Vape Device Types in NZ: Pod Systems, Tanks and Coils Explained
Vaping devices sold in New Zealand fall into three broad categories, and the specifications printed on a box describe a small number of things. This page explains the categories and the terminology in plain language. It describes how the products work; it is not advice to start vaping, and it is not a recommendation of any device.
What the regulations require of any device
Every vaping device and e-liquid sold in New Zealand must be notified to the Vaping Regulatory Authority before sale, and must meet the product safety requirements in the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Regulations 2021. In practice that means:
- The device must be rechargeable, and refillable or able to take a replaceable pod. Devices that are neither rechargeable nor refillable have been prohibited since 17 June 2025.
- It must have a child safety mechanism requiring two simultaneous or five sequential actions to activate, which the user cannot permanently switch off.
- It must deactivate automatically within 10 minutes of vaping stopping.
- A removable battery is not required. That requirement was removed from 1 September 2025.
How to check a vaping product is legal in NZ sets out how to verify a particular product.
The three categories
1. Prefilled pod systems (closed system)
A rechargeable battery unit that takes a sealed, pre-filled pod. The pod is replaced when empty. There is no filling and no coil to fit. E-liquid choice is limited to the pods made for that device.
2. Refillable pod systems
A rechargeable battery unit with a pod the user fills from a bottle. The pod, or a replaceable coil inside it, is changed periodically. These work with any compatible bottled e-liquid, including nicotine-free.
3. Tank and sub-ohm devices
Larger devices with a refillable tank and replaceable coils, designed for direct-to-lung inhaling. They use freebase e-liquid at lower nicotine strengths, produce more vapour, use more e-liquid, and require more maintenance than a pod system.
What the specifications mean
- Battery capacity (mAh)
- How much charge the battery holds. A higher figure means longer between charges. Most current devices charge over USB-C.
- Coil or pod resistance (ohms, Ω)
- Resistance determines how the device draws and how much vapour it produces. Pods of roughly 0.8 Ω and above give a tighter, mouth-to-lung draw and are made for nicotine salt e-liquid. Below about 0.6 Ω is sub-ohm: more airflow, more vapour, and freebase e-liquid at lower strengths.
- Pod or tank capacity (mL)
- How much e-liquid the pod holds. Most refillable pods hold around 2 mL. Prefilled pods are usually described by a rated puff count rather than a volume; rated figures are laboratory measurements and vary in real use.
- Airflow
- Whether the draw can be tightened or loosened. Some devices have a fixed airflow, others adjustable.
- Wattage range
- The power range a coil is designed to run at, usually printed on the coil. Running a coil above its range shortens its life.
Matching e-liquid to the device
Higher-resistance pods are designed for nicotine salt e-liquid. Sub-ohm coils are designed for freebase e-liquid at lower strengths. The two are not interchangeable: a high-strength nicotine salt in a sub-ohm device delivers a much larger dose of nicotine per puff, and a low-strength freebase in a small pod delivers very little. Nicotine salt and freebase e-liquid explains the difference between the two.
New Zealand caps nicotine at 20 mg/mL for freebase e-liquid and 28.5 mg/mL of nicotine for nicotine salt e-liquid.
Consumables
Pods and coils are consumable parts. A pod or coil in a small system typically lasts one to three weeks depending on use, e-liquid and power setting. A new pod or coil should be filled and left to stand upright for 5 to 10 minutes before first use so the wick is fully saturated. See pod and coil life, and the troubleshooting guide if something is not working.
Related reading
Questions about anything on this page: email customerservice@vapourium.nz or call 03 974 8136, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm.
Sources: Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990; Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Regulations 2021; Ministry of Health, Recent changes to Smokefree laws.