E-Cig Newbie Looking for Advice...

[Ultimist]

I'm a 38 year old male, living in Montana (USA). I'm a long-time smoker (of real cigs), just now contemplating the switch to e-cigs, and I really have no idea where to begin.

Ideally, I'm looking for e-cigs that are as close to the real thing as possible. I don't think I'd like the ones with the cigar-type plastic ends on them, for example. The Smoke 51's appeal to me since they look exactly like a real cigarette. The "filter" end makes me to want to try that brand, since it resembles a real cigarette in size and shape.

So, what I am looking for here are some recommendations on the best e-cigs out there.

I'd also like information on the cheapest way to go about e-smoking.

I've decided that I need to quit smoking real cigarettes. I didn't even know e-cigs existed until very recently, and they seem to be a good alternative to the real thing, when they work properly.

I also have a few questions about smoking e-cigs. For example.. Do you get the same type of warm sensation from the draw... that feeling in the throat, that you get from a real cigarette? The draw along with the hot sensation going down the throat is probably the most satisfying part of smoking, at least for me.

Anyway, I'll try to keep this short for now. Could some of you who are more knowledgeable than me chime in on this? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Ultimist]

I should also mention that I don't have a whole lot of cash to experiment with different e-cig offerings, so I'm looking for something that will give me a decent experience from the beginning. And perhaps I can experiment later when I have more money to play with.

My main requirements, as I said, would be something that resembles smoking a real cigarette as closely as possible, from the shape of the device to the draw and warm feeling of smoke going down the throat on inhale. If there's a decent and reasonably priced e-cig product that can do those things for me, I'll be more than satisfied for now.

I do smoke full flavored cigarettes and "little cigars" that are fairly strong, so I should add "sufficient nicotine" to my list of requirements.

Anyone?

 

[robw]

Here are the ones I would suggest in order.
joye 510c
m401
Denshi v2

Those are actual model numbers, each vendor renames the model numbers, so you just need to decide who you want to buy from.

 

[DaniB]

I am also a newbie. I wasn't sure what to buy so I bought a Smoke 51 kit which arrived on Wednesday and a 801 (pen-style) from My Vapor Store which arrived today. I'm not impressed with the Smoke 51s. I bought them for the same reason you are thinking - they look more like a cigarette. Well....not really. They are heavy and slightly larger around than a cigarette and definitely longer. It is not the same as holding a cigarette. From a distance they look like a cigarette, but I'm interested in taste and nicotine, not what they look like. Plus, the batteries only last about 3 hours. And the batteries (at least on the Smoke 51 website) are $45. each which is ridiculous - If anyone has a cheaper place for these I would really like to know since my sons are now using these.

So when the 801 arrived today I was really excited - and I love it !! I have not had an analog since this arrived this afternoon - about 8 hours - not bad for someone who smokes 2 packs a day. This is a great. I got the USB passthrough so I don't have to keep recharging batteries and it works great while sitting at the computer - or plugged into the PS 3 while watching TV !!!

Also, the 801 I bought was considerably cheaper than the Smoke 51 kit I bought. I think there are some advantages to the Smoke 51 - it is smaller, you can easily carry extra cartridges with you, but it probably would not be necessary as it seems that the battery runs out long before you finish a cartridge.

 

[Ultimist]

Robw, do you know where I might find the "joye 510c"? I have searched the internet and can't seem to find anything about it. What names is it usually sold under?

 

[JustJulie]

Robw, do you know where I might find the "joye 510c"? I have searched the internet and can't seem to find anything about it. What names is it usually sold under?

I'm sure there are several vendors who carry the Joye 510-C, but one company I've dealt with is www.dietsmokes.com. Also, you can purchase the Janty Dura-C (which is a branded 510-C) from www.jantyusa.com, although I believe that right now, it's on pre-order status.

From what I understand, the Dura-C and the Joye 510-C are the same animal, the main difference being the Dura-C is more expensive but a really nice warranty. Be forewarned, though, that Janty has been having some serious problems getting its products into the hands of customers who have been waiting for quite some time.

 

[HopelesslyAddicted]

If your looking for places to buy from, check the Supporting Suppliers forum on the main page.

You should probably order from a company that operates out of the US too (you don't want you order being rejected/siezed at customs). There are several sites which have DSE901 kits for under $50.


Now take this with a grain of salt because I don't even have my first e-cig yet, but I'm sure a vet would back me up: The DSE901 is the honda of the e-cigs world. It's reliable and it performs. And it's one of the closest to an actual cig (a bit longer than a 100).

 

[calligal]

My 1st thought was I wanted a real cig look too because I thought it would help with the transition. In the end after reading many reviews I went with the 801. Now I love my choice and am glad it doesn't look like an analog. I don't smoke - I vap. (Well..for 2 weeks now)
I am not always crazy about the cigar tip but on the whole I don't really notice the difference.
As for throat hit check the e-liquid reviews forum e-cigarette-forum.com • The place for electronic cigarette reviews, news and chat - Search Results as the e-liquid plays an important role.

Another forum would be Electronic Cigarette Reviews - e-cigarette-forum.com • The place for electronic cigarette reviews, news and chat and from there I grabbed this which may help you http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...views/3566-reliable-products-suppliers-7.html

 

[debokey]

I should also mention that I don't have a whole lot of cash to experiment with different e-cig offerings, so I'm looking for something that will give me a decent experience from the beginning. And perhaps I can experiment later when I have more money to play with.

My main requirements, as I said, would be something that resembles smoking a real cigarette as closely as possible, from the shape of the device to the draw and warm feeling of smoke going down the throat on inhale. If there's a decent and reasonably priced e-cig product that can do those things for me, I'll be more than satisfied for now.

I do smoke full flavored cigarettes and "little cigars" that are fairly strong, so I should add "sufficient nicotine" to my list of requirements.

Anyone?

I'm a newbie, too, and I've spent three weeks doing research on this board and elsewhere. I started out thinking like you do; I wanted something that looked like a cigarette. The smaller ones, which are generically called M401s, look like cigarettes and have a round tip. At first, that looked like what I wanted.

BUT . . .

After reading posts here, I've done a complete turn-around. The 401s look good, but they don't last very long before being recharged because the battery is so small. I don't want something I have to recharge constantly.

Also there are some advantages to the vape NOT looking like a cigarette. (that's what users call them; they're vapes or PVs for personal vaporizers. Also, you don't smoke anymore when you use these; you vape. Regular cigarettes are called analogs -- just some jargon I picked up.) If it looks less like an analog, people won't tell you to put out your cigarette. Think of it this way. If you hold something black with a tip on it to your mouth, cover the LED and hold the vapor in until it evaporates, no one will know you aren't nibbling on an ink pen. You can sneak a smoke literally anywhere without anyone knowing it. Personally, I think that's pretty cool. Until these catch on so the antis know the difference, it might be better to have something that doesn't look like a cigarette.

These slightly larger vapes are generically called DSE901s or mini ecigs or mini vaporizers. There are LOTS of them out there, and as far as I can tell, they're all pretty much alike. I think they are all manufactured by the same company in China.

The one that lasts the longest is called the screwdriver. But it LOOKS like a screwdriver. As a woman, I don't want some big bulky thing hanging out of my mouth. Also, if anything, it looks like a dope pipe. Driving around town with that doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

I haven't ordered mine yet. I'm still deciding. I want a black one, and I would prefer one that isn't shiny. All of the PVs with cool designs are the smaller ones, unfortunately. My Freedom makes a very chic black matte with gold trim, but it's one of the little ones. No one makes one in purple. Mainly, I want to make sure it works, and since I'm moving across country in two weeks, I need it to get here before my address changes and screws everything up.

One problem is that some of the vendors have crappy Web sites. They might look very attractive, but they aren't useful. For example, I really like the design of the PV by Liberation, and that's what I would buy except for one small thing; I can't find a link on their site to buy cartridges. That's what has the nicotine in them, and you have to replace them kind of frequently. If I can't find the cartridges, what good is the PV? Too bad they didn't put more thought into the usefulness of the site instead of the graphics. On the other hand, some of them don't show the actual full length PV so you can see what it really looks like.

Also, there is a video at the top of this thread you have to watch. A woman takes you through everything you want to know about vaping. It's not brand-specific, and she doesn't endorse one brand over another. It's just a wonderful, helpful, well-thought-out video. I downloaded it so I can

Just a few things I've found in spending hours looking at these things. I think you should be able to get a decent starter kit for something in the neighborhood of $50 for one of the DSE901s.

Good luck hunting. I hope we both find something wonderful because this is the best idea I've seen in ages.

Deb

 

[HopelesslyAddicted]

Read and re-read Deb's post!

Just like Deb said, watch the video that Spikey did. It's stickied in this fourm. (a sticky is a post that always stays at the beginning of a fourm)

 

[JustJulie]

The one that lasts the longest is called the screwdriver. But it LOOKS like a screwdriver. As a woman, I don't want some big bulky thing hanging out of my mouth. Also, if anything, it looks like a dope pipe. Driving around town with that doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

Just a small word in defense of the Screwdriver. I was pleasantly surprised at the size of the SD. I had envisioned it as being kind of bulky and, as a woman, I kind of worried about whether I would look ridiculous with it out in public. Even so, I ordered it because I've gotten to the point that I really don't care much how something looks--I just want it to work. Anyway, it's not really big at all, and the barrel is almost completely hidden in the palm of my hand. In fact, I get no more attention vaping my SD in public than I do with my more traditional e-cigs.

And I do want to ditto the idea of a non-cigarette looking device as actually being preferable. I have been able to discretely vape in all sorts of areas because my devices simply do not look like cigarettes. I did, however, have one guy ask me what in the heck I was doing with my pen.

 

[matisamd]

the intellicig is my current fave of the 6 or 7 i have tried so far.

 

[Mikki]

I'm a newbie too, and I've tried both the supermini and penstyle, the mini is ok in a pinch, but like you said the battery life is to short and forever running out of carts. Topping off is an option but my penstyle lasts over half the day til I have to top or add another cart, and the battery lasts about 12 hours, and I use it a LOT. I love my penstyle, Vapor1000 from e-cigarette,smokeless cigarettes,stop smoking cigarettes,e-cigarette atomizer.

 

[Alanae]

In defense of the 401-

The batteries do not need charging constantly. They tend to last, in my experience, from 6-8 hours on average. Hubby and I both use the M401, and being new to vaping, and just getting off analogs - we vape constantly! He has a battery he took to work at 6:30am and didn't change out his battery until 6pm that night.

Also like the DSE901, the M401 is a very popular model on the forums. Check Spikey's video..it's also the one she uses.

The M401 is my newest bestest friend and I will defend it

 

[scmedasst]

Midwest vapor has great shipping times. My stuff was here in two days, though I really only finally had time to unpack the box. The cartridges taste like a regular non-menthol. I'm thinking it's a 401 white and brown tipped and the weight is good.

 

[rsmith76]

I would recommend getting the 501M from Jason (electronicstix.com). He is very fast, and reliable. He is located in Utah. I live in Ohio and get most of my orders from him in 2 days. The vapor itself is not exactly warm, but the throat hit is awesome, very close to a real cig. Whatever you decide to get, get extra atomizers, batteries, and carts. Get a few bottles of juice to keep this as cheap as possible. The 510 from Jason contains 2 complete e cigs., most kits only come with 1 atomizer and 2 batteries. Just something for you to think about. Good luck in your quest.

rsmith76

 

[aspen]

In the long run the screwdriver looks to be the most cost effective way to go with the least problems and most effective experience. If you get the 501 model you will need more than one. Get over the looks thing and get the sd, I think you will be pleasantly suprised.
Kind Regards

 

[Ultimist]

Thanks, everyone, for all your suggestions. For now I have decided to go with the Joye 510, as it gets pretty good reviews, and seems to have the vapor production and throat hit I'm looking for.

 

[Spilner]

In defense of the 401-

The batteries do not need charging constantly. They tend to last, in my experience, from 6-8 hours on average. Hubby and I both use the M401, and being new to vaping, and just getting off analogs - we vape constantly! He has a battery he took to work at 6:30am and didn't change out his battery until 6pm that night.

Also like the DSE901, the M401 is a very popular model on the forums. Check Spikey's video..it's also the one she uses.

The M401 is my newest bestest friend and I will defend it

I agree with you on this one. I've had mine for 3 days now and only charged one of the batteries once. The battery i have in now has been in since yesterday morning and still going but i don't think i vape as much as i used to smoke but it still has gotten alot of use.

The M401 is the one that looks like a cig right? Well, that is the one i have. Lol. I bought mine from NJoy and it works great.

In my own opinion though, i'd rather have one that looks like a cig than a pen lol. Cause then i get that feeling that i'm still smoking a cig. If i'm vaping a pen i may just want to smoke a cig for the mental feeling of it.

 

[wv2win]

You have to decide what is more important. Do I want a PV (personal vaporizer) that comes the closes to the feel of a real cigarette (analog), gives me the warm vapor and throat hit of an analog and the batteries last 6-8 hours instead of 2-4 hours or do I want it to just look like a real cigarette. If the first is more important, get a screwdriver (SD)or at least a manual switch PV. The SD is no longer than the 901 mini and way you have to hold it in your hand, no one can hardly see it. And there is no fake ash light to confuse people. Here is the information I give new members. Hope it helps.

I read this forum and looked at older forum threads for two weeks before I purchased my first electronic vaporizer.

My first electronic vaporizer was a blue DSE901 from Phil at e-Smokey Treats - Electronic Cigarette's, The healthy alternative to traditional tobacco cigarette's. Phil is a little more expensive than some suppliers but he provides a 3 month warranty instead of 14 days, gives you two atomizers instead of just one and provides a phone number where you can call him which most suppliers do not. Like all suppliers, the kit comes with two batteries and a charger. The battery will last about 2-3 hours before needing recharged although some users report getting 4-5 hours but that has not been my experience. His 901 starter kit is $69.95 where some other suppliers will sell them for $49.95 or $59.95 but without the extra’s that Phil provides. I would consider the DSE901 a good first purchase and it is about the size of a regular 100 cigarette. (If you purchase from Phil at e-smokey-treats.com, when it asks for a coupon code, use esmoking101 and you should get 10% off.)

Many users like the classic penstyle 801 model which has a larger atomizer and cart and a typical battery charge life of about 4-5 hours. The draw is lighter, more like a straw due to having 4 holes in the atomizer and the bigger cart. The 801 is larger and looks more like a big pen instead of regular cigarette. You can also purchase a USB pass-through for both the 901 and 801, which allows you to plug into a usb port on your computer and not have to worry about changing batteries. You can then purchase a portable battery pack for the usb pass-through such as this one from Kennsington (Kensington - Portable Power Pack for Select Mobile Devices - Black - K38021) and make your usb power portable. Make sure the power pack is at least 1000mAh power output.

Most users want an e-vap to provide the “throat hit” that is most like a real cigarette (analog as we call them) as well as long battery life. IMO, the only way to get that is to purchase a manual e-vape that allows you to push a button and heat up the atomizer more before you inhale. The one that does that the best is the screwdriver (SD) from trog at: - The ScrewDriver - An electronic cigarette that simply works. It is more expensive but it just can’t be beat for long battery life and throat hit. And my experience with trog has been outstanding. I have emailed him many times with questions and he almost always responds any where from 10 minutes to an hour or so.

IMO, the only way you will enjoy vaping is if you buy e-liquid or e-juice to refill your carts instead of use the prefilled cartridges that come with the starter kits. Plus it is way more cost effective. My favorite liquid to date is the riskee and cola flavors from Puresmoker: PureSmoker.com - Your #1 Source For PV's, Parts, & Accessories!. My recommendation is to get a little higher nicotine (nic) strength because you can always dilute it with USP glycerin that you can get at a drug store for $5 or $6. I use 24mg nic strength. The highest is 36mg and there is also 18, 11, 6 and 0. I also thought I would like the tobacco flavors the best, but in most cases, IMO, they don’t taste that similar to real tobacco. I do know that some forum members love e-smokey treats tobacco flavor, however.

Hope this helps and good luck.

PS: the smallest bottle of liquid is 10ml and usually costs $9.99. In general (everyone is different) you should get any where from 5-14 days out of that size bottle. And if you purchase from e-smokey treats, he usually does 10 cartridges instead of 5 which would give you another 5-10 days of vaping. In addition, you can wash out the fabric in the pre-filled cartridges and reuse them. The fabric is simply polyester batting which you can get enough for a year's worth for about $5 from Wal-Mart.
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Here is a little more information. This is a link that provides information on most models of electronic vaporizers:

E-Cigarette Models