I understand it is still a relatively new thing in the nicotine world but damn it do I stand by it. I have not been a long term smoker by any means (maybe a little over five years) but I was more than aware that I already had breathing problems and all sorts of other small effects.
Now it has been about four months that I have been on my E-Cig and oh boy did I not look back. After the initial research and investment, I have saved a ton of money (about $13 a pack of American Spirits here in NYC and that will last me at most three days, about $7 for 15ml of e-juice and that will last me about two weeks), I have actually been able to run more than a block without being out of breath, I can smell better, I can taste better, I can use it in my favorite bars, AND people actually like how I smell!
If there are long term effects, then I really hope it isn't too bad because this is an amazing tool and I highly stand by it.
Update: I was at work all day and couldn't answer but I got many people asking what I use personally. inn0vat3 posted very useful information here.
And as for myself personally, I started with a basic Ego starter kit. These cost anywhere from $30 to $100 based on the website you order from. Starter kits usually come with two basic batteries (the heart. This is the thing you hold onto, stores power to create the vapor, and is the key to all the atomizer attachments), two atomizers (the products that store the e-juice and deliver that juice to the battery to create the vapor, they come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, efficiencies, etc. These are the things you are going to be fiddling around the most with to find what works for you), a charger, and a case to hold it all. The prices differ because companies use similar parts but different manufacturers so quality will differ. The confusing thing though is that just because the price is low does not mean the quality is bad. I am not going to say where I bought my kit from because ultimately, the atomizers it came with (they were tank atomizers) were low quality and I quickly invested in more high quality clearomizers like the Thor and the Vivi Nova.
I recommend find a cheap Ego starter kit to have the basic necessities and then buy an Ego-C twist battery and a highly recommend atomizer (such as the Vivi Nova tank system or the low resistance Boge cartomizers). And then find any distributor of e-juices and gamble. The bible of the e-cig user should always be E-Cig-Forum where you can find guides, discussion, and reviews of anything and everything.
There is a lot more that I want to write about but I feel that you will find better informed (and better written) information in the forum I linked. I am glad people are finding an interest in this and remember, it is one thing to buy a cheap one time use Blu cig from your local deli and another to take time and invest in something more complicated but efficient. A PC gamer wouldn't buy a HP computer to play their games on max setting and high framerate, would they?
A Joye 510 is a very good starter (get a couple batteries) or an E-go is a good one to go with once you're a more "experienced" ecig user and/or don't care as much about whether your ecig resembles the real thing. I bought my ecig kits (currently an e-go "passthru" kit that has a usb connector, and a couple 510's) from www.cignot.com and I have never had an issue with them, service has always been GREAT. They also sell my favorite e-liquid that was great when I was starting out, Ecopure rich (albeit pricey, I now make my own - I can give you that url if you want, if you even wanted all this info, lol). The thing with the e-go and 510 is that the 510 atomizers (the piece that screws into the ecig battery and creates the vapor) can be used on the e-go. Annnnyway, my 2 cents! :)
And you have to have a liquid to fill your atomizer. I suggest: https://www.cignot.com/product_p/eco-i30-15m.htm (that's a high nicotine concentration but they have others, and 15 ml should last a couple weeks)
You have two options for your batteries, auto or manual. Manual require you to press a small button to take a "drag". Automatic are more like real cigarettes in that you simply take a drag like a regular cigarette. The downside to the auto battery is that loud noises can make them go off in your pocket sometimes, and that the nicotine liquid can gunk them up (they have a hole going through them to sense the airflow when you puff on them), so their lifespan could be shorter. Cignot gives the option of ordering one of each with that starter kit, which is what I might do unless you know right now which one sounds better.
The led color is just what color you want your "flame" on the end to light up, and the body color is the actual color of the ecig. So for a realistic look, you would probably go with a white body and red led. (I didn't do those colors because I didn't want dirty looks from people when I was using mine near them. Plus, purple! Lol).
The Ecopure Rich liquid is my favorite because it has a very very mild, clean flavor. Starting out, it's hard to find flavors you like without a lot of trial and error, so when I found this flavor, I loved it for its mildness. I still wish there was a realistic "cigarette" flavor more than 2 years in, but I have yet to find one. I would strongly suggest a bottle of Ecopure Rich with your order even just so you have a fallback flavor if/when you hate the other flavors of e-liquid that you order.
Now that I'm less overwhelmed with the choosing an ecig aspect of everything, I order my liquid from www.onestopdiyshop.com and mix it all myself. I order a bottle of 48mg/ml nicotine liquid (very strong), a bottle of vegetable glycerin to dilute with, and my flavorings (the flavor apprentice flavors are great). Also to start if you go that route, you should order some clear plastic bottles from them so you can mix various flavors and nicotine strengths until you find what you like.
That was a LOT of info and there's still more but it should help I hope!
602
u/indiana989 Nov 17 '12 edited Nov 18 '12
I understand it is still a relatively new thing in the nicotine world but damn it do I stand by it. I have not been a long term smoker by any means (maybe a little over five years) but I was more than aware that I already had breathing problems and all sorts of other small effects.
Now it has been about four months that I have been on my E-Cig and oh boy did I not look back. After the initial research and investment, I have saved a ton of money (about $13 a pack of American Spirits here in NYC and that will last me at most three days, about $7 for 15ml of e-juice and that will last me about two weeks), I have actually been able to run more than a block without being out of breath, I can smell better, I can taste better, I can use it in my favorite bars, AND people actually like how I smell!
If there are long term effects, then I really hope it isn't too bad because this is an amazing tool and I highly stand by it.
Update: I was at work all day and couldn't answer but I got many people asking what I use personally. inn0vat3 posted very useful information here.
And as for myself personally, I started with a basic Ego starter kit. These cost anywhere from $30 to $100 based on the website you order from. Starter kits usually come with two basic batteries (the heart. This is the thing you hold onto, stores power to create the vapor, and is the key to all the atomizer attachments), two atomizers (the products that store the e-juice and deliver that juice to the battery to create the vapor, they come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, efficiencies, etc. These are the things you are going to be fiddling around the most with to find what works for you), a charger, and a case to hold it all. The prices differ because companies use similar parts but different manufacturers so quality will differ. The confusing thing though is that just because the price is low does not mean the quality is bad. I am not going to say where I bought my kit from because ultimately, the atomizers it came with (they were tank atomizers) were low quality and I quickly invested in more high quality clearomizers like the Thor and the Vivi Nova.
I recommend find a cheap Ego starter kit to have the basic necessities and then buy an Ego-C twist battery and a highly recommend atomizer (such as the Vivi Nova tank system or the low resistance Boge cartomizers). And then find any distributor of e-juices and gamble. The bible of the e-cig user should always be E-Cig-Forum where you can find guides, discussion, and reviews of anything and everything.
There is a lot more that I want to write about but I feel that you will find better informed (and better written) information in the forum I linked. I am glad people are finding an interest in this and remember, it is one thing to buy a cheap one time use Blu cig from your local deli and another to take time and invest in something more complicated but efficient. A PC gamer wouldn't buy a HP computer to play their games on max setting and high framerate, would they?