Hootis, back in September, I was in the same exact position as you are. I had just bought the Safe Cig and it was not satisfying my smoking urges. I bought it in part because it looked like a cigarette, and somewhere I read a review that recommended it. It delivered nicotine, but not enough. But mainly, it just didn't produce enough kick or vapor to make me feel like I was smoking, and I really needed that feeling if I was going to quit the cigarettes completely.
So I explored online and found several e-cig forums. Obviously, this one is the best of those I've found so far. I read lots of threads, looking for recommendations. It was mind-boggling how many varieties of e-cigs and accessories there are! Then I saw this video from MistressNomad:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-videos-newbies-particular-broke-newbies.html
When I saw how much vapor was being produced by the two models she showed, I knew I was on the right track. I compared the two in the video and decided the Joye 510 suited my tastes better, in large part because it was the same size as the 100mm cigarettes I was addicted to. I have spent the last 45 years of my life with a 1/4" x 4" nicotine tube in my hands and mouth, and I didn't want something that more resembled a cigar or dope pipe than a cigarette. That would have made me very self-conscious in public, especially at work. I wanted something similar to my cigs, in size and shape, and hopefully in taste and nicotine delivery. Good vapor was bonus.
While it may be true that larger batteries are less of a pain because they last longer, the main reason people buy them is that they produce vapor more efficiently. The throat hit of the smaller 510 battery is sufficient for most people. The nicotine delivery is sufficient, and the vapor volume is sufficient.
The vast majority of people using e-cigarettes use devices that are about the same size as cigarettes. The experienced vapers here are in the minority in the real word, but in the majority of frequent posters in this forum. There is nothing wrong with preferring an e-cig that resembles a cigarette in size and shape. By comparison, an eGo battery, which can use the 510 cartomizers and atomizers, is slightly smaller than a roll of dimes, and a little larger than a AA battery. About twice the diameter of a cigarette, but about the length of the Safe Cig batteries you now own. It also weighs about as much as a AA battery, so you're not likely to dangle it in your mouth.
The Joye 510 is very slightly smaller than the Safe Cig, more the size of a real cigarette. I'm sure you've noticed the Safe Cig is slightly larger than a real cigarette. When you hear people say that you have to change batteries every 1-2 hours with a 510, they are talking about chain-vaping. If you use it for the same amount of time you use cigarettes, it will get you through most of the day on one charge, just as your Safe Cig would.
The average Joye starter kit comes with two batteries, whether the 510 size or the eGo size. If you prefer to start with the cig-sized 510, it's a good idea to ask the vendor if you can have a pack of 5 pre-filled cartomizers instead of the old style 3-piece atomizer/cartridge/battery. The cartomizers are just like what came with the Safe Cig, with atomizer built into the cartridge. I'd recommed you start with the Marlboro 26mg. Then if that's too strong, you can order in the 18mg dosage next time. A good place to buy them, and a vendor that I already KNOW will let you have cartomizers instead of atomizers, is Cignot your Midwest Electronic Cigarette store.. Vicki is the lady who runs it, and she told me she'd be glad to swap out to cartomizers in her starter kits if people just ask for them in the Comments area when they order.
In my first post in this thread, I recommended getting three 510 batteries so that you have a backup. They cost about $12 each. Cignot sells them 3 for $35, manual or automatic. I recommend three because sometimes batteries die, and you don't want to be caught without your e-cig while your only 2 batteries are not working. You might forget to charge one, or discover that it died, or leave one at home. Not having the hardware to vape is the surest way to backslide into buying a pack of cigarettes. Alway carry spare batteries and cartomizers. I take four batteries to work with me, and I bought an extra charger to leave at work so I always have one there.
Once you get comfortable with the e-cig, you will have read many posts in this forum, and you can make more informed decisions about your future upgrades. My only concern is in giving you the moral support and understanding you need at this critical time of transition. We all want you to succeed is quitting cigarettes forever. You are the one to make your own decisions about what hardware you want, what you can afford, and how fast you want to proceed.
I wish you the best of luck kicking those nasty stinking deadly cigarettes out of your life forever, while still enjoying your nicotine and blowing clouds! You'll still be handling a little pacifier and sucking on it, just like your beloved cigarettes, but you will no longer be killing yourself, and no longer will be a pariah in your social circles.
