You have probably seen a vape in the hands of friends, relatives and even celebrities, and heard enough conflicting talk about it that it is hard to tell what is accurate. This guide for adult beginners covers the basics: what goes into the liquid, how the running costs differ by device, and which kinds of device you will come across.
What produces the vapor
The big clouds come from a liquid, usually called e-juice, that the device heats. According to Vaping Post, that liquid is built from four ingredients:
- vegetable glycerine
- propylene glycol
- flavorings
- nicotine
Nicotine is the word that gives many people pause, since it is the one they connect with cigarettes and with anti-smoking commercials. It is an addictive substance, and vaping products are meant for adults only.
What it costs depends on the device
The original version of this article compared the yearly cost of vaping with the cost of buying cigarettes by the pack. The useful part of that comparison is how the two main kinds of vape differ from each other.
- Disposables: the lowest cost up front, but you buy a whole new one each time it runs out.
- Rechargeable devices: rechargeable vaporizers cost somewhat more to start with. After that you replace only the cartridges, not the device, so you are not buying new hardware every month.
The three kinds of vaporizer
E-cigs
This is the type most people have heard of. They are the disposable kind, the ones you commonly see sold at convenience stores and gas stations.
Vape pens
A step up in power from an e-cig. They are portable and shaped a lot like a thumb drive.
Vape mods
Vape mods sit at the pricier end. They suit people who want to get as much as possible out of vaping, and out of the flavor in particular.
Where to go from here
Vaping looked like a passing fad when it first appeared, and it has stuck around. If you are an adult deciding what to buy, start with the device type that fits how you plan to use it, then have a look at the newest products.