VAPORESSO VIBE NANO & VIBE SE Review: Vibing with Beginner Vapers!
Vibing with Beginner Vapers!
The VAPORESSO VIBE SE features a 1100 mAh battery, a 4.5 mL refillable pod, and Smart Pod coil technology, which activates one or both mesh coils depending on the mode used. The device is aimed at beginners, with no buttons or menus—just a slider that lets you switch between Eco and Power modes. Available in ten color options.
Specifications
Dimensions:88.1 mm x 47 mm x 20.2 mm
Chipset:AXON
Two output modes: ECO (12 watts) PWR (20 watts)
Pod capacity:4.5 mL
Display:RGB indicator light
Battery capacity:1100 mAh
USB-C fast recharging
Compatible with Vibe Pod cartridges
Draw activated
Kit contents
1 x VAPORESSO VIBE NANO pod system kit
1 x VAPORESSO VIBE pod cartridge (1.0 ohm)
1 x User manual
1 x Warranty card
Product intro and specs
VAPORESSO is dropping two new pod systems for vapers to VIBE with. The new VIBE NANO and VIBE SE pods are made with beginners in mind, or anyone who wants a small, simple, portable vape.
Simplicity is the name of the game with these pods—no settings or menus, just a slider to switch between two modes. Both devices come with 1100 mAh rated batteries and use the large 4.5 mL pods of the VIBE series, a line introduced with the original VIBE and the VIBE NANO PRO earlier this year. The main difference is the form factor—the SE is a pen-style pod, while the NANO is square.
VAPORESSO’s long history of making good products always bodes well, so let's see if these two can continue this tradition.
Price: $15.99 (VIBE SE at VapeSourcing), $12.99 (VIBE NANO at VapeSourcing)
Colors: (Both) black, white, blue, strawberry red, ice cream pink, ice blueberry (SE) mocha coffee, grape purple, frozen mint, grapefruit soda (NANO) orange soda, lime green
Size, look, and feel
Starting with the VIBE SE, which is a standard pen-style pod system. The coloring is nice and vibrant, and it has an almost transparent, chameleon-style coat.
The front features the logo in white writing, and above that, a single LED for the battery meter. On the left side there is a USB-C port for charging, and on the right a mode switch that slides up and down with ease. The device has a juice window, which doesn’t work great with the tinted pods. Really wish the pods were exposed and not tinted. Other than that, though, it feels great in the hand.
The VIBE NANO, on the other hand, is a short, square-ish pod system. The kind that was popularized by the Mi-Pod, and has been used in one of my favorite lines of pods, the ECO series, also from VAPORESSO. The coloring is also bright and vibrant, but the coating doesn't have the same sheer as the SE does. It’s more of a basic shiny coating.
On the front and center, you have your branding with the logo in white, and on the front bottom, you have a small color screen that activates when you switch modes or pop the pod in and out. On the screen, the only information shown is the mode and the battery meter. The juice window has the same drawbacks as in the SE, i.e., it's small and paired with a tinted pod. The mode switch is placed at the bottom next to the USB-C port.
Both systems are lightweight and easy to pocket, but also durable enough to handle everyday wear and tear and drops. They get the job done in the looks and build department. I’d give a slight edge to the SE for its coating, but I prefer the form factor of the NANO. You can’t really go wrong with either one.
Getting started
Both devices function the same, so there's no need to go over each separately. You've got two basic pod systems that are inhale-to-fire only. No fire buttons, no off switches, nothing to worry about. Just pop in a pod that's been primed and vape. To prime the pod, just fill it up, wait five minutes, and you are good to go.
The pods are held in via magnets, pop in and out easily, and fit great. No wiggle or rattle. The LED light will turn on when you insert a pod, displaying the battery level. To fill up the pod, you have to remove it from the device. After that, there is a standard rubber plug. Pop it open and fill with any fine-point bottle.
The switch allows you to choose between Power and Eco mode. In power mode, you get more power and more airflow, and in eco mode, you get a tighter draw and less power. The switch adjusts both at the same time.
The battery meter is basic; the light color tells you the range of charge you have:
Green: 70-100%
Blue: 30-70%,
Red: 0-30%
That three-level battery indicator is the standard on most pods, but again, I'm not a fan. I wish it were four even steps of 25% each. The LED is a money saver, though, so it makes these devices more affordable, and you could always spend a little more and get a VIBE or VIBE NANO Pro, which have a full screen with a battery percentage. It all depends on what you like, and options are always welcome.
Performance
So, how do these devices vape? That's always the deciding factor for pod vapes. It’s the coils and the experience you get from vaping that really decides a pod's worth.
Both devices come with only one pod, which I'm not a fan of; I wish they came with one of each of the two available options. If you buy these devices in the U.S., they will both come with the 1.0-ohm pod, but I did get the 0.8-ohm pod with the NANO in my review samples.
They call these devices "Smart Pods" because the coils are dual-mesh, and switching between modes changes how the coils are fired—only one of the coils fires in Eco mode, while both fire in Power mode. That's a cool feature. You basically double your coils in power mode with the same coil you are already using. Power mode will burn out the coil faster and use more battery, but will give more flavor and vapor. Eco mode will give longer coil life and battery life, but less flavor and vapor.
Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about how they perform. Both coils are for MTL vaping. There is no DL option here, which is fine for a pod. Power mode offers a looser vape, while Eco mode gives you a tighter draw. Both coils perform well in terms of flavor and lifespan. Flavor was good in both modes for both coils, and each coil easily burned through a 30 mL bottle. These coils will last you over a week for sure in normal usage—probably more than two weeks. I switched back and forth between the two, and I don’t think one is better; it’s really just preference.
Battery life and charging
Both devices should be all-day vapes for most people. They are listed at 1100 mAh, but I've tested dozens of pods, and the general rule of thumb is to subtract 20% for the actual usable amount. That's what I look for when testing battery capacity. The same applies to charge rate; these are listed at 1A, so I typically expect a maximum charge rate of 0.8A to 1.0A.
Starting with the NANO, I got 1046 mAh of usable battery, which is great and better than I expected. The max charge rate was 0.95A and a total charge time of 1 hour and 24 minutes, which is good for the battery size. My results for the SE are very similar, with 1022 mAh, 0.94A max charge, and a charge time of 1 hour and 26 minutes. No complaints there at all.
They won’t be the fastest-charging vapes out there, because they're meant to be affordable devices with a large battery and juice capacity, so the super-fast charging you see in some more expensive mods wasn’t going to be an option. Both pods also have passthrough vaping.
Pros / Cons
Pros
Great build quality
Lightweight and durable
Both are pocketable (SE more so)
Innovative Smart Pod tech
Adjustable airflow/power (Eco and Power mode)
Easy to use and fill
Lots of color options (twn on the SE and eight on the NANO)
Passthrough vaping
Great battery life
Accurate ratings on battery and charge rate
Cons
Pods are tinted (juice level is hard to see with the pod installed)
Battery meter is only three steps
Only one pod is included in the kit
Charge time is a little long (almost 90 minutes)
Gallery
Verdict
What we have here are two affordable entry-level pod systems that are practically identical when it comes to features and functions. They offer excellent battery life, a large juice capacity, and a wide range of vibrant color options to suit anyone's style. The pods are great performers, and the way the Smart Pod tech works with the switch is... well... smart. If you're in the market for an affordable pod system, both are good options, and you can choose the form factor you prefer.
Have you tried the VAPORESSO VIBE NANO or VIBE SE? How was your experience?