Hmm that doesn't sound pleasant, maybe I should just get a tank system from the start. I'm currently looking at the ion that has come up in a ad on this site, it says you can upgrade to an atomizer and drip tip? Is this like a tank system? BTW, you are a sweet heart for helping me thank you so much
As a fellow newbie, I'd say don't be afraid of going the prefilled route. You can burn a cartomizer but you have to work at it. Yeah, I've burned one. But just one.
My experience is, when the flavor gets really weak, don't think you can "suck out" more. Stop. Put that one aside. And I say "put it aside" because you can refill them. If you don't scorch them. There's a whole bunch of videos on YouTube about this and it looks pretty easy. So when mine "run out", I set them aside. Some folks around here pointed out a vape shop not too far from me that I had no idea existed. I'm going to run up there soon and check out their juices. The prefilled can't last forever but you can extend their lives. And you can buy ones that have no juice and fill 'em yourself.
Main thing, for us newbies, they're
easy. You screw it on the battery and off you go.
Then as you learn about this stuff and gain confidence, you can move up. That's what I'm planning on.
The big thing I've noticed is this:
Katya said:
It has a 510 connection, so you can use any 510 threaded cartomizer with it, including the 510-T (that has a tank, as opposed to polyfill).
That "510" thing? What I've pieced together is there are a few popular standards and you're going to want to try to get a feel for which one seems to have the best options for you. Yah, not easy to judge when you're just starting out but I mean, like, if you go poking around the web for the "510", just about everybody has stuff in that standard. It's pretty widespread. There are a few others like that. I'd say try to narrow down to just a couple that seem to have... lots of "stuff" available so as you get to know more, you can add on.
Least that's what I'm thinking. I have a Blu. Which I bought before I found the forum here (oh I wish I'd found the ECF first). But the 510 is common enough, I'm not stuck. I can "migrate" away from Blu. Don't have to toss the whole thing and start over.
(Though one of my two batteries? I'm not going to toss it. I'm going to take it out and hack it with an axe while laughing like a crazy person. One works rather well, one picks a random number for how long it's going to hold a charge. Often that number is so close to zero, the "draw" I get would take advanced scientific equipment to measure. Other times, when it feels like it, it works okay. I never know.)
Far as Blu goes? No. Just... no.
Mine's working... okay. I'm getting decent use out of it. But it is flaky. I'm coming to the conclusion Blu spent more time on the "cool" factor and not enough on the "make it work" part. And I haven't had to deal with their customer service yet but they have a bad rep on the Net. Long hold times and not all that helpful when you get through. Lot of folks have whole kits that are crap and squabble with Blu about returning them. The quality control seems hit or miss.
Too bad too. It is a sharp looking product and has a "cool" factor. But I would never have bought one if I'd found this forum first. If Blu would get their customer service beefed up and their QA better, they'd have a nice product. Apparently, though, their newest effort is "social features".
Huh? What? My e-cig is gonna post to Facebook? <eye roll>
I've since found 510 starter kits for half the price from vendors folks around here say are good.
On the other hand, I am getting decent use out of it. There are options. I don't have to toss the whole thing and start over. And the cost of the kit wasn't any worse than a carton of regular cigs.
And it's early still but I started a little spreadsheet to see what the cost is up against what I used to spend on regular cigs. Haven't gotten far and it's already half as expensive. And that's buying some of my prefilled at local stores that charge more than Blu direct.
It wasn't the worst purchase I've ever made. I should reach "break even" pretty fast. I've gone through about $20 worth of cartridges in a period during which I would have likely gone through near $50 in regular cigs. That's not bad. If I do the refill and empty carto thing, I could bring that down even more.
Anyway.
One more thing, you have to figure out if you want "cig-a-like" or not. Meaning form factor. The "cig-a-like" is made to imitate regular cigs. Myself, I like that. There's a psychological/habit thing about smoking and I suspect one reason I transitioned pretty easily (which startled me, I was a heavy smoker) is the "cig-a-like" is... well, it's kind of a "psych out". Tricking my brain.
Seriously, I even got an ashtray (an unused, clean one) to hold the Blu while I'm "smoking". Catch myself sometimes flicking imaginary ashes even.
But I was between one and a half to two packs a day. That dropped like it went over a cliff to maybe three total regular cigs a day. Yesterday, I ran completely out of tobacco cigs. I haven't had the urge to race out the door to the nearest convenience store. I
may let myself get
a pack today. Being I was a heavy smoker, I think the level of nicotine in the Blu isn't quite enough. It's like I need a "boost" in the morning with one or two regular cigs then I can vape the rest of the day. Or most of it. Once I did one regular cig around lunch time. That was the three total.
I'm going to look into higher nicotine content e-liquids at the vapor shop. I think the kit I have is aimed at people who did a pack a day or less.
Still, for all Blu's faults, I went from being almost a "chain smoker" to two or three cigs per day without even trying.
So I'll always have a bit of a soft spot for them.
