Whether you’re looking to make a quit attempt with an e-cig or you’ve been vaping for a while, getting the tech and e-liquid combination just right is key. We’re here to break down each kind of kit and the e-liquid it works best with. The way mouth to lung kits work and are set up is very different from a Sub Ohm device and your e-liquid choice needs to change accordingly as you move through vaping levels. It’s nearly the end of Stoptober but with over 3.6 million Brits vaping these days, you can pick up a kit any time and know you’re in good company.
If you’re just starting out and you’re a heavy smoker:
When we say heavy smoker we’re talking in the realm of over a pack a day. You’ll want something simple so you don’t feel like vaping is too much of a faff that can also deliver a strong nicotine hit. The less buttons and set up time there is, the better. We’d recommend an open pod system paired with 20mg nic salts. Pod kits come with a coil over 1.0ohm in resistance which means when you inhale, you use the same mouth to lung style you’d use if you were smoking a cigarette. Nic salts also come in a 50:50 PG to VG ratio which strikes a good balance between throat hit and flavour when used in a lower powered pod kit.
They’re simple to refill, allow for a familiar sensation and using nicotine salts will help alleviate nicotine cravings as quickly as possible. The kit we’d recommend is the Uwell Caliburn. It’s a slim and compact kit with a 2ml pod size, making for less frequent refills than some smaller devices. It provides a good hit and because it’s an open pod system, you can gradually drop your nicotine levels over time. Closed pod systems with pre-filled pods might also be a good option but are a little more expensive over time and won’t allow you to change your nicotine level as easily without purchasing a new kit.
If you’re a moderate smoker:
We’d classify moderate smokers in the ballpark of ten to fifteen cigarettes a day. Like with the heavy smoking category, we’d also recommend something easy to maintain because it’s likely you’ll be using your kit more frequently than most. An open pod kit or a vape pen paired with a 10mg nicotine salt is ideal. If you find this isn’t satisfying enough, you can always use a lower resistance coil, boost your nicotine level to a 20mg or both. Vape pens often come with multiple coil options meaning you can control how restricted your inhale is. Essentially, the lower the coil resistance, the more nicotine hit you’ll get.
The kit we’d recommend is the Innokin Jem. It’s a slim pen design with two coil options that will still give a cigarette like draw and both of which are perfect for using with nic salts. Like with open pod kits, you can gradually lower your nicotine level over time with a vape pen.
If you’re a light or social smoker:
For those of you who are smoking just a few cigarettes a day or when you’re out with friends, we’d recommend looking at something a little more flexible. You’ll likely need to experiment to find something just right for you. Finding a vape pen that has a mouth to lung coil (1.0ohm or more) and a direct to lung coil (less than 1.0ohm) is the best idea. This allows you to try both styles of vaping to see which you prefer.
Generally speaking, for lighter smokers we’d recommend trying direct to lung vaping to start with. Pair your Sub Ohm coil with a higher VG e-liquid as well - 60% VG or more. When you’re Sub Ohm vaping the throat hit and nicotine rush are a little stronger. Nicotine and PG both contribute to throat hit so we’d recommend looking for a 3mg or 6mg e-liquid with freebase nicotine rather than nic salts.
As for a kit, you can’t go wrong with the Aspire PockeX. It’s been incredibly popular amongst vapers for years and out of the box you get both a 0.6ohm coil and 1.2ohm coil. This means you can try both styles of vaping as well as a variety of eliquid until you find one that’s just right for your needs.
If you’ve been vaping a while but aren’t sure how to step into advanced Sub Ohm vaping:
Once you’ve gotten used to a certain style of vaping, have lowered your nicotine level and fancy trying something a little more “fun” we’d recommend a variable wattage kit. Picking up a pre-made kit, from the likes of SMOK kits or Aspire, will mean you’ve got everything you need straight out of the box. The tank will already be matched well with the mod and all you’ll need to do is fill the tank, switch it on and you’re ready to play.
Picking a kit that’s got a built-in battery is a good way to go, as is picking a kit that has a moderate level of power - somewhere in the realm of maximum 75 watts. It’ll be more than enough for you to try out a few different low resistance coils, varying wattage levels and e-liquids.
When it comes to these kits, you’ll want to use either a 70:30 or 80:20 VG to PG ratio. The 70% VG e-liquid will give you a little more flavour while the 80% option will be a lot more cloudy. Trying both lets you figure out which one matters more to you in the long run.
We’d recommend something like the Innokin Kroma iSub-B kit as a good place to start. The 0.35ohm coils are a happy medium between super low resistance and lower powered kits and work well with any high VG liquid you choose. It’s also got enough power to keep you vaping for a while and can fire at up to 75 watts though the coils really only need around 40 to 60 to get the most out of them.
