Cig-a-likes Do we need them?

[Orobas]

I can understand both sides of the arguments, here.

I personally found that most micros ( my first kit was one of these, overpriced but not as bad as some, and the juice is actually okay IIRC 7's E Cigarette Starter Kits ) didn't have enough battery life for me, because I am prone to chain smoke (or even chain vape now) when driving or in front of the computer. Other than that the vape was okay.

I like the form factor and size and feel of my kgo/egos. they're portable enough, powerful enough, last long enough, aren't like carrying a brick, and they're reasonably discrete. most people assume i'm chewing on an ink pen if i'm trying to be semi discrete and holding my vapor until it's mere wisps.

 

[SerialPuffer]

I'm probably a bit late on is thread, but I think YES we need the cigalikes.

I for one could not have coped going straight to a non cigalike pv, and the same goes for two of my friends. I needs it to be as much like a e real cig as possible, otherwise I would not have switched, even the pathetic led on the end, and the fake .... coloured cartomiser.

 

[ShelleyF]

Our neighbor is trying to convert me and my husband to use a Mistic cigarette look-alike with red fake flames, lol He said it taste great and is cheap. I tried to convince him that those taste awful (I have tried the throw away kind before) and expensive but he won't listen. He said it costs about $190 for 3 months of vaping for him and his wife. That is outrageous to me for junky tasting and cheap-looking ecig. He said it is cheaper and easier but it is not. He said yes but you charge it and just stick a cartridge in it. I said yes but it tastes awful and no power hardly and the juices are better doing it my way more choices and better tasting and a lot cheaper. But who am I to say it is bad. He quit using analogs and now his wife has too. I am still fighting using analogs so maybe his device is good at tricking him into thinking he is smoking? My way isn't working too good at the moment but I think my way is actually better and I keep trying.

 

[SerialPuffer]

Precisely, initially it tricks you I think that you are smoking a real cig, and in the mean time the nic flows in , you realise that that it's not the cig that you crave, so can get over it and move on to something better. the cigaalikes are a stepping stone, that's all, but I don't think I could have done it without them, it's too big of a jump. Funnily enough, I was even bothered that the led was green and not red on the "burning end", just didn't seem right, but got over it after sucking the hell out of the thing, now don't care, but still want LOTS of vapour!!

 

[frosting]

I say meeeh myself lol....


I get that some people really want something that looks like a cigarette and it will help them get into the whole vaping phenomenon. They are a bridge product in my opinion with a minority after 6 months of vaping who still use them, but a valuable bridge product nonetheless.

As for myself.... I'm a natural researcher. I really delved as much as I could into vaping when I figured out... "Oh my god! There's really e-cigg starter kits that don't cost at least 200$!!" I smoked over a pack a day on average and needed more battery life. Starting out with an eGo worked for me, worked better actually then I ever thought it would. I don't care what other people think or if they give me a look or ask me questions. Last night I separated myself smokers when I went outside(small venue, didn't feel like making a scene. had a few puffs inside but not around tons of people). I didn't really feel like answering questions but surprised only a couple people asked anything.

I feel that the truth is if someone has a genuine interest about going electronic they will get off their .... and research what's best for them. There are forums that exist for everything out there these days. So ya cig look a likes are okay but if someone truly needs to quit and is a heavy smoker they'll probably skip them. If more knowledge was mainstream on the facts I think even more people would simply skip the e-cigg look a likes all together.

 

[MickeyRat]

I get that some people really want something that looks like a cigarette and it will help them get into the whole vaping phenomenon. They are a bridge product in my opinion with a minority after 6 months of vaping who still use them, but a valuable bridge product nonetheless.

There are those on here that still do use cig-a-likes but, I'm pretty sure you're mistaken about one thing. I'd be willing to bet that the majority of vapers out there have never looked at a vaping forum. Most of them are probably buying junk from a local shop or the mostly ripoff vendors that come up when you google it.

Most car owners have never looked at a car forum too.

 

[DawnBella]

I like my minis and always aimed for an e-cig that looks and feels natural. I guess it's all in my mind but I cannot use something that feels like a sharpy or even larger. I need to look down a white, fluted battery and see an amber color and not red or blue, etc. I was a total ePuffer Colibri (7.8mm) fan-girl but they are too weak anymore. I don't know what they did but zero power. I bought a 510T and hated it. Too big. Too heavy. Too much trouble. I actually went back to the SafeCig Micro even know I dislike the company but, I found that the Joye 306 carts fit perfectly and I can get them in blanks at a very low cost. As for mini batteries, the SafeCig Micro (8.4 not 7.8 but mni enough LOL) is so weak at 90mAh but their Arc Max is really nice and rates at 280 mAh! It's basically like a 100 cig. So, yep, +1 for the ecig-alikes

 

[DancingHeretik]

A lot of the complaints about the cig-sized are because of bad experiences with bad ones, especially the rip-offs.

But, there are good ones, like the Volt. As long as you're using one of the good ones, the difference in feel can make all the difference. I started with Egos. But, my favorite right now is the Volt.

 

[SteveDTF]

If it weren't for those cig-a-likes in the gas station I would have never started vaping and would have never mounted my insane collection of PV's!

 

[rygar]

This is one of my issues... Do I go for an 808, so it looks like a normal cig, or do I go for an ego, so it deliberately looks different?

 

[SteveDTF]

This is one of my issues... Do I go for an 808, so it looks like a normal cig, or do I go for an ego, so it deliberately looks different?

I would go for the eGo, not just because it looks different (although plenty of good conversations come from it), but for longer battery life and overall performance.

 

[frosting]

There are those on here that still do use cig-a-likes but, I'm pretty sure you're mistaken about one thing. I'd be willing to bet that the majority of vapers out there have never looked at a vaping forum. Most of them are probably buying junk from a local shop or the mostly ripoff vendors that come up when you google it.

Most car owners have never looked at a car forum too.

I'd also say the majority who never bother to do any research end up frustrated and giving up on what they can get at gas stations and the like altogether(i've heard this from people who say "e-ciggs suck maaaan"). Many I would bet probably break it down like this " Well this thing costs a pack of cigarettes and gives half the punch so I'm gonna smoke instead" Having no clue there are more cost friendly choices, because they really aren't that serious in the first place to put in the work, to do the research, to find out their true options. Most people gotta hit rock bottom. I admit, I hit rock bottom health wise before I finally got serious, got off my .... and put in the necessary research. I'm sure there are of course.... just not very bright people as well who willingly over and over buy garbage. I try not to pay too much mind to folks like that.... they simply tend to hurt my brain more often than not. I like to pretend the dumb do not exist. Life is more pleasant that way.

I didn't say there are not people who do not use cig-look-a-likes. Around here however, I would bet they are a minority particularly seasoned vapers who smoked once upon a time on the heavier side.

 

[dragonbone]

This is one of my issues... Do I go for an 808, so it looks like a normal cig, or do I go for an ego, so it deliberately looks different?

Rygar,
In my opinion, if you can afford it, and you like the slim type mini, try both. I am the (self proclaimed) eGo queen . I have every type and size and color.... Well not every single one, but at least 30, yet I also love my 808's.... They have good performance with 808 cartos but also work awesomely well with 510 Boges (with an adaptor). Sometimes the slimmer type is just that little bit less conspicuous. Also, some people who have never tried 808 minis, will be quite amazed at how well they work. On a par with eGo's, just the battery is smaller. But hey, it all depends on your own personal lifestyle and needs.

 

[Screwbag]

I very frequently use my 510 " cig a like" with a clearomizer. A very simple shirt pocket solution. I put a clip from a ball point pen on to it so it just looks like a pen in my pocket. And I also keep one kr808 ecig as an emergency back up when I travel, or for stealth vaping on the plane.

 

[mikegetz]

i started out on disposables (21st century and blu) then moved up to a "kit" - a smoke 51 trio single batt with atty / carts ...

i actually started to smoke less, once i modded one of the carts into a ghetto drip tip by cutting the guts out. my biggest issue at that point was dripping & driving. the one time i ALWAYS lit up a smoke was every single time i got in the car. seatbelt, check - ignition, check - tunes, check - smoke, check. even if i was going to the gas station and back home.

had i known at the time that any 510 carto would fit my smoke51 battery - i might still be on the skinnies. but the ability to last all day one a charge (with my 1100mah Kgos) and a single tank/clearo/whatever ...

my major conundrum right now is putting together a kit for my mom. part of me wants to start her off "right" with some ego style batts and ce2's (she is a nurse, syringe fill is not an issue) ... but another part of me is thinking a 808 / 510 setup with cartos would "fit" better ...
me and the wife both prefer clearos - we can see how much juice is left, and when it is time to switch off / fill ... i can't see mom sensing that first funky carto hit that tells you "stop - or i will burn up" ...

 

[wv2win]

This is one of my issues... Do I go for an 808, so it looks like a normal cig, or do I go for an ego, so it deliberately looks different?

There are a number of advantages to models that don't look like the real thing: generally better performance, less hassle, less frustration and the less we look like we are smoking the more positive the perception of vaping by the uninformed.

 

[TTK]

This is one of my issues... Do I go for an 808, so it looks like a normal cig, or do I go for an ego, so it deliberately looks different?

Do what works for you at the initial stages of kicking analogs. Don't worry about the image of vaping. You can deal with that later.

 

[SuperLuckyLady]

This is one of my issues... Do I go for an 808, so it looks like a normal cig, or do I go for an ego, so it deliberately looks different?

I would go for both.....you will soon need extra batteries anyway......that's the only way to really find out which you like best. Like others say, you'll probably end up using both. And adapters will let most accessories fit on either.

 

[MikeB]

Personally, when they invent super-batteries (powered by dilithium crystals or whatever), and they have a cig-a-like that can deliver up to 6volts for at least 700mah, I'm gonna be all over it! ... you know the day is coming. Remember when a cell phone had a cord and a shoulder strap? Or when a cordless drill weighed a ton and only ran about 20 mins?

Still, that wasn't really the point of your post. About that...

Yea, I think they have their place. Some people seem happy with those little things. To me, they seemed kinda dinky from the start. Using them was like standing at a water fountain that only put out a trickle while I was dieing of thirst. I would've killed for a glass of water. It wasn't until I got a mod with VV and a big batt that I was happy and able to kick the smokes. ... That said, I did have a friend try my PV last week and he hacked and coughed exclaiming, "that thing is strong!" After adjusting it down to 3.7v he seemed a lot more interested in it. So, yea... I think they'll always be around.

 

[MickeyRat]

Personally, when they invent super-batteries (powered by dilithium crystals or whatever), and they have a cig-a-like that can deliver up to 6volts for at least 700mah, I'm gonna be all over it! ... you know the day is coming. Remember when a cell phone had a cord and a shoulder strap? Or when a cordless drill weighed a ton and only ran about 20 mins?

I'm holding out for a PV driven by zero point energy myself.