If you go back and read most of the pod mod reviews over the past year or so, you’ll see a theme – if companies try to “do too much” with the pod mod format or try to broaden their appeal by losing focus on the core audience, the products ultimately fail. Many would argue that’s what happened to the Vaporesso Renova Zero pod mod, which tries to cross over between ex-smokers and experienced vapers, and ultimately misses on both counts. Don’t get me wrong; Vaporesso makes a lot of killer mods and tanks, but they don’t always hit the bullseye. No brand does.

(Also, the Zero is sadly accurate in one area – zero flavor performance. But we’ll get to that in a bit.)

Like most pod mods these days, the Zero follows an elongated design structure, meaning it resembles the smoking experience enough to appeal to newcomers, but doesn’t quite have the same look, draw or sensation, so the experiences are different overall.

The first thing I noticed is that Vaporesso Renova (I’m not sure what Renova is, but I’m assuming Vaporesso is launching a sub-brand) did a nice job of packaging the Zero. In addition to the device, and one long-lasting pod cartridge, there’s also the standard-issue USB cable and the nice inclusion of a 10mL e-liquid filling bottle.

It turns out, the bottle is the most important part of the package. You see, the PCTG pod has a nifty “press to fill” button that prevents leaks and easily accommodates needle-tipped bottles, hence the inclusion. I tried filling the pod with standard bottles and ended up with a collection of paper towels on my desk, so make sure you use the included bottle.

The pod also utilizes a variant of the company’s well-known CCELL coil (ceramic coils), which should bode well for the Zero’s flavor and vapor performance. Unfortunately, I was only half right – the 1.0-ohm coil certainly brings huge vapor for a portable pod device, but the flavor was practically non-existent.

Sadly, I’ve read a number of Reddit and forum reviews that confirm my test model Zero wasn’t a fluke. While I was able to get the Zero to produce mid-wattage mod-level clouds, they were about as flavorful as a hot breath, and nearly as memorable. Even after a few days, I couldn’t tell if the coil was breaking in or on its way out, and only after the “hot breath” started to taste burnt did I know my time was up. VERY disappointing to say the least.

What’s worse is that the coil didn’t even last very long. Longevity is a common problem for ANY pod mod (and one the industry needs to rectify QUICKLY, before ex-smokers realize just how expensive these pods are to replace). Again, disappointing.

It’s a shame, too, because the device isn’t bad at all. The 650mAh internal battery is a pretty decent performer, giving me almost a full workday before conking out – and that was under testing conditions. In real world use, a new/casual vaper will probably get a lot longer.  Plus, even though the charging is only 1-amp, I managed to take the Zero from empty to full in less than the stated 45 minutes, so if you have a half hour to spare, rest comfortably.

Also impressive was the inclusion of a modified OMNI board chipset, which is a name we’re more used to hearing about on advanced vape mods, not entry-level pod devices. Yet, here it is. And even though this draw-activated, single-button pod mod isn’t exactly pushing the limits of ANY modern technology, it’s nice to know the performance and protections representative of the OMNI name are sitting under the hood.

In action, the Zero was SO close to being a contender. Because the powerful draws and ample vapor put forth on a full charge were VERY impressive for such a device. But what good is all that power and “oomph” if there’s no flavor to be had? I attempted to use three different e-liquids, just to see if unique flavors might “poke” the coil into performing. But none of my PG-heavy liquids (salt nic or otherwise) could draw any flavor from this dead fish of a coil.

I may have been launching respectable vapor clouds, but I wasn’t tasting anything but moisture and cotton – and I have enough of that from allergy season to want to vape the same flavor profile.

At the end of the day, the Vaporesso Renova Zero pod mod system is a letdown. While Vaporesso has definitely come up with some of the better spec’d pod mod technology, none of it matters if the device doesn’t vape properly. And that is definitely the case with this flavorless device. Let’s hope the company fixes this and tries again soon… but for now, there are too many working, flavor-focused pods available to recommend the Zero.

Score: C-