If you’re new to vaping, you may be wondering where you should start, from what vaping is to how to do it safely.
All the terminology and gear associated with vaping can be a bit overwhelming for someone who has never vaped before. From choosing the right vape kit to finding a vape juice flavour you like and figuring out your preferred nicotine strength, there’s a lot to consider.
If you’re shopping in-store, an employee should be able to help you get set up, but if you’re looking to buy online or just want to get some information and understanding before making a purchase, our vaping guide for beginners can help you to know what’s best and where to start.
So, in this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know and even include some handy vaping tips for beginners. Let’s jump right in!
What is vaping, and how does it work?
If you don’t already know, vaping is the inhalation of vaporised substances through an electronic device, also known as a vape or an e-cigarette. The device works by heating a liquid – typically containing nicotine and flavourings – into an aerosol, which the user then inhales.
Vaping is a great, safe way to give up or cut back on cigarette smoking. If patches, gums, and other quitting methods haven’t worked for you in the past, choosing to vape could be the way you finally cut back on, or cut out, smoking for good.
The process of inhaling vape liquid has a similar effect to inhaling cigarette smoke, and by including small levels of nicotine, you can help satisfy the cravings usually associated with quitting smoking.
If you’re new to vaping, you may have seen many component terms that you’re unfamiliar with. To ensure you're up-to-date, take a look at the parts of a vape and check out our vaping glossary to familiarise yourself with key vaping terms.
What to expect when you’re new to vaping
If you’re switching from smoking to vaping, you can expect to experience a few side effects while your body gets used to the change. As you start to experience changing nicotine levels, you may experience coughing, headaches, and throat irritation. Don’t let this put you off – the road to quitting smoking can be difficult and it takes perseverance, but it is worth it!
To find out more about what happens when you quit smoking and start vaping, please read our blog.
To stop yourself from falling back to smoking when you first start vaping, we have a few vaping tips for beginners:
- Use a starter kit
Starter kits provide the easiest way for beginners to get started with vaping. Without having to know the complex technology behind vaping, these kits offer a simple solution to get your nicotine fix quickly.
- Monitor your cravings
If you feel yourself craving nicotine even after you’ve vaped, you may consider getting a higher strength of nicotine in your e-liquid. Start with a level you’re comfortable with and gradually go lower and lower to keep your cravings under control.
- Keep your vape with you
Keeping your vape with you at all times can ensure you never have to replace it with a cigarette. Whenever you get a craving, step outside and use the vape to get your nicotine fix.
- Have spare components
You may want to purchase an additional vape battery to keep with you, which can offer a solution if you ever run out of charge on-the-go. Additionally, ensure you have spare coils since these will also need to be replaced over time.
Vaping tips for beginners: choosing your first vape
If you’re new to vaping, you may feel overwhelmed by the choice between the different types of vapes. Look below to discover some of the options available to you and their pros and cons.
Beginner’s guide to vape pens
Vape pens are a good entry point into the world of vaping for beginners. They are portable vaping devices typically consisting of a battery, heating element, and e-liquid tank. You can use it easily by inhaling through the mouthpiece. Generally, pen-style vapes are more suited to mouth-to-lung vaping rather than more intense sub-ohm vaping. However, some vape pens are now equipped to facilitate sub-ohm vaping.
Pros:
- Fairly inexpensive
- Easy to set up and ready to go straight out of the box
- Easy to hold and relatively subtle
- Can now be as powerful as larger vape mods while still retaining their smaller, more portable, and discrete appearance
- Fairly good battery life and can last a full day of moderate use
Cons:
- The battery capacity may not be powerful enough for heavy vape users
- Limited customisability
- Weaker throat hit than other devices
Beginner’s guide to vape pod systems
Pod vape kits, or pod mods, use cartridges of e-liquid that are ready built with the coil, wick and measured e-liquid ready to go. Where other vape systems are usually activated by inhaling through the tip, vape pod mods are generally activated by pressing a button on the mod to release a puff of vapour.
Pros:
- Require very little technical vaping knowledge and maintenance
- Convenient to carry around
- Ready to use with a press of a button
- Fantastic mid-point between the basic capabilities of a vape pen and the more advanced variable wattage box mod systems
Cons:
- May be more expensive than refillable alternatives
- May produce plastic waste
- Flavours and nicotine strength may be restrictive for pre-filled options
Beginner’s guide to vape box mods
Vape box mods are generally seen as the next step up from vape pens because they are slightly more advanced, due to the range of customisable and changeable parts. Once you are comfortable with vaping with a pen and are looking to advance to a more intense vaping sensation or want to begin customising your vape kit, then vape mods are for you.
Pros:
- Can accommodate sub-ohm coils for a more intense direct-to-lung vaping experience
- Highly customisable, with adjustable voltage, wattage, and temperature
- Highly powerful flavours and vapour
- Large battery capacity
Cons:
- More expensive than other options
- Can be large and heavy, making them harder to carry around
- Harder to use than simpler alternatives
- Higher maintenance, including cleaning
- Need for external batteries for some devices
Vaping tips for beginners: Do’s & Don’ts
Check out our vaping tips for beginners to ensure you’re all clued up before you start.
Do’s:
- Prime your coils correctly
Prime your coil by pre-soaking the cotton in e-liquid, ensuring it is fully saturated but not oversaturated, as excess e-liquid can flood the coil. Ensure that the wicks stay saturated with enough liquid to avoid dry hits.
- Clean your device frequently
If your device requires maintenance, ensure you get rid of any built-up dirt or debris. Learning how to clean a vape tank and other components can keep them running for longer.
- Consider the right nicotine strength
If you’re new to vaping, consider how much nicotine you actually want to consume to avoid headaches and nausea. Heavy smokers may choose higher strengths, while light or social smokers may go for low strengths or even nicotine-free vaping – for very light smokers, the habit of stepping out for a smoke can be as addictive as the cigarette!
- Experiment
Don’t be afraid to deviate from what you know and try another device, PG/VG ratio, or flavour. If your vape pen isn’t strong enough, why not try a mod?
- Reach out to us if you’re uncertain
If there is anything you are not sure about, don’t hesitate to contact us – our team members are always happy to share their vaping knowledge to help you out!
Don’ts:
- Overfill your tank
Check your device’s instructions to see how much liquid you can use; the legal maximum capacity for vape tanks in the UK is 2ml. Don’t be tempted to fill it up more than the recommended amount, as this can cause leaks.
- Don’t chain vape
Chain vaping is when you take puffs without a break, increasing the vapour released and causing the e-liquid to run out faster. This could lead to an unpleasant burnt taste as well as damaged components.
- Disregard the rules
While some establishments have rules about smoking, they may also have regulations for vaping. Vaping may not be allowed in some enclosed spaces, so you should always check before you vape and ensure you are respecting those around you.
- Forget to hydrate
Vaping can dry your mouth out, so staying hydrated is important to avoid vaper’s tongue.
- Charge your device overnight
Charging your vape at night can wear out the battery and risk damage to your device.
Vaping myths new vapers should be aware of
If you’re new to vaping, you may have heard a lot of rumours. Let’s debunk some of the most common vaping myths that may have been holding you back!
While vaping with nicotine is not risk-free, vaping is still considerably less dangerous than smoking by heating e-liquid instead of tobacco. Check out our guide on the safety of vaping for more information.
The UK government ensures that nicotine vape devices are strictly regulated for high safety standards under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR) legislation. This ensures that the legal sale of vaping products must meet all restrictions and limitations.
The truth is that nicotine vapes are one of the most impactful devices to wean people off smoking. They are even more effective than nicotine patches or gum. In fact, the current official NHS guidance recommends vaping as a method to quit smoking.
While users sometimes use a vape more than they would use a cigarette, it is typical to vape frequently as a vape puff contains a much lower risk than a tobacco puff. Furthermore, it sometimes takes longer for nicotine to reach the brain during vaping, meaning you need to use the vape more frequently.
As diacetyl, an ingredient associated with this lung disease, is banned from vapes and e-liquids in the UK, vaping does not create a major risk of contracting this disease. According to Cancer Research, there have been no confirmed cases of popcorn lung caused by vaping.
What should you do if you’re new to vaping and don’t like it?
As mentioned earlier, it can be extremely difficult for some individuals to move from smoking to vaping, and you may want to swap back at the start. However, if you’re determined to quit smoking, you should try to persevere. Here are our top vaping tips for beginners who are struggling at the start:
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Detect the problem
Try to pinpoint what specific aspects you dislike about your vape. For example, if you’re feeling discomfort from nicotine cravings, you might try a vape with a higher level of nicotine.
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Experiment with different devices
Just because you don’t like one device doesn’t mean you won’t like another. If you don’t like the expense and weight of a mod, you may prefer the affordable and lightweight feel of a vape pen.
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Try out different flavours
Some flavours are bolder than others. If apple or blackcurrant just isn’t adventurous enough for you, consider trying a more niche flavour, like a bakery-flavour or bubblegum. If you’re craving the taste of a cigarette alongside the nicotine hit, you might want to try tobacco flavour. If flavours are not for you, there’s always flavourless e-liquid too.
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Drink water regularly
Vaping can cause dehydration, so if you notice any discomfort while vaping, drinking more water might improve your vaping experience.
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Be patient
Be aware that it may take some time to adjust to vaping, especially if you are trying to move away from being a heavy smoker. Persevere and try to give yourself enough time to get accustomed to this new experience.
Vaping tips for beginners on what to do next
Now that you have an introduction to vaping under your belt, you may be wondering what to do next. Well, now it’s time to check out our vaping products and start shopping! Here at Vape Town, we offer a huge selection of e-cigarette kits, including pods and mods, with countless e-liquids to complement them. Additionally, you may find our guide to beginner vape kits useful to get started.
Hopefully, you now feel a little more confident about vapes and their components. However, if you still don’t know where to start or which vape to try out, contact us, and a member of our team will be more than happy to offer a helping hand!