To put it bluntly, the cost of JUUL pods is outrageous. I vividly recall standing in a corner convenience store and staring at the four-pack price tag. The mental math suddenly dawned on me: my daily routine of JUUL-ing was costing me far more than my daily cup of coffee.
In disgust and having a creative problem-solving streak, I began filling my used JUUL pods. Since then I have gone through hundreds of pods, each time experiencing a combination of success and catastrophic failures. But through trial-and-error and perseverance, I developed a simple method to refill my JUUL pods that is nearly as easy as purchasing pre-filled pods. If you are fed up with the financial drain of JUUL pods and would like to save money, this article — filled with my trials and tribulations — is for you.
Why Bother Refilling? Beyond Just Savings
While saving money is a big reason to refill your JUUL pods, I have found that there are several additional reasons:
- I am no longer confined to Mint, Menthol and Virginia Tobacco flavors. In fact, I have discovered a wide variety of flavors — from sweet Mango to rich Custard — which makes the process of vaping enjoyable once again.
- JUUL does not make it easy to lower your nicotine strength, especially with their pre-filled pods. However, when you refill your pods, you can gradually decrease the nicotine content in your liquid if you choose to do so.
My Step-by-Step Refill Process (The Leak-Free Way)
Do not follow the hack videos that require pliers and brute force. This gentle refill process maintains the integrity of your pod and minimizes leaks.
What You Will Need:
- An empty JUUL pod (The color of the pod's original liquid determines how difficult it is to remove the original flavor. I prefer to start with Menthol or Virginia Tobacco pods because they are easier to clean.)
- Your choice of nicotine salt e-liquid (50mg/mL or 30mg/mL are ideal to provide the same throat hit as JUUL pods.) My personal preference is Jewel Mint by Pod Juice which is essentially an exact duplicate of JUUL's Mint flavor.
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Paper towels or tissues.
Step 1: Clean & Prepare the Pod
Use a paper towel to wipe the entire pod and remove the black rubber gasket from the mouthpiece. You can use your fingernail or a small, flat tool such as tweezers to remove the gasket. BE CAREFUL!!! The gasket is your PRIMARY DEFENSE AGAINST LEAKAGE. I have damaged the gasket on a few pods in my haste which rendered those pods unusable.
Step 2: Remove the Rubber Caps
There are two rubber caps on the bottom of the pod: a black cap covering the airflow channels and a clear cap covering the fill ports.
- The BLACK seal is covering the airflow channels. Keep that one untouched. That is my most important leak prevention advice for you to follow.
- The CLEAR cap has two small holes where you will pour the liquid. Gently pry open the clear cap with your fingernail or a toothpick to expose the holes.
Step 3: Fill 'Er Up!
Tilt the pod at a 45° angle to create an air space and prevent a vacuum from forming when the liquid flows in. SLOWLY Drip the e-liquid into one of the holes and alternate between the two holes as the pod fills. When you see the liquid JUST TOUCH the bottom of the clear plastic window,
Step 4: Re-Seal and Allow It to Rest
Put the clear rubber cap back on and press it firmly into place. Make sure it is secure and flush. Replace the black gasket. Now, here's the secret to preventing a mouthful of juice: Take a dry paper towel and BLAST THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF THE POD INTO THE TOWEL. Any excess liquid that may have gotten past the rubber cap and into the coil will be blown out of the coil and onto the paper towel.
Allow the pod to rest upright for at least 10 minutes. This gives the cotton wicks inside the pod ample time to become saturated with the new liquid. If you do not allow the pod to rest, you will receive a terrible "dry hit" which will immediately ruin the coil.
Step 5: Enjoy and Maintain
Insert the pod into your JUUL. Before you even inhale, do a quick visual inspection to determine if the pod is leaking from the bottom.
Take small, gentle puffs to begin with. I find that the flavor and vapor production of a freshly refilled pod is often greater than that of a brand new pod during the first few puffs.
Crucial Insights from the School of Hard Knocks
- Pod Lifespan: On average, a JUUL pod can be refilled 3-4 times before the coil becomes burned-out or the flavor weakens significantly. Do Not Try To Make One Pod Last Forever.
- The Flavor Ghost: Even though I rinse the pod thoroughly after cleaning it, many of the flavors (tobacco flavors particularly) remain in the pod long enough to "ghost" the new liquid. If possible, dedicate pods to different flavor combinations.
- Leaks: Minor leaks are often caused by over-filling the pod or failing to keep the pod upright. Typically, a quick blow-through of the pod into a paper towel will cure the problem. Major leaks are simply better left to the landfill.
- The Spitback: If e-liquid starts popping into your mouth while vaping, it means the coil is flooded with e-liquid. The blow-through method is probably your best bet to fix this problem.
Conclusion
Refilling JUUL pods has changed my vaping experience from an expensive, limited activity to a completely customized and inexpensive hobby. While there is some required patience and finesse to refill pods, the reward is well worth it. You are no longer providing the "pod-alition" a large amount of money, and you now have access to a world of flavors that JUUL Inc. will never reveal to you.