A VAPERS GUIDE TO THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF E-CIGARETTES
There are 4 main types of E-Cigarette – the cigalike that looks and feel close to a cigarette, vape pens that allow the user to use their own e-liquid, box mods or ‘vape mods’ that give the user customisation options for the power output, coil, tank, even the batteries! The final type is a mechanical mod that requires understanding of Ohm’s law to set up and use correctly: not for beginners!
INTRODUCTION
*2024 Update - Check out the new SMOKO VAPE POD that uses our UK-made liquids in a pre-filled POD style vape - and you can now try the SMOKO E-Cigarette for FREE when you purchase a box of E-Cigarette refills
In this Vapers Guide, we wanted to answer some of the most common questions about the different types of e-cigarettes and vaping products that are available, how vape kits works, find the right nicotine strengths and more as you start this journey to stop smoking.
We all know the dangers of smoking cigarettes and other tobacco products as they are filled with a range of harmful chemicals and can lead to many serious health conditions. Yet we continue to smoke every day.
Understanding the different types of vapour e-cigarettes will help you in finding the right vape pen to help you quit. They come in different shapes and sizes and can vastly range in cost, so finding the right one can be confusing.
We hope this guide will help.
HOW DO E-CIGARETTES WORK?
E-Cigarettes, Vape Pens and larger vaporizers are based on the same elements and work in relatively the same way.
Most e-cigarettes are made up of the following parts:
Battery - either rechargeable or disposable:
The vape battery is the power source for an e-cigarette. Its role is to activate a heating element which then vapourises a nicotine-filled e-liquid to create a smoke-like vapour which you inhale.
Refill / Pod / Tank:
Depending on the type of vape you choose, it will have a pre filled cartridge (sometimes referred as a cartridge or pod) or refillable tanks. The role of the refill or tank is to hold the heating element and the e-liquid.
Atomizer:
The atomizer or coil as it's sometimes called is where the magic happens. When power is activated by the battery, the atomizer rapidly heats up and vaporizes the e-liquid or vape juice into a smoke-like vapour. It is this vapour that you inhale.
E-Liquid:
The e-liquid or vape juice is a viscous liquid that holds the nicotine (the addictive substance which is why we smoke) and the flavour. It is made up of 4 main ingredients - Propylene Glycol (PG) and Vegetable Glycerine (VG) which are found in candy, chewing gum, ice cream and cake mixes, Food flavouring and nicotine. When the e-liquid is heated by the coil or atomizer, it creates a realistic smoke-like vapour.
Vapour:
The vapour that is produced by this mini chain reaction of rapidly heating up the e-liquid is what you inhale. It replicates the same flavour and feeling as smoking a cigarette.
LED light:
Depending on the type of vape kit you are using, it should have a LED light. This light plays a number of roles. It lets you know when the e-cigarette is activated and producing vapour, when the battery needs to be recharged and when the battery is fully charged and ready to use again.
The Sensor:
Every type of vape will have a built in sensor in the battery that will regulate the amount of power that is produced and when the atomizer should be activated.
E-cigarettes have been designed to replicate the same sensation you get with a normal cigarette, including smoke like vapour without the 4000+ harmful chemicals and 50 Carcinogens.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN E CIGARETTE AND A CIGARETTE
WHAT IS INSIDE AN E-CIGARETTE?
As we previously mentioned, E-Liquids are simply made up of 4 ingredients. These include Vegetable Glycerine (VG) and Propylene Glycol (PG) (ingredients that are used in sweets, candy, chewing gum, soft drinks and cake mixes), Food Flavourings and Nicotine.
The E-Cigarette itself is made up of a battery, heating element like a coil or atomizer, a pre filled refill or refillable tank that holds the e-liquid and the e-liquid.
According to Public Health England, “electronic cigarettes are at least 95% less harmful than traditional cigarettes”.
TYPES OF E-CIGARETTES AND VAPES
By now there should be no question as to whether you should choose a cigarette or vape and you know how e-cigarettes work, we will run though some of the types of e-cigarettes and vapes that are available to help you to quit smoking.
There are a few different types of vape kit which have re fillable and pre filled tanks on the market and here we give you a quick description:
RECHARGEABLE E-CIGARETTE CIGALIKE STARTER KIT
If you are new to e-cigarettes, a cigalike starter kit will have everything you need to get started. They are designed for an adult smoker looking to quit using a vape for the first time.
The SMOKO E-Cigarette starter kit is easy to use, creates a realistic smoking sensation, comes with authentic flavours that are Made in the UK and are far more affordable than a pack of traditional cigarettes.
It comes with:
2 x flavour pre filled refills of your choice (Original Tobacco, Mint Breeze or Virginia Rolling)
1 x rechargeable e-cigarette battery
1 x USB charger
An instruction manual
They work with the SMOKO E-Cigarette Refills. Each refill has the same amount of nicotine as 25 - 30 cigarettes. Each pack of e-cigarette refills contains 5 cartridges and would give you between 125 to 150 cigarettes worth of nicotine at the fraction of the price.
PEN STYLE VAPE KITS
A pen style vape is slightly bigger and more powerful than a cigalike e-cigarette. This pen style works in much the same way but is designed for a more experienced vaper.
A SMOKO Vape Kit comes in a stylish SMOKO case with the following:
1 x flavour pre filled refill of your choice (Original, Mint Breeze or Virginia Rolling)
1 x rechargeable vape battery,
1 x USB charging cable,
Instruction Manual
The big difference with the SMOKO pen style VAPE kit is it has a built-in ceramic coil technology in the pre filled pod. This produces a thicker vapour which many people would find to be a stronger alternative to the e-cigarette. It has also been a popular choice for people who use a larger box mod or sub oHm device as the SMOKO VAPE doesn’t leak and you don’t need to refill the pod, making it hassle-free.
POD KITS
A Pod Kit is a vape device which works in the same way a cigalike works, however does not have a realistic feel as it is not shaped like a cigarette. Vape Pod kits come with pre filled or refillable pods. The SMOKO VAPE kit is also classified as a pen style vape due to its shape and ease of use.
*2022 Update* Check out the new SMOKO VAPE POD that uses pre-filled cartridges with a quick charging battery!
SUB-OHM KITS
Sub-ohm Kits are designed for more advanced vapours because this style of vaping produces big clouds of vapour. This device also uses lower resistance coils that are typically less than 1ohm on a battery that can work with a high wattage output from your battery.
Sub-oHm vape kits are classified as Direct To Lung (DTL) devices which “pushes” the vapour deep into your lungs. For many cigarette smokers, this can be a bit overwhelming and may take a bit of time to get used to. Many people find that sub-oHm kits have an unnatural smoking experience and tend to stick with the smaller cigalike and pen style vape kits when they first start vaping.
DISPOSABLE E-CIGARETTES
Generally, a disposable electronic cigarette will last between 1 to 3 days, depending on how long and how often you vape for. They work in the same way as a cigalike vape by using a non-rechargeable battery to power a built-in coil which vaporises e-liquid, creating a flavoured vapor.
Disposable e-cigarettes are not refillable nor rechargeable and should simply be disposed of after use. For many people, they may be a great way to try vaping for the first time, but disposable vapes tend to be more expensive than a rechargeable cigalike vape kit. Additionally, because the batteries are not able to be reused, they are seen to be quite wasteful.
RECHARGEABLE E-CIGARETTES
With SMOKO rechargeable batteries, once the far end starts to flash BLUE 3 times, it is time to recharge.
You will need to unscrew the flavour refill/cartridge and place to the side. Next, screw your battery into the black USB Charger that was provided with your SMOKO E-Cigarette Starter Kit and insert the USB Charger into a USB Port on a laptop or a UK mains adaptor.
A RED light should now glow on the USB Charger and the end of your E-Cigarette Battery will now glow BLUE. This rechargeable process will take up to 2 hours to recharge and once finished, the end of the battery will flash BLUE 3 times and then turn off.
Next, unscrew the battery from the USB Charger and then attach a new flavour refill to the end of the battery. You will now be ready to vape again!
We do not recommend leaving your battery unattended when it is recharging and do not charge overnight.
WHAT TYPE OF E-CIGARETTES OR VAPE IS RIGHT FOR ME?
There are a few e-cigarette and vape styles to choose from. If you are currently smoking and looking to quit, finding an easy to use e-cigarette that closely mimics your current habit will increase your chances of quitting.
If you have always been a light smoker, then you will more than likely prefer a rechargeable e-cigarette device instead of a larger vape pen or sub-ohm kit.
If you are a heavier smoker but want an easy to use kit, you will probably prefer a Vape Pen style or pod kit as they have slightly more power.
Starting with an e-cigarette (cigalike) could be the most effective way for you to stop smoking and by selecting a flavour that is similar to the cigarettes you are smoking can also make the transition easier. By selecting the right nicotine strength will also help to keep you satisfied.
A heavier smoker should be looking for a 2.0% nicotine strength e-liquid to start.
E-CIGARETTES JUICE AND LIQUID
E-Juice is another term used for e-liquid or vape liquid and contains the following ingredients: Flavourings, Nicotine, Propylene Glycol and Vegetable Glycerine. When this concoction is heated up in an e-cigarette, it produces a vapour that resembles smoke.
WHAT IS IN E-CIGARETTE AEROSOL?
An e-cigarette aerosol is the same as the vapour that is produced by a vape pen or e-cigarette. Some people refer to the vape aerosol as a “mist” that comes out of the mouthpiece of an e-cigarette. So whether you call it vapour, mist or aerosol, the terminology all relates to the gaseous state of an e-liquid once it has been vapourized.
WHAT ARE THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF USING E-CIGARETTES?
To understand the health effects of using e-cigarettes, it is important to compare smoking cigarettes to vapes.
Smoking cigarettes has 4000+ chemicals and over 50 Carcinogens and can cause endless health effects from cancer, heart disease, strokes and respiratory conditions. Around the world, over 8 million people die every year as a result of a smoking-related disease. And for every death, there are another 30 people who have to be hospitalized for treatment of a smoking-related disease. That equates to over 240,000,000 people who need medical treatment annually because of cigarettes.
On the other hand, the e-cigarette and vaping industry are heavily regulated in the UK and across the EU to ensure that the vape products that are sold are tested and safe. Apart from a few isolated instances in the US in 2019 where 2000 people were treated for a lung injury because they vaped unregulated marjiuna e-liquids bought on the black market, the number of negative health effects of using e-cigarettes are negligible.
However, the positive health effects of using e-cigarette compared to smoking are incredible. By reducing the intake of tar, carbon monoxide, 4,000 chemicals and 50 known carcinogens that you get in a cigarette to almost no toxins, using a vape can dramatically impact the health and well being of an adult smoker.
ARE E-CIGARETTES LESS HARMFUL THAN REGULAR CIGARETTES?
We can sit here for hours going over why e cigarettes are less harmful than regular cigarettes, so the best thing to do would be to listen to the findings behind the science.
There are misconceptions among a large proportion of the public that e-cigarettes are equally or more harmful than smoking. However, the vast mountains of research from medical and health groups indicate that e-cigarettes are less harmful as they don’t contain the same chemicals, toxins nor involve combustion.
In 2019 a massive clinical trial found that when combined with expert face-to-face support, people who used e-cigarettes to quit smoking were twice as likely to succeed as people who used other nicotine replacement products, such as patches or gum and a statement last month from Public Health England has stated that “E-cigarettes are at least 95% less harmful than traditional cigarettes”.
CAN E-CIGARETTES HELP ADULTS QUIT SMOKING CIGARETTES?
Thousands of adults all over the United Kingdom have already used e cigarettes to help them combat the problems with giving up smoking and now there is supporting evidence from various published studies and charities to back this claim up.
Hopkins Medical – “there’s almost no doubt that e-cigarettes expose you to fewer toxic chemicals than traditional cigarettes”.
NHS - “They're far less harmful than cigarettes and can help you quit smoking for good”.
Cancer Research UK - “Evidence so far indicates that e-cigarettes are far less harmful than smoking as they don’t contain tobacco or involve combustion. There is no smoke, tar or carbon monoxide, and studies looking at key toxicants have generally found much lower levels than in cigarettes. They do contain nicotine, which is addictive, but isn’t responsible for the major health harms from smoking”.
So if you have any doubts that e-cigarettes can help you to quit smoking cigarettes, you can click through and read some of these articles and studies by the leading health groups.
SAVING MONEY WITH E-CIGARETTES
Smoking cigarettes is a very expensive habit. If you have been smoking for a number of years, you will have experienced the continuous increase in the price of a pack of cigarettes since the start of the millennium. Many western governments around the world are using constant price increases in cigarettes as part of their strategy to help reduce the adult smoking rates. So the price of cigarettes will continue to rise.
Compared to traditional cigarettes, the cost of using a rechargeable e-cigarette or pod kit will be dramatically cheaper. Take for example, the current price of a pack of cigarettes in the UK is £10.50 in the major grocery stores. So a pack-a-day smoker will be spending upwards of £3,800 a year on their habit. Switching to an SMOKO E-Cigarette will cost between £1.50 to £2.00 a day. That would mean an annual saving of over £3,000!
BUYING YOUR VAPE KIT CONCLUSION
Making the switch from traditional cigarettes to vaping can be an incredibly simple process, but with so many new technologies and vape products on the market, it could feel really complicated.
When you are just starting out with vaping, you may have many questions. If you still have some questions after reading this Vapers Guide, we have a FAQ page which has a lot more information. This information should help to answer your questions and to find the right e-cigarette starter kit to help you on your way to kicking the habit!
Finding an easy to use, hassle-free vape kit that can help you to quit smoking and save a small fortune with SMOKO is straight forward. Check out our range of e-cigarette and vape starter kit bundles, select the flavour you would like and start enjoying living smoke-free!
Since we started in 2012, we have prevented over 275,000,000 cigarettes from being consumed and our customers have saved over £100m of their hard-earned money from literally going up in smoke.
Still need some more convincing? Check out some of our e-cigarette and vape reviews from our satisfied customers now living smoke-free with the help of SMOKO!.
