In the past year or so, it seems as though cartomizer tanks have become just about the hottest thing in the world of e-cigarettes. People seem to love the fact that cartomizer tanks make it possible for even the heaviest e-cigarette users to fill their e-cigarettes once at the beginning of the day and then forget about it, rather than adding e-liquid to an atomizer or cartomizer every few puffs. I find it difficult personally to review e-cigarettes with cartomizer tanks, though; although I know a lot of people love them, I don’t share that sentiment. I find that they always seem to result in significant compromises in flavor and vapor production compared to standard atomizers and cartomizers. The Halo Triton is the latest e-cigarette to forgo the standard pre-filled cartomizers in favor of a cartomizer tank, and although it works pretty well, it isn’t perfect. In my Halo Triton review, I’ll attempt to explain why.

View the Halo Triton at Halo’s website. It costs $64.99 and is available in 11 different colors. If your order total exceeds $75, shipping is free.

About the Halo Triton

In 2013, Halo released the Triton as a replacement for the old Halo Element e-cigarette, which was getting a bit long in the tooth. Although the Element was compatible with pre-filled cartomizers — which worked very well — Halo never got around to producing cartomizers filled with all of its different e-liquid flavors. This made it necessary to fill your own cartomizers, drip with an atomizer or use disposable plastic cartridges if you wanted to try all of Halo’s flavors. The Halo Triton requires self-filling, but doing so couldn’t be easier; simply twist off the mouthpiece and pour the e-liquid in. With a capacity of about 2 ml, the Halo Triton tank cartomizer holds about twice as much e-liquid as a standard cartomizer.

Like Halo’s previous e-cigarettes, the Triton is available in a variety of colors. The battery also has a rubberized finish that makes the e-cigarette very easy to hold. Although the batteries in the kit have capacities of just 650 mAh each, replacement batteries are available with capacities up to 1300 mAh if you find yourself reaching for the charging cable too often. Since the cartomizer tanks included with the Halo Triton don’t draw a great deal of power, you should have no trouble getting the two included batteries to last through a full day of e-smoking. The Triton also includes an atomizer cone, and if you opt to use a high-draw attachment such as a low resistance atomizer you’ll find yourself charging the batteries a bit more frequently.

The batteries included with the Halo Triton are eGo batteries, putting this e-cigarette in the same category as the Volcano Inferno and the Choice 7 Hybrid. Although both of these products cost more than the Triton, the Inferno includes larger batteries and the Choice 7 Hybrid includes more e-liquid. One of the major benefits of using an e-cigarette with eGo batteries is the freedom to experiment; if you want to try a different atomizer, cartomizer or tank system, you can use anything with the label “306,” “510″ or “eGo,” which describes the type of threading the attachments use. You can also use attachments described as “low-resistance,” which may increase the vapor production of the Halo Triton.

Halo Triton Review

I know that cartomizer tanks tend to mute flavors. They’re so large that, by design, there’s quite a bit of distance between your mouth and the heating element that creates vapor. To paint the Halo Triton in the best possible light, I filled the two cartomizer tanks with strongly flavored e-liquids — Alien Visions Boba’s Bounty and Halo’s own Midnight Apple. I’ll begin my Halo Triton review with two very serious compliments; first, the small 650 mAh batteries lasted far longer than I expected them to. In occasional use, it took me days to drain them. Compared to the cartomizers I’m accustomed to, the tank cartomizers included with the Halo Triton use power very efficiently. I think that even many heavy smokers won’t feel the need to upgrade to larger batteries.

I also love how easy the tank cartomizers are to fill. For example, I have always found the acrobatics required to fill the tank cartomizer included with the Volcano Inferno a bit ridiculous; you have to fill the cartomizer fully with a syringe before loading the tank, or e-liquid won’t feed from the tank to the cartomizer. After you’ve done that, the cartomizer will only last a few weeks before you’ll have to repeat the process with a new cartomizer. With the Halo Triton, removing the mouthpiece and filling the tank directly makes for a far more user-friendly experience — and neither of my Halo Triton tanks has leaked even one drop of e-liquid.

On the other hand, the tank included with the Inferno has two heating coils working in tandem to counteract the large size and reduced airflow of the tank, while the Halo Triton doesn’t have this feature. This means that the Inferno actually gives you an experience a bit closer to that of using a standard atomizer or cartomizer. In comparison, flavors and vapor production on the Triton seem a bit muted. Even puffing twice in a row without pausing, I’m unable to get the full range of flavors out of my e-liquids that I know they possess.

While I’ve cited the muted flavor of the Halo Triton’s cartomizer tank as a negative about the e-cigarette, it has to be said that people without extensive e-smoking experience probably won’t notice this fault — and the nicotine hit that you’d derive from e-smoking isn’t lessened at all. I simply know from experience that the e-liquids I used for testing are a bit more flavorful than what I experienced with the Halo Triton.

View the Halo Triton at Halo’s website. It costs $64.99 and is available in 11 different colors. If your order total exceeds $75, shipping is free.

Halo Triton Review: The Pros

• Available in 11 attractive colors
• Battery is small but still manages to have excellent life
• Cartomizer tank is easy to fill and doesn’t leak
• eGo threading is compatible with a wide variety of third-party attachments

Halo Triton Review: The Cons

• Cartomizer tank is easy to fill but sacrifices some flavor

Vapegrl

Being available in many stores, NJOY has been one of the most familiar brands since the e-cigarette was first introduced in the United States. In fact, I very nearly became an NJOY customer when I first decided to switch to e-cigarettes three years ago because it was the only brand I had heard of. Back then, their starter kit cost over $100, plus another $30 or so for shipping — and it used cheap plastic disposable cartridges for e-liquid refills. How times have changed.

NJOY now believes that the future of the e-cigarette industry is at the bottom end of the price spectrum and is working hard to get its new NJOY Kings disposables into as many stores as possible. Some crazy hype has surrounded the NJOY Kings since they were first announced last year, and in this review I intend to discuss whether they’re truly the right product to choose if you’re switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes.

View the NJOY King at the NJOY website. It costs $26.97 per three-pack online or $8.99 in some stores.

About NJOY Kings

Disposable e-cigarettes have been around for quite some time. Although they tend not to be as economical over the long term as rechargeable e-cigarettes with atomized refill cartridges such as the V2 Cigs brand — one that I discuss in my article about the best e-cigarette for beginners — they do provide a low-cost way for someone to try e-cigarettes and see how they work without investing in a full starter kit. Generally, if you tried and liked a disposable e-cigarette, you’d then move up to a full starter kit.

NJOY, however, is betting that the e-cigarette adoption rate would be better if smokers had an option that more closely resembled the usual cigarette usage pattern of using a product once and throwing it away. To this end, the NJOY King is extremely small — the smallest e-cigarette I’ve ever used, in fact — and light. It also comes in a little plastic case with a clicking hinge just like that of a Zippo lighter. It definitely makes a good first impression, although the extremely small size means that an NJOY King won’t last as long as most disposable e-cigarettes on the market; it’s unlikely to last much more than 100 puffs before you’ll need a new one. To counter this, each puff from the NJOY King contains up to a whopping 4.5 percent of nicotine. To contrast, many e-cigarette companies don’t offer any e-cigarettes or e-liquids stronger than 1.6 percent.

NJOY Kings Review

The first thing you’ll notice if you try the NJOY King is that it isn’t much heavier than a real cigarette; pretty impressive for something made from plastic and containing a battery cell. The outer shell of the e-cigarette is a thin plastic material that gives a little when you press it between your fingers. It doesn’t feel like a real cigarette, but it’s probably closer than any e-cigarette I’ve tried before. It should give you about the same amount of usage as a pack of cigarettes — possibly a little less than that, given the small amount of nicotine liquid contained inside — and the flip-top plastic case makes for a great storage solution on the go.

The NJOY King tastes a lot less like real tobacco than some of the best American-made e-liquids that companies are currently developing. It also produces a bit less vapor than some other e-cigarettes, although that’s to be expected given the small size. A few times, I have brought the NJOY King with me while running errands and experienced no cravings thanks to its high nicotine concentration.

NJOY Kings: Conclusion

The NJOY King scores high marks for its great look and feel, its appealing size and good sense of nicotine satisfaction, although the flavor and amount of vapor produced aren’t spectacular. Is it something that can replace a full e-cigarette kit for everyday use, though? Not in my opinion. The problem is that it simply costs too much; at $8.99 per NJOY King, you’re likely to end up spending more on it than you would on real cigarettes in most areas. With a full e-cigarette kit, e-smoking costs less than $2.00 per day unless you’re an extremely heavy smoker. While the NJOY King is definitely worth trying if you’re still smoking cigarettes and want to get an idea of what switching to e-cigarettes would be like, it’s far too expensive to use full-time.

NJOY Kings Review: The Pros

• Very small and light
• Convenient Zippo-style storage case
• High nicotine offsets low vapor production

NJOY Kings Review: The Cons

• Taste isn’t great
• Price is too high for everyday use

Vapegrl

Time is marching increasingly quickly for the e-cigarette industry. Recently we saw a major e-cigarette company completely disappear with no explanation, and there have been rumblings that the FDA in the United States and other regulatory agencies in Europe are preparing to propose laws that will affect the variety, availability and price of e-cigarette products. In the meantime, e-cigarette companies are doing what they can to improve their products, prepare for the new regulations that might be coming and establish themselves as dominant players stable enough to weather the coming storm.

Volcano’s original Lavatube e-cigarette was a groundbreaking device that redefined the level of performance that e-smokers could expect from affordable e-cigarettes. The Lavatube didn’t win any beauty contests, but it offered such a compelling blend of price and performance that I couldn’t help but give it an extremely high recommendation. A year later, Volcano is back with the Lavatube 2. Volcano has given its flagship e-cigarette a complete makeover and increased its performance a bit in an effort to attract new customers as well as owners of the previous Lavatube. The Lavatube 2 is also priced quite a bit higher than its forebearer. Is it still a must-have e-cigarette? I’m going to lay it on the line in my Lavatube 2 review.

View the Lavatube 2 at the Volcano website or shop in Europe. The Lavatube 2 costs $125.99 with the coupon code volcanoAFFC10 and ships anywhere in the United States for free.

About the Lavatube 2

When it was first released, the Lavatube e-cigarette was a bit of an eye-opener. While most e-cigarette companies were in the business of buying off-the-shelf e-cigarettes from manufacturers in China and repackaging them for sale in the United States and elsewhere, Volcano got the idea to design a new version of an expensive niche product — the variable-voltage e-cigarette mod — and mass-produce it in China. This enabled Volcano to sell the Lavatube kit for less than half of what other e-cigarette vendors were charging for products with similar performance.

Chinese intellectual property laws being what they are, though, it didn’t take long for other manufacturers to begin selling Lavatube clones obtained from various sources — sometimes even under the Lavatube name. Although I’m not privy to the legal wrangling that must have ensued, a bit of Googling seems to indicate that Volcano chose to work with a different manufacturer when designing the Lavatube 2.

So, what are the high points of the Lavatube Version 2? It has a completely new design, but if you’re an owner of the original Lavatube, you can save a bit of money by buying the Lavatube 2 body only; it’s compatible with your existing batteries, charger and attachments. Volcano also changed the safety features of the Lavatube 2, giving it an over-current limit of 3.0 amps rather than the 2.5 amp limit of the old Lavatube. Finally, Volcano added the ability to check the resistance of the connected atomizer or cartomizer — a good thing for people with large collections of e-cigarette accessories. However, since the Lavatube 2 automatically lowers the voltage if you accidentally set it too high for the connected attachment, there’s really no chance of breaking it by using an incorrect setting.

Lavatube 2 Review

Essentially, there are two types of people who might consider buying the Lavatube 2. You’re most likely either shopping for your first variable-voltage e-cigarette, or you’ve an owner of the original Lavatube and want to know if the Lavatube 2 is a worthwhile upgrade. I’ll try to address both concerns in this review. I’ll also give a brief comparison of the Lavatube 2 vs. the ProVari.

If you’ve never used a variable-voltage e-cigarette before, you should know that the Lavatube 2 isn’t a device for newbies. I really think that the best e-cigarette for a beginner is one that allows you to simply screw on a cartridge and go. If that sounds like you, read my recommendation here. If you’ve been down that road and you’re ready to start trying different attachments and voltage levels, the Lavatube 2 is a good choice because it’s the only affordable e-cigarette that can be taken all the way up to six volts. Many other variable-voltage e-cigarettes only go up to five volts, and I can tell you from experience that the difference between five and six volts is a pretty big one. I really can’t strongly suggest any five volt device.

The fact that the Lavatube 2 is extremely user-friendly is a strong selling point. The fire button is large and comfortable to use, and the separate adjustment buttons make it possible to raise and lower the voltage without going through a menu system. The ProVari, by contrast, has a minimal design in which all of the functions are performed with one button. Although it certainly looks nice, it can be a bit of a hassle if you’re in the habit of changing voltage settings frequently. The Lavatube 2 forgets your previous voltage setting when you remove the battery, but changing the voltage takes just seconds.

When you use an e-cigarette at six volts for the first time, it’s fair to say that you’ll feel like you’re discovering your favorite e-liquid all over again. Between the increased vapor production and the stronger, more prominent flavors, you might find yourself stepping down a notch from your normal nicotine strength. When I first bought the original Lavatube, I promptly went from 16 mg to 8 mg e-liquids. Likewise, if you aren’t getting the level of intensity you want from your current e-liquid, you’ll get it with the Lavatube 2.

If you’re an owner of the original Lavatube, you should know that the Lavatube 2 shares the original Lavatube’s problem of decreasing vapor production at high voltages after you’ve used about half of the battery’s charge. This issue is improved with the Lavatube 2, but you’ll definitely notice it if you use the device at six volts every day. You can get around this by buying an extra battery, which I strongly recommend. Note that although Volcano sells a 3000 mAh battery for the Lavatube 2, I suggest buying the 2000 mAh AW battery instead. The AW battery will give you better overall life if you’re a frequent high-voltage e-smoker. Performance-wise, the biggest difference between the Lavatube 2 and the ProVari is the fact that the ProVari — which admittedly costs quite a bit more — doesn’t decrease in vapor production at all throughout the life of the battery. If you’re alright with switching batteries a little more often, the Lavatube 2 is a perfectly acceptable substitute with nearly equal performance.

Airflow is the second area in which the Lavatube 2 differs from the original Lavatube. While the original Lavatube had a very free draw with every attachment I tried, the draw is a bit tight on the Lavatube 2 with certain attachments such as Boge cartomizers. It’s as if the air vents in the Lavatube 2 weren’t cut quite deeply enough. So, if you’re a fan of the Boge cartomizers, you might want to try the Lavatube 2 before you buy if possible. Most people probably won’t notice a difference, though.

Lavatube 2: Conclusion

I believe that most e-smokers will consider the Lavatube 2 the greatest e-cigarette they have ever purchased. Although Volcano has raised the price a bit from that of the original Lavatube, the Lavatube 2 looks much nicer and uses better components. The Lavatube 2 is also much closer in quality and performance to the ProVari, which still costs a great deal more. If you like Boge cartomizers, try before you buy if possible. For almost everyone else, buying the Lavatube 2 is a no-brainer.

View the Lavatube 2 at the Volcano website or shop in Europe. The Lavatube 2 costs $125.99 with the coupon code volcanoAFFC10 and ships anywhere in the United States for free.

Lavatube 2 Review: The Pros

• Snappy design, high-quality components
• Simple, user-friendly controls
• Great battery life and vapor production
• Affordable price

Lavatube 2 Review: The Cons

• Tight draw with Boge cartomizers
• Fairly bulky, unnecessary lanyard hole
• No drip well for catching errant e-liquid

Vapegrl

The holiday season is always the best time of the year to buy an e-cigarette. It’s by far the busiest time of the year for e-cigarette companies, who compete with one another to offer the deepest price cuts and attract as many new customers as possible. So, whether you’re thinking about switching to e-cigarettes for the first time or want to pick something nice up for a friend or family member, this is the time to do it. In this article, I’ll be discussing the best e-cigarettes of 2012 for the holiday season and telling you how you can save a bundle of money on your e-cigarette holiday shopping.

Best E-Cigarette of 2012: V2 Cigs

Shop Now | Price: $24.95 and up | Coupon Code: vapegrl15 (15% off)

If you’re like most people considering a switch to e-cigarettes, a two-part e-cigarette is exactly what you need. Two-part e-cigarettes have the size and shape you’re familiar with along with a high convenience factor and low cost. Using one is as simple as charging the battery and screwing in a cartridge.

V2 has a lot more going for it than a competitive price and some of the most reliable performance I’ve ever seen; they also have the best customer service in the industry. V2 guarantees all components except refill cartridges for life, and if you don’t like your starter kit for any reason, you can send it back within 30 days for a full refund. A lot of e-cigarette companies seem to stop caring about you the moment you provide your credit card number. V2 goes the extra mile to make sure customers are happy, and for that I consider their product the best e-cigarette of 2012. Buy it for yourself if you’re thinking about switching to e-cigarettes, or buy it for the smokers in your family.

Best E-Cigarette Mod of 2012: Volcano Lavatube

Shop Now | Shop in Europe | Price: $99.99 | Coupon Code: volcanoAFFC10 (10% off)

Some people who switch to e-cigarettes eventually decide that they want more. The Lavatube isn’t for people using e-cigarettes for the first time; it’s for people who have become intimately familiar with the way e-cigarettes work and are willing to put forth a little more effort in exchange for more throat hit, vapor and flavor.

The Lavatube is a microprocessor-controlled personal vaporizer that allows you to truly customize your e-smoking experience in a way that wouldn’t be possible with a normal e-cigarette. After picking your favorite atomizer or cartomizer, add some e-liquid, dial in a voltage between 3.0 and 6.0 and enjoy having your own personal nicotine fog machine. No other variable-voltage e-cigarette has the Lavatube’s combination of low price and high performance. If you’re an experienced e-smoker and have decided that your nicotine needs aren’t being met, the Lavatube is the e-cigarette you’re looking for.

E-Cigarette Stocking Stuffers

V2 Cigs Portable Charging Case

Shop Now | Price: $49.95 | Coupon Code: vapegrl (10% off)

If you’re already a V2 Cigs owner, you might have missed some of the changes the company made this year. V2 redesigned its entire product line and introduced some of the coolest e-cigarette accessories I’ve ever seen, including a brand new portable charging case that looks like it could have been designed by Apple. The old days of clunky cigarette pack-shaped cases are over; the V2 Cigs charging case is slim, powerful and fits any size V2 battery — along with any other battery that uses KR-808-D1 threading. Just make sure to grab the XL size ($59.95) if you use V2′s biggest battery. The V2 charging case holds a single battery along with two or three refill cartridges. The standard case has a 1200 mAh internal battery, and the XL case has a 2300 mAh battery.

Innokin UCAN Stainless Steel E-Liquid Bottle

Shop Now | Price: $15.99

After you’ve been squeezing e-liquid out of plastic bottles for a while, you might start to wish you had something nicer — especially if you bring your e-liquid to work each day. The Innokin UCAN is a stainless steel e-liquid bottle that aims to put an end to plastic bottles. Just twist off the cap, pour in about 5 ml of your favorite e-liquid and push the button on the bottom to dispense e-liquid into your e-cigarette. Not only does the UCAN look great, but it also works well for filling most types of cartomizers thanks to the needle tip.

Organic E-Liquid Sampler

Shop Now | Price: $12.00 | Coupon Code: VAPEGRL (10% off e-liquids until Christmas day)

You’re already eliminating smoke, tar and carbon monoxide by switching to electronic cigarettes. Believe it or not, though, it’s also possible to eliminate all chemicals, artificial flavors and even propylene glycol by using organic e-liquids. The organic e-liquid industry is a new one, and it’s one that Virgin Vapor consistently leads. Virgin Vapor’s e-liquids contain no DEG, artificial sweeteners, artificial colors or artificial flavors and use only certified organic USA-made flavors. You can give Virgin Vapor a try with this sampler that allows you to test three organic e-liquids of your choice.

Other E-Cigarette Sales and Coupon Codes for Christmas 2012

This area will list the other e-cigarette sales and coupon codes for the 2012 holiday season as I find out about them. At the time of writing, no other Christmas e-cigarette sales or coupon codes have been announced.

Vapegrl

Earlier this year, I wrote a news story on eCig One about several lawsuits that Dragonite — also known as Ruyan, the inventor of the electronic cigarette — had filed in a California district court against U.S. e-cigarette companies for alleged patent infringement. One of the companies against which Dragonite filed suit was Barjan LLC, maker of the Mistic e-cigarette. It was the first I had ever heard of the Mistic brand, but there were apparently many people who enjoyed buying the Mistic e-cigarette at Wal-Mart and truck stops. I immediately began to receive emails from people wondering why Mistic e-cigarettes were no longer available and asking what they should do.

It seems that Barjan has been fraught with difficulties this year. TSC Global, then Barjan’s parent company, filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy at the beginning of the year and reportedly laid off hundreds of workers, some of whom filed a federal suit for alleged improper termination. The company was also implicated in further lawsuits alleging nonpayment for products and failure to pay promised bonuses and company stock.

In March, TSC Global sold Barjan to DAS Inc. This sale also affected the CB radio brands Astatic, Francis and Wilson. Following the purchase, it seemed that Barjan would continue to focus on the Mistic e-cigarette brand and presumably continue to increase its presence on retail store shelves. However, the Ruyan/Dragonite lawsuit in June seems to have stalled those plans.

According to the case summary, many of Dragonite’s pending lawsuits were consolidated into a single case and transferred to a new judge. This event took place on July 5, and I’m unable to find any information regarding further developments. Although what will happen in this case remains to be seen, it seems that Barjan has already discontinued sales of the Mistic e-cigarette as the Mistic website lists all products as “currently unavailable.”

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from this chain of events, it’s that people who buy their e-cigarettes at retail stores generally aren’t terribly interested in buying them online. If you’re willing to try something new, though, buying online can drastically reduce the cost of your refill cartridges. The Mistic e-cigarette uses a type of threading called KR-808-D2, and Mistic cartridges cost about $15.00 per five-pack. For $12.90 at V2 Cigs, you can buy a pack of cartridges plus an adapter that will make the cartridges fit snugly on your Mistic e-cigarette battery. Alternatively, full starter kits from V2 are priced at $24.95 and up. If you buy in bulk, you can get cartridges from V2 for as little as $7.50 per pack — half of what Mistic e-cigarette cartridges cost.

Use the coupon code vapegrl15 to save 15% on any V2 starter kit, or use the coupon code vapegrl to save 10% on all other V2 products.

Vapegrl

When I first discovered electronic cigarettes, my life was in transition. I had been a smoker for years, and I was preparing to move to a state in which my price per pack of cigarettes would nearly double. I had suffered one price hike after another, but this was too much — smoking would cost a projected $3,000 per year in my new home. It was around this time that I began to see advertisements for electronic cigarettes online. Immediately, I was full of questions — what is an electronic cigarette? How do electronic cigarettes work? Are they safe, and can I really replace real cigarettes with them?

I committed to giving electronic cigarettes a real chance. As soon as I received my first starter kit, I finished my last pack of real cigarettes and switched to electronic cigarettes for good. Before long, I was trying every product I could, writing e-cigarette reviews and covering the e-cigarette industry as a journalist. Electronic cigarettes have been truly life-changing for me, and my primary reason for starting this website was collect all of the information I’ve learned into one comprehensive resource and help people avoid some of the mistakes I made when I was first starting out.

If you’re not interested in the details and simply want a product recommendation, skip straight to my article about the best e-cigarette for beginners. Otherwise, let’s get on with the question at hand.

What is an Electronic Cigarette?

Put simply, an electronic cigarette is a personal vaporizer. You load it with nicotine liquid — usually by screwing in a disposable cartridge — and it vaporizes the liquid so you can inhale it. Since you absorb the nicotine through your lungs, it feels more like smoking than other alternative nicotine delivery methods such as gum. When you exhale the vapor, it looks very much like smoke. Also, since the liquid is flavored, electronic cigarette vapor can taste very much like tobacco — or practically anything else, depending on your preference.

Why Would I Want an Electronic Cigarette?

You should think about buying an electronic cigarette if, like me, you’re a committed long-term smoker who is unable or doesn’t want to quit. When I switched to electronic cigarettes, I had given up on the idea of ever quitting because I had found over-the-counter smoking cessation aids ineffective and didn’t want to use prescription medication. Switching to electronic cigarettes gave me the ability to discontinue tobacco usage without actually quitting.

Other Benefits of Electronic Cigarettes

Discontinuing usage of tobacco is only one of the benefits of switching to electronic cigarettes. However, there are many other great reasons for switching:

• Much lower costs — about 75 percent less than cigarettes
• No more bad breath or foul-smelling clothes
• Available in any flavor you like
• No flame, much lower fire risk
• No tar
• No carbon monoxide
• No secondhand smoke
• Not subject to smoking bans in many areas

The list goes on and on. These are just a few of the reasons why, for me, the electronic cigarette has truly improved my quality of life — and you can’t say that about many products.

How Do Electronic Cigarettes Work?

A lot of the electronic cigarettes on the market look very different from one another, they all work in essentially the same way. You have a power source, a heating element and a nicotine liquid that most electronic cigarette users call “e-liquid.”

Although more complicated designs are sometimes preferred by people who have been using electronic cigarettes for a long time, the design I always recommend for people first making the switch is the “two-part” electronic cigarette. This design has only two elements: the battery and the cartridge or “cartomizer.” The cartomizer is a simple twist-on cartridge — shaped like a cigarette filter — containing both the heating element and the e-liquid. When you start to get less flavor or vapor from your electronic cigarette, it’s a simple fix; you either need to throw the cartridge away or charge the battery. It doesn’t get much simpler than that!

Are Electronic Cigarettes Really Satisfying?

Out of all the different forms of nicotine supplementation, the electronic cigarette is the only one that, for me, is truly satisfying. That’s because of what electronic cigarette users call “throat hit” — the feeling you get when your throat absorbs nicotine. You get that feeling when you smoke, and you also get it from electronic cigarettes. However, you don’t get it from nicotine gum, lozenges or patches.

What is the Best Electronic Cigarette?

If you’re a beginner, I strongly suggest taking a look at V2 Cigs because their quality control and customer service are second to none. Not only do they offer some of the best looking and best tasting electronic cigarettes on the market, but they also offer a 30-day money back guarantee so you can simply send your starter kit back if you don’t like it. If your electronic cigarette stops working, V2 Cigs also offers a lifetime warranty. On top of all this, you can take a 15 percent discount on any starter kit from V2 with the coupon code vapegrl15. I talk about these and other qualities in detail in my article about the best electronic cigarette on the market.

Vapegrl

Not long ago, I wrote an article explaining why some e-cigarettes cost so much more than others. In the article, I mentioned a particular e-cigarette that sold for as much as $350. The product in question was the White Cloud Cirrus — once the most expensive e-cigarette on the market. Times change, though, and White Cloud has lowered the price of the Cirrus by more than half in an attempt to get a bit more attention from potential customers. Has it worked? I’m going to give you the scoop in my White Cloud review.

View the selection of products at the White Cloud website. White Cloud e-cigarette kits start at $59.95 and can be returned for a full refund within 30 days of purchase.

About White Cloud E-Cigarettes

The White Cloud Cirrus uses a type of e-cigarette battery and cartridge known under the model name “KR-808.” I recommend this model of e-cigarette in my article about the best e-cigarette for beginners, although I suggest a different brand in that article for a few reasons. For most people using e-cigarettes for the first time, the KR-808 battery offers the best of all possible worlds; it gives you the long life and substantial vapor production you’d expect from a larger battery while still being only slightly larger than a real cigarette. For $59.95, the basic White Cloud Cirrus kit gives you two batteries, a USB charger and five refill cartridges. The more expensive kits give you extra features such as a car charger, extended capacity batteries and more refill cartridges. When you need to purchase refill cartridges for your White Cloud e-cigarette, they’ll start at $2.79 each. You can save money, however, by buying your cartridges in larger packages.

Although White Cloud’s selection of accessories isn’t quite as large as some other companies’, there are a few interesting items that you might consider adding to your shopping cart if you purchase a White Cloud starter kit. One of these is the Shotgun, a soft mouthpiece that allows multiple e-cigarettes to be used in tandem for mixing flavors or getting more of a nicotine hit from each puff. I found the Shotgun difficult to use effectively, but the same wasn’t true of White Cloud’s Squid charger. The Squid is a clever little USB device that charges up to three White Cloud batteries simultaneously, automatically cutting off the flow of power to each of the batteries independently as they fill. This greatly reduces the amount of time you’ll spend charging your batteries at the end of the day.

White Cloud Review

For me, reviewing the White Cloud e-cigarette was a pleasant surprise. Compared to top competitor V2 Cigs, White Cloud doesn’t have quite the vapor production or selection of accessories. If you didn’t have an opportunity to try both e-cigarettes, though, I’m certain that you’d be happy with White Cloud’s product. Not only did I think that the vapor production of the White Cloud e-cigarette was unusually good, but I also thought that White Cloud’s refill flavors were better than average. I especially liked the Bora Bora flavor, which had a more convincing tobacco flavor than almost any Chinese e-liquid I’ve ever tried.

One of the downfalls of the White Cloud e-cigarette is the fact that it is only available with automatic batteries. With an automatic battery, you have the convenience factor of not needing to hold a button down when you want to use your e-cigarette. However, when you puff on an automatic battery, there’s always going to be a slight delay before you actually start to get vapor. This doesn’t happen with manual batteries because you can hold a manual button when before you bring the e-cigarette to your mouth. That’s why the vapor production of V2 Cigs is a little better than that of White Cloud.

Overall, though, I think that the White Cloud e-cigarette is a really good one even if it isn’t quite the best e-cigarette on the market. White Cloud’s price cuts have made them a very compelling company to buy from, and their selection of refill flavors has a lot to offer most e-smokers. If you’re an extremely heavy smoker, it’s also worth noting that White Cloud is the only company I’ve been able to find to date that sells a refill cartridge with more than 50 milligrams of nicotine per milliliter. I’d never recommend buying that strength unless you already have experience with e-cigarettes and you’re positive you need that much nicotine, but it’s nice to know it’s available.

View the selection of products at the White Cloud website. White Cloud e-cigarette kits start at $59.95 and can be returned for a full refund within 30 days of purchase.

White Cloud Review: The Pros

• New, lower prices
• High-quality refill flavors
• Extremely high nicotine strengths available

White Cloud Review: The Cons

• Vapor production compromised by lack of manual batteries
• Accessory selection isn’t the best

Vapegrl

People who prefer to use e-cigarettes with atomizers and drip tips generally feel that way because they believe atomizers have flavor and vapor production characteristics superior to cartomizers. The drawback of atomizers, however, is that they cost more per unit — generally at least $10 for a good atomizer and sometimes even more. If you prefer atomizers and want to keep your e-cigarette use affordable, you need to make your atomizers last as long as possible. In this article, I will provide some suggestions on how to clean an atomizer and remove the residue that collects after weeks of use. With these suggestions, you can potentially improve the flavor and vapor production of your e-cigarette while greatly extending the life of your atomizer.

Quick Atomizer Cleaning

You probably need to change your e-cigarette battery about once per day, and that’s about how often I suggest performing a quick atomizer cleaning. To do this, all you need is a paper towel and a bottle of the e-liquid you plan to use after changing batteries.

Remove the atomizer and look at your e-cigarette’s threading and drip well. Most likely, a bit of e-liquid will have collected in one or both of these areas. Fold your paper towel to create a narrow triangle and stuff it into both areas to soak the e-liquid up. If the body of your e-cigarette doubles as the battery, always do this before charging the battery to keep e-liquid from getting into the charger.

Next, you’ll need to fold your paper towel into a square and hold it against one end of your atomizer while blowing through the other end. For best results, you should blow through the threading of the atomizer while holding the paper towel over the opening on the drip tip. Although it’s much less unpleasant to blow through the drip tip, doing this can push the atomizer’s wick down, partially plugging the atomizer. There’s less risk if you blow gently, but there’s still a possibility that blowing through the drip tip could cause restricted airflow and damage the atomizer’s performance.

With the excess e-liquid cleared from the inside of the atomizer, you can add a bit of additional e-liquid via the drip tip and resume using it.

Atomizer Deep Cleaning

Giving your atomizer a deep cleaning every two to four weeks can help you remove stuck-on residue collected on your atomizer’s heating coil such as vegetable glycerin, flavors and sweetener. To clean your atomizer in this manner, begin by heating a bit of water in a microwave-safe cup for around 20 seconds. The water should be hot but well below boiling.

Place your atomizer in the water and swish it around thoroughly until you’re confident that you’ve removed most of the residue. When you’re finished, blow gently through the atomizer as outlined in the section above to remove most of the excess water.

Finally, let the atomizer dry completely — preferably next to an air conditioner or fan — for about 24 hours. The atomizer’s wick will be saturated with water after the atomizer deep cleaning, and it won’t taste good if you vaporize it.

After waiting a day, place your drip tip on your atomizer, but don’t connect the atomizer to your e-cigarette yet. Add plenty of e-liquid to the atomizer, wait a minute or two and blow the excess e-liquid out. Reassemble your e-cigarette, add a little more e-liquid and you’re ready to go.

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How to Use an E-Cigarette

You’ve done your research, ordered your first e-cigarette and it’s going to arrive any day now. Congratulations! Switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes after years of smoking was one of the most exciting experiences of my life and I can virtually guarantee that if you made a wise choice when choosing your product, you’re going to be extremely happy with the switch. During the couple of days while I waited for my first e-cigarette to arrive, I spent as much time as possible online researching how to use an e-cigarette. I found that people’s opinions sometimes differed on certain topics, but virtually everyone agreed that e-smoking has a bit of a learning curve and it can take a little bit of time before you learn how to have the best possible experience. This article is a basic guide that explains how to use an e-cigarette. I’m confident that this guide will help you get more vapor, superior flavor and a better sense of satisfaction from your new e-cigarette.

Charging the Battery

Most e-cigarette kits include USB chargers. They may also include chargers for wall outlets and car cigarette lighters, but in most cases these accessories have USB ports. This makes the USB charger one of the most important components in your e-cigarette kit — don’t lose it. To charge your e-cigarette battery, screw the end of the battery into the threaded port on the end of the USB charger. You can then connect the USB charger to your computer or a wall or car charger. Usually, the light on the e-cigarette battery blinks at this point to let you know it’s receiving power. Depending on the type of e-cigarette you’re using, the light on the battery or charger will turn off or change color when the battery is fully charged. Hopefully, you’re here learning how to use an e-cigarette while you wait.

A few e-cigarettes come with portable battery charging cases in addition to — or instead of — the traditional USB, wall and car chargers. Since your e-cigarette’s charging case has a battery of its own, you’ll need to charge it before using it to charge an e-cigarette battery. This is done by connecting the charging case to a USB port or wall outlet using the included cable. Most charging cases have indicators displaying the charge level of the internal battery. After charging the case, you can charge an e-cigarette battery by screwing it into the case’s battery threading and holding the button on the case until the display or indicator light blinks.

Using a Cartridge or Cartomizer

Your e-cigarette most likely uses one of two designs. It’s either a three-part e-cigarette with a battery, atomizer and hollow cartridge or a two-part e-cigarette with a battery and atomized cartridge or “cartomizer.” To connect a cartomizer, simply screw it into the threading at the top of your e-cigarette battery. To use a cartridge, locate the small metal atomizer included with your e-cigarette and screw it into the battery. Gently push a cartridge fully into or on top of the atomizer, and you’re ready to go.

How to Use Your E-Cigarette

Your e-cigarette may include manual batteries, automatic batteries or both. I suggest choosing a kit with one of each, as this can help you decide which style you prefer. A manual battery requires you to press a button to produce vapor, while an automatic battery has a membrane that moves in response to air pressure when you puff. When you puff on an e-cigarette with an automatic battery, it should generate vapor immediately. If you buy an e-cigarette with an automatic battery, it’s always wise to look for the most sensitive battery possible. In my e-cigarette reviews, I always mention when an e-cigarette battery has a sensitivity problem as this makes learning how to use an e-cigarette difficult and unpleasant.

With a manual battery, you have complete control over how much vapor your e-cigarette produces. When you use one, the trick is to press the button just before you start puffing. This way, you inhale more vapor and less air. You can’t do that with an automatic battery, but you can pre-heat the e-cigarette’s heating element by taking a short puff followed by a longer one. Automatic batteries may be more fun to use, but manual batteries always produce more vapor.

Replacing a Cartridge or Cartomizer

If the flavor quality or vapor production of your e-cigarette is diminished and the battery still has plenty of life left, it’s time to replace your cartridge or cartomizer. Simply unscrew the cartomizer or pull the cartridge off of the atomizer and replace it as I described at the top of this guide on how to use an e-cigarette.

Refilling a Cartridge or Cartomizer

Once you have a bit more experience and really understand how to use an e-cigarette, you might begin looking for ways to save money or start experimenting with new flavors. There are dozens of different e-liquid companies throughout the United States and the rest of the world that make their own e-cigarette liquids from scratch and have created some truly amazing flavors. Most e-cigarettes come with e-liquids made in China. These e-liquids are passable, but I encourage you to experiment with locally made products — I think you’ll enjoy them.

To refill an e-cigarette cartridge, simply pull it off of the e-cigarette and turn it so you can see the sponge on the inside. Add several drops of e-liquid from a bottle until the sponge appears wet and place it back on the atomizer. Eventually, the sponge will start to degrade. You may also see signs of leaking. This means it’s time to begin using a new cartridge.

If your e-cigarette uses a cartomizer, I recommend refilling it before it becomes completely dry. The hardest part about filling a cartomizer is getting the e-liquid down to the heating coil. A cartomizer that isn’t completely dry will still produce vapor, but you’ll notice that when you pry the cover off, the filler material at the top of the cartomizer will appear dry. Slowly add e-liquid to the filler material a few drops at a time until the filler material looks wet and replace the cover. Avoid the hole in the center of the cartomizer, as vapor needs to travel through the hole to reach your mouth.

Vapegrl

The Social Smoking e-cigarette is a product unlike any I’ve ever reviewed. Although it’s about the same size as an L88 e-cigarette like the one sold by Blu Cigs, the threading extends out from the battery rather than being recessed into it. I believe that makes it a 401 model e-cigarette. This particular e-cigarette was gifted by a friend, and having never seen anything like it I was looking forward to giving it a try. How did this e-cigarette stack up? Find out in this Social Smoking review.

View the selection of starter kits at the Social Smoking website. Kits start at $27.97 and include a one-year warranty and 30-day money back guarantee. Social Smoking is accredited by the Better Business Bureau.

About Social Smoking

At first, Social Smoking struck me as “just another e-cigarette,” apart from the threading type that I’ve never seen before. However, other differences quickly began to become apparent. For example, the cover on the end of the battery appears metallic and opaque. When you use the Social Smoking e-cigarette, though, the cover lights up blue. The cartridges also have an unusual feel on the outside, like glossy painted metal. The lightness of the e-cigarette is also an interesting feature. If you’re one of those people who likes to let your cigarette hang from your mouth, you can’t do that with most e-cigarettes, but probably could with the Social Smoking e-cigarette.

Social Smoking’s e-cigarette kits range in price from $27.97 to $69.97. I received the $69.97 Deluxe Kit, which includes three batteries, ten cartridges and USB and wall chargers packed securely into a small box.

Social Smoking Review

According to the official website, Social Smoking sources its e-liquids from a supplier in the United States. The refill cartridges are available in four flavors: Tobacco, Menthol, Tropical Punch and Caramel Latte. Since I only received the Tobacco flavor, it’s the only one I can comment on. Unfortunately, I didn’t really care for it. Although it’s made by an American supplier, it has the distinct chemical taste common among Chinese tobacco e-liquids. The vapor production is also a bit disappointing.

That being said, it’s entirely possible that Social Smoking’s other flavors are great — I just can’t recommend the tobacco. When you buy your refills, they’ll cost $10.50 per pack. Quantity discounts are also available.

In general, I think that Social Smoking’s prices on e-cigarette kits are quite reasonable. $69.97 for a kit with three batteries and ten cartridges is a better price than average. I don’t care for the carrying case, but it’s passable if you need something that can store a battery and a few spare cartridges.

Overall, I sadly can’t give the Social Smoking e-cigarette a strong recommendation. The price is great, and I love the styling. However, I wasn’t terribly pleased with the experience I had in the areas of flavor and vapor production. You also have to bear in mind that the 401 threading of the Social Smoking battery is unusual. Unless you purchase an adapter, you won’t be able to experiment with other companies’ refill cartridges. For that reason, you may be better off purchasing an e-cigarette with a more common threading type. For example, e-cigarettes and cartridges sold by Blu and Volcano are interchangeable. The V2 Cigs and Halo G6 e-cigarettes are also interchangeable. Choosing one of these brands gives you a lot more options when you want to try new flavors.

View the selection of starter kits at the Social Smoking website. Kits start at $27.97 and include a one-year warranty and 30-day money back guarantee.

Social Smoking E-Cigarette: The Pros

• Price is better than average
• American-made e-liquids
• Nice styling, very light when fully assembled

Social Smoking E-Cigarette: The Cons

• Unusual threading; can’t try other companies’ refill cartridges without an adapter
• Flavor and vapor production are below average

Vapegrl