Confused - Some light-shedding would be appreciated!

[Jek]

Hi everyone,

I just found out about E-smoking today, after seeing a video review of what I think think was a "Super Mini", I was really impressed and was practically sold right there.

But man, now I am mostly just confused.

I am awash with lots of different words for things I don't understand and tonnes of what I am certain is absoloutly brilliant advice... for someone who already has a grasp of things. I really do not even have a starting point in my head yet of what I should do first.

This confusion is mostly fueled by not wanting to get burned on my first outing to e-cigdom.

So, if I break my situation down, could I get some advice on where I should start?

I live in the UK, I smoke about 1/2 - 1 pack a day, and I want to stop doing that. *cough cough* Seriously, f**k that noise. However, I love to smoke. And then of course the crippling addiction to nicotine doesn't make it any easyer.

I don't want to spent alot of money. I understand that there is an investment involved at first, which I am fine with, but this isn't a hobby that I want to take up and spend lots of money on, I am really in this for an alternative to ... well, cancer. That and spending every morning coughing my guts up on the balcony, in my dressing gown, freezing my nads off while I get my first fix.

...... I digress. I want this to be cheaper than "analogues" - or the same price at the very very most.

A few things I don't understand - how easy is it get your refills? Whats the best method of refilling? How long do these things last? (I've heard people complaining of dead batteries, fried .. atom.. iser... s? This worries me)


Thanks alot in advance!

 

[icp4life14412]

well ill answer at least 1 question. the way i fill up my atomizer is by dripping. i don't like cartridges at all. they dont seem to last long enough. so i just drip 2 or so drips in and boom theres about 1 cig. good way to keep track i think. but might be to complicated to keep re dripping but that is what i do. hmm

 

[Jek]

See I don't even know what dripping really is.

 

[Kate]

This is the best thread for you to start with Jek - http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/new-members-forum/2562-helpful-links-videos-new-user.html

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Mufftrix]

Can`t promise you it going to be cheap haha! but there again neither is smoking! I would advise just to get a kit first for about £30 ish to see if you like it /can take to it? Then it up to you as long as you got a couple of spare batteries and a spare atomiser that should keep you going for a while at least!(atomiser is the thing that makes the vapour about £7.00) It pretty addictive though as you will find if you look through posts Cartridges should if you smoke what you say not get through more than 3 a day at about £10-12 for 25 so cheaper already than cigs (everyone calls them analogs) Hope this helps! I can recommend

Electronic Cigarettes, Stop Smoking, Electric Cigarette, E Liquid, Alternative

or the mini from

Black Mini DSE901 - E-Cigarette Starter Kit - £29.99 - Totally Wicked E-Liquid

but that only my opinion so do read some reviews if you decide to give it a go!

 

[Tee]

Don't feel alone Jek there are many of us like you out there. I've been vaping for a couple of weeks and I don't drip the nicotine liquid directly on my atomizer because they don't last as long that way. When refilling my cartridges with the nicotine liquid I fluff my cartridge filling with a safety pen, make sure it's back in the cartridge and then drop about two-three drops of the nicotine liquid in the cartridge filling. A full cartridge and a fresh battery should give you a nice vapor.

These things are pretty much disposable. Atomizers last approx 3-5wks depending on usage.

 

[Fedor]

If you want really cheap prices, you can buy in bulk at www.centraltrade.eu but with a $500 minimum purchase.

I recommend Welcome to Absolutely eCigs! Buy e-Cigarettes/ Electronic Cigarettes Online Direct from Manufacturer! - Home to save money but not if you plan to buy from a local supplier and want fast delivery. The products are great too. Check out my review.

Get a penstyle first and a mini to complement it (with backup parts). Don't worry too much about dripping or topping up first as it will come naturally to you once you get your e-cig.

Read through the review sections and the new user sections.

 

[turbojunk]

As a recent convert, I can wholeheartedly recommend the DSE901, as sold by these uk suppliers...

e-cigs.co.uk,

The Electronic Cigarette Company

and

Totally wicked (linked to the electronic cigarette people) .

And, no, I'm not related to any of them .

E-Cigs.co.uk are cheaper, have the most user-friendly web site and offer good quality stuff, but the other two seem to hold more stock so it's easier/quicker to get hold of what you want.

There are huge variations in postage costs too, so do your research!! I recently paid £5.95 in postage costs for 2 atomisers and 2 batteries from one company, when another company would have charged me nothing!!

That said, I'm happy to use all of the above.

Kev

 

[jacknthemonkeys]

901 is a great starter e-cig. Atomizers are disposable and will last about 2-3 weeks, so buy extra.

 

[Jek]

thanks alot for the help everyone.

I'll post when I get my first E-cig

 

[Rowena]

Hi Jek,

I am a newbie too. This forum helped me so much. At first the lingo had me intimidated but I took the time to read and ask and everyone was happy to give me their experience, advice.
I got my e-cig mini and figure that whatever compromises need to be made I will happily make them because the advantages are incompariable (health-wise). The e-cig will mimic the whole smoking experience so that's a big plus without the tar. You might have to get used to taste and ways to improve the taste to suit you but the time invested will be worth it and make you feel good that you are taking on the decision to help yourself
I just ordered some extra atomizers since their life span is approx a month and plan to try adding some liquids to cartridges next
Have a great New Year (and thanks to everyone who helped me)

 

[slianfoxob]

Welcome to the forum Jek -

As far the money issue goes. I think I can help a little bit. Maybe. hehe.

It can be a little unsettling seeing how much some of the forum members have invested but rest assured that you can definitely save money with e-smoking. Most of the members on here are hobbyist or rather fanatics.

I'm kind of a fanatic but I'm a fanatic with a limited budget and a watchful boyfriend...

Definitely go for the more recommended devices. My own personal recommendation is of course, the 901. It's relatively inexpensive and replacements parts are the same. With the newer USB passthroughs you can save money on batteries and chargers. I would recommend using liquid instead of purchasing pre-filled carts or even mix your own liquid (Kate, I'm sure, can help you in that department).

The main thing to remember is to have self-control and since you want to save money I'm sure you will resist the urge. Every new device seems appealing but just remember that you're already getting your fix with a reliable device and that you don't need a new one.

I would also suggest getting a counter to track what you would have spent on analogs like the one I have below. I use this to determine how much I can spend. As of now, I have 2 901 atomizers, 3 batteries, 1 passthrough battery, a JC liquid sampler, a Kick liquid sampler, 2 30 ml bottles of JC liquid, a case, a syringe, and 2 chargers - and I'm still haven't spent what I would have on analogs.

Resist Temptation - It's the only way to make this a money-saving endeavor.


Foxy

 

[Zach]

If you have watched the e-cig beginner videos (the ones kate has linked) here are some more complex ideas for you to mull over once you actually get your first e-cig in your hands:

-Typically a smaller e-cig will break down, and it's batteries will need to be charged more. The dse901 (mini) is a good balance of form/function.
Right now i actually have a bigger device than that (rn4072), and i hook it into a usb port for power, and not a regular battery. In the long run a usb battery can be a good investment, this way you will not have to buy many batteries at all, and won't be tied to how quickly/if you're charging your battery.
Also a bigger e-cig will have a more heavy duty atomizer that will (probably) last longer and produce more vapor.

-Buying juice in bulk can save you money. Totally wicked is pretty expensive, but apparently it's damn good juice. I like janty juice a lot (it's very high quality, imo) but can only buy it in 10ml bottles in the US. Figuring out what flavor you like can be difficult, but stick to things you know at first and branch out into weird flavors. Janty RY04 comes to mind, it's delicious, but i had no idea what i was getting into when i bought it. I bought it on a recommendation and I RECOMMEND IT.

And a word about Durability of E-cigs, care and maintenance

The secret to making your atomizers and batteries last a long time, and getting good smoke out of them, is to make sure the e-cig does not have too much juice (this will flood the atomizer and make it difficult to smoke for several minutes) and not too little juice (if you try to smoke your atomizer with too little juice it can taste burned afterwards and will never be the same).
If there is too much juice in the cig, this can also clog the pressure switch inside your batteries.
The pressure switch is the part that lets the battery know if you are sucking on it or not, so that it can heat up the atomizer and create vapor for you to inhale. Besides the atomizer, it is the most delicate part of a dse901. So, in my experience, it's this balance that will determine the longevity of your e-cig parts, as well as how you smoke and what kind of liquid you are using.
Some liquid has solids that will build up inside the atomizer after repeated smoking, and clog you up. AFAIK Janty juice is pretty good about not having a bunch of solids and gunk in it.
In my experience this works quite well: at night before you go to sleep unhook your battery and atomizer, put the battery on a charger if you can and put the atomizer, cartridge end down, inside a small cup with some paper towel in it while you sleep. This will allow the juice inside the atomizer to drip out in the night while you sleep. In the morning add a few drops, put a cart on, and get going.

Beginner e-smokers
-E-smoking can be cheaper than smoking, but not for several weeks. There is a period of figuring out what device will last, that you enjoy smoking, and produces suitable vapor. Don't expect to break even for a month or two. After that you will experience a savings, but be patient. It's not as easy to break even in the UK, things in the US are cheaper.

Also if you live in the UK you might consider purchasing an intellicig EVOlution from Electronic Cigarettes, Stop Smoking, Electric Cigarette, E Liquid, Alternative. They make it easy for you to try it out, and i hear great things about them.
I have also had a good experience with a Janty device, and some generics. Good luck!

 

[Kate]

You called Foxy (I like your new avatar but don't change it too often, I get people muddled up when their images change)

This might be of interest, and the rest of the diy eliquid board - http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/diy-e-liquid/5066-eliquid-recepies.html

That's some good advice Zach

 

[slianfoxob]

Hey, you're the go-to-gal for DIY liquid. You're name is always popping up when I check in to that forum.

I was hesitant about changing my avatar in the first place 'cause I didn't want to throw people off...lol

And I agree...Zach put up some very good info. Hopefully that helps you out, Jek.


Foxy

 

[Jek]

Wow thanks alot guys.

Zach especially, I couldn't have asked for more information. Really appreciate it, things are much clearer now.

I reckon I might go for the Evolution starter kit, sounds like a good way to start out, and if I like it, I can start thinking about the other things -

I'm thinking the EVOlution Starter Kit with USB charger is a good place to start, possibly with the extra battery, any reason I shouldn't that I am missing?

 

[Jek]

Something odd happened in my last post there, I appear to have sort-of-repeated myself.

 

[Zach]

Yes Jek, you did repeat yourself, but that's perfectly ok.

Just for a little clarification here, i was talking about a USB battery in my long winded advice post earlier.

What you must know is the intellicig has a USB charger for it's Lithium Ion battery. What this means is that it's a charger, and not an actual powersource for your e-cig. The e-cig battery must go on the usb charger for a few hours, or something, then be taken off and plugged into your atomizer.
Some e-cigs (dse-901 and rn4072 come to mind, but not the intellicig EVO) have what is called a "usb battery" or "usb passthrough battery". This is different than the USB charger that comes with the evolution. A passthrough or usb battery will allow you to connect your e-cig DIRECTLY INTO YOUR COMPUTER (holy crap!) and vape with power from your computer, there's no actual battery, just a usb cable stickin' out the end.

What the intellicig evo comes with is a charger for the lithium ion batteries that screw onto the device. These are just regular batteries with no usb cable.
From what i understand, though, the EVO batteries are great and will last you 6-12 hours.

What that kit does let you do is charge your batteries (just a regular battery that screws onto the e-cig, no usb cable) from a usb port. That kit does not come with a mains charger. If you have access to a usb port, it would still be a good purchase. I have not used the EVO but i will take the good word of several UK forum users that it's a good investment for a first e-cig.

If i haven't described the distinction between a USB charger and a USB passthrough battery, please tell me and i will try to articulate the idea further. It's kind of a difficult thing to describe with text.

If i were you here is what i would do:
1. Get the usb or mains charger kit (whichever you have more access to) with 2 batteries from intellicig. Just to try it. Buy 10 carts maybe? You'll probably like it.
2. Buy some totally wicked or janty fluid. If you smoke regular tobacco in your regular cigs, get regular flavored, if you smoke menthol get menthol. I recommend you start at 11mg strength.
3. If you like e-smoking and wish to continue to do it, buy some more fluid first, then purchase an rn4072 and usb passthrough for rn4072 from a reputable UK merchant (kate can recommend one).

This way you will have two good e-cigs, a big one for while you're hanging out at the computer, and a more small, stylish diddy for when you are out on the town with your special lady friend (i feel stupid smoking this giant rn4072 in front of girls, maybe you don't, i'd rather smoke something like a real cig in social situations, like the intellicig).
The setup will also be very dependable, and fairly inexpensive, if you consider all the freedom you get with it.

Good luck!

 

[Kate]

... If you like e-smoking and wish to continue to do it, buy some more fluid first, then purchase an rn4072 and usb passthrough for rn4072 from a reputable UK merchant (kate can recommend one)...

E-cigs.co.uk is an excellent supplier, another good one is Wicked.

 

[Jek]

You've explained the difference between passthrough batteries and normal batteries perfectly, Zach. that was confusing me aswell, but now I understand. One for at home, that plugs right into my computer? Yes please. And then a cool looking sleek e-cig for when I am out and about?

Splendid Idea.

Things are alot clearer now I am sure of where I want to go first. I'm going to go for the Evo for starters since it suits my need for a low cost way to find out if I like it or not. Although to be honest I am sure I will, you guys all seem to love it!

Thanks alot Zach, super helpful, and thanks for those links Kate, for when I am up and running. And thanks everyone else for the great advise!

I'll be ordering my E-cig tomorrow, with 10 carts, so lets see how it goes! Can't wait.

Wee!

Thanks again everyone.