Choosing The Perfect First E-cig

[thirdfloornorth]

Firstly, here's a link to my introduction thread: (oops can't link yet, you can find it if you look)

To give a quick summary:
Pack a day smoker for years, smoking for 6 years all total, had no intention of quitting
Came down with H1N1/Swine Flu, couldn't smoke for days, decided to go ahead and quit
Three months without cigarettes without much difficulty, but am nostalgic for smoking, and happened across E-cigs

EDIT: SUPER SHORT VERSION
Essentially looking for a good quality super-mini, but outside of that torn between a Joye510 variation or a DES901. Specifically looking at battery life, amount of vapor, throat hit, and good looking branded models with attractive PCCs that are automatic but not too easy to flood and won't drip into my mouth unless I do something wrong, that I can refill on my own, and will last a good while.

Short and sweet of what I am looking for:
As close to the Blu Starter Kit as possible without sucking, as the Blu apparently does. I particularly like the smooth looking PCC.

Something that looks like a brand of cigarette at first glance, including the PCC. Nothing clunky.

I'm going to be walking around a college campus, vaping between classes, I want it to look natural and close to smoking, put a good face on for vaping in a state where I am sure there is almost no representation (Mississippi)

So something close to the Blu / Volcano or Magma / Firelight starter kits, without SUCKING.

A good combination of aesthetics in a cigarette-sized and shaped E-cig with good battery life and an automatic, good vapor production, and good throat hit, attractive (branded even) cigarette and PCC, that I can refill myself.

I have heard horror stories about the Blu, but has anyone used the Volcano/Magma or the Firelight? How about the Modern Vapor?

Long form of what I am looking for:

-Looking to spend less than $80 initially.

-Good throat hit and high vapor production are an absolute must. As I said, similarity to smoking is a MUST, I know you guys understand

-Don't want to have to draw too hard, or really really soft. A good normal draw.

-Close in length to a Marlboro regular short, not the 100s, not the tiny 72s, a regular cigarette(I realize this costs battery life, so I would like to try to find the best quality battery at that size possible for the price)

-I like the black sleek look, and am torn between a blue and red LED. I will probably get one of both in a starter kit. I want the LED to be as bright or brighter than a a cigarette cherry. No weak glow.

-Cigarette shape. No tapered mouth pieces.

-The main reason I liked the Blu was the sleek, attractive look of the device and the packaging. I particularly liked the Blu PCC. A PCC as close to an actual branded cigarette pack is pretty much a must.

-I want an automatic battery. I know, most long-time users end up switching to manual, but I want this to be as close as possible to the tactile sensation of smoking, so it'd be nice to find a good-quality battery as described above that wouldn't pose too much of a flooding problem?

-I want one that I can refill on my own with E-liquid, I'm pretty new to this, so I'm not sure if that is all of them?

-Longevity in the item. I don't often shell out money like this on myself, so it has to last. This is an experiment, so a good return policy, warranty and customer service would be amazing.

Am I asking the impossible ladies and gentlemen? God I hope not.

NOTE: Many have suggested the 510, and it looks pretty damn close to what I am looking for except for two things: One, I worry that it is too long, and two, instead of being aesthetically pleasing, the kit in general looks like a mix between a pen set and an insulin pump. The PCC is particularly ruggedized-tool-y. Are there any branded 501 kits?

Be patient with me? And thank all of you wonderful people in advance <3

 

[Zurd]

You're almost looking for the impossible! No ecigs is perfect, they all have their good and their bad.

Try the automatic if you really have to, but you'll probably switch to a manual later

For longevity, return, warranty and all, order from a good reputable USA company, many are listed here in ECF with comments from everyone.

They can be all refilled, except for a very few disposable ones where they clearly say it is disposable.

I'd say for the best throat hit and vapor production, go with a 510, I only vape my KR808D-1 but I know that 510 is better for that, I don't particularly like vapor anyway.

I know that you don't want to spend too much money, but be prepare to make many mistakes in your order, the learning curve is quite steep. Best to have people you know that owns one to try it. Good luck!

 

[thirdfloornorth]

You're almost looking for the impossible! No ecigs is perfect, they all have their good and their bad.

Try the automatic if you really have to, but you'll probably switch to a manual later

For longevity, return, warranty and all, order from a good reputable USA company, many are listed here in ECF with comments from everyone.

They can be all refilled, except for a very few disposable ones where they clearly say it is disposable.

I'd say for the best throat hit and vapor production, go with a 510, I only vape my KR808D-1 but I know that 510 is better for that, I don't particularly like vapor anyway.

I know that you don't want to spend too much money, but be prepare to make many mistakes in your order, the learning curve is quite steep. Best to have people you know that owns one to try it. Good luck!

Do you know any good branded 510s? I'm looking for something matte black, bright LED, good branding and a starter kit with a nice looking PCC.

Also, what model is the Blu, and why is it so bad?

 

[Zurd]

Sorry I'm from Montreal, most US supplier do not ship to canada so I know nothing about a good branded 510 that you can order. Dunno what model is the Blu but I tought the Blu was a good choice, people seems to like it : http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/electronic-cigarette-reviews/85909-blu-volcano-review.html

 

[Mr.Self_Destruct]

FYI the 510 and 901 are mini's not super mini's. The Blu is a super mini. If you don't like the Joye 510, but want a 510, than 2 options I can think of are the volcano magma and the revolver gemini. Good luck in your search, over time you will realize that performance is #1 and you will get over most of these other "wants" you have.

 

[LowThudd]

Do you know any good branded 510s? I'm looking for something matte black, bright LED, good branding and a starter kit with a nice looking PCC.

Also, what model is the Blu, and why is it so bad?

I got my joye 510 kit from cignot.com. Great company, excelent customer service. Good juice selection also. I am very satisfied w/ my auto 510 (black w/ bright purple LED). One thing, if you intend to use it in the car, you might want to get one manual batt for that purpose as the heavy sound of traffic has set mine off on several occasions(gets hot, batt life is reduced greatly). They give you the option of one of each, so no problem there. As for the size, it is slightly larger than a reg cig, but you get used to it quickly.

 

[Zurd]

FYI the 510 and 901 are mini's not super mini's. The Blu is a super mini. If you don't like the Joye 510, but want a 510, than 2 options I can think of are the volcano magma and the revolver gemini. Good luck in your search, over time you will realize that performance is #1 and you will get over most of these other "wants" you have.

Very true, I'm now using a Mega KR808D-1 battery (110mm long) instead of my regular (80mm) and I can't help but thinking about a wetbox

 

[Burto1945]

The Blu/Volcano get bad reviews just for the fact that the battery life is so short. You can go through a Blu battery in 30 minutes. Blu has also had some major customer service problems, although it sounds like they are doing better recently. There's nothing wrong with the mechanical aspects themselves, but the cartridge is small, the batting doesn't wick the juice very well, and they are overpriced for what they do.

If you NEED to have a branded 510, I would pick the Volcano Magma. It is a bigger version of the Volcano, and it has a nice PCC that looks like a pack of smokes. It is essentially a clone of the 510, (I don't know the differences, but I think the cartridges don't fit on a regular 510, or vice versa). I started on a Volcano, then moved to a Magma, and then got my Egos and never looked back. If you feel the need, like I did originally, of the device/pack looking like cigarettes, I would go with Volcano.

However, if branding is not important, you can get 510 starter kits for WAY cheaper than Volcano. Volcano is around $70-80 for a starter kit, and a regular 510 kit can be had for $35-40. The regular 510s can come with a charging case, but usually it is not branded, just blank. Just something to think about, pretty much all 510s are the same. I quickly realized that I didn't care that my PV looked like a cigarette, and once you are past that, the Ego is the first kit for you or for anyone. Good luck with everything, and happy vaping!

 

[jimho]

...However, if branding is not important, you can get 510 starter kits for WAY cheaper than Volcano. Volcano is around $70-80 for a starter kit, and a regular 510 kit can be had for $35-40. The regular 510s can come with a charging case, but usually it is not branded, just blank. Just something to think about, pretty much all 510s are the same. I quickly realized that I didn't care that my PV looked like a cigarette, and once you are past that, the Ego is the first kit for you or for anyone. Good luck with everything, and happy vaping!

I agree- and I know exactly where you are comming from.... I started with standard 510's in Jan. and was on and off for months. They just didn't have the power I needed to satisfy cravings without sucking them all day long or lighting up an analogue ....fast forward a few months- just about everyone here who has moved away from vaporizers that attempt to look like just like cigs will tell you that you'll get over it in no time. In some cases it's a plus when you want to vape in public because it's easy to show someone you're not smoking a cigarette ..... I have other mods and have been trying various voltage/atomizer/cartomizer combinations but the eGo keeps ending up in my hands with an LR atomizer- in fact I find just holding it solves a big part of the hand/mouth thing - no analgues for 6 weeks!.

If you want to get in for less than $80 then this is the way to go... get a standard eGo kit with two batterys and a charger, one or two LR atomizers, a few different combinations of juice, a few cartriges and either a drip tip or a carto pack (or both) and you're good to go - you'll be able to simulate HV and regular vaping and play around with different styles of vaping to see which you like best...
1+ on the good luck.

 

[Israfil]

I would suggest a 510 manual battery kit. They come in black often enough and (so people don't bother you about your "cigarette" indoors) you can get LEDs of pretty much any color you want.

The reason I say manual batt is because none of the autobatts are without glaring problems. In probably...5 minutes you get used to pushing the button as you raise it to your lips, making it preheated and ready for you. (looks cooler than holding it for a second and produces a bit more vaper over the whole draw than pressing it as you suck)

If you do get an autobatt, be aware that sound activated will activate randomly in noisy/high vibration situations, and that suction switches will likely get gunked up eventually. There really is, IMO, no truly good autobatt.

As for pccs...honestly I couldn't tell ya one with branding to look like a cigarette pack because I've never looked. In vaping I always wanted to distance myself from analogs while still maintaining some of the feeling. To this day I like the look of 510 batts w/blue LEDs, though I have long since switched to box mods for longevity in battery life.

 

[gemini2281]

The Sidesho Electronic Cigarette, eCig

 

[metapuff]

basically you need a 510 with a low resistance atty with a pcc kit for that extra battery.

it will look like a small pack of cigs. the lr atty will give you the easy/normal hit with vapor and flavor. really important to have the spare battery as the lr atty will cause it to power down faster.

next find some juices you really like and you are gold.

 

[Automaton]

You know, some of the super-mini's perform alright. But you are just not going to get great, consistent performance out of a super-mini. Not at this point in time, anyway. And it sounds like you want consistent high performance.

Of the two super-mini's I've tried (Blu and EVO), I'd go with the EVO, if you absolutely MUST have a super-mini. The EVO is a branded M401 which comes with a pretty PCC. It's more expensive than buying the unbranded M401, but, that doesn't seem to be an issue to you.

The EVO is alright. I liked it. It was nice. But was it high-performing enough that I could see myself totally quitting cigarettes with it? Ehhh... no. Some people do totally quit cigs with super-mini's, but most of us wind up moving on to something with more guts.

Fortunately, I tried the Blu and the EVO as loaners from friends, so by the time it came time to buy, I realized I needed something with more power.

I wound up settling on the Kr808D-1, which, along with the 510, are the two most highly recommended "newbie" models - and a lot of the gurus use them too.

They are both cig-shaped, but a little larger. My Kr8 is about half an inch longer than a 100.

But for that small amount of extra bulk, I get MUCH better performance. Awesome throat-hit, wonderful flavor. The Kr8 isn't known for putting out huge plumes of vapor, but with some part-VG juice, you can get a lot of vapor out of it.

I like the PCC. It looks like an old-school cigarette case. I think it's quite classy and a little "vintage" looking.

You can buy them branded from Vapor4Life, which will offer you a variety of flash colors and branded PCC's.

And of course, there is the 510 as well. The 510 is more maintenance, and weaker throat hit, but more vapor, and some people prefer the flavor (although there's no clear consensus on which of these two has better flavor). I'm not sure where you'd get it branded to be honest, but I'm sure you can get it somewhere. The PCC is very cute and slim, and comes in a variety of metallic colors.

Basically, these 2 models are the closest you're going to get to good performance with a sleek form factor.

 

[thirdfloornorth]

Yeah, it's down to the 510 I think, at least to start with.

Ok my question becomes, since I want an automatic battery, and kinda want to drip, so is there anything I can do to alleviate the flooding problem? I can't believe nobody has found a fix... like putting a wire mesh over the hole? Something?

How hard is it to refill cartridges? What are the pros and cons of refilling and dripping?

Do atomizers REALLY only last about a week? Can you not clean them? I just don't understand.

Why are 510s harder upkeep?

So many questions >.< lol

 

[Automaton]

If you don't drip too much, you shouldn't flood the battery. I'd stick with no more than 4 drops at a time. Most people say this lasts about the same, or maybe slightly longer, as a cigarette.

I couldn't tell you about refilling carts, since when it came time to do that with the super-mini's I tried, I took one look, and handed it back to my friend for re-filling. The carts in super mini's are TINY. I get the impression the one in the 510 is somewhat bigger though.

Although I will say, it seems that most people who use a 3-piece e-cig like the 510 seem to wind up abandoning filling carts at some point, and switching over to mostly dripping.

Atomizers can last WAY longer than a week. Once you learn how to care for them, they can go for months.

The 510 is more maintenance because it's a 3-piece. Battery, atomizer, cart. Carts don't really hold a ton of liquid, so they either have to be refilled every hour or two, or you drip instead.

A two-piece, like my Kr8, just has a battery and a combined atty/cart called a cartomizer. These are supposed to be virtually no maintenance, and they are, if you use the cartomizers as disposable. But that winds up getting somewhat expensive. Still not as expensive as cigarettes, but not as cheap as a 3-piece.

So, what I do, and what most people do, is refill the cartomizers. They hold a lot of liquid, so I can go 3-4 hours on one refill. But you do have to be a little more careful with them, because they aren't really built for re-using, and if you mistreat them they can singe on the inside.

Yeah, it's down to the 510 I think, at least to start with.

Ok my question becomes, since I want an automatic battery, and kinda want to drip, so is there anything I can do to alleviate the flooding problem? I can't believe nobody has found a fix... like putting a wire mesh over the hole? Something?

How hard is it to refill cartridges? What are the pros and cons of refilling and dripping?

Do atomizers REALLY only last about a week? Can you not clean them? I just don't understand.

Why are 510s harder upkeep?

So many questions >.< lol

 

[Broseybrose]

I smoked 1-2 packs a day of reds for 13 years. Decided to try vaping, just to see if it would allow me to quit tobacco and save some money. Did a lot of research (2 weeks ago i knew NOTHING), and ordered myself a 510 kit.

I vaped for the first time 10 days ago. Its better than i couldve imagined. Get a 510 kit or an eGo kit (510 with 4x battery life)... if these kits dont get you into vaping, nothing will.

Im down to ~5 cigs / day now. Once i stop buying packs, ill be through with tobacco for good.

 

[DC2]

Do atomizers REALLY only last about a week? Can you not clean them? I just don't understand.

Atomizers can last for months and months.
At least mine do.

And here is the best method for cleaning them...
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/tips-tricks/69834-my-atty-resurrection-method.html

And here is some information on when and why you should clean them...
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ion/97014-facts-about-cleaning-atomizers.html

You may get a lot of opinions on cleaning atomizers.
But I truly believe the above threads have all the right answers.

 

[LowThudd]

Yeah, it's down to the 510 I think, at least to start with.

Ok my question becomes, since I want an automatic battery, and kinda want to drip, so is there anything I can do to alleviate the flooding problem? I can't believe nobody has found a fix... like putting a wire mesh over the hole? Something?

How hard is it to refill cartridges? What are the pros and cons of refilling and dripping?

Do atomizers REALLY only last about a week? Can you not clean them? I just don't understand.

Why are 510s harder upkeep?

So many questions >.< lol

Topping off carts takes about as much effort as dripping, except you need to remove the cart. Reffilling completely is a bit more work, and you should do the highping mod while your at it(basically, cut the poly in half or less depending on the thickness of your juice). Reffill the empty cart 2/3s of the way, put in the cut poly and then top off. Tea bags work well too.

 

[thirdfloornorth]

Pretty sure I've decided on a 510, now to find one that looks nice/a kit I like/a company that looks trustworthy. And a PCC that looks nice.

And the problem of picking an e-liquid that is up to par but not overly expensive. Since I've been off nicotine for 3 months, but don't really want to smoke a 0mg liquid, i'm thinking a medium to low, something in the 10-16 range?

 

[LowThudd]

Pretty sure I've decided on a 510, now to find one that looks nice/a kit I like/a company that looks trustworthy. And a PCC that looks nice.

And the problem of picking an e-liquid that is up to par but not overly expensive. Since I've been off nicotine for 3 months, but don't really want to smoke a 0mg liquid, i'm thinking a medium to low, something in the 10-16 range?

Joye 510 with PCC There you go. I got the double kit w/ USB passthrough and I am very satisfied. I had a problem w/ the PT, but they sent one right out to me, no problem. They have a large selection of VG and PG juices at very reasonable prices. Good stuff.