A frustrated consumer.

[wezman2k]

First off, I'm not a heavy smoker (1/2 - 1 pack a day).

I just got an original Blu starter kit a little over a week ago and I must say I really enjoy it. I've enjoyed it so much that I haven't really felt the need to smoke an actual cigarette. This piqued my interest and I started doing some digging around online and it seems that most of the so-called "veteran" vapors don't take kindly to Blu for reasons ranging from poor customer service to long waits to poor batteries.

Why I like Blu: it's such a smooth transition from standard cigarettes. You get the case, the 2 bats, you can charge a dead bat while using the charged one, very sleek, simple, not complicated etc.

Why I dislike Blu: the carts lose their taste rather quickly which means I'm spending about as much on carts as I was on regular smokes. If that's the way it's gotta be to get this kind've convenience then that's the way it's gotta be I guess, but the vibes I get seem to say otherwise. I also hear really bad things about battery lifespan and vapor production etc.

Everyone around seems to rave about Joyetech so I looked those up. Ok, the eGo seems way overkill at the end of the day. I want something I can conveniently carry with me like a pack of smokes. The 510-T seemed like the best fit for me...decent battery (for the size) and a "tank" style system that I presume means it can hold a lot of juice. Ok, so if I fill the carts myself I'll save a bit of money AND probably have a higher quality ecig right? Sounds like win win to me.

Overall I'm just getting really frustrated because everyone and their grandma has a recommendation for something BETTER than the kit I just spend over $100 on (with more carts). Am I on the right track?

 

[sailorman]

If you're thinking of getting away from Blu, you're on the right track.
As a rule, the closer it looks to a cigarette, the worse it performs. That's just the limitations of a little battery.

The 510-T is no prize itself, but it's heads and tails better than a Blu. If nothing else it will allow you to escape the over-priced cartos. Cartos you fill yourself are ALWAYS better than the pre-filled ones. The only good thing about Blu is that they do have some decent flavors. They're made by Johnson Creek and if you buy e-juice from JC you won't be able to get the exact taste.

But it's not worth sticking with Blu because of some tasty cartos. There are millions of e-juice vendors and you'll be able to find a favorite soon enough.

Personally, I wouldn't recommed a 510-T to someone who smokes over 1/2 pack a day. The "tank" they are talking about is a kind of cartridge that doesn't hold very much at all. In your situation, a kGo is not at all overkill. It's the size of a sharpie marker pen and outperforms any of the 510s or cigarette looking e-cigs by a country mile. It's about $45 from Hoosierecigsupply.com or Sweet-Vapes.com

If you want something that you'll be happy with and not end up spending another $100 in a few months from nwo, I'd strongly advise the kGo, or better yet, the e-Power 14650, which is probably out of stock because it's so popular.

 

[Dana A]

Welcome to the ECF Wes! You are on the RIGHT track because you are feeling that this is a smooth transition. If it did not work GREAT for you than you would NOT be saying that. We are in a depression and the set up you have may not be the best bang for your buck as the batteries can only be recharged so many times and small batts need recharged more times in a day than big batts and that equals replacing them sooner,more often and at a higher price than say a batt for the E Power. I would definitely keep using what you have if it is working for you but remember to have a back up for if a batt fails and another back up for that. You can't have to many back ups. I think everyone you are speaking of just means well and most have been around the vaping block a few times more than us newbs and so they know that most will eventually be unsatisfied with small batts. I was recommended to get the E Power right out of the gate and wish I had listened as I now have 4 pen styles that are about to become back ups because even tho i loved them at 1st I am now feeling like they just are NOT doing it 4 me anymore. Maybe you will stay with what you have forever and maybe you won't but there should be NO shame if you do. Good luck on your journey no matter what you choose

 

[ambition]

I don't understand what you're frustrated about.

Blu has a poor reputation. Sure it has good points, but the bad outweighs the good for the vast majority. So it stands to reason that people have recommendations for better systems.

That's nothing to be frustrated about.

At the risk of frustrating you further, the 510t isn't all that great either.

For slim ecigs, the kr808d is the best of the bunch for reasons of battery life, warmth of vapor and availability of prefilled cartos (which are refillable)

For something larger, the kgo which was already suggested is a great option, as is the riva and e-power. All roughly the same size.

 

[sailorman]

Most of us started with one of those little battery things. Most wish we hadn't. But we did. What we found out was that we were spending a fortune replacing batteries and half our time recharging them. Some people started back on analogs when their batteries failed before they had a chance to replace them.

I started out with a Joye 510. A month later, I had 6 batteries and a PCC and had ended up putting well over $100 into it, not including juice and cartos. So, I paid $85 for a Baby Bullet and didn't bother to upgrade again for almost 2 years. A replacement battery ran me about $7 and I could vape 6-8 hours between recharges.

I quit smoking entirely the day I picked up that 510, but I still consider it a waste because it didn't do anything that I couldn't have, or wouldn't have, done with the Baby Bullet. Some people stick with the small batteries longer than I did, but the vast majority of them forget all about that "looks like a cigarette" thing pretty quick when they get tired of playing musical batteries and realize they have to carry 3 or 4 batteries with them everywhere.

 

[wezman2k]

So now two more different types of cigs to add to the mix... it's driving me crazy. The kGo looks nice but again, it just seems inconvenient. Keeping something like that in my pocket seems like it's more prone to lint and damage and leakage. Just looking on sweet-vapes it's not just a matter picking a starter kit...it's WHICH starter kit. Do I want cartomizers or carts and atomizers and do I need drip tips and cleaning kits and doohickeys and whatchamakalits.

Sure, the battery life is great but then I'm taking it apart to put in a different cartridge every 5 smokes or so. Then there's carrying spare cartridges of e-juice in a bigger bulkier package.

I've read through the tutorials on this website and, while helpful, still leaves a lot of room for indecision and dumb impulse purchases that I'll regret as soon as it comes in the mail.

I feel it's either an inferior product or diving into a complex assortment of options. It's a snowball of complexity and money spending to the point of it no longer being a "smoking alternative" but a new hobby altogether and perhaps even an unhealthy obsession/addiction in and of itself.

 

[Huffelpuff]

IMHO the best ecig is the one that keeps you off of the analogs. If people choose to look at vaping as a hobby, that's an option. Others may vape their first ecig for a while and quit alltogether. Whatever works for you is the right solution. People all have opinions but, at the end of the day, you have to decide what to spend your money on and what you feel are the best decisions.

Regarding the $$ investment, if you stay off of the analogs you're investment is returned in spades through saving on the analogs.

 

[woody55]

Ok Wes, #1 Congratulations on kicking the analogs! #2 Welcome to ECF, your in the right place for help and support.

Now for the meat of things. If the Blu is working for you USE it! When it stops working for you then you can look to other PV's. You can save some money by going to www.eliquiddepot.com there you can get blank cartomizers to fit the Blu for about 9.99 for a pack of five, or for 19.99 you can get a 30ml bottle of eliquid and a pack of blank carto's. Generally a 30ml bottle will last an average vaper about 3 weeks to a month. This saves quite a bit of money. I started out on a South Beach Smoke kit I won in a FB contest. I quit analogs immediately but when I went to buy more cart's for it they wanted 40+ dollars for a pack of 15 carto's for it. I went to a 510 cig sized after that and Now use an E-Power 14650. I still use a cig sized to quick trips to the store and such. For that I carry a Smokeless Image Volt which is a KR808. I carry my E-power on trips and at work or sitting at my desk at home. The bottom line is You have to find what works for YOU. If it is the Blu, great! Anyway it is still a win win over analogs.

 

[sailorman]

Keep the Blu around for backup or until the juice is gone. It sounds like you have a bunch of cartridges? They'll stay good for a year. Just don't sink any more cash into it.

It's not any more complicated than you want to make it. For example.

You could get the kGo cartomizer kit. They're the simplest to deal with.
Choose the 2ohm cartomizers included with your kit. Get an extra pack of 5 Boge 2 ohm cartomizers.
Go to the accessory page and get a drip tip or two. They're about $2.50 each.
Go to the atomizer page and get a 2ohm debridged atomizer. You'll use it to "test" juices so you don't fill up a cartomizer with a juice you don't even like.

The whole thing should cost under $75

Then, get some small 5-10ml bottles of juice anywhere you like.

That's it. That's all you need to last you the first couple months until you get your bearings.
Figure about 3-5ml of juice a day while you're starting. You may use less.

If you go out somewhere, all you have to carry is the battery, a cartomizer or two and a bottle of juice.
Or, you can pre-fill cartomizers and just bring a few with you. Put them in a little AA battery box.
Takes less room than a pack of cigarettes. The battery is tough and small and thin. It'll fit your pants or coat or shirt pocket easily. You won't break it.

You don't need to make a hobby out of it or over-complicate things. Of course, if you want to, there's plenty of opportunity to do that too.

 

[kyokahn]

If you don't want to get a big (or mid size like eGo) one, then don't, you can go ahead and use a 510 with a PCC. I'm telling you this because it's up to each person to decide and it does not mean you'll not be successful in using e-cigs just because you want a convenient, portable and cigarette looking PV.

I tell you from personal experience, about 2 years ago, I bought a 510 kit with PCC, including 2 atomizers, I added a LR atty 5 other cartomizers and a drip tip, and was able to successfully vape for about 1 year and 2 months, using the SAME kit in different modes: Carto, dripping and regular. Hell, I even used the regular attys for dripping and they worked great.

Including liquid I spent about $200, including excessive costa rican customs fees for everything I bought, and shipping to this tropical paradise (let me believe it)...

About 8 months ago I bought an eGo kit, with the same accessories basically as the 510, and bought some 510 batteries and attys, passed the PCC to my father and he's still using that kit.

I was a mid-heavy smoker, 1.5 packs a day and 2 or 3 on beer weekends.

Guys, I know you're trying to help and that most of what you say is totally right, but believe me (or ask my father, in spanish please) Some people won't accept an eGo for example is "small enough", at least not at first.

Wes Gad, congratulations for making a good decision and moving to vapor, either way you do it. It IS worth the initial hassle.

 

[Cupids_Healing_Hearts]

I have had a BB from Altsmoke from the start, love it and haven't tried anything else... Except my 510.

 

[sailorman]

I have had a BB from Altsmoke from the start, love it and haven't tried anything else... Except my 510.

Yep. A BB is an outstanding PV. I wish I would have discovered it from the start. I have 3 other PVs, but I still use it every day. I'll pass it along to my great-granchildren. The thing is practically indestructible. I got the 5V passthrough too. That is really a piece of work. Too bad they don't sell them anymore.

 

[Lightseeker]

Everyone is so different. I lasted about 2 months on my SafeCigs before I got the roaving eye I thought hmmmmmm bigger batteries are nice..how neat would that be to go all day! I did a little research and ended up with a KGO. But me, you and others have to be ready to make that change into a non-traditional looking pv. If you ever do.

I have checked out the Provaris because they are just so pretty. But for me personally...do I really need variable voltage? Is that really really necessary? I have to say no, for me personallly it isn't. My next big thrill after about a month with my KGO is to actually buy a bridgeless atty. That's a huge deal for me. And I might even buy a tank at the same time..another MAJOR step for me.

Like I said, we are all so different..others started out with tanks when they first vaped and have since moved up from there, even making their own mods. Me making a mod..not such a good idea

I hope you find the right fit for you. A little encouragement from another newbie

Edited to add...I just might see a pass through in my near future too..I just need to investiage them a bit more..for home and the car. We'll see...I'll probably get the new atty and tank first.

 

[SteveRed]

me too ! The BB is awesome

 

[nansc]

First of all welcome,I went down the same path as you ,I used my little mini for a long time and then upgraded to the 510 which I used for a long time.It worked for me.I didn't get a bigger one for a long time.Whatever works for you is the right thing. Good Luck

 

[X P3 Flight Engineer]

Whatever works for you is the right thing. Good Luck

I use a Kgo pass-through battery. Lasts all day, charges on USB, still vapable while charging, and inexpensive ($20 - $30) with a LR (low resistance) Star Dust ($5).

I think it is large and clunky.

My father thought his oxygen tank was large and clunky.

My brother (until he died at 60) thought his oxygen concentrator/pressure breathing machine was large and clunky.

Relativity.

Again, Whatever works for you is the right thing. Good Luck

 

[White Peacock]

I use a cheap setup currently: Mistic (bought from WalMart), and I've been refilling cartos to save lots of money. I love the Mistic menthol carts, but if I can refill them for much, much less, I'm sold. I plan to eventually move up to one of the better systems, but for now I'm totally satisfied and don't smoke the nasty analogs any longer.

If you like Blu, use it. I've used a few of the disposable Blu menthols, and they were quite nice. Nothing wrong with them except for the short battery life. So if you dig it, use it! Don't let anybody else tell you what path to take. We do this for enjoyment and for the purpose of kicking the cigarettes, not to gain status.

 

[GRATI]

Wes Gad welcome to ECF.

If you're frustrated for paying $100 for a BLU kit you still have 3 months to return it and get your money back. 95% of vapers began this journey with an ecig that looks like an analog cigarette. We know how you feel. Don't be afraid of bigger size ecigs; they will last longer and I am sure you will need a long battery life. But again, if a small battery works for you, use it. One thing I know for sure is that getting educated here on ECF saved me lots of money.
Good luck !

 

[wezman2k]

What are the drip tips for when each bottle of liquid is a dripper in itself? Looks like there's yet different types of drip tips that fit different types of e-cigs. Why would I choose a "Debridged atomizer" over any one of the other FIFTEEN options?

There's so much room for error and ordering the right parts that I see myself spending more money trying to put together an e-cig than actually smoking it. Or worse yet, ordering the wrong parts and wasting time.

 

[alink]

Im currently looking for a blu replacement because the batterys suck and the cartos are expensive. When I find one I plan on keeping the blu around only as a spare. But in the mean time while searching for a new unit I have been re-filling my empty blu cartos and its working fine so far. All I have been doing is popping the rubber end cap off and injecting juice down into the fill... has been working great. So while your looking for a new cig , stop buying the blu cartos and just refil your old ones for the time being.