Depressed.....horribly.

[Sandee1321]

Let me just say this...I am so depressed with the 2 choices I have made this far and I want an analog terribly. Going to smoke one after I hit the post button as a matter of fact.

First ecig- the "Sidesho" from ModernVapor.com Pros- Very cool looking, great taste(while it lasts), light weight and feels like a real cigarette. Wanted to fall in love with it but....
Cons- Battery life is HORRIBLE! Cartridges are extremely small, I get about 5-9 good puffs before I get the "Something is on fire" taste in my mouth. When this happens, vapor disappears. I check the Cart and it looks full.....wth? I then have to remove the inner chamber, pull the filling forward, put it back together and maybe I'll get 2-3 more puffs before the fire taste returns with no vapor. Thought the problem may be caused by the battery not being charged completely, nope. Same issue with the USB passthrough. So I have 4 Atomizers, 3 batteries, pre-filled carts as well as blank ones with e liquid. So I'm guessing it's not me but maybe the product. Hell, still could be something I'm doing wrong....I wish

The 2nd ecig-the "Premiumecigarette" from Premiumecigarette.com. Pros- Cool looking because you can customize if you want to spend tons of cash, Cartomizers seem to last a while(not sure what's considered long lasting since I just got it yesterday) and they have pretty good customer service(sent wrong flavor of cart in customized pack, now sending a whole pack of the missing flavor).
Cons- Expensive Batteries, fatter and heavier than the Sidesho, feels like I'm sucking on a huge straw and doesn't have the 'real' cigarette feel. Got a kit with 2 customized batteries, one doesn't appear to be working correctly. Contacted customer support today so hoping they will work with me like they did yesterday with the cart issue.

I just desperately want this to work out, $300.00+ in the hole with the first 2. Please help, my lungs and my life depend on this. Bummed out hardcore. Have my family and friends who smoke asking about ecigs, want to give them good news and a push in the healthy direction. I know there is an ecig out there for me somewhere...right?

I want something that feels and hits like an analog, long battery life without it being super huge and carts that will last me a while. Advice is needed, thanks all.

 

[Rosa]

I will go ahead and be the bearer of bad news here: You can't have your cake and eat it too...

EITHER you can have a compact unit that's roughly the size/feel of a cigarette...
OR you can have a strong e-cig that puts out lots of vapor and "smokes" like a cigarette and lasts most or all day...

...if you had to choose, which one would you prefer?

 

[Mr Pink]

There's a zillion posts asking advice on what to buy here. Looks like you went the route of many, spending a lot of dough on inferior brands. Don't feel bad, a lot of folks here did the same and eventually grew into ecig fanatics when they made better, less expensive purchases. I did some research, had a vape-friend helping me and bought an eGo kit. About $50 and all you need to get started. Very happy after a month or more. Great battery life and long lasting flavor. You'll have to top off any system with some e-juice after a certain point, but should be able to go many many puffs before needing that with most of the name brands you'll see discussed here. Good luck.

 

[Chefanim]

Sorry to hear about all that. If you want something that 'looks like a real cig' you won't get much for battery life. Aquavaporcig dot com has a great RN4081 and a great 901. They sell the PCC for both so you can always have a charged battery handy. I suggest going with cartomizers rather than the atty/cart combo. If you still want to get one that looks like an analog. If you can get over the fact that doesn't look like a cig, the eGo tank is awesome. Doesn't require as much 'fiddling' as the Attys, carts, and cartos, and a 650mah battery will go for about 10 hours for me. And I vape pretty much constantly. It's really not as big as it looks like.

That's the eGo next to my 4081.

Good luck and don't give up!

 

[aziffel]

Sorry to hear about all that. If you want something that 'looks like a real cig' you won't get much for battery life. Aquavaporcig dot com has a great RN4081 and a great 901. They sell the PCC for both so you can always have a charged battery handy. I suggest going with cartomizers rather than the atty/cart combo. If you still want to get one that looks like an analog. If you can get over the fact that doesn't look like a cig, the eGo tank is awesome. Doesn't require as much 'fiddling' as the Attys, carts, and cartos, and a 650mah battery will go for about 10 hours for me. And I vape pretty much constantly. It's really not as big as it looks like.

That's the eGo next to my 4081.

Good luck and don't give up!

Yeah,what he said.

 

[M&M]

If it looks like an analog, it will not perform nearly as well as those that are larger. That is just simply the state of things. You should be able to return them if the suppliers allow it. You could try a KR808 or a 510 which will likely perform much better than those two but are still relatively small and cigarette-ish. Generally, I use my cig-look-alikes only when I am in public scrutiny (at work on breaks) and use my eGo-style equipment when in private. That way, I am generally satisfied most of the time. Hang in there, it is not easy to adjust to this for some of us. It took me about 6 months to find my own comfort level. I still have bad days occasionally, but I have found a system that has been working for the last month or so.

 

[WomanOfHeart]

You aren't going to get long battery life with an analog look alike. It just doesn't work that way. If you really insist on something that looks like an analog then you can get either a 510 or a KR808 starter kit with a Personal Charging Case (PCC) to charge the batteries while you're on the go. The battery life on these types will last any where from 3 or 4 hours, depending on how much you vape.

If you really want longer battery life, but don't care about the analog look then you can go with either a Riva or an eGo starter kit. Both of those batteries will last you at least 6 hours or longer before needing to be recharged. Again, this depends on how much you vape. My Riva batteries lasted me 8 hours and I tend to vape pretty heavy.

I strongly suggest checking out the two links below. The info in the videos is a bit dated, but it still applies and there are plenty of reliable vendors out there, do don't feel like you have to buy from where she did.

Mistress Nomad's Videos for Newbies

The Wonderful World of Vaping is a 6 part series that will give you tons of great information and make your experience more better.

ECF Library

Welcome to ECF and have faith! You're in the right place and we can help you!

 

[Newbz]

I went through the same deal, Sandee. I wished I'd only spent $300.

How I overcame the 'e-cig blues' was by realizing that if someone told me I'd have to cut a check for $2,000 to save my own life, I would have found the money and signed on the dotted line.

It *is* frustrating when it seems as though it's not working out. I encourage you to keep on keeping on. I finally settled on the Riva510 from Liberty Flights. This was after using an RN4081, the KR808d-1 Vapor King from Vapor4Life, a Gammuchi, and several disposables of various name brands.

I have discovered that I am just not a cartomizer type of person. After 3 or 4 drags the thing tastes burnt, no matter how full it is. Cartridges plus an atomizer don't have that crappy garbage + wet leaves burning flavor to me.

Each person is different in regards to their preferences of equipment.
Check your refund policies on your products. If returning them is a no go, see if you can trade with someone on the forum for something else. Maybe some wise person can suggest a specific replacement part for the model you have so you don't get that burnt taste.

I wish you luck, and don't give up. You can do this.

 

[dwillings]

The main thing here is to not give up because of a couple of problems. It sounds like you need to do some more research and shopping. But the main thing like everyone else has said is this:

Real Looking Cigaratte
Pros: Looks similar to a real cigarette
Cons: Poor performance and battery life

Larger Models (mods)
Pros: Great performance and battery life
Cons: Kinda bulky

So what's more important to you? It sounds like from your post that performance is, soooooo...Do some more shopping

 

[keyzygirl]

The only cig sized I liked was from Vapor4Life.I still use their cartomizers.They have a great selection of batts and flavors.

 

[Rosa]

For you, since you already tried a couple of smaller units, I don't think you'll be happy with either a 510 or a kr808d-1. I think that if you really want this e-cig thing to work you're going to need to get a big battery e-cig. Or at the very least something that you can get a PCC for, like WomanOfHeart said... switching batts will still be a constant but at least you can do it on the go and the PCC looks like a nice cigarette case so...

 

[Stosh]

One advantage I've found using an e-cig that looks nothing like a regular smoke is that friends and family
will look at it strangely, ask "what is that thing?", and if you answer that it's a healthier alternative
to smoking, the reaction is very positive. Then every time they see you with it, they'll tell you how good you're doing and it's great you're not smoking. Built in support group at no extra charge!!


Presently I sometimes us a PV-1 with an ego mega atty, suffice it to say it's an ugly bird,
vapes great and I love it. The bigger battery and more vapor and steady supply of
nicotine and flavor was the only way I could beat a 35+ year 1 1/2 pack a day habit.
And I can go into a 7-11 and buy JUST a cup of coffee, and not be tempted to buy a pack of smokes.

 

[Grandma SJA]

I use my tornado's from totally wicked and they last and last and taste is great, but I use carto's. If you want the best that looks like a real cig and their carto's last you all day, then get the smokstik, that the stars use. I used it at first and loved it
but it is not cheap, but it is by far the best for lasting. You can talk to them and their customer service is awsome and they will help you alot. There are alot of cheap ones out there that cost alot, but until you get used to vaping I would try the smokstik.
Then go on this site and read and do video's and the great people hear will help you and you will be on your way to quiting.
Lots of luck. Grandma SJA

 

[Godzilla]

I too started with an hour lasting 510kit that cost $80. I felt like I was charging batteries all day long, at home, and at work and it got to be rediculous.

I bought an ego, and life was grand.

You really should be comfortable with dripping while at home, and using cartomizers on the road.

I recently found the LR306 by Joye is the cats meow for dripping with the ego. The ego regular 650 battery lasts me nearly all day from 10am until about 7PM. The kit comes with 2 batteries for around $50. order at least 2 Joye LR306 when you order your ego. I ordered mine from Liberty Flights. Look in the upper left and click on Save 20 Percent.

On my second order, I would order some Bogge cartomizers for a 510. I find the flavor to be awesome, but you have to top these off with juice to avoid burning the filler, but I find the flavor to be heads and shoulders above any of the Ce2 cartomizers out there. I would also order a couple extra batteries, and maybe even an extra charger, or a Pass through which charges a battery while you vape plugged into the computer.

Then the trick is to find juice you will like.

 

[Girl4givn]

Poor Sandee! I'm so sorry! I actually got lucky and bought a Volcano Inferno about a week ago. I was so scared to go with something that looked like a real cigarette. I am loving it. I have been a hardcore smoker for 27 years and have never been able to go one day without a cigarette - now I am 4 days and not feeling it at all.

Funny story though. Waiting to pick hubby up outside his job, one of his coworkers walked out and looked at me like I was smoking a .... or something. Ha! But, it was all worth it a few hours later when my son hugged me and said "Hey mom, you smell GOOOOODDDD!"

You'll get through this. And if you smoke an analog, so what? Doesn't mean you're outta the game! I'm pulling for you!

 

[dormouse]

KR808D-1 aka Vapor King at Vapor4Life, with its standard length batteries, will give you the longest battery charge possible in a slim 120mm ecig because it is a 2-piece so more of its length is battery. I recommend manual batteries for the most consistent drags.

The slim models we recommend are all a bit fatter than an a cigarette (about 1mm fatter) and about 115-120mm long. You have to go to that size if you want a good hit and somewhat better battery life. A standard KR808D-1 battery is 280mah which is 100mah more than most 3-piece 115-120mm long ecigs. there is a PCc available though it only carries one battery and 2 cartomizers.

Despite lies on glitzy "name" ecig websites, a cartomizer does not last as long as a pack or 1.5 packs of cigarettes. If you burn it dry and throw it out it might last 8-10 cigarettes worth of drags. But if you add more juice while it is still damp, and keep doing that, then one carto can last for days until it starts tasting bad or gets weaker.

And I believe Vapor4Life.com is still having 30% off orders of $60 or more with the code SuperSale30

if you need more hit than the 120mm "minis" can provide, then you have to go to fat-battery models or mods.

 

[IOU]

All great advice here. Most of us started off pretty rough and we have many stories of failures. The most important thing is to not beat yourself up over smoking. If you need to smoke, smoke. But now you know there is an alternative. It may take a little while to get used to this new e-cig thing, but so many of us have been successful and you can too!

 

[WomanOfHeart]

One advantage I've found using an e-cig that looks nothing like a regular smoke is that friends and family will look at it strangely, ask "what is that thing?", and if you answer that it's a healthier alternative to smoking, the reaction is very positive. Then every time they see you with it, they'll tell you how good you're doing and it's great you're not smoking. Built in support group at no extra charge!!

This is another reason I went with the Riva once I got over the analog look-alikes. People still think you're smoking when they see one of those and it's hard to explain that you aren't smoking. When people saw with my Riva, they would ask what it was instead of assuming that I was smoking. There's even more curiosity when they see me with one of my mods, and there's no mistaking that it isn't a cigarette. I'm not smoking, so why would I want something that made it look like I was?

 

[Ardeagold]

I started with the Joye 510's...then the XL batt for the Joye, then gave up for the same reasons that you stated and went with an eGO passthru with an XL Cartomizer. THAT worked. I just got my first T (tank) atomizer and tank cartridge and LOVE it. I suspect it'll replace my XL carto. It's easy to fill, tastes cleaner, no burning, no liquid in the mouth, and no leaking!

I quickly got over wanting the cigarette sized pv because I got so tired of switching batteries (even with the pcc), and filling the cartridges. I never tried cartomizers with it. I just moved to a bigger "system".

 

[edietn]

Its totally true that you first think you want something that looks like a cigarette. I wanted something the same size, but chose "red" because I wanted it to feel like a cigarette, but not look like one. Love my 510, and love the mega battery that I purchased for it for longer battery life, since it is still as slim as a cigarette, but is longer.... but, really, really, love the battery life of the Riva that I purchased because of the 750 mah battery life. I purchased the Riva from Liberty Flights because with the 20% off, the cost is $29.99. After spending $60 on my 510, I couldn't afford to put out that kind of money again so soon, but with a cost like that.... I felt I couldn't lose. What is great is that my atomizers and cartridges fit on the regular 510 and the Riva, so I now have plenty of atomizers and batteries to last me awhile. I switch between them depending my my mood, I guess. I have found that an old eyeglass case I had is perfect for carrying an extra battery and e liquid with me in my purse. It takes just a small while to get used to making sure you have what you need with you, but what is the difference in making sure you always have a pack of cigarettes and a lighter with you? I have turned this into a new hobby of sort, with trying new liquids, etc., and I find that I am enjoying the experience. Readying this forum has also been a huge help with whatever questions I find I need answers to. Good luck.