Vaping for Beginners – Part One

Over 2.9 million people in the UK vape, according to a YouGov poll. But to the outsider, the vaping hobby can seem complicated. Especially when you start to see people carrying huge boxy ecigarettes and talking about cotton, coils and clouds.

So let’s make vaping simple. If you’re looking at switching to vaping, there are a few things you’ll need to know. Don’t worry, there’s not a test. But by the end of this post, you’ll know how to make the most of your first vape pen and eliquids.

What is Vaping?

Vaping’s an increasingly popular hobby in the UK. Some people do it because they’d rather vape than smoke cigarettes, others just like using nicotine-free liquids to blow large clouds.

Vaping works really simply. A battery heats a small element called a coil, which turns the eliquid into vapour. This is then inhaled and exhaled. It’s really not rocket science!

Because eliquid doesn’t contain the same harmful chemicals as a cigarette, many people choose to vape eliquids containing nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive, so many vapers choose lower strength eliquids over time with the goal of switching to nicotine free liquids over time.

Three tips for better vaping:

• Buy quality UK-made liquids (see our top 10 best e liquid flavours)
• Treat your ecigarette properly
• Don’t vape where you wouldn’t smoke a cigarette. It’s rude.

What is a Vape Pen?

A vape pen is the simplest way to vape. It contains a rechargeable battery, a coil, and a tank that you fill with liquid. The battery heats the coil, the coil vaporises the liquid, and you’ve got yourself a vape!

Some vape pens, such as our basic starter set contain a tank with a built-in coil. Once the coil has expired, you replace the whole tank. Others, such as our deluxe starter kit have a heavy duty tank with a replaceable coil. When that coil expires, you unscrew it, dispose of it, and replace it with a new one.

Before you vape for the first time with a new tank or coil, it’s important to let the coil’s wick soak up the eliquid for at least five minutes before you power on the battery. If you don’t, the coil can burn the dry cotton wick, leading to a pretty nasty taste – and a ruined coil!

Three tips to extend the life of your vape pen:

• ONLY use the charging cables provided
• ONLY charge the battery through your PC or laptop computer
• REGULARLY change your coil if you notice a change in taste or vapour levels

What is an Eliquid?

An eliquid is a flavoured mix of three or four ingredients which create a flavoured vapour when heated. Our UK-made eliquids contain:

PG
VG
Food-grade flavourings
Nicotine (optional)

That’s all. No hidden surprises.

Most eliquids are available in varying strengths:

16mg (high strength)
11mg (medium strength)
6mg (low strength)
3mg (ultra low strength)
0mg (nicotine free)

If you’re a very, very heavy smoker, you might choose to start with 16mg liquids. If not, you’ll be better served with a weaker liquid to limit your nicotine intake.

Three tips for choosing the right eliquid

• Don’t overestimate the strength you need
• Don’t be afraid to try new flavours
• Don’t mix flavours in the same tank – especially with menthol liquids!

What About Mods, Short Fills and High VG Liquids?

Steady on! There’ll be plenty of time for that later. We’ll be following up this post with a series of advice for new vapers, where you’ll learn all about everything else involved in the vaping hobby.

But for now, you’re ready to pick up your first vape pen and a selection of one pound eliquids and see if vaping really is for you.

We hope you enjoy it!