When the UK disposable ban landed in June 2025, the Crystal Bar disappeared from shelves overnight. For a lot of people, that was genuinely annoying — it was the device they'd finally settled on.
SKE didn't panic. They did the obvious thing: took the Crystal Bar, made the battery rechargeable, made the pod replaceable, and called it the SKE Bar. The 6K version is the entry point to that range, and at £7.99 it's one of the cheapest ways to keep the exact flavour you were already buying.
I've been running one for a few weeks now. Not unboxing it and reading the spec sheet — actually using it on normal days, forgetting to charge it, and putting it through the kind of heavy use that exposes weak kits. Here's what I found.
💡 The Short Answer
The SKE Bar 6K is the best value Crystal Bar replacement in the UK right now. You get 7ml of 20mg nic salt, an 850mAh rechargeable battery, a battery screen, and the same flavours you already know — all for £7.99, with refill packs at £5.99. It's fixed MTL with no settings, so it suits ex-smokers and ex-disposable users perfectly. If you want airflow control, adjustable wattage, or a tighter draw than the Crystal Bar had, look elsewhere.
What the SKE Bar 6K Actually Is (And What It Isn't)
Before anything else, let's clear up the confusion — because there's a lot of it online.
The SKE Bar 6K is a rechargeable closed pod kit. You keep the device. When the liquid runs out, you swap the pack. That's it.
It is not the SKE Crystal CL6000. That's a separate kit with an 800mAh battery and 10ml pods. The pods are not interchangeable, and the devices are different shapes. If you buy the wrong refill, it won't fit.
It's also not the original SKE Bar 600. Some older reviews floating around the internet describe a 500mAh battery and a 2ml pod — that was the first Bar, not the 6K. The 6K is the current 7ml pack version with an 850mAh battery and a screen.
⚠️ Check the Name Before You Buy Pods
This kit takes SKE Bar 6K packs and SKE Bar 15K packs only. It does not take SKE Crystal CL6000 pods or any other Crystal pod. The names look similar on a shelf and the pods look similar in a photo — read the box.
| SKE Bar 6K — Technical Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Puff Count | Up to 6,000 per pack (rating covers the whole 7ml) |
| E-Liquid Capacity | 2ml prefilled pod + 5ml auto-refill container = 7ml total |
| Battery | 850mAh built-in, rechargeable |
| Charging | USB-C, roughly 30 minutes with a 2A source (cable not included) |
| Nicotine Strength | 20mg (2%) nic salt only — no lower strength in this range |
| Coil | Dual mesh, built into the pod (fresh coil with every pack) |
| Display | Battery level screen |
| Activation | Inhale-activated — no fire button |
| Airflow | Fixed MTL (not adjustable) |
| Flavours | 10 (five with an ice finish, no tobacco or plain menthol) |
| Compatibility | SKE Bar 6K packs and SKE Bar 15K packs |
| Price | £7.99 kit / £5.99 refill pack |
| Compliance | UK TPD compliant, legal after the June 2025 ban |
Design and Build — Basically a Crystal Bar in a Reusable Body
If you've held a Crystal Bar, you already know how this feels. It's the same slim, squared-off stick shape, roughly the same size in the hand, and the same mouthpiece geometry. SKE didn't redesign anything they didn't have to.
The difference is the body is now a proper device rather than a sealed tube. There's a small screen at the bottom showing battery percentage, a USB-C port underneath, and the pod assembly clicks into the top.
It's plastic rather than metal, and it's light. That's not a criticism at this price — it's the right call. A heavier body would make it feel more premium but wouldn't make it vape any better, and it would cost more.
The one thing I'd flag: the pod assembly sticks up quite high, so it's not the most pocket-friendly kit if you're wearing tight jeans. It's fine in a jacket or a bag.
Battery and Charging — The Bit Everyone Underestimates
850mAh sounds decent on paper. In practice, it means you will recharge this several times before one pack is finished.
That's not a fault — it's just how a 7ml pack works. Seven millilitres is a lot of vaping, and 850mAh can't cover all of it. Expect roughly one full day of normal use per charge, which means charging every evening if you're a daily vaper.
Charging itself is quick. With a 2A USB-C source you're looking at around 30 minutes to full. The screen shows the percentage climbing, so you're never guessing.
🔌 No Cable in the Box
Worth knowing before you order: the kit doesn't include a USB-C cable. Any standard phone charger works, but if you don't have a spare one lying around, add one to your basket.
✅ How to Make the Battery Go Further
Top it up before it goes flat rather than running it to zero. A short charge each evening keeps it topped off and avoids the moment where you're stuck without a vape. Also — leaving a few seconds between puffs means the coil isn't working constantly, which saves both liquid and battery.
The 7ml Auto-Refill System — How It Actually Works
This is the clever bit, and it's why the kit is legal post-ban.
You get a 2ml prefilled pod and a 5ml clear container. You press the container onto the pod until it clicks, then slide the whole assembly into the device. As you vape, the 5ml container feeds liquid into the 2ml pod automatically.
You never pour anything. You never open a bottle. You never touch a coil. The clear container means you can see how much is left without taking it apart.
Each pack gives you 7ml, which is roughly ten times a 2ml disposable. That's the entire value proposition in one sentence.
SKE Bar 6K Flavours — All 10, With Honest Notes
Ten flavours. Five have an ice finish. There's no tobacco and no plain menthol, which is a genuine gap if you're an ex-smoker who wants something neutral.
| Flavour | What It Actually Tastes Like | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Cola Ice | Cola sweet rather than fizzy drink, with a citrus edge and gentle cooling | Anyone bored of fruit; least sugary option |
| Blueberry Sour Raspberry | Opens sharp and tart, settles into blueberry, tangy raspberry finish | Fruit with an edge |
| Lemon & Lime | Sharp lemon with juicy lime, closer to a chewy citrus sweet | Ex-smokers who find fruit too sweet |
| Cherry Ice | Dark, rich cherry with a smooth cool finish | Cherry fans who want depth |
| Fizzy Cherry | Lighter cherry with a fizzy tingle and a little cooling | Something playful |
| Pineapple Ice | Tangy tropical pineapple with noticeable but controlled ice | Tropical lovers |
| Pink Lemonade | Sweet and tart pink lemonade with a soft citrus finish | Easiest starting point |
| Strawberry Ice | Sweet strawberry with a cooling finish | Classic, safe choice |
| Watermelon Ice | Juicy watermelon with a cooling menthol finish | Safe first pick |
| Watermelon Strawberry | Balanced mix where gentle strawberry sweetness rounds off the melon | Softer, less icy option |
If you're new to SKE, start with Pink Lemonade or Watermelon Ice. Both are forgiving and hard to dislike.
If you've come off cigarettes and fruit tastes too sweet, go for Cola Ice or Lemon & Lime. They're the least sugary things in the range.
SKE Bar 6K Prefilled Pod Kit
850mAh battery · 7ml per pack · 20mg nic salt · 10 flavours · battery screen · fixed MTL draw
✅ In stock · Free UK delivery over £40
How Long Does One Pack Actually Last?
The 6,000 figure is a rating, not a promise. It covers the whole 7ml, and long draws will bring your real number down. Here are working estimates for one pack:
| Vaper Type | Puffs Per Day | One 7ml Pack Lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Light / social | Around 300 | About 20 days |
| Average daily | Around 500 | About 12 days |
| Heavy | 800 or more | About a week |
I landed in the average-to-heavy bracket during testing and got through a pack in just under two weeks. That tracks with the numbers above.
If a week per pack sounds short to you, the honest answer is that the 15K packs (12ml) are better value per millilitre. The same device takes both.
How to Set Up the SKE Bar 6K — Five Steps
- Charge it first. Plug in any USB-C cable and wait until the screen reads 100%.
- Unwrap and de-seal. Take the pod and the container out, and peel the seals off both. This is the step people skip, and it's why some kits feel like they're not working.
- Click them together. Press the clear 5ml container onto the 2ml pod until it seats properly.
- Slide it in. Push the joined pack into the top of the device until it sits firmly with no wobble.
- Wait two to three minutes. Then inhale. No button, no settings.
⚠️ Priming Is the Whole Game
Do not skip the wait on a new pack. A dry mesh coil gives a burnt taste that stays for the rest of that pack — a scorched coil cannot be recovered. Two or three minutes of patience saves you £5.99 and a week of grim vaping. I've seen experienced vapers ruin a fresh pack because they were impatient, so this isn't a beginner-only warning.
Common SKE Bar 6K Problems — And the Fixes
Most reviews stop at the spec sheet. This is the section that actually helps when something goes wrong.
1. Burnt Taste Straight Away or Partway Through
Two causes. Either the coil wasn't primed (new pack), or the liquid has run out while the container still looks half full.
Fix: If it's a fresh pack, that coil is gone — replace the pack and wait the full two to three minutes this time. If it's mid-pack, check the clear container. When it's genuinely empty, change it. Don't keep puffing on a dry coil hoping it'll come back, because it won't.
2. Weak, Wispy Vapour or Muted Flavour
Usually residue build-up in the airway, or the pod isn't seated properly.
Fix: Pull the pack out, wipe the contacts and the inside of the device with a dry tissue, and reseat it firmly. Store the device upright — if condensation pools in the airway you get exactly this symptom. If the pack is genuinely near empty, that's your answer instead.
3. Leaking or Gurgling
Gurgling means the coil is flooded. Leaking is usually a seal that wasn't fully removed or a container that wasn't clicked down properly.
Fix: Take the pack out, hold a tissue over the mouthpiece and blow gently through the airflow to clear excess liquid. Check both seals are completely off. Make sure the container is pressed down until it clicks, not just resting on top.
4. Device Won't Fire or Screen Is Dead
Nine times out of ten it's simply flat. The screen going blank is the last stage of a dying battery, not a fault.
Fix: Charge it for 30 minutes on a 2A USB-C source and watch the screen. If it still won't come on after a full charge, that's a genuine fault and worth returning.
SKE Bar 6K vs SKE Bar 15K — Which Should You Buy?
| Feature | SKE Bar 6K | SKE Bar 15K |
|---|---|---|
| E-liquid per pack | 7ml (2ml + 5ml) | 12ml (2ml + 10ml) |
| Puff rating | Up to 6,000 | Up to 15,000 |
| Device | Same device — takes both packs | |
| Best for | Lowest starting price, trying a flavour first | Better price per ml once you know your flavour |
The practical advice: buy the 6K first if you're trying a new flavour. If you love it, your next purchase should be the 15K pack, because the cost per millilitre is better and you're using the same device anyway.
That's the single biggest advantage of this kit over a sealed disposable — you're not locked into one capacity.
Running Cost vs Disposables
Let's do the maths properly, because this is where the kit wins.
| Option | Cost | Liquid Per Purchase | Cost Per 10ml |
|---|---|---|---|
| SKE Bar 6K kit (first buy) | £7.99 | 7ml | ~£11.41 |
| SKE Bar 6K refill pack | £5.99 | 7ml | ~£8.56 |
| SKE Bar 15K refill pack | Higher per pack | 12ml | Lowest of the three |
| 2ml disposable | ~£5 | 2ml | ~£25.00 |
Once you're on refill packs, you're paying roughly a third of the disposable cost per millilitre. For an average vaper getting 12 days from a pack, that's about 50p a day.
Pros and Cons
✅ Pros
- £7.99 for the kit, £5.99 per refill — cheapest genuine SKE route
- 7ml per pack, roughly ten 2ml disposables
- Familiar Crystal Bar flavours and draw
- 850mAh battery with an actual percentage screen
- Same device takes 6K and 15K packs
- No refilling, no coil changes, no settings
- Fully TPD compliant and legal post-ban
- 30-minute USB-C charging
❌ Cons
- Fixed airflow — no adjustment at all
- 20mg is the only strength
- No tobacco or plain menthol flavour
- Needs recharging several times per pack
- USB-C cable not included
- Easy to confuse with the Crystal CL6000 when buying pods
- Plastic body rather than metal
Who Should Buy the SKE Bar 6K?
Buy it if:
- You used Crystal Bars and want the same flavour without the disposable
- You want the lowest possible entry price for a proper refillable kit
- You want zero settings and a fixed, tight MTL draw
- You already vape 20mg nic salt
- You want to test a flavour before committing to a bigger pack
Skip it if:
- You need airflow or wattage adjustment
- You vape lower than 20mg
- You want a tobacco or plain menthol option
- You want a metal-bodied premium kit
- You'd rather buy once and get 12ml — in which case go straight to the 15K
⚠️ Not Compatible With
SKE Crystal CL6000 pods, SKE Crystal Plus pods, SKE Crystal Original e-liquid, or any other SKE Crystal pod. The Bar 6K, Bar 15K and Crystal CL6000 are three different systems — the names are close enough to cause real mistakes, so read the box before you buy.
Where to Buy the SKE Bar 6K in the UK
Stock on this kit has been genuinely patchy. When I checked, Ecigone, Grey Haze and Vape and Go all listed it at £6.99–£7.99 and all showed as sold out. Phantom Vapes had it at £9.99 or 3 for £27.
Vape Online Store has it in stock at £7.99, with refill packs at £5.99. Every kit is genuine SKE stock, TPD compliant, and ships next day on orders over £40.
| Retailer | Price | Stock |
|---|---|---|
| Vape Online Store | £7.99 | ✅ In stock |
| Ecigone | £7.99 | ❌ Sold out |
| Vape and Go | £6.99 | ❌ Sold out |
| Grey Haze | £7.99 | ❌ Sold out |
| Phantom Vapes | £9.99 (or 3 for £27) | ✅ In stock |
£7.99 — 10 flavours, 7ml per pack, free UK delivery over £40.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is the SKE Bar 6K worth buying in 2026?
Yes, if you want the cheapest genuine Crystal Bar replacement. At £7.99 for 7ml and £5.99 per refill, it's roughly a third of the disposable cost per millilitre. It's fixed MTL with no settings, which is exactly what most ex-disposable users want.
Q. How many puffs does the SKE Bar 6K actually give?
The rating is up to 6,000, covering the whole 7ml pack. In real use, a light vaper gets around 20 days, an average vaper around 12 days, and a heavy vaper about a week. Long draws bring the puff count down.
Q. Is the SKE Bar 6K the same as the SKE Crystal CL6000?
No. They're different kits with different batteries and different pods. The Bar 6K is 850mAh with 7ml packs; the CL6000 is 800mAh with 10ml pods. The pods are not interchangeable, so check the name on the box before ordering.
Q. Can I refill the SKE Bar 6K with my own e-liquid?
No. The packs are sealed — a 2ml prefilled pod plus a 5ml auto-refill container. You don't pour anything by hand. When it's empty, you replace the whole pack. Trying to open it will cause leaks and poor performance.
Q. What nicotine strength is the SKE Bar 6K?
20mg (2%) nic salt, and that's the only option in this range. There's no 10mg version. Nic salt gives a smoother throat hit than freebase at the same strength, which is why it suits MTL pod kits.
Q. Why does my SKE Bar 6K taste burnt?
Almost always a priming issue on a new pack, or the liquid has actually run out. A scorched mesh coil can't be recovered, so replace the pack and wait two to three minutes after inserting the new one. Don't keep puffing hoping it settles.
Q. How long does the SKE Bar 6K take to charge?
Around 30 minutes from flat to full with a 2A USB-C source. A standard phone charger works. The screen shows the percentage, so you can see exactly where you are.
Q. Does the SKE Bar 6K come with a charging cable?
No. The kit includes the device, one 2ml prefilled pod, one 5ml refill container and a manual. You'll need your own USB-C cable, which is worth knowing before it arrives.
Q. Can I use SKE Bar 15K pods in the SKE Bar 6K device?
Yes. The same device takes both the 7ml Bar 6K packs and the 12ml Bar 15K packs. That's the main practical advantage — you can start small and step up to a bigger pack without buying new hardware.
Q. Is the SKE Bar 6K legal in the UK?
Yes. It's TPD compliant with a 2ml pod, a separate refill container, 20mg maximum nicotine, and a rechargeable battery. It's fully legal to sell and use after the June 2025 disposable ban.
Q. Does the SKE Bar 6K have adjustable airflow?
No. The airflow is fixed for a tight MTL draw. There's no slider or dial. If you want to loosen the draw, you'd need a different kit — the XROS range or the OXVA Nexlim 2 both offer adjustable airflow.
Q. Which SKE Bar 6K flavour should I start with?
Pink Lemonade or Watermelon Ice are the easiest starting points. If you've come off cigarettes and find fruit too sweet, Cola Ice or Lemon & Lime are the least sugary options in the range.
Final Verdict — Is the SKE Bar 6K Worth Your Money?
After a few weeks of daily use, my honest take is that this kit does exactly one job extremely well: it replaces a Crystal Bar without making you learn anything new.
The draw is right. The flavours are the ones you already know. The battery screen is genuinely useful. The price is hard to argue with, and the fact that the same device takes 12ml packs later means you're not throwing hardware away when you want more capacity.
It's not perfect. Fixed airflow and 20mg-only will rule it out for some vapers, and the plastic body won't satisfy anyone who wants a metal kit. The CL6000 naming confusion is a genuine trap when buying pods.
But for £7.99, and specifically for someone who wants the Crystal Bar experience without the disposable, it's the obvious pick.
Verdict: 4.5/5 — the best budget Crystal Bar replacement in the UK.
