New to e cigs! Need some advice please!

[wsticks]

Hi,

I have been smoking for 25 years. Average 2 packs of Pall Mall reds everyday!

A friend of mine let me try a few puffs on his Sinless e cig a few weeks ago and I was intrigued. So I was walking through the mall today and saw the booth for e cigarettes. I spent about 45 minutes drilling the guy with questions. He was very patient and let me try several flavors and levels of nicotine. It wasn't exactly like a real cig but I liked the look and feel of it and the idea of the vapor simulating real smoke. I figured it could be an alternative to regular smokes, save some money and maybe even help me stop. So I decided to buy the kit.

The kit is a BE401. Here is the guys website No-Smoke Electronic Cigarette

It came with 2 batteries (1 manual and 1 auto), 1 atomizer, 5 cartridges, wall & usb charger, 1 bottle of nicotine and a case. The batteries have a lifetime warranty. I ended up choosing the Camel flavor and 16mg nicotine. Altogether about $100.

So anyway, I get home and put it all together and have been smoking it all evening. Now I'm finding it's probably to harsh for me and the taste isn't what I expected. It is much harsher and sweeter then I like. Much like a cigar yet doesn't seem to satisfy my cravings. It smokes fine, plenty of vapor but the harshness and sweetness isn't nice at all. Now after a few hits I get a tickle in my throat. Kind of like the lingering feeling in your throat just before you are about to get sick with a cold. Not pleasant!

So I decided to go on line and do some research and I found this place. COOL!!! After researching I now realized I got ripped off. Could have got the same thing for half the price. That's ok I guess, I was an idiot for not researching first but I am more concerned with the harshness, taste and satisfaction. Not necessarily the amount of vapor or battery life.

I see that most of you are long time smokers that switched and are very satisfied with e cigs. So I hope you don't mind if I ask some silly questions.

What would you suggest to increase satisfaction. Reduce the harshness and sweetness so it's less like a cigar and more like a cig? Maybe a different flavor? Less nicotine, more flavor? More nicotine, less flavor?

I don't like the tickle in my throat! Maybe adjust things to get more of a lung hit rather then a throat hit or is this somewhat limited because it is vapor and not real smoke?

Does harshness and satisfaction have anything to do with the type (BE401) Such as the battery, atomizer and cartridges? Should I try a different model or brand?

I'm totally new to all this so maybe I'm asking the wrong questions but I would really like to learn more because I believe there is potential in it for me to cut back and maybe even quit real smokes.

Thanks for any advice you could help me with!

 

[medic123]

I am new also, 2 weeks. I smoked 2 packs of Marl lites a day. I can't go with more than 11 mg nic or it burns my throat. I also found if I mix the tobacco flovor with coffee flovor it is not as harsh or sweet. Good luck, don't give up. A lot of trial and error is involved in the process of learning, just like smoking was.

 

[cskent]

Hi and welcome to ECF. I started on a mall e-cig too and found the same thing as you did. Yeah I got ripped off but it got me off the analogs. I quickly moved on to a 510 and that was a lot better, more vapor, more reliable and a better hit. It still wasn't quite doing it though so I got an eGo. It uses the same parts as the 510 but the battery voltage stays higher longer and gives a better hit because of it. After breaking in a new atty, it gives a really good hit. Of course it depends on the juice you use too. For a really good hit try juices that are 100% PG based. Some flavors are strong, others aren't. You can get different nicotine levels too. About the best advice anyone can offer is for you to try different flavors and strengths until you hit the combination that tastes good and satisfies you. If you're looking for something that isn't as heavy on the tobacco flavor, try reading some juice reviews here: E-Liquid Reviews. I think most of us had a problem in our throat when we first started. It went away after a couple of weeks for me.

 

[WomanOfHeart]

Welcome, wsticks! Don't knock yourself too bad. A lot of us started vaping on the more expensive, less satisfying route. The sore throat will go away in time, just make sure you're drinking plenty of water and get some throat lozenges if you need them. Vaping can be very dehydrating. Don't be afraid to ask questions. The only stupid or silly questions are the ones you don't ask, so ask away!

 

[The Fool]

Hi wsticks, Welcome to the forum! I qualify as a long time heavy smoker...40 years, ending with a 2 1/2 pack a day habit. I smoked Marlboro Light 100's. I started with a DES 901 10 months ago. If you are complaining of harshness, you might want to think about a 901 instead of a 510 which tends run a bit hotter. I too do not care for the cigar strong tobacco flavors, but I still want my vape to taste like a cigarette, I use a flavor called 555 at 24mg, but this is very personal, so expect to try several before you find one you like. You can get both at a very reasonable price from Madvapes, they've been great to deal with. Also, get yourself a USB passthrough and a couple of extra atomizers. If you find that vaping is going to be a good alternative for you, you can then look into upgrading to an eGo (a 510 with a bigger battery) or one of the many mods you will find here. I wish you the best of luck, please let us know how it goes.

 

[Vapulicious]

If you commit to e-cigs, use the money you would have spent on cigges, and get a EGO, you wont be disapointed, order some juices from vendors after reading the reviews here on ECF. I was a 35 year smoker, once i found the right equipment and juice, it replaced my tobacco habit with ease. There is always going to be more maintenance involved with ecigs, but the benefits of health, money, flavor are well worth it. Try some johnson creek tennessee cured, or domestic, Backwoods Brew, Applewood, or Honey Flue cured, there are many good juices available through numerous vendors found here on ECF. Good luck on your vaping journey.

 

[wsticks]

Hi all,

Thanks for the responses. I checked out the e liquid store. I will check out madvapes as The Fool suggested. I will also try mixing some of the coffee and fruity flavors as medic123 suggested and some of the flavors that Vapulicious suggested. I think the Camel flavor I got with my 401 is what is making it so sweet.

My main concern now is the harshness and tickle in my throat. It makes me not want to smoke the thing. I have already smoked 4 regular cigs today and only once on the e cig. It's funny that woman of heart says that vaping causes dehydration. I would think it would be the opposite since it's vapor and not actual smoke. But the e cig does seem to dry out my throat a bit. Weird!!!

I'm a little confused because cskent says I should try 100% PG for a better hit. Will more PG increase satisfaction but be more harsh. Will VG decrease satisfaction but be less harsh? I just wonder if mixing / diluting with Vegetable Glycerin will help with the harshness because I have read here that VG makes it smoother?

I can deal with the new tastes. I can deal with not getting total satisfaction yet because I know I just have to find the right combo. But as it stands now I don't enjoy smoking the e cig because it is so harsh. Which I think has more to do with the type of e cig I'm using (BE401) and amount of vapor then the type and flavor of liquid. But as I said I'm not giving up. I'm really hoping I can get over that tickle in my throat thing soon. I see that a lot of you use the Ego. So I'm probably gunna get one of those. I'm hoping it helps with the harshness and overall satisfaction.

Any other suggestion would be great. Thank you so much.

 

[WomanOfHeart]

VG will make it smoother and give it a little more sweetness. PG is going to give you more TH. The tickle in your throat is probably normal and it will go away after a few days. Make sure you're drinking plenty of water because vaping is dehydrating.