Pen Style Kits
A pen style vape kit is a cylindrical device with the battery in the tube and a small tank screwed on top. It is the shape most people picture when they think of a vape. It remains the format that adult smokers reach for first because it is slim, light and does only one thing. This collection holds 27 pen style kits from Innokin, Aspire and SMOK, opening at £4.99 and running to £27.99.
Every kit here is rechargeable and refillable, which is now the only legal option in the UK following the withdrawal of single use vapes from sale on 1 June 2025. Pen kits are almost all mouth to lung devices, meaning a tight restricted draw that mimics the sensation of drawing on a cigarette rather than the open airy pull of a sub ohm setup.
Why choose a pen kit over a pod kit
A pod kit uses a clip in pod holding both the liquid and the coil. A pen kit uses a screw on tank with a coil threaded into its base, so the tank is easier to fill at volume and the coils are usually cheaper per unit. Pens also tend to carry a larger battery than a comparably priced pod because there is more room inside the tube. The trade off is a glass section that can crack if dropped.
Kits in this collection
Innokin Endura and T18 family
The Endura T18 series is one of the longest running mouth to lung platforms on the UK market and it is well represented here in the T18E, the T18X and the T18II Mini. These kits pair a simple single button body with the Prism coil family, which is stocked almost everywhere and inexpensive to replace. That coil availability is the main reason they endure.
Innokin Jem
The Jem Pen is the lightest device Innokin makes in this shape and it is aimed at vapers who want the smallest possible package. The Jem Pen Plus Pack adds extra spares in the box, which is useful if you would rather not order coils separately in the first month.
Innokin Prism T20-S
The Prism T20-S steps up the tank size and the airflow slightly while keeping the same one button operation. It suits someone who has used a pen for a while and wants a little more capacity between fills.
Aspire K3
The Aspire K3 Quick Starter Kit is a straightforward MTL pen with a top filling tank and a well established coil family behind it. Aspire coils are among the easiest to find in the UK, which protects the kit from becoming stranded.
SMOK Stick G15 and Vape Pen Nord 19
SMOK approaches the format slightly differently. The Stick G15 and the Vape Pen Nord 19 use Nord family pods and coils in a pen shaped body, so you get the tube form factor with SMOK's pod ecosystem behind it. Both sit at the budget end of this collection.
What to check before you buy
Coil availability. This matters more than any specification on the box. A pen with a discontinued coil family is worthless within a year. Innokin Prism and Aspire coils are both widely stocked.
Battery capacity. Most pens sit between 800mAh and 1500mAh. At mouth to lung wattages that is comfortably a full day for a moderate vaper.
Charging. USB-C has replaced micro USB on newer models and charges considerably faster.
Tank capacity. UK regulations cap tanks sold with nicotine e-liquid at 2ml, so every kit here holds 2ml regardless of the physical size of the glass.
Airflow. An adjustable ring at the base lets you tighten the draw right down, which is what most people switching from cigarettes are looking for.
E-liquid and coils
Pen kits run coils above 1.0 ohm and want a balanced 50/50 blend of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerine. In the UK that means a 10ml bottle of nicotine salt or freebase e-liquid at up to 20mg per ml. A thick high VG shortfill will not wick through a small MTL coil quickly enough and the result is a dry hit. Expect to change a coil every one to two weeks, sooner if you vape sweet dessert flavours.
Buying in the UK
Vaping products may only be sold to adults aged 18 and over. Nicotine containing products must be notified to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency before sale and must meet the 20mg strength limit, the 10ml bottle limit and the 2ml tank limit. UK delivery is free on orders over £20 and the team can be reached on 07827 210361 between 8.30am and 4.00pm.
Common questions about pen style kits
What is a pen style vape kit?
A pen style kit is a slim cylindrical device with the battery inside the tube and a small refillable tank screwed onto the top. It is designed for mouth to lung vaping, which is a tight restricted draw closer to the feel of a cigarette than the open draw of a sub ohm device. Most pens have either a single fire button or no button at all.
Is a vape pen good for a beginner?
It is one of the most straightforward places to start. There is nothing to configure, the draw is tight and familiar to anyone coming off cigarettes and the coils are inexpensive. The main things to check before buying are that the coil family is widely stocked and that the battery is at least 1000mAh, which will comfortably cover a full day of moderate use.
How long does a vape pen battery last?
Most pen kits carry between 800mAh and 1500mAh. Because mouth to lung vaping runs at low wattage, that is usually a full day for a light to moderate vaper. Heavier users may need a top up in the afternoon. Newer models charge over USB-C, which fills the cell substantially faster than the older micro USB ports did.
What e-liquid works in a pen style kit?
A 50/50 blend of PG and VG. In practice that means a 10ml bottle of nicotine salt or traditional freebase e-liquid at up to the UK limit of 20mg per ml. High VG shortfills are too thick for the small wicking ports in an MTL coil and will cause dry hits. If you want to vape shortfills you need a sub ohm tank instead.
How often do I need to change the coil?
Every one to two weeks for most people. Sweet, dark and dessert flavours contain sweeteners that caramelise onto the coil and will cut that lifespan roughly in half, while fruit and menthol blends last longer. When flavour turns dull or burnt and vapour drops off, the coil is done. Always prime a new coil and let it sit for five minutes before the first draw.
Why do vape tanks only hold 2ml?
UK and EU regulations limit any tank sold with nicotine containing e-liquid to a maximum capacity of 2ml. That rule sits alongside the 10ml maximum bottle size and the 20mg per ml maximum strength. It applies to every legally sold kit regardless of manufacturer, so a larger looking glass on a pen kit will still be filled to 2ml.
Are single-use vapes still sold in the UK?
No. The sale of single-use vapes ended in the UK on 1 June 2025. Everything sold today has to be rechargeable with a replaceable coil or pod, which is exactly what a pen style kit is. If you used to buy bar style devices, an MTL pen or a refillable pod kit is the closest replacement in both draw and nicotine delivery.