2016 was a great year, right? I guess Vaporesso feels the same way, because its all-new Vaporesso Nexus Pod Mod, AIO, or Ultra Portable Starter Kit is definitely a solid piece of vape gear. But it’s also a little old-school in its design and approach to effortless vaping. Well, except for one nifty feature that this reviewer hasn’t seen before. But we’ll get to that in a bit.

Older design choices aside, the Vaporesso Nexus is a pretty strong entry into the crowded ultra portable, pod mod, AIO sweepstakes. In fact, I hesitate to even call it a pod mod, since the replaceable coil setup really speaks to a simplified AIO format. But, since pods are all the rage, I’ll concede.

On first glance, the Vaporesso Nexus looks like the usual pod mod setup, with a flat, hexagonal format that will certainly fit comfortably in a pocket or purse, and a nice weightiness to it, thanks to a solid metal construction. It feels a little more substantial than most pods in this category, which is a welcome improvement in my eyes.

However, I did have a slight problem with the mouthpiece, which looks like most others, but for some reason, it never felt quite “right” on the lips. Not sure if it was the shape or just the overall form factor, but I never found the Nexus as comfortable as other similar devices. I’ll chalk this up to preference, but I’d be surprised if others didn’t feel the same way.

All in all, it’s a fairly stock design that won’t “wow” you, but certainly won’t upset you, either.

The primary selling point for the Vaporesso Nexus Ultra Portable, Pod Mod, or AIO (take your pick) is the purported “automatic temperature control” which detects the coil and the liquid level, then sets the appropriate temperature to avoid scorched coils. While there have apparently been other devices that pull this off, it’s the first time I’ve used one, and for the most part, I’m impressed.

The system works well! While a newcomer likely won’t notice any difference between this format, and a standard direct-voltage setup, I could tell when the Vaporesso Nexus was making subtle adjustments under the hood to improve the vape quality. The key word there is “subtle,” but you can rest assured that there’s more to this claim than marketing.

Unfortunately, the 650mAh battery is going to test your patience. It might be larger than many of the Vaporesso Nexus’ competitors, but this particular cell barely got me a few hours of moderate vaping before tapping out. Thankfully, there’s a 40-minute quick charge in place, and also pass-through functionality, but this is not an “all day” vape device, so plan accordingly.

I imagine the constant temperature adjustments have something to do with the limp battery life, but it’s still disappointing in the grand scheme of things.

Also disappointing is the manual adjustments. The recessed, “barely there” button used for making tweaks to the wattage and temperature levels (there’s only three – low, medium and high) is extremely difficult to access without a pen or longer fingernail. In 2018, I’m having a hard time justifying this. I get that Vaporesso wanted a sleek, streamlined look, but this seems awfully silly, when a nice stiff external button would be equally safe in a pocket.

That said, once you engage the button, making the required temp adjustments is pretty easy using the  LED light system. Not only does the light indicate which temp level you’re on, but also tells battery life and standard warnings. Plus, in a nice touch, there is a low-liquid level warning that helps the Nexus further avoid dry hits.

Since the Vaporesso Nexus AIO, Ultra Portable, or Pod Mod, maxes out at 12.5 watts, you’re not going to blow too many dry coils anyway, but I’m all for safety measures, even when it seems like there’s no need.

The Nexus uses Vaporesso’s NX coil system, which are both 1.0-ohm, though one is cotton while the other is ceramic. I tell you this because there’s no way you’re going to tell the difference on your own. Both of the coils were long-lasting, offered decent flavor and vapor, and install fairly easily using the built-in tool. But they’re also indistinguishable from one another.

If there’s any difference, it’s that the ceramic coil gives off a slightly warmer vape, especially after “breaking in” following a few initial fills. Compared to many pod mod setups, these coils are among the most durable I’ve used.

Refilling the tank chamber isn’t difficult, but the rubber plug doesn’t seem to stay in place too well, leading to more than one inadvertent leak. I found that “shaving” the sides of the plug with a small file allowed the plug to sit much better in the slot – but don’t overdo it, since it won’t stay in place at all with too much removed.

Though there’s technically airflow adjustment on this Ultra Portable, AIO, Pod Mod, Nexus (whew!), I wouldn’t bother trying to turn it into a restricted lung pod mod. This is an MTL device all the way – choose thinner juices and you’ll be fine, perhaps a nicotine salt e-juice. Thicker juices combined with small juice flow ports on the coil equal clogged vapes. Trust me on this one.

In the grand scheme of pod mods, AIO, and Ultra Portable devices, the Nexus isn’t going to win any awards. It’s an antiquated design, with some wonky adjustment buttons and a weird built-in tool to remove coils. In other words, very “two years ago.”

But the Vaporesso Nexus has two key things going for it – automatic temp control that actually works, and some of the best coil longevity we’ve seen on any device in this category. For many, this will be enough of a reason to check out Vaporesso’s latest, and we’d be silly to argue.

Score: B-