The vaping industry always changes course every few years. Box mods replaced cig-a-likes, pod systems replaced box mods, and now it's the talk of the day. Things like the Hayati Pro Max Pods are at the heart of an ongoing debate of whether prefilled pods are a convenience, or the future of daily vaping.
This article examines if that is the case, and what would have to be true for prefilled pods to be the preferred option over anything else.
Convenience Was Always Going to Win Eventually
Throughout the history of vaping, the direction has always been towards making it less of a hassle. Over the years, vapers have been switching to devices that are easier to set up, less cumbersome and less complicated to figure out. Prefilled pods match that trend so closely, in fact, that they are the simplicity that people have been moving towards for years, minus the disadvantages of the less convenient disposables.
It's not a dramatic change anymore. It's more of the next logical step in a trend that's been developing over time.
The Disposable Ban removed one of the greatest alternatives.
The UK has taken one of the biggest rivals to prefilled vapes out of the equation in an instant. Previously, vapers who would like to use a vaporizer without the hassle of refilling it had a prep-filled disposable vaporizer. The prefilled route is another one of the few options remaining that provides the same low-effort option.
In the middle of all that, brands that provide hayati pods have emerged as an obvious destination for vapers transitioning from a disposable routine, as it demands little of an individual who's had to get used to a disposable-style routine.
Manufacturing Has Closed the Performance Gap
Prefilled pods were perceived as a middle ground a couple of years ago, less appealing in flavour or production of vapours, but easy to use. This gap has been significantly reduced. With more advanced coil designs and the consistency of producing the coils, the prefilled pods perform pretty much like the refillable ones for most people in everyday use and have eliminated one of the top reasons to consider refillable coils in the long term.
As this continues, the performance argument for a refillable system may not be as compelling for the typical vaper, and more prefilled pods may become the standard.
The number of options that don't actually appeal to every-day vapers.
It is assumed that the more you can customize, the more you can do, and the more it is better, but most of the people who use the vapes on a daily basis aren't picking up a hundred different flavors and nicotine levels. They want something that is consistent and reliable, and always does the same thing. Prefilled pods align with this mentality perfectly, and this is a more important factor for long-term use than for a niche audience.
This helps to explain why prefilled pods have survived beyond the early adopter phase. It's more of a format that a majority of people would want to vape in, and not just a group of hardcore, into-the-details vape heros.
What would have to happen for this to become a reality?
In order for prefilled pods to easily become the standard choice over one of several options, a couple of things will likely have to persist. Variety of flavours and strengths would have to continue to grow; prices would have to remain competitive with refillable systems and availability would have to continue to be at a high level across all retailers in the UK as opposed to just a handful of brands.
None of these are a foregone conclusion but they are not a certainty either and that's why prefilled pods are looking like a pretty good bet over the future.
The application of UK Regulations is the same for both formats.
No matter what changes are made to the market, UK TPD guidelines set the limit for nicotine strength at 20mg/ml and 2ml tank capacity for both prefilled and refillable pod systems. That would simply be because of consumer preference and convenience, not any regulatory edge over refillable options, if there were to be any.
The following are some of the most frequently asked questions about the future of prefilled pods.
Will prefilled systems completely replace prefillable systems? While unlikely to be 100%, they are certainly gaining traction for those every day vapers who like to stick to the basics and need convenience over customisation.
So, why is prefilled pods are becoming popular now? The UK's disposable ban, combined with manufacturing improvements bringing disposable systems in line with their refillable peers, has eliminated a major alternative to refillable systems.
Are pre-filled systems more expensive over time than refillable systems? This varies, though the spread has closed due to greater competition and more efficient manufacturing in the category.
Will prefilled pods have more variety in the future? Probably yes, as customer demand for more flavours and strengths has been a driver for manufacturers to grow and not to shrink the market.
Final Thoughts
The market shift is not a certainty to make prefilled pods the only method for vaping but appears it's becoming the most popular way for more of the average vaper to vape. It's a combination of convenience, closing the gap and limited options.
It is likely to depend on the extent of variety and value improvement by the manufacturers in the coming few years for that to become the most preferred option or full domination.