The Aspire Zelos vape mod kit (paired with the Nautilus 2 tank) is the latest from vape stalwarts Aspire.
The company have steered clear of the 200W+ mod madness of recent months to bring us a 50W mod targeted, I’d say, at the beginner end of the market. Although a 50W mod can also do a job for even the most experienced vapers.
Zelos Vape Mod Kit From Aspire – A Beginner Friendly Vape Kit
Before I purchased the Zelos for review, I’ll be straight up. I didn’t like the look of the mod one bit. I thought it looked a little on the boring side and the only saving grace was that I realy liked the Aspire Nautilus 2 that came with the kit.
Has that changed now I’ve been using it for over 1 month? Keep on reading to find out.
In The Box
- Aspire Zelos mod
- Aspire nautilus 2 tank
- 1 X 0.7 Ohm Coil (Recommended for use at 18-23W)
- 1 X 1.8 Ohm coil (Recommended for use at 10-14W)
- Spare stainless still drip tip
- Spare pyrex glass
- Micro USB charging cable
Features
Zelos Mod
- Dimensions: (H) 78mm x (W) 23 x (L) 40mm
- 50W
- 2500mAh Battery capacity
- Spring loaded 510 pin
- Can fire down to 0.1Ohm resistance
- Temp Control – Ni/Ti/SS
- Voltage mode
- Bypass mode
- Auto flip screen
Nautilus 2 Tank
- 2ml Capacity
- 0.7 Ohm (Sub ohm coil ) + 1.8 Ohm Coil included
- Easy top fill design
- Mouth to Lung Tank
Design & Build Quality
When I first saw the images online of the Aspire Zelos I’ve got to say it did very little to get my blood pumping!
On opening the box though, I have to say, while it’s not likely to win any awards for design it’s still a nifty looking little vape mod and a small one for the 2500mAh battery capacity.
The contrasting greys work well and the branding is there but not in your face. Always a good thing for my personal tastes.
What really grabbed my attention is the build quality. For want of a better word it’s solid.
With a smooth to touch feel the mod sits really well in the hand. Compact enough for even my small hands to wrap around it completely. 
There is also a slight ridge on the side of the mod that allows for three fingers to sit below and your index finger to hover, ready, over the fire button. Simple thing but all works well adding to the overall comfort. It’s a pleasure to handle.
The base of the Aspire Zelos comes complete with venting holes and the side control buttons are solid with no rattle.
510 Thread with adjustable pin- I’ve tried a number of tanks including the paired tank, the excellent Aspire Nautilus 2 and the Aspire Cleito.
All fit like a glove and connected smoothly.
OLED Screen – Nice and clear. A great size for a compact vape mod. Another top feature, that all most should really have, is the auto screen adjustment.
Whatever side up you have the mod the screen will auto flip like your smartphone does. It works pretty much instantly as well so unless you’re looking you won’t even notice it’s happening.
Below the OLED screen is the Micro USB charging port. This also allows for pass through vaping so you can vape whilst charging.
Wear and Tear
I’ve been using the Aspire Zelos mod now for just over 4 weeks. I’ve had it in pockets, bags, out on tables on nights out getting knocked over. I’ve put it through the ringer!
I’ll tell you what… this little mod has held up really well.
In fact, the small scratches on the base I only noticed after taking and viewing the photos I took of the mod. In ‘real life’ in the hand they are barely noticeable.
The Anodized Aluminum coating/finish Aspire have used here is superb and can take a beating!
How Does The Aspire Zelos Perform?
We have already reviewed the Aspire Nautilus 2 tank so I won’t go over that again as Neil has said all there was to say about the tank and said it very nicely indeed.
Rest assured, for MTL (mouth to lung) vapers it’s leading the pack at the time of writing.
Great e cig tank, highly recommended.
So.. First off lets go over the Aspire Zelos Mod controls and functions:
- 5 Click on/off
- Hold down + and – buttons together to access the menu
- Use + or – button to scroll through options (Watts/Voltage/Bypass/TC-Ni/TC-Ti/TC-SS/)
- When on the option you want simply press the power button to select
- Lock the device – Press the + and power button together
- When in TC Mode press power button and – together to enter the the wattage selection. Use + and – to change the wattage.
All super simple, even for beginners.
The only thing that made me go arghh with this mod was the wattage selection scrolling speed.
It would start off at a nice easy pace to keep up with then all of a sudden it jumps to hyper speed quicker than the Millennium Falcon.
Before you know it you’ve gone from 16W to 40W while aiming for 30W.
Great I’d say for mods hitting 200W+ ranges but with a max wattage of 50W, for me it doesn’t need to be that quick.
A minor annoyance I have to say and it only happened because I was switching from a 1.6Ohm coil to 0.4Ohm coil regularly. If you’re just using the Nautilus 2 you won’t have this issue.
Battery Life
With the paired Nautilus 2 tank and 1.8 Ohm coil I can get 1.5 days moderate vaping. With the 0.7 Ohm coil I was looking at around 6-7 hours.
With a 0.4Ohm coil in the Aspire Cleito I was having to pop on charge after around 5 hours.
Of course this is going to be different for everyone but the battery life was good for me.
Just keep in mind, the lower resistance your coil, the more it will drain you battery.
What I Like
The all over build quality from the buttons to the 510 thread. It’s really well built. After 5 weeks of heavy use it still looks as good as the day I bought it.
The OLED auto flip screen feature is a nice one. Works so well I barely even noticed the screen was flipping.
It’s also very easy to use, vapers new to box mods should have no problems here.
What I Didn’t Like
I’m really having to be picky here.
As mentioned in the review, the only thing I found a slight annoyance was the speed of which the Zelos fires through the wattage settings.
That’s it…. and I feel kind of silly for even including that here.
Final Review Verdict
The Aspire Zelos mod has been an absolute pleasure to use.
I know when something’s been good and works as it should because you almost forget that you are using the mod. No messing about, pop your tank on, get your wattage set and away you go. At the end of the day that’s how simple vaping should be.
What Type of Vaper Would The Zelos Mod Kit Be Good For?
If you are new to vaping looking for a reliable mod and tank that’s super simple to use then this is one for the short list.
For vapers with a little more experience that are looking to step up from a vape pen kit. Perfect.
In fact, as long as you vape within the 50W limits and want a compact mod that can take a bit of a battering then I’d recommend this to any level of vaper.
It’s safe to say I wouldn’t have bought this mod from the ‘sales’ images alone. It didn’t look all that to me, personally. But, I wanted to see what the Zelos was all about and of course share with you, the reader, what my thoughts on the mod were.
I’m glad I did buy it… And if I lost this mod (I think I’d have a hard time breaking it) I would definitely be back online to buy a replacement.
Pros
- Without doubt the overall build quality – Minimal wear and tear from heavy use
- Auto flip screen works well
- Compact mod that would fit well in even the smallest handed adults out there
- Perfectly matched with the Nautilus 2 tank
- Beginner friendly
- Good battery life
- Vape whilst charging
- Excellent tank included with the kit version
Cons
- Scrolling through the settings can reach hyper speeds
Came across this review when searching for the Zelos specs, to check the battery wattage.
I’ve had mine for years, paired with a triton mini tank, I think it’s a perfect combo.
Both mod and tank still work perfectly, testament to the build quality mentioned in your review. The battery still holds a charge well, lasts me all day with an overnight charge. I use 1.8ohm coils at 11.5v which last about two weeks before changing. Your review is spot on.
How do you change the coil on the Zelos 50w
Hi Gary,
Presuming you are using the Aspire Nautilus 2 as in pictures above then you just follow these steps to replace coil:
Ensure tank is empty
Hold the base and remove/unscrew the outer cover
Unscrew coil and replace – You may need to Remove the glass to get at the coil properly.
Hope that helps..
I’m a first time vaper and for me this zelis has been great. Ibvi you get the nerves if it not fulfilling the nicotine fix but that hasn’t happened. I’ve left it at 14w full air flow the shop reccomrnded I don’t really see the need to alter other settings I don’t understand. Only con for me is I’m re filling 3 times a day I don’t know if that’s normal or nit
Hi.. I to was filling the 2ml often. I bought a nautilus 5ml tank. It fits perfect and is absolutely wonderful!! Lasts me the whole day.
The Aspire Zelos is my first vape experience since using the Halo G6 e-cig from 2012-2014. I’ve had it for two weeks, my cigarette consumption has reduced by 70% and I’m enjoying it very much. I’ve just started with the 0.7 after two weeks with the 1.8. In terms of throat hit, I find the wattage range suggested here a little low, but I’ve yet to invest any time in looking at the TC options and methods. For sure I’m too much of a newbie to understand how to get the most out of my mod. I’m sure that will change.
The biggest issues I’ve had have been leakage (which I’m guessing is a rookie mistake) and the coil coming out when you unscrew to refill (a combo of rookie mistake and design flaw).Suffice it to say that you want to make sure that your coil is well and truly screwed in or when you unscrew to refill, it will come out attached to the chimney/glass protector.
Love your review. I bought my Aspire Zelos yesterday, read this today. I agree with all of your statements and am in the upgrading from a pen stick type ecig.
I love it!
I bought mine yesterday and it’s great apart from I was on the innokin ez and wanted a change so chose this the only thing is am using twice as much juice
hi i have been using the zelos now for about three weeks,
great battery life about 3 days.my nautilus 2 tank was too small for me and it leaked too which was a bit anyoying to say the least
so i bought a nautilus x tank with extended tank kit, no leaks now and i get 4 mls per fill .
Hi great review! I’ve been a vaper for 4 yrs (also non smoker now for the same) I’m a basic vaper, i like to fill a tank and puff away!
I use an innokin iclear 30s (used now for at least 2 yrs) its hardy, I’m accidental, and it satisfies my needs. Up until 18 months ago i used a vision spinner 2. When my last one was finally giving up my local store recommended the Aspire zelos! I wasn’t enthusiastic, it seemed a bit over complicated for me. I use it on wattage only…….mainly cos i have no idea what the other settings are for! It doesn’t really matter I love this battery!
I’m now on my 4th though. It regularly gets dropped, or thrown across the room as my quite large dog jumps me ( she thinks she’s a lapdog but weighs 27kg) but my first lasted less than 6mths before refusing to charge, the store kindly sold me one at a drastic discount. Up until that point the only issue i had was the bottom plate screws coming loose, making it rattle. The second gave up after 3 months, it charged but wouldn’t fire, this time it was replaced foc under their 4month warranty and because it had know become a joke as they hadn’t had 1 bad customer feedback from the zelos apart from me!
This 3rd one has really taken a beating, due to a health issue where I’ve lost feeling in my fingers. It’s gone down the stairs, bounced on paving slabs and so much more. As with the 1st 2 the bottom screws came loose, tightened on a daily basis until I used a bit of clear nail varnish on them. That lasted a few months and then came loose again. I left it for a while as while as they weren’t causing much of an issue, then last week I realised that it wasn’t charging again. On inspection though the cable wasn’t making contact, it was very loose and would only charge if I held it in! The pins were intact but it was missing the outer casing. I can only assume the loose bottom plate and my ability to drop everything i pick up has knocked it out of place!
I started looking for a replacement. Looked at various mods in my price range, wasn’t taken by any of them! Then found another Zelos, this time with a nautilus tank, for less than I’d paid for my original! Well better the devil you know etc. Not sure I’ll use the tank, its noisy and I don’t understand this drip tipping and hate big plumes of vapour but its a good spare if my 3 innokin tanks die!
One day i may actually work out the other settings lol!
hello
in the day at work i use a Smok Qbox with a 0.6 Coil at 27 Degrees
when I get home at night with a Brew or Beer I Like to MTL
Bought a Innokin Zenith Tank last week which i have been putting on the Qbox at about 14 degrees
just purchased a 2nd Hand Zelos to use with the Zenith when relaxing at home
do you think the 2 will go together ??
Hey Mark,
Yes you can use the Zenith on the Zelos no problem. But… It sounds like you are using temp control? If you are then Kanthal isn’t recommended for use in TC mode. The Innokin Zenith coils are Kanthal, these are best used in wattage mode.
TC works properly for Stainless Steel, Ni200 or Ti coils.
sorry i meant to put 27 watts & 14 watts
was having a blond moment
more beer needed i think
haha.. We’ve all been there 🙂
Hi, I’ve been considering of buying Aspire Zelos 50W Kit. So, I watched a number of review videos on youtube but not a single reviewer talks about battery life yet there a quite a number of comments complianing about battery life that it gets shorter and shorter within days and dos not last for more than like couple of hours. Plus, people also complaining abput leaking through the air holes very often.
In addition, what I saw in unboxing videos is that when you need to change the coil you need to empty the tank first, that’s a really bizarre design decision.
I’ve been vaping for 6 years and this whole set-up was garbage. it leaks it doesn’t hold very much juice and I had the Gorilla Glue the screws into the battery mod. You have to take the whole tank apart to get the wick out a waste of juice and a waste of money. Going back to reliable Nautilus mini.
I am new to vaping, just bought the above ecig, the store set it up for me, but it bubbles and I get juice in my mouth. Is this normal?
Hey Roz, it does happen sometimes, sounds like coil ay be flooded a little.
If I get the bubbling/spitting I do the following, should help:
Remove the mouthpiece
Take a piece of tissue, roll it up tight and poke it down the hole into the center of the coil
this should mop up any excess juice and help reduce the issue your having
When filling in future, just fill to the thread line on the coil (you will see this when you take the top off).
Sometimes over filling can cause issues.
Let me know how you get on!
Thanks
Jonny
Hi can you tell me what it means when it says ‘over 10s’. I’ve been using this now for about 3 weeks and I absolutely love it!!!!!
Hi Tania,
Over 10’s is a built in protection. If the power button is pressed for more than 10 seconds then the device will cut off.
Hi,
I’ve been looking at stepping up from my Aspire PockeX vape pen, but as I’m fairly new to vaping I’m a bit worried about buying the Zelos – although it looks like it would be the ideal step-up for me. I have tried another box-type vaper (the joytech egrip 11), but I think I bought this in error, as I prefer mouth to lung vaping and this one just doesn’t do it for me 🙁
Whe you say you have to be careful of the type of liquids you use with the Zelos, what do you mean exactly?
Sorry If this seems a weird question, it’s just I can’t get my head around the different settings of these box-mods & what they mean etc.
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Daryl.
Hey Daryl,
The Zelos is a great box mod. It’s super simple to use, just takes 10 minutes to get your bearings and learn how to quickly change the wattage to suit the coil you are using. For example, if using with the Nautilus 2 tank, the lower resistance coil (0.7ohm) will need a wattage around 18-23W. The higher resistance coil (1.8Ohm) will require between 10-14W or there about.
To find your perfect wattage simply start low and work your way up 0.5W at a time vaping as you go. Stop when you are happy with the vape.
Regarding the e-liquid. With the Nautilus 2 tank that comes with the Zelos, it is a mouth to lung vape.
The coil heads and the holes where the e-liquid soaks through to the coil are quite small. Due to this it’s recommended to use no higher than a 60VG/40PG e liquid to allow the juice to soak through properly. It will work ‘OK’ with higher but best to stick to these until you are used to the tank.
I recommend reading our guide on PG and VG in e liquid to give yourself a better understanding of the eliquid types.
Any other questions please let me know.
Cheers
Jonny
Hi. I’m an inexperienced vapor and just got my zelos 3 days ago. All was going well, I loved it until I refilled it. It seems as though the glass is quite loose, as if there is no seal but I took the chance and refilled anyway. I am now I’m getting a “low res” error message. How do I fix this? And how can I be sure the tank won’t leak? Thanks.
Hi Catherine!
Is the glass loose when the tank is fully assembled? or just when you remove to refill? I’m presuming you are using the Aspire Nautilus 2 that comes in the kit?
There is an O ring seal on the base of the tank that the glass slots onto. You can see a picture of what I mean on our Nautilus 2 tank review. The picture is under the header ‘How Does The Aspire Nautilus 2 Perform’.
I personally haven’t had any leaking problems with the Nautilus 2 but it has to be said no refillable tanks are truly 100% leak free.
Just make sure that when you refill the tank that the coil doesn’t unscrew when unscrewing the outer tank of the Nautilus 2. This is a common reason why people have leaks as the e-liquid can leak through the base where the coil screws in and into the bottom of the tank, exiting via the airflow holes.
I get into a routine of ensuring the coil is screwed in before adding e-liquid. Every few refills I will also take the tank apart and clean and dry.
Regarding the ‘low res’ error. If you try the following and check again after each step.
– Clean the threaded connections (On the Mod AND Tank) with a dry paper towel or Q tip.
– Take the tank apart, clean, dry and re-assemble. Be sure to clean the base (where the coil sits) to ensure no e-liquid residue on the thread.
– It’s possible the coil may have a fault. Try a new coil and see if this solves the problem.
Have a quick look at the above and let us know how you get on!
Thanks
Jonny
Hi Jonny just came across your review and I agree with everything you said as well.
I work in a shop that sells everything from ecigs to large vaping kits and I came across this by accident.
A customer had only got it 3 days earlier and there was ecig oil all over her bag and hands and she was roaring and shouting about it being faulty. The shop was packed so I swapped it and took the so called faulty one home to try it.
Well it wasn’t faulty and I love it. Great size for me and a perfect vape.
I don’t know how she got it all over her the way she did lol.
I was looking at lifting the smok q box because of its size and it’s lovely rainbow colour but this will do the job nicely.
Hey Debbie,
Thanks for stopping by! Great little kit for sure.
Yeah.. A common cause of ‘faulty vape gear’ is unfortunately user error. These are completely new products to many though so has to be expected for sure. The most common one I see is matching the wrong e-liquid with the wrong tank.
One thing I do notice with the Nautilus 2 tank (which I use regularly for my MTL vape) is that when you unscrew the outer cover to fill the coil can unscrew with it. While this has happened to me I always make sure the coil is screwed back in before replacing the outer coil.
Even the slightest ‘unscrewing’ can cause problems leaking via the base/airflow. Not saying this is the reason why your customer had issues but something to be aware of.
Maybe worth advising anyone carrying tanks around in their bags and pockets to close the airflow as well 🙂
Big fan of the SMOK Q Box here as well, that thing is tiny!
Cheers
Jonny
So I’ve had my aspire for a few months now I’m pretty satisfied with it , battery life, durability especially bc I work construction and it takes a beating , the couple of things I’m wondering about though is how to change the coil #1 , does it twist off after you dismantle the tank setup and #2 I’ve only been controlling it through the wattage then I was doing some reading and saw about how to change the voltage and bypass and stuff, is there a recommend voltage I don’t go above?
I know the wattage recommended max is 23 right? Also what do the bypass and other settings mean?
Hey Jacob,
If you are just using the Nautilus 2 tank then you won’t need to use bypass mode. This is an advanced feature that vapers that build their own coils may or may not use.
It’s kind of like using a laptop/smartphone. If you’re like me then you will likely only use 5% of the features and functions it’s capable of.
So, all you will need to is the wattage mode.
As for settings, with all vape gear it’s completely up-to you. I personally vape the Zelos/Nautilus 2 tank at around 18/19W with the 0.7Ohm coil and around 14W with the 1.8Ohm coil.
What I would suggest is starting on a low wattage and work your way up until you find your sweet spot.
As for changing the coil on the Apsire Nautilus 2 tank.
– With the tank empty
– Unscrew the outer cover of the tank.
– Remove the glass
– Unscrew the coil, screw a new one in place and replace the glass
– Fill with e liquid to the max fill line, replace the outer cover
– Very important – Leave for 5-10 minutes before vaping to allow liquid to soak into the coil
Hope that helps a little. Any other questions please fire away!
Cheers
Jonny
I just bought my first vape thingie the other day on 21st May, and decided on the one you have reviewed here. As a new starter, I thought it looks very nice (nothing much to compare it with really) and think it is perfect for me, as a newbie – although I can’t see why anyone experienced won’t get on with it too.
It is only today that I have worked out how to get the same throat “hit” that I did with fags, which is to take it into my mouth before inhaling … previously I was inhaling direct to the lungs and it wasn’t half as effective. Now I’ve worked this out, I am 100% happy with it.
I like the compact size enormously, I love the “flip like a mobile” display and yes, the settings can whizz through but that’s pretty academic (for me) and doesn’t bother me at all, as you can thumb-press them incrementally very easily.
So far I haven’t had to recharge it, in fact it’s still almost fully charged after 3 days, though now I know how to use it according to my own preference, the liquid stuff has dropped a bit faster to say the least, but is still the same as when I bought it (the shop filled it up) but I may have to re-fill later today or tomorrow.
I confess I do not fully understand the “watts” figure, but keep mine now on 12 … it appears to be something to do with the heating up of the liquid I think but I’m uncertain.
Either way I am delighted with this, and can now safely get the hit without fretting about my health.
Great review, accurate and I agree 100%. I absolutely recommend it, especially if you’re new to this like I am. I liked the red colour, but opted for a black one which looks and feels smart, well-built and unobtrusive – certainly less “in your face” than some of the ones I see people puffing on.
If you’re looking for a great vape device then this is perfect. ***** 5 stars!
Well summed up Guy! Glad to hear you’re getting on well with the Zelos. As you have found, it’s all about trying different settings to get your preferred vape. Good to see you figired that out easily though 🙂
You are correct regarding the wattage. The higher the watts = more power being delivered to the coil that in turn vaporises the eliquid. Higher watts result in a warmer vape.
When you try different flavours and the different resistance (ohm) coils available for the Nautilus 2 tank you will find you may have to have another play around to get the right setting.
Anyway… Great to here your thoughts!
Thanks
Jonny
Cheers Jonny, will pick one up in the next couple of days, forever filling this bell up 🙂
Cheers
Gavin
Hahah…. Let us know how you get on!
Me again Jonny lol 🙂 Aspire Cleito Tank Kit (Discontinued) on vapour.co.uk, but have came across this on the site Aspire Atlantis EVO Extended 2ml & 4ml Tank Kit, I like to leave things to the last minute……. and these coils along with it – Aspire Atlantis EVO Coils (Triton)
Hey Gavin!
Yeah that TPD again 🙁
I’ve not personally used it but our Neil did a review of the Apsire Atlantis EVO and liked it a lot, so nice choice. Will be less of a juice guzzler than the Cleito as well!
And for that price it’s a bit of a no brainer!
Let us know how you go on with it mate.
Cheers
Jonny
I’ll let you know how I get on, just ordered one, cheap as chips as they say 😄.
Well Jonny, received my extension kit, chose the steel version, nice bit of kit.
Still sort of playing about with it as the the air flow is different than the bell head of the Zelos 😂 my only criticism would be, I would like the draw a bit tighter if you understand me. I’m using the 0.4 coil at the moment. Holds plenty of juice which is what I’m after.
Yeah, two completely different tanks in terms of the vape. The Nautilus2 is aimed at mouth to lung and the Atlantis EVO direct to lung (sub ohm vaping).
Have you tried the direct to lung style yet? Once you get past the ‘strangeness’ of vaping this way it can offer that something different.
Also, just be careful with your nicotine content with the 0.4Ohm coil. Sometimes a lower nic strength is recommended for sub ohm tanks due to the extra power running to them. I vape 3mg and max 6mg in these types of tanks. You can read more abut that in the MTL vs DTL guide I linked to previously above.
No haven’t tried direct to lung yet, I may switch my coil over as I’m still using 18mg nic level, put the 0.5 coil in. All in all I’m impressed with it. Checked backed this morning and I see it’s reduced further to £4.99.
Hey Gavin, yeah.. I wouldn’t recommend 18mg with a 0.5 sub ohm coil. If you can, try 3mg-6mg.
It definitely comes into it’s own though for the direct to lung vaping style. Keep me updated!
Jonny, as I mentioned before previously, great review of the Zelos, only downside to it is the 2ml tank, do you know if you can fit a bigger tank to it at all?
Hey Gavin,
Thanks again for touching base. Yeah.. the 2ml tank is a pain for sure. Thank the TPD regulations for that maximum capacity. As I’m sure you are aware come May 20th it won’t be legal in the UK to sell anything bigger.
As for your question! Yeah you can put any tank on it that of course works within the 50W range.
I have been using the Aspire Cleito on my Zelos at 30-40W. This is a 5ml tank. But a different vaping experience to the Nautilus 2. See our Mouth to Lung vs Direct to Lung article for more info on what I mean if your not sure.
One thing you may want to look out for is the width of the tank. Anything above 22mm Diameter may overhang the mod a touch.
Just be sure to buy what you are looking for by May 19th!
Cheers
Jonny