A Beginners Guide to Vaping
So, you’re intrigued by the world of vape and you’re ready to invest in your first vape kit, whether you are a smoker looking to transition to vape or completely new to the vaping world, this guide will give you an insight into the perfect vape kit to suit your needs.
There are so many types of e-cigarettes to choose from and knowing where to start can be overwhelming. Choosing the best vape starter kit is important, so we’ve created this guide to make your first vape purchase less daunting.
What are the Components in a Vape Kit?
There are typically 5 main components to a vape kit, all functions work individually and collectively to produce a unique vaping experience depending on the variation of your set-up.
- Drip Tip – This is the mouthpiece to your device. Drip tips can come in various sizes, shapes, colours, and patterns to fully enhance your vaping experience and personalise your device to suit your personal preference. The drip tip essentially acts as a chimney to carry the vapour from your device to your mouth.
- Battery – All e-cigarettes require some sort of battery. It is the job of the battery to supply power to your device’s coil and heating element. Without a battery, your device won’t work so make sure you carry a spare or remember to charge!
- Tank – The tank holds your favourite e-liquid flavours so it can be fed into the coil. It is usually made from plastic or glass and sits between the drip tip and the battery. Check out our ‘what is a tank’ and ‘what is a pod’ blogs for more information.
- Coil – The coil is made of wire and cotton. The coil serves to absorb the liquid and heats it up, turning it into vapour when you inhale. Typically, new vapers go for a coil with 1 ohm or greater, sub-ohm vapes are harsher and favoured by experienced vapers. You can read more about coils in our ‘what is a coil’ blog.
- E-Liquid – The e-liquid is the tiny bottle of flavour waiting to be turned into vapour. E-liquids come in hundreds of different flavours and strengths. Check out our best sellers page to see what others love! Or read more about e-liquids in our ‘what is e-liquid’ blog.
More advanced vapers love to customise their devices based on the flexibility of these components but for now, let’s just have a look at what is available to buy right now!
Different Devices…
We now know what a vape kit is made of, but which vape kit is best for you?
- Disposables – mimics the style of smoking, lightweight and generally more discreet than other products on the market. They do have more limitations compared to other devices however as they are not refillable and also have a limited battery life. They are a starting point for your vaping journey so that you can experience the ease and flavours vape has to offer. They also make great travel buddies, perfect for nights out and festivals.
- Pod Kits – also lightweight and small enough to fit in your pocket. These devices also have the potential to offer a higher nicotine option. They are fuelled by replaceable pods which are sometimes refillable making them a cheaper option than continually buying disposables.
- Vape Pens – these are one of the most popular choices for new vapers as they have a much longer battery longevity and easy access charging, usually through a USB port. Vape style pens are simple to use and refillable, meaning you can simply buy the refill flavours rather than the slightly more expensive refill pods. Vape pens are easy and convenient, with a quick-fire button on one side, you’re good to go.
- Box Mod Kits – a more experienced vaper will use a box mod kit to completely customise their device. Everything including battery life, wattage, temperature, and ventilation can be completely customised to suit your vaping needs. Like vape pens, they are also refillable. However, we recommend trying a prebuilt device to start your journey until you know exactly what it is you want in a kit.
Which Vape Device is Best for Me?
There are three things to consider when you buy your e-cigarette: nicotine strength, how you want to vape and the PG:VP ratio of your e-liquid.
Nicotine Strength
The strength of nicotine in your e-liquid is very important whether you are making the switch from smoking to vaping or jumping straight into the vaping world. The nicotine levels in a cigarette are higher compared to vaping due to the way that our bodies react to cigarette smoke compared to vapour from an e-cigarette. The level on the bottle is how much nicotine you get per 1ml of vape juice.
Nicotine levels generally tend to come in 5 quantities: 0mg, 3mg, 6mg, 12mg, and 18mg.
- Heavy smokers (more than a pack a day) will more likely benefit from a higher quantity (18mg) to replicate the amount of nicotine you would usually get from smoking heavily daily.
- If you smoke around a pack a day, a middle of the range 12mg will suit your needs nicely.
- Light smokers who usually only smoke a few a day might want to try out the 6mg strength liquids.
- Anyone who is a social smoker, start out at 3mg and see how that feels. If that is still too much, you can always dilute your e-liquid down with some 0mg flavour to give you a lower quantity of nicotine.
Of course, the 0mg are a fantastic option for anyone who loves the flavours and sensation of vaping but wants to cut out nicotine. Once you have found a strength that is perfect for the start of your journey, you can gradually lower the amount of nicotine in your device to potentially cut out nicotine altogether.
The majority of 10ml flavours cover all strengths, 0mg – 18mg, so no matter what your smoking experience is, you’re sure to find something that feels and tastes comfortable. 20mg is avaliable in most disposable devices.
What is PG?
Propylene glycol (PG) is the part of your e-liquid which carries the flavour. It’s very fluid and thin in consistency which means that it is very easy to create vapour. A higher PG content in e-liquids is a great choice for beginner vape kits. PG is also what gives you a throat hit, giving you that smoking feel.
What is VG?
Vegetable glycerin (VG) is a much thicker and sweeter liquid. This is what creates those huge clouds. You can buy high VG e-liquid at Total Vapour.
How Does PG and VG Work Together?
These two ingredients work in ratios to alter the way your device produces vapour and flavour.
If you are wanting to use a higher nicotine level, you will probably be best starting with an even PG:VG ratio like a 50:50 e-liquid, and this should go nicely with a standard vape pen or pod mod.
If you’re looking for a lower nicotine level, you have a few options. If you are not interested in the sensation of smoking, you can go for a higher VG e-liquid. This will produce huge clouds and an easy drag. You can also venture out and try a sub-ohm vape which will give you much more power and flavour with each drag.
How to Vape:
How you want to vape is an important factor in choosing your perfect device. Each and every device is built differently to produce a slightly different experience but ultimately there are two methods when it comes to using your vape: mouth to lung or direct to lung.
Mouth to lung or MTL is replicating the way smokers usually smoke in that you first take vapour into your mouth and then into your lungs. There are vapes that are designed for this style, in particular, usually those with a resistance of 1 ohm or greater.
Direct to lung or DTL is a method usually used by more experienced vapers as it creates a deep lung hit. A deep inhale will guarantee more flavour, bypassing the part where the vapour sits in your mouth on its way through. This is usually best suited for sub-ohm vapers.
