Since the invention of the modern e-cigarette in 2003, vaping devices have developed at an amazing rate.
It cannot be easy to know where to begin with all the vape devices available and e-liquid flavors. It is a great place to start, especially if you’re learning to vape.
This guide will take you one step closer to finding the perfect vape.
It is not very clear to use vaping terminology.
What do I need to know about VAPES?
Before we begin, you should know that a vaping product has three main components:
- Battery
- Atomizer
- E-liquid
- The battery is used to power the atomizer.
- The atomizer, or heating element of the device, is what heats the liquid and creates vapor.
These components are essential to all vaping devices, no matter how sophisticated they are.
What are the different types of vapes available?
Let’s look at the various devices available now that we have a basic understanding.
Vaping devices are divided into four categories:
- Cig-A-Likes (First Generation)
- Vape Pens Second Generation
- Mods (3rd Generation)
- Pod Mods
Technological advances have improved each device in vaping. It now includes innovative features not found in previous devices. The numbered generation classification is the result.
The newest devices are equipped with third-generation features. But don’t misunderstand. It is not necessary to choose the most up-to-date devices. What works for you is what matters. Also, you will notice that older devices have features that meet today’s standards. Keep this in mind as you shop!
Take a break to read about the evolution of these devices. Development of Vaping Devices article.
Each category has different types of devices. We will go over each category and discuss how they differ, as well as if you are a good match for it!
We’ll start with vape mods since they are among the most popular and newest types of vapes on the market.
What is a Vape Mod?
What is a Vape mod?
Vape mods, the latest device in the vaping world, are known for their firepower and advanced customization features. Mod is a term that originated when vapers modified their flashlights to become vaping devices. Vapers turned flashlights into vapes for one reason only – to get more clouds!
Back in the day, vape enthusiasts wanted to see how far they could push their devices. The plump clouds they were chasing didn’t come with any explosions or sketchy moments.
Mods in vape shops today are anything but sketchy. These mods are widely available and have become mainstream. You can now find many stylish designs that deliver powerful vape clouds.
Sub-ohm coils were the innovative feature that allowed for greater power. Using a coil with a lower resistance allows more energy to be transferred through the coils. This is more efficient than using a bigger battery that has more volts. Sub-ohm coils have a resistance of less than 1. This allows the electrical current to flow at a faster rate. The coil produces more nicotine when more current is flowing through it unless you are vaping at the throat hit in order to find your sweet spot.
- Temperature Control (TC). You can choose the temperature at which you want to vape, and then the device will adjust the power output automatically to prevent dry hits and preserve coil life. The TC feature can only be applied to certain coil materials, such as nickel, titanium, and stainless steel.
, two types of regulated mods
Tube Mods
Tube mods are basically vape pens with sub-ohm tanks. Vape pens were first introduced in the mid-2000s with a less powerful clearomizer tank. Tube mods are the preferred device for newbies, as they offer the best performance and the latest technology. The majority of vape pens available today are tube mods with only one button. In the section on vape pens, we will go into more detail about this.
Check out our starter kit for great bundles to get you going!
Box Mods
Box mods are currently the most powerful and sophisticated devices on the market. Vapers using box-shaped devices to blow huge clouds are common. Box mods are more powerful than older vapes and have advanced features that allow you to customize your vaping experience.
These features are common to all box mods.
- Sub-ohm tank
- External Batteries
- Variable Voltage/Wattage
- Temperature control (some models have this feature).
- LED screen displays information like battery life, ohmmeters, puff counters, voltage/wattage settings, and temperature settings.
- Atomizer with airflow control
Unregulated Mods do not have the features that are found in regulated mods. This means that there are no circuits to protect users from malfunctioning devices. It only includes a battery and an atomizer. It is not equipped with any safety features, so it poses a danger to users. These devices should only be handled by vapers who are familiar with Ohm’s Law and electrical systems.
These devices are not suitable for beginners.
Mechanical mod is an easy-to-use device that uses pure battery power and is either housed in a metal tube or a box. Vape enthusiasts use mechanical mods to build their atomizers for a perfect vaping experience.
Instead of purchasing coils, vapers can build them themselves. This allows them to customize the experience according to their preferences. Rebuildable Drip atomizers (RDAs) are self-constructed atomizers where eliquid is dripped onto custom-built coils. Rebuildable tank atomizers (RTA), which are also used by vapers, function as a tank.
Cloud chasers and vape tricksters who participate in contests build mech mods that produce huge clouds.
Let’s look at the differences between the various box mods available in the market.
Are Vape Box Mods a Good Choice for You?
It may seem like box mods are super advanced with their features, but they’re not. They usually only have three buttons. Box mods are perfect for those who enjoy playing around with technology. Due to the steep learning process, box mods are not recommended for new vapers. However, many people have started vaping with them.
Pros:
- The highest performance in terms of flavor intensity and cloud formation
- You can customize your vaping experience by choosing different settings.
- Battery life is extended
- Use different coil types to get more options
- Choose between a Direct to Lung or Mouth to Lung hit
Cons:
- Separate batteries are required
- Charge batteries more slowly
- It can be difficult to master the device at first.
What is a Vape Pen?
Vape pens come in a variety of styles and are cylindrical. Vape pens have a larger battery and produce more clouds than their predecessors (cigs-a-likes). In the mid-2000s, vape pens were considered innovative because of their larger batteries, microchips inside the storm, and use of a new atomizer. Advances in vaping technology have led to some of today’s vape pen features. The cannabis industry has also seen a rise in the popularity of vape pens, as they are used to vape concentrates, oils, and flowers.
While some vape pens or e-cigarettes are popular in recent media for catching fire or exploding, vape pens can be a good choice for vaping if you take care of your vape batteries and buy a high-quality device.
Here’s a look at the vape pens available today.
ANATOMY of a Vape Pen
Vape Pens today have the following features:
- Firing Button
- Battery
- Safety feature (microchip). 10-second automatic shutoff.
- Tank
- Coil (sub-ohm) or not
- Battery Indicator
- Some airflow control devices
- USB Port for Charging
The atomizer is made up of multiple parts.
- A mouthpiece or drip tip
- Tank (you can check the amount of liquid in your tank).
- Chimney
- Coil (either coils with a lower resistance or coils of higher resistance).
- Airflow control
- Connecting the thread to the battery
Not every vape pen on the market is sub-ohm. When the first vape pens came out, they did not have sub-ohm coils because it wasn’t commercially available.
What are the different types of vape pens?
Vape pens are very different today than they were in the mid-2000s. As stated above, vape pens have the same features as third-generation mods. This allows older devices to be equipped with today’s technology.
Vape pens come in many different varieties.
Vape pens come in four distinct types today.
- Fixed Voltage
- Sub-ohm tanks
- Variable Voltage
- Variable Temperature
Fixed Voltage: Originally, vape pens had fixed Voltage. Fixed Voltage is when the device produces a constant voltage. There is no need to fiddle with the settings as it only has one option, which is pressing the button.
Cartridges The vape pens that you will find most commonly today don’t have features like variable Voltage or variable temperature. The vape pen is also easier to use, as it only requires one button. Its power and sub-ohm tank technology are enough to satisfy nicotine cravings. In the next section on mods, we will go into more detail.
Variable Voltage is a new feature that allows you to customize your vaping experience. The older models of vape pens used variable Voltage but with less powerful batteries. It’s great to be able to adjust the Voltage to change the taste intensity, the amount of cloud produced, or the throat hit.
Variable temperatures can be found on older vape pens. This feature is not available on all vape pens, but it adjusts power output based on the temperature set by the user. It also adapts to the resistance of the coils in the vaping devices to prevent dry hits.
What are the common characteristics of a vape pen?
Due to the ability to change the airflow intake, vape pens can easily be converted to MTL or Direct-to-Lung devices. Direct-to-lung (DTL), or direct-to-lung hit, is a characteristic of sub-ohm and mod devices. DTL devices produce massive clouds because the vape travels directly to your lungs. Direct lung hits are made by increasing the airflow. Vape pens on the market today have a combination of second and third-generation features.
Here are some of the common features that you’ll find on vape pens.
- Perfect beginner’s device is often recommended as a good starter kit by vapers due to its strong performance and easy-to-use features.
- Tank Capacity: 1.8ml to 5ml
- Coils: Resistance can range from 0.15 to 2.5 ohms, depending on the device.
- Nicotine strength : 0 mg. 3 mg. 6 mg. and 12 mg
- Safety Feature: A microchip in the device prevents you from being hit for more than 10 seconds. This safety feature will keep your battery from being overheated.
- Battery Power: 650 mAh – 3000 mAh
- Wattage Output: Less than 80 W
Are Vape Pens Right for You?
Pros:
- User-friendly
- Cig-alikes are portable, but they’re not quite as portable as the cigs.
- Choose from a variety of colors and sizes
- Excellent cloud production
- The flavor is stronger than cigs-a-likes
- By adjusting the airflow intake, you can select between MTL and DTL.
Cons:
- Battery life is shorter than box mods but longer than cigs-a-likes
- Refill more often if you consume more e-juice
- There are many possible issues with devices, such as minor leaks or battery problems.
Vape pens offer a better vaping experience than cigs-a-likes. They are more affordable. Vape pens are a great option for your first vape. They provide a high level of flavor intensity, cloud creation, and nicotine delivery.
Let’s not start to hate on these cigs-alikes before we understand what makes them different from Mods or Vape Pens.
What is a CIG-A LIKE?
Cig-alikes are devices that you may have seen in gas stations. Cig-Alikes are vaping devices that you can find in gas stations. These devices are called “cig-alikes” because they look and feel like real cigarettes. The term “cig-a-like” comes from this. Electronic cigarettes It is believed to have originated. It was designed to be as similar as possible to smoking in order to ease the transition to vaping.
ANATOMY OF A CIG A-LIKE
Cig-Allikes are characterized by their simplicity, and these features are what make them so popular:
- Battery
- Cartomizer
- Draw active (No button required)
- LED light that mimics the appearance of ash from dragging a tobacco cigarette
The cartomizer and draw-activated feature are what make a cigarette unique besides its appearance.
The cartomizer is a single piece that combines both the atomizer cartridge and the flavor cartridge.
A cartomizer was a revolutionary feature at the time. It simplified vaping by reducing it from a 3-piece setup to a 2-piece design.
The cig-a-like is an easy device to use with a small learning curve.
What are the different types of CIG-A LIKE?
Cig-alikes come in two types:
- Disposable: Pre-filled e-liquid
- Fill the cartomizer manually with e-liquid
You would purchase pre-filled cartridges in packs of 5 for the disposable cigs-a-likes. You would then replace the cartridges and continue vaping!
Refillable Cig-alikes allow you to refill your e-liquid manually. Cartridges must be replaced once the wicking material is used up. Blank cartridges are available in 5 or more packs.
WHAT ARE THE TYPICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A CIG-A?
The cigar-like device is a Mouth Lung Hit (MTL), which mimics the smoking experience. This means that you inhale the vape into your lungs after holding it in your mouth. It’s similar to how you might smoke a cigarette or fill your mouth with cigar smoke to keep the flavor.
Common characteristics of mouth-to-lung devices:
- Low Wattage (less than 16 W) and cooler vape
- Reduced vapor production (less juice consumption).
- Tighter draw
- Entry-level devices
Cigs-a-likes have the following features in general:
- About 1 ml e-liquid (20 drops).
- 0, 6, 12, 24 mg nicotine options
- Cartomizers with polyfill material
- Rechargeable or disposable with a wall charger
Is a CIG-A LIKE a good fit for you?
Pros:
- User-friendly
- Use less e-juice
- Fuss-free vaping device
- Ultra-portable
Cons:
- Battery life is short
- Low e-juice Capacity
- Low vapor production
- Tight airflow
The simplicity of cig-alikes makes them a good introductory device. Most vapers started with a cigar-like before moving on to vapes that have a stronger performance.
We do not recommend that smokers invest in cigs-a-likes because there are cheaper and more valuable alternatives, such as vape pens and pod mods. Next, let’s look at another similar device known as pod mods.
What is a POD MOD?
The newest devices to gain popularity among the vaping community are pod mods. The Pod Mods have a low wattage and look like a cig. They are designed to be used with nicotine-salt e-juices. The Pod System is a newer and improved version of a cigarette. It’s the closest thing on the market to smoking a real cigarette.
As we explained in the section on cigs-alike, the pod is also called the cartridge.
What are the different types of POD MODS available?
Two types of pod systems work similarly to cigs-a-like:
- Closed Pod Systems consist of disposable devices that come with pre-filled pods. Pods work similarly to coffee pods. Once the pods have been used up, they are replaced with new ones.
- Open pod systems can be filled manually with your favorite nicotine salt e-liquid. Cartridges are replaced on average after 4-5 refills.
The devices have low Wattage, and they are easy to use. There are no buttons that need to be pressed because the device is drawn.
What are the common characteristics of a POD MOD?
- Low Wattage Devices (Below 16W)
- Use Nicotine Salt E-liquid (35 – 50 mg)
- The perfect starter kit for vaping newbies
- Mouth to Lung device
- User-friendly
- The height of an average lighter is about the size of this ultra-portable device.
Are POD Mods a good fit for you?
Pod Mods can be a good option for new vapers. These devices are easy to use and have a high level of nicotine from the nicotine salt. This makes it easier for smokers to make the switch from cigarettes. These devices are also ultra-portable and can easily be slipped into your pocket.
Pros:
- High Nicotine Strength gives smokers an experience similar to smoking
- Pocket-friendly and ultra-portable, unlike box mods
- User-friendliness
Cons:
- Battery life is short
- High nicotine strength can reduce cloud production, but it is not required.
Check out the following articles for more information about nicotine salts and pod-mod devices:
- Nicotine salt vs. freebase? Why is nicotine salt the latest craze?
- A Beginner’s Guide for Vaping Nicotine Salt
- Vape pods: How to select the right device for nicotine Salts
What device is best for you?
These devices are recommended in this order: 1 Pod Mods have a simple interface and are more efficient than the old cigs-a-likes. Vape pod mods are a better investment than cigs-alikes.
The second best device we recommend for new vapers is a vape pen. The devices, whether they are vape pens or tube mods, are easy to use and deliver flavorful clouds as well as nicotine satisfaction. This is a great way to learn about the world of sub-ohming and vaping.
The best device for new vapers is the Vape Box Mod if you are willing to learn how to use the various settings. The device is capable of producing powerful flavors and clouds.
