Whether you are just starting out on your vaping journey, have been at it a while, or are still smoking and weighing up your options, having the right vape kit in your hand plays a big part in helping you to achieve your personal goals.
Maybe you have been vaping a while and want to start reducing your nicotine intake? Perhaps you’ve made the switch already but are still smoking from time to time, and you want to break out of being a dual user? Whatever you want to achieve, this blog will try to help you understand which kinds of vaping device are best for your personal journey.
What’s Your Starting Point?
Before you can know what device is best for you, you need to understand your own lifestyle and needs – ask yourself some questions about your journey.
If you already vape but are struggling to achieve your next goal, why is that the case? What about your current device is holding you back? If you have never vaped before but want something to help you transition away from cigarettes and quit nicotine for good, what do you need from your device to make sure that switch is successful?
There are so many devices out there to choose from, there should be at least one that offers the features you need to reach your goals. There isn’t always a right or wrong answer as everybody is different, but considering what you are really looking for on your journey will help narrow things down and ensure that you have the right tools for the job.
I’m A Smoker that Wants to Switch to Vaping
If this applies to you, first of all congratulations! You’ve made a great choice for your wellbeing. Leaving smoking is always a good thing, whether or not you choose vaping as an alternative. If you do still have questions about how best to go about quitting smoking, you can explore more information about a range of alternatives, including vaping, in our guide, Finding The Right Alternative, or seek advice from a stop smoking service.
If you do want to give vaping a go however, there are some devices that may be better suited to your needs than others. Consider what it is that you feel will help make the transition easier.
Do You Want Convenience and Simplicity?
Smoking is a very quick and simple act, rarely involving more than pulling out a cigarette and lighting it up. If you are looking for a vaping device that offers a similar level of simplicity and convenience, then pre-filled pod devices like the EDGE GO are a great option.
Kits like this are typically:
- Affordable
- Lightweight and compact
- Available in smaller ranges of pre-set flavours
- Available in a range of nicotine strengths
They require very little maintenance or effort to use, often being buttonless (you just inhale to activate the device) and do not require you to swap vape coils or refill a tank.
“Cig-a-like” vape kits take this concept one step further, actually mimicking the appearance of a cigarette, which could be a welcome familiarity for those struggling to adjust to vaping from smoking. This technology is a little older than more modern options like the GO however, so you should weigh the importance of familiarity against performance to decide which you would prefer.
Do You Want a Familiar Flavour?
When transitioning from smoking, many people prefer to choose a tobacco or menthol flavoured e-liquid. This can help make vaping that much more familiar, particularly in those vital first days and weeks after leaving cigarettes behind.
EDGE GO Pods come in a smaller range of flavours vs the number of options you can find in a 10ml range like our £1 collection, but this can actually be a benefit to new vapers. They allow you to keep it simple and try out vaping without committing to a full bottle of a particular flavour, or by being overwhelmed by choice.
Tailored to new vapers, they offer a tobacco, menthol, and fruit flavour to give you familiarity and something new should you wish to give it a try once you are more comfortable with vaping.
Do you Need a Higher Nicotine Strength?
The answer to this question depends on what kind of smoker you are/were. Choosing the right nicotine strength is important as it will determine whether or not vaping will satisfy your individual cravings. We’ve written a guide to nicotine strengths that you can explore, but as a quick guide here:
Thankfully most vaping devices give you the ability to move up or down nicotine strengths as you need, with the exception of disposable vape bars which typically only come pre-filled with the maximum legal limit of 20mg, which could be far more than you need to meet your cravings.
EDGE Go pods are also pre-filled but come in a range of tapered nicotine strengths allowing you to both start at an appropriate level, and then work your way down to lower strengths to help reduce your dependence on nicotine.
Our Recommendation for New Vapers
The device type that encompasses simplicity, familiar flavours without offering excessive choice and a practical range of nicotine strengths that allows tapering down, are pre-filled pod devices.
This does not mean you should rule out refillable pod kits like the VooPoo Argus P2, as they also offer similar levels of simplicity, ruling out the need for coil swapping, or understanding watts and ohms, however they do require filling with a separately purchased 10ml e-liquid bottle.
I’m a Dual User That Wants To Fully Switch To Vaping
Many people who try using vaping as an alternative to smoking find they end up dual using. This is when you supplement you smoking with some vaping, but still consume cigarettes too. Many find it hard to simply stop smoking altogether in one go, even when using an alternative source of nicotine. So long as you are reducing your smoking it is still a positive step on your journey.
If your goal is to fully make the switch to vaping however, and you have been struggling to do so, you might need a new device to help you achieve that goal! Just like before, ask yourself what it is about your device that’s making it hard to leave behind cigarettes once and for all.
Is the battery Life Long Enough?
Assuming you entered the world of vaping using a very basic kit, as many do, you might find that they have some limitations. Whether it is a pre-filled pod device, a cartomiser, or even a disposable vape bar, their batteries are typically much smaller than other devices. Not to mention, disposable vapes cannot even be recharged, making them even less practical.
If you find your dual use persists because you often find your vape battery goes flat in the middle of the day, making it tempting to buy cigarettes to fill the gap, then it may be time for an upgrade!
Refillable pod devices like the Innokin Klypse or Aspire Flexus Q offer larger batteries with increased staying power, but also feature rapid charging technology to minimise downtime even further. The Flexus Q in particular benefits from USB-C 3A charging tech, which restores 80% of the total battery level in only ten minutes!
Mod style devices offer even larger batteries, but are considered more advanced, and if you are a dual-user, you may prefer to opt for a longer-lasting kit that still keeps it simple until you have made the switch to vaping full-time.
With a vape kit that can support all-day-vaping, you will have less reason to reach for a cigarette, and can begin to taper down the amount you still smoke in favour of vaping if you are focussed on tobacco harm reduction journey.
Are You Struggling to Find A Flavour You love?
Devices classed as “open systems” are essentially any that can be refilled by you, using your choice of e-liquid. As a dual user, you will probably want to keep it simple with a pod device rather than a mod as we mentioned above, but any open system will give you much more freedom of flavour choice vs pre-filled options.
If you are wanting to go beyond menthols and tobacco flavours, the vaping world has so many options to choose from. In our range we have fruits, sweets, drinks, desserts, and all manner of interesting flavour types for you to explore beyond the mundane.
If you are simply bored of the flavour choices in a pre-filled range and this is leading you to smoke more rather than vape, consider trying an open system device like the EDGE Pro all-in-one vape pen or a refillable pod kit like the Vaporesso Xros 3. They keep it simple but expand your flavour horizons massively.
Do you Need a More Satisfying ‘Hit’?
The ‘hit’ given by an e-cigarette can be influenced the most by two factors: device power output and e-liquid nicotine strength.
Nicotine strength is down to your personal needs, if you are not satisfied by your current strength, consider increasing it slightly and seeing if this helps you manage cravings and move away from dual use. If your goal is to reduce your nicotine intake you can taper back down the strengths later, but try to focus on cutting out those last few cigarettes first – it’s a journey, take it one step at a time.
Simple devices like cig-a-likes rarely have the ability to tailor your power output, so if you are after a bit more vapour to give a more satisfying experience, there are better options out there. You can keep it simple with kits which has buttonless activation like a cig-a-like but gives you the ability to increase the power output slightly and tweak airflow to give you a hit that better suits your needs.
Equally, many devices have multiple pod options, like the Xros 3 mini. They don’t require you to swap coils but give you different pod styles that have tighter or more open airflow which again allows you to more closely tailor the ‘hit’ to your preference. Ultimately making the vaping experience more satisfying and making it easier for you to cut out those last cigarettes.
If you are dual using with a disposable vape, the type of e-liquid can also be important – you can move to a better quality, less wasteful device like those described above and combine them with Nic Salt vape juice. It is the type used in all disposables vape bars. It is designed to offer high strength nicotine that is very smooth, allowing you to beat big cravings without much throat hit.
I’m a Vaper but Want to Quit Nicotine
If you have been vaping for some time, but your end goal is a nicotine free lifestyle, then thankfully most vaping devices can support you on that journey. Any open-system device like a pod or pod-mod can be combined with e-liquids that taper down in strength, allowing you to carefully reduce your intake all the way from 18mg to 0mg to manage cravings and withdrawals.
There are certain devices that might make this journey a little tricky, however – cartomisers for example rarely have a 0mg option available, meaning it is hard to take that final step away from nicotine.
Are You using Disposable Vapes?
One of the only devices available that doesn’t allow you to taper down in nicotine strength also happen to be one of the most commonly used; disposable vape bars. They are only available in 20mg, typically. They have no incremental strength options and are not designed to be part of a true nicotine cessation journey.
If you have used them to leave smoking behind, then this is fantastic, however if your end-goal is to quit not just smoking, but also to be nicotine free, then you will need to find a device that supports that journey.
Thankfully, as we have said above, you have lots of options to do just that! Any open tank device and even pre-filled options like the EDGE GO give you the freedom to taper down your nicotine strength. If you enjoy the nicotine salt experience of disposables but want a range that allows you to lower your nicotine strength, then you can combine a simple pod device with a nic salt juice of your choosing from our bar salts range which will hit the same way, and deliver a bold flavour similar to disposable vapes, but unlocks the freedom you need to achieve your goals, whilst also saving you cash
