RELX vs SKE Crystal UK 2026: Honest Comparison
Right, so you're standing in a vape shop or scrolling online and you see SKE Crystal everywhere. And then there's RELX, sitting a bit quieter in the corner. Fair question — which one actually makes sense for you?
I'll be upfront: I work with RELX, so take everything with a grain of salt. But I've spent a ridiculous amount of time looking at both systems, reading what actual users say, and digging into the specs. Here's what I found.
Who Are These Two Brands?
Quick context before we get into the weeds
SKE Crystal is massive in the UK. Like, genuinely the biggest vape brand by some measures — over $400 million in UK sales during 2024, which is absurd when you think about it. They built their name on the Crystal Bar 600 disposable, which was everywhere until the disposable ban hit in June 2025.
RELX is different. Bigger globally — they're huge across Asia and expanding into Europe — but less visible in UK high street shops. Their thing is closed pod systems with ceramic coil technology. Less flashy, more refined. Whether that's better depends on what you want.
UK market leader. Started with disposables, now doing prefilled pod kits. Known for bold fruit flavours and that distinctive crystal look.
Global pod system brand. Ceramic coil tech, premium device design, lower profile in UK shops but growing fast online.
The Devices: What You're Actually Buying
RELX Creator Pro — £4.99
RELX Creator Pro
£4.99
Four colour options — Black, Green, White, Yellow — and it takes Creator Pods (£8.99 each, 1.9ml, 18mg/ml nic salt). The ceramic coil is the main selling point here. Instead of a mesh wire heating element, it uses a ceramic wicking material that heats more evenly. What that means in practice is a smoother, more consistent flavour from first puff to last. And no dry hits, which is nice.
Downsides? It's small — this isn't a cloud machine. Battery life is fine for a day of moderate use but heavy vapers will want to charge mid-afternoon. And the pod range is 10 flavours, which is decent but not the 30+ you get with SKE.
Shop Creator Pro — £4.99SKE Crystal — The Current Lineup
SKE has pivoted hard since the disposable ban. They now have three main products, and honestly the range is a bit confusing. Let me break it down.
Crystal Plus Pod Kit
£4.99
Good: Same price as RELX Creator Pro. 30+ flavour pods available. Familiar Crystal taste that people love. Simple to use — click in a pod and go.
Less good: 400mAh battery is on the small side. Mesh coil, not ceramic. Pods are sealed 2ml with 20mg nic salt only — no strength options.
Crystal 4-in-1
£9.99
Good: Carries 4 pods at once (2,400 puffs total). 950mAh battery is solid. Rotate between flavours without swapping.
Less good: Reddit users say the build quality feels "cheap" compared to the old Crystal Bar. Bulky. £9.99 starting price is double.
Crystal CL6000
£9.99–12
Good: Up to 6,000 puffs claimed. 2ml pod + 10ml refill container. Battery and e-liquid displays. Ecigclick rated it 7.7/10.
Less good: Actual tested puff count was 3,743 — solid but nowhere near 6,000. Requires some assembly. Only 10 flavours. Daily charging needed.
The Big Difference: Ceramic vs Mesh
This is where it actually matters
This is the bit that most comparison articles skip, and it's probably the most important thing. SKE uses mesh coils — thin metal wire in a mesh pattern. RELX uses FEELM ceramic coils — a porous ceramic element that heats the e-liquid from inside.
What does that mean for you? Two things mainly.
Heats more evenly. Flavour stays consistent through the whole pod. Less likely to get a burnt taste near the end. Smoother throat hit. The trade-off? Slightly cooler vapour and less intense flavour hit upfront.
Punchier flavour right out of the gate — that bold Crystal taste people go on about. Bigger cloud production. But can fade towards the end of a pod, and there's a higher chance of that last few hits tasting a bit off.
VapeBeat put it well when reviewing RELX: "RELX basically solved the problems that plagued JUUL — pods are affordable, battery life is solid, running costs are relatively low." The ceramic coil is a big part of that. But if you're chasing maximum flavour intensity and don't care about consistency, mesh has its appeal.
"SKE again knock it out of the park with the Crystal CL6000 range, cementing their place as one of the top brands in the pod system space! The flavours absolutely lived up to my expectations."
— Dan W, Ecigclick (7.7/10 review score)
Flavour Range: 10 vs 30+
SKE wins on numbers. Crystal Plus has 30+ flavours. RELX Creator Pod has 10. That's a clear gap. But — and this matters — RELX's 10 cover the bases well, and the ceramic coil means each one tastes more consistent for longer.
Here are five Creator Pod flavours that genuinely stand out:
Ludou Ice
Mung bean sweetness with ice. Oddly addictive — you either love it or you don't, but most people love it.
Strawberry Ice
Sweet but not cloying. Classic for a reason — works well with the ceramic coil's smooth delivery.
Iced Orange Juice
Fresh squeezed orange with a cold finish. Surprisingly realistic — one of the better orange flavours out there.
All Creator Pods are £8.99, 1.9ml, 18mg/ml nic salt, TPD compliant. Browse all 10 flavours here.
Running Costs: The Real Numbers
Because the device price is only half the story
So the weekly costs are actually quite similar. The RELX pods cost more per unit but tend to last a bit longer because the ceramic coil doesn't degrade as fast as mesh. Not a huge difference either way, to be honest. Both are significantly cheaper than disposables ever were.
What Real Users Say
The Reddit threads about SKE Crystal are... mixed. And I mean that genuinely.
"Been using and loving SKE Crystal 600 for about 9 months but finding the newer batches are less likely to last the full 600 puffs."
— Reddit user, r/VapingUK
"I work in a vape shop and I have the Plus Pod Kit — I find the hit is exactly like a regular Crystal disposable but better value."
— Reddit user, r/VapingUK
There's also the counterfeit issue. SKE has been battling fake Crystal Bars since 2022, and they're still out there. Mirror reported on the "UK's vaping crisis" with counterfeit products containing dangerous chemicals. If you're buying SKE, make sure it's from a legit retailer and check the verification code.
⚠️ Counterfeit warning: Fake SKE Crystal products are widespread in the UK. Always buy from authorised retailers and scan the QR verification code on the packaging. Counterfeit vapes may contain unregulated chemicals.
RELX doesn't have this problem to the same degree — partly because they're less ubiquitous in UK corner shops, partly because their pod system design is harder to fake convincingly. Small comfort, but worth noting.
TPD Compliance and the Disposable Ban
Both are legal, but the context matters
Since June 2025, disposable vapes are banned in England, Wales, and Scotland. Both RELX and SKE have adapted — neither sells disposables anymore. Everything is now rechargeable with replaceable pods.
Both max 2ml per pod (TPD limit). RELX Creator Pod is 1.9ml. SKE Crystal Plus is 2ml.
SKE: 20mg only. RELX Creator Pod: 18mg only. Both nic salt. No zero-nic options for Creator Pod.
All current products from both brands are fully compliant and legal to sell in the UK.
Ongoing High Court case over who owns the "CRYSTAL" brand in the UK. Could affect future product naming.
The Honest Summary
Look, I'm not going to pretend RELX wins on every point. It doesn't. SKE Crystal has more flavours, a bigger UK presence, and that familiar taste that millions of people already know. If you're switching from Crystal Bars and want something that feels the same, the Crystal Plus is a natural move.
But here's where RELX edges ahead, in my obviously biased opinion. The ceramic coil actually makes a difference — smoother hits, more consistent flavour, less waste at the end of a pod. The Creator Pro at £4.99 is the same price as the Crystal Plus, and the build quality feels more premium. And the counterfeiting issue with SKE is a real concern that nobody talks about enough.
You want consistent flavour, smoother throat hit, and don't need 30+ flavours. Better for people who find their flavour and stick with it.
You loved Crystal Bar disposables, want the biggest flavour range, and like bold, punchy taste over consistency.
You want a more premium device with better battery (380mAh, charges fast) and access to the full Pod Pro range with 28+ flavours.
Sources: Ecigclick SKE Crystal CL6000 review (Jan 2025), Planet of the Vapes CL6000 review, VapeBeat RELX review, Reddit r/VapingUK user discussions, The Grocer SKE trademark reporting, Mirror counterfeit investigation, ASH UK disposable ban guidance. All prices correct as of April 2026. The author is affiliated with RELX — read accordingly.
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