If you're looking to quit altogether or to reduce or supplement analog use, a M401 would be a reliable and inexpensive choice. It's about the size of a 100's cigarette and pretty nicely balanced. A 306 is also a good choice. If you're expecting to continue using nicotine for the rest of your life, then you might want to just look at the mods right off the bat.
The beemer of ecigs IMO is the M401 which has a longer battery life than the 8084 and 306, but they are also inexpensive alternatives, "exposed" atomizers (no metal shell around them like the 4081 or 510) are easy to keep clean, small carts, but they will definitely help you titrate in the beginning - 6 carts a day will equal roughly 2ml of e-juice. You can also buy three lengths of the M401 battery, so you can have king size, about a 100's size and a tad longer than a 100's size cigarette. Shop around the supporting vendors here, take notes on their prices and what their kits contain. Dont spend more than $50 for a kit- check out the coupon code thread or the supporting vendors' individual threads for their coupon codes for checkout time (most will give you 5-10% or more off by being an ECF member and using the code). Ideal is at least 2 atomizers and 2 batteries although you can get by with the standard one atom and two batteries (one to use one charging) if you're not going to try a bunch of flavors or menthol or if you're not sure if e-cigs are for you. Most vendors use priority ship, so if you need a part, it's only two days away. and if you decide the M401 or 306 or 84 isn't for you, you can always turn around and sell it here in the swap/trade section, basically for what you paid for it since others are always looking for new things to try (it's a new hobby in and of itself lol)..
Expect to buy a new atomizer/battery combo each month (a few packs of ciggies cost to you) but, that said, I'm still (knock on wood) using the same 401 atoms as I started with 75 days ago. If you decide you like the M401, then definitely get a passthru for at-home bythecomputer use to save your batteries for out and about. A reading-glasses case makes a cheap and handy holder.
Most newbies get one bottle of say, 11/12mg and one bottle of 24mg and one bottle of zero mg or just plain PG or VG. Now, to me....11mg was OhMyGoodness, I am NOT doing this to get high!! and numb-feeling!! and I immediately dropped down to 6mg (now 3mg headed to zero) where I was very comfortable. Your mileage may vary. It seems some of the younger crowd go straight for the 24mg. It may be harder to find lower nic level products than the higher but they are out there.
I've always treated the e-cig the same as a regular cig - not chain-vaping, since I didn't chain-smoke. So, once an hour or so, etc., and no vaping in places I wouldn't have smoked before, like theatres, shopping centers or supermarkets. I filled my ashtrays with colored glass COPYRIGHTDMCA (99cent-store) so my e-cig rests horizontal across them, and keep the batteries in them at night connector side down.
A few vendors have small sample packs of tobacco flavors. Some marlboro smokers like the winston flavor, some find a good marlboro right off the bat, some marlboros are not quite marlboro, some marlboros are only marlboro when you add another tobacco flavor to them. You might decide it's not the marlboro flavor that'll keep you off analogs but maybe doublemint or cola.
If you are trying to quit, try to fight the urges and exercise thru them, but if you find yourself lighting up, don't beat yourself up. Just go back to the ecig and keep trying.
If you're just looking for a cigarette substitute, then be aware of exactly how much nicotine liquid you're taking in on a daily basis. comb the threads for discussion on this. Maintaining a habit doesn't mean increasing your tolerance, right?
I think you will be pleasantly surprised how easily ecigs can replace the analogs in your life - I was
Hope this helps!
