Last time, we examined the best Smok Novo pods for max-VG eliquids. While there were plenty of great options, the Smok Novo is first and foremost a refillable vape pod kit. And it was optimized for high potency salt nic.
NIC SALT ELIQUIDS
Before examining the best Smok Novo pods for salt nic, it is time to quickly examine what this term means. Salt nic, or nicotine salts, refers to the type of nicotine used in the eliquid. The actual base of “regular” nicotine and nic salts is the same: propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin. The fundamental difference is that nicotine salts have a lower pH. This means that more can be added to a given eliquid without making the vapor intolerably harsh. This is why nic salts are primarily high potency formulas. There is no reason to use nic salts for lower nicotine eliquids.
The advantage of nic salts is that you need to vape less overall and they work great for mouth-to-lung vaping. Check out our feature, Intro to Nic Salts, for a deeper dive into this subject.
SMOK NOVO OVERVIEW
There are several generations of the Smok Novo. The first was a smash hit and the subsequent versions offer improved performance while staying true to the original design. The Smok Novo is a compact vape pod system that uses autodraw activation. There is no fire button and it couldn’t be easier to use.
To further simplify matters, there are no coils to swap out. There are plenty of all-in-one vape pods on the market where you save the pod and toss the coil. But the Novo is not one. The entire pod is pitched when its service life is over.
All of the Novo pods have a similar design, they have a fill port on the side and the mouthpiece and eliquid tank are integrated.
What has changed over the years are the pod designs and the device itself. The original Smok Novo only had a 450mAh battery but all subsequent models have an 800mAh battery and 25w output. The Smok Novo 2 and Smok Novo 3 are nearly identical devices. The wildcard is the Smok Novo X, which has adjustable wattage. It is also the only Novo which is not compatible with the others. The basic design elements are the same but the pods are slightly larger.
BEST SMOK NOVO PODS FOR MAX-VG ELIQUIDS
With four Novos on the market, how do you know which one is right for you? We compared the Smok Novo versus the Smok Novo 2 versus the Smok Novo 3 versus the Smok Novo X earlier this year. Here is an overview of the Smok Novo family. As mentioned earlier, the pods for the Novo, Novo 2 and Novo 3 are cross compatible. They all hold 2ml eliquid. And they are all pretty much designed for salt nic.
SMOK NOVO X
The only Novo that lacks cross compatibility, the Smok Novo X is also the largest member of the family. It is an impressive vape pod kit and is the only Novo with adjustable wattage. Powered by an 800mAh battery, the larger pod design is actually quite discernible when vaping. It has a much looser draw and many nic salt vapers may prefer its tighter drawing siblings or cover one of the air flow ports to constrict.
Otherwise, it can take a fairly big puff to fire up the autodraw.
The Novo X is probably the best Novo for max-VG eliquids but its advantages when using nic salts is not as clear cut.
SMOK NOVO X PODS
There are two Smok Novo X pods. The first is the DC MTL 0.8ohm and the second is the Mesh 0.8ohm pod. The DC MTL is ideal for nic salts and the adjustable wattage keeps the vapor production to a reasonable level for such a low resistance coil design. The larger juice ports are actually quite useful when using thicker nic salts, such as the 70 percent VG formulas used by VGod. The Novo X definitely delivers great vapor and flavor. The pods are extremely long lasting. It is my Novo of choice but I recognize the merits of the Novo 2 and Novo 3.
SMOK NOVO 3
On paper, the Smok Novo 3 and Smok Novo 2 are pretty close to identical. Both have 800mAh batteries. Both have an output of up to 25w. They are basically identical in size, weight and appearance. The subtle improvements to the Smok Novo 3 are to the airflow. But with the Smok Novo 3 came a new generation of improved Novo pods. And these are superior to their predecessors when it comes to vaping max-VG eliquids.
SMOK NOVO 3 PODS
The best Smok Novo 3 pod for salt nic is the Smok Novo 3 0.8ohm Mesh Coil. This pod is a breakthrough design and has the same low resistance performance as the Novo X. But it also has the added advantage of working with a Smok Novo 2. Not quite as open of draw as the Novo X 0.8ohm mesh, this is a multipurpose pod that can handle salt nic and max-VG eliquids. The flavor is top notch. There are purists who want a higher resistance design but I prefer the warmer vapor and cloud volume of this design.
SMOK NOVO 2
The Smok Novo 2 is compact and efficient. The pods are long lasting and deliver fantastic flavor. Unlike its newer siblings, the Novo 2 also has full lineup of pod designs, rather than a one-size fits all 0.8ohm pod. If high-VG is what you want, the Smok Novo 2 has a Smok Novo 2 1.0ohm Mesh Coil. But I personally use this pod for nic salts as well. But mouth-to-lung purists will find some strong lower resistance options that are expressly designed for salt nic.
SMOK NOVO 2 PODS
The Smok Novo 2 has a pair of 1.4ohm pod options. There is a quartz coil option and an MTL option. Low vapor production, efficiency and flavor are the name of the game with both. The quartz is a bit too cool for my taste but is a discrete and satisfying option. If you vape high-nic strength salt nic, such as the widely available 5 percent eliquids, the 1.4ohm MTL has been literally designed for you and is your best option.
SMOK NOVO
The original Novo has a 450mAh battery. It can be identified by the battery jack location, which is on the side and not on the bottom. It gives up a bit of power to its older siblings as well. As original Novo pods can still be found, it makes sense to get a Novo 2 or Novo 3 if you are buying a new device.
SMOK NOVO PODS
The original Novo pods have great flavor, 2ml eliquid capacity and are fairly long lasting. They provide a great mouth-to-lung vaping experience. With a resistance of either 1.0 or 1.2ohms, there is a reason why this vape pod kit has aged so well and remains popular with adult vapers.