My experience with E-cigs and Blu so far.

[Daniel O'Brien]

I decided to buy a Blu starter kit about a month ago and so far I'm having a few issues. The pack doesn't charge, the battery life sucks, the cartomizers don't last more than 2-3 hours, there is absolutely no throat hit whatsoever, it's really hard to hit and the of course there's the burnt taste which sucks. A 5 pack here costs 16.50 and with me going through 2 cartomizers a day plus the ones that come DOA this is starting out to be way more expensive than smoking analogs. Now for the good part. I chatted with the people at Blu and they did give me a 10.00 credit which is cool and they did tell me to roll my cartomizers before using them which did help a little bit. The really good part.... I CAN BREATHE!
Just after quitting for about 3 weeks I can breathe so much better. When I carry a full load of laundry downstairs I don't feel like I'm going to pass out which is amazing. I really want to stick with this and I'm going to be trying the Smokeless Image Volt. I just don't think I can stay with Blu as I feel I'd be wasting my money. The issues with the cartomizers and the quality control is ridiculous, Now I do get a few good ones every once in a while but the bad ones are coming a lot more and I just can't afford it. So with that, does anybody have any idea's and do you think the volt will work for me and any advise would be great thanks.

 

[Joe Normal]

My advice would be:
Change to a good e-cig like a Joyetech 510 or an Ego-T plus refill cartos.

 

[jdrewry]

To the OP:

First, congrats on making the switch from analogs to e-cigs. Don't worry too much that your first kit doesn't deliver--it's a common thing with new vapers. If you can strethc that first kit and make it last for you for a week or two, that should be enough time to give these forums a good lookover, and pick one of the kits suggested by one of the vets here, along with some good advice regarding vendors/juices. Just stick with it, do your reading (here), and you should be fine..

 

[rse1]

Welcome to the ECF and congratulations on quitting analogs.

My experience with the BLU kit was similar then I switched to Vapor4Life KR808D batteries and cartos. Much better, but I wanted more battery life and access to all those 510-compatible accessories so switched to the ego systems. My search for the "best" system for me continues - I've ordered a couple of bottom-feeders from Vapage that I can't wait to try. I'm also still looking for the "best" juice for me. Good luck with your new hobby.

The Volt is a 450 mah, 510-compatible battery. Way more power than the little BLU battery and you can still use the little BLU cartos on it. I'd suggest you order some ejuice so you can start refilling/reusing cartos. They're good for quite a few uses. I'd also suggest you get some blank cartos for refilling since they're so much cheaper and available in different resistances (trade some battery life for warmer vapor with lower resistance cartos), and maybe look at clearomizers.

Just remember that Vaping is way healthier than the alternative and that's the main driver for this - whatever works for you to achieve that goal is worth the learning curve, effort, and money to get there.

 

[fray]

Welcome to the ECF and congratulations on quitting analogs.

My experience with the BLU kit was similar then I switched to Vapor4Life KR808D batteries and cartos. Much better, but I wanted more battery life and access to all those 510-compatible accessories so switched to the ego systems. My search for the "best" system for me continues - I've ordered a couple of bottom-feeders from Vapage that I can't wait to try. I'm also still looking for the "best" juice for me. Good luck with your new hobby.

The Volt is a 450 mah, 510-compatible battery. Way more power than the little BLU battery and you can still use the little BLU cartos on it. I'd suggest you order some ejuice so you can start refilling/reusing cartos. They're good for quite a few uses. I'd also suggest you get some blank cartos for refilling since they're so much cheaper and available in different resistances (trade some battery life for warmer vapor with lower resistance cartos), and maybe look at clearomizers.

Just remember that Vaping is way healthier than the alternative and that's the main driver for this - whatever works for you to achieve that goal is worth the learning curve, effort, and money to get there.

May want to make a distinction between what you have and the smokeless image volt. The volt from smokeless image is an 808. I assume you are talking about the gotvapes volt karma which is a 510 big-battery e cig

 

[nvmedjpain]

To the OP:

First, congrats on making the switch from analogs to e-cigs. Don't worry too much that your first kit doesn't deliver--it's a common thing with new vapers. If you can strethc that first kit and make it last for you for a week or two, that should be enough time to give these forums a good lookover, and pick one of the kits suggested by one of the vets here, along with some good advice regarding vendors/juices. Just stick with it, do your reading (here), and you should be fine..

For the OP, jdrewry has some great advice here. I'm sorry to hear about you blu debacle... As I made the same mistake when I first started vaping. Your in the right place now with great info to be had. Good luck

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

 

[bigtexn]

i looked at the halo's when i first started and they seemed equipment specific. so i found the ego which has so many options out there.

 

[AZCraig]

You might want to try a Hoosier E-Cigs K-Go kit. about $50 and it will take you to the next level of vaping.
The level beyond that would be some sort of variable voltage or variable wattage device.

 

[joshuanovi]

Good advised from azcraig, and then if you have the money, you can upgrade to different variety of mods, but before upgrading, get used to the vaping experience. Once used to it, then you can spend more money on mods you like, and DIY your own juice, for less spending on buying juices

 

[Daniel O'Brien]

I've heard so many good things about the Volt from Smokeless Image so I think I'm gonna go for that. If there is a better quality discreet e-cig please let me know because I'll be getting the starter kit with my tax check so I will have a lot of extra cash. I want to get the best quality out there. Any advice you guys have would have would be great. I just just don't want anything big because I don't wanna look like I'm smoking a crack pipe. My 3 main things I need in an e-cig is throat hit, flavor, and the cartomizers have to last as long as possible. If I refill my own cartomizers will that cut down on the cost a significant amount from just buying the prefilled ones ? Oh and the throat hit has to be good not omg I'm gonna die. I've noticed with the Blu that the throat hit is either decent or it just hurts like a som ma ma ...... Oh and the Blu disposables actually have a way better throat hit than the rechargeable's. How's that work ? Anyway thanks again for all your help and I really want to say that I enjoy breathing so much better now. Oh and I've noticed that I ask "what's that smell" more often now. lol

 

[AZCraig]

You definitely want to buy your own "empty" or "blank" cartomizers. Another poster said the Volt is a 510 style device, if so then you should get some Boge "Low Resistance" cartomizers ... a 5 pack will cost you about $8 + shipping. And some drip tips (about $3 each... I recommend "delrin" material over metal)

For juices, I suggest you check out:

Ms Ts Bakery - My from her is SnickerDoodle and is my daily vape.
AVE - Boba's Bounty should cover the tobacco-ish flavored vape you might want
Dripeez - Awesome organic fruit flavors
ElectronicStix - Watermelon frost is an awesome flavor. Menthol watermelon. Great for "cleaning your palate" when you get tired of / can't taste your daily vape anymore. You can also buy your cartomizers and drip tips from ElectronicStix

You'll want to find a vaper's meet up in your area. Bring all your gear and juices... this way you can provide the opportunity to try new juices to the other attendees and also be able to try out some of their juices, too.

 

[rober36]

I started with Blu as well. I couldnt stand the battery life, couldnt make it throug a night at work even with the charging case that wasnt going to work for me. I had no luck with refilling their cartos either so I think i would have spent more on them than analogs. Only good thing about them was that they got me away from smoking. Move on, i would try a joye 510 if you want something discreet. I just got a provari and love it, but at work I use the 510 quite a bit as they are more discreet.

 

[sailorman]

I'm not sure how big a Volt battery is, but DO NOT use a low resistance carto (less than 2.5ohms) on any battery less than about 450mah. I seriously doubt that the Volt battery is that big. I know it comes with 3.2ohm cartos, so you probably shouldn't go below 3.0ohms with it. A LR carto will either kill your little battery immediately or drastically reduce it's life.

By wanting a little cig style e-cig, you are going to be imposing some serious limitations on yourself. You can't use low resistance cartos. Your battery life is going to be limited. The length of time that you get really good vapor will be fairly short and the batteries will wear out faster. The Volt is probably the best performer of an otherwise dismally performing class of e-cigs, but physics is physics and no manufacturer can overcome the inherent disadvantages of a small battery.

I suggest that if you smoked more than a 1/2 pack or so each day, you prepare to get a 3rd battery. Don't get caught short when your batteries start lasting for increasingly shorter periods of time.

Meanwhile, investigate some of the bigger battery options. Chances are very high that you will forget your desire for a small cigarette style e-cig before too long. An 1100mah kGo can be gotten with 2 batteries for about $45. It's an ideal starter kit and is about the size of a Sharpie marker. One battery will probably last a 1 or 2 pack smoker most, if not all, of a day. But I know you want to go through the initiation that all new vapers go through, so have at it. Only a minority of new vapers can resist the lure of a mini-cig so if you must have one, a Volt is better than most, and certainly better than a Blu.

 

[fray]

Volt and bloog have a decent 808 setup. I would personally stay away from v4l for their unsavory tactics and outrageous shipping costs.

Depending on how much you vape you may want to get a PCC to charge your batteries on the go.

The bigger battery e cigs are right for some people. Not for everyone.

 

[Zebasrin]

My first was an Ego and blank carto's, and I for one think you can't do much better then that when starting out. I liked it enough to buy another, and I use them all the time. So if your next try doesn't work out, I'd say third times the charm with Joyetech stuff. Good luck!

 

[wv2win]

As others have stated, Volt is better than the Blu for sure. But you are still stuck with crappy battery life on the Volt. Ego is over-hyped and has the smallest battery in that category. I would move up to a model that is at least 3.7 volt and 1000+ mAh. The options are: E-Power 510, Kgo 510 or Riva. The difference in size between a Volt and any of these is the difference between a large pen and a sharpie pen. Do you want people to still think you are smoking??

 

[nansc]

Welcome to the forum and good luck.I hope you like your new cig.I would personally reccomend the EGO but thats your decision.

 

[Daniel O'Brien]

Thanks for all the help guys. It looks like I have a lot of research to do and thanks to you guys again for making this much easier. My thing for having something discreet is that I still have issues smoking in a public place. Like the other day I was with a friend at Baskin Robbins and she just pulled out her E-cig and started puffin away. I however could not do that. I thought since the place had food it would not be appropriate. I know there's a lot of people out there who have no idea when it comes to e-cigs and vaping and I pretty much don't want to get cussed out by somebody who doesn't know that I'm not really smoking and that what I'm doing does not cause cancer and there are no second hand smoke issues with vaping. I did see the Rachel Ray video where she talks about E-cigs and how she's like Eww I don't even want to touch it, it's so gross and disgusting and I just don't want to have to explain myself every single time I go out in public. I would however be excited to explain to somebody who was actually interested in e-cigs it's just harder to do that when somebody is cussing you out or screaming at you. I will look up all the models everybody suggested and maybe go with a Tank for home use and maybe the Volt when I'm out in public.

 

[harleydiva]

I have used my KGO in public places several times, and no one has said a word. I think the advantage is having something that is obviously NOT a cigarette. With the ones that look like a cig, people assume you are actually smoking, and are more likely to react.

 

[freebird79]

Smokeless Image now has 650, 900 and 1300 mah batteries