Which E-Cig is the best for me?

[raytc]

This question has probably been asked several times a day but the more I do research on e-cigs the more confused I am.
I have known about e-cigs for a year and thought of trying them out several times but don't know where to begin.

I am currently smoking Marlboro Skylines and enjoy smoking menthol cigs, so menthol flavor is a +
I would like something similar to the size of a normal cigarrette or 100s, small size is a +
I don't know how long batteries last for e-cigs so I'll leave that out.
I also want to get one that isn't to complicated to use.

So if possible please give me a tip on a list of several brands/models that best fit me as well as a price range.

Thank you.

 

[dormouse]

No decent ecig is as slim as a cigarette. All decent ones are at least 9.2mm diameter.

100mah is about 1 hour of moderate vaping with standard resistance atomizers/cartomizers (standard resistance or about 2.5-3 ohms is all slim ecigs can use)

And I only recommend manuals which are what most here use and recommend. Harder to damage/kill with juice leaks, easier to get a good drag/hit. I recommend thin clear juices for cartomizers (how most prefer to vape) - I use 80PG/20VG and I try to stay away from dark, cloudy or opaque liquids which usually drop flavoring sediment and shorten the life of cartos by clogging the stuffing and coil with sediment.


These are the two most recommended, most used and most compatible slim ecigs.

Joye 510 manual, and use blank Boge 3 ohm cartomizers for everyday vaping (cartomizers have limited lives and replace atomizer and cartridge. NiteLiteVapor.us sells Boge cartos in white and tan in addition to the common black.) Short battery life of 180mah

KR808D-1 manual - Normal manufacturer model, V4L (my fave for longer drags), the rubberized models which have slightly longer charge SmokelessImage/Bloogplanet/HaloCigs G6 - all can use each others cartomizers or any 2.5 to 3 ohm single coil cartomizers. On a manual you can use a standard res. DSE901 atomizer and drip tip to test new juices. Plenty of prefilled cartomizers available (which do NOT last as long as a pack of smokes - make 1/2 pack if you don't singe it when liquid gets low - most keep these damp with liquid to get 7+ days use out of each). Shorty/65mm size makes 100mm ecig and is 180mah charge (220 for rubberized models). Standard/78mm makes 120mm ecig and is 280mah charge (320mah for rubberized models)

 

[brandontrjn]

For a new vaper, I recommend vapeshot.com stuff for a complete starter kit that gives you plenty of charge options (Wall, USB and PCC)

Out of the 3 brands I have, they are equally easy to use, come with all the charging options you should need and have decent quality.

You can check out V4L too. They have a decent starter kit but it's a little more expensive with a;; the charging options available from the above brand.

V4L is good for cheap juice for refilling too.

As Dormouse stated above, 100 mah will give you about an hour of vaping Either 9.2mm battery above will give you about 1.5 hours @ 180 mah so you will need to recharge.

Your preference will change however and down the road you may find you want larger batteries at home or even to carry around.

 

[swedishfish]

I don't know why the insistence on a mini. They cost 2x as much as an ego type battery and the battery lasts a fraction of the time.

 

[brandontrjn]

I don't know why the insistence on a mini. They cost 2x as much as an ego type battery and the battery lasts a fraction of the time.

We know, we know. For me personally, it's a "social acceptability" thing and having it be as close to a real smoke as possible. Also, it hurts when your fiance gets mad and throws a 1100 mah battery at you!

 

[swedishfish]

Don't do anything to make her mad! You know she's always right anway!

The thing is, the standard battery on the ego isn't bigger than the KR808 or 510, just a little fatter.

If size is an issue, I wouldn't get a huge battery ego, like a KGo, epower or one of them. I have them and they are pretty big, but I don't care that much. Just get the standard 650 mah or 750 mah battery.

I do have a 510 I use to walk the dog or take on errands and I do like it. I probably would have had issues quitting with it. The main reason is you can't use low resistance cartomizers and that meant a world of difference for me. The second reason is the constant battery charging, even with a pcc.

 

[mooreted]

I still use my little PV's for when I want something small, but for all day, it's a pain rotating batteries to a charger every hour.


Sent from my easy chair using brainwaves.

 

[Sweeney Todd]

The Volt from smokelessimage.com has gotten a lot of good reviews. I haven't tried it myself, but if my wife decides she wants something smaller than her Ego, that's what I'd suggest to her.

 

[raytc]

Alright thanks guys for the great help.
I'm sticking with v4l being my first ecig experience
I chose the $70 kit but clueless on what cart strength to select for menthols

 

[tidegirl]

As for the larger battery/look and feel of an analog issue- I am lucky enough to have a local store, which is where I got my ego kit. I went in not having a clue what to expect, but also thought I would want something the size of an analog. The first thing they handed me was the ego 650 mah battery/atty. I took it and smiled, although I was thinking I wouldn't like the feel. It was love at first vape. I never tried another, bought it, and never looked back. I'm glad I did now that I know how long those slim batts last. I use both of my ego batts constantly, in rotation with different juices, and they each get charged once a day. Just my

 

[ian559]

I see the "get a ego". I have a ego and I love it. But I also love my 808 batteries and cartomizers too. I bought a pcc that looks like a cig pack from "Premium" Batteries from Vapor4Life. I like the "fit" on the fly with the 808 style. I love the 808 carts. I use my ego sitting at home relaxing in my chair. Or out on the porch reading.

I started with Blu... Talk about crappy battery life.

I buy both the cool carts and the wow carts from Vapor4Life. Great juice great flavors!!!

 

[Iusedtoanalog]

Hi Raytc, Welcome to the ECF. As for an answer to your question about what strength liquid(mg).One approach is to choose a liquid that you think will be just right for you then choose one higher in the same flavor and also one with zero or near zero nicotine in the same flavor. This way you can mix two drops of say 24 with two drops of 0 to equal 12, or you could just use the 24 srtaight or you could use three of..... you see where im going i hope. The only problem with this is that you will have many strenghts of the same liquid which you may or may not like. OR you get liquid in a few different flavors so you can test the liquids to see which one you enjoy more and then move on to find a strength thats right for you. Everyone is different. I myself didnt even know that there were any real options for different flavors or even the hundredthousands of variants of one single flavor when i began vaping all i knew was this goes with that and you have vapor. Now going on a year later I hope to be able to give you a bit of info to help you along on your vaping journey. So thanks to ECF and all the vaping veterans for helping me through my start in vaping. Good Luck. Happy Vaping.

 

[desertcruiser]

I started with Blu too, tired of going to the store. The ECF users unknowingly coaxed me into buying something better before I was even a member. Saw friends with the Volcano Inferno, which they swear by, and decided I needed to rethink the analog thing. The rest is history.

 

[ambition]

OP, if you're going to go the slim ecig route (either a 510 or an 808) I'd suggest the 808 for a few reasons.

The 808 provides a warmer vapor than a standard 510, making it feel a little more like cigarette (but still not the same)

The 808 will provide a longer time between charges than a standard 510 for roughly the same overall assembled length.
(using a 78mm 280/320 mAh battery and standard cartomizer vs a standard 510 180mAh battery with atomizer and cartridge)
(using a cartomizer on either the 510 or the shorty 808 will be the same length as well and closer to 100mm)

Cartomizers can hold more juice than a standard 510 cartridge meaning less time between changes/refills.

Using an 808 more closely approximates smoking a real cigarette with the automatic battery.

Having said all this, battery life is pretty ordinary on any small ecig so if you would prefer a small ecig, get a PCC (personal charging case) that allows you to charge the case itself, and have it charge batteries in your pocket or purse while you're on the go.

I understand the social acceptance thing completely and I almost exclusively use 808's (I have a 510 and an eGo as well) and when I first started vaping I bought shorty 65mm batteries mainly thinking that 100mm total length would still be too long, but now 118mm with a standard battery actually feels more like the right size. Just mentioning it because like many, your opinions and comfort levels with different size equipment may change rather rapidly.

The better 808 kits, as already mentioned, can be purchased from bloog, smokeless image and V4L.

Hope this helps.

 

[ambition]

Sorry OP, I completely missed your post about having purchased a kit already.

Good job.