Last Updated: 3/28/20
INTRODUCTION
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!
Where do I start? What voltage, what wattage, what device, what the hell is an Ohm and why should I care? If you’re looking for information on terms (Ohms, Attys, Cartos, Volts, Etc), you might first want to have a look at the Vaper’s Glossary section. I also have a video called the Beginners Guide to E-Cigs and E-Cig Tech, and I have plans of revisiting that video to make it more current. If you’re looking for a suggestion on what to buy, you’ve come to the right place.
If you’re just getting started, you may be overwhelmed by the number of forums, Facebook groups, shops, online retailers, starter kits, etc, etc, etc!! I know, it’s crazy!
Or maybe you’ve come across the “guys in the mall” and have concerns about what you’re really buying and how much you should be spending. Maybe you’ve tried a vape shop and they instantly want to sell you a 200W mod, direct lung sub-ohm tank, and 3mg e-liquid.
Let me try to help.
FIRST, WHAT IS VAPING AND WHY IS IT CALLED THAT?
Vaping is the current preferred term used by people who use electronic cigarettes. In vaping, electronic cigarette liquid (also known as e-liquid or “juice”) is vaporized (thus the term “vaping”) by some type of heating element. Power is supplied to the heating element by a battery.
The resulting vapor is taken into the lungs and exhaled much like the smoke of a regular cigarette.
Remember, “vaping” is a verb. This verb can be applied to vaping nicotine products, but can also be applied to CDB and THC products. This site is designed for smoking cessation and when the term vaping is used, it is used to indicate nicotine vaping.
If you don’t smoke, DO NOT VAPE! Why create a new habit for yourself? But if you do smoke, vaping may allow you to continue to enjoy your habit but with a much reduced risk to your health.
IS IT SAFE?
It’s a good question. It’s an important question. The answer I can give you is a very confident, “I DON’T KNOW!” One of the reasons I say in all my reviews as well as the disclaimer of this website to “Use any electronic cigarette product at your own risk”.
Before I became an electronic cigarette user, I did a lot of research, read a lot of articles, and came to my own informed decision. The decision was to make the switch because, based on what I’d read, it was a far safer alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes.
As I said in the “About Me” section,
Months after I started vaping, I noticed a few things. First, EVERYTHING tasted better! In my case, not necessarily a good thing :-). So my sense of taste along with my sense of smell improved. Second, I didn’t become winded as quickly as before. I could work in the yard or around the house without gasping for air. Finally, after a night out of heavy smoking, that first deep breath of the morning would hurt. I think many of you current and/or ex-smokers know what I’m talking about. Since vaping, NO MORE!! I could take that first deep breath of the day without any pain.
Here’s something else that happened. I was always susceptible to upper respiratory tract infections. I was good for at least 2 per year. Since I have been vaping, I haven’t had one. Not a single once since 2009.
I have never had a single issue or adverse affect from vaping.
As more and more people move to vaping, more and more data will become available. For both short and long term exposure.
For more information on the safety of electronic cigarettes including articles and videos, check out my Is Vaping Safe page.
OK, I’M INTERESTED. WHAT SHOULD I BUY?
If you’re just starting out, you want to get something that will give you an excellent vaping experience without breaking the bank. This is the most important thing you can do for yourself. It will give you the best possible chance for success. You will want a setup that will provide you with good power, good vape time, and good performance in VTF (Vapor, Throat Hit, & Flavor).
In my opinion you also need something that closely emulates the experience you get from your cigarette which is why I recommend a mouth to lung (MTL) device over a restricted direct lung (RDL) or direct lung (DL) device.
Electronic cigarettes come in all shapes & sizes. Here are a few suggestions to get your started. Remember that tastes and opinions vary. I can only speak to my experience and what has worked best for me.
Your first decision is what kind of device to you want to start out with.
Check out the My Top Now! page for some ideas and suggestions on hardware.
A LITTLE ON MTL VS. RDL VS. DL
Maybe you’re heard about the three main styles of vaping, MTL, DL, and RDL. Let’s talk about them a bit because they’re important.
The first is mouth to lung or MTL. The second is direct lung or DL and the third is restricted direct lung or RDL.
MTL is how 99% of the world smokes their cigarettes. You can think of MTL as a two step process. You first pull the smoke into your mouth from the cigarette. Muscles in the mouth are used to do this. You then stop your draw and take the smoke into your lungs taking additional air in through the mouth or nose. The lungs take over from the mouth at this point. When you take the smoke from your mouth into your lungs, you experience a “throat hit”. More on that later. There is a resistance or tightness to the draw when pulling or dragging from a cigarette.
Although I just described MTL from a cigarette perspective, it’s the same for vaping.
DL is different. Where MTL is a two step process, DL is a single step process. DL means you’re pulling vapor directly into your lungs from the electronic cigarette. Mouth muscles are not used, only your lungs. With DL there is little to no resistance when pulling vapor from the device.
You can think of RDL as being somewhere between MTL and DL. There is more resistance then DL vaping, but less resistance then MTL vaping. Some will RDL using the two step process as described in MTL vaping, or the single step process described in DL vaping, or a combination starting with a mouth draw followed by a lung draw.
WHAT ABOUT THE E-LIQUID?
Believe it or not, it’s going to be a lot easier for me to recommend devices than it will be to recommend q-liquid. Why? TASTE IS SUBJECTIVE!! Taste, along with other variables associated with the juice make it difficult to suggest juice, ESPECIALLY if you’re just starting out.
When I first wrote this page, it was far easier navigating the world of e-liquid than it is today. In today’s liquids you’re going to come across a wide variety of liquid in PG/VG ratios, sweeteners, and nicotine types.
I can tell you that when I started, I vaped an 18mg (freebase), 100% PG liquid, and my primary flavors were tobacco which quickly changed to watermelon, peach, and chocolate.
Yes, I did start with a tobacco flavor and I think those flavors are important when it comes to transitioning from cigarettes to e-cigarettes. I tried (unsuccessfully) to find a juice that tasted JUST LIKE a Marb light. I did find something , well, similar that helped me transition. Then I discovered flavors which have been imperative in keeping me off the cigarettes to date.
At this point, something JUST LIKE a Marb light is the LAST thing I’d want to vape!
I’m now down to a 12mg, I prefer a 50/50 PG/VG blend, and I vape LOTS of different flavors.
PG (Propylene Glycol) and VG (Vegetable Glycerin) are the two base ingredients in electronic cigarette e-liquid or “juice”, along with nicotine (optional), flavorings, and sweeteners (if part of the recipe for that liquid).
It is generally believed that PG provides more throat hit (that feeling you get in the back of your throat when you take a drag of a real cigarette) and carries flavor better. VG produces more vapor.
I’ve had 100% PG that has poor throat hit and good vapor and 100% VG that has terrific throat hit and flavor so I’ll let you validate that belief on your own.
To me, the VG added to the PG provides a “smoother” vape which is why I prefer it. Also, people have been known to be sensitive or allergic to PG requiring less of it or none at all in their juice in order to continue vaping. Again, something you’re going to need to find out on your own. The best I can do is tell you to watch some reviews, take a look at different liquid vendor’s websites, and try some different liquids.
No doubt you’ve heard of “salt nicotine” at this point as well. There are two nicotine types you will find in nicotine e-liquids; “freebase” and “salt”. Salt nicotine is treated with an acid to reduce the throat hit harshness of the vape allowing you to use a higher nicotine level without a harsh throat hit. If you’re looking for something very smooth, look into a salt nic product. If you require a throat hit, as I do, stick with a freebase nicotine product.
You can also take a look at my top juice recommendations, although this is pretty old at this point.
A LITTLE ABOUT THROAT HIT
Again, throat hit is the sensation you get in the back of the throat as you take your mouthful of vapor down into your lungs as you would take your mouthful of smoke into your lungs from a cigarette.
It can be defined as a “thump” or “irritation”.
For some, throat hit is not important. For me, it’s imperative. It more closely simulates the sensation I received from my cigarettes and I enjoy the sensation only now from my vape. It also makes me feel like I’m vaping something as apposed to air. People who smoke Marb Reds and try a Marb Ultralight will understand what I’m talking about.
This is why I still enjoy 12mg e-liquid using “freebase” nicotine, and I do not enjoy the sensation I receive from “salt” nicotine. For me, vaping salt, even at 50mg is like vaping (or smoking) air. For others, this type of liquid has proven successful in allowing them to transition from cigarettes to vaping.
This is why I can only suggest, and it’s up to you to find your path in vaping.
I heard from people when they first start vaping, they cough. This cough instantly turns them off and they look for ways to avoid the cough by lowering their power, lowering their nicotine level, taking smaller hits, vaping higher VG liquids, trying salt nic, or worst case, they give up on vaping and continue to smoke.
Before you give up because you coughed, I want you to consider something.
When you tried your first cigarette, what did you do? Did you take that first inhale and say, “oh wow, that’s so smooth and delicious!”? No, you probably coughed, hacked, choked, and then went back for your second drag, then your second cigarette, then your second pack, and then… you were a smoker.
So please, give your vape, a FAR SAFER alternative to getting you nicotine every much a chance as you gave your cigarette. Believe me, the coughing will go away.
BEWARE OF “STARTER KITS”!!
So you’re a smoker and you want to get started with vaping. You go to a site and see a “starter kit” section or kits labeled as “starter kits”. Those MUST be for you because you’re getting started right? WRONG!!
Unfortunately there are a LOT of kits that are labeled as “starter kits”. This is because they will typically have everything you need to vape. A device, a tank, and some coils. The problem is that they may not support the style of vaping you need to successfully transition off of cigarettes. They may be overly complicated for a beginner. They may not support the MTL style of vaping which I feel is important for transitioning. They may have more power than you will ever need or use.
So it’s important to know what you are buying before you buy it. Ask questions. Do research, and remember, I’m always available to help as well.
CONCLUSION
What about variable wattage?
What about tanks?
What about mods?
What about rebuildables?
What about temperature control?
WOAH! SLOW DOWN THERE KILLER!
This is the Getting Started section. You have to start somewhere.
Once we successfully get you transitioned, there is an entire world of vaping products, devices, tanks, liquids, pods, rebuildables, accessories and more for you to explore should you want to.
Or, you can just continue to use and enjoy what worked for you to get you off the cigarettes.
Vaping can simply be a thing you do to not smoke anymore. This makes vaping easy and cheaper than smoking.
Vaping can also become a hobby with hundreds if not thousands of devices to buy, collect, build, use and enjoy.
It’s all up to you!
I hope you found some of this information helpful. Always feel free to ask me a question. No question is beneath me or “dumb”. We all started somewhere!
Thank you and Happy Vaping!
Pbusardo
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