Today I’m taking a look at the Vaporesso Zero 2 pod kit and as the name suggests it’s an upgrade to the original Zero.
For those unfamiliar, Vaporesso was established in 2015.
Prompted by a desire to rid the globe of the dreaded C sticks, they arrived with three points of focus.
Innovation, quality and commitment.
To combat the crave of smoking Vaporesso went to work on devices that would offer great flavour, ease of use, style, ergonomics and above all safety.
Pod kits generally fit the bill when it comes to those prerequisites and having tested the Vaporesso Osmall and the incredible Vaporesso Barr I can certainly testify to that.
In fact I also recently got my hands on the XROS 2 pod kit. I’m happy to write those areas of focus are still.. well. Very much in focus!
It seems the success Vaporesso has been having is only spawning more of the same, and that’s OK, the more devices on the market to help a new vaper the better.
At the same time and as a reviewer I’m looking for something a little different.
Dare I write innovative?
Let’s find out if the Vaporesso Zero 2 pod kit offers that, shall we?
What Can We Expect From The Vaporesso Zero 2 Pod Kit?
As I mentioned at the start it’s the upgrade to the original Zero pod kit. Expect a few inevitable changes.
The first of which is size. It’s marginally taller and thicker while retaining a similar ergonomic design.
The battery capacity has been lifted from 650mah to 800mah for an added boost to its lifespan. Type C charging now takes the place of micro USB but curiously the three step voltage of the original has been ditched in favour of constant output.
It doesn’t state on the official site but I’m assuming the same Omni board chipset is at the beating heart of this device, offering the same safety measures as the original.
The pods of the original can be used with the Vaporesso Zero 2 and vice versa. That’s because they’re the same and the same two disposable pods are included here.
Ultimately we can expect this pod kit to be focusing directly on the new vaper with its dedicated MTL vape style and apparent ease of use.
Since it relies solely on an auto draw feature we should expect that ease of use. There’s no fire button here, folks!
Watch Neil Cozens’ Hands On Video
Vaporesso Zero 2 Pod Kit – Inside the Box
The pod kit rests inside a moulded plastic tray with all the extras laying beneath.
- Vaporesso Zero 2 device with 1.0ohm mesh pod pre installed
- 1.3ohm CCELL pod
- Empty 10ml E liquid bottle (for decanting purposes)
- Type C charging cable
- User manual
- Warranty card
Vaporesso Zero 2 Pod Kit – Key Features
Unlike the original, the Vaporesso Zero 2 pod kit is now available with a pod capacity of 3ml for those outside of the EU. The capacity is reduced to 2ml under mandatory TPD regulations.
Both mesh and CCELL pods have been designed to bring dream flavours to life. They are capable of a stable, smooth flavour creating an amazing vaping experience.
..Maybe I can be the judge of that!
A radiant cosmos element design shows off the stunning shape of the device and again, I’ll be taking a closer look.
Vaporesso continue to utilise its PTF (push to fill) system and their proprietary 10ml spare decanting bottle is included to facilitate this.
Leak Free Pods..?
The pods are said to offer a leak free performance thanks to SSS pod technology. An area I’m particularly interested in testing.
The integrated 800mah battery has been increased by 23% and fast type C charging should revive it within 45 minutes.
A group of dynamic tidal LED lights display the current strength of the battery in real time.
The original Vaporesso Zero came in a choice of 15 different colour schemes. This has been dramatically reduced to just 6 with the upgrade.
Chose from Black Blue, Black Red, Black Green, Black Purple, Carbon Fiber and Black (under review).
Vaporesso Zero 2 Pod Kit – Specifications
- Dimensions 89 x 31.8 x 19mm
- Pod capacity 3ml/2ml
- Pod resistance 1.3ohm CCELL / 1.0ohm mesh
- Battery capacity 800mah
- Display 4 x LED indicators
- Charging Type C USB 5V/1A
Vaporesso Zero 2 Pod Kit – Design and Build Quality
Battery Section
Right off the jump I have to say that it’s awesome to be returning to a pod that, well, looks like a pod.
The design and style has veered so much from the traditional look that it’s becoming quite hard to classify them.
Not so with the Vaporesso Zero 2 pod kit. It regains the perfect look, feel and portability that I at least, associate with true pod designs.
From the top of the mouthpiece to the underside of the battery I got a measurement of 89mm. This ultimately means it’s going to fit in the smallest of hands.
The body is made from zinc alloy with the back coated in a brushed grey finish that also loops over the front to provide additional trim.
Whereas the back is relatively flat, mimicking the design of the original Zero pod kit the front has some exaggerated contours. It alters the depth of the battery from 12mm at its lowest point to 19mm at the highest.
What does this mean in practice? Personally it makes for an incredibly comfortable feel when grasped in the hand. I’m able to instinctively cradle it every time without fuss.
The size also means that my sausage fingers are able to hide it for a stealthy vape – almost anywhere.
The USB port is mounted at the bottom of the battery.
Usually this would bug me but by placing it here, nothing of the sleek aesthetics are ruined. The port also looks semi recessed so that should help avoid unnecessary damage through general wear and tear.
In other words I can see it holding up well over the ravages of time.
Inside the battery two magnets encircle the spring loaded contacts. That’s something I don’t often see but certainly makes good use of space limitations.
Vaporesso Zero 2 Dynamic Tidal Lights
Sounds both dramatic and intriguing doesn’t it?
The Vaporesso Zero 2 pod kit relies solely on its auto draw feature. There’s no fire button. As mentioned previously the three step voltage mode has been scrapped in favour of total ease of use.
In order to ascertain current battery health four white LED’s tide and pulse along the front of the pod while vaping.
- Four 80% – 100%
- Three 60% – 80%
- Two 30% – 60%
- One 0% – 30%
The LED’s also illuminate to show when the pod has been successfully attached or removed. The four LED’s remain lit once a full charge has been obtained.
Most importantly of all they act to warn of any potential safety issues such as low voltage, low resistance and short circuiting.
Vaporesso Zero 2 the Disposable Pod Section
Vaporesso has colour coded the pods at their base. Other than physically looking at the size of the wicking ports there’s no other way of knowing which is which.
They do compliment and extend the curve and contour design of the battery section but in doing so hide some of the remaining juice level.
It’s made from the industry standard PCTG and has a height of 32.5mm and a width of 25.5mm.
There’s little if any tinting so viewing those juice levels is very easy. Even for excessively tired eyes like mine!
Connection between the battery section is achieved either way round, again making it easy for the newer vaper and the connection is secure and rattle free.
It didn’t hold up to the 1.5M drop test however, so try to avoid those butter fingers…
There’s a degree of side to side movement when attached but that’s because airflow has to come in from somewhere – and I couldn’t figure out how else it was reaching the coils.
Vaporesso Zero 2 Filling the Pod
As well as the pods incorporating SSS tech (Seal, Saturate and Store), they also make use of the Vaporesso PFT filling system. That’s two acronyms on the bounce – I’m on a roll today! lol
Vaporesso seem to think its own proprietary fill bottle is the only way to use the Push To Fill system. That’s bound to be true when dealing with gorilla or chubby type bottles with wider nozzles.
The reality is, I was able to use a multitude of TPD ready 10ml bottles with little to no fuss.
OK, the tips did get a little bendy(!) but generally they had enough strength to open the valve and release e juice into the pod chamber.
So if you’re new to vaping please keep this in mind. Don’t be put off by the idea of decanting into the included bottle – at least give those smaller bottle nozzles a try first.
- Separate the pod from the battery section
- Locate the push to fill port on the underside of the pod
Push the bottle nozzle firmly into the fill port until the valve opens (PTF)- Squeeze e liquid into the fill chamber of the pod. Try not to overfill
- Snap the pod back into the battery section
Push the bottle nozzle firmly into the fill port until the valve opens (PTF)Let the e liquid saturate the cotton for at least five minutes before taking your first vape.
Vaporesso Zero 2 Pod Kit – How Does It Perform?
I started by testing the 0.1ohm mesh pod since it was already pre installed. It has a constant output of 11W.
1.0ohm Disposable Mesh Pod (rated 11W)
A familiar flavour profile was used in the form of 88 Vape Peach Dream and has a 50VG/50PG juice ratio which is ideal for this MTL pod.
Firstly, the airflow restriction is spot on for a MTL vape. As much as I personally prefer a semi restrictive direct lung hit, the Zero 2 gently dissuades me whenever I attempt one.
That’s no bad thing at all because the new vaper will feel completely at home when taking their first inhale.
The vape itself is cool, as is to be expected from this low powered coil but the flavour properties are really quite good nonetheless.
The peach notes were clearly defined with just enough sweetness and sharpness to hold the interest. The mesh coil consistently delivered every time even when chain vaping.
Vapour production was also suitably stealthy and will be very much what the new vaper will be expecting in terms of a smoking equivalent.
1.3ohm Disposable CCELL Pod (rated 9W)
Despite using Riot Squad with a 50VG/50PG juice ratio the CCELL pod was DOA. Leaving the liquid to soak into the cotton for the usual five minutes had zero effect on performance.
..Excuse the pun!
To be certain I left the pod for a few hours after which time there was still nothing to report.
The auto draw feature was working fine but produced only the very faintest of vapour output.
As for flavour, certainly nothing that even approached Sweet Strawberry.
For this reason I’m going to omit the pod from the scoring system. Anyone that’s vaped for a period of time will know dud coils do crop up on occasion.
Here’s a timely reminder to mention that both pods will be best suited to thinner juice ratios. Being low powered and requiring very little airflow means that anything over 60VG/40PG may be asking too much.
I would personally stick with 50VG/50PG to get the best performance.
Don’t rule out those nic salt alternatives either because they offer increased nicotine levels without scratching out the rear of the throat.
Pros
- Ergonomics and aesthetics
- Very lightweight and pocket friendly
- Battery life for days!
- Good flavour and cloud production from the 1.0ohm mesh pod
- Very easy to use
- Ideal MTL restriction
- Zero Leaking
Cons
- No way of turning the device off (subjective)
- Can be a fingerprint magnet
- Having to remove the pod to check remaining battery life via the LED’s
- Decanting E liquid into the proprietary bottle may put some folks off
Vaporesso Zero 2 Pod Kit – Final Review Verdict
Does the Zero 2 pod kit offer anything new in terms of functionality or innovation, the answer is no.
This is your classic pod kit design but far from being a tired look it still works highly effectively.
Why?
It’s been aimed squarely at the new vaper. Someone on the cusp of giving up the cigs. That’s because of its no nonsense approach, lack of confusing bells and whistles and the overall general ease of use.
In fact it’s probably more pocket friendly than a packet of cigs (it’s been over eight years since I quit so I’m assuming so).
The auto draw feature is flawless and both flavour and vapour production will be more than adequate to the fledgling vaper oblivious to the requirements of higher powered devices.
The coil resistances are perfectly balanced with the internal battery capacity too because I got over two days use from the 1.0ohm mesh pod.
Seriously. Not even one drop of condensation? Vaporesso has stepped up the game with that SSS technology. If there’s one thing to encourage a new vaper it’s a leak free device.
Awesome stuff.
Zero Issues?
However, the dynamic tidal light system wasn’t functioning in real time on the review model I received.
I had to keep removing the pod and then replacing it in order to establish current battery strength.
…I was of the understanding it was displayed during the inhale. Surely that’s what’s meant by real time?
Looking at the pro’s and cons I feel like an old man with grey hair, weathered skin and failing eyesight (actually that is me!) when I write this pod kit harks back to a time when pod kits were pod kits.
…And that’s no bad thing in my seasoned opinion.
OK, the innovation isn’t quite there but I can’t knock Vaporesso for quality and commitment.
The Vaporesso Zero 2 pod kit is perfectly suited to the new vaper and even those that just want a stealthy, easy to use portable device that’s handy for when out and about or at times in between charging power crazy dual 21700 mods.
There’s never ever been anything wrong with a simplistic approach as long as flavour and vapour production aren’t compromised.
So put simply then, The Vaporesso Zero 2 Pod Kit delivers the goods – it’s a great little pod kit.
I’ve been a renova zero/ zero care user for 5 years now, i can tell you that i am kind of disappointed with the renova zero 2 core drag experience. they reduced the airflow with this one making the device hit stronger but drastically reduces flavour , removed the 3 stage controllable wattage which let you control the strength , removed the power on off button , made the device chunkier and taller which kind of chips on the stealth aspect . redesigned the pod which matches the sports car aesthetic but you cannot hold the pod with your teeth anymore which allowed you to have a hands free experience when you needed to.
The things i love about it are the nice battery boost , type c port and +1ml capacity and that is about it , the core aspect of vaping on the vape as a daily driver are just lost somewhere in the design and i assume the unwelcome changes are not to get the long term user excited about this new product but to appeal to the more younger demographics.