The main types of vapes fall into two families: nicotine e-liquid devices, such as refillable pod kits and box mods, and oil hardware, such as 510 cartridge and battery sets, magnetic pod systems and all-in-one devices. The families differ in what goes inside, how the heater is built and which rules apply.
3DevicesCCELL supplies oil hardware for licensed and legal oils only, and single-use nicotine disposables have been illegal to sell in the UK since 1 June 2025. Each oil format answers a different brief on battery choice, filling workflow, branding and cost.
Key takeaways
- Vapes split into nicotine e-liquid devices and oil hardware; we supply only oil hardware for licensed and legal oils.
- A 510 set pairs a cartridge with any compatible battery, a pod system uses a matched closed fit, and an all-in-one combines both in one body.
- Postless CCELL 3.0 cartridges keep the 510 thread but remove the centre post, which suits viscous live extracts.
- Single-use vapes have been banned for sale in the UK since 1 June 2025, so reusable designs matter.
- Choose by oil type, filling workflow, branding and battery range, not by price alone.
What are the main types of vapes?
Vapes divide into nicotine e-liquid devices and oil (extract) hardware, and the split matters because the heater, the fill and the regulation all differ between the two.
Nicotine e-liquid devices include cigalikes, vape pens, refillable pod kits and box mods. Single-use disposables belong to the same family, but UK businesses can no longer legally sell them.
Oil hardware is built for thicker extracts and uses a ceramic heating core rather than a coil and wick. It comes in four formats:
- 510 cartridge plus battery: a cartridge screws onto a separate battery.
- Magnetic pod system: a proprietary pod snaps onto a matched battery.
- All-in-one (AIO): tank, core and battery sit in one rechargeable body.
- Postless 3.0 cartridge: a 510 cartridge with no centre post in the tank.
We supply oil hardware for licensed and legal oils only, filled by licensed brands. Nicotine devices and dry herb vaporisers sit outside our range.
Types of vapes compared at a glance
The table below sets each format against how it works and the buyer it suits best.
| Format | How it works | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| 510 cartridge plus battery | Cartridge with a ceramic core screws onto a separate battery | Brands that want interchangeable parts and wide battery choice |
| Magnetic pod system | Proprietary pod snaps onto a matched magnetic battery | Brands that want a closed, consistent fit |
| All-in-one (AIO) | Tank, core and battery in one rechargeable body, filled by the brand | Brands that want a finished device as a single item |
| Postless 3.0 cartridge | 510 cartridge with no centre post and a cottonless 3.0 core | Viscous live extracts and larger fills |
| Nicotine disposable | Pre-filled, not refillable; banned for sale in the UK since 1 June 2025 | Not supplied by us |
| Refillable nicotine pod kit | Refillable or pre-filled e-liquid pods on a rechargeable base | Nicotine e-liquid; outside our range |
| Box mod | Larger battery body with adjustable settings and a tank | Experienced nicotine users; outside our range |
510 cartridge and battery vapes
A 510 vape is a two-part system in which a cartridge with a 510 thread screws onto a separate battery, so either part can be swapped without changing the other.
How the cartridge works
A cartridge has four working parts: a mouthpiece, an oil tank, a ceramic core and intake apertures. Oil enters the core through the intake apertures, and the ceramic heats it when the battery supplies current. Resistance, measured in ohms, tells you how much power a given voltage will push through that core.
The CCELL TH2 EVOMAX cartridge shows the layout. It holds 0.5ml or 1ml in a borosilicate glass body with a medical-grade stainless steel centre post, an EVOMAX ceramic core, four 2mm intake apertures, 1.7 ohm resistance and a snap-fit mouthpiece.
How the battery works
A 510 battery supplies power to the cartridge and usually controls it through voltage steps and a preheat function. Batteries come as slim pens, palm-sized magnetic bodies and models with a display, and the choice changes how a finished product feels in the hand.
The CCELL Palm Pro battery is a 500mAh palm-style body with 2.8, 3.2 and 3.6V steps, a 10-second preheat on a double short press, an adjustable airflow collar and Type-C charging. Its drop-in magnetic connection needs a magnetic cartridge nut.
The CCELL M4B Pro battery is a 290mAh stainless steel pen with the same three voltage steps, a 10-second preheat and USB-C charging. Distributor listings add a child-resistant power lock.
Why brands like the format
Brands choose 510 because the thread is a common standard, and CCELL supplies cartridges and batteries across the format. A brand can pair one cartridge with several batteries, change battery style without requalifying the oil path, and source parts from one supplier.
Thread is only the first compatibility check, because diameter, connection style and voltage also matter. Our guide to the 510 thread cartridge explains the standard, and the cartridge and battery compatibility guide covers fit.
Pod system vapes
A pod system pairs a proprietary pod with a matched magnetic battery, so the fit is closed and the output is set by the manufacturer rather than chosen from a wide battery range.
The CCELL Luster Pro pod system has a 350mAh battery in a full metal housing, drop-in magnetic pods of 0.5ml or 1ml, USB-C charging and inhale activation. It uses constant power with three settings of 6.5W, 7.5W and 8.5W.
A press and hold toggles the wattage, a double tap starts a 10-second preheat and five taps lock or unlock the device, as CCELL’s Luster Pro page sets out.
The CCELL Dart-X pod system has a 480mAh full metal battery with three temperature settings, constant power output and a child-resistant lock. It takes 0.5ml and 1.0ml Dart-X pods, and first-generation Dart pods are compatible. The battery has no core; the pods carry CCELL ceramic heating.
For a brand, the trade-off is control against consistency:
- Advantage: a closed fit gives repeatable output, and a customer cannot pair the pod with an unsuitable battery.
- Advantage: drop-in magnetic pods are fast to change and simple to explain on a pack.
- Limit: the pod works only with its matched battery, so the battery range is narrow.
- Limit: pod modes are watts or named settings, not 510 voltages, so a voltage note from a cartridge does not transfer.
All-in-one (AIO) vapes
An all-in-one vape is a single rechargeable device that combines the tank, the heating core and the battery, and the brand fills it before sale.
The format appeals to brands that want one finished item with no compatibility questions. It also changes the filling workflow, because the brand fills and seals a complete device rather than a loose cartridge.
Rechargeable and refillable designs matter more since the single-use ban. GOV.UK defines a reusable vape as one with a rechargeable battery, a refillable container and, where a coil is fitted, a removable and replaceable coil.
Read the GOV.UK single-use vapes ban guidance before you specify a device, and check each model against that definition. For specific cases, take legal advice or ask Trading Standards.
A brand specifying an all-in-one programme should settle these points with the supplier first:
- Tank size: the fill volume and whether the body suits your oil viscosity.
- Battery: capacity in mAh, charging port and whether it can be recharged at all.
- Body: material, finish and room for branding.
- Filling and sealing: how the device is filled, capped and checked before sale.
Our all-in-one range is supplied to approved trade accounts only. The 1ml all-in-one hardware guide compares the options by tank, battery and body.
Postless and CCELL 3.0 cartridges
A postless cartridge has no centre post inside the tank, so the oil is fully visible and the filling opening can be wide. The CCELL 3.0 range pairs that design with Bio-Heating, a cottonless ceramic core.
CCELL describes 3.0 as using VeinMesh and 3D Stomata structures inspired by plants. It states that the design lowers average peak temperature by 30% compared with a conventional core, as set out in the CCELL 3.0 Bio-Heating announcement.
The CCELL Vita postless cartridge comes in 1ml and 2ml, with a 1.5 ohm core (plus or minus 0.15 ohm), a BPA-free thermoplastic housing, a snap-fit mouthpiece and a standard 510 thread. It is built for viscous live extracts as well as other oils, which is why we cover it in the guide to choosing hardware by oil type.
Nicotine vapes: disposables, pod kits and mods
Nicotine vapes fall into three groups: single-use disposables, refillable or pre-filled pod kits, and box mods. All sit outside our range.
The UK ban on single-use vapes came into force on 1 June 2025. GOV.UK states that it is illegal for businesses to sell or supply them, including online, and that it applies to all vapes whether or not they contain nicotine. The official single-use vapes guidance gives the full definitions.
The Tobacco and Vapes Act adds further rules for vape products. Our Tobacco and Vapes Act hardware supplier checklist sets out what a hardware supplier should check.
Nicotine devices are also grouped by inhale style. Mouth-to-lung devices draw slowly with a tighter airflow, while direct-to-lung devices draw more openly and need more power. Dry herb vaporisers are a further category that heats plant material rather than liquid or oil.
This section is general information, not nicotine product advice or legal advice.
How UK brands choose between vape types
Brands choose a vape type by working through five questions in order: the oil, the budget, the branding, the filling workflow and the battery range.
| Brief | Format that fits | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Thin or standard oils | 510 cartridge plus battery | Wide choice of cartridges and batteries |
| Viscous live extracts | Postless 3.0 or EVOMAX 510 | Cores and apertures built for thicker oils |
| Consistent output, closed system | Magnetic pod system | Matched pod and battery |
| One finished SKU | All-in-one | No compatibility step, but approved trade accounts only |
| Custom branding | Battery or pod body | Laser engraving on selected hardware, UK only |
| Fast filling line | 510 cartridge | Batch-capped snap-fit mouthpieces |
Start with the oil, because viscosity decides which core and aperture will work. Then decide whether the brand wants to sell cartridges and batteries separately or as one closed set.
Before committing to volume, put these questions to any supplier:
- Which oils does the manufacturer list the core as suited to?
- Which batteries or pods are confirmed as compatible, and at what diameter?
- What are the resistance, intake aperture size and tank volume?
- Is the stock authentic CCELL hardware with a traceable supply route?
- Can the hardware be branded, and where is the engraving done?
Laser engraving is done in the UK, and the store ships from the UK.
To compare hardware, browse the cartridge range, the 510 battery range and the pod system range. Trade pricing is shown on each product page, and our team can set up a trade account. Free shipping applies over £80, so confirm at checkout.
FAQ
What are the different types of vapes?
The different types of vapes are nicotine e-liquid devices, such as pod kits, vape pens and box mods, and oil hardware, such as 510 cartridge and battery sets, magnetic pod systems and all-in-ones. Single-use disposables were a third group but have been illegal to sell in the UK since 1 June 2025. We supply oil hardware for licensed and legal oils only.
What is the difference between a 510 cartridge and a pod?
A 510 cartridge screws onto any battery with a compatible 510 thread, diameter and voltage, while a pod snaps onto a single matched magnetic battery. The 510 format offers wider battery choice. The pod format gives a closed fit and set output, which makes it more consistent but less flexible for a brand.
Is an all-in-one vape the same as a disposable?
No, an all-in-one combines tank, core and battery in one body, but that does not decide whether it is single-use. Under GOV.UK guidance, a reusable vape needs a rechargeable battery, a refillable container and, where fitted, a replaceable coil. Check each device against that definition and take legal advice for specific cases.
Which type of vape is best for thick oils?
Thick oils suit cores and intake apertures designed for viscosity. That means a postless CCELL 3.0 cartridge such as the Vita, or an EVOMAX ceramic 510 cartridge such as the TH2 EVOMAX, which CCELL lists as suited to all oils. Test any thick oil in the actual hardware before committing to volume.
Are disposable vapes banned in the UK?
Yes, single-use vapes have been banned for sale in the UK since 1 June 2025. GOV.UK states that it is illegal for businesses to sell or supply them, online or in shops, and that the ban covers all vapes whether or not they contain nicotine. Reusable vapes can still be sold if they meet the definition.
Do all 510 cartridges fit all 510 batteries?
No, the thread matches but fit also depends on cartridge diameter, the battery’s connection style and voltage. A magnetic battery such as the Palm Pro needs a magnetic cartridge nut, and wide cartridges may not fit a narrow slot. Always test-fit a cartridge and battery pair before ordering volume.
