Today we’re taking a look at the HQD Wave disposable pod, featuring a 500 mAh battery and 1.25ml of premium flavored e-juice. With 21 incredibly fresh flavors and a 600 puff draw capacity we couldn’t wait to get our hands on this vape and put it through its paces.
The guys over at HQD recently reached out to us and were kind enough to send us 5 flavors to try out. Despite having operated in the vape industry since 2015, HQD are a relatively new name in the UK. However, they’re hoping to quickly change this around with the launch of several new products in the UK, including the Wave.
Clicking here will take you directly to their official website where you can look at their available products.
Having recently reviewed a number of popular disposables such as the MOTI Pop and the Freemax Friobar 600, we were excited to see how well the HQD Wave lived up to the competition.
I’d like to quickly thank the guys over at HQD for sending me the Wave disposables to review. As always this review is completely unbiased and only contains my honest opinions on the product. This post may also contain an affiliate link. If you purchase the product through our link we may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you!). This helps us to keep the site running.
HQD Wave Disposable Pod Review
Contents
- Features and Specifications
- What’s in the Box?
- HQD Wave Design and Appearance
- HQD Wave Performance
- HQD Wave Flavors
- HQD Wave Price
- HQD Wave Verdict
Features and Specifications
- Dimensions: 105mm x 25mm x 14mm
- Weight: 35.5 grams
- Pod Capacity: 1.25ml of 20mg Nic Salts E-Liquid
- Draw-activated
- 600 Puff Capacity
- Battery: Internal 500mAh non-rechargeable battery
- Coil Resistance: Not Specified (non-replaceable)
- Output Power: Not Specified
- Material: Hard Plastic Casing
- LED puff indicator
- Airflow: 1 small intake hole on the base of the vape
- 21 Different Flavors
- PG/VG Ratio: Not specified
What’s in the Box?
The HQD Wave comes in a small plastic packet with an easy tear open strip at the top. There’s also a clear ‘window’ on the front of the packet to give you a peek at the pod inside. When you open the packet you’ll find the Wave pod along with a small plastic bung in the mouthpiece.
All of the packets are the same regardless of the flavor purchased. Along with the required nicotine warning the packet features the mAh rating of the battery and the 600 puff capacity rating. Unfortunately however, that’s where the information ends.
The packet fails to mention the actual flavor of the pod inside, the nicotine strength of the unit, the PG/VG ratio or the date of expiry on the product. While the 5 samples we received were pre-market testers, I’d hope to see this information shown on the final product for sale.
HQD Wave | Design and Appearance
The HQD Wave measures 105mm in length, 25mm in width and 14mm in depth with a total weight of 35.5g. While not the smallest disposable I’ve tried it’s by no means the biggest on the market. The size of the pod makes for a comfortable hold and the light weight means you’ll barely notice it rattling around in your pocket.
At the time of writing there are currently 21 flavors in the Wave range (a full list of flavors is available further on) and the color of each pod corresponds with the flavor inside. For example, the delicious ‘strawberry lemonade’ flavor features a bright, bold yellow casing.
Designed as a 600 draw capacity disposable, the Wave is exactly what you’d expect…a one time use device intended to be thrown away after you’re finished with it. There’s an LED on the bottom of the pod that flashes 10 times in quick succession to let you know it’s finished.
Quick Tip: It’s always worth puffing a few extra times on a depleted disposable pod. You can usually squeeze several ‘extra’ draws from a disposable by doing this….perfect if you need just one more puff of that delicious flavor inside!
With a 500 mAh internal battery (non-rechargeable), the HQD Wave should last for at least half a day of vaping. Of course this is heavily dependent on how often you vape and the length of your draws. Further on in this review, I delve down into just how long I got from each Wave disposable, as well as the number of puffs.
In terms of the visual design, the Wave is a square edged device with curves at the top and bottom…not too dissimilar from a typical USB. It fits nicely in the hand and can even be concealed in the palm for a more stealthy vape.
There are also grooves that run up and down the body of the Wave on the front and back of the device. While the grooves are easily visible the pod remains smooth to the touch.
On the bottom of the device the curves stop to form a flat base meaning the Wave can be placed on a flat surface standing up. Interestingly the mouthpiece of the pod is also flat allowing the pod to stand up on this end too (to avoid possible leaks from the mouthpiece I’d advise against this).
While the mouthpiece tapers into a flat edge, the predominant curves make for a good draw. It fits perfectly in the mouth and allows you to take a long satisfying drag without any difficulties.
Set into the base of the Wave you’ll also find a small LED in the center. This illuminates every time you draw on the pod and also flashes 10 times when the device is finished with. There’s also a small airflow hole on the base that’s placed directly in alignment with the LED.
The HQD Wave is designed as a Mouth-To-Lung (MTL) vape and the resistance of the airflow was just right for me. It’s just restrictive enough to nicely simulate the draw on a cigarette but airy enough to allow for a Direct-To-Lung (DTL) inhale as well, albeit a restricted one.
As an auto draw device there are no buttons to speak of and you simply puff on the Wave to activate it. On the front of the pod the HQD brand name is printed across the top with the flavor name printed at the bottom. The HQD Wave also features a ‘flavor logo’ with each individual flavor having its own unique picture.
For example, the ‘Mixed Fruits’ flavor features a small image of a strawberry, a slice of watermelon and a mango. It’s a nice little touch and can make identifying the cocktail of flavors a little easier, especially on the more obscure named flavors.
Overall I was impressed with the design and appearance of the Wave. It’s colourful and fun and sits comfortably in the hand. Bear in mind however that the Wave was designed to stand out. The bright, bold colors make this a disposable more suited to the beach than the office.
HQD Wave | Performance
When it comes to the performance of a disposable pod the elements that stand out the most for me are battery capacity, vapor production and throat hit (not necessarily in that order mind you).
I’ll start with the vapor production and throat hit because this is where the Wave impressed me the most. In comparison to other popular disposables like the Elf bar, the Wave produced a surprisingly satisfying cloud of vapor. Each puff produced a warm, thick cloud that didn’t depreciate as the battery decreased.
While you won’t be blowing clouds of vapor like those produced with a conventional mod and tank setup, the Wave certainly produces enough of the white stuff to satisfy. It’s also worth noting that while the vapor production remained constant throughout, so did the flavor. The last draw on each device produced the same mouth watering taste as the very first hit.
Likewise the throat hit produced by the pod was also really impressive. Each draw produced a nice kick and the 20mg nic salts e-liquid worked perfectly in satisfying any cravings. It’s a testament to the performance of the Wave that I had to force myself to put it down several times.
What I did find a little surprising is that the HQD Wave only comes in a 20mg nicotine strength. While I found the throat hit just right for me personally, most comparable disposable pods offer the user the choice of vaping 50mg nic salts as well, particularly handy if you’re a current heavy smoker looking to make the switch.
I also liked the fact that each of the five Waves I tested finished with a nice, full, flavorful puff. In the past I’ve experienced final hits lacking in flavor. Even worse I’ve had disposables with burnt hits at the tail end of their lifespan. With the Wave, each final hit was as good as the first. A nice touch that leaves you wanting more.
In terms of vaping time the Wave finished a little under par but each of the 5 I tested lasted me for at least three quarters of the day. On the final Wave I put to the test, I decided to record the number of puffs. While the packet claims the pod provides 600 puffs I found this particular one provided a more modest 500 puffs (503 to be exact!).
With that being said, this is the fourth 600 puff disposable vape I’ve tried in the last couple of months and the battery capacity didn’t greatly differ or really even surprise me. I have a habit of taking long breathy draws and I’m assuming the 600 puff guarantee is aimed towards shorter, more typical draws.
Overall the performance of the Wave really impressed me. It produces thick satisfying vapor with one of the best throat hits I’ve ever experienced from a disposable. The autodraw is super responsive and I didn’t experience a single burnt hit or lack of flavor. Considering the competitive price tag (£6), I can see the Wave performing really well in the UK market.
HQD Wave | Flavors
For me the HQD Wave really impresses on the flavor front. Available in a staggering 21 flavors, it’s one of the best disposables I’ve ever tried in terms of taste. I was lucky enough to try the 5 following flavors: Bubblegum, Mixed Fruit, Ice Mango, Blue Razz and Strawberry Lemonade.
I’ll share my thoughts on these flavors below along with full list of available flavors at the end.
Bubble Gum
While I enjoyed this flavor it was actually my least favourite of the 5 I tried. Surprisingly I didn’t get much of a typical bubble gum taste on the inhale. Instead it reminded me more of a Murray mint with a slight icy tone. A tasty enough flavor but for me personally, not an all day vape.
Mixed Fruit
As a big fan of the fruity flavors I went into this one expecting great things and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. A deep rich fruity flavor with very subtle sour undertones. Immediately on the inhale the watermelon flavor jumps out at you with strawberry and mango flavors kicking in on the exhale.
Ice Mango
My personal favourite and easily a great all day vape. A sweet fruity mango flavor with a delicious aftertaste that lingers in the mouth. The level of ice was also just right….nice and refreshing without being too overpowering on the throat. I’ll definitely be picking myself up some more of this flavor!
Blue Razz
A berry medley with a very subtle fizz and a delicious fruity aftertaste. While not a massive fan of blueberry this is easily the best I’ve tried. Definitely another great all day vape from HQD.
Strawberry Lemonade
A close 2nd favourite, I couldn’t put the strawberry lemonade down. It’s got a subtle strawberry undertone with a satisfying and refreshing fizzy kick. Perfect flavor for a hot, sunny day. Yet another all day vape and definitely one I’ll be buying in the future.
Of the five flavors tested there isn’t a single one I wouldn’t happily vape again. As I said, there are at least two flavors I’ll be picking up in the future. For me personally the Wave really shines on the flavor front.
HQD Wave Disposable Flavor List
Unfortunately it’s a little hard at the moment to find a complete list of the available flavors being launched in the UK. We were told that the Wave will launch with 21 flavors but we have found multiple online shops listing far more flavors for sale. Hopefully HQD can clarify the flavors being launched in the UK in time. Below is a complete list of all the flavors we’ve seen listed across various sites:
POG Orange Guava / Banana Ice / Taro Ice Cream / Vanilla Ice Cream / Lush Ice / Bubblewater / Melon Ice / Yogurt / Lemon Ice / Grape Ice / Apple Peach / Apple Crush / Lemon Cola / Energy Drink / Mango Guava / Ice Mango / Lychee Ice / Fresh Berries / Raspberry Lemon / Blue Razz / Blueberry / Mixed Fruit / Black Ice / Grenadine / Pink Lemon / Strawberry Banana / Kiwi Strawberry / Strawberry / Pineapple Ice / Ice Mint / Strawberry Lemonade / Bubblegum / Dragon Strawberry / Rainbow / Strawberry Watermelon / Very Berry / Blueberry Lemonade / Blue Razz Lemon / Mango Melon Ice / Grapey / Tropical Fruits / Double Apple / Peach Ice / Watermelon / Cherry.
HQD Wave | Price
The HQD Wave currently retails for a very respectable £6…about on par with other 600 puff vapes currently on the market. Considering the great performance and the delicious flavors HQD offer, this is a great price.
While certainly not as cheap as a traditional mod and tank setup the Wave still works out cheaper than a 20 a day smoking habit!
As a relatively new product in the UK we could only find a few shops listing the Wave for sale. If you’re interested in buying yourself any Wave disposables be sure to check out the link below for WolfVapes UK shop. They currently have a special offer… 4 Wave disposables for the very reasonable price of £15.
HQD Wave | Verdict
The excellent score reflects how much I enjoyed vaping on the HQD Wave. They offer a great throat hit with mouth watering flavors and a decent amount of vapor production. The one area I felt could be improved was the battery capacity/lifespan of the device. If the pod could last just a little longer I’d have given it an almost perfect score.
Pros
- Amazing flavors
- Impressive vapor production
- Satisfying throat hit
- Bright, bold and fun
- Compact and lightweight
- Easy to use
- Reasonably priced
- Excellent airflow
Cons
- Only available in 20mg
- Information regarding available flavors and the PG/VG ratio of each unit hard to come by.
Having now enjoyed 5 thoroughly delicious flavors I can safely say I’m a big fan of the HQD Wave disposables. The flavors are among the best I’ve ever tried and the throat hit and vapor production are both really satisfying.
With a reasonable price tag and a fun, creative design to boot I can really see the Wave disposable doing well on the UK market.
I hope you enjoyed our HQD Wave disposable review! Please feel free to share this review, or leave a comment below! Happy Vaping!