Guide for New E-Cig Users

Welcome to our introduction to vaping. If you are reading this then you have decided to cut down smoking by using an electronic cigarette or switch completely. The world of vaping (what ecig users call it) can be confusing at the beginning and we hope this answers many of your initial questions.

What are electronic cigarettes?

An electronic cigarette is essentially 3 parts:

  1. a rechargeable battery
  2.  a Tank "reservoir" for e-Liquid
  3. a Coil which contains a wick that aborbs the e-liquid where it is turned into vapour.

A man called Hon Lik created one in 2003 to help him quit smoking, but since then vaping has surged in popularity and there are now 2.8million vapers in the UK.

Although the original design has been developed dramatically the devices operate in an identical way to the early cigalikes. You may have seen these ecigs in supermarkets and service stations.

The growth of vaping in the UK has created a vibrant online community who offer each other suggestions and answer questions – something that you will not find with traditional nicotine replacement products. There are large annual events for vapers and they also meet up around the country to compare devices and swap stories. "(Sounds nerdy - yes indeed)" The basic point here is some vapers have gone on to be hobbyists, whilst the first and without major point is finding an alternative to smoking which is best for you.

Why do people vape instead of smoking?

Almost every vaper you meet will have switched to vaping in order to quit smoking. Compared to the 4,000+ toxins contained within cigarette smoke the vapour from an ecig is “orders of magnitude safer”, as described on BBC television by Professor Robert West.

The health body concluded that, on “the best estimate so far”, e-cigarettes are about 95% less harmful than tobacco cigarettes and could one day be dispensed as a licensed medicine in an alternative to anti-smoking products such as patches. Research carried out by ASH UK and Professor West has identified that people are six times more likely to successfully quit using an ecig than traditional forms like gum or patches. Also, the government’s Nudge Unit has recommended that it adopt ecigs as a harm reduction strategy because it mimics the act of smoking and this is why they believe it works well as a quit tool.

Three English quit services are now ecig-friendly and trials are being carried out to allow their use by the prison service and NHS Trusts.

UPDATE - According to Public Health England (PHE) Vaping is safer than smoking and could lead to the demise of the traditional cigarette as said in the first official recognition that e-cigarettes are less damaging to health than smoking tobacco.

Why use something other than a disposable cigalike?

These entry devices have weak batteries and a limited range of flavours. This means they do not deliver sufficient nicotine to satisfy the cravings of most current or recently ex-smokers.

The range of flavour is important because the longer you go without a cigarette the more your sense of taste returns – leading to an enhanced appreciation of the e-liquids you can use.

Trends show that vapers quickly move on from the 1st generation cigalikes to our 2nd and 3rd generation equipment as it offers a superior vaping experience and allows them to adjust the vape to suit their preferences.

What is in e-liquid?

You may read some scare stories but we know very well what is in our juice. Pharmaceutical grade VG (for clouds), PG (for flavour) and nicotine plus flavourings. We only supply reputable juice makers who test their liquids and we only bring you the safest brands.

How does it work?

The battery supplies power to heat the coil, the coil is replaceable and sits inside the top tank part in devices such as the top-selling Innokin Endura T18 Starter kit. The coil heats up and vaporises the juice on the wick. (wick - this is the material used to absorb the liquid surrounding the coil element). The vapour passes up the chimney and is drawn into the mouth. Liquid from the reservoir in the tank is soaked up by the wick ready for the next vape.

Larger capacity Batteries such as the Innokin Cool Fire 4 allows the user to adjust the wattage, which adjusts the flavour and quantity of cloud to suit the user.

what is an ecig new user guide to vaping

How do I fill the tank?

Simply unscrew it, tanks come with either top or bottom fill - pour in your juice but stop before it flows out of the chimney metal tube inside. With it still inverted screw on the atomiser base containing the atomiser coil. (or upright using a top fill tank).

Do the coils last forever?

Unfortunately not. Gradually the flavour will fade away and this indicates it is time to replace it. This is dependent on how much it is used. Everyone vapes in a different way whether longer puffs or more frequently. An indication of when to replace the coil is loss of vapour production or loss of flavour usually resulting in a burnt type taste.

Is it easy to replace a coil head?

Absolutely. Its quick and simple. Unscrew the old head from the atomiser base. Open the packet containing your new head. Screw it in but allow a couple of minutes before vaping so that the juice has time to soak into the wick in side the coil head.

ecig new user vaping guide stop smoking start vaping
*The above image shows an older style silica wick. Most wicks used today and certainly all available in Vapour.UK use Organic cotton as a wicking material.

What resistance coil head do I need?

Does the one you currently use satisfy you? Vaping is a very personal thing, what works for others may not suit you. A higher ohm resistance coil will give a cooler vape (eliquid is heated less quickly) while a lower ohm coil will give a warmer and cloudier vape (eliquid is heated faster). Changing the resistance of the coil from the one you are using may alter the flavour you detect.

How long will the coil head last?

As mentioned above. This depends entirely on the type of juice you vape, how often you vape and how hot you run your coil at. As you’ll find with vaping, everything seems to depend on your preferred way of doing things. Some people change their heads every week or fortnight while others stretch it much longer.

How long does the battery remain charged?

See? This is another one of those ‘it depends’ questions. Are you chain-vaping or just taking the occasional puff? The more you use it the faster it will run out of charge. If using a lower resistance coil this will also drain the battery faster.

When buying something it is worth looking at the mAh rating of the battery – the higher it is the longer it will carry on working. If you need to be vaping for a long time away from somewhere you can charge it you need to consider a higher mAh device or maybe having a back-up battery.

Aha, charging? How do I do that safely?

Only used the recharging cable that came with your device and always follow the recharging instructions. Incorrectly charging your battery can lead to it getting hot, getting very hot or even catching fire.

The battery is a lithium-ion type and these are common in cell phones, laptops and a host of other household gadgets, there’s nothing dangerous about them simply because they power an ecig. The ecig devices we provide have limited safety features and are regulated for safe use as intended and as stated in the user manual. Used and charged correctly it will serve you reliably.

All of our products are genuine items and can be trusted to perform safely. Avoid cheaper products as they might not conform to the same safety standards.

Want to learn more about battery safety? Read our guide "14 Do's and Dont's - A quick step guide to battery safety for vapers".

Do you have any other products for beginners?

Certainly, we are all individuals and different products cater to different needs and tastes. We stock a select range of Starter Kits that are easy to use and perfect for new vapers, please check the latest new beginner devices out below and if you have any questions we are here to help - we were all starters and beginners too and completely understand it can get confusing fast:

Innokin Endura T18 Kit
Aspire K2 Starter Kit
Kanger Top Evod Kit

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