SKE are hard at work on replacements for the seminal Crystal Bar, we recently took a look at one of these with our SKE Bar review, today we are taking a look at the SKE 600 Pro – which is another option!
Thanks to the Crystal Bar, SKE have become one of the most successful vaping brands, with products stocked globally on high street shelves and amongst numerous online vendors too.
SKE aren’t just known for the Crystal Bar alone however, they’ve also had some great releases such as the SKE Crystal Original e-liquids, SKE Crystal CL6000 and Sikary S6000 devices.
What Can We Expect From The SKE 600 Pro?
Due to the recent ban on disposable vapes on the UK, the Crystal Bar disposables fell by the wayside, but SKE have looked to cover this eventuality with the release of not one but two refillable and reusable replacements for it!
The SKE 600 Pro seems to be releasing around the same time as the recently reviewed SKE Bar, with both of these products shaping up to be reusable replacements for the Crystal Bar disposables.
What you have here is that instantly recognisable ‘Crystal’ design, which now features the ability to quickly and easily switch out a used prefilled pod for a fresh one, or switch flavours easily on the move!
Speaking of the pods, these have a 2ml capacity, a 1.0ohm mesh coil and are prefilled with 20mg nicotine salt e-liquid, with a large choice of 15 different flavours available- including plenty of Crystal Bar favourites!
The SKE 600 Pro is inhale-activated, making vaping effortless…
A 400mAh battery is built into the device, now featuring a Type-C charging port on the base which allows you to recharge the battery and keep reusing your SKE 600 Pro!
Many thanks to SKE for sending the SKE 600 Pro range in for review, let’s see how these shape up!
As always, all views are my own…
Kit Contents
Packaging-wise, these look almost identical to the old Crystal Bars and the SKE Bars that I recently reviewed.
At a distance, there isn’t much to differentiate the SKE 600 Pro from the others, but at the top of the box it says ‘prefilled pod kit’ in white lettering with a red outline.
As expected, the SKE 600 Pro device comes shrink wrapped, and the shrink wrapping has instructions on how to use the device on the outside.
There’s also a printed instruction manual included, which also has a contraindications list and contact details for the company.
Specifications
- 100mm x 17mm x 17mm dimensions
- Up to 600 puffs per pod
- Inhale activated
- Prefilled 2ml pods
- 20mg nicotine salt strength
- 1.0ohm mesh coil
- Mouth to lung vaping
- 15 different flavours
- Rechargeable 400mAh battery
Design & Build Quality
First things first- yes, these do look virtually identical to the old Crystal Bars! I’ve no issue with that at all, it is a design that works very well indeed, giving the ‘Crystal’ range its identity and also offering an ergonomic design too.
Form factor wise, these aren’t much difference in size either compared to the SKE 600 Pro’s predecessor, measuring in at 100mm x 17mm x 17mm. That actually makes them a touch smaller than the SKE Bar.
So, one of the key features here is the new prefilled 2ml pod system. These feature a 1.0ohm mesh coil system prefilled with 2ml of 20mg nicotine salt e-liquid, and they attach magnetically to the device, making it easy to swap them out on the move.
A 400mAh battery is built into the device, with a Type-C charging port at the base. There’s an LED light that illuminates during charging and whenever you take a puff on the device.
Quick Start Guide
In terms of prefilled pod systems, setup doesn’t really get any easier than this!
All you need to do is remove the pod from the device, take the rubber bung out of the mouthpiece, remove the sticker from the base and you are ready to go!
This is an inhale activated pod system so you just draw on the mouthpiece to fire it.
Once you have finished the 2ml pod that comes with the device, you can simply remove it from the device and replace it with a fresh pod, saving you from having to buy a new device each time.
Charging
By swapping a used prefilled pod for a new one, you can continue to use your original SKE 600 Pro, and replacement prefilled pods are good value for money at 2 for £4.99.
The 400mAh internal battery can be recharged multiple times, saving you money in the long run and offering a more sustainable vaping option.
At the base of the SKE 600 Pro is a Type-C charging port, to charge the device you just insert a Type-C charging cable into the base and connect it to a suitable power source.
An LED light will illuminate the base of the SKE 600 Pro, and this will turn off once it is fully charged. Be warned though, this isn’t the quickest device to charge up, so you may want a second one on hand!
Flavours
With the SKE 600 Pro range, there’s a choice of 15 different flavours, which can all be purchased as part of the prefilled pod range too.
These are a selection of the favourites from the Crystal range, and SKE kindly sent all 15 over to try out! Here are my thoughts-
Strawberry Burst
I couldn’t help but think that this had both milky and candied tones to it, kind of like a combination between a strawberry chewit sweet and a strawberry ice cream.
It’s underpinned by quite a fair bit of sweetener, leaving an almost sugary tone on my palate on the exhale.
Blending is spot on with this one though, as the strawberry flavouring isn’t overtly harsh or overpowering, making for a very smooth strawberry vape.
VMT Ice
This is SKE’s take on a popular UK drink and in my opinion, they get pretty close to the mark here.
On the inhale, I was immediately met with a rich, sweet blackcurrant front, beautifully complemented by a medley of other fruits and a significant sugary kick.
There’s even a subtle icy undertone on the exhale, reminiscent of a chilled glass of that beloved squash from my childhood.
It’s the closest replication of Vimto that I have tried, even right down to the sweetness overload!
Lemon & Lime
This flavour absolutely nails the initial punch of lemon and lime, instantly taking me back to biting into a super-cold, citrusy ice lolly. The lemon leaps out first, bold and bright, and it really doesn’t hold back.
However, that intensity is dialled up by a sweetness that’s almost syrupy, giving the lemon an artificial, sherbet-like kick.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely refreshing and chilly, but the lime does get a little bit lost in amongst the overpowering lemon flavouring.
Blueberry Sour Raspberry
I’ve vaped a few Blueberry Sour Raspberry iterations from SKE over time, and one aspect that they do really well on is with the sour note.
This really does dominate proceedings- just how I like it! It’s almost like the blueberry and raspberry take a back seat to the overpowering sour kick.
Blueberry and raspberry aren’t just hidden away in the background however, there are delicious juicy blueberry and sharp, ripe raspberry notes to be found here.
Blueberry Raspberries
Dial down the sourness in the Blueberry Sour Raspberry and you are left with Blueberry Raspberries!
This is the one to go for if you would prefer to enjoy the juicy blueberry and ripe raspberry notes without an overpowering wave of sourness.
That being said, there’s still a bit of a sour nip to this thanks to the raspberry flavouring!
Menthol
I found this menthol flavour to be a little on the bland side.
It just tasted very generic to me, the mint note was pretty flat and there wasn’t much in the way of a chill from the menthol either.
Definitely felt like the flavouring could have been turned up a couple of notches here!
Berry Ice
I struggled to pick up on the individual notes when I reviewed this as part of the SKE Bar range and I had the same issue here with the SKE 600 Pro too.
The SKE 600 Pro offers a more powerful vape and that only serves to intensify the berry blend further, making it hard to differentiate between the different flavour notes present.
Raspberry and blackberry are the two most dominant notes present, and I pick up on a bit of blueberry too. There’s a surprisingly strong level of sourness too, which overrides the icy chill at the end a little.
Kiwi Passion Fruit Guava
This blend really puts the Kiwi in the spotlight, which makes a refreshing change from a lot of the others that I have tried.
Passionfruit and guava play a supporting role in the background, almost acting as undertones to the kiwi flavouring.
On the exhale, the guava does ramp up a little more though, leaving an exotic tang on my tongue.
Fizzy Cherry
Prepare for a dazzling experience with this blend, showcasing a candied cherry flavour that truly pops. It masterfully walks the line between sweet and tart, ensuring it’s never overwhelming.
What truly sets it apart is the delightful sparkling sensation that dances on the tip of your tongue, perfectly mimicking the fizz of your favourite bubbly drink.
The cherry itself is exquisitely crafted, bringing to mind those perfectly sugar-dusted confections, all nestled in a rich, subtly sweet syrup.
Cola Ice
SKE’s Cola Ice blend truly stands out from the crowd with its remarkably authentic cola taste.
What makes it unique is its distinct leaning towards a classic cola sweet, rather than the more common carbonated drink interpretation. This gives it a rich, concentrated flavour that’s both familiar and incredibly satisfying.
The balance of sweetness in this blend is nothing short of brilliant. It delivers that comforting sweetness you’d expect from a cola sweet without ever becoming overwhelming or syrupy.
Instead, it maintains a clean and enjoyable profile from start to finish. To complete the experience, there’s a perfectly blended, refreshing chill on the exhale.
This isn’t an icy blast, but rather a cool sensation that enhances the cola notes and leaves a crisp, invigorating feeling.
It’s the kind of flavour that maintains its appeal, making it a perfect choice for consistent enjoyment.
Cherry Ice
SKE’s Cherry Ice has a delicious, cherry jam like texture to it, I get a very full bodied and thick cherry on the inhale with a sweet and sharp note to it as well.
The icy chill could do with being turned up a notch or two, it’s just a little too subtle for my tastes, a stronger and punchier menthol kick at the end would work much better!
Pink Lemonade
Well this one certainly took me by surprise…it’s the first pink lemonade blend that I’ve tried that contains watermelon!
On my first puff, I wasn’t so sure whether it was watermelon, but on the second I took a deeper and longer inhale…yep it is watermelon.
I found this to be really strange if I’m honest, and it definitely threw me off a bit. Thankfully, the watermelon isn’t too strong and the lemonade notes take over quite quickly.
Speaking of the lemonade, it is a very pleasant lemonade that has a tasty citrus tang to it, and there’s a detectable fizz too which is nice!
Blue Razz Lemonade
Much like the Pink Lemonade, the citrusy lemonade note takes centre stage here.
It’s delightfully sharp and crisp, again I do get a little bit of fizz which I do enjoy, this also adds a layer of authenticity to the blend!
Blueberry and raspberry are detectable as background notes here, but they back up the lemonade very nicely. This is a most enjoyable Blue Razz Lemonade blend!
Watermelon Ice
Most of the SKE Watermelon Ice blends that I’ve tried have featured a very strong, artificial watermelon note and this one is no different.
I do find it pretty sharp and unpleasant, with the sweetener and the menthol failing to take any edge off of the watermelon flavouring.
Pineapple Ice
SKE are amongst the best at blending a Pineapple Ice flavour, going for a pineapple cube sweet vibe each time and they nail it perfectly.
There’s a sweet and vibrant artificial pineapple flavour, with a nice sweet and sour balance, and a nice subtle chill comes in to round it all off.
I’ve never been disappointed with an SKE Pineapple Ice and that is no different here!
How Does The SKE 600 Pro Perform?
If you are expecting one of these to perfectly replicate the vape from a Crystal Bar then you will quickly find that it offers a slightly different vape!
It’s still designed to offer a mouth to lung vape, however as these have a 1.0ohm mesh coil (compared to the 1.2ohm one found on the original and the SKE Bar), these do have a little more ‘oomph’ evident in the draw.
This does result in a slightly stronger and more full bodied vape, which might take some users a little while to get used to. Though it is perfect for me!
Battery Life
A 400mAh battery is built into an SKE 600 Pro which is enough to last most users a day.
As the pods are replaceable, you can continue to reuse the battery and just purchase new pods for the device, theoretically you should get up to a years worth of use from the battery, depending on how frequently it is used and recharged.
Once it has reached the end of its lifespan, you can recycle it at responsible vape shops of household recycling centres- please do not throw it out with your household waste (or straight into the road!)
How Many Puffs Do You Get From An SKE BAR?
Each pod offers up to 600 puffs, though what you get out of them will depend on how long you take a draw for.
On average, I will take a draw for around 2-4 seconds, and with the VMT Ice pod I tallied 389 puffs. In real terms, that lasted me just over a day before it started tasting burnt, indicating that the e-liquid had run dry.
By taking shorter puffs, you’ll likely achieve more out of each pod and get closer to the 600 puff mark.
Pros
- Reusable alternative to the Crystal Bar
- Cheap prefilled pod option
- Slightly stronger and more full flavoured vape
- Easy to use
- Easy to switch prefilled pods out
- Large range of different flavours
Cons
- Battery is fixed and can’t be removed from the device
- Basic LED light indicator
- Unable to see how much e-liquid is left in the pod
- Fairly long charging time
Final Verdict
For me, these take the ‘Crystal Bar’ game up a notch and that is primarily down to the slightly stronger vape that I get from an SKE 600 Pro, intensifying the flavour!
I love that switching pods is a breeze on these, which also opens up the possibility of switching between different flavours quickly without needing a second device, with replacement packs of pods available at a price that won’t hurt your wallet.
Though, I would recommend picking up a second one as these do take a while to charge up fully!
I would highly recommend taking a look at one of these if you are making the switch from a disposable vape or are looking to quit smoking, the SKE 600 Pro is a very accessible prefilled pod device that offers a great vape and a tasty range of flavours!
Are you considering making the switch over to an SKE 600 Pro device? Let us know in the comments below!
