If you’ve decided it’s time to stop smoking and make the switch to vaping, figuring out where to start can be a bit daunting. More than the nicotine addiction, smoking becomes a ritual part of the daily routine, often complimenting a meal or coffee, it goes hand in hand with relaxing or socialising and can buy you that five minute time-out from the office. Even the feel of drawing and inhaling can be missed too. Switching to vaping ticks all of these boxes with the added benefits of being much safer and cheaper. With all the technological advances in e-cigarettes there are kits that replicate the feeling of dragging on a cigarette while also offering the same rush and satisfaction you are used to. We’ll explain the difference between vaping styles, which e-liquids you should go for (and why) and give you a list of top selling kits that will do the job.
Vaping Styles: MTL & DTL
The vaping world is filled with acronyms, if you’ve already shopped around for a vape kit, the two you’ve likely come across are MTL & DTL – these describe the two vaping styles available. MTL stands for “mouth to lung” which describes the process of drawing vapour into your mouth and then inhaling it into your lungs. It is essentially the same process you use for smoking. This style of vaping will have a tight draw, similar to smoking a cigarette and will give off less vapour.
DTL on the other hand stands for “direct to lung” where the inhale is loose and airy and bypasses the mouth to be inhaled directly into the lungs. If you’ve ever used a shisha pipe or an inhaler then you get the idea. DTL vaping produces a lot more vapour, so if you’ve ever seen someone blowing huge clouds on the street, this is what they were doing.
As you might have guessed, if you are trying to make the switch from smoking to vaping, MTL is your best option. It will feel very familiar and almost identical to the type of draw you’d get from smoking a cigarette, making the transition easier as it does not require that you learn any new technique. Saying that, if you enjoy vaping and wish to explore further, there is nothing stopping you, but starting off with something close to home gives you the best chance at making a successful switch.
Coil Resistance And Why It Matters
We’ve covered MTL vaping and why it is the best style to use when quitting the cigs, but what goes into it and how is it achieved? Well it’s all down to a tiny wrapping of metal mesh and cotton called the coil. The coil is what will actually cause your e-liquid to turn into a vapour. When your kit fires up, the wire or mesh inside the coil heats up and vaporises the liquid that has soaked into the cotton.
Each coil has a certain set resistance which is measured in ohms. Mouth to lung coil resistances will be in the range of 0.8ohm to 1.8ohm. The thing to remember here is that a low number (resistance) will give you more power and produce an airier draw with more vapour, conversely as you go higher in coil resistance, a lower amount of vapour is produced and the tighter the draw becomes. If you are just starting out it is recommended to use coils in the plus ohm range of 1.0ohm to 1.8ohm as these will mimic the feel of a cigarette quire accurately.
E-Liquids: What is PG/VG?
The type of coil you have in your kit will directly influence your next important decision, what kind of e-liquid to use. Here we bump into our next two acronyms PG and VG. It’s important to know the ratio of these in your e-liquid as it will affect the consistency of the e-liquid and therefore your style of vape.
VG (Vegetable Glycerin) is much thicker and needs more power to vaporise properly (it creates most of the vapour in your e-cig). PG (Propylene Glycol) is thinner and vaporises more easily, creates less vapour and has a little more of a throat hit that replicates that smoky sensation.
For a MTL vape, a ratio of what is known as 50:50 PG/VG e-liquid is best. This gives you just enough vapour and throat hit to replicate the look and feel of a cigarette while delivering a satisfying level of flavour.
What about nicotine?
There are two kinds of nicotine you can get in e-liquid and one is much more effective for you if you are a heavy smoker looking to make a successful switch to vaping. The first kind is one that’s been used in e-liquids since day one – it’s called freebase nicotine. It’s the more slow to absorb of the two and has quite a harsh sensation when used in high concentrations. E-liquids come in a range of freebase nicotine strengths, ranging from a very low 3mg, to intermediate levels of 6mg and 12mg to a strong 18mg.
The other kind of nicotine is called a nicotine salt – or nic salts for short. These are more mild on the throat but also absorb more rapidly. Getting something that relieves that nicotine itch as fast as possible is key and the answer here is nic salts. Nic salts are designed especially for mouth to lung vapers and will generally come in a 10mg or 20mg strength – we’d recommend you start off with the 20mg. You can drop it lower over time, but starting off with something strong will help keep those cravings away.
Disposable Vapes or Refillable Vape Kit?
The immediacy and convenience of disposable kits are a very attractive option as they require no setup and can be used straight out the box. Disposables typically contain 2ml of 20mg or 10mg flavoured nic salt e-liquid, which will last approximately 500 puffs (roughly equivalent to a pack of 20 cigarettes.)
Disposables can be a great place to start as an entry into the world of vaping, however it is worth noting that they are very wasteful as they can’t be refilled and you dispose of the entire kit including the battery once it’s done. As a long term solution they are not very economical and if you are looking after your wallet as well as your health then your best bet is a refillable vape kit.
Disposables
Elf Bar Mate500 Pod Device
A good alternative or upgrade to the standard disposable devices is the Elf Bar Mate500. You get the same delicious flavours the Elf Bar has to offer in a reusable kit. The battery will last approximately 500 puffs and can be recharged. When the pod runs out all you need to do is pop a new one in instead of buying a whole new device.
Vape kits
Caliburn G2 Pod Kit by UWELL
Some of us here at Vape Superstore would say that this is the best MTL pod kit ever made and it arguably is. This intuitive refillable pod system features a 750mAh battery and delivers 18W of power. A top refill system makes refilling easy and you have a choice of a 0.8ohm coil for an airy warm vape or a 1.2ohm coil which provides that cigarette like feel. Further adjustments to the draw of your vape can be made using the adjustable airflow.
The coils themselves feature UWELL’s Pro-FOCS flavour adjusting technology which will give your vape juice a uniquely clean and pure flavour. To use, you just fill the pod with e-liquid, let it settle for 10 minutes, switch it on. You can activate the device by simply inhaling on it or you can use the fire button for more control.
Dimensions: 110.5mm x 22.5mm x 13mm
750mAh Battery
Pro-FOCS flavour adjusting technology
Dual Fire Operation – Draw or Button Activated
18W Fixed Wattage Output
Intuitive dual airflow
MTL or restricted DTL vaping styles
2ml Refillable Pods
USB Type-C Charging
XROS Mini Pod Kit by Vaporesso
Slim, compact and powerful with a whopping 1000mAh battery that will easily see you through the day, the XROS Mini offers you a discreet MTL cigarette like vape with the 1.2ohm coil or a looser, more voluminous alternative with the 0.8ohm. The coils are built into the pod, so when you are finished you can just pull out the old pod and pop in a new one.
The kit is powered by the AXON chipset which delivers a stable and consistent vape and will really bring out the flavour in your nic salt e-liquid. Take off the ergonomic mouthpiece to fill the pod and let it soak for 10 minutes. Then just puff on the device to begin.
Dimensions: 98.9 ×23.4 × 13.5mm
Internal 1000mAh battery
11 / 16W output
AXON Chipset
Refillable 2ml pods
Auto-Draw (Inhale Activated) Design
Top Fill System
Magnetic Pod Connection
3 Colour LED Battery Indicator
Type-C charging
RPM 25W Pod Kit by Smok
The RPM 25W Pod Kit by Smok showcases a slimline metal and leather encased body that packs an impressive 900mAh battery and offers users a beginner friendly and customisable vape experience. Using 0.9ohm LP1 coils which are perfect for nic salts, the turbo mesh design of the coils will deliver sustained, rich flavours. To refill the pod simply pull it out and lift the side refill tab, the position of this side refill tab also helps prevent any leakage. The coils are plug and play so you don’t have to worry about unscrewing anything, just pull out your old coil and pop in a new one and you’re ready.
This device has a 0.69” OLED display which will tell you how many puffs you’ve taken and how much battery you have left. What’s more, you can also adjust how much power you put into the coil so you can pick the right kind of warmth and volume for your vape. The airiness of your draw can be further fine tuned by the adjustable airflow wheel below the pod.
5-25W Output Range
900mAh Built-In Battery
Variable Wattage
2ml Refillable Pods
Adjustable Airflow
MTL Vaping
Hopefully we’ve cleared up a few questions and concerns about getting into vaping if you’re trying to drop a heavy smoking habit. We’ve also got a whole range of guides – including one on quitting smoking to help get you prepared. If you’re ready to dive in, make sure you check out our 5 for £20 nic salt deal as well as the rest of the starter vape kits we’ve got too. Don’t worry if you still have more questions, we’re here to help you out whether that’s with kit advice or just an e-liquid flavour recommendation. You can contact us with any questions and we’ll get you on track as quickly as possible.
www.vapesuperstore.co.uk contains general information about vaping and vapour products. The information provided is not medical advice, and should not be relied upon unless explicity cited. We do not make any warranties surrounding the health benefits, reliability and accuracy of written copy across all pages on our website, including blog content and content posted on social media.