Getting started with vaping doesn’t have to be expensive. We conducted several polls asking vapers to vote for their favorite devices, and this post will use the results to put together a definitive list of the best cheap vape mods, pod mods, and box mods under $59.
Not only are these devices widely-loved by vapers, you can pick each one up for less than the average price of 10 packs of cigarettes – and much fewer if you live in a state with high cigarette prices like New York.
So what are the best cheap vapes? For anybody interested in starting to vape but not wanting to spend too much getting set up, these affordable vape mods are the perfect solution.
This isn’t an exhaustive list, though, so even if none of our readers’ or our staff's picks for the best cheap mods under $59 appeals to you, there are many other great vape mod options on the market too – we’ll be adding a buying guide soon to help you find a device that’s both high quality and affordable.
Cheap Vape Mods, Box Mods, Pod Mods Under $59
So here are the top 10 cheap box mods and pod mods if you're on a budget! This list was created based on the results of our polls of the best starter kits and VV/VW vape mods, and based on prices at the time of most recent update.
10 – Smok D-Barrel Box Mod
The Smok D-Barrel is one of the best beginner e-cigarettes if you’re on a budget but you still want the sort of performance you’d get from a higher-end, much more expensive device. It’s a dual-battery device (so you’ll need to pick up two 18650 batteries separately), but it manages to stay pretty portable considering this, and of course it lasts much longer than smaller mods between charges. It features an ergonomic body design, with a trigger-style fire button and curved sides, and the display screen is positioned on the top edge of the device, beside the 510 tank connection.
The D-Barrel puts out up to 225W, as well as supporting temperature control vaping with nickel, titanium and stainless steel coils. In terms of features, it does as much as most devices on the market, and even though it doesn’t do anything you can’t find elsewhere, for the price it’s a solid choice. It performs well, it’s comfortable to use and it does everything you’re likely to need.
9 – Innokin MVP5 Box Mod
You can pick up the MVP5 for $59.95.
The MVP series from Innokin has included several downright legendary devices, with the second edition really coinciding with the rise of box mods in the early days of the industry. The MVP5 continues in this tradition, and although it isn’t the most affordable box mod on this list, it has a lot to offer and manages to keep the price impressively low. It’s built around a huge 5,200 mAh battery, which will last many vapers through two whole days of vaping (depending on your habits and settings, of course). It has the classic box mod form, with a zinc alloy body and the MVP5 logo on one side along with a triangular patch of resin that gives the whole thing a pretty cool look.
The MVP5 also caps the power at 120W, which isn’t as much as many devices on the market, but is still more than enough for the vast majority of vapers. This is coupled with the ability to soften or boost the initial part of your draw, or set a custom power curve for the length of your draw. It offers TC vaping with all common materials, and also allows free adjustment of the TCR so you can tailor the response to your preferences. Like the older MVPs, it doubles as a USB power pack, and it also includes a whole range of tools you’d never expect on a mod, such as altimeter, barometer, compass and flashlight.
8 – Smok A-Priv 225W Box Mod
The A-Priv costs $29.99.
The A-Priv from Smok is another example of the brand doing what they do best: cramming a surprising amount of features into an affordable device. The A-Priv is very much similar to the D-Barrel in terms of what it can do, with up to 225W of power and temperature control vaping with nickel, titanium and stainless steel coils. The display screen is top-mounted, again, and the adjustment buttons are neatly tucked onto the side near the display.
The design and the fire button are the two biggest differences. First off, the mod has a layer of LED lights below the metal chassis, so when you hit fire the interior glows in a color of your choosing. You can even set it to respond to music if you want to. It also makes use of a firing bar instead of a button, which makes the device much more comfortable to use because all you have to do is squeeze it when you want to vape. Like the D-Barrel, it runs on two (separately-purchased) 18650 batteries.
7 – Wismec Predator 228W
The Predator mod costs $39.99.
Wismec makes its first entry onto this list of the best cheap box mods with the Predator, a high-wattage mod with a simple design but a good set of features for a low price. The Predator puts out an impressive 228 W of power – more than most vapers will need – and also supports temperature control vaping, including giving you the option to make fine adjustments to the TCR value. It runs on two 18650 batteries, which you need to pick up separately, but they took care over the design so it’s still pretty comfortable to hold for such a sizeable device.
The layout of the Predator is really simple: there is a large 0.96 inch OLED display screen on the front, with two adjustment buttons below it, and a side-mounted fire button so you just squeeze to fire. There’s also a USB charging port below the adjustment buttons, if you don’t have a dedicated 18650 battery charger. It also has upgradeable firmware, which you do using the same port. While the device is pretty simple, it performs well and gives you plenty of options for getting your ideal vape.
6 – Freemax Autopod50 Pod Mod
You can get the Freemax Autopod50 for $56.99.
The Autopod50 from Freemax is one of the many devices on the market today that blurs the boundaries between pod systems and mods. But the classification doesn’t really matter, with a 50 W maximum power output and a vaguely box mod-like design, complete with a display screen, power button and two adjustment buttons on the front edge. The battery is also pretty solid – even by mod standards – at 2,000 mAh capacity. But by nature of the pod style, it has an integrated, refillable 4 ml capacity pod with two mesh coils included as standard, one 0.25 and one 0.5 ohm.
The performance from the Autopod50, especially with the lower-resistance coil, is really hard to fault. As long as you’re not looking for massive clouds, you’ll be very impressed with the vapor production. The wicks also make use of tea fiber cotton, which offers great flavor but also maintains the flavor for longer than most wick materials. The combination of the impressive feature-set and modern-style atomizer heads with the simplicity you expect from a pod system makes it a really great offering. It might be a little more expensive than some on this list, but it’s well with the extra few bucks.
5 – GeekVape Aegis Solo
You can pick up the Aegis Solo for $44.95.
The Aegis Solo from GeekVape is one of the top inexpensive vape mods under $100 thanks to the well-executed design and the impressive range of features it offers vapers on a budget. It runs on a single (separately purchased) 18650 battery, which adds a tiny bit of expense but in return for more flexibility when it comes to using the device out of the house. This also pretty much dictates the size of the Aegis Solo, which has a bit of additional width for the front panel, but otherwise is super-compact for such a capable mod. The front panel is flat, with a well-presented black-and-white display screen, a fire button above and a rocker-style adjustment button below.
The maximum power output from the Aegis Solo is 100W, but if you’re not interested in cloud chasing this is unlikely to cause a problem. It also supports temperature control vaping, with any TC coil material, and it also offers adjustable TCR to give you more control over the response from the mod. If you want more of a mech mod like experience, it also offers bypass mode, where the output is dependent on the remaining battery life. Like the other mods in the Aegis series, it’s waterproof, dustproof and shockproof, making it a great choice if you’re vaping outside the house and in risky or otherwise non-ideal situations.
4 – Voopoo Vinci Pod Mod
You can pick up the Vinci for $24.99.
The Vinci from Voopoo is another pod-style offering that earns a spot among the best cheap vapes, with a solid battery, high-performance coils and the simplicity beginners need in a device. The Vinci is a square-bodied, tube-like device, with a front panel featuring a TFT color display screen, a fire button and two adjustment buttons. You can use it automatically (push the fire button to vape) or automatically (puff to vape), and it’s easy to change the coil on the pod or refill, so it’s a great option for your first device.
The Vinci runs on a 1,500 mAh battery, which is a little smaller than some other pod mods but works well with the 40W maximum output. The pod itself holds 5.5 ml of e-juice, and comes with a 0.3 ohm mesh coil (rated for up to 40W) and a 0.8 ohm dual coil (rated for up to 18W), which gives you good options for both standard and nicotine salt e-liquids. The performance from both is hard to fault, with well-replicated flavor and more than enough vapor for most users.
3 – Smok RPM160 Pod Mod
You can get the Smok RPM160 for just $38.95 – it comes with a pod, two coils and a USB charging cable.
Smok’s RPM series of devices offer a “real pod mod” experience, with the explicit goal of combining what vapers love about pod systems with the functionality of a mod. The RPM160 takes this further than any of the devices that came before, running on dual 18650 batteries, and pretty much looking like a mod except with a pod-style tank where the usual sub ohm one would go. It has changeable coils, and the kit includes two 0.15 ohm mesh options as standard, so the performance is right up there with modern sub ohm tanks, with exceptional flavor and vapor production.
The pod holds 7.5 ml of e-juice, which is huge even by the standards of sub ohm tanks. All together, this really makes it more like a mod than a pod-style device, and although you certainly could use nicotine salt juices with it, it’s perfect for ordinary e-liquids. The device puts out up to 160 W of power, so even if you’re into massive clouds you won’t be disappointed, and it’s pretty clear it’s not your standard pod device.
2 – Vaporesso Gen Box Mod
You can buy the Gen for $42.95, easily making it one of the best deals in vaping.
The Gen mod from Vaporesso makes this best cheap vape mods list for two simple reasons: it’s affordable and it’s a powerhouse. It has a fairly basic design, although the body curves out a little in the middle and has a textured coating to make it nicer to hold, with a basic display screen, a fire button and three buttons for changing modes and settings. It runs on two 18650 batteries, so it’s a slightly bigger device, but for the extra size you get a much more powerful mod with a focus on the most important features you’re looking for in a mod.
The Gen puts out up to 220W of power, with two extra modes (beyond the standard variable wattage mode), Pulse Mode (which applies power in pulses rather than continuously) and Power Eco Mode (which tweaks the output for maximum battery life). The Gen also features “smart TC” mode, which basically means that the device automatically detects which type of coil you have connected for TC mode, taking the work out of navigating to the right setting.
1 – Wismec Reuleaux RX Gen 3
The RX Gen 3 is currently on-sale for $49.99.
The Reuleaux RX Gen 3 from Wismec’s excellent series of devices earns the top spot and the title of best cheap vape mods. The key benefits are shared by many of the devices in the Reuleaux line, including the sleek, stylish design and the added comfort that comes from the diamond-like profile of the device. The RX Gen 3 is bigger than the others in the series because it takes a massive three batteries, but the battery life you get as a result is hard to fault: you’re unlikely to find a mod that will last you as long between charges.
On top of this, the three batteries on the Reuleaux RX Gen 3 mean that it puts out a serious amount of power. In variable wattage mode, it can put out up to 300W, which is so high there’s unlikely to be a time you’d actually need that big a wattage. Of course, it also supports temperature control vaping with nickel, titanium and stainless steel coils, as well as offering the option to adjust the TCR value. It has a 1.3 inch OLED display screen, which provides three battery indicators, a clear display of your current setting and three more key bits of information about your setup (in VW mode, voltage, resistance and current).
Best Cheap Vape Mods: Editor's Picks
There are plenty of great devices featured above, but the vast array of affordable vape mods and eGo-style devices on the market means that you have tons of options beyond those covered on the list. So we’ve put together some additional recommendations for great devices available for under $59, including both VV/VW vape mods, box mods, and eGo-style devices.
Smok T-Storm
Smok always raises the bar when it comes to offering capable devices for very low prices, and the T-Storm is the perfect example of this: it isn’t one of the best e-cig starter kits overall, but if you’re on a budget the mod is definitely worth considering. It puts out up to 230W of power from dual 18650 batteries, and supports temperature control vaping with all common wire types. In short, it does everything you need from a mod, and has a side-mounted firing bar so it’s really comfortable to use too. You can get it for just $29.99.
Aspire Cygnet
The Cygnet from Aspire doesn’t push the power like some of the other affordable box mods on this list, but it performs well and it’s one of the more compact mods on the market. It runs on a single 18650 battery, and offers up to 80W of power in VW mode. It also offers bypass mode if you want performance more like a mechanical mod, but it doesn’t offer temperature control vaping. However, if you aren’t interested in TC, it’s a compact and well-presented mod, and it performs exceptionally well considering the $59.99 price tag.
OBS Cube X
The Cube X from OBS makes this list of the top vapes around $50 thanks to its cool and compact design. In terms of features, the Cube X has a maximum power output of 80W – which is enough for most vapers – but no TC functionality. The device has a rectangular shape, like a boxy vape pen, with a 510 connection on the top, battery compartment on the bottom (you need to pick up an 18650 battery separately), a display screen on the front face and a fire button and two adjustment buttons on the right. You can pick up the Cube X in your choice design from five options for $41.99.
Artery x Tony B. PAL 2
The PAL 2 from Artery and Tony B (from Vapor Trail) is a unique all-in-one style vape mod, being the only AIO device to make this list of the best cheap mods. The device has a 1,000 mAh battery – much more than most pod-style devices – and the overall look of a box mod. But it has a pod-like tank built into the body and a small mouthpiece that protrudes out from the top. The pod is refillable and has changeable coils (with one sub ohm and one mouth-to-lung option included), giving it all the advantages of an ordinary tank. The device is a bargain at $17.99.
Vapor Storm Subverter
The Subverter from Vapor Storm is a beautifully-designed and lightweight dual battery box mod, made from ABS plastic with hollow side panels. Aside from the eye-catching design, it looks like most other dual 18650 box mods, with a kind of boxy shape, a display screen, fire button and two adjustment buttons on the front panel and a battery door on one of the large sides. It puts out up to 200W, and also supports temperature control vaping with nickel, stainless steel and titanium coils. It’s one of the most eye-catching mods on the market, and you can pick it up for the impressive price of $46.
Eleaf iStick T80
It’s hard to imagine a list of the most affordable e-cig vapes under $50 without including at least one Eleaf device, and for good reason: they make solid devices and sell them cheap. The T80 has a pretty standard look for the iStick series, with a curved body, a large circular fire button, an LED display and two adjustment buttons, and so small it fits comfortably in your hand. It offers up to 80W of power, and has a 3,000 mAh internal battery, and performs surprisingly well considering the low price. You can buy it for just $31.65.
iJoy Mystique 162W
The iJoy Mystique is one of the more capable devices on this list in terms of features, with a maximum power output of 162W, temperature control vaping included and with a bypass mode if you want mech mod like performance. It takes two 18650 batteries, but it has a curved body design with a spiderweb-like design on the large faces, so it’s pretty comfortable to hold and it looks cool too. It also has a really wide base around the 510 connection so you can use it with tanks up to 26mm in diameter without overhang. You can pick it up for $46.99.
Vaporesso Target Mini 2
The Target Mini 2 from Vaporesso makes this best cheap box mod list for offering one of the best devices for vapers on a budget looking for something small and compact. The Target Mini 2 still features the trigger-style fire button the series is known for, with a clear OLED display screen below it and two function keys for changing settings and modes. It has a 2,000 mAh battery built-in, and can put out up to 50W of power. If you don’t already have a battery and you’re not big on cloud chasing, this is potentially the best affordable option on the market. It costs only $13.
Dovpo Nickel 230W
The Nickel from Dovpo is a powerhouse box mod that doesn’t break the bank, offering a massive 230W of power from two 18650 batteries, and a full-featured TC mode on board. The mod has a kind of boxy look, but they’ve taken this to extremes to give it a rugged, angular design that makes it look like the mod could stand up to a knock or two. It has a 0.96 inch TFT color screen, and you adjust settings and modes with two dedicated adjustment buttons and one large fire button. For the price of $27, it’s a great dual battery box mod.
Conclusion
It’s a testament to how far the vaping industry has come that so many of the best cheap vape mods, box mods, and pod vapes also rank among many vapers’ favorite devices even when price isn’t a consideration.
New vapers aren’t stuck with the cigalike e-cigs or disposable e-cigarettes that flooded the market in the early days of the industry: now you have a pretty wide choice of full-featured, VV/VW devices with substantial battery life and broad compatibility to choose from alongside the more straightforward eGo-style models.
If you’re looking for cheap vape mods, vaporizer pens, or box mods, there’s no need to lose out on functionality, and in all honesty, most of the devices on this list have more than enough to offer.
So even though the RX Mini technically takes the prize in our main list, most vapers will be more than happy with any of the options in the top 10, and there are plenty of other options in our list of recommendations too. If you want something else, check back soon and we’ll be adding a guide to finding high-end vape mods without spending too much.