About KR808d-1 Cartomizers: Unfilled and Prefilled: Preference Question

[wefishallday]

Well, I'm new enough to just get confused. After pouring through these forums, with noticeably great input from all these members, I've managed to discern that my Smoke Tip batteries/cartomizers are the KR808d-1's. First, I have no complaints about Smoke Tip - the batteries or their prefilled cartomizers, nor their price really, even though somewhat higher, because of their lifetime battery guarantee and awesome customer service. Further, I haven't had an analog since I started on them Jan 20, 2011 - after 47 years of smoking tobacco. Pretty amazing to me! The USB passthrough saved the day!

BUT -- I'm now ready to try refilling the cartomizers a few times before tossing them. Think I know of several methods now - thanks to the ECF forum. ST offers no liquids. I'm not quite ready to try the China route, maybe later after I've decide on the flavors I like best so I can order in more volume.

First question then for users who've tried many different U.S. companies distributing e-liq is:
1) What really makes you choose one company over another for e-liquids? Do you have any recommendations?

Second question is about the unfilled/blank KR808d-1 cartomizers:
1) After looking at many websites, these blank KR808d-1 cartomizers all seem similar? What really is the difference between one blank KR808d-1 cartomizer Vs. another, or does it just boil down to price, service, company preference and S/H charges?

Last question is about the prefilled vs unfilled/blank KR808d-1 cartomizers:
1) After reviewing about 10-15 different sites that offer these, it seems odd that the prefilled and the unfilled KR808d-1 cartomizers are the same price per 5 pack from any one company. I see that one company may be a higher or lower price than a different company, but at "each" company, the prefilled and unfilled are always the same price so far. Why would one NOT order the prefilled with all the many flavors available (then refill), Vs. ordering the unfilled/blank ones at the same price? What am I missing here?

Thanks for any input. Appreciate all your experience and help.

 

[ValleyGirl]

1. My choices are made on quality of product, shipping speed, customer service, and reputation. I buy all my blank cartomizers AND the prefilled ones from Vapor For Life for all of those reasons. Just placed another order today, as a matter of fact!

2. There are different types of KR808 cartos, depending on what they’re trying to accomplish (i.e., some will hold more juice than others, some will stay “cooler” longer, etc.). But all will fit on your KR8 battery.

3. Good observation, grasshopper. I do both. I order the prefilled ones if I have a similar flavored juice that I can top-off or refill it with. And I order blanks for my “odd” juices that won't mix well with a flavor in a prefilled.

(Hope that helps)

 

[dormouse]

1. My choices are based on companies that have good juice reviews, have a PG/VG ratio I like (and my preferred in 70pg/30vg), and have either reasonable prices for small bottles or offer samples or prefilled carto samplers (like Vapor4Life). I don't want to spend $15 plus shipping to try a juice. I use Backwoods Brew, FreedomSmokeUSA and to a lesser amount Vapor4Life juices (I love WOWbacco), Velvet Vapors, Gourmet Vapor, Madvapes, Juicy Vapor and I've tried a few others once

2. Blank cartos - You cannot use LR aka low resistance cartos - those are for fat battery models with beefier electronics and have the potential to kill a slim battery. And you don't want HV high voltage cartos with unusually high resistances meant to run cool on high voltage mods. So in the standard resistance cartos... There are plain stuffing cartos and I only want ones with soft caps that can be filled as intended. Some have hard-caps - I don't buy those. Even within soft-cap cartos you'll have different types of stuffing - like SLB may use a fat pad of stuffing with an inner seal you need to remove to add juice. Boge cartos have a defined center air channel (as do the Vapor4Life cartos) with the stuffing wrapped around the channel - personal preference, either works. Then there are subtly different resistances (ohms) even within what is considered standard for a particular ecig. A 2.8 resistance carto will vape hotter than a 3.2 resistance one. Some like the heat, some don't. Then there are reservoir cartos that are more exotic and require a specific type of syringe to fill and the clear models are a work-in-progress and can crack or even fall apart. I haven't used those yet - I don't want to carry a syringe with me. I generally buy standard resistance stuffing-type cartos that I know are soft-caps.

3. Prefilled - where are there dozens of sites?

Re prefilled cartos... I want to buy from the US, not China, so any Chinese sites would be crossed off my list. I also don't want Chinese Dekang-filled PG ones like the ones sold at many multibrand hardware vendors. So if you saw any that were only offered in flavors like "Tobacco", "Menthol", "USA-Mix" then I would even pay more for a blank because I don't want to vape those juices. If they are not filled with Dekang juice then I would only consider buying them if I know they have soft-caps. I do not want hard caps because then I might need to push juice into with a carto condom - I prefer to see how it is filled, see that the center channel is clear, be able to straighten the center channel if needed, etc. I know the Vapor4Life ones are soft-caps and I buy some of them filled.

The reason I don't buy all prefilled - I don't vape cartos dry because I like full vapor and I don't want to singe and ruin the carto. I add juice whenever it needs it. The existing flavor of a prefill limits what juices I can add to it that will make a nice blended flavor until for the couple of days until the new flavor really takes over. I mostly refill prefills using a vanilla or a dark chocolate tobacco. Other flavors I put in blanks.

 

[xg4bx]

I choose based on both price and reputation. Dealers like litecigusa, madvapes and vapor4life have both good prices and a good reputation. I've ordered from all 3 and haven't been disappointed.

I don't get into fancy carto types lol. Cool carts from vapor4life or the premium from litecigusa are pretty much standard cartomizers,nothing fancy, and I find they work perfectly.

I would love to go the all prefilled route but I vape a lot and its simply not cost effective for me. I like harsh tobacco flavors that I don't think would mix very well in a prefilled cart.

 

[cookiebun]

I got started at Vapor4life. I got a kit, some blank carts and some filled carts. Some of the filled carts were ok. Most were not.
I didn't like the blank carts I got from V4L either. They don't hold enough juice or produce enough vapor. I had both the Wow and the Cool Carts.
I recently got carts from Avid Vaper and LiteCigUSA. I like the carts I got from LiteCigusa the best. Prices for carts and batteries were less at both stores than V4L
I'm currently vaping juice from Velvet Vapors. Fantastic. I will never touch another prefilled cart again, might as well vape sawdust.
I also have juice from Juicy Vapor, Backwoods Brew and Vapors Etc. I'm currently waiting on orders from Blue Mist, Ms T's , Voidmist and Vaperite. There are several more juice stores I want to try.
Every place I've shopped gave me great customer service and the shipping was quick.

 

[intriqken]

A word about cartomizers for the 808
I didn't like nor want complicated either, I had tried some CR2's for my 510 and found the syringe filling a pain in the ... and messy,,,,just not worth the effort at all,
Then I tried some clearamizers for the 808 from GotVapes and found filling them easy...they last a VERY long time between filling, are really easy to clean with hot water and a paper towel with no long drying time afterwards,,,just remove the tube, rinse in hot water, then pat dry with a paper towel and dry burn for 5 seconds a couple of times, Refill and go, I'm having great success with numerous refills and cleanings when I want to change flavors and the flavor is better, more vapor (I use 2.6 - 2.8 ohm) great TH and best of all, NEVER a burned taste, I vape them empty then refill and no burned taste and no chemical tastes,

Cartomizers are different, For me, the clear ones where I can see how much juice I put in and how much is left, are just better in all ways. Most of all, no filler means no burned taste EVER

 

[swedishfish]

My mom started with the Smoke Tip. She liked their carts (which I found in the juice section is dekang). I refilled some of her Smoke Tip carts, purchased carts from V4L and filled them. I've also gotten carts for her at Ikenvape and LiteCig USA. All pretty much fit.

 

[Bwig]

Accept for the carts that blu. sells they are all pre-filled in China..........correct? If not I sure want some filled in the US.

 

[swedishfish]

Accept for the carts that blu. sells they are all pre-filled in China..........correct? If not I sure want some filled in the US.

Unless they state that it's US juice I would assume that. I personally think the prefilled carts are a little harsh.

 

[cookiebun]

A word about cartomizers for the 808
I didn't like nor want complicated either, I had tried some CR2's for my 510 and found the syringe filling a pain in the ... and messy,,,,just not worth the effort at all,
Then I tried some clearamizers for the 808 from GotVapes and found filling them easy...they last a VERY long time between filling, are really easy to clean with hot water and a paper towel with no long drying time afterwards,,,just remove the tube, rinse in hot water, then pat dry with a paper towel and dry burn for 5 seconds a couple of times, Refill and go, I'm having great success with numerous refills and cleanings when I want to change flavors and the flavor is better, more vapor (I use 2.6 - 2.8 ohm) great TH and best of all, NEVER a burned taste, I vape them empty then refill and no burned taste and no chemical tastes,

Cartomizers are different, For me, the clear ones where I can see how much juice I put in and how much is left, are just better in all ways. Most of all, no filler means no burned taste EVER

I'm going have to check those out too. Thanks.

 

[mle]

As far as where you order liquid from, it's mostly preference. I'm sure you've noticed that there are companies that are popular among ECF members, but that doesn't necessarily mean that those are the BEST. It depends a lot on your tastes; there is also the price factor, and your preferences when it comes to PG/VG, quantities, strengths, etc. Personally, I've really liked the liquid I've gotten from VapeSafe, but they don't get mentioned a lot.

As far as the differences in cartos, the difference is in the resistance. Some have a higher resistance (like the cool carts/litecig premiums/gold label) and I believe these hold more liquid.

The main advantage of buying blanks, as far as I can tell, is that you have more options when it comes to flavors. I haven't tried any DIY liquid experiments, but the blanks would also be useful if you wanted to make your own juice.