Advice to beginners from a beginner

[Malawi]

Hi

I have just gotten into vaping, and thought I should share a little insight.

If you are here to find out what kind of cigarette you want to buy, do not buy the "Cigarette sized/cigarette lookalikes".
They work sorta OK, but they seem to be hard to refill, and each refill does not last that long.

I have gotten a 510 style with cartomizers.

510 is a tread-standard, and means that I can mix-and match equipment.

That I use cartomizers, means the cartridges(where the active ingredient is), also contains an atomizer(the thingy that makes the smoke). Since the atomizer is the part that is most likely to get busted, you can just throw away cartridges that are broken. (they cost about 1.5-2$ apice)


With 510, you need 4 separate items.

1. Battery - this can be automatic(on when you draw air) or manual(button)
You do not need the best batteries at first, unless you are pretty sure you want to keep vaping for some time.

2. Charger - Typically a simple USB-charger where you screw in the battery. It will most likely have a red light when charging, switching to green when the battery is fully charged.

3. Cartomizers - you need a few of these, use different ones for different tastes when you try them out.
-You should probably buy a few extras if you buy a set, just in case one burns out or for when you need to clean them

4. Ejuice/Eliquid - This is whet you actually smoke. Get a few samples that you think you might like.
I cannot really advice on the strength, but I smoke(d) sigarettes that are rates as 0.8, and bought some 18mg liquid that was too strong. I have now ordered some 8mg, and if that is to mellow, I can up them with the 18mg liquid I have.

Expect to pay about $35 for a decent 510 kit with two batteries, charger, a few extra carts at about $10 and a few sample bottles at around $20.

In other words - you should be able to start vaping and have supplies for a couple of weeks from about $50-60.
You will then need about 10ml or $15/week.

Expect to do some errors when it comes to e-liquids(hence the small bottles for starting off)
You will probably want some extra stuff, especially in the beginning, wich can run up the tab. But on the other hand you may make your own liquid that will reduce costs.

If you are on a budget, you are probably gonna recoup your money by the first month if you smoke a pack a day and switch over to e-cigs.
Myself I am so "lucky" that I live in a country with such high tobacco-prices that my vaping budget are pretty slack.

 

[dlsw]

I agree with all of the above. It is hard to know what your vaping style will be like until you have done it for awhile. When you order juice, order a variety of levels and flavors. I have been doing this for 2.5 weeks and 24 mg is starting to get too strong. Thank goodness I have some 18 and 12. I do not like the strong tobacco flavors in the prefilled cartos, I haven't heard of many vapers who do. Order lots of blanks. If you fill one with a flavor you don't like, you can toss it.

 

[mooreted]

I still use my little ones sometimes. They don't have much for battery life though.

 

[Malawi]

I have a set of the small ones, and will probably use the cartridges until they run out(or just use a needle to suck out the juice.)

When the cartridges run out, I was thinking of using them to try out new tastes.
AFAIK - you can just put a drop or two at the atomizer, put the cap back on (without the juice cup) and try out the new taste. Might be handy as I am wanting to drift into DIY-juice.

 

[hairball]

In other words - you should be able to start vaping and have supplies for a couple of weeks from about $50-60.
You will then need about 10ml or $15/week.

This is the only part of your post that I question...if you're paying $15 for 10mls, you are paying waaaayyyy too much. Also, I can vape 10mls in about 1 1/2 days. My juice consumption is relatively cheap compared to the 4 PAD habit I once had. I don't mind paying top dollar for a good juice as long as it's just that...a good juice.

For a new person, vendors that sell samplers is the way to start out. Yes it costs a little more BUT you aren't stuck with big bottles that you don't like. Don't do like I did and just buy 30ml bottles. Play it smart and check out different vendors if you can.

Secondly, while the slim ecig got me off smoking, battery life stinks. You can get a KGO with better battery life, a bigger hit, and can take just about whatever you put on it and have it last almost all day long for about $15 more. I know this isn't what most of us choose but that's what's great about ECF...trial and error by us "old farts" that have been vaping for a year or more. Times have really changed quickly since I started 1 1/2 years ago.

Thirdly, and take some good advice, DON'T jump at all the hyped up garbage that is hitting the market. Wait a couple of weeks and read reviews. Those reviews can save you a bunch of money.

 

[Bdbodger]

I don't think there is a big difference between a 510 and an ego as far as vaper goes the difference is in how long the battey lasts . I go out some of the time with 4 XL 510 batteries in a couple of PCC's and that can last for hours and hours . I use 2 ohm catos .

 

[hairball]

I don't think there is a big difference between a 510 and an ego as far as vaper goes the difference is in how long the battey lasts . I go out some of the time with 4 XL 510 batteries in a couple of PCC's and that can last for hours and hours . I use 2 ohm catos .

There is considerable difference between the eGo and the KGO. The ego under load is 3.4V...the KGO is 4.2V. That voltage difference makes a big difference when vaping. The KGO give overall better performance than anything else in it's proprietary class.

 

[bruiser]

Another difference between the standard 510 and the eGo/KGO/clones is you can use low resistance atomizers or cartomizers on them. That makes a big difference in the vape.

 

[acorn54]

i have been off cigs for 6 months and don't plan on using them again as i much prefer the e cig
i really don't fuss over stuff. i keep it simple-buy high quality products and cheap juice.
i find you get what you pay for and a big quality control variance between products.
vapor for life has the xl 808's which are very reliable and best 808 batteries i have had. they also keep a charge a reasonably long time
for juice i just get the 555 from lite cig, a 30 ml bottle is 10 bucks and i buy 10 bottles at a time so i get free shipping on orders over 75 bucks

 

[Malawi]

I might have been thinking 15ml and keeping the price at the high end. Better that than to give false promises.

10 ml is supposed to equal 10 packs, so it's a bit on the low end for a pack a day. Calculating with 15ml/week (one PAD smoker) gives a little overhead.

I see your point with the Riva KGO. I bought a $35 kit with two batteries and 6 carts. But now I am looking for a passtrough and possibly some better batteries(Been looking at a Echo Variable Voltage Kit). I manage with the two batteries I'we got now, but it's a bit tight.

I guess that if one up's the entry cost to around $100, you should get good batteries and plenty of juice to taste. With a juice reorder in the $50 range, the 1 PAD smoker should be well supplied for the first month(and then some).

Since switching to vaping will not go unnoticed, the leftover juice-samples can be given away to a friend/college/family member that wants to try it. (Guess the left-over samples are best stored in the freezer.)

If the cost of smoking is $210/month ($7/pack), it should give a surplus of around $50 the first month, and at least $100-150 the following months. (you will always need some replacements etc.)

BTW: I spent over $400 a month on smoking(yup $14 a pack). Now I have spent over $200 on ecigs and equipment (Not all of it has been wisely spent, and some are still in backorder in china, but still.) I expect to use about $150 more, but then I will have tons of cartomizers, 6 decent or good batteries and a passtrough. I also will have Several "crappy" batteries and can make my own juice just as I want it.

Next month I can just lay back to enjoy the savings and many a new taste.