The Wonderful World of Vaping: An Illustrated Guide to E-cigs, V1.1

[DonDaBoomVape]

[You'll notice that this thread (a multi-post work in progress) is closed. That's only to keep all six installments grouped together. However, I welcome your comments. To enable that, I've started this

other thread

other thread

in the Vape Talk subforum. Don't hesitate to share your questions, suggestions, and critique there. Thanks! I look forward to interacting with you about this guide and the topics it addresses.]

The Wonderful World of Vaping: An Illustrated Guide to E-cigs

(Everything – or, at least, a lot of things – You Wanted to Know About E-cigs, But Were Afraid To Ask)

Men and women of all ages and nationalities are enjoying the wonders of vaping. It appears that you are considering becoming (or have decided to be or already are) one of us. Welcome!

This multi-part series of long posts began as an email to a smoker friend, whom I was attempting to convert to – what has become my all-consuming hobby and one of my greatest pleasures – vaping. I had referred him to the E-Cigarette Forum, but he was overwhelmed and found it difficult to wade through the myriad choices, details, and opinions. [ECF’s and Vapers Forum's greatest strength (which I stole as the subtitle for this series) is their greatest weakness. You could earn a doctorate getting a handle on all that’s there!]

What follows is an expanded version of my attempt to guide him, providing (in one place) the overview I wish that I had had when I first started. It became a bit of a magnum opus … and I realized that it might have some use to other new or potential vapers.

This series overlaps and is intended to supplement the outstanding “Sticky” introductory threads and videos at the top of this and other ECF and VF sub-forums.

[NOTE: This Vapers Forum version updates and corrects some errors, omissions and formatting in the original ECF version and provides internal links. Thus the V1.1.]

Here’s what we’ll be covering in this six-part series: [As each part is posted, links to it will be insert in the TOC.]

Table of Contents

Part 1 – The Wonderful World

Part 1 – The Wonderful World

• Caveats and Jargon

• Initial Concerns
  Initial Concerns

• Health – including an illuminating photo and links to articles that don’t pull punches

• Cost – upfront investment = carton of cigarettes; ongoing = half the cost of smoking

• What It Is … and Why to Do It

• Why is an e-cig better than an analog?
  Why is an e-cig better than an analog?
  – including where you can vape and a very funny video

• What is an e-cig?
  What is an e-cig?
  – Origin and rapid spread / Shapes and sizes

Part 2 – The Hardware

Part 2 – The Hardware

• Three or four Components (sometimes just two)
  Three or four Components (sometimes just two)
  – including manual vs. auto, exposed, high/low-bridge, colors, etc.

• Categories
  Categories
  of e-cigs
  of e-cigs
  : Super-Minis / Minis / Penstyles / Cigars and Pipes / Hybrids (“Mods”)

• Evaluation
  Evaluation
  factors
  factors
  – vapor, flavor, throat hit, draw, battery life, switch, etc.

Part 3 – The Software and the Process

A. The Juice – What Vaping is All About

• Nicotine Levels – including recommendations based on type of smoker

• Flavors
  Flavors
  : Tobacco
  : Tobacco
  /
  Gender-based Intermission
  Gender-based Intermission
  /
  Non-tobacco
  Non-tobacco
  – the vast scope of choices

• Suppliers
  Suppliers
  – for very unusual flavors; and a meta-supplier

• Evaluations
  Evaluations
  – similar factors to hardware, but more subjective; find a reviewer you like

• PG vs. VG
  PG vs. VG
  – pros and cons of each, allergies, some VG sources

B.

The Process

The Process

– lots of tutorial videos here

• Analogous to pipe smoking
  Analogous to pipe smoking

• Preparation
  Preparation
  – charging, assembly, filling, dripping, and dipping

• Cartridge Filling Techniques
  Cartridge Filling Techniques
  – syringe, straw mod, and toothpick

• Puffing and Inhaling
  Puffing and Inhaling
  – including how to blow smoke rings

• Basic Maintenance
  Basic Maintenance
  – including when to top off or recharge, cleaning

Part 4 – Purchasing Your First E-cig – The Little Guys

Part 4 – Purchasing Your First E-cig – The Little Guys

A. How to decide

A. How to decide

• Regardless of Model: Minimum order / Discount Codes / Warning

• Selecting the Right Device for You
  Selecting the Right Device for You

• The Quick Approaches
  The Quick Approaches
  – the Kr8 or 510

• A More Thorough Approach
  A More Thorough Approach
  : Forum resources – including Spikey’s Intro to Vaping and Leaford’s top 10 videos and an illuminating newbie post

B.

Specific Recommendations and Supplier Links Based on Your Priorities

Specific Recommendations and Supplier Links Based on Your Priorities

– with description of each model within category

• One of the Super-Minis
  One of the Super-Minis
  – size and shape of an analog; frequent battery recharging

• One of the Minis
  One of the Minis
  – better performance; a few more puffs per charge; somewhat longer; most popular

• The
  Cartomizers
  Cartomizers
  – Kr8, E9, and GreenCig – simplest, easiest to use; Mini-sized but more puffs per charge

Part 5 – Purchasing Your First E-cig – Big Guys and Juice

A. Specific Recommendations and Supplier Links – Big Guys

• One of the Penstyles – more puffs per charge; very smooth draw, good vapor and flavor, and mellow throat hit; long

• Cigars and Pipes
  Cigars and Pipes
  – obvious choice for cigar or pipe smoker; dwindling popularity; also consider the two final categories...

• The Fat Batts
  The Fat Batts
  – a new category to accomodate the eGO aka Tornado

• The “Mods” – long time between charges, maximum vapor and throat hit; but expensive and look nothing like an analog; 3.7V or 5-6V; streamlined new models

B. The Juice – even more important than hardware; personal price benchmark: 50¢/ml

• How to Decide: China vs. US/UK juice / Nicotine Level / Flavors

• Samplers: Where to get them / 10 ml Bottles

Part 6 – During the Weeks and Months to Come

A. Supplies & Accessories:

• Filling/Dripping/Dipping Supplies and Tools – carts, e-Dobit, contact lens case

• Replacement Parts – atomizers (alternate versions); batts (manual/auto, sizes, mega)

• PCCs and USB Passthroughs – why, by model, “true” PT vs. inline battery

• Storage Containers – various sizes depending on collection; multi-tier tackle and tool boxes

• Carrying Cases – metal cases; PCC + juice carrier; flashdrive or diabetes supplies case

• E-liquid – additional suppliers: Cignot and Tasty Vapor

B. DIY: Simple or Scratch Cook – combine premixed; cut hi-nic juice with cheap PG and/or VG; flavorings; tools; kits; learn more (e.g., Walrus)

C. Onward and Upward: Your Next E-cig – factors to consider; new models not previously covered

D. Modding: Invent Your Own – lots of photos and videos

• Cosmetic Mods – clip holders, metallic markers, nail art, Friendly Plastics, Etch-O-Matic, rhinestone, bling

• Cartridge Mods – fluval, pyramid tea bag, blue foam, spring mod

• Atomizer Mods – staple mod, dual atty Shotgun, the Carlos Atomizer

• Battery Mods – e.g., NicoStick and Cisco Laser Mod, funny Darth Vader promo video

• Juice Injection – UPAC, Juice Box, mAhmba, skull mod

E. Wrapping Up

• Campaigning – ECA, CASAA, ECF and VF subforums; they need your participation and support

• Conclusion – so much more; Acknowledgments; funny photos and video; what it’s meant to me audio

I hope you enjoy and find value in this guide. Use it as a springboard for further exploration of this truly exciting world of vaping!

Don

[DonDaBoomVape]

The Wonderful World of Vaping: An Illustrated Guide to E-cigs

Part 1 – The Wonderful World

Caveats

• For convenience, clarity and (at least an attempt at) brevity (you should have seen my first draft), much of the following is stated in absolutes, using sweeping generalizations. However, if there is an absolute in the world of vaping, it is that everyone’s experience, preferences and style are different. I have yet to encounter two vapers who feel the same way about a device and e-liquid, at the same nicotine level, and use it in the same way and in the same circumstances.

• For the same reasons, I make certain assumptions, which may very well not be applicable to you. For example, I assume that someone new to vaping would initially prefer a device and flavor as close as possible to a regular tobacco cigarette. However, after exploring this wonderful world, you may be attracted to an e-cig twice the length of a regular cigarette (and/or 3 times the width and a completely different shape) and tasting like cotton candy or kung pao chicken (and, yes, there is a kung pao chicken flavor).

• For similar reasons (and due, in part, to my personality), the tone here is the voice of authority. However, although I have more experience with this stuff than some, I have much less than many. All “facts” are to the best of my knowledge. [I encourage others to correct them.] And I have no official status with nor do I represent this or any other forum (e.g., I am not a Moderator).

• I have chosen to provide advice and recommendations, based on my experience, point of view, and those assumptions. Take them with many grains of salt. Their primary value is to stimulate your own thinking and to cause you to explore further. And I have included links to many suppliers. These are examples only based on: that experience and assumptions … my research as of this posting date … and the fact that I am cheap, i.e., I hunt for the lowest prices (without compromising quality or service). Virtually all suppliers who participate in forums like VF and ECF provide a reliable product at reasonable prices and with personalized customer service far superior to what one normally experiences as a consumer.

• I am a Yank. Some of my comments and recommendations are influenced by that, e.g., I assume that metric measurements require explanation and I give preference to U.S. suppliers – simply because I unconsciously prepared this with fellow Yanks in mind. I’m just not that knowledgeable of the best sources outside the US of A (other than China, of course).

Some jargon before we begin:

• People who use e-cigs are vapers who vape the vapor of personal vaporizers (another name for e-cigs) … just as smokers smoke the burning tobacco of traditional cigarettes.

• What gets vaporized (or vaped) is the e-liquid or juice in the cartridge of the e-cig (or dripped on the atomizer).

• Milli (i.e., metric) measurements are used in this world: millimeter length of e-cigs (use a 100s cigarette as your benchmark, i.e., 100 mm) … milliliters of juice (30 ml = 1 oz.) … and milligrams of nicotine (e.g., “High” = ~18 mg).

• Since an e-cig is electronic (digital), vapers refer to a tobacco cigarette as an analog.

• See also the
  Glossary of terms and abbreviations
  Glossary of terms and abbreviations
  thread toward the top of this sub-forum.

[DonDaBoomVape]

Initial Concerns

That friend of mine had two concerns about e-cigs. Perhaps you share them. Here’s my response.


Health

The e-cigarette itself (i.e., the hardware) is neither healthy nor unhealthy; it is merely an electronic device for vaporizing the liquid put in it. The liquid used in an e-cigarette contains:

• USP-grade PG (Propylene Glycol) – used in food flavorings, cosmetics, the artificial “smoke” at rock concerts, and, yes, antifreeze. <-- That last usage has the crazies up in arms, falsely claiming that we are inhaling antifreeze. No … just one of its many components (a very safe, natural one). [NOTE: Some people are allergic to PG (e.g., a rash or sore throat, but nothing serious). They should use…]

• And/or USP-grade VG (Vegetable Glycerin – more syrupy, and derived from veggies)

• Plus a selectable amount of nicotine (derived from tobacco)

• Plus flavoring (derived from different types of tobacco and/or food/candy flavorings).

Because the nicotine and some of the flavors are derived from tobacco, there may be very small trace amounts of the yucky stuff in analog cigarettes, at about one thousandth of the level found in those analogs.

Any concerns you may have about the healthiness of e-cigs might be due to a misleading, scientifically-unsound, and unfair report issued by the FDA, a month prior to this post. Much of the news coverage and commentary (and hysteria propagated by “public interest” groups such as ASH) has been negative, but not all. Here is just one of the rational independent commentaries (which refers to the issues raised in the FDA report).

To find out more, explore the

Medical/Health and Safety

Medical/Health and Safety

subforum. I found articles like this especially helpful.


Cost

After an initial upfront investment, the cost of vaping will be less – perhaps significantly less – than smoking (unless you get carried away, as some of us do, with buying many different types of devices and purchasing the most expensive e-liquid). And even upfront, it may not be that much more.

I don’t know how many tobacco cigarettes you smoke each day or the price where you live. For the purpose of comparison (and round numbers), I’m going to assume about 1.5 packs/day (or one carton per week), at a price of $6/pack. If so, analog cigarettes cost you $60 per week … not counting ashtrays and lighters, deodorizers and air fresheners, and having to replace clothing with ugly holes caused by errant embers).

E-cigs come in all shapes, sizes, colors, flavors ... and costs. A typical starter kit runs around $50-$70, but in Parts 4 and 5, I’ll be providing links to kits costing around $40 (often with free shipping). Adding in $30 worth of initial supplies (replacement parts and e-liquid), that’s an upfront investment of $70, which should keep you going in hardware for quite some time and in e-liquid for at least one to two weeks. [This assumes you immediately stop analog smoking entirely. If you keep your foot in both worlds for a while, that juice will last longer.] Thereafter, you will need only more e-liquid and replacement parts (and maybe a few accessories), averaging perhaps $20-$40 per week.

[DonDaBoomVape]

Why is an e-cig is better than an analog tobacco cigarette?

1. First and foremost (to me) is the enjoyment, e.g.: it tastes better ... there is so much choice and variety ... and it’s a gadget (“boys and their toys”). I never really wanted to quit smoking – I enjoyed it (nothing like I’ve come to enjoy vaping, however). But I (and especially my wife) was concerned about the health consequences, which takes us to…

2. An e-cig is much healthier than an analog. [As healthy as breathing air? No, but it is worth it, for me ... and certainly for anyone already addicted to nicotine.]

3. It is cheaper; it may turn out to be half the cost of your analog smoking.

4. Although it is a habit, it is not “a filthy habit.”

5. You can vape (not everywhere, but) in many more places and circumstances than you can smoke.

• I stopped smoking inside my home several years ago, because it was staining the walls and carpets. I’ve now been able to come back inside to vape (a real advantage during inclement weather or when it is stinking hot or freezing cold outside).

• Many people vape at work, either because their employer and coworkers don’t care or because it’s fairly easy to stealth vape (either when no one is looking and/or by holding in the vapor longer so that nothing visible is exhaled).

• Some restaurants, bars and pubs permit vaping. [When in doubt, ask ... and be prepared to explain what the heck you are talking about. I usually refer to it as my personal vaporizer rather than an electronic cigarette. There is some virulent anti-smoking sentiment out there. The most common sentiment about vaping is...ignorance; and that can be corrected.]

• During a recent plane trip, I was able to vape (not on the plane, although some vapers have)…

…but in the airports. I did it fairly openly, but discretely. Actually, from a police officer at one of the airports, I had requested and received permission (once I assured him that there was no burning tobacco). His only caveat: “Unless people around you complain.”

• And you can even vape here:

YouTube- The biggest advantage of the electric cigarette

YouTube- The biggest advantage of the electric cigarette

For more on this, see The E-Cigarettes in Public sub-forum over at ECF.

6. It is more flexible: I can vape just one or two puffs, without wasting the rest of a cigarette … or for a half-hour straight, without overwhelming my body with nicotine, just by adjusting the strength of the juice.

7. It has its own subculture, e.g., Vapers Forum and ECF: places to hang out with other similarly free-thinking, often wacky people, who share my enthusiasm and many of my experiences. Shown below are the avatars or photos of just some of the more prolific members of vaping forums.

Other vapers might reprioritize that list (and certainly could provide other examples), but, I believe, all would agree with it.

[DonDaBoomVape]

What is an e-cig?

It was invented only five years ago in China…

…and has quickly spread throughout the world, growing rapidly in popularity, and recently brought to public attention by celebrities, with mall kiosks, on TV news…

…and, in late August 2009, a 30-second commercial on CNN. Virtually all of the hardware (at least the atomizers) – and most of the software (i.e., the liquid) – still is manufactured in China by a half-dozen companies, e.g., Ruyan, shown here...

...and imported into the U.S. [oops, there’s my Yank perspective again] by myriad suppliers and vendors … or you can order directly from China (which I, and many others, have done successfully, e.g., from Heaven Gifts, EastMall, Healthcabin, or BestEcig).

Electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes, or e-cigs, or PVs (personal vaporizers) come in all shapes, sizes and colors, e.g., those shown in this photo (courtesy of ECF's wv2win). [See also Spikey's

Different Models thread

Different Models thread

here on VF and/or Elendil’s ECF photo thread.]

Starting from the bottom of this photo:

• Most prospective vapers initially are attracted to an e-cig the same size or a bit smaller than the one at the very bottom of the above photo – the “Super-Mini,” e.g., Joye306/306a, M402/403, or M702 (Revolver Elite).

• The next one up is a Janty Stick (one of the “Mods”).

• The next three are the “Minis” (the most popular category of e-cig and recommended for most new vapers):

• The third from the bottom is currently the most popular e-cig (among forums' members) – the Joye510, recently voted Best Starter Kit.

• My first e-cig is the fourth one from the bottom (the silver & red one) – the KR808D-1 (another excellent choice), hereinafter to be abbreviated Kr8, pronounced Kreight.

• Above that is the DSE901, one of the very first, and still very popular, models (and Leaford’s recommendation for a new vaper).

• Next (the one with the bulge) is the Screwdriver, the first manufactured Mod.

• Above that is an e-cigar, which along with the e-pipe, were the first models to look like something other than a cigarette.

• My personal favorite, and one of the classics, is that long white model second from the top: the DSE801, one of the “Penstyles” (looks kind of like a ciggy in an old-fashioned cigarette holder).

• That monster at the very top is an early version of the Prodigy (another of the "Mods"). [My first impression (and perhaps yours) of that and the other Mods was: weird looking (one ECF member described them as “scary”). And yet I and many others swear by them. My guess, however, is that you are not yet ready for those.]

That was merely an introductory overview. Still interested? Well…

Part 2 Teaser

In the next installment, we’ll be examining the hardware (i.e., the devices):

• The three or four component parts of an e-cig (sometimes just two) – including manual vs. auto, exposed, high/low-bridge, colors, etc.

• The categories of e-cigs – Super-Minis / Minis / Penstyles / Cigars and Pipes / Mods

• The factors used to evaluate e-cigs, e.g., in review videos – vapor, flavor, throat hit, draw, battery life, switch, etc.

See you then!

And remember, to post questions, comments, or suggestions, please use

this thread

this thread

in the Vape Talk subforum. I look forward to interacting with you!

[DonDaBoomVape]

[You'll notice that this thread (a multi-post work in progress) is closed. That's only to keep all six installments grouped together. However, I welcome your comments. To enable that, I've started this

other thread

other thread

in the Vape Talk subforum. Don't hesitate to share your questions, suggestions, and critique there. Thanks! I look forward to interacting with you about this guide and the topics it addresses.]

The Wonderful World of Vaping: An Illustrated Guide to E-cigs

Part 2 – The Hardware

Please see the first post in this thread for an explanation of what this six-part series is all about, including a Table of Contents and relevant caveats.


The Components

Whatever the shape or size, virtually* all e-cigs have 3 components (or 4, if you count the mouthpiece that contains the cartridge), illustrated in this photo of the smallest e-cig:

1. The cartridge (or cart) contains the e-liquid (the flavored, nicontined, vaporable PG and/or VG). Shown below is the cartridge of a “Penstyle” (the longest category of e-cig), with the stuffing pulled out a bit by those tweezers.

The cart is stuffed with material like polyfill or fluval (or even teabags, coffee filter, or blue foam), which absorbs the e-liquid (prefilled or inserted by the user) and makes it available to…

2. The atomizer (or atty) vaporizes the e-liquid, turning it into inhalable/exhalable vapor (which looks and feels like smoke, but tastes so much better). The first photo above shows an example of an exposed wick atomizer (suitable for “dipping,” discussed in Part 3). Some atomizer wicks are inside a tube, as shown in the next picture of the atomizer for an RN4081(e.g., SE Gold or NJoy NPRO) – at 105 mm, the largest super-mini – exterior and cross-section:

And the steel wool wick can be “low bridge” or “high bridge”, as shown in these two versions of the atty for the Mini sized DSE901.

3. The battery (or batt) powers the atomizer. It is this part especially that varies the shape and size so much. Most batteries are the same shape as the one in the first picture, but vary in length. [The bigger the battery, the higher the mAh (milliamp hours) and the less frequently it needs to be recharged. And, all other things being equal (which they are not in this rapidly changing cottage industry), the bigger the battery (and certainly the higher its voltage), the more powerful the experience.] Show here are the three different sized batteries for the M400 series:

Some batteries, however, have a very different shape, rising out of the concept (typical in Mods) of a unique battery housing using generic batteries. The example shown below is one of the versions of Imeo’s GG with its alternative battery options.

Most batteries have an automatic switch (e.g., turned on by sucking on the mouthpiece or by sound or movement); an increasing number (especially on larger models) are manual (turned on by pressing a button on the side or end of the battery) as shown in photo above and here (a Joye 510 battery).

4. And the mouthpiece (containing the cartridge) goes in your...(wait for it!) mouth. Shown here are the two different configurations of the 510's cartridge/mouthpiece: flat whistle tip and round tip:

Oh, there usually also is an LED indicator light at the end, simulating the lit end of an analog and indicating whether the battery is on or off. Often there is a choice of LED colors, e.g., blue, red, orange, green, purple. The most typical colors of the e-cig itself are black (shown above, either matte or glossy), white (shown below, with white or other colored mouthpiece/cartridge/atomizer), and silver/chrome/platinum/stainless steel (in fact, all are stainless steel, although some are shinier than others, e.g., “titanium” is not made of titanium). There are even red, blue, green, copper … and pink e-cigs. And some have pretty designs on them.

[E-CIGS! … are a many colored thing…they’re in black-and-white…pink-and-green…like the early spring… Sorry about that! I can’t help bursting into song, when I talk about this.]

* Now the exception to the 4-component rule: the Kr8 (KR808D-1) shown below, as well as the E9 and GreenCig, are 2-component devices: the battery plus a combined atomizer/cartridge/mouthpiece (the “cartomizer”). And notice the myriad-colored cartomizers in this photo. [Ooh! Colors! Don't worry, I won't sing again...at least in Part 2.]

[DonDaBoomVape]

Categories

Most e-cigs fall into one of five categories (based primarily on length), examples of the first three of which are shown below. [It is a patchwork picture. All but the model at the top are courtesy of Nikko Daniels of ECF.]

1. The Super-Mini (including the two shown at the bottom of the photo): the smallest e-cigs, either:

• 84 mm (the smallest e-cig): the DSE084 (aka 8084), shown at the bottom.

• 89 mm (about the size of a regular filtered analog): Models include the Joye306a, the M403, and the silver & black “blu” shown in the photo.

• 98 mm (about the size of a 100s analog): Models (not shown in the photo) include the Joye306 (aka Janty Mini Fogger) and the M402.

• At 102 mm – 105 mm, the DSE103 and RN4081 (also not shown in the photo) are the very longest super-minis, and close in length to the shortest model in the next category.

2. The Mini (the next four in the photo, working up) – mid-length, at 108-118 mm, a bit longer than a 100s analog. Models include:

• the white and tan one – the DSE108 (guess what length it is).

• the 108 mm M401 (the next one up, black with gold design, although such color and design are selectable).

• the black unit with a button – the 112 mm Joye510 (currently the most popular among forums' members)

• that silver model second from the top – 118 mm DSE901 (the longest of this group and the very first e-cig, I believe). The RN4075 is virtually identical.

3. The Penstyle (top of photo): the longest type (155 mm), the same size as a…pen. [Isn’t it elegant looking! DaBoomVape bias perhaps.] Models include: DSE801, RN4072, Joye302, BE112 (all of which are compatible) and the M201 and Janty Kissbox.

4. There also are models not falling neatly into the above by-length niches, e.g., those that mimic the two other tobacco smoking devices: the cigar (the two photos on the top of the next group picture) … and the two photos on the bottom: the pipe (including the “lady” or “mini” pipe on the right).

5. And then there are the Mods (I called them 'Hybrids' in version 1.0 of this guide, but it didn't catch on): Chinese atomizers and cartridges combined with western (e.g., U.S., U.K., Greece, Holland) battery packs, shown in the next two group pictures. They are called “Mods,” since many started out as homebrew modifications, addressing the biggest weakness of cigarette-shaped PVs – the battery.

Check out this excellent article in e-cignews.com for pictures and descriptions of the various models of this category (including my Prodigy), many of which also are shown here (from the collection of ECF's Zofryer):

As vast as his collection is, it doesn’t include two classics, Trog’s Screwdriver (the first manufactured mod/hybrid) and the popular Janty Stick:

I’m looking forward to another type of modification – automatic juice injection. Actually it has been done by Modders, but nothing yet has been manufactured for sale to the non-mechanically/electrically inclined, i.e., people like me. [NOTE: That was true when I wrote Part 2 version 1.0 in September 2009. The "Juice Box" by Carlos49 now is being sold here.]


More information on many of the models in these five categories can be found in Spikey's

Different Models thread

Different Models thread

, ECF's Model Specific Discussion sub-forums, and in VF's

Supporting Vendors

Supporting Vendors

sub-forums.

[DonDaBoomVape]

Evaluations

E-cigarette hardware is evaluated – in numerous text and video reviews here on Vapers Forum and on YouTube – using six primary criteria (in addition to price and vendor reliability/customer service):

1. Vapor production – voluminous vapor (even more than analog smoke) … or wimpy wisps.

2. Flavor – harsh, burnt taste ... full flavor ... or bland.

3. Throat hit – that rush you get when inhaling (centered on a tickle or pinched feeling in the back of the throat). Similar to the first drag of an analog after an hour’s deprivation.

4. Draw – like sucking air through a straw (not necessarily such a long one) … or a thick milkshake.

5. Battery life – meaning (in one sense) how long the battery will last before dying completely ... but, of main concern, how long (or how many puffs) before recharging is required. [This is determined by the battery's mAh (milliamp hours) rating.]

6. The switch (which turns the battery on and off) – either automatic (triggered by sucking on the mouthpiece, movement, or sound) or manual (a button you press on the side or end of the battery). Each is evaluated differently:

• Automatic – some are oversensitive (turning on at outside movement or sound, e.g., when clubbing), many have automatic cutoffs (after 2–8 seconds), some are simply unreliable.

• Manual – the size, placement, durability, and reliability of the button, e.g., as shown in the two photos on the right. For example, I love the large button (and its convenient placement for the thumb or index finger) of my big, fat Prodigy; I hate the tiny button (which sticks and can get stuck inside the housing) of the manual version of my DSE801 penstyle. [Most reviewers use a 5-point or 10-point scale. As you can see, I use the simpler love/hate scale.]

Other factors often critiqued are reliability and consistency, juice capacity of the cartridge, type and effectiveness of wick on the atomizer, appearance, how it feels in the hand, and even the package it comes in. [I’ve never understood that last one. After you’ve opened the box and started using the e-cig, who cares? Well, I guess many video reviewers do.]


Homework

At this point, one or more models probably have struck your fancy. Why don't you "Search" for them here in Vapers Forum (and over in that other forum), to find out other members' experience with them. And experiment with the various options in the Advanced Search mode (e.g., search titles only or entire posts, specifying which subforum(s) to search in, etc.)

And here's a tip when searching ECF: that Search feature only works on words of at least four characters ... yet so many terms in this world are two or three characters in length (frustrating!). So use that tiny "Google Custom Search" box at the very bottom (on the left) of most of the pages. [I was there six weeks before I noticed it.] It incorporates all Google search features, e.g., +, -, "exact phrase", etc. [NOTE: Vapers Forum has no such "Google Custom Search" box, so just do a standard search in Google but add "site:vapersforum.com" (without the quotes). For example: +901 +PCC site:vapersforum.com]

Vapers Forum and ECF are big places; tools like these can help you find your way.


Want to learn more about this wonderful world? Well tune in to our next episode:

PART 3 Teaser

In the next installment, we’ll be examining the software (i.e., the e-liquid) and the process of vaping:

A. The Juice – What Vaping is All About

• Nicotine Levels

• Flavors – Tobacco / Gender-based Intermission / Non-tobacco

• Evaluations

• PG vs. VG

B. The Process

• Analogous to pipe smoking

• Preparation

• Puffing and inhaling

• Maintenance

Hasta la vista!

And remember, to post questions or comments – good, bad, or (heaven forbid) indifferent – please use

this thread

this thread

in the Vape Talk subforum. I look forward to interacting with you!

[DonDaBoomVape]

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[DonDaBoomVape]

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