Reviews - Is Everything 5 Stars?

[Bookworm]

Yes, but doesn't it work both ways? Your taste buds may like it but to others it may be horrid.

Of course it does. But if I don't like a juice, I'm not going to go to the site and talk about how gross it is. It may just not be for me. However, if I really love a juice, I feel that the vendor has earned a positive review from me. That doesn't mean everyone should buy it, it means that I loved and valued it.

 

[Bookworm]

I am pretty careful to note if it's personal preference or simply a bad juice. I just did a review where my bad reviews are all ones that either don't represent what they are supposed to taste like, such as the coffee vapes that taste burnt or like popcorn. That's not really subjective. I know what coffee tastes like, and if it doesn't taste like coffee I am not about to give it a good review. Same thing with ones that taste like perfume or chemicals or paper. Unnatural or incorrect flavors should definitely be noted as poor.

I am also sure some vendors simply make bad batches. I think this occurred recently to me. There was a flavor that could in no way taste like they meant it to taste. Yet this also points out poor quality control by the vendor.

Those are excellent reasons to leave a bad review. Most of the juices I haven't liked have just been issues of personal preference. But if I received a juice that tasted absolutely nothing like described, I might actually feel the need to note that in a review.

 

[boomerdude]

I don't know. Isn't that giving the vendor a break and not warning your fellow vapers? It's good so you post kudos which helps the vendor. It's bad but you shut-up, so other vapers don't have your opinion on why you found it bad. Not that it matters as the vendor is not going to let a bad review slide past. That's suicide on their part. But you could post a review here on ECF. That's going to be read.

Of course it does. But if I don't like a juice, I'm not going to go to the site and talk about how gross it is. It may just not be for me. However, if I really love a juice, I feel that the vendor has earned a positive review from me. That doesn't mean everyone should buy it, it means that I loved and valued it.

 

[Bookworm]

I don't know. Isn't that giving the vendor a break and not warning your fellow vapers? It's good so you post kudos which helps the vendor. It's bad but you shut-up, so other vapers don't have your opinion on why you found it bad. Not that it matters as the vendor is not going to let a bad review slide past. That's suicide on their part. But you could post a review here on ECF. That's going to be read.

I am not a reviewer. Nor do I want to be. I have never done a juice review on ecf, and most likely never will. I appreciate reading the reviews of others, but take them with a grain of salt. I have reviewed three juices in my 9 months of vaping. These three are so good that they can all be all day vapes for me. So, even though I do not consider myself or want to be a reviewer, I felt those three juices and vendors deserved a little praise. If I received a juice that was badly made or tasted nothing like it was supposed to, I would perhaps feel a need to note that in the reviews section of the vendors website. But so far, the only juices I have disliked have been based on personal tastes and personal tastes alone. That doesn't seem fair to knock the vendor for something that was well made and tasted as it should, but just didn't mesh with my own tastebuds. If you have a different opinion, you are free to leave bad reviews anywhere you please. It's just not my style.

Edited to add: I actually have posted in threads commenting about flavors that haven't worked for me or flavors that have. I was referencing actual formal reviews.

 

[boomerdude]

My take on the subject was in general, not aimed specifically at you. However, I think it's a little contradictory to say taste is subjective only when you feel a juice is bad. If you dislike a juice and say that it's based on personal taste, then what do you base your opinion on when you like a juice? Again, I am not specifically aiming my comments at you. It's more of a generalization because a lot of people feel the same way.

 

[Bookworm]

My take on the subject was in general, not aimed specifically at you. However, I think it's a little contradictory to say taste is subjective only when you feel a juice is bad. If you dislike a juice and say that it's based on personal taste, then what do you base your opinion on when you like a juice? Again, I am not specifically aiming my comments at you. It's more of a generalization because a lot of people feel the same way.

All reviews are subjective. Tastes are subjective. My likes and dislikes are subjective. I enjoy reading both positive and negative reviews of juice, but I understand all are based on personal tastes and opinions. It's not contradictory at all, because even the juices I like are based on my own personal tastes.

 

[D4rk50ul]

No idea why people avoid negative comments, probably has to do with fan boys jumping down their throat when they make one.

Taste is subjective to a point, a lot of juice just sucks. I don't know anyone who subjectively likes plastic or pepper flavored juices. I have tried hundreds of juices from tons of vendors and continue to, very few have ever gotten a reorder. I thought about doing reviews but would rather not deal with all the hate mail.

 

[Bookworm]

No idea why people avoid negative comments, probably has to do with fan boys jumping down their throat when they make one.

Taste is subjective to a point, a lot of juice just sucks. I don't know anyone who subjectively likes plastic or pepper flavored juices. I have tried hundreds of juices from tons of vendors and continue to, very few have ever gotten a reorder. I thought about doing reviews but would rather not deal with all the hate mail.

You know what they say, haters gon' hate.

If a juice tastes like plastic, it deserves a negative review. I say review what you want and say what you want. If the fanboys can't deal it, forget them. Also, if anyone sends a rude pm, just report it. This forum is great about not letting abuses slide by.

I haven't really tried that many juices. Maybe 60, with about 10 being unvapeable for me. I have never had one taste like plastic or pepper. The ones that I didn't like taste as they should but just don't work for me. I need to post them in the PIF forums for someone who enjoys those flavors.

 

[peacepipe]

I totally agree with everyone on this thread.

Plus, I want to add this declaration; I HEREBY DECLARE THAT NO MENTHOL VAPER SHALL BE ALLOWED TO REVIEW A NON-MENTHOL JUICE.

Thank you

 

[Orobas]

I'm fortunate in that my palette is not very difficult to please. Essentially, while most people seem to only like half the juices they get, by and large most of the ones I get are vapable. So my opinions may not be relevant. I reserve reviews for the very best and the very worst. Everything that's "okay" I usually don't say anything about, except to specify if there's a disparity between description and product. For example, if I am vaping a juice described as "grape candy" i might pop in and say that it's more like a laffy taffy grape than a jolly rancher grape.

I'll review hardware critically, but not juice. taste is too subjective.

 

[peacepipe]

Have you looked at the vaporrater.com website?

The reviewer is a professional chef and is an ECF member. Great info.

I just read that guys reviews, and he gave Pink Spots, Pink Spot a higher review then Boba's Bounty. ummm, ok?

Next!

 

[D4rk50ul]

I just read that guys reviews, and he gave Pink Spots, Pink Spot a higher review then Boba's Bounty. ummm, ok?

Next!

Because tasting vapor is like cooking or wine tasting

The only true way to review juice is to take every vendors "x" Flavor and do a side by side comparison. Rank them based off of flavor strength, vapor production, throat hit, and include information like "grassy undertone".

Nobody does this as they don't want to piss off the vendors. Also you need to be honest, if you aren't a tobacco lover then don't review tobacco flavors as you will not like them.

 

[lladnar550]

I normally only glance at reviews on any vendors site because I know that they will almost always lean higher than they should. My reasoning is that fewer people will leave a negative review on a juice that they didn't like, while more people will leave a positive review on one they liked, and almost no one will post a mediocre review. I do like to see a negative review here and there just to see that the vendor is honest about review, but I don't judge liquids by them. Taste is individual, so I order small bottles and taste/steep/taste/steep, etc. If I hit a juice that I really like, I *may* go on the site and add a review. The only time I have left a bad review on a vendor site is on a juice (can't recall which it was) that had absolutely no flavor notes that were mentioned in the description. I do occasionally read the reviews on vaporrater.com, but that is more to look for a juice I should try than deciding that it is a good juice.

I see this same phenomena in the craft beer industry, although more craft beer drinkers will put up a negative rating of one that they don't like.

 

[cherrycakes]

I've definitely wondered about that too.
What's even more frustrating is when the sites don't have any reviews posted at all!

 

[Bellerine]

This is an interesting thread - thanks.

I think it speaks more to the generally good nature of people that they would rather leave a good review on a juice they enjoyed than a bad review of one they didn't. I don't think it's out of fear of retribution from a vendor for most people, as one post suggested. I've done the same thing as others have mentioned for the most part. Reviewed some I've really enjoyed, brushed off the mediocre, and deliberately not reviewed the ones I truly disliked.

This thread made me realize I should review more evenly. I read the reviews and I hope I'm getting a sampling of the people who have tried it. It's really kind of hypocritical then for me not to honestly remark on an array of my experiences, not just the great ones.

Another point this thread made that I found interesting was the whole taste being subjective thing. Is it? Is it really? We may prefer some tastes over others, and that's subjective opinion. As the other post mentioned though, we know what coffee tastes like. Whether you like your coffee strong, black, sweet etc and how that coffee flavor matched up is the real question, no?

Maybe for complex juices it's more subjective. I don't know. Logically, for straight forward flavors anyway, since we all know what an orange tastes like, we should all agree if the juice hit that flavor or not and maybe talk about if it tasted like a very sweet orange, fresh orange or orange candy etc. Whatever is subjective about taste would be equalized by having tasted other oranges before. Or am I way off here?

It's a little intimidating to say that honestly, as "taste is subjective" is like a mantra here. Don't attack me, just thinking with my fingers!

 

[Califa]

i think its a hit or miss with e-liquid. we all taste differently and we all have our own opinions on what juice taste better then another. some sites offer sample packs where you can pick your own liquids and test them out to see which ones you prefer.
i've tried plenty juices that i liked and had sadly put many more to the side. try out a sample pack to suit your taste and dont be afraid to try something new.