ELFBAR's ELFX and ELFA Pod Systems Win German Design Award and CMF Design Awards

Four reusable devices recognised by two international juries for refined industrial design

Dateline BERLIN, 18 May 2026 — Global vape brand ELFBAR said today that four products in its reusable vape lineup have been honoured by the German Design Award and the International CMF Design Awards. The recognised devices are the ELFX Mini, ELFX 2, ELFA Master Stein and the ELFA pod system.

The German Design Award, organised by the German Design Council, named the ELFX Mini and the ELFA Master Stein as 2026 winners. The International CMF Design Awards, which evaluates excellence in colour, material and finish, recognised the ELFA Master Stein and the ELFX 2. The ELFX Mini and the ELFA Master Stein are now available in Germany.

The awarded lineup

The four products sit at the centre of ELFBAR's reusable portfolio for adult smokers and ex-smokers looking for an alternative to combustible tobacco. The range spans compact entry devices through to the ELFX 2, which goes on sale in Germany in June 2026.

Each device shares a restrained visual language. Casing materials are selected for grip and longevity. Colour palettes are subdued. Branding is kept small. The shapes are contoured for one-handed use, and the surface finishes are tuned to feel calm in the hand. The ELFA Master Stein, named after the stein vessels of European drinking culture, uses a textured casing that references the heritage of stoneware and glass.

On the design approach

"Good design should feel confident, not loud," said Becky Liu, Head of Industrial Design at ELFBAR. "With ELFX and ELFA, we focus on a clean-cut form, precision, and a calm material touch-feel to bring an elegant and intuitive user experience."

The recognition follows a multi-year effort inside ELFBAR's industrial design studio to move the brand's product language away from the bright, single-use silhouettes that defined the early years of the vaping category. The company has been steadily replacing those formats in its lineup with longer-lived devices intended to look and feel more like other categories of mature consumer hardware.

Engineering details

Beyond the look of each device, the awarded products share a set of practical features that ELFBAR describes as central to its reusable design approach.

Pods are secured magnetically and click into place without alignment fuss. E-liquid levels are visible through windows on the casing, making refill timing intuitive. Status displays communicate battery and pod information at a glance. Airflow and power settings are adjustable on the relevant models, allowing users to shape the draw to their preference. Modular construction lets pods and cartridges be replaced rather than discarded, extending the useful life of each device.

For the ELFX 2 specifically, the upcoming launch introduces the new ELFX POD 2.0 cartridge generation. The generation adds a child lock, an upgraded airway designed for richer flavour, and a 5A leakproof system intended to keep e-liquid contained under everyday pocket and travel use.

The German context

The design recognition lands in ELFBAR's largest European market. According to internal data, the brand leads the German pod system category with about 60 percent market share. Prefilled and refillable products — including the ELFX and ELFA pod systems and the ELFLIQ e-liquid range — now account for around 80 percent of the company's shipments to Germany. Single-use formats, once a defining part of the category, no longer drive the brand's German business.

European regulators have meanwhile sharpened their focus on disposable vapes and on packaging waste. Brands that can demonstrate genuine reusability, supported by replaceable components and durable design, are increasingly being separated from those that cannot. The awarded ELFX and ELFA products are positioned within that shift.

What comes next

ELFBAR said it plans to introduce the award-winning ELFX and ELFA designs to other European markets in due course, with the ELFX 2 leading the next wave from Germany in June 2026. Specific dates, pricing and channel availability will be confirmed market by market.

About ELFBAR

ELFBAR is a pioneer in the global vaping industry. Since its inception in 2018, it has been providing a distinct and diverse vaping experience with innovation at its core. ELFBAR stays committed to youth access prevention and sustainable growth as a leading brand favoured and used by tens of millions of adult smokers and ex-smokers worldwide as an alternative to smoking. For more information, please visit ELFBAR.DE.