Big puff vapes are some of the most popular devices around at the moment and with the disposable ban on the horizon, now is the perfect time to find out whether your favourite vape is likely to be affected.
The regulations still need to be voted on in Parliament before passing into law, but it looks very likely that the ban will come into play from 1st June 2025. The Government is introducing these new restrictions as a way of tackling problems around underage vaping and as a way to reduce the environmental impact of single-use vapes.
Big puff vapes, which are well-loved for their long-lasting vaping experience and bold flavours, will be affected by the ban in some cases. Big puff vapes that have a reusable design won’t be banned, while the disposable variety will. Dive on in for more about how to tell the difference and what the ban will mean for big puff vapes.
What is the ban on disposable vapes?
The ban on disposable vapes is a new series of laws and regulations around the sale of single-use vapes that was proposed by the Tory Government in January 2024. In October, the Labour Government announced that The Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (England) Regulations 2024 draft regulations have been tabled to be voted on in Parliament. If the regulations then pass into law, (which is looking very likely) the ban will take effect on the 1st of June 2025. It is expected that both Wales and Scotland will follow a similar timeline.
The Government has classified a single-use vape as:
“(a) not refillable
(b) not rechargeable, or
(c) not refillable and not rechargeable
For the purpose of (a) and (c), a vape is not refillable unless:
it is designed to include a single-use container which is separately available and can be replaced, or a container which can be refilled
For the purpose of (b) and (c), a vape is not rechargeable unless if it is designed to contain a battery which cannot be recharged, or a coil which is not intended to be replaced by the user in the normal course of use, including any coil which is contained in a single-use cartridge or pod which is not separately available and cannot be replaced.”
You’ll find a lot more details about the ban and its progress in our guide to the disposable vape ban.
What are big puff devices?
Big puff vapes are a type of vaping device that comes with more than 2ml of e-liquid and usually has a high power or rechargeable built-in battery. This higher volume of vape juice means the vapes can offer a higher puff count and longer lasting experience than the average disposable vape. For a vape to be considered as a big puff device, it typically needs to offer up to 1,200 puffs or more. You’ll find lots more information in our article about the rise of big puff vapes. The important thing to bear in mind when it comes to the upcoming ban is the fact that there are different types of big puff vapes and that not all will be affected. Read on to find out more about the differences between disposable, reusable, and zero nicotine big puff vapes to make sure you’re in the know.
Are big puff devices disposable or reusable - what is the difference?
Some big puff devices are designed to be single-use while others are reusable – and this difference will be the crucial deciding factor on whether they will still be available after the ban or not. Here’s a quick guide to the types of big puff vapes and how to tell the difference between them.
What are disposable big puff vapes?
Disposable big puff vapes are vaping devices that come with more than 2ml of vape juice and are designed to be discarded after use. Big puff disposable vapes:
·Can’t be refilled, you can only use them until the included e-liquid runs out
·May have a large battery power designed to last roughly as long as the included vape juice, or may have batteries which can be recharged
·Need to be disposed of and replaced once finished
Some of the most well-loved disposable big puff vapes currently available are the Elf Bar AF5000 and the Lost Mary BM6000. It’s very possible that both Elf Bar and Lost Mary will redesign these popular disposables to be reusable in the future.
What are reusable big puff vapes?
Reusable big puff vapes offer high puff counts and great flavour options, just like the disposable variety, but they can be reused. Reusable big puff vapes:
·Have replaceable pre-filled pods and/or refill containers
·Use a rechargeable battery, which can typically be recharged through a USB-C cable
·Have a similar lifespan to any other reusable vape kit
There are many reusable big puff vape kits already on the market and we can expect to see more joining them throughout the next year. A few of the most popular include the Lost Mary 4in1 big puff prefilled pod kit, the DOJO Blast 6000 and the SKE Crystal 4in1, none of which will be affected by the ban.
What are zero nicotine big puff vapes?
Nicotine-free big puff vapes aren’t subject to the same rules as nicotine-containing vape, which means you can find disposable vapes with no nicotine that offer a high puff count without the need for refill containers or replacement pods. Nicotine-free big puff vapes:
·Can’t be refilled so they only last as long as the e-liquid that is included
·Don’t often offer rechargeable batteries
·Need to be disposed of and replaced once the vape juice is finished
While they may contain more e-liquid than other types of disposable vapes, nicotine-free big puff vapes are classed as single-use vapes.
Will all of these types of big puff vapes be affected by the ban?
Disposable big puff vapes – Yes. Disposable big puff vapes are designed as single-use vapes and they will be banned under new regulations.
Reusable big puff vapes – No. Big puff vapes with prefilled pods that can be replaced and rechargeable batteries are not single-use devices and won’t be banned under the new regulations.
Nicotine-free big puff vapes – Yes. Because most nicotine-free big puff vapes are disposable vapes, they won’t be available to buy after the ban comes into play. We expect to see big vaping brands designing new devices to fill this gap in the coming months.
Are all rechargeable vapes fine?
It’s worth bearing in mind that some disposable vapes can have rechargeable batteries but will still be subject to the ban. That’s because these types of vapes allow you to extend the battery life to match the amount of e-liquid they come with, sometimes offering an extensive number of puffs, but the e-liquid can’t be refilled. That means that even though have rechargeable batteries, they are still classed as single-use devices.
Types of big puff vapes affected - and some alternative devices
We’ve pulled together a list of some of the disposable big puff vapes we know vapers love with some alternative suggestions. Not all of the replacement ideas are big puffs, some we’ve chosen because they offer similar flavours and designs, or they’re from the same much-loved brand.
What other changes might we see to big puff devices?
As we mentioned earlier, it is very likely that we’ll see all kinds of changes to big puff vape designs in the future. We expect devices to evolve to take new concerns into consideration, whether that’s the upcoming ban or the growing trend towards reusable vapes for environmental reasons.
We’ve already seen a big shift towards reusable vape kits and this is sure to continue in the lead up to the ban. It’s likely that many brands offering big puff disposable vapes will redesign their devices to have replaceable pods and replaceable refill containers, so they can maintain the big puff count and the general design of the device, while also meeting the new regulations. Nicotine-free big puff vapes may also be redesigned to offer more reusable options.
Looking at the reusable big puff vapes we already have on the market gives us a good idea of what new devices or adaptations will look like. Expect to see more big puff vapes that are able to hold multiple replaceable pods, like the Lost Mary 4in1 and SKE Crystal 4in1, or with a replaceable refilling pod design like the DOJO Blast 6000.
The future of big puff devices after the disposable ban
The upcoming disposable ban is certainly going to affect the types of big puff vapes available to buy. Disposable big puff vapes and single-use nicotine-free big puff vapes will be hit by the ban. However, reusable big puff vapes will continue to be sold, while well-loved vape brands will continue to innovate and offer more and more alternative big puff devices that meet with the upcoming changes to regulation.