Hello again. I’m here today to attempt to do a comparison review between the new Surge Pod System that was sent to me to test by Innokin along with a couple of common pod systems that you might find at a local convenience store or tobacco store. The ones I was sent to test were the Juul, RelX, and the Blu. Before receiving these, I had never tried any of them. I started out back in 2009 with some 510 cigalikes and move on from there. I was never really interested in what I consider to be the commercial pod kits. I’ve tested a lot of different ones from different manufacturers but never those three. The Juul I received was defective so won’t mention that one much. The main product I will be covering is the Surge ultrasonic pods system. It comes with a very nice battery, a single prefilled pod, charging cable and instruction manual. I actually received two units to test for the review. One is solid black and the other is a really nice purple to silver fade. The Surge is powered by an ultrasonic vaping chip that vibrates at a super high frequency of 3 million hits per second to split e-liquid into a cloud of aerosol. Therefore there is not a coil like most all of our other devices. You never have to worry about a dry hit or burnt taste since there is no coil being heated. I’ll talk a little about the RelX and Blu and try to give a comparison between my experiences with the three and tell which I prefer. Surge is not under the Innokin umbrella but Innokin is working in cooperation with them so Surge is its own brand but the Surge is being manufactured by Innokin and you can tell by the feel of quality of the device.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
The Relx and Blu kits did not come with any pods but the Surge did come with one pre-filled pod. However, I was sent pods for both in order to test them.
RELX CONTENTS:
1 Device + 1 Type-C Cable + 1 User Manual
Compatible Pod: RELX Pod Pro & RELX Pod
BLU CONTENTS:
Usage Instructions
1x USB charger (micro-USB)
1x blu® rechargeable Device
SURGE STARTER KIT CONTENTS:
1 x Surge Ultrasonic Device
1 x Polar Mint 18mg 1.8ml Pod
1 x USB-C Cable
1 x User Manual
SURGE SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES:
Mod Size: 94 x 21 x 13mm
Pod Size: 35 x 21 x 13mm
Capacity: 1.8ml
Battery: 700 mAh
700mAh Battery
Disposable Pods
Mouth to Lung Vape
Inhale Activated
What makes it better?
Surge pods use ultrasonic technology to create vapor without coils. No wires are heated to produce vapor which prevents harmful dry hits and burnt taste. No allergenic metal is heated or inhaled.
Ultrasonic heating creates smaller particles, which deliver nicotine content more efficiently, for increased vaping satisfaction.
Ultrasonic tech prevents flavors from deteriorating. Unlike traditional heating wires, ultrasonic tech vaporizes e-liquid at a lower temperature, delivering the molecules in smaller particles, producing pure flavors till its last drop. ‘No-coil design’ brings purer flavor without a burnt taste. Enjoy great e-liquid flavors from your first puff to your last.
Our flavors have been carefully selected and tested to perfectly match with the ultrasonic technology.
Polar Mint / Green Mint / Smooth Tobacco / Rich Tobacco / Watermelon Ice / Blueberry Ice
The Surge Starter Kit is an ultra-smooth ultra-sleek ultrasonic closed pod kit (uses pre-filled pods) that is great for beginners and anyone wanting to make the switch from smoking. It comes with 1 x Polar Mint 18mg Pod.
It uses an ultrasonic chip that atomizes e-liquid into vapor through a high tech high-speed vibration (3 million hits per second), it uses this vibration to vaporize e-liquid so it doesn't need to use coils, making dry or bunt hits impossible.
Vapor is created at a much lower temperature to break up the particles and potentially produce fewer toxins and prevent the breakdown of nicotine, allowing for a more effective and satisfying hit.
The main point is that the temperature at point of vaporizing is much lower than it is with wire/mesh coils. This also benefits the flavor production as it delivers the e-liquid molecules in smaller particles, creating amazing flavor with every puff.
This kit also has a number of safety features to keep your mind at ease including, short circuit protection, low voltage protection, over vaping protection, over charging protection, no-load protection and anti-dry burning protection.
INITIAL THOUGHTS:
I received the Juul first but I could barely get any vapor out of it even fully charged even after trying multiple pods. I’ve never used one before so am assuming it was a defective unit. After that I was sent the Blu and RelX pod devices. I noticed immediately that neither device came with a pod in the package but Innokin made sure I was sent extra pods for each for this review. The menthol pod for the RelX wasn’t bad at all. It was more of a mint with a touch of menthol. The RelX produced a decent amount of vapor and the flavor was alright. I only received the one package of pods for the RelX so cannot comment on other flavors. The Blu produced a considerable less amount of vapor and their menthol pod was not as enjoyable. However I was also sent a package of tobacco pods for the Blu so tried that one as well. To me it was not good. It reminded me of a cardboard taste. I get that they are trying to replicate the taste of a cigarette but didn’t care for that one at all and the lack of enjoyable flavor was a no go for me.
I received two of the Surge starter kits for the review along with a package of each flavor of pods to try. The Surge produced a little more vapor than the RelX and a lot more than the Blu. All of the Surge pods are 18mg strength as this has been determined to be the optimal strength for this product. The pod flavors I received were Polar Mint, Green Mint, Smooth Tobacco, Rich Tobacco, Watermelon Ice, and Blueberry ice. Also the Surge starter kit came with one Polar Mint pod with the device where the others did not. That’s a plus in my book. The menthol of the Polar Mint was just too overbearing for me. If I tried chain vaping it then the menthol hurt my throat. Obviously there must be some out there that enjoy that strong menthol. The Smooth tobacco was a nice semi sweet tobacco while the Rich tobacco was more of a straight tobacco and I really enjoyed both of them. One of the Rich tobacco pods would not work but the second was fine. The Watermelon ice was a fairly strong menthol with a watermelon flavor that I really didn’t taste that much but not as strong as the Polar. The Blueberry ice was my favorite out of the Ice flavors. It was a nice sweet blueberry flavor but I could have done with a little less menthol. I do like menthol but not quite as strong as these were. I was unable to try the Green Mint since both pods would not work. When I would take a puff, the light on the device would flash indicating that no connection was being made. However, Innokin decided to send some more pods. Also a couple of the initial pods I received had leaked some in the rubber sleeves and had to be wiped down before using them but they did operate fine.
If the three kits were set in front of me I would rate them from best to worst as the Surge, RelX, and Blu. The Juul was out of the running due to being defective.
SURGE PODS:
I was sent a package of each of the available pod flavors. As I mentioned earlier, all of them are 18mg. Although I had some initial issues with a few of the pods not working, I was sent replacements. After all, when a package travels from China to the U.S. anything can happen. The replacements I received did work well. Each package contains two pre-filled pods in the corresponding flavor. The pods come in foil packs and there is a plug in the airflow intake as well as the silicon cover over the base that must be removed to insert the pod into the battery unit.
I like that the flavor of each pod is printed clearly on the side of the pod. I found myself switching back and forth between different pods so that really helped to keep track of which one was which. I also saved the silicone sleeves for storage when not using a pod.
The battery unit of the Surge kit has a 700mah capacity but it seemed to last a long time and was able to recharge fairly quickly. It also helped that I was sent multiple units for the review which made testing of the different flavors easier. The pods just snap into place and stay secure. There was no issue with a pod coming loose on any that I tried.
I have found after reviewing many pod systems that the favorite place to put the charging port is on the bottom of the unit. This is one other thing that I liked was that on the Surge, the USB-C port was on the side of the unit while the Blu was an old style connector and the Relx was on the bottom but at least it was a USB-C. The Surge has a single indicator light on the front as does the Relx but the Blu had a single blue light on the end opposite the mouthpiece. The Surge also has battery venting holes on the bottom. All three units are draw activated only and the indicator lights when taking a puff.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
This was an interesting experience for me as I’ve never tried any of the commercial closed pod systems like the Blu, Relx, or Juul but have tested a couple that came with pre-filled pods. I very much like the streamlined design of the Surge. The purple/silver version I received has nice lines accentuated by the color fade. Besides having a superior appearance, the Surge outperformed both the Blu and the Relx.
I very much liked the blueberry ice and both tobacco flavors that I was sent for the Surge. The mint pods for the Relx were tolerable and I didn’t care at all for the Blu cartridges. The vapor was weak and the flavor really wasn’t very good. To me, their tobacco pod tasted like wet cardboard while the Surge tobacco flavors were more like what I’ve come to expect from vaping tobacco flavors. I did not receive any tobacco flavors for the Relx.
The Surge does not use coils but instead uses an ultrasonic chip at 3 million hits per second to split liquid into an aerosol so the vapor is not very warm while the flavor produced is pretty darn good. One complaint I have about this one and a couple other pod systems that I’ve reviewed with pre-filled pods is that for some reason it is deemed necessary to make the menthol so strong that after 4-5 puffs the menthol hurts my throat. I do regularly use menthol in a menthol tobacco that I mix myself and it’s nowhere near as strong as the menthol in the pre-filled pods. The blueberry ice was much more tolerable than the polar mint and the green mint did not have quite as strong menthol as the polar.
I can see where these types of devices can help smokers make the switch from cigarettes to vaping. As a long time vaper myself, I really have little interest in consistently buying pre-filled pods to continue using this type of device but definitely can see a place for it in the market.
It has been a good learning experience for me trying these three devices and I would like to thank Innokin and Anna for sending the Relx, Blu, and most importantly the star of the show, the Surge for this review. Below is a link to the Surge website for those that are interested. Also thanks to the readers.
Surgevapor
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
The Relx and Blu kits did not come with any pods but the Surge did come with one pre-filled pod. However, I was sent pods for both in order to test them.
RELX CONTENTS:
1 Device + 1 Type-C Cable + 1 User Manual
Compatible Pod: RELX Pod Pro & RELX Pod
BLU CONTENTS:
Usage Instructions
1x USB charger (micro-USB)
1x blu® rechargeable Device
SURGE STARTER KIT CONTENTS:
1 x Surge Ultrasonic Device
1 x Polar Mint 18mg 1.8ml Pod
1 x USB-C Cable
1 x User Manual
SURGE SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES:
Mod Size: 94 x 21 x 13mm
Pod Size: 35 x 21 x 13mm
Capacity: 1.8ml
Battery: 700 mAh
700mAh Battery
Disposable Pods
Mouth to Lung Vape
Inhale Activated
What makes it better?
Surge pods use ultrasonic technology to create vapor without coils. No wires are heated to produce vapor which prevents harmful dry hits and burnt taste. No allergenic metal is heated or inhaled.
Ultrasonic heating creates smaller particles, which deliver nicotine content more efficiently, for increased vaping satisfaction.
Ultrasonic tech prevents flavors from deteriorating. Unlike traditional heating wires, ultrasonic tech vaporizes e-liquid at a lower temperature, delivering the molecules in smaller particles, producing pure flavors till its last drop. ‘No-coil design’ brings purer flavor without a burnt taste. Enjoy great e-liquid flavors from your first puff to your last.
Our flavors have been carefully selected and tested to perfectly match with the ultrasonic technology.
Polar Mint / Green Mint / Smooth Tobacco / Rich Tobacco / Watermelon Ice / Blueberry Ice
The Surge Starter Kit is an ultra-smooth ultra-sleek ultrasonic closed pod kit (uses pre-filled pods) that is great for beginners and anyone wanting to make the switch from smoking. It comes with 1 x Polar Mint 18mg Pod.
It uses an ultrasonic chip that atomizes e-liquid into vapor through a high tech high-speed vibration (3 million hits per second), it uses this vibration to vaporize e-liquid so it doesn't need to use coils, making dry or bunt hits impossible.
Vapor is created at a much lower temperature to break up the particles and potentially produce fewer toxins and prevent the breakdown of nicotine, allowing for a more effective and satisfying hit.
The main point is that the temperature at point of vaporizing is much lower than it is with wire/mesh coils. This also benefits the flavor production as it delivers the e-liquid molecules in smaller particles, creating amazing flavor with every puff.
This kit also has a number of safety features to keep your mind at ease including, short circuit protection, low voltage protection, over vaping protection, over charging protection, no-load protection and anti-dry burning protection.
INITIAL THOUGHTS:
I received the Juul first but I could barely get any vapor out of it even fully charged even after trying multiple pods. I’ve never used one before so am assuming it was a defective unit. After that I was sent the Blu and RelX pod devices. I noticed immediately that neither device came with a pod in the package but Innokin made sure I was sent extra pods for each for this review. The menthol pod for the RelX wasn’t bad at all. It was more of a mint with a touch of menthol. The RelX produced a decent amount of vapor and the flavor was alright. I only received the one package of pods for the RelX so cannot comment on other flavors. The Blu produced a considerable less amount of vapor and their menthol pod was not as enjoyable. However I was also sent a package of tobacco pods for the Blu so tried that one as well. To me it was not good. It reminded me of a cardboard taste. I get that they are trying to replicate the taste of a cigarette but didn’t care for that one at all and the lack of enjoyable flavor was a no go for me.
I received two of the Surge starter kits for the review along with a package of each flavor of pods to try. The Surge produced a little more vapor than the RelX and a lot more than the Blu. All of the Surge pods are 18mg strength as this has been determined to be the optimal strength for this product. The pod flavors I received were Polar Mint, Green Mint, Smooth Tobacco, Rich Tobacco, Watermelon Ice, and Blueberry ice. Also the Surge starter kit came with one Polar Mint pod with the device where the others did not. That’s a plus in my book. The menthol of the Polar Mint was just too overbearing for me. If I tried chain vaping it then the menthol hurt my throat. Obviously there must be some out there that enjoy that strong menthol. The Smooth tobacco was a nice semi sweet tobacco while the Rich tobacco was more of a straight tobacco and I really enjoyed both of them. One of the Rich tobacco pods would not work but the second was fine. The Watermelon ice was a fairly strong menthol with a watermelon flavor that I really didn’t taste that much but not as strong as the Polar. The Blueberry ice was my favorite out of the Ice flavors. It was a nice sweet blueberry flavor but I could have done with a little less menthol. I do like menthol but not quite as strong as these were. I was unable to try the Green Mint since both pods would not work. When I would take a puff, the light on the device would flash indicating that no connection was being made. However, Innokin decided to send some more pods. Also a couple of the initial pods I received had leaked some in the rubber sleeves and had to be wiped down before using them but they did operate fine.
If the three kits were set in front of me I would rate them from best to worst as the Surge, RelX, and Blu. The Juul was out of the running due to being defective.
SURGE PODS:
I was sent a package of each of the available pod flavors. As I mentioned earlier, all of them are 18mg. Although I had some initial issues with a few of the pods not working, I was sent replacements. After all, when a package travels from China to the U.S. anything can happen. The replacements I received did work well. Each package contains two pre-filled pods in the corresponding flavor. The pods come in foil packs and there is a plug in the airflow intake as well as the silicon cover over the base that must be removed to insert the pod into the battery unit.
I like that the flavor of each pod is printed clearly on the side of the pod. I found myself switching back and forth between different pods so that really helped to keep track of which one was which. I also saved the silicone sleeves for storage when not using a pod.
The battery unit of the Surge kit has a 700mah capacity but it seemed to last a long time and was able to recharge fairly quickly. It also helped that I was sent multiple units for the review which made testing of the different flavors easier. The pods just snap into place and stay secure. There was no issue with a pod coming loose on any that I tried.
I have found after reviewing many pod systems that the favorite place to put the charging port is on the bottom of the unit. This is one other thing that I liked was that on the Surge, the USB-C port was on the side of the unit while the Blu was an old style connector and the Relx was on the bottom but at least it was a USB-C. The Surge has a single indicator light on the front as does the Relx but the Blu had a single blue light on the end opposite the mouthpiece. The Surge also has battery venting holes on the bottom. All three units are draw activated only and the indicator lights when taking a puff.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
This was an interesting experience for me as I’ve never tried any of the commercial closed pod systems like the Blu, Relx, or Juul but have tested a couple that came with pre-filled pods. I very much like the streamlined design of the Surge. The purple/silver version I received has nice lines accentuated by the color fade. Besides having a superior appearance, the Surge outperformed both the Blu and the Relx.
I very much liked the blueberry ice and both tobacco flavors that I was sent for the Surge. The mint pods for the Relx were tolerable and I didn’t care at all for the Blu cartridges. The vapor was weak and the flavor really wasn’t very good. To me, their tobacco pod tasted like wet cardboard while the Surge tobacco flavors were more like what I’ve come to expect from vaping tobacco flavors. I did not receive any tobacco flavors for the Relx.
The Surge does not use coils but instead uses an ultrasonic chip at 3 million hits per second to split liquid into an aerosol so the vapor is not very warm while the flavor produced is pretty darn good. One complaint I have about this one and a couple other pod systems that I’ve reviewed with pre-filled pods is that for some reason it is deemed necessary to make the menthol so strong that after 4-5 puffs the menthol hurts my throat. I do regularly use menthol in a menthol tobacco that I mix myself and it’s nowhere near as strong as the menthol in the pre-filled pods. The blueberry ice was much more tolerable than the polar mint and the green mint did not have quite as strong menthol as the polar.
I can see where these types of devices can help smokers make the switch from cigarettes to vaping. As a long time vaper myself, I really have little interest in consistently buying pre-filled pods to continue using this type of device but definitely can see a place for it in the market.
It has been a good learning experience for me trying these three devices and I would like to thank Innokin and Anna for sending the Relx, Blu, and most importantly the star of the show, the Surge for this review. Below is a link to the Surge website for those that are interested. Also thanks to the readers.
Surgevapor
