What You Need To Know

Product Description

The OXBAR OXPOD Elite is the first refillable pod vape from OXVAs subsidiary brand that typically focuses on disposables.

The OXPOD Elite is a budget pod vape that is directly marketed at disposable vapers. It’s compact, lightweight, and extremely affordable.

It’s powered by a substantial 1300mAh built-in battery and features an LED display, and adjustable wattage ranging from 5-30W.

It comes with a 0.8Ω mesh coil pod (rated for 18-22W) that has a huge 8ml juice capacity.

There’s also USB-C charging and adjustable airflow to cover all MTL draws.

The OXPOD Elite is available in various finishes including Matte Gunmetal, Grey, Black Carbon, Shadow Blue, Mech Red, White Crocodile, Shadow Brown, Meteor Shower, Gold Black, and Shadow Green.

Design & Build Quality

The OXBAR OXPOD Elite has an entirely different form factor from any previous OXVA pod vape.

However, it’s not an entirely unique design. You could say it strikes a remarkable resemblance to the Vaporesso Nano Eco series.

I have no issue with that because I love this type of form factor, and the OXBAR Elite looks great and brings some extra to it.

Before we get into that, let’s cover the design quickly first.

The Elite measures in at 90 x 42.5 x 17mm. It’s a remarkably sleek profile that fits comfortably in your hand or pocket.

The body has an aluminum alloy frame, creating a surprisingly lightweight yet premium feel. It only weighs 59g (with pod attached). This is even more surprising considering this thing packs in a 1300mAh battery.

What really elevates the design are the leather panels on the front and back of the device. These panels not only add a touch of sophistication but also provide good grip during use.

All the color options we have for review feature clean, understated leather panels. But some variants like the Mech Red and White Crocodile have unique patterns for a more distinctive look.

One extra thing to note about these panels is they feature a nice subtle ‘OXBAR’ logo on one side. Then on the other, you have a ‘Pod Juice’ logo.

I get that OXVA is in collaboration with Pod Juice. But it feels rather unnecessary to have a Pod Juice logo on a refillable device that I can use any juice in.

Moving on.

The side-mounted screen, while modest in size, is bright and crisp, displaying basic information clearly.

Below it sits a single tactile button that’s responsive and clicky – used for power adjustments and locking the device.

On the opposite side, you’ll find the airflow control slider, which has three precision-cut airflow slots. The slider mechanism has just the right amount of resistance. I never found myself accidentally adjusting it, but it’s easy to move when needed.

On the base of the OXPOD Elite is the USB-C port. It’s neatly tucked away to keep things looking clean. But does mean you can’t charge it while standing upright.  

On to the pods. Another place where OXVA has upped the capacity over competitors. This thing holds a crazy 8ml of juice!

I love that the juice level is always visible (even through the tinted PCTG).

The pod connection is secured by magnets and snaps into place well. There’s an ever-so-slight wobble in the connection, but nothing too disturbing.  

The OXPOD Elite is positioned as a budget-friendly device, designed to compete with disposables. In all honesty, the design, build quality, and features trump disposables in every way. I love that it feels light and slim while maintaining a premium look and feel. Good job OXVA.

Features

The OXBAR OXPOD Elite, being a budget pod vape, aims to keep things simple. But that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in features or customization.

It is powered by an impressive 1300mAh battery. It has 2A fast charging and passthrough. This is great, and I’ll cover it in more detail later.

The OXPOD Elite also features adjustable wattage from 5-30W. Although the included 0.8Ω pod is optimized for the 18-22W range.  

The device also includes a smart wattage feature that suggests optimal power settings based on the pod resistance. But currently, there’s only one pod resistance available.

The adjustable airflow system on the side allows for a range of tight MTL to a very loose MTL (not quite RDTL). It works well, but it’s not the smoothest airflow.

The color LED display is minimal, both in size and information. You get the current wattage, battery level (shown as bars), and a breathing light animation. While the light adds a touch of style, it’s worth noting that it can’t be completely disabled.

I would’ve much preferred a puff count included instead, especially for a device that claims 35K puffs per pod.

Operating the OXPOD Elite is user-friendly with a simple control scheme:

• Power On/Off: 5 clicks of the button
• Adjust Wattage: 3 clicks (until value flashes), subsequent clicks increase the wattage
• Lock/Unlock Device: Long press
• Draw Activation: Auto draw when taking a puff

The device includes all the standard safety protections you’d expect: low voltage protection, short circuit protection, overtime protection (10s cut-off), and overcharge protection.

Pods/Coils

The OXPOD Elite utilizes a straightforward pod system with an impressive 8ml e-liquid capacity! (2ml in TPD areas).

Currently, OXBAR only offers a single pod option with a 0.8Ω mesh coil (18-22W). While this is limiting, it’s well-optimized for both regular nicotine and nic salt e-liquids.

It’s worth noting that while OXBAR currently only offers this single resistance option, the device’s hardware supports a resistance range of 0.3-3.0Ω, suggesting potential for future pod varieties.

OXBAR has implemented a bottom-fill system, which requires removing the pod from the device to access. The fill port is sealed with a deep rubber plug, and underneath is a silicone membrane designed to prevent leaking.

While this dual-layer protection is effective at preventing leaks, it can make filling slightly more challenging, especially with larger bottle tips.

The OXPOD pods utilize OXVAs ‘Unione Hyper Coil’ mesh coils. I’m not sure what’s particularly unique about them, but they deliver great flavor.

In terms of longevity, they also demonstrate impressive durability. During testing, a single pod consistently handled around three refills (20-24ml) before showing signs of flavor degradation. That’s quite respectable, considering the price point.

I’m unsure if that equates to 35K puffs (as per OXVAs claim) as the device doesn’t have a puff counter.

I’m a bit disappointed that the kit only includes one pod, especially given the possibility of receiving a defective unit. But I guess that’s what you get with a budget pod kit nowadays.

It’s also worth noting that the pod’s ergonomics are well thought out. It has a comfortable mouthpiece design that suits the MTL vaping style the device is geared towards.

Performance

The OXPOD Elite delivers performance beyond its price point but is not quite on par with OXVAs best.

Firstly let me start with the caveat of saying the performance of the OXBAR is great. But there are just so many fantastic pod vapes on the market right now, that I feel it falls a little short of the ‘Elite’ moniker.

The 0.8Ω mesh coil really comes into its own between 20-22W, producing impressive flavor with good vapor. Any lower than that and I feel it is a little inconsistent.

Personally, I preferred it at 20W; it delivered a warm vape with all the nuances of my juice coming through. Back to back with OXVAs XLIM Pro 2, and I feel the flavor just falls a little short.

Honestly, most wouldn’t notice the difference unless vaping them side by side. And it’s still mightily impressive for the price point.

It’s also worth noting that during my testing I used a range of 50/50 to 70/30 VG/PG ratio juices. It handled everything well across the board, and there was no sign of leaking – which was great.

I was a little disappointed in the airflow on the OXBAR Elite. Firstly, it’s not the smoothest as it only comes from one side. It’s by no means turbulent, but it’s just not on par with the best pod vapes.

Secondly, when you get down to the tight MTL settings (one airflow hole), there’s a slight whistle. It’s not a deal breaker, but it’s there.

I also found that the auto-draw activation needs a little more forceful inhale to activate compared to other pods. Particularly when the airflow is more open.

It works fine. I just had a few moments in my first days of testing where it didn’t quite fire. It’s just not as light a trigger as I’m used to. After a couple of days, you adjust.

The device maintains consistent power delivery throughout the battery life, with no noticeable drop-off in performance until you hit the red battery indicator.

One of the most impressive aspects of the OXPOD Elite is its coil longevity. My first pod handled around 20-24ml of e-liquid before I noticed any decline in flavor, which translates to roughly three full pod refills. I think that’s great for a budget pod with an 8ml capacity.

Battery Life & Charging

The 1300mAh battery proves to be a powerhouse in daily use. When vaping at 20W, I consistently got through a full 8ml pod with charge to spare.

This translates to about one and a half to two days of moderate to heavy use – impressive for such a compact device.

The battery indicator uses a four-bar system (two green, one orange, one red). However, I found the decline from green to red isn’t entirely linear, with the last two bars depleting noticeably faster than the first two.

I also would’ve preferred a battery percentage for more accurate readings.

Charging is via USB-C, with a full charge taking approximately 80-90 minutes. While not the fastest charging time we’ve seen, it does support pass-through charging.

Verdict

I’ve really enjoyed my time testing and using the OXBAR OXPOD Elite.

It’s real standout aspects are its capacities, especially for such a lightweight, compact device. 8ml of juice and a 1300mAh battery is truly something in this form factor.

While it may be positioned as an entry-level device, it performs well above its price point, offering features and build quality that rival more expensive competitors.

But it’s not without its shortcomings – the single pod option, slight whistling with restricted airflow, and basic battery indicator system leave room for improvement.

However, I can overlook these minor issues with its consistent performance, impressive battery life, and exceptional e-liquid capacity.

For vapers looking to transition from disposables or those seeking a reliable, low-maintenance pod system, the OXPOD Elite makes a compelling case for itself.

Its impressive performance-to-price ratio makes it an easy recommendation. While it won’t dethrone premium pod systems, it certainly proves that you don’t need to spend big to get a satisfying vaping experience.