung. - **Lower running cost:** as shown above, typically around half the cost per ml before pod replacements. The main downsides are the small learning curve, the need to prime a new pod before use, and occasional leaks if a pod is overfilled or damaged. Our [pod kit troubleshooting guide](/blogs/news/pod-kit-troubleshooting-guide) covers the common problems and fixes. ## UK rules that apply to both formats Both refillable and prefilled pod kits sold in the UK must follow the same core rules, set out in the government's [e-cigarette regulations guidance](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/e-cigarettes-regulations-for-consumer-products): - Tanks and pods can hold a maximum of 2ml of nicotine-containing e-liquid. - Nicotine-containing refill containers can hold a maximum of 10ml. - Nicotine strength is capped at 20mg/ml. - Since 29 October 2026, under the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026, it is illegal to sell any vaping product, including nicotine-free ones, to anyone under 18, and adults must not buy them on behalf of under-18s. Our [Tobacco and Vapes Act explained](/blogs/news/tobacco-and-vapes-act-explained) article has the details. - Single-use vapes have been banned from sale since 1 June 2025. Both formats in this guide are reusable devices with rechargeable batteries. When a device or pod reaches the end of its life, it should go to electrical recycling rather than household rubbish, because it contains a battery or electrical parts. ## Which should you choose? - **Choose a refillable pod kit** if you vape most days, want the lowest running cost, like trying different e-liquids or want control over nicotine strength and draw. Our [Vaporesso XROS comparison](/blogs/news/vaporesso-xros-comparison-guide) and [OXVA pod kits compared](/blogs/news/oxva-xlim-comparison-guide) guides are good starting points. - **Choose a prefilled pod kit** if you want something that works straight out of the box, vape lightly, or would rather pay more per ml than deal with bottles and pods. - **Use both** if it suits you: some adults keep a refillable kit at home and a prefilled kit for days out. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Are refillable pod kits cheaper than prefilled pod kits? Usually, yes. At Wolfvapes prices in November 2026, nic salt e-liquid costs about 20p to 25p per ml, compared with about 46p to 50p per ml for popular prefilled pod packs. Replacement pods add some cost to refillable kits, but in most cases the total still works out lower. ### How much e-liquid is in a prefilled pod pack? It depends on the model. Many current packs, including the Hayati Pro Max Plus 6000 and IVG 12 Pro pods, combine a 2ml prefilled pod with a 10ml refill container, giving 12ml in total. Always check the product listing for the exact volume. ### Does vape duty make refillable kits more expensive? No more than prefilled kits. Vaping Products Duty is a flat £2.20 per 10ml of liquid on both bottles and prefilled pods, so equal volumes carry equal duty. It does not change which format is cheaper per ml. ### How often do refillable pods need replacing? There is no fixed figure, because pod life depends on how much you vape, the e-liquid and the power setting. Replace a pod when the flavour fades, tastes burnt or the pod starts leaking. Tracking how many bottles each pod lasts lets you work out your own cost per ml. ### Can I refill a prefilled pod? Prefilled pods are designed to be replaced, not refilled, and most are sealed. Trying to open one can damage it and cause leaks. If you want to refill, use a refillable pod designed for that purpose. ### Is a prefilled pod kit the same as a single-use vape? No. A prefilled pod kit has a rechargeable battery device that you keep, and you replace only the pod pack. That reusable design is why these kits remain on sale in the UK after the single-use vape ban of 1 June 2025. ### Which is easier for someone new to pod kits? Prefilled pod kits are simpler, because there is nothing to fill and no coil resistance to choose. Refillable kits take a little more learning, but most modern designs are straightforward once you have primed and filled a pod a couple of times. ### Can I use nic salts in a refillable pod kit? Yes. Most refillable pod kits are designed for nic salts or 50/50 e-liquids, especially with mouth-to-lung pods of around 0.8 to 1.2 ohms. Check the pod or kit listing for the recommended liquid type. ### Are multipacks of prefilled pods always cheaper? Not always. Some multipacks work out cheaper per pack than singles and some do not, so compare the per-pack price before you buy. For bottled nic salts, boxes of 10 are usually cheaper per ml than singles. ## Final Verdict If running cost is your main concern, a refillable pod kit is the better choice. On current prices, refilling with 10ml nic salts costs roughly half as much per ml as prefilled pod packs, and even after allowing for replacement pods, the refillable route came out cheaper in our worked example. Vaping Products Duty adds 22p per ml to both formats equally, so it does not change that conclusion. Prefilled pod kits still have a clear place. They suit adults who want no filling, no settings and a fresh coil with every pack, and who are happy to pay more for that convenience. The best choice comes down to how often you vape and how much you value flexibility over simplicity. For more on what pod resistance to pick, our guides to individual kit ranges are a good next step. _This product contains nicotine, which is a highly addictive substance. For adults aged 18 and over only._ **Tags:** Buying Guide, Nic Salts, Pod Kits, Prefilled Pods, Refillable Pods, Vape Costs --- > Source: [Wolfvapes.co.uk](https://wolfvapes.co.uk/blogs/news/refillable-vs-prefilled-pod-kits-cost)