Brand new e-smoker perspective

[Zofryer]

I'm sure you don't get enough of these threads.


My Introduction:

I did a ton of reseach on this site and a bunch of the other popular sites before settling on a model j118 mini. Surprisingly, the somewhat over-praising american review I saw wasn't as influential in my purchasing decision as a short movie a french guy did with no sound on youtube. He went through what he *does*, including filling his carts, and whatnot and the exhale is what sold me. It didn't look nearly as impressive in the prior video set I'd seen. I ended up asking on a french message board if anyone used the j118, and got a bunch of replies saying it was ridiculously easy to fill carts, that the atomizer went into the cart material making the vapor generation above average, and that the battery life was amazing if you were a light toker using high nicotine liquid. Great for three for four puffs knocking you on your ... every half hour.

So I started looking for the best j118 deal. Even though I found almost the same kit for almost half the price that litecigusa sells, there were some caveats. No car charger for one. European electrical plugs. In the end, the extra work that litecigusa did to "americanize" the kit made it more than worth it. Plus, I talked to Shawn briefly on the phone and he was quick, smart, and highly professional. Shipping was cheap and amazingly fast. I did a bunch more researsh on liquids before ordering everything that midwest vapor has (sample sized) and grabbed "Power Puff" from litecig.


Liquids:

From my perspective as a recent ex-smoker, almost all the "tobacco" flavored offerings taste like burnt candy. There's this burnt sugar/molasses thing going on that I think is supposed to be a cigarette. That being said, the three standouts for me were the Power Puff, the Virginia Flue Cured from Midwest, and their Hilton, with a huge nod towards the Virginia Flue Cured. The "Marl Bro" wasn't bad, but just didn't taste like it's name. The Camel was a mile off. The default carts with the J118 tasted more like candy than a cigarette. Now, keep in mind this is from the perspective of a two pack a day smoker that is just trying this for the first time.

Maybe my tastebuds will adjust. But right now, I can honestly say that the Virginia Flue Cured from Midwest Vapor is an order of magnitude better than anything else I've tried from a straight cigarette replacement perspective. Plus, it really knocked me on my .... I'm assuming that's because I ordered 36mg liquid. My normal brand "American Spirit Full Flavor" was remarkably similar in taste. I actually enjoy e-smoking this particular brand of e-liquid more than smoking any cigarette I've ever smoked in my life. It's prompted me to go ahead and order the Johnson Creek "tennesee" version to see it it's possible it can actually be made better.



Day four observations:

The atomizer's airflow seems to get "cloggy" a lot. I fix this by pulling the mouthpiece/cart and doing a few sharp pulls. This always seems to work. Battery life has been remarkable. I've gotten so used to the 36mg nic ride from midwest vapor, I'm actually worried the 24mg stuff on the way from Johnson Creek will be lacking. If their flue cured offering isn't insanely better than the midwest vapor version, I'm just going to settle on the midwest vapor offering as my "brand".

A pack a day co-worker of mine took two puffs off my j118 with Virginia Flue Cured in it, and said "Order me one of these now". He's a menthol smoker, so we took the virginia flue cured cart and put a single drop of Mint from Midwest on top of it. I'm not a huge mint fan, but he said it was better than any menthol cigarette he's ever had. I gave him the sample bottle of mint. I placed another order with Shawn, and grabbed a bunch of extra carts and two spare atomizers. I haven't had a cigarette in four days. I walked away from them like they were a bad habit "haha".


Just for fun:

I found out messing around that if you mix the Vanilla and Coffee flavors from Midwest Vapor, you are suddenly smoking a mocca latte. It's uncanny. I think this will be my "for fun" flavor.

Going on five days now. I haven't even thought about a cigarette because this is better. I keep my usb charger from my vx2 kit in my Sony Vaio P, and put the dead battery in it. I'm on-call a lot, so it goes with me everywhere. I've always got my spare charging while I'm smoking. I've already thrown out my ashtrays. I'll probably be ording this j118 unit from wherever I can in whatever colors I can. Silver and Black are not enough, but I'll get a silver battery from Shawn at least. I've already ordered two silver atomizer spares.

Sold. If someone months ago handed me a j118 with Virginia Flue Cured 36mg in it, I'd have given them 300 dollars for the entire thing. Easily. This isn't just an easy decision, it's a massive upgrade over any tobacco product. If this was WORSE for my health, I'd probably still do it. Dead honest.

Hope this helps any other newbies. I'll post my opinions on Midwest Virginia Flue Cured versus Johson Creek Tennesee once I've had time to compare them objectively.

Hope this helps.


PS: I've done snus to death. Roda Lacket is a bizarre kind of love, but never passed my personal "12 pack" test. Day two, two virginia flue cured carts followed me through 12 yuengling amber lager and I didn't even consider a cigarette although I've got half a carton in the freezer still. I think I'm throwing them out.

 

[Antebellum]

Hi, Zofryer,

And welcome to the forum. "Near stuff" won't cut it for me, but thanks very much for your intro. Mine is also my first post here.

I'll have to try the vanilla plus coffee because I love the jamocha at Arby's. Thank you for providing such a great first post. I'm sure that others will appreciate it.

Again, welcome!

 

[RsL]

Yes, the J118 is a very nice unit which I think anyone new (or experienced) to vaping would enjoy.

Welcome to the forum !!

 

[moonlight]

I agree on that...I enjoy it so much more then I did smoking Even though my smoker friends tease me because you hold it and pull on it differently then you do a ciggie. Whatever....the tobacco flavors are so smoothe and good....they taste like what I always wished a cigarette would taste like!

 

[Stytches]

Hmm I must be missing something. I went to the LITECIG USA site and failed to find this j118 model.

 

[snap6cat]

Welcome! I totally agree! If cigs tasted this good I would never have quit them! Just remember to stock up on pieces, parts, these things are not that reliable yet, they tend to crap out at inconvient times, you cannot have too many spares.
David

 

[RsL]

Hmm I must be missing something. I went to the LITECIG USA site and failed to find this j118 model.

It's called the VX2 at litecigusa's site. Different suppliers attach their own names to certain models of e-cigs. Like the KR808D-1 for example...that model is also known as the Vapor King, Zeus, Nebula, PR110, etc etc.

It does get confusing at times, but the good suppliers like Shawn over at LITECIG USA will always tell you...'Yeah, my VX2 is a J118'. Always be wary of any suppliers who won't tell you the exact model number of what they are selling!

 

[KreeL]

I'm wary of any new unit that doesn't have more suppliers than you can count on one hand. You will need parts eventually.

 

[Brian1976]

Its called the VX2 and there is a great video review by a forum member to see how it proforms

 

[rustiangel]

I thought I'd chime in, since I am on Day 5 of my "e-smoking experience..."

I spent a few weeks obsessing over the idea of electronic cigarettes, I spent alot of time on this forum to gather info etc. I first heard of these because they seel the Njoy Npro at a few gas stations I've seen and that got me interested. But at 69$ + 20$ for 10 carts, the initial cost threw me off, especially without having a chance to try before i buy.

After much research I decided on the DSE901, I saw some videos and it looked like the model I could deal with , and the blue LED is pretty sweet.... I can't remember who pointed me toward the site i ended up buying from but I ordered from e-cigarette-mart dot com, and It cost me $32.99 shipped to my door, I got it under 10 days, keep in mind I had been off and on smoking while I waited, but couldn't seem to quit them entirely.

The first day i got it, it was an adjustment, but once you learn how to draw and enjoy, i Loved it by day 2, I had 1 analog in the mornings but thats it. I learned quickly I was gonna run out of the carts supplied and ordered some juice the 2nd day i had it, I went with Totally wicked because they seem like they know what they are doing, a bit expensive for juice but good quality. I will advise New users to maybe try a sampler size of different liquids, but totally wicked didn't offer them so i settled on the High Camel flavor, in retrospect i wish i had ordered smaller samples as the taste of this juice took some getting used to, but now... 5 days in I actually like it, but I CANNOT WAIT ON MY SAMPLER TO GET HERE FROM JOHNSON CREEK though, the idea of fruity flavors in my mouth, mmmm... today i ordered another 32$ kit and two extra atomizers, just in case... Good luck to you new users, research+preparation is the key, too bad there aren't any E smoking stores where we could all go and try this out before we dive into the unknown.

NOTE today is my first day without a analog, mostly because i got my juice yesterday, and have switched to it exclusively, WISH ME LUCK!

 

[RsL]

NOTE today is my first day without a analog, mostly because i got my juice yesterday, and have switched to it exclusively, WISH ME LUCK!

Good Luck! But don't kick yourself or feel guilty if you still have an analog once in a while. The process to break your addiction takes some time!

 

[rustiangel]

Good Luck! But don't kick yourself or feel guilty if you still have an analog once in a while. The process to break your addiction takes some time!

I've been doing great since I started, not a single analog! I got my juice, been out and about and traveling, and this whole experience has been great, only problem is I vape much more than i ever smoked

 

[wegster]

Great intro post, and welcome to the forum

 

[Zofryer]

Quick follow-up since I promised on the differences between the Ruyan (midwest) Virginia, and the JC Tennessee Flue flavors.

I don't want to bag on JC. Quite honestly, you really can't considering their massive following and dedicated customer base. They must be doing something right. However...

*I* preferred, and continue to prefer the Ruyan flavors over anything else at this point, and that goes for the "flue" varieties. At least *to me*, the JC Flue was amazing, the flavors just did not pop enough. I'd say it was a slightly better flavor, but not strong enough. This *might* be another scenario where I'll change my mind as my tastebuds change over the next month or so, so I am saving my JC stuff, but for now my love is still regular old Ruyan Hilton, with the occasional RY4 chaser.

 

[kathyst]

I'll chime in here also, so every new person doesn't start their own thread. I love reading your stories, zofryer, rustiangel.

Well, finally! I got my Joye 510 starter kit, and am now all charged up, literally and figuratively. So I finally got to take my first puff! I say finally, but it's been only one week since I first googled e-cig. But what a week! There is so much information it can feel overwhelming. It all starts to gel in one's mind after a little while, though, with familiarity to terms, etc. But then there is the choice of so many suppliers, and who has what in stock and at what cost, etc.

So here I am, vaping...and I LOVE IT!

I wish I could tell the story that so many others of you have: "Tobacco free since very first e-cig." But I still have some tobacco cigs (for which I paid so much), and anyway, the whole charging and filling thing takes a bit of organization, and I want to be fully supplied, including getting more parts so I have plenty of everything, and to get my routine down as far as filling and cleaning and charging...then I can be tobacco free.

After I had puffed some on the e-cig, and later had an analog, I can totally see why so many people say you really don't want to go back to analogs. The e-cig experience was totally pleasant from the start. I'm very glad it worked out this way, great vaping from the first puff, rather than not really loving it, having hassles and getting discouraged. This is the beginning of a whole new thing for me, for all of us, and it's so cool. More than cool -- it's life changing, health preserving. It's totally amazing to me, as to most of you who have quit analogs, that this could even be possible. But I definitely feel it's so possible! No doubt about it.

So, I have the black 510, and have tried the automatic battery (with blue LED), but haven't tried the manual (it's not finished charging yet). The manual battery doesn't have an LED. That seems odd. I do like the blue light.

It was not very comfortably easy to fill my cartridges with juice. I don't love the style of bottle I got, glass with a stubby short dropper thing (from Vapor Station). I want to get one of those bottles with a needle-thin dropper, something like that. Or just the little small plastic squeeze bottles with small dropper. But I did it, no muss no fuss. (With good light and this cool hang-around-the-neck large magnifying glass I use for my jewelry-making.) I also primed the atomizer with a couple drops. (I had watched Spikey's video, so I feel like I got a good intro into what to do.)

With this 510, the feeling of taking a drag is very nice, and I get a nice amount of vapor. Of course, this is my first experience, and my tastes may refine, but this is totally nice! I don't think I can comment articulately on "throat hit" -- not sure I exactly can discern that, or I don't know what exactly I'm discerning. But the whole vaping thing was satisfying.

Except that the menthol flavor I got is too sweet, like a Salem or some such. I like something more subtle. I also got some flavorless, which I tried in another cartridge. It's bland of course. And, there is some little e-cig taste I can now identify, I think. with the flavorless in there. I'm paying attention to whether there is an aftertaste to these liquids. Maybe just a little, but not bad. I'll try mixing some flavorless with menthol, and that will probably suit me. I will of course get more -- coffee and chocolate are my kind of flavors.

I have done my homework, and now I have real-life experience, but I still have questions.

The instructions for the Joye 510 say the battery only needs one hour charging (after initial charging). Is it going to hurt if I keep it in overnight? Overnight would be most convenient. There is different information around about li-ion batteries. I'll go looking around the forum again in any event, as I also recall some talk about how the PCC works with regard to partly run-down or fully-charged batteries, whatever.

I had a question as to whether you should take all the parts apart for storing overnight. Yes, it seems you should, to let the atomizer dry out. The instructions say to store "vertically." But vertically how? Open end with atomizer visible down, and screw end up, or vice-versa? All so technical and detailed! Good thing many of us like that kind of tech and detail.

So besides continuing to get into enjoying vaping, now I'm on a mission to order more stuff. I've read it recommended that one get two different styles -- in case you can't get parts in time for one of them, but you can for the other. But I also need more parts for the 510. And I also want a PCC, for sure. The USB pass-through, not so much. And more juices. And I don't have tons of disposable income. Just enough, though, so that's good. One who has to count pennies could not really do the e-cig thing, which is unfortunate.

And, as others have mentioned also, it's frustrating to figure out what you want from whom, and so many are out of stock!

-----

Now it's the next morning, and I'm pleased to report that when I put my e-cig together and drew on it, the battery is charged and the vapor is good! Yeah. I did vape throughout the evening last night, but not constantly or anything; and I'm glad the battery didn't die out overnight not being used or charged.

I am just so glad to be embarking on this wonderful new vaping thing. I hope we don't get stopped in our tracks by the FDA. And again, I have to say I could not have done this without all of you here, reading and chatting. It's just cool to hear of others' experiences first, to help us get into it.

So, I just made some more orders -- extras for the 510, and a PCC. It's distressing to see all the "Out of Stock" messages. This apparently due to customs hang-ups leaving China?

Now I want to decide which other model I might like to have as a spare. 306, 401, 901, pens, janty sticks, oh my. Come to think of it, maybe a janty stick or that kind, which is not like an analog and has such good battery life, would be a good one to have at home to be relied on.

Anyway...more later I'm sure.

kathy

 

[Zofryer]

It was not very comfortably easy to fill my cartridges with juice. I don't love the style of bottle I got, glass with a stubby short dropper thing (from Vapor Station). I want to get one of those bottles with a needle-thin dropper, something like that. Or just the little small plastic squeeze bottles with small dropper. But I did it, no muss no fuss.

Honestly, I have to be the laziest person in the world for this. This is what I do:

1) pull cart material out of the cart completely.
2) Fill up the cart to almost the top with liquid.
3) Slowly push cart material back into cart full of liquid
4) Add a little more to the top of the cart

Then I have this bizarre little light scratching system I use on the side of the mouthpiece to know what flavor is which. I carry skinny 6ml dropper bottles I got from midwest vapor, and I top off my carts all day. I can't think of a lazier way to do this. Topping off a cart is easier than dripping an atomizer, at least to me. I don't have to do it nearly as often. I just push the head of the dropper into the top of the cart, and keep adding until it's full again. Lately I've just been carrying hilton and ry4, so I just use a different device for each flavor.

Hope This Helps

 

[kathyst]

Honestly, I have to be the laziest person in the world for this. This is what I do:

1) pull cart material out of the cart completely.
2) Fill up the cart to almost the top with liquid.
3) Slowly push cart material back into cart full of liquid
4) Add a little more to the top of the cart

Then I have this bizarre little light scratching system I use on the side of the mouthpiece to know what flavor is which. I carry skinny 6ml dropper bottles I got from midwest vapor, and I top off my carts all day. I can't think of a lazier way to do this. Topping off a cart is easier than dripping an atomizer, at least to me. I don't have to do it nearly as often. I just push the head of the dropper into the top of the cart, and keep adding until it's full again. Lately I've just been carrying hilton and ry4, so I just use a different device for each flavor.

Hope This Helps

Z: Yes, it does help. Lazy is good!

First, though, what I meant by dripping an atomizer was only for the first time with a new atomizer. I got that hint on the Spikey vid, that there sometimes is a primer taste you'll get with a new atomizer, and this was a thing to do. So I would definitely not do it every time, just the first time.

I do like your idea of almost filling an empty cartridge, sans fluff, with the liquid, and then pushing the fluff in. Except that seems like it might be messy? That liquid will flow and drip over the top edges? Well, I'll try it.

I must get skinny tiny dropper bottles, would be easier. Also for carrying with me.

And yes, I will come up with a system for labeling cartridges with different flavors.

Excellent -- and thanks!

kathy

 

[Zofryer]

Z: Yes, it does help. Lazy is good!

First, though, what I meant by dripping an atomizer was only for the first time with a new atomizer. I got that hint on the Spikey vid, that there sometimes is a primer taste you'll get with a new atomizer, and this was a thing to do. So I would definitely not do it every time, just the first time.

I do like your idea of almost filling an empty cartridge, sans fluff, with the liquid, and then pushing the fluff in. Except that seems like it might be messy? That liquid will flow and drip over the top edges? Well, I'll try it.

I must get skinny tiny dropper bottles, would be easier. Also for carrying with me.

And yes, I will come up with a system for labeling cartridges with different flavors.

Excellent -- and thanks!

kathy

From experience, if you get within say, 90 percent of the top of the cart, the poly fill won't make it overflow. Same thing goes with the "carpet roll" teabag filler method lots of people have been using over the poly. I use both filling materials, and don't really prefer one over the other yet. The teabag works just as well.

 

[ecigarettes4less]

I still have no clue what all this jargon means?

 

[kathyst]

From experience, if you get within say, 90 percent of the top of the cart, the poly fill won't make it overflow. Same thing goes with the "carpet roll" teabag filler method lots of people have been using over the poly. I use both filling materials, and don't really prefer one over the other yet. The teabag works just as well.

Hey Z: I'm glad you mentioned the teabag! I have really been curious about this, but I can't find where it is described exactly. Could you do so please? The "carpet roll teabag filler method" -- sounds interesting.

You mean just the paper from a teabag, roll it up tight or something, and use that instead of the poly fiberfill? I'd rather suck through teabag paper than polyester, just because.

kathy