The Vaporesso Xros 5 Mini - is it any good? Here’s my thoughts after 3 months.

Back in June 2025, Vaporesso launched their brand new additions to the Xros range of vape kits. As is usually the case when Vaporesso launch a new model, they come in two types; Xros 5 (the standard version) and Xros 5 Mini (the slightly smaller and cheaper option).

I’ve been a big fan of Vaporesso’s products for a long time now. I’ve been using refillable open pod systems for many years and what I really like about this brand is how they seem to be able to make subtle but useful improvements to every new version.

The last kit that I used daily was the Xros 4 Mini. I was looking forward to upgrading to the Vaporesso Xros 5 Mini and seeing if it was an improvement on its predecessor. Its bigger brother, the standard Xros 5, is another kit I am familiar with, and I intend to write up a full review on this device too, however there are some differences in the two kits and in the interest of giving you the very best review, I thought it would be sensible to focus a full article on each kit individually to really hone in on the specific details and the pros and cons of each device.

The Day The Vaporesso Xros 5 Mini Was Launched

It was finally here, the brand new Xros 5 Mini. As soon as I got wind that the shipment from Vaporesso came through our door at UK Vape Scene, I shot out of my office chair like a bat out of hell, eager to get my hands on one. Annoyingly, the “goods in” team at the warehouse wouldn’t let me touch one until they had done their job and booked all the new stock in, so I had to wait a short while. Spoil sports…

However, the wait was short-lived and I finally got the thumbs up from the team that they were all there and ready for us to make public. I ran into the warehouse and like a kid on Christmas day, and tore the packaging open without any hesitation. As my eyes lit up, there it was… My shiny new Carbon Black Vaporesso Xros 5 Mini.

I was immediately impressed by its presence. It had a sleek and stylish finish and I could tell right away that Vaporesso had made a real effort to not only keep, but to improve the sense of quality you get when you’re using one of their products.

Why Was I So Excited About The New Xros 5 Mini?

This time around, the latest version of the Xros Mini line of products had some really impressive upgrades from the Xros 4 Mini. The older version was good, but there was room for improvement. Thankfully, Vaporesso listened to the feedback from the last kit and made sure they made the right changes for the latest model.

The untrained eye might not notice all of the changes, but they have been made and I’m so glad for it.

Airflow Improvements

Firstly, the airflow adjustment. This was a brand new feature for the Xros 4 Mini, but one drawback of it was where it was located. The way that most of us hold a vape meant that you often covered the airflow holes with your finger or thumb, cutting off the air supply. So, you had to slightly change the way you were holding it, and it wasn’t a very natural feel. Not a major issue, but at the very least an awkward annoyance.

Thankfully, Vaporesso listened to the feedback, and on the new Xros 5 Mini the airflow adjuster has been relocated to the side of the device, so accidentally covering the airflow holes with your fingers isn’t a problem any more.

Sticking with the airflow theme, another change is that the little air holes that were located on either side of the device have now gone. That means no more blockages from debris and no more running around the house desperately trying to find a small pin or some other poking utensil needed to clear out those holes to get a decent, smooth hit. Vaporesso have completely redesigned the airflow system on the Xros 5 Mini and those little holes are now a thing of the past.

Battery Capacity Increase

My next, and arguably biggest excitement, was the increase in the battery size. As most things in our lives are battery-operated these days, it’s always a pain when you’ve got to constantly have things on charge. A way to make this less of a pain is by using products that need recharging less often.

Now, most products and devices have some sort of battery increase as they go through updates, but with the Xros 5 Mini, we didn’t just get a slight improvement, we got a whopping 50% battery increase! This means that the Vaporesso Xros 5 Mini now has a very generous 1500mAh lithium-ion battery and this made me very happy indeed.

This does mean the device itself has a little more ‘chunk’ to it than the Xros 4 but in my opinion, it felt even better in the hand and it still kept its compact feel.

Check the full specs here

Let’s Talk Performance

Although the kit has undergone some changes, the pod it uses remains the same. That means that the Vaporesso Xros 5 Mini still uses the same Vaporesso Corex 2.0 pods that have been out for a while and were used in the previous model.

That’s not a negative by any stretch; the Corex 2.0 pods are fantastic. The flavour is exceptional and the smoothness of each hit is a delight. When you combine these pods with the updated airflow system and great power delivery, you’ve got yourself a real good kit.

The Xros 5 Mini kicks out up to 30 watts of power. This isn’t adjustable by you, but it features clever technology which can detect the resistance of the pod you’ve installed, and it will output the correct amount of power suitable for that pod. All of these things combined mean that it performs exceptionally well and keeps the Vaporesso Xros series as one of the leaders in the pod kit category.

Is There Anything I Don’t Like?

Like most things, nothing is perfect and the Vaporesso Xros 5 is no different. The strengths outweigh the weaknesses by far, but there’s one small thing that I’m not a big fan of, and that’s the battery status indicator.

The previous model of the Xros Mini had an RGB light that indicated the battery status by either showing the light as red, blue or green. To me this was clear and easy to understand, the colours would correspond with the battery life remaining and this system just seems logical.

However, on the new vape kit, Vaporesso decided to ditch the three colours and go with a 4-bar system which all have the same colour (white). It does kind of make sense I guess. If four bars are illuminated then you have 75-100% battery, 3 bars is 50-75%, and so on.

The problem I have with this is that the differently-coloured lights were more ‘in your face’ and obvious, but also this new four bar light doesn’t seem to be consistent to me at all. The device seems to stay on the fourth bar for a long time, then it drops down to three bars for a while but once it gets to the second bar, the battery life seems to deplete very quickly.

When I first started to use this vape kit and I reach the second bar for the first time, my initial thought was, “Oh, I have about 50% battery left, so it should last me almost as long as I’ve already been using it” but this wasn’t the case. To my surprise, in what seemed like no time at all, the final bar was flashing and the battery had completely died and needed charging. This happened to me a couple of times, so now, when I see that second bar, I just recharge and I now assume the second bar means less than 25% battery remaining, not the 25-50% I thought it was.

With this small annoyance in mind, I don’t want you to be reading this and be thinking that the battery doesn’t last long. This isn’t what I’m getting at, the battery life is actually fantastic and lasts a very long time. It’s only been an issue when I haven’t been mindful of how long I have been using the device since its last charge, so my pro-tip is, keep an eye on it and if that second light is illuminated, get it on charge or go easy on your vaping as you could be caught short!

Would I Recommend This Product?

Yes, I would, 100% (and I have many times). Looking past the inconsistency with the battery status indicator, the device overall is absolutely brilliant. The battery lasts a long time, the device is a perfect size, and fits in your hand and pocket without feeling out of place. It looks great, has many different colour options and thanks to the Vaporesso Xros Pods it provides a consistent hit with strong flavour and works with many different vape juice brands.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Amazing battery life
• Wide selection of colours
• Adjustable airflow
• Perfect size

Cons

• Inconsistent battery status lights
• Some colours show light scratches fairly quickly

Buy the Vaporesso Xros 5 Mini