The Elf Bar Mate 500 sees one of the world′s biggest disposable brands take a break from crafting single-use vapes, and instead, offer a more cost-effective and sustainable way to experience a wide range of flavours.
The Mate 500 is a prefilled pod kit, which means it′s simple to use, fits in your pocket, and most importantly: can be recharged and reused. So, if you like the sound of a compact vape that costs less than a pack of cigarettes, you′d better keep reading.
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Every Elf Bar Mate 500 kit includes the following:
Elf Bar Mate 500 Device
USB-C Charging Cable
At first glance, the Mate 500 might seem like your average starter kit, but when it comes to things like flavour variety and ease of use, it really stands out from the crowd. The small amount of vapour it produces makes it ideal for MTL vaping and anyone who′s after a discreet option that feels like a cigarette is in good company with the Mate. Beginner-friendly, it′s inhale activated which means no fiddly buttons and it′s small enough to take with you practically anywhere.
We′re a little obsessed with aesthetics, and the slim build and clean lines of the Mate 500 kit make it a discreet option that doesn′t feel out of place at work or on the go. If you′re looking to keep things formal, classic black and grey are the way to go, but, if you want a pop of colour, Aurora Blue is a personal favourite.
Getting to grips with the Mate 500 couldn't be simpler, and it follows the same design as a lot of other prefilled pods. Inhale on the mouthpiece and the kit kicks into life, producing a discreet level of vapour just like a disposable. There are no buttons and menus, all you need to do is keep an eye on the e-liquid level of your pod and recharge when necessary.
When your Elf Bar Mate kit arrives it might need to be charged. Using the USB-C cable included you can fully recharge your kit from 0% in a little under an hour.
Remove your Elf P1 pods from the outer packaging and blister pack. Be sure to also remove the rubber plug from the top of the pod and the rubber cover from the bottom.
Fitted with an e-liquid separator to keep the pod's flavour fresh, push the red base into the pod. This will activate the pod and allow e-liquid to soak into the coil.
To install your P1 Pod, simply insert the pod into the opening at the top of your Elf Bar Mate 500 pod kit. A magnetic connection keeps the pod secure.
When reassembled, leave your elf bar mate 500 pod kit upright for around ten minutes to give the e-liquid time to soak into the coil. Known as priming your coil this stops dry hits.
Once primed, you can start vaping by inhaling on the mouthpiece. Once your pod is empty it can either be replaced or refilled, depending on which version you′ve picked.
Perhaps the most exciting element of the Mate 500 is its compatibility with both prefilled and refillable pods. Apart from the huge range of flavours available – either from Elf Bar directly or courtesy of hundreds of premium e-liquid companies – this option means that the kit is a good fit for beginners. and if you′re looking to spread your wings and try new flavours or nicotine strengths you can keep using the same kit.
It's important to note this kit doesn′t come with any pods, this is because there′s so much choice and it′s potentially wasteful to include a flavour you might not like or a pod that you don′t want to refill. It also keeps the cost of the kit down to £7.99. With a pack of two prefilled pods costing £5.99 (3 for £15), you can be up and running for less than £25. If you′re going down the refillable route you′ll find your up-front spend might be a little higher, but after a week you′ll be saving a noticeable amount.
Minimum maintenance makes the Mate kit a standout when compared to other pods, and if you′re thinking of making the jump from disposables, looking after your kit isn′t hard at all. It really comes down to charging the battery and swapping/refilling the pods out.
The 500mAh built-in battery will last as long as the one found in Elf Bar disposables but can be recharged. Using the USB-C cable included, the kit can reach full charge from 0% in under an hour.
Both styles of pod feature a built-in mesh coil which boosts flavour. They won′t need to be removed from the pod, instead, you′ll change the pod whenever it runs empty (prefilled) or when the coil dies after about a week (refillable).
My fellow vape experts couldn′t wait to get their hands on this nifty little vape, and it′s easy to see why. Luckily, I managed to force them to put their thoughts on paper before they disappeared into the night!
I was pleasantly surprised by the build quality of the Mate 500. Yes, it is very light, but, it′s also quite hard-wearing. I put it through its paces over the course of a week and it still looks new. It has a nice pull, on inhale, and you′re not left waiting for the device to power up, it hits straight away even when the battery is reaching 0%. Vapers looking for something that feels like a disposable but is cheaper to run definitely should consider this, the mesh coil refillable pods are a nice bonus too.
I′ve always considered prefilled pod kits a bit of a mixed bag – I don′t always agree with what manufacturers pick. The Mate 500 has a large enough selection of flavours to keep me interested and I really like that I can try flavours I vaped in the disposables as well as some brand new ones. The refillable pod works with every 50/50 e-liquid and I′ve managed to push the envelope and fill it with 60% VG juice and it still delivers – it does shorten coil life a bit though.
No vape is perfect, but then again, there′s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution! Although the Elf Bar Mate 500 is a simple, pocket-friendly option – it can′t be used for sub ohm vaping, and if you′re looking for a lot of vapour and a DTL inhale you′ll have to try something else. But, that really is it. For MTL vapers, new switchers and everyone else, this kit remains a solid recommendation.
Aside from the lack of DTL vaping, it looks like top marks across the board for this mini but mighty pod vape. Although this kit might be aimed at beginners, I know a lot of experienced vapers who have bought one to use when they are out and about, when space is a commodity, or as a backup to their normal vape.
Since its release back in 2022, thousand of vapers have been getting to grips with the Mate 500 kit and they′ve understabaly had a few questions. Below we′ve rounded up the most common Mate 500 questions and the answers provided by our in-house team of vape experts.
While we′re big fans of the Mate 500 kit, it′s not the only pod vape that Elf Bar has created. Specialising in prefilled pods, available in a wide range of flavours, options like the Elfa and Elfa Pro kit use specially designed mesh coils that improve the taste of your blend. It′s worth noting that these coils do heat more e-liquid up with every puff, so the pods might not last as long as the P1 pods.
Still not sure whether the Mate 500 is the vape for you? No problem. If you have any questions, queries or just want to find out more about this kit – or anything else we stock – get in touch with our UK-based Customer Service Team! They′re available seven days a week, 364 days a year (everyone needs a day off), and you can reach them via telephone, email and live chat.
