It’s that time of year again! And once more, we here at MIST have put together a list of the very best vape kits and juices released in 2025.
P.S., You can watch the full video review on our YouTube channel.
Best Vape Brand of the Year: OXVA
2025’s seen a lot of incredible releases from so many different vape brands. Some years can feel sleepy, but the tumultuous events of this past year (looking at you, disposable vape ban…) saw numerous e-liquid and vape hardware manufacturers galvanise under the pressure and innovate some incredible new milestones in vaping.
We’re proud to announce that the Best Vape Brand of the Year 2025 is OXVA!
A relatively younger company than some of the industry’s big players, OXVA’s quick ascent to ‘household name’ status is easily explained by looking at their output this year.
In 2025 alone, OXVA:
- Solved the much-despised ‘burnt-pod’ issue with their XLIM Pro 2 DNA Kit
- Innovated prefilled pod kits with their elegant Slimstick cigalike kit
- Introduced Boost/Eco mode switching in a pocket-sized format (NeXLIM, NeXLIM Go)
- Released a pod kit with one of the largest HD touchscreens in the world (XLIM 3 Ultra)
It’s with no hesitation whatsoever that MIST names OXVA the Best Vape Brand of 2025!
Best Refillable Vape: XROS Pro 2 and XLIM 3 Ultra
I had to give the Best Refillable Kit award to two kits this year because I couldn’t decide which was better.
Vaporesso XROS Pro 2 Pod Kit
It’s no wonder that Vaporesso’s XROS kits have been so well-received. They’re simple, lightweight, easy to fill and capable of fantastic flavour-carrying. No fuss, but plenty of pleasure.
Despite being the ‘Pro’ unit, the XROS Pro 2 is very easy to use, making it a brilliant choice for new vapers. The menus are streamlined, so you won’t get lost, and the 2000mAh battery can keep the vapour coming for days on end! And one of my favourite aspects of the kit is the magnesium-alloy construction; it’s durable but super, super light to carry.
Before you know it, the Vaporesso XROS Pro 2 will be an extension of you!
OXVA XLIM 3 Ultra Pod Kit
OXVA’s XLIM 3 Ultra Pod Kit is a notable advancement of what we’ve come to expect from the XLIM Kits we’ve seen so far!
The basic functions are still in place: a 1500mAh battery with both button and draw-activation, and an easy pod-side refill method. But the XLIM 3 Ultra is an opportunity for OXVA to flex its technical prowess, and they surely did.
The standout feature of the XLIM 3 Ultra is the 2.2” touchscreen interface, which is more advanced and smoother than some smartphones I’ve used. There’s a ludicrous degree of device customisation you can organise through the menus on the kit.
If the Vaporesso kit was the best refillable for no-fuss satisfaction, the OXVA XLIM 3 Ultra is the best kit for a vaper who wants a device that can be moulded to best suit their use and style.
Watch our full video review of the XLIM 3 Ultra or read our blog review.
Best Prefilled Vape: OXVA Slimstick
I’m so grateful to OXVA for releasing the Slimstick, because it finally broke the spell most prefilled kit manufacturers were under, leading them to dementedly attempt a ‘disposable-esque’ design.
The Slimstick is an elegant lozenge of brushed steel, free of ugly aspects, into which you insert a small, unassuming ‘cigalike’ pod containing magnificent flavour and 20mg of nic salts. OXVA’s past work on their OX Passion range of e-liquids hinted towards a hidden flavour expertise, and the OXVA Slimstick proves it.
An excellent kit for those who find pod/tank refillable a hassle, and those who want a chic little unit that does the job with no extra distractions or superfluous details.
Best CBD Prefilled Vape: Hurb Breeze CBD + CBG
CBD vaping continues to grow in popularity, and prefilled CBD kits are one of the most popular ways for the CBD-curious to try it out.
Up until now, most prefilled CBD kits have had a somewhat cheap, plasticky feel. While they were effective, a grubby little cylinder with a leaf printed on it doesn’t inspire much confidence.
So take a look at the Hurb Breeze kit! Gorgeously designed and unashamed of what it is, the kit contains 10ml of CBD & CBG, blended together in a clear pod that’s easy to gauge at any time. The 650mAh battery charges fast, the auto-draw is fast and responsible, and the flavours are extraordinarily clear and authentic.
And best of all? You can replace the pod once it’s depleted and keep the legal cannabinoids going.
Best Sub-Ohm Vape
Sub-ohm vaping is one of the most varied kinds of flavoursome atomisation these days! For this reason, I didn’t think it right to say there was one absolute victor. Below, you’ll find the Best Sub-Ohm Kits for those who like traditional external-battery mods, those who prefer internal batteries, and those who prefer pod-based sub-ohming.
Box Mod Kit (With External Battery): Geekvape Legend 5 Kit
Geekvape sure knows how to build them. The Geekvape Aegis Legend 5 Kit is a very traditional kit design from Geekvape, and if you know them, you know it’s built to last! Just get two 18650 batteries, and it’s ready to roll.
The Aegis Legend 5 is Tri-proof, with IP68 protection against dust and particle ingress, as well as drops and bumps. You can even briefly submerge it in shallow, fresh water, and it will work perfectly! And within this powerful, durable chassis is a 200W-max device with multiple user modes and TC modes for those who wish to use RDAs and RTAs.
But those who prefer the kit’s tank won’t be disappointed. The Geekvape Z Sub-Ohm Tank features top-based airflow for leak prevention and easy top refills, along with flavoursome coils.
If traditional sub-ohming is what you’re all about, you can’t do better than this!
Internal Battery: Vaporesso Armour Ultra
The Vaporesso Armour Ultra Kit has an internal battery capacity of – drum roll, please – 5500mAh! Without question, this is one of the largest internal batteries you’ll find in any vape, and it’s been packed into an amazingly compact frame when you consider the sheer DAYS of vaping you can get from 5500mAh!
You can happily explore the 100W spectrum to your heart’s content with that kind of charge on your side, safe in the knowledge it won’t be running out any time soon.
What’s more, the Armour Ultra is true to its name, offering not only IP68 but also IP69X protection, making it one of the most durable vape kits in the world today!
Pod Mod: Vaporesso Luxe XR Max 2
And lastly, there’s the newest kind of sub-ohmer! Sub-ohm pod kits have proven themselves time and again over recent years, and among them, Geekvape’s LUXE XR Max 2 stands out as the best I’ve encountered so far due to its overall performance and features compared to other kits I have tried.
While being extremely compact and pocket- and palm-friendly, the LUXE XR Max 2 somehow packs a mammoth 3200mAh battery and delivers up to 80W of output! All from an unassuming device that fits nearly in your breast pocket.
With a huge airflow slider that permits massive intake customisation and easily changed coils, Geekvape have ensured that you can be a sub-ohm vaper without having to lug a massive metal box everywhere you go!
Best Vape Mod: Geekvape Aegis Legend 5 Mod
Every kind word said about Geekvape’s Aegis Legend 5 Kit stands out when discussing the standalone mod!
The IP68 protection ensures that even the roughest of lifestyles won’t dent the device, making it a tradesman’s favourite. I can’t promise it will survive a fall from a scaffold, but if there’s a mod I’d recommend to reduce that likelihood, this would be it!
Bury it in sand, dunk it in water, drop it on the floor. It’s like the AK-47 of vape mods, capable of withstanding serious use and still presenting a hardy, powerful tool that’s easy to learn and fun to master!
Best Nic Salt: Bombo Remaster Crema Santa
I don’t know how they did it, I really don’t. Hailing all the way from Spain, Bombo are a relatively new face in the UK vape juice market, and their nic salt range has blown the socks off of everyone who’s tried it.
And this is the jewel in the crown. Crema Santa Remaster from Bombo is a collection of super-indulgent flavours that, through unknown magics, somehow all stand out and refuse to collapse into a confusing sugary pile.
Spongy cake, chocolate frosting, fresh cream, coconut shavings, and diced nuts all come together in the very best cake vape you’ve ever tried. Yes, you. I don’t care, this is better than whatever cake nicotine salt you care to mention!
Best Bar Salt: Dinner Lady Dessert Bar San Sebastian Cheesecake
Dinner Lady has served up their delicious dessert blends for many years now, and their Dessert Bar range of bar salts has been a great chance to showcase some new sugary combinations.
While the whole range is lovely, San Sebastian Cheesecake stood out as the clear champion of not only the range but this year’s bar salts in general.
Basque cheesecake… fluffy, sweet vanilla fromage frais over a buttery, biscuity base, with the top burnt with a blowtorch until it attains a creme brûlée-like sweetness.
I simply cannot put this vape juice down. And with versions available in 5mg, 10mg and 20mg, there’s a version of it for every MTL vaper!
Watch our full video review of Dinner Lady’s Dessert Bar range.
Best Shortfill: Bombo Platinum Tobaccos Supra Nutty Reserve
For too long, shortfills have conjured up super-sugary blends of berries, citrus, candy, and cake. And these are all lovely, but sometimes the shortfill crowd desires something more traditional, something you can session. And Bombo delivers.
Supra Nutty Reserve 100ml from the Bombo Platinum Tobacco range delivers the silky, velvety taste of gently toasted hand-rolled tobacco, with just the faintest edge of additional sweetness, but never so strong as to overpower the natural tobacco leaf flavour.
In an era of fizzy orange and cherry bubblegum vapes, it can be easy to worry that the taste of tobacco will eventually be forsaken. But thanks to Bombo, I’m now certain that the original vape flavour is here to stay.
Best CBD E-liquid: Haze CBD Strains Biscotti
Haze CBD has expanded its Diamond range beyond traditional vape flavours with its new Strains range, which, while still using isolate CBD, also includes plant terpenes to deliver a natural flavour.
And at 3000mg spread across 50ml of liquid, it’s a hefty dosage of 60mg per ml! Not only do you get the very noticeable dose strength, but you can also enjoy the authentic taste of the infamous Biscotti plant, with undertones of the diesel plant and a natural cinnamon-esque spice that evokes rich and delicious bakery flavours, along with the familiar ‘planty’ taste.
Though keep in mind – while this is 100% legal for over-18s, it smells very weedy and WILL draw attention in certain public places, so be careful where you puff it!