Hi, welcome to the forum.
When you say "hands free" do you mean the cigarette is between your lips (with one eye squinting against the smoke) and you drag on it without touching it? Just to be clear we're on the same page.
Juice is a real money saver! IMO any e-juice tastes batter than what I used to smoke, and I smoked for many, many, many years. That being said, there's probably not going to be a juice that tastes like what you thought it would taste like. Once you try it you'll discover that it's not ever going to be the same again but it's going to be better. I recommend getting a variety of flavors in different strengths.
dripping/dipping: I'm not there yet. I refill my carts and carry a bottle of juice around with me. I did, however, replace the filling that came in my carts with the blue foam called "Rite size U" that you can get from any pet store that sells aquarium stuff. This only works if you are getting an e-cig with removable carts (not cartomizers) though, so I'm getting ahead of myself.
As for the PV itself: there are two that get recommended for noobs all the time; the 510 or the KR808 (vapor king) both come in either a manual battery or an automatic battery style.
The manual button gives you more control of the performance and is generally recommended 99% of the time. This means, however, that you must use your hands. The automatic battery means that you must take a "primer puff" before each real drag in order to engage the battery, and some say that loud noises or vibrations can cause the battery to engage on its own.
the 510 has a really good atomizer so I think that's why people like them so much. also they are good for "modding" so are seen as a pretty versatile unit. The downside to the 510 is that the battery life is not great at all. One charge only lasts about an hour or so before it needs to be re-charged. Most people get around this by using a PCC (personal charging case-keeps a couple batteries charged when you're on the go) or a PT (passthrough-connects your PV to a source of electricity like your computer, so you don't drain your battery at home).
The KR808 aka vapor king is one that uses cartomizers (atomizer and cart in one) so it only has two pieces. the cartomizers hold more juice than the 510 atty, so you don't need to re-fill as often. On the other hand, you'll need to carry spare pre-filled cartomizers around with you. I don't really know much more than that since I don't own one (yet) I think the battery life is comparable with the 510, but don't quote me.
The other option is a newer product that I haven't seen a lot of reviews on yet, which is the new 510 cartomizer. sounds like the best of both worlds (mine's in the mail, guess I'll find out soon enough)
Hopefully someone with more experience will some along and straighten me out soon - it is kind of late... we'll see. Good Luck!