The disposables are gone from UK shelves, and the two brands that dominated the disposable era have both answered with the same idea: one rechargeable device that holds four prefilled pods, so you can rotate between four flavours without carrying four devices. Same concept, same 4 x 2ml pods, same 20mg nic salt. So which one is actually better?
Short version: they are closer than most comparisons admit. The Elf Bar 4-in-1 wins on battery life and refill value. The Lost Mary 4-in-1 wins on upfront price and pocketability. Everything else, the puff ratings, the twist-to-switch mechanism, the coil tech, is near identical. The right pick depends on how you vape, so this guide compares the specs that matter, runs the real cost maths, and ends with a verdict for each type of buyer.
The verdict up front
If you only read one section, read this. Buy the Elf Bar 4-in-1 if you hate charging, vape heavily, or want the cheapest long-term running cost. Its 1500mAh battery is nearly double the Lost Mary unit, and its refill pods work out cheaper per pod.
Buy the Lost Mary 4-in-1 if you want the smallest possible device and the lowest price to get started. Kits regularly sell for under £6 on clearance, which is about half the price of the Elf Bar. Just know you will charge it more often and pay slightly more for refills.
For context on the post-ban landscape these kits live in, see our guide to pod kits vs disposables.
Head-to-head specs
| Feature | Elf Bar 4-in-1 | Lost Mary 4-in-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery | 1500mAh rechargeable | 850mAh rechargeable |
| Pod capacity | 4 x 2ml prefilled (8ml total) | 4 x 2ml prefilled (8ml total) |
| Nicotine | 20mg nic salt | 20mg nic salt |
| Coil | 1.2Ω QUAQ mesh | 1.2Ω QUAQ mesh |
| Puff rating | Up to 3200 (Eco) / 2400 (Normal) | Up to 3200 (Eco) / 2400 (Normal) |
| Power modes | Normal and Eco, one button | Normal and Eco |
| Screen | Battery and mode display | OLED screen, battery and mode |
| Activation | Inhale activated | Inhale activated |
| Draw style | MTL, fixed airflow | MTL, fixed airflow |
| Flavour switching | Twist-to-switch revolver | Twist-to-switch mouthpiece |
| Charging | USB-C (cable not included) | USB-C (cable not included) |
| Size | 117.5 x 36.8 x 34.1mm | 83.2 x 47.7 x 32.0mm, ~74g |
| Flavour editions | 16 mixed editions plus 8 single-flavour options | 16 editions, mixed and single-flavour |
| Typical kit price | £9 to £12 | £4 to £6 (clearance; list £12) |
Look at that table and notice how much is identical: pod capacity, nicotine strength, coil resistance, puff ratings, and even the twist mechanism. These two devices are fraternal twins. The differences that actually change the experience are the battery, the size, the refill economics, and the flavour menus. Let us take each in turn.
Design and daily use
Both kits work the same way. You lift off the mouthpiece, drop in four prefilled pods, click the mouthpiece back on, and inhale. To change flavour you twist the top of the device, which rotates the active pod into line with the mouthpiece. It takes about two seconds and becomes second nature within a day. A button toggles between Normal mode (full flavour, bigger clouds) and Eco mode (softer draw, stretches the battery and the e-liquid).
The feel in the hand is where they split. The Elf Bar is the taller, slimmer of the two at 117.5mm, a long cylinder that slips into a pocket easily but is unmistakably there. The Lost Mary is shorter and wider at 83.2mm tall, chunkier in the palm but genuinely compact. If you liked the old Lost Mary matchbox disposables for their pocketability, the 4-in-1 keeps that spirit. Neither device lets you see how much e-liquid is left in the active pod, which is the one daily annoyance both share: you find out a pod is empty when the flavour drops off, so it pays to carry a spare refill pack.
Both have screens, which sets them apart from basic pod kits. The Elf Bar display shows battery level and the active mode. The Lost Mary goes a step further with a small OLED screen. It is a nice touch on a budget device, though an always-on screen on an 850mAh battery is part of why the Lost Mary needs charging more often.
Setup is tool-free and beginner friendly on both, with no buttons to press to fire, no airflow to tune, and no refilling. If you want a deeper look at either brand’s bigger single-flavour alternative, our Elf Bar AF5000 review covers that device in detail. The Lost Mary BM6000 review does the same for Lost Mary’s 6000-puff kit.
Pods and flavour ranges
This is the heart of the 4-in-1 concept, and both brands deliver. The Elf Bar 4-in-1 ships in 16 mixed-flavour editions, each bundling four complementary pods, plus eight single-flavour options if you would rather load the same flavour four times. The Lost Mary 4-in-1 offers 16 editions spanning mixed and single-flavour kits. In practice both ranges lean fruity and icy: blueberry, cherry ice, watermelon ice, lemon lime, triple mango, and pink lemonade appear across both lineups.
The e-liquid matters more than the edition names. Elf Bar pods use the brand’s signature nic salt blends, the same flavour profiles that made the Elf Bar 600 a bestseller, while Lost Mary pods use the Maryliq formula. Flavour preference is subjective, but the character difference is real: Elf Bar leans smooth and balanced, Lost Mary leans sweeter and bolder with stronger cooling in many blends. If you already know which brand’s disposable flavours you preferred, that loyalty transfers directly, because these are the same recipes in pod form.
One practical point: UK retailers widely list the two systems as cross-compatible, meaning Elf Bar 4-in-1 pods fit the Lost Mary device and vice versa. That effectively doubles your flavour menu if you own either kit, though it is worth confirming with the shop you buy from before mixing systems.
Battery and charging: the real gap
Here is where the comparison stops being a tie. The Elf Bar 4-in-1 carries a 1500mAh battery, one of the largest ever fitted to a prefilled pod kit. For a moderate vaper that means a full day or more between charges, sometimes two. The Lost Mary 4-in-1 carries 850mAh, which is respectable for its size but means most users will top up daily, sometimes twice with heavy use in Normal mode.
The trade-off is charging time. The Elf Bar’s big cell takes noticeably longer to refill over USB-C, while the Lost Mary tops up faster. Neither kit includes a charging cable in the box, so plan on using a cable you already own. Both devices are inhale activated with no firing button, so there is no accidental firing in your pocket draining the cell, a small but real battery saver.
Treat the puff ratings with healthy scepticism for both kits. The 3200 (Eco) and 2400 (Normal) figures are manufacturer estimates under ideal lab conditions. Real-world totals depend on draw length, frequency, and mode, and land lower in everyday use. Eco mode genuinely stretches both battery and e-liquid, but the draw is noticeably weaker, so many vapers end up in Normal mode most of the time.
Cost per day: the maths
A 4-in-1 kit only looks cheap until you price the refills, so here are the numbers that matter.
| Cost | Elf Bar 4-in-1 | Lost Mary 4-in-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Starter kit (4 pods included) | £9 to £12 | £4 to £6 (clearance; list £12) |
| Refill pods | £7.95 for 4 | ~£4.99 for 2 (multibuys around 3 for £12) |
| Cost per pod | ~£1.99 | ~£2.50 |
| Cost per ml of e-liquid | ~99p | ~£1.25 |
| Estimated running cost | ~80p per day | ~£1 per day |
The estimate assumes moderate use of around 300 puffs a day against the rated puff counts, so treat it as a guide rather than a promise. The pattern is what counts: the Lost Mary is cheaper to buy, the Elf Bar is cheaper to run. Over a month of refills, the Elf Bar’s lower per-pod cost quietly overtakes the Lost Mary’s cheaper kit price.
For perspective, both still undercut the old disposable habit dramatically. And if running costs are your main concern, prefilled pods are only the middle rung: refillable pod kits with bottled e-liquid remain the cheapest way to vape in the UK by a wide margin.
Who should buy which
Buy the Elf Bar 4-in-1 if:
- You vape heavily and want the longest time between charges
- You rotate flavours constantly and want the widest edition menu
- You want the lowest long-term running cost
- You prefer a slimmer device that disappears into a pocket
Buy the Lost Mary 4-in-1 if:
- You want the lowest upfront price to try the 4-in-1 concept
- You prefer a shorter, more compact device
- You like the OLED screen and sweeter, bolder flavour style
- You charge devices daily anyway and will not notice the smaller battery
Consider something else entirely if:
- You want one flavour for weeks at a time. A single-flavour big puff kit like the ones in our Hayati vs BM6000 comparison gives you more puffs per pound with less faff.
- You want maximum savings. A refillable pod kit beats both of these on cost per ml by a factor of three or more.
- You want adjustable airflow or restricted lung hits. Both 4-in-1 kits are fixed MTL only.
One regulatory note: these are reusable prefilled pod kits, not disposables, so they sit comfortably within the post-ban rules. With the October 29 rule changes tightening things further, sticking to TPD-compliant kits from established brands is the safe play.
FAQ
Can I use Elf Bar 4-in-1 pods in the Lost Mary 4-in-1, and vice versa?
UK retailers widely list the two systems as cross-compatible, since the pods share the same dimensions and connection. If you plan to mix, confirm compatibility with the shop before buying.
Which 4-in-1 lasts longer between charges?
The Elf Bar, by a clear margin. Its 1500mAh battery is nearly double the Lost Mary’s 850mAh. Expect a full day or more from the Elf Bar versus daily charging on the Lost Mary with typical use.
Do either of the kits come with a charging cable?
No. Both charge over USB-C, but neither includes a cable in the box, so keep a spare cable handy.
How many flavours are available for each?
Both brands offer 16 editions. Elf Bar adds eight single-flavour options on top, while Lost Mary splits its 16 editions between mixed and single-flavour kits. Cross-compatibility effectively merges the two menus.
Which is better value overall?
The Lost Mary is cheaper to buy, often under £6 on clearance. The Elf Bar is cheaper to run, with refill pods working out at roughly £1.99 per pod against £2.50 for Lost Mary. Heavy vapers will save more with the Elf Bar over time.
Final verdict
There is no bad choice here, only a wrong choice for your habits. The Elf Bar 4-in-1 is the better device on paper: a far bigger battery, cheaper refills, and a slimmer profile. The Lost Mary 4-in-1 is the smarter buy if the kit price is what matters most to you right now, and its compact size and OLED screen give it genuine appeal.
If we have to pick one winner for most UK vapers, it is the Elf Bar 4-in-1. Battery life is the thing you feel every single day, and refill cost is the thing you pay every single week. The Elf Bar wins both, and those two advantages compound for as long as you own the kit.