This site is a consumer-friendly introduction to the world of electronic cigarettes. Information here is intended to provide beginners and intermediate smokers with a clear overview of available options in order to help you achieve maximum satisfaction for your hard-earned dollars.
E-cigarettes contain nicotine but they do not contain any other harmful chemicals associated with smoking. They are made up of e-liquid called juice and electronic components that convert juice into vapor. The contents of e-liquid varies from one brand to another but it is usually a mixture of VG (vegetable glycerine), PG (propylene glycol) along with nicotine and flavoring. PG is the active ingridient that produces vapor in smoke machines.
If you are considering e-cigarettes or are already smoking them it is for one of the following reasons:
You are a smoker who would like to smoke indoors and other public places from which tobacco has been banned. E-cigs do not smell, fill the room with second-hand smoke, stain your clothes, stain your teeth or damage your skin.
You are a smoker who is looking to cut back or stop tobacco all together. This decision may have been made for health or economic reasons (e-cigs are far cheaper than tobacco).
You are an ex-smoker looking for guilt-free nicotine for all the reasons mentioned above.
You were never a regular tobacco smoker but made a decision to introduce nicotine into your system.
This site is about freedom and will not lecture anyone about their decision with one exception. 
E-cigarettes have been well received by the medical community but if you have any medical issues such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure please consult with your doctor. Keep in mind that zero and low nicotine e-cigs are available. In addidtion, some people have experienced allergies to nicotine and PG. Nicotine is a mild stimulant and should be subjected to the same precautions as caffeine.
Disposable e-cigarettes are convenient and easy to use. They are packaged as one piece - a non-refillable cartridge is attached to a disposable battery. Just smoke it and toss it away when the battery indicator tip starts to blink.
Disposables are popping up everywhere tobacco is sold. Many drug stores, convenience stores, gas stations and deli's are selling disposables for around $10. Major drug store chains (Walgreens, CVS, etc.) sell reputable brands like Blu, Finiti, NJoy and Crave while the rest sell turds wrapped in fancy packaging.
Disposable come in 2 sizes mini and regular.
Regular disposables are longer, thicker and heavier then a real cigarette. Vendors claim that they last 400-500 puffs or about 2 packs of tobacco cigarettes. This claim is very difficult to verify because each person has a different smoking style. One may take short puffs and hold the vapor in the system while another may want to simulate a tobacco cigarette and generate extra smoke by double and triple puffing (1 or 2 short puffs followed by a long puff). Thus, most smokers will get around 250 strong puffs from a good quality disposable.
Mini disposables are gaining in popularity because they closely resemble real cigarettes. They are preferred by hands-free smokers. Vendors clam that these last 150-250 puffs but at $10 per unit there is no cost savings over real tobacco cigarettes.
If you find an over-the-counter brand that you are completely satisfied with then there is no need to go any further. However, disposables offer limited options of flavor and nicotine strength. If you want to get access to e-cigs with great flavor options and more nicotine you would have to move on to rechargeable e-cigs.
Many brands market disposables in order to entice users to invest in a $50+ starter kit without having a clear understanding of other available options. This could end up being a disappointing waste of money. Furthermore, the $50 price tag precludes many users from trying rechargeables. After all, many ecig smokers are still using tobacco products that are very costly.
Rechargeable e-cigs have an advantage over disposables due to wider variety of flavor, nicotine strength, costs and vapor production. They require at the very least a battery with a compatible charger and a compatible prefilled cartomizer.
The rechargeable market is not so simple because of lack of an an industry thread connection standard. There are currently 4 rechargeable models available on the market and each one utilizes a different thread pattern. We have compiled lists of brands for each threading type to help users understand what choices are available and the cost associated with each one.
NOTE: Some rechargeable kits still come in an obsolete 3 piece design rather than the 2 piece. Please see the content bellow.
You may come across a rechargeable e-cig with this type of a design. It has a battery, an atomizer and a cartridge with or without a mount piece. This system requires a functional atomizer as a separate component. A faulty atomizer needs to be replaced separately for around $10-$15. Though many experienced smokers prefer this type of system they are GOING AWAY. DO NOT INVEST ANY MONEY IN THIS TYPE OF A SYSTEM. If you have a battery from this type of system it is still compatible with other cartomizers.
There are still several brands that only sell prefilled cartridges for this time of a system. These brands are going away or transitioning to the new cartomizer standards and will not be included in our lists.
These are examples of a 2 piece rechargeable e-cigs. This system has a disposable prefilled cartridge with a built-in atomizer. This is where the term "cartomizer" comes from. Our lists of brands are limited to disposable cartridges / cartomizers that are prefilled with flavor juice.
