Honest review time: The Aspire Breeze NXT

Aspire recently released a new pod system that’s been getting quite a bit of positive attention. It’s the latest in their Breeze line of devices which if you’re not familiar with are compact, refillable pod systems that use user replaceable coils. I was fortunate enough to get my hands on one and have been thoroughly enjoying it over the past couple weeks. It might be a bit early to say it but this could be one of the best pod systems we see this year. Here are my honest thoughts on the Breeze NXT from Aspire.

Package contents:

1 xBreeze NXT Battery Unit
1 xBreeze NXT Pod
2 x0.8Ω Mesh Coils
1 xMicro USB Cable
1 xWarranty Card
1 xUser Manual

Listed features and specs:

Fire function:Automatic draw or button fire
Airflow:Side adjustable
Battery capacity:1000mAh
Fill method:Easy side fill
Coil type:Easy replaceable coils(plug and play)
Liquid capacity:5.4ml
Coil material:Kanthal AF
Coil resistance:0.8ohm
Output mode:Bypass
Colours:Black, white, red
Dimensions:96mm height
35mm width
20.5mm thick
Protection:Automatic cutoff, Short circuit, low voltage, overcharge, overheat

Packaging and contents:

The kit comes packed in a hard cover box with a sleeve over top. On the front of the sleeve it shows an image of the kit while on the back it lists the contents of the kit, some basic company info and some general warnings. Sliding off the sleeve we are treated to a small wooden box with a hinged lid. Inside the box the kit is nicely presented in a hard plastic shell. In the kit you get the Aspire Breeze NXT device, an empty pod, a micro USB cable, two 0.8ohm meh coils, a user manual and a warranty card. It’s a modestly packed kit without any real extras but you get what you need to get started.

The mod:

The Aspire Breeze NXT mod is basically the third iteration in the Breeze line of pod devices and it has really undergone some upgrades. It’s similar in size to previous Breeze models and measures roughly 96mm tall, 35 mm wide and about 20mm thick. It comes with a similar dust cap as previous versions but I always tend to misplace them so I just leave mine at home. It’s now got a sleek body with an ergonomic groove running around the middle, sort of like a waistline. It adds a nice bit of grip to the device but also helps break up what would otherwise be another rectangular shaped pod device. I personally like the waist they’ve added but it does come with one slight drawback. Tucked in on one of the sides of the device is an adjustable airflow dial that you can turn to set the airflow to your liking. At full open it’s a tight direct lung hit or loose mouth to lung but you can close it down almost all the way for a much tighter mouth to lung. The problem is because of that waist line you tend to grip the NXT around the center which often times ends up covering up the airflow hole. It’s easily avoided but I found it a bit of an annoyance constantly having to worry about my finger placement.

At the top of the device like most others is the refillable pod. It inserts into the top of the device and uses friction to hold it in place. So far it’s been holding firmly with no rattle and no worries of it falling out. Down the face of the mod is the fire button with a light under it to indicate when it’s firing, charging or indicating a status. The button is rectangular but rounded and has a decent click to it. It’s easy enough to find and fire with either the thumb or index but considering the device is also draw activated you hardly need to use it save for turning the device on and off with the usual five clicks. On the side opposite the airflow adjustment is the micro USB port for charging the built-in 1000mAh battery. It charges at a rate of 0.7A so no quick charge with this thing. To indicate remaining battery the light will shine red for below 3.5V, blue for 3.5 to 3.8V and green if it’s above 3.8V. I find it tends to last me a day and a half before needing a charge and with the 5.4ml capacity pod this thing is built to last. One thing notably missing is any power regulation meaning this device is direct output so whatever remains in the battery is what it’s putting out. This means the experience can decline as the battery level drops but in my time with it I’ve hardly noticed any drop in performance as the light changes colour. On the very bottom are a series of four small holes for venting should anything go awry with the battery but with built-in protections like automatic cutoff, short circuit protection, low voltage, overcharge and over heat it should remain safe in nearly any circumstance.

The pod:

The pod as mentioned holds a whopping 5.4ml of liquid. That means I can top this thing up and go well over a day with it before needing to refill. For refilling Aspire has conveniently placed the fill plug on the upper part of the pod so you can still access it while it’s inserted in the device. This makes for super convenient top ups but I do find popping it open can be a bit of a challenge because it’s nuzzled in there fairly tight and then you basically need to hold it open while you refill as the flap really wants to close when the pod is still inserted. It’s still a handy feature and hopefully we see more devices with this layout. Another challenge with this pod is the liquid level is quite difficult to see without removing the pod but to be fair I find that’s the case with nearly every pod device out there. There are little clear windows on the sides but they’re textured which makes it pretty hard to see through them exactly how much liquid remains.

The pod is bottom airflow and it has two little holes on the bottom where the air leads to the coil. Those two holes match up with two little bumps in the top of the device and one of those holes I believe triggers the draw activated fire. I noticed on occasion a bit of condensation can build up on it causing the draw activation to fail. A quick wipe up with a tissue easily fixes it but it should be noted as some folks find draw activation a bit unreliable. Luckily it still has a button should the draw activation give out. The last notable thing about these pods is the plug and play coils. There’s a hole in the bottom where you can insert a coil. Some flat sides help it lock in to place and an exposed edge helps in removing them with your fingernails. You’ll need the tank to be below half empty to replace the coil while tipping it on it’s side or the remaining liquid will pour out that hole if there’s too much.

Coils & Performance:

The kit comes with two 0.8ohm mesh coils in a new plug and play format. I personally love it when a company includes two of the same coil as I feel it can be confusing to new users just starting out when the two coils in their kit perform so wildly different. With the included plug and play mesh coils I haven’t had a single complaint. The flavour and vapour production from them is top notch and when consulting a friend and fellow reviewer I think we’ve both come to the same conclusion that this thing will give even the now notorious Caliburn a run for it’s money. Flavour is full and nuanced while putting out a decent amount of vapour, as you’d expect from a mesh coil. Coil life also seems great so far. I’ve been running a coffee flavour through it and I’m already well over a full week on it with no sign of it quitting anytime soon. I’ve probably run close to 20ml through it and can’t believe it’s still tasting as great as it does.

Overall:

The Breeze NXT is by far one of the best out of the box pod experiences I’ve had yet. It checks off a lot of boxes for me. With it’s 1000mAh battery and 5.4ml liquid capacity this thing has been all I need for a day out and about. This one will be well suited to nearly any vaper whether just starting out or looking for a nice little upgrade to your pod device and if you happen to be in the market for a new pod device, I can’t recommend this one enough! Great job with this one Aspire!!

How it adds up
Slick lookingErgonomicEase of useBuild qualityBattery lifeLiquid capacityIncredible flavour and vapourMesh coils
Airflow is easy to cover by accidentTiny bit of condensationUnregulated/direct ouputNo quick charge
9Killer kit
Presentation8.5
Build Quality9
Performance9.5