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1The best stick Pod Systems of the small and light ones, at least. For its size (less than half the size of a Uwell Caliburn, for example, and the same as the Juul) and price, the Voopoo Alpha Zip Pod kit impressed us.
Aesthetics / Design
Feeling In The Hand
Build Quality
Airflow (medium - smooth comfortable)
Vapor Production
Vapor Density
Vapor Temperature
Hit
Flavor
Battery Life
Ergonomics - Ease of Use
These scores are relative to other small Stick Pod Systems sold on the market.
The vapor production of the Voopoo Zip Pod kit is top notch compared with small stick Pod Systems like the Juul, but just above average for pod systems in general and lower than almost anything with a battery size of 500mAh and beyond.
The battery life is pretty low but it’s to be expected for such a small device.
It’s basic. It comes with:
1 x Zip Pod kit
1 x Pod
1 x USB Cable
1 x Warranty Card
1 x User Manual
Size: 102.9 x 15 x 7.1mm / 88.42 x 15 x 7.1mm (without pod)
Weight: 14g with pod.
Battery: Built-in 250mAh
Power Range: 7-12W
Constant Output: 3.5V
Pod Capacity: 1.0ml
Resistance: 1.8ohm
Pod Wicking Material: 100% Organic Cotton Core
Material: Aluminum Alloy
Magnetic Snap In Pod Connection
PCTG Pod Construction: Wicking Medium: 100% Organic Cotton
Vaping Overtime Protection
Short-Circuit Protection
Overcharge Protection
Over Discharge Protection
Over Current Output protection
Available in Silver, Green, Blue, Pink Rose Gold, Black, Red
First, if we picked it up and gave it a review, it’s because we thought it was a sleek looking little device. We weren’t disappointed in that department.
Its simple yet classy looks are reason enough to give it a high score. It’s just a stick, so you can’t get too crazy design-wise but we don’t think you can do much better.
But it would possible to create stick Pod Systems with fancy-er design. In fact, we know, it’s possible. The Mouu Cliq and IPHA SWIS both have rounded design but cool ones. So, something similar but with more angular shapes could be done. [NB: While they look gorgeous and futuristic, the performance of these devices is ok, no problem, but not fantastic].
Still, the Voopoo Pod System design is significantly better than average. In our opinion, it currently has the best Stick Pod System design.
But where it shines is when you take it in your hands.
The coating gives the Alpha Zip Stick Pod System a good enough grip for an Aluminum device. It’s not polished, so it helps. But it’s still aluminum so, it can feel slightly slippery still at times. (It seems to be only painting though. So, it could chip away.
But what truly procures a great feeling are its chamfered edges. 
[NB: Chamfered edges are created when you cut a 90° angle to make two smaller 45° angles. With the picture it’s easy to understand].
If you like that form factor and prefer an angular Stick Pod System shape instead of the more rounded ones but wished the edges themselves were less sharp, the Voopoo Zip Pod Kit is for you. Its chamfered edges make all the difference.
It feels nice in the hand.
But that’s not all. The pods have chamfered edges too. So, they too feel nicer, on your lips this time, than a Juul.
– There is no window to see your e-liquid level. It makes for a sleeker design but removing the pod to check is necessary, even though it only takes a second. Not a big deal, but some could have prefered to have an idea of the amount of e-liquid left in their pod with just a glance at their device.
– The USB charging port is at the bottom of the device, thus and again, not disrupting the design. Plus, it means no proprietary charging accessory to worry about either.
– The pods have a 1ml capacity. Not great for most pod systems but 40% more than the Juul… and you can refill them freely as long as the coils hold up (we did so 6 times at the time of this review, so more than that).
– You can use ANY e-liquid, nic salts included of course.
This means you’re not limited to the flavors (and amount of nicotine) the manufacturer of your closed Pod System is selling. You can choose among the hundreds of e-liquids and flavors on the market. And it’s way cheaper. Closed Pod Systems e-liquids are utterly overpriced.
The main selling points of the Voopoo Zip Pod Kit are its chip and, partially thanks to it, the excellent performance it provides.
First, a few words on this stick Pod System name: the VOOPOO Alpha Zip Pod Kit. It’s quite the mouthful but what does it refer to?
Voopoo is the same company who made the very successful Drag Box Mod Kit 2 and now the Drag Mini, Drag baby (good little MTL Box Mod Kit) and Drag Nano (cute mini Pod System but not, in our opinion, so good because of a too low vapor production)
The “Alpha Zip” moniker means it belongs to the same family of Voopoo vaping devices as the Alpha Zip and Alpha Zip Mini kits.
“Pod kit” is equivalent to “Pod System”, of course.
What does a big Box Mod kit, a small Box Mod Kit and a stick Pod System have in common to all have “Alpha Zip” in their name?
The chip running their electronics: the Gene chip. And, in the end, that, together with its vapor production and smooth hit, is really what makes the Voopoo Zip Pod kit stand out.
So, these three vaping devices all sport Voopoo Gene chip. Not exactly the same in each of these products since their operation is quite different, but the same family of Gene chip. And it looks like it’s very effective. We didn’t try the other two vaping devices we’ve just mentioned but we can confirm the Gene.Pod chip (name of the one especially crafted for the Zip Pod Kit) in Voopoo Pod System is no slouch. In fact, we can confidently say the Voopoo Gene chip is essentially what makes this Pod Kit so great.
The Gene chip makes the Alpha Zip Pod Kit the most advanced, best Stick Pod System on the market. Its power output, thus, vapor production and firing speed are quite notable for a 7mm thin device with a 250mAh battery.
Which leads us to our next point:
First, we need to realize that this thing is 102mm long, 7mm thin and weighs 14g. It has almost the same exact footprint (the Zip Pod Kit is 6mm shorter in length than a Juul. A Juul is 108.5 x 15 x 7mm and also weighs 14g).
It’s in this context that we say that this stick Pod System performance is remarkable.
It can vape at 12W max (compared to 9W for the Juul) and has a constant voltage output of 3.5V. This simple feature alone, its constant output, makes the Alpha Zip Pod Kit a pleasure to vape on. The quality and strength of the draw doesn’t diminish with the battery life. The vapor production, its warmth and the pull stay the same. Until there’s almost no battery left, of course.
Thanks to the Gene.Pod chip, it also fires as soon as you take a pull on it and the vapor it produces is simply bluffing. Plus, it’s real, thick vapor. (more on that below).
One more interesting thing is that the Voopoo Zip Pod Kit pods are 100% compatible with the DRAG Nano pods. Little details like this are really appreciable.
“Best Stick Pod System For Vapor Production [...] Smooth Hit”
By now, you know that we think the Voopoo Alpha Zip Pod Kit vapes splendidly for a Stick Pod System. The way it draws felt comfortable right away.
Sometimes, after using a different vaping device for a while, you need some puffs to adjust to the airflow and the way another device vapes, not so with the Zip Pod Kit. It was very comfortable right off the bat, very pleasant. It has a good medium Mouth To Lung draw, not too tight, not too loose. For us, it’s the perfect MTL type of airflow.
The draw is similar to the Juul, just a tad tighter.
Also, we need to mention that the Voopoo Alpha Zip Pod (like some other Pod Systems on the market) emits a crackling sound when you vape on it. Don’t know why but we really like that sound.
With the Gene Chip, its 12W power output and despite its 1.8 Ohm high resistance coils, it has a better vapor production and restitution than the Juul and other 200-300mAh stick Pod Systems (and whatever their shape, for that matter). The only one we tried that can rival it is the tiny Phiness Vega. It’s more targeted at girls but we were truly impressed by this one. Its review is coming soon.
You need to go up to a 350mAh battery and being called the OneVape Lambo 2 (link to our review of the little beast + video reviews from experienced Youtubers at the end) to beat it. Though the Lambo 2 has a more restricted Mouth To Lung airflow.
Similarly to the Innokin I.O (our review of the SMOK SLM), the Voopoo Alpha Zip Pod Kit doesn’t try and trick you (like so many other Pod Systems out there, closed or open) into thinking it creates a lot of vapor. It actually does.
[NB: what we mean is that comapnies often open the airflow of their device to add more air to the actual vapor plumes. The visual result is more vapor but it’s a shallow vapor, not a dense and satisfying one.]
For its size and battery capacity, The Zip Pod Kit performance in that department is top notch. It generates way more vapor than the SMOK (more than the Juul too), in fact. Granted, the SMOK is a cigalike (if you want to know all about the different vaing devices follow this link) and has a tighter draw, so the Voopoo Zip Pod Kit isn’t exactly in the same category but they have the same battery size and approximatively the same dimensions (the Zip Pod Kit is actually smaller). So, this is a fair comparison.
As the draw is a good medium MTL draw and the vapor production, as well as its density, is assuredly above average, the hit is also up there. It’s a smooth yet satisfying hit. You won’t be disappointed.
Don’t forget that the hit mostly, with the power a Pod System can deliver and the density of the vapor it produces, depends on the e-liquid you put inside your pod. It depends on:
a) Its composition.
– The VG/PG (Vegetable Glycerin vs Propylene Glycol) ratio of your e-liquid.
The more Vegetable Glycerin (VG), the more vapor it produces but the less it hits and vice versa.
– Nic salt vs. regular e-liquid.
If it’s a nic salts e-liquid it also gives less hit comparatively to a freebase e-liquid with the same amount of nicotine. Meaning, to have the same hit as a regular e-liquid, the nic salt e-liquid needs to contain 2 to 3 times (it varies with the ratio of PG/VG in each) the amount of nicotine of the freebase one.
It’s because, among other things, the Benzoic Acid (Wikipedia) inside nic salt e-liquids reduces the harsh feeling effect of the nicotine on the throat. So, it lessens the hit basically. The goal is to put (way) more nicotine in your e-liquid.
b) The level of nicotine inside it.
For a freebase nicotine e-liquid, an amount of 18-20mg/ml of nicotine is considered a strong dosage (advised for people smoking a pack a day or more). Very few e-liquids go higher than that (it’s even forbidden by law in Europe). And it thus gives a strong hit.
With nic salt e-juices, you’d usually need 50 to 60mg/ml, i.e. 5 to 6% nicotine to get the same kind of hit.
That’s about the amount of nicotine/ml inside that is Juul pods in the US: 59mg/ml. It cannot be that high in Europe. The highest amount of nicotine authorized in e-liquids (nic salt or regular, it doesn’t matter) is 20mg/ml, i.e. 2%.
If you are using a Juul right now but want to test out a cheaper, yet better in every way alternative, the Voopoo Alpha Zip Pod Kit should be the best stick pod system for you.
If you are using a Juul right now, just know that, to obtain the same hit with another low power Pod System, you’ll need to choose 18-20mg regular e-liquids, with a 50/50 PG/VG ratio (60/40 or 40/60 should be fine too), as it’s likely Juul puts the maximum amount of nicotine it can in its pods.
If you want to use nic salt e-liquids, you’ll need 5/6% (50-60mg) e-liquids. 5% if you use 50/50 PG/VG ratio e-liquids, stronger if you use higher Vegetable Glycerin (VG) ratio.
Though, if/when you decide to try an open system (not only the Voopoo Alpha Pod Kit), you could use this opportunity to lower the amount of nicotine in your e-liquids. Just do it a little at a time, step by step, to be sure to keep on being satisfied yet adapt to this lower amount.
The ingenious construction of Voopoo Zip Pod Kit pods makes them plug-less. No tiny piece of silicon to lose anymore. This is great.
You just need to pull out the pod, take off its cap, fill it (be cautious when filling it. Do it slowly. The hole is a bit small and the metallic tube –where the vapor travels from the coil– can get in the way) by the hole placed on its side, close it back, put the pod back and wait 5mn.
You need to wait only if the pod was empty. If there was some juice left and the coton was still soaked with e-liquid, you don’t need to. You can shake it a bit or wait a minute to let the air bubbles dissipate, then, and you’re good to go.
Edit to add: Some pods can leak sometimes.
It may be because we had some bad pods or it may be because of the e-liquid we used. It’s annoying but if you put e-liquids with a ratio of 60% VG (Vegetable Glycerin) / 40% PG (Propylene Glycol), it should be ok.
We’ve ordered more pods and we’ll keep you updated.
But the performance is so good and the price so low, that we still use ours and recommend it. If it happens to yours, use some coton tissues to wipe the liquid from the pods and the inside of the Alpha Zip Pod Kit.
UPDATE 9/25/2019:
We’re happy to confirm we just had two bad pods. We’ve tried more (the ones we ordered) since then and there’s no leaking anymore. We used 50/50 PG/VG ratio e-liquids too and everything’s fine.
So, you can go and buy some. No worries.
By the way, we also keep on loving the Voopoo Zip Pod Kit. Honestly, it really is that good.
With its energy-efficient 1.8 Ohm coils, The Voopoo Zip stick Pod System, should last you half a day (maximum) of use with one charge. And if you vape moderately.
Only half a day because its power output is around 10 to 12W (the maximum power output of a pod system is rarely reached).
It should be comparable to, or higher than, a Juul or similar devices since the Juul has a 200mAh battery and a 1.6 Ohm coil but a low power output of 6 to 9W.
So, the Voopoo Zip Pod System has a bigger battery and higher resistance coils but delivers way more power. That should result in more or less the same battery life.
Obviously, the more you drag on it, the less it will last (and vice versa). So, if you chain vape on it, the battery life can decrease pretty quickly. It should go without saying but we’re saying it nonetheless.
That’s it for the main content of this review. Now, you can read Mister MTL’s opinion of this device.
This section reflects my opinion and thoughts only. It doesn’t express what MTLvaping.com is thinking as a whole. Also, it is not meant to insult or degrade your preferences in any way.
I was looking for a good stick Pod System. With the Alpha Zip Pod Kit (VaporDNA) I found a great one. Maybe the best stick Pod System on the market right now.
I didn’t try them all but if we combine its design, performance and the fact it’s an open Pod System, we have a winner. This is the one that looks the most appealing to me and I was impressed by its performance in everything that counts except battery life but it’s to be expected for little stick Pod System like this one.
It’s the perfect little MTL device to add to my collection. And a stick Pod System I’m gonna use a lot.
I also think it may be a good device for those of you who want to quit smoking.
All the people who try and quit smoking by using a Juul, should use the Alpha Zip Pod Kit (or similar) instead.
Because it’s, without a shadow of a doubt, more efficient. Plus, it’s open and way cheaper.
It’s a good thing when great devices like this are so cheap. It allows everyone to try them.
At this $15.95 price (BuyBest), it’s a steal.
Still, I would always personnally recommend buying an MTL AiO (All in One) device with it. Because good AiOs can perform even better (like the Tauren X –link to our review, the best AiO right now). So, they’re even better suited, in terms of performance, to (overly) satisfied someone who wants to quit smoking.
If you are in this situation, you should definitely read our Ultimate Guide To Quit Smoking and Begin Vaping Successfully. We go in-depth and give many useful tips.
The Voopoo Zip Pod Kit: the best stick Pod System on the market1. Better than the Juul. Nice design and feel, great vapor production and hit, WAY cheaper.
Product SKU: V11101901D
Product Brand: Voopoo
Product Currency: USD
Product Price: 15.95
Price Valid Until: 2021-12-01
Product In-Stock: 1