Aspire AVP AIO Pod Mod Kit Review

Aspire AVP Review – If you’re an avid reader of Spinfuel VAPE, you know we tend to wear our hearts on our sleeves more than most sites, expressing our distaste for certain trends and gimmicks that tend to dominate the market for short periods of time. Remember our stance on LED lightshows? Or our pleas for “action/enter” buttons on all appropriate devices? Oh, those were fun times.

Well, pod mods are the latest trend to fall into our crosshairs. Not because these devices don’t have a place in the market – just ask JUUL how business has been lately. And not because there haven’t been good pod mod devices on shelves. It’s just that so many of them are released each month, it’s getting harder to tell them apart. And when testing them, most seem even MORE unnecessary.

The Aspire AVP AIO is an example of a company going to the well too many times. Yes, even leading companies like Aspire have a few missteps along the way, and – while it technically does what it needs to do – there are so many other pod mods that just do it better… including one from Aspire’s own collection of devices. Anyway, we’ll get to that in a few scrolls of your mouse wheel. Until then, here’s the company line:

The Aspire AVP 12W Pod System implements a futuristic and ergonomic design pod kit, integrating elements of carbon fiber panels against a high sheen metal chassis, internal 700mAh rechargeable battery, and a 2.0mL juice pod with 1.2ohm Nichrome coil. Visually, the AVP Pod System maintains a sleek and high-quality design with elements of carbon fiber and the zinc-aluminum alloy chassis to create a lightweight device with ergonomic feel.

The Aspire AVP is another oval-shaped disc pod mod in a long line of them flooding the market today. So, right away you’re going to know if you want to explore this device further. For some, the flat, rounded shape lends itself to a comfortable mouth feel. Others (like me) think the format makes little sense, unless you want to vape a miniature pan flute.

(Big props to anyone who can name the “artist” who sold his pan flute music via late night TV commercials.)

But, despite this being a common pod mod shape, the AVP uses (you guessed it) proprietary pods for the device, so any hopes you had of cross-compatibility are out the window. But, for what they are, the 2mL pods are well-built and designed, with a magnetized action that snaps them into place securely, without requiring a vise grip to get them out for refilling.

Speaking of refilling, I’ve seen reviews indicating that filling these pods was messy and difficult, but I was fortunate enough to not have this issue. While refilling still requires a steady hand (and a narrow bottle tip) I managed to refill these pods several times without any incident.

One major positive of the AVP is its build quality, which is beyond solid. Unlike plastic pod mods, the aluminum alloy frame gives the AVP a nice heft that still feels comfortable in a shirt pocket, but also reassures users of its durability when stowed away. Nice work in this department.

However, a few points need to be deducted for the operation button, which repeatedly stuck when pressed. You really only use the button for powering on and off, so it’s not going to affect your actual vaping (which is draw-activated) but it might become a hassle when used over a longer period of time. That said, I haven’t seen this complaint on Reddit or other reviews, so I’m going to chalk it up to a quirk, since the rest of the AVP is so solidly built.

My other complaint has to come from the pod color, which is the (now-standard) deep translucent gray, making it near impossible to gauge e-liquid levels without a strong backlight. Of course, that’s not always an option, meaning your other primary indicator would be a horrific dry hit that effectively toasts the coil beyond repair.

Finally, I’m torn on the lack of adjustable airflow. While this is a feature seen on “higher-end” pod mods, and not entry-level, 12-watt devices like the AVP, I’ve always preferred to have a little more control over the experience, even on a draw-activated mod. It’s a preference, not a criticism, but I doubt I’m alone here.

Standout Features

Even with a compact, slender frame, Aspire managed to outfit the AVP with a VERY strong 700mAh battery that outlasted its expectations every time I used it. While that number might seem small compared to similar devices, the AVP just sips power where others guzzle it. I managed to get a few hours of heavy chain vaping on a single charge, and a LOT more when using it more sparingly with nic salt juices. It might not be “all day” power, but the AVP is damn impressive in this department, which should be a consideration when buying a pod device.

That said, the AVP also has rapid charging onboard, with a full charge taking well under an hour, and passthrough capability when doing just that.

Vaping the Aspire AVP Pod Mod

Anyone who’s used a draw-activated pod mod is going to feel right at home here. Light draws on the mouthpiece activate the mod, followed by fairly quick draws right after. I wasn’t overly impressed with the draw time (SMOK’s Nord system was far more immediate, as was Aspire’s own Nautilus AIO) but for the casual user, the speed was fair. The only complaint I need to mention here is that the AVP occasionally required a “primer puff” – an additional short draw to wake up the mod – which is something we haven’t seen much of since the early days of vaping, when 808-threaded batteries were common and satisfaction wasn’t.

Once active, the AVP delivers a fair shot of flavor and vapor for a 12-watt mouth-to-lung (MTL) device. Initially, after priming the 1.2-ohm coil and setting the device to the “normal/medium” setting, the flavor was tremendous, with deep taste clarity and some surprisingly bright notes, to boot. And that was with both nic salt juices and standard 50/50 blends. However, this elation was short-lived, since the pod coils quickly degraded to “meh” status. There was still flavor and vapor, but the whole experience was more muted than “mmmm” worthy.

Despite the quick loss of flavor clarity, the AVP pods stayed decent for well longer than most prebuilt pods in this category. But therein lies my biggest problem with the AVP. Why would anyone – even those who want Aspire products specifically – choose the AVP and its questionable all-inclusive coils, when the Nautilus AIO uses the time-honored, long-lasting, altogether awesome BVC coil system?

That device still adheres to the pod mod design, but has better power, battery capacity, draw time, flavor and vapor performance, for just a few dollars more. Maybe the price of entry is a smidge higher, but when factoring in coil life and overall enjoyment, that kit will make up the cost difference in no time flat. Call it a matter of preference if you’d like. It just seems silly to me.

Pros:

– Outstanding battery life for its size

– Excellent build quality

– Initial flavor is divine

Cons:

– Value compared to other Aspire pod/AIO systems just isn’t there

– Flavor and vapor diminish quickly

– Help! I can’t see my e-liquid!

Spinfuel VAPE Recommendation and Score

Look, if the Aspire AVP is your vision of the ideal pod mod vape device, then go with your gut. It works as intended, with some bright spots along the way at a reasonable price. However, if you’re comparing pod mods (even within the same brand) there are better options to be had, most notably the Aspire Nautilus AIO, which has much more control, performance and versatility within a similarly sized (and priced) device.