Electronic Cigarettes – Godsend Or Garbage?

Now we’ve talked about some of the “starter” kits that are available, we should spend some time talking about the more advanced technology available.

One of the technologies which should be talked about are the “tank” systems. These devices use the standard 3.7 volts in various styles of battery, with cartridges that use a fluid filled tank to deliver liquid to the atomizer, rather than a fiber filled cartridge.

These devices are known to last longer between having to refill the unit, which makes them more convenient but have the down side of, in some people’s opinions, not delivering the same amount of flavor, vapor production and “throat hit” or “throat kick” that the standard devices do. “Throat hit”, by the way, is what vapers use to describe the feeling in the back of the throat when the vapor is inhaled. A good “throat hit” is warm and full, without being over-bearing or causing coughing fits. A bad “throat hit” is like inhaling nothing.

As with the standard e-cigs, there are many styles, shapes, sizes and colors of “tank” systems, the smallest being slightly larger than a “100” length cigarette and the largest being…well…large…like hookah-large…

And from there, the logical progression is to the category of “mods”. Mods are independently designed, built and marketed devices, many of which are produced in the U.S. or the U.K. These devices use a battery which is separate from the device in that it is removed from the housing and charged on a charging device before being placed back into the device.

Mods, too come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors and use standard atomizers like 510 and 306 style. Mods are becoming wildly popular in the “vaping” world and are viewed as a status symbol for some…if you aren’t packing a mod, you’re not a “real vaper” yet. Mods are generally much larger than other types of e-cig and many users won’t carry them in public due to their size and form.

Mods are known for being robust, sturdy and easy to operate. They also all use manual switches and high capacity batteries, many of which can go a full day without charging.

These mods come in more shapes and sizes than I can begin to describe. Round, square, tall, short, with refill bottles built in, single battery, dual battery, 3.7 volt, 5 volt, 510, 306, 901, 801, red, pink, purple, custom artwork, light saber handles, dildos…I could go on all night. The mods are also the best bang for your buck, offering good performance and longevity and coming in at under $100, with batteries and chargers, in most cases.

Next up, we have to talk about the “variable voltage” mods.

Variable voltage mods are devices with adjustment controls which will deliver more or less voltage to the atomizer, based on the preference of the user. This is where things start to get a little complicated, because the user has to take voltage, resistance, amperage and wattage into consideration when they are using the devices.

Because atomizers come in a variety of resistances – from 1.5 ohms, up – the user will need to know what voltage will provide the best performance from each individual atomizer. This requires the use of multi-meters and knowledge of Ohm’s law. It’s not as complicated as I may be making it sound but it’s not for people who are just looking for something to slow down their marlboro habit, either.

The variable voltage devices mark full entrance into the upper echelon of “vaping” and will give you any performance you want them to. Want to get a little bit of vapor? Dial down the voltage and increase the resistance of the atomizer. Want to make your head disappear in a cloud of fluffy white vapor every time you take a puff? Dial up the voltage and use a low-resistance atomizer that you’ve removed the “bridge” from and drip liquid directly in to it.

Again, it’s more advanced stuff but this is the pro-grade vaping experience.

Ok, so I’ve babbled on about the different types of devices for a while, now…It’s time to address the big question.

Next page, please!