What do I do if I'm having problems with defective Juul pods?

The JUUL is at the top of the e-cigarette game right now, and for good reason, but even the King has his off days. Here are a few JUUL pod defects you might encounter -- and, more importantly, how to deal with them.

Burnt Taste

This is actually less likely a problem with the pod than with your JUUL itself. As time goes on, gunk can build up on the connectors, which messes with the taste.

The solution is simple: remove the pod, and gently clean the inside of your JUUL with a Q-Tip. If this doesn't solve the problem, then you may just have a faulty device, in which case you should take advantage of your warranty.

Leakage

Not all JUUL Pods are created equal. Some users never have any problems, while some have the misfortune of encountering pods that leak, either into the batteries or their mouths, or both.

If this happens to you, one option is to just puff more lightly. Puffing hard can cause the defective pod to spit out more juice

But a leaky pod could end up frying your JUUL, and in any case you certainly don't want it in your mouth, so our recommendation is to just cut your losses, throw it away, and get a new one.

Not all leaks are caused by manufacturer defects; some have to do with how you handle the pod. When you load the pod, do it gently; forceful handling during loading is one common cause of leaks. And while it may seem natural to do so, avoid biting on the pod when you hold the device in your mouth.

Not Hitting Properly

If you've loaded a new pod and find it's not hitting properly, this could be for a couple of different reasons. Once again, it may just be that your JUUL is dirty, in which case you should clean it with a Q-tip, as described above.

But it may also be that air bubbles have become trapped within the pod, making it harder for the liquid to flow. A simple solution here is to remove the pod and gently tap it on a hard surface. This should cause the air bubbles to migrate to a single section of the pod, allowing easier flow through it.

Other Options?

If you're not able to solve the problem yourself, or your JUUL pod has some strange defect that's not anything like what we've described above, you may wonder if you have any other options, like returning the pod and getting a new one.

Unfortunately, according to the company's website, JUUL's warranty does not cover pods, only the JUUL device itself. You may still find it worthwhile to reach out to JUUL's customer service, especially if it's a recurring problem.

Keep in mind that some individual retailers do in fact, offer refunds or replacements for defective pods, so it's worth checking with wherever you get your pods from to see if that's the case.