What is the best electronic cigarette starter kit?

When e-cigs first hit the market there was very little choice, and there wasn’t today’s confusing array of devices and liquid flavours and nicotine strengths.

If you’re now thinking you might want something from the world of e-cigarettes, you will see there's now an enormous choice of e-cigs on the market, as well as lots of different e-liquids.

Finding the best e-cigarette starter kit to suit your individual preferences may sound like a daunting prospect, however, we aim to make it easier than it seems. It won't necessarily help you navigate the net but hopefully you will at least be able to answer some important basic questions about your requirements.

There are three main parts to an electronic cigarette

• Tank - this holds the liquid and inside it is a coil which is designed to heat up
• Battery - this provides the power to heat the coil in the tank
• e-Liquid – this goes in the tank and gets heated by the coil and turns into vapour

Main considerations when buying an e-cigarette starter kit

• Choose a reputable brand to maximise on quality, safety, and reliability.
• Deal with a reputable vendor to ensure your purchase is backed by good customer service.
• Peace of mind – what will happen if there’s a problem with your product? Be sure to find out what happens if something goes wrong. Ask about what's covered or not and  find out what the warranty period is.
• Ensure the spares are available. Discontinued sale products, little known brands, and flash-in-the-pans will become redundant if you can’t get the spares. For example, be aware to check the coil heads for the tank can easily be purchased, or anything else that's relevant.

Identify your personal vaping needs

The things that are important to you as a user may be a secondary consideration to someone else. Some vapers prefer expensive high quality flavours and sophisticated devices, while others are looking for something less complex that's more akin to a real cigarette, however, the vast majority of users simply want an e-cigarette that suits their needs and excels in all major areas.

• Consider the battery mAh capacity and how long it will last between charges. Most kits only come with one battery, is one enough, if not, can you buy a spare battery separately?
• If you’re feeling adventurous, consider a simple low power variable voltage battery, one where you can turn the power up and down. This type of battery gives you more control, as you increase the voltage more heat is created and heat affects flavour and the amount of vapour from your electronic cigarette.
• Size and weight, consider the size of the device as a whole because it should be practical, comfortable to hold, and convenient to keep with you.
• Choose a device that's designed for your style of vaping. Some devices are specifically for traditional mouth-to-lung inhaling and others are not. Be aware of this difference.
• Find out which e-liquid blends are suitable for anything you may look at and ask about the price of it, and how much vapour it produces. The more vapour produced the quicker you'll use it and the more you will spend.

Top electronic cigarette brands

There are several different electronic cigarette manufacturers, offering a multitude of different products which are continuously being improved or altered for one reason or another. Whatever you end up buying, it will very likely be replaced by something 'new' but similar within a few months.

Best known mainstream electronic cigarette brands:

• Aspire
• Eleaf
• Innokin
• Joyetech
• Kanger
• SMOK
• Vaporesso

Quality of e-liquid and choice of flavours

e-Liquid is available in thousands of different flavours and there are brands too numerous to mention. There are several nicotine strengths available and some e-liquids are thick and make lots of vapour, and others and thinner and produce less vapour.

e-Liquid nicotine strengths

• 0mg – no nicotine
• 3mg – very low
• 6mg – medium low
• 10mg - medium (usually relates to nicotine salts)
• 12mg – medium
• 18mg – medium/strong
• 20mg - strongest (the European TPD dictates that this is the maximum strength)

After sales and customer service

The value of customer service and support may not be in the forefront of your mind, but when it comes to buying electronic starter kits, choose a company that cares about their products and the service they provide, because ultimately their customers’ satisfaction will be your satisfaction.