Starter Kit Reviews

Oxbar RRD Kit

The Oxbar RRD blurs the lines between disposable vapes and simple pod kits, but is it the best of both worlds?

by Si Davies
Mar 20, 2023

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Supplied by Oxbar for review
https://www.oxbar.com/pages/rrd
Price: £8.00

This is a new one on me, the Oxbar RRD was intended to be a complete package including e-liquid but Oxbar have also released the device as a standalone disposable for you to use your locally sourced juice. The battery can be recharged and the pod refilled with up to 15ml of e-liquid, but after the coil perishes then the whole device becomes disposable.

Oxbar RRD TPD packaging

Dimensions: 76.5mm x 34.5mm x 13.5mm
E-liquid capacity: 2ml TPD
Type: Refillable
Coil: 1.0Ω Mesh
Battery capacity: 550mAh rechargeable
Number of puffs (coil life): 8000
Activation: Auto Draw
Charging: USB-C 5V/1A

Unboxing

This will be brief as the RRD is as basic as it comes with just the device and a user pamphlet.

OXBAR RRD unboxing

The Oxbar RRD comes in a simple box with tamper proof tabs on each end, inside there is the RRD device which is sealed in a tear-open bag for hygiene.

OXBAR RRD contents

Here’s the entire contents, there’s no charging cable to keep the costs and waste down, it’s underwhelming but that’s to be expected since it’s ultimately a disposable device.

First Impressions and Overview

The RRD is actually quite nice to look at and it feels great in the hand. The compact size of 76.5mm x 34.5mm x 13.5mm just feels right, it’s one of those pods you can hide within your grip quite easily.

OXBAR RRD weight

It is also very light considering the metal case and 550mAh battery. With its compact form, it makes an ideal shirt pocket vape and even fits into a jeans coin pocket.

OXBAR RRD all round

Style wise; there’s very little going on as it is a simple rectangular box shape. The e-liquid tank part gives it a little style and contrast, and every edge has been smoothed off so there’s no hard edges.

OXBAR RRD edges and mouthpiece

I love the whistle-tip mouthpiece, it is near perfect for comfort and the size is also just right, it might be a small detail but you appreciate it during use.

OXBAR RRD all systems go

By default the device is in an OFF state to prevent it dry firing the coil, there’s a simple instruction sticker on the base to guide you how to turn it on, but you will need to fill it up first and leave it a good five minutes for the coil to prime before you activate it. The button is tiny and doesn’t stick out so it can be fiddly to press, I used a toothpick.

OXBAR RRD charging

Once the sticker is removed, it reveals the charging port. It takes the now standard USB-C cable. Although the device already has a partial charge, it is best to fully charge it before use, the charging current is 5V/1A.

OXBAR RRD filling

Filling it up is pretty simple as it has a silicone bung on one side, a small detail is how easy it is to grip and pop open the filling bung. Once open, there is plenty of room to slip your tip in (fnarr yipp) and fill it up, visibility is easy and there were no airlock issues, replacing the bung is as easy as opening it.

OXBAR RRD ready to vape

So once you have filled it up, activated it and recharged it, then it’s time to vape. The original bundle included ‘disposable’ style flavours so I tested it with some IVG Bar Favourites Pink Fizz as it is quite sweet and generally a coil killer, so it should be able to handle the claimed 15ml coil lifespan.

Performance

Simply put, the Oxbar RRD delivers a superb MTL vape, the flavour is on par with the best pods, the draw is smooth and instant, and despite it being a fixed airflow, it manages a ciggie-like tight draw.

OXBAR RRD trio

Overall I really enjoyed vaping the RRD, the device feels handy and natural. It is light enough to keep in your hand (I am typing this review with it still in my grip), and the 550mAh battery lasted well; roughly 2.5 – 3ml before it ran out. Unfortunately the little LED at the base doesn’t indicate the battery status other than it flashing once it has run out.

Charging time was a reasonable 45 minutes on average, but as always it benefits from on the go top up charging if you don’t want to be left without it.

I loved the full e-liquid visibility as you can see every drop, in theory you could run it dry but I would advise you refill it once it reaches the white cotton wicking ports to help with the coil lifespan.

OXBAR RRD official

There was no way I could verify the claimed 8,000 puffs so I could only go by the estimated 15ml, and this turned out to be fairly accurate. I started noticing a slight burnt taste after 15ml but I pushed it up to 20ml before it got too nasty, if you use more traditional, less sweetened 50/50 e-liquids, it might last you longer.

But it is when it runs out that the shame of it all kicks in. At this point it becomes disposable e-waste which feels so wrong, it is too good to throw away and you begin to wonder what the point of this kit is? On the plus side it lasts at least 7.5x longer than other 2ml disposables but it also means there are more electronics going to waste, such as the USB charging board and the larger battery.

There’s also the fact that it isn’t an instant disposable where you tear it open and start vaping immediately, this is one of the excuses disposable users rave about. The RRD is somewhere in between a disposable and a reusable pod and in my opinion a reusable pod wins every time as there is less e-waste because only the pod or coil is bin-fodder.

Conclusion

For the vape quality, compact size, and comfortable feel, the RRD is excellent, but the disposable element kills it for me. I can kind of see the point of it compared to other disposables as it lasts 7.5 times longer before it has to be dumped, but how much harder would it have been to make it a replaceable clip-in pod version? It might have cost a couple of quid more, but that would soon earn it back.

Pros

Superb flavour and smooth draw
Feels great
Comfortable mouthpiece
100% e-liquid visibility
Rechargeable/Refillable
Inexpensive
Lasts 7.5x longer than 2ml disposables
Sweetened e-liquid compatible

Cons

The shameful e-waste once it runs out
Too good to bin it

Final Thoughts

Love, hate or despise with a vengeance; disposable vapes are popular. I kind of admire Oxbar’s approach to make one that lasts longer, but I don’t believe it’s the answer, disposable users want instant tear-open and vape bars and more responsible vapers need less e-waste reusable hardware. The Oxbar RRD sits somewhere in the middle, as a standalone device it feels lost, but the original bundle that included e-liquid bundled makes more sense.

OXBAR RRD stacked up

Si Davies

Reviewer at POTV

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My background is Engineering and Professional Photography. Mostly from POTV users knowledge I learned so much about pretty much all styles of vaping and equipment, Cloud Chasing, Squonking, Mouth To Lung, Direct To Lung, Pods, Mechs, Rebuild-able tanks and atomisers etc, and have experience with many many devices and atomisers, it's become a hobby and enjoy trying out the latest gear. I like to think my reviews are plain speaking and informative without getting too technical, if I have to resort to reading the manual then I don't consider it user friendly!