E-cigs
1/19/14, 11:02 PM
#22
Mach 1 Member
Join Date: January 12, 2012
Location: Suburbs of Dallas
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I smoked for 31 years. I was smoking more than a pack a day. People who can quit cold turkey are generally young smokers who have only been smoking a few years. People who have smoked as long as I can just can't. From reading this thread I can see there are a bunch of new ecig users. I've been using them for almost 2 years now, so let me give some advice and some basic info for those newbies and those considering making the switch.
First, and this is just my personal opinion, but the small cigarette shaped ecigs SUCK and are a huge ripoff. Most people who try using these to quit give up on them within a month or two. The price for what they offer is outlandish, and the vapor delivery they give just isn't enough to satisfy a long time smoker.
Instead I would recommend what is called an Ego styled ecig for starters. They're about the same size as a decent cigar, put out 2 to 3 times the vapor of the little cigarette sized ones, and usually a single battery charge can last most people a day or more. They also have tank systems that can hold 2 to 3 days worth of liquid rather than having to carry multiple cartomizers everywhere you go.
There are several Ego style ecigs on the market, but there are two that really stand above the rest. There is the Joytech Ego and the Halo Triton.
Both of these have minor advantages and disadvantage. Nothing is perfect, right?
The Joytech Ego is by far the most versatile ecig out there. You can get a wide varieties in battery colors and mAh ratings. They even have variable voltage batteries which I will get to in a moment. Usually they come as a Cartomizer ecig unless you buy the Ego-T starter kit which is a Tank or Clearomizer setup. More on that in a moment as well. Joytech uses the most common 510 threading which means virtually any option you can think of is available for the Joytech Ego.
The downsides are that the batteries don't last quite as long as the Halo for the same mAh rating, and that they are typically a little more complicated to use than the Halo.
The Halo Triton is my personal favorite ecig. For the size the battery life and power is unparalleled. It's an 808 threading which means that there aren't as many 3rd party options for it, but unless you're wanting to get 10 different tanks, 3 different types of catomizers, atomizers and drip tips then you'll probably never notice. The Triton comes as a tank ecig, but if you want to try other options it's compatible with all of Halo's G6 cartomizers and other 808 threaded parts as well. There are also adapters which will allow you to convert it to 510 threading to use Ego parts as well.
The downside of the Halo is that there are not quite as many options made for it, but you can find all of the basics. The only other downside is that you'll probably have to buy it online directly from Halo, I haven't found a store yet that carries them.
If you're buying the Halo it's about $65 for the starter kit at their website, and it does not come with any liquids at that price. As I said before, the Triton only comes as a tank system, but if you want to try out cartomizers as well all of Halo's G6 accessories are compatible with the Triton.
If you're buying the Joytech, you're going to have to do some research on what you want. They have starter kits that are setup for Cartomizers (Ego-C) Tanks (Ego-T), and some with variable voltage batteries (Twist). Generally speaking though, with no liquids and standard batteries you should be looking at around $60.
Now, I had mentioned some things such as cartomizers and tanks, variable voltages, and mAh batteries, so I'll give a quick explanation of those.
#1. Cartomizers...
These are the cartridges that hold the ecig liquid. They're typically the "filter" part of one of the cigarette styled ecigs. They are basically a cartridge with a heating element and a fibrous or foam filler to hold the liquid. The good part about cartomizers is the taste. Since the vaporizing takes place within the center of the liquid more of the flavoring is saturated into the vapor. The bad parts about cartomizers is their complexity, constant maintenance, and price. Cartomizers generally come in anywhere from 2 to 5 parts. They can be refilled, but they don't hold much liquid so most people will use one or even two per day. And while they can be refilled they usually don't last more than 20 refills or so before they have to be replaced.
#2. Clearomizer or Tank systems.
These are the easiest, CHEAPEST most fuss-free way to use an ecig. Most tanks are top burning which means they have the heating coil at the top of a stem and little wicks that draw the liquid up. Because the vapor is produced from heating the liquid in the wick only it tends to mute the flavor of the ecig juice a bit. Not a whole lot, but someone who uses both can tell the difference. Generally speaking these are just fill and go. You unscrew the top, drip the liquid in to the fill mark, screw the top back on and you're set for the next 2-3 days without thinking about it. Eventually the coils wear out (Coils and wicks are a single unit) but you simply empty and clean the tank, unscrew the center coil, screw a new one in, and you're ready to refill it and start puffing. Coils are cheap, usually 5 for less than $15, and I've had no problems getting more than a month of use out of a single coil. In more than a year I have yet to have to replace the actual tank.
Both the Ego and Triton have variable voltage batteries available. What these do is allow you to sacrifice a little charge life for a little more vapor in each puff. They are easily adjustable with a dial on the bottom of the battery. Personally I love variable voltage batteries, but they are more expensive.
Next we come to mAh. In the most simple terms, the mAh rating of the battery is a combination of how much power it stores and how much it can deliver at once. The higher the mAh the longer the battery will last, and the more power it can deliver when you're puffing. mAh by itself is not the pure rating of each battery, but it's a really easy guideline to follow. With the Halo a 650 mAh battery lasts from wakeup until bedtime and only needs 2 hours to recharge. With the Ego it takes a 900 mAh to last through the day, their 650 mAh generally gives out about two hours before I go to bed.
Once you've got yourself a good ecig the easy part is over. The hard part is the quest to find a good supplier of liquid, and finding just the right flavor for you. I highly recommend visiting several different vapor shops because most will have samples that you can try in the store just to see what you like. Don't feel like you have to buy anything, if their liquids don't taste good then go somewhere else. Most of these places are startups run by people who just barely know more than you and their quality control and consistency is shoddy at best.
And DEFINITELY try lots of different flavors. Most people start out wanting a pseudo tobacco flavor, but most people I know quit when they switched to something entirely different. Most quit with either menthol (Like Icebreaker candies, not menthol cigarettes) , peppermint, or other candy flavors.
However, when you do find that liquid that you just love and you've got the ecig that delivers a ton of vapor and is rock solid reliable and ready whenever you want it, quitting real cigarettes becomes easy. Your lungs and your bank account will thank you.
Now, if anyone wants to start discussing mods, let me know. For now I'll just say do not buy the iTaste SVD, I've had two break in less than 4 months and they are $60+ each to replace once they are out of their 14 day warranty.
First, and this is just my personal opinion, but the small cigarette shaped ecigs SUCK and are a huge ripoff. Most people who try using these to quit give up on them within a month or two. The price for what they offer is outlandish, and the vapor delivery they give just isn't enough to satisfy a long time smoker.
Instead I would recommend what is called an Ego styled ecig for starters. They're about the same size as a decent cigar, put out 2 to 3 times the vapor of the little cigarette sized ones, and usually a single battery charge can last most people a day or more. They also have tank systems that can hold 2 to 3 days worth of liquid rather than having to carry multiple cartomizers everywhere you go.
There are several Ego style ecigs on the market, but there are two that really stand above the rest. There is the Joytech Ego and the Halo Triton.
Both of these have minor advantages and disadvantage. Nothing is perfect, right?
The Joytech Ego is by far the most versatile ecig out there. You can get a wide varieties in battery colors and mAh ratings. They even have variable voltage batteries which I will get to in a moment. Usually they come as a Cartomizer ecig unless you buy the Ego-T starter kit which is a Tank or Clearomizer setup. More on that in a moment as well. Joytech uses the most common 510 threading which means virtually any option you can think of is available for the Joytech Ego.
The downsides are that the batteries don't last quite as long as the Halo for the same mAh rating, and that they are typically a little more complicated to use than the Halo.
The Halo Triton is my personal favorite ecig. For the size the battery life and power is unparalleled. It's an 808 threading which means that there aren't as many 3rd party options for it, but unless you're wanting to get 10 different tanks, 3 different types of catomizers, atomizers and drip tips then you'll probably never notice. The Triton comes as a tank ecig, but if you want to try other options it's compatible with all of Halo's G6 cartomizers and other 808 threaded parts as well. There are also adapters which will allow you to convert it to 510 threading to use Ego parts as well.
The downside of the Halo is that there are not quite as many options made for it, but you can find all of the basics. The only other downside is that you'll probably have to buy it online directly from Halo, I haven't found a store yet that carries them.
If you're buying the Halo it's about $65 for the starter kit at their website, and it does not come with any liquids at that price. As I said before, the Triton only comes as a tank system, but if you want to try out cartomizers as well all of Halo's G6 accessories are compatible with the Triton.
If you're buying the Joytech, you're going to have to do some research on what you want. They have starter kits that are setup for Cartomizers (Ego-C) Tanks (Ego-T), and some with variable voltage batteries (Twist). Generally speaking though, with no liquids and standard batteries you should be looking at around $60.
Now, I had mentioned some things such as cartomizers and tanks, variable voltages, and mAh batteries, so I'll give a quick explanation of those.
#1. Cartomizers...
These are the cartridges that hold the ecig liquid. They're typically the "filter" part of one of the cigarette styled ecigs. They are basically a cartridge with a heating element and a fibrous or foam filler to hold the liquid. The good part about cartomizers is the taste. Since the vaporizing takes place within the center of the liquid more of the flavoring is saturated into the vapor. The bad parts about cartomizers is their complexity, constant maintenance, and price. Cartomizers generally come in anywhere from 2 to 5 parts. They can be refilled, but they don't hold much liquid so most people will use one or even two per day. And while they can be refilled they usually don't last more than 20 refills or so before they have to be replaced.
#2. Clearomizer or Tank systems.
These are the easiest, CHEAPEST most fuss-free way to use an ecig. Most tanks are top burning which means they have the heating coil at the top of a stem and little wicks that draw the liquid up. Because the vapor is produced from heating the liquid in the wick only it tends to mute the flavor of the ecig juice a bit. Not a whole lot, but someone who uses both can tell the difference. Generally speaking these are just fill and go. You unscrew the top, drip the liquid in to the fill mark, screw the top back on and you're set for the next 2-3 days without thinking about it. Eventually the coils wear out (Coils and wicks are a single unit) but you simply empty and clean the tank, unscrew the center coil, screw a new one in, and you're ready to refill it and start puffing. Coils are cheap, usually 5 for less than $15, and I've had no problems getting more than a month of use out of a single coil. In more than a year I have yet to have to replace the actual tank.
Both the Ego and Triton have variable voltage batteries available. What these do is allow you to sacrifice a little charge life for a little more vapor in each puff. They are easily adjustable with a dial on the bottom of the battery. Personally I love variable voltage batteries, but they are more expensive.
Next we come to mAh. In the most simple terms, the mAh rating of the battery is a combination of how much power it stores and how much it can deliver at once. The higher the mAh the longer the battery will last, and the more power it can deliver when you're puffing. mAh by itself is not the pure rating of each battery, but it's a really easy guideline to follow. With the Halo a 650 mAh battery lasts from wakeup until bedtime and only needs 2 hours to recharge. With the Ego it takes a 900 mAh to last through the day, their 650 mAh generally gives out about two hours before I go to bed.
Once you've got yourself a good ecig the easy part is over. The hard part is the quest to find a good supplier of liquid, and finding just the right flavor for you. I highly recommend visiting several different vapor shops because most will have samples that you can try in the store just to see what you like. Don't feel like you have to buy anything, if their liquids don't taste good then go somewhere else. Most of these places are startups run by people who just barely know more than you and their quality control and consistency is shoddy at best.
And DEFINITELY try lots of different flavors. Most people start out wanting a pseudo tobacco flavor, but most people I know quit when they switched to something entirely different. Most quit with either menthol (Like Icebreaker candies, not menthol cigarettes) , peppermint, or other candy flavors.
However, when you do find that liquid that you just love and you've got the ecig that delivers a ton of vapor and is rock solid reliable and ready whenever you want it, quitting real cigarettes becomes easy. Your lungs and your bank account will thank you.
Now, if anyone wants to start discussing mods, let me know. For now I'll just say do not buy the iTaste SVD, I've had two break in less than 4 months and they are $60+ each to replace once they are out of their 14 day warranty.
Last edited by Moustang; 1/20/14 at 01:20 AM.
1/19/14, 11:30 PM
#23
Mach 1 Member
Join Date: January 12, 2012
Location: Suburbs of Dallas
Posts: 1,041
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My Triton cost me $65 to buy. Two variable voltage batteries increased the total to $125.
I spend about $20 per month on "juice" (The liquid).
I spend $15 about once every 6 months for new coils.
About once a year I have to replace a $20-$30 battery. (I have 4 batteries for it now, 2 regular ones and 2 variable voltage).
Total = $425 for the first year, $300 per year after that.
Yeah, that's a LOT cheaper than the $7 per day I was spending on cigarettes. ($2,555 per year)
And yes, these are "manual" batteries, which means you have to press a button to get them to fire and produce vapor, as opposed to the automatic batteries that fire by themselves whenever they detect air being sucked through them (whether it's you or the wind).
And while I am thinking about it, I want to dispel a long running myth about nicotine. By itself, nicotine in low doses is not particularly harmful. Nicotine is NOT a carcinogen, nicotine does NOT cause lung cancer.
Nicotine by itself is a toxin though. It increases heart rate and blood pressure. And it is EXTREMELY addictive. More addictive than cocaine.
In low doses this can increase risk of heart attack or stroke. In high doses it can and will kill you. If you're feeling a bit ill after using an ecig, reduce the nicotine level of your liquid, it's too much. If you get any liquid on your skin wash it off IMMEDIATELY. Nicotine will absorb through your skin. Keep your liquids and ecigs out of reach of children or pets. If they get to the liquid they can get very sick or even die.
Last edited by Moustang; 1/20/14 at 12:29 AM.
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