SMOK Nord Coils and Pods — Which One Do I Need?

The SMOK Nord is one of the most successful pod kits ever made, which is exactly why buying parts for it is confusing — there have been several generations, and they do not all share components.

Here's how to get the right one.

The short answer

• Nord (original) — takes Nord coils, screwed into a refillable pod.

• Nord 2 — takes RPM and Nord coils depending on which pod you use.

• Nord 4 — takes RPM and RPM 2 coils, chosen by pod.

• Scar P5 — takes RPM and RPM 2 pods.

The pod usually decides the coil. Work out your pod first.

Step one: identify your device

The model name is printed on the device, usually near the base or on the back panel. If it's worn off, the giveaway is the pod shape — later generations are wider and hold more liquid.

Don't guess from the box unless you still have it. SMOK reused a lot of design language across generations.

Step two: work out the coil family

Nord coils — the original family. Screw directly into the pod. Commonly found in 0.6Ω, 0.8Ω and 1.4Ω.

RPM coils — introduced with the RPM range and used across the Nord 2 and Nord 4 via specific pods. Push-fit rather than screw-in on most pods.

RPM 2 coils — larger, aimed at higher wattage and more vapour. Used in the Nord 4's RPM 2 pod and the Scar P5's RPM 2 pod.

If you buy the pod that matches your device, the coil family follows automatically.

Step three: pick the resistance

This is the choice that actually changes how it vapes.

• 1.4Ω — tightest draw, least vapour, best for 20mg nic salt and a cigarette-like experience.

• 0.8Ω — the middle ground. Works with 10mg salts or a higher-VG liquid.

• 0.6Ω and below — warmer, airier, much more vapour. Built for shortfills at 3mg or 6mg, not for high-strength salts.

Putting 20mg nic salt through a 0.6Ω coil is the single most common mistake here, and it is genuinely unpleasant. Understanding coil resistance explains why, and nicotine strength for beginners covers the pairing.

Empty pods vs pods with coils

SMOK sell both, and the listings aren't always clear.

• "Pod — no coil" is the plastic pod only. You need a coil as well.

• "Pod with coil" includes one fitted.

If you already have spare coils, buy the empty pod. If you're starting fresh, buy the version with a coil so you have something that works out of the box.

Making coils last

SMOK coils are not the longest-lived on the market, and most premature deaths are avoidable:

1. Prime every new coil — wet the cotton through the ports, fill, then wait five minutes. How to prime a vape coil.

2. Never vape it dry. Refill at about a quarter.

3. Start at lower power and work up.

4. Sweet and dessert flavours will halve coil life compared with a menthol.

How often should you replace a vape coil and why does my vape taste burnt cover the symptoms.

Still not sure?

Bring the device into either of our Northampton shops and we'll match it in about thirty seconds — it's much faster than working it out from a photo. Our shops and opening hours.

If you'd rather narrow it down yourself, which vape coil do I need walks through it for every brand we carry.

Frequently asked questions

Are Nord and RPM coils interchangeable? Not universally. Some Nord 2 pods take Nord coils and others take RPM — the pod decides, not the device.

Will Nord 4 coils fit a Nord 2? Not reliably. Buy for the generation you own.

What's the difference between RPM and RPM 2? RPM 2 coils are physically larger and aimed at higher wattage and more vapour.

Which coil for 20mg nic salt? 1.4Ω, or 0.8Ω if you want a little more warmth.

My new coil tastes burnt immediately. It almost certainly wasn't primed, or it was run at too high a wattage from cold.