How To Choose The Right E Cigarette

You’ve seen people vaping and want to try it for yourself. It’s simple enough, right? Just swap out your cigarette for an e-cig or other vape device and that’s it, you’re done. Any old e-cig will do the job. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case.

There are thousands of different e-cigarette and vaping devices made by hundreds of manufacturers, if not more, and each one is different from the next.

Choosing an e-cig or vape as a first-time user can be a difficult and stressful task. Unless you have prior knowledge of these devices or have a friend who also uses one, chances are that you’ll be taking shots in the dark if you buy one without doing your research first. It can be so complicated, in fact, that you may think that reverting to simple cigarettes is the easiest option, especially when words like “box mod” and “atomiser” are thrown around like they’re universally understood.

Whilst choosing your e-cig is not the easiest thing in the world to do, the process is made a whole lot easier when some thought and time is put into your decision making. That is why we have made this brief guide to help you decide which type of e-cigarette you should buy.

Decide Which Style of E-Cig You Need

There are a variety of styles of e-cigs and vapes. They range from miniature models that look like real cigarettes like our V-Pack II to large ‘box mod’ style e-cigs that look more technical and are designed for more advanced vapers.

While all e-cigs work in the same way – by heating up e-liquid to produce vapour that is then inhaled and subsequently exhaled – there are big differences between different device types.

1. Cig-a-likes

Cig-a-like devices look similar to tobacco cigarettes. They have small batteries with the healing coil and e-liquid contained in a cartomiser. These are used in the same way as a real cigarette – you take a long drag before exhaling. Two of the big benefits that they offer is portability and ease of use. For smokers and former smokers, they can be very easy to use as they look a lot like the cigarettes that they aim to replace and they're used in much the same fashion, only without the need for a lighter. Attach a cartomiser (cartridge containing e-liquid) to the e-cig battery and start puffing - that's all there is to it. At Vaper Empire, we offer one of the best cig-a-like devices on the market, our V-Pack II Series, which is designed with ease of use and quality of vapour in mind.

2. Vape pens and smaller tank systems

These move away from the cigarette-like appearance and have a size that is similar to that of a marker pen, hence the name ‘vape pen’.

They include a refillable tank to store e-liquid and replaceable coils, and the batteries last a lot longer than those in a typical cig-a-like device. Unlike most cig-a-likes, these devices begin vaporising e-liquid when you press and hold a button. At Vaper Empire, we have a number of different e-liquid vape pens to choose from, including our compact Vantage Series and our variable voltage V-Twist Series.

3. Vape mods and larger tank systems

These are the biggest type of e-cigarette and come in a range of shapes and sizes. These days, they are mostly box-shaped, hence the name ‘box mod’, and work as a bigger tank system with bigger, longer-lasting batteries.

They have a higher capacity in their tanks for e-juice and they generally produce bigger, thicker clouds of vapour. They often have adjustable settings too, such as airflow and variable voltage control. They are also the most expensive type of e-cig and can cost anything from $30 all the way into the hundreds.

At Vaper Empire, we take a user-friendly approach to box vapes with our Vibe Series, which offers the power you'd expect from a vape mod without the hassles many have come to expect. It's equipped with a high-capacity tank, 2000mAh rechargeable vape battery, and a single button that controls all of its operations.

4. Pod vape systems

While there are those who prefer cig-a-likes due to their small size and ease of use, pod vape systems are quickly becoming the new cig-a-like for many vapers around the world. Pod vapes, like cig-a-likes, offer a high level of portability due to their compact size and are similarly easy to use, but offer more powerful batteries, higher capacity tanks known as vape pods, and better throat hit and vapour flavour thanks to their use of nicotine salts. If a pod vape sounds like the right e-cigarette for you then take a look at our new VIGGO Series pod system.

Things to Think About

It doesn’t matter who you are, there are factors that you need to consider when looking for the best e-cig that fits your needs. It is worth accounting for all these factors so that you can make the most informed purchasing decision.

Ease of Use

How important is the device's ease of use to you?

Cig-a-likes are the simplest devices. All you need to do is screw in the cartomiser into the battery and use it like a normal cigarette (only without lighting the end with a flame). When you’ve finished the cartomiser, you throw it away and screw a new one in its place.

Tank systems aren’t much harder either. The key difference is that you have a tank that you refill with e-liquid. With tank systems, coils can wear out and they’ll occasionally need changing. They also need to be cleaned semi-regularly. Therefore, they are more hands-on.

Bigger mods and tank systems are more complex and aren’t ideal for newbie vapers. These often have displays screens, multiple buttons, and are far more delicate.

Pod vapes are as easy to use as cig-a-likes and nearly as compact, but they offer more battery power, improved vapour output, and more e-liquid in their cartomisers (pods).

Budget

Although each packet of cigarettes is ready-to-use, when you are just beginning to vape, you need to get an e-cig, a charger, a tank and some e-liquid. The running costs of vaping – mainly buying new coils and e-liquid – are very low, but you need to invest when you first get started. Depending on the device you choose, initial costs can be quite high.

Setting yourself a budget is important and it plays a key role in helping you decide on the device that you start your own vaping journey with. Think about how much you will be vaping and how this will factor in over time, too.

Device Longevity

If you are going to be using your vape a lot throughout the day, you want a device with a battery that is going to last. You also want a device that isn’t going to burn through your e-liquid after only a few hours.

The amount you are going to vape is comparable to how heavy a smoker you are.

For light smokers, a cig-a-like device is likely to be sufficient, however, you may want to use a vape pen or similar device for the extra features they have to offer. For heavier smokers, you will definitely need a vape pen or an entry-level box mod device; cig-a-likes will not cut it and they will run out very quickly. Alternatively, heavy smokers can also opt for a pod vape, as pod vapes like our new VIGGO Series provide ample battery life, easily surpassing what a typical cig-a-like can offer.

Shopping for E-Cig Products

At Vaper Empire, we have a varied range of products developed in-house by our own team of specialist designers. Unlike some brands, however, we don’t create hundreds of different product lines. Instead, we have a small number of product lines – from cig-a-like devices to our own take on the ‘box mod’ – to help keep things simple. There is something for everyone.

To find out more, head on over to the Vaper Empire online store where you will find a range of products, accessories, e-liquids, starter kits, and more. At Vaper Empire, you will find everything that you need to begin vaping.