Pros and Cons

Electric Cigarette Cons

• It doesn’t taste exactly like a cigarette but its close and you can buy it in many different flavors
• It doesn’t feel the same because it is made from metal and plastic
• You have to make sure you have your extra battery charged so you don’t run out so your not tempted to have a real smoke
• If you run out of refills before your next shipment comes in the e-cig will not work.  Proactive online ordering or stocking up on refills will insure you have enough
• Some cartridges are closer to half a pack of smokes not a full pack like manufacturers claim

If you just enjoy THE ACT of smoking, the electric cigarette is perfect for you!  Some actually enjoy the taste of the e-cigarette much more than the real one.

General Information

Each brand has specific operation practices.  For more detailed information on each, please see our comparison chart or review page.

Operation

In automatic models, when a user inhales through the device, air flow is detected by a sensor, which activates a heating element that vaporizes a nicotine solution stored in the mouthpiece. On manual models, the user must depress a button to activate the heating element to produce vapor which is then inhaled by the user. On most models an LED on the opposite end of the device is also activated during inhalation, which serves as an indicator of use. Several LED colors are available from various manufacturers.

Components

A disassembled cigarette-styled electronic cigarette.

A. LED light cover
B. battery (also houses circuitry)
C. atomizer (heating element)
D. cartridge (mouthpiece)

While electronic cigarettes take many forms, they each generally employ the same basic components: a mouthpiece, a heating element, a rechargeable battery, and various electronic circuits.

Mouthpiece (“cartridge”)

The mouthpiece is a small disposable plastic cup-like piece affixed to the end of the tube. Inside the mouthpiece is a smaller plastic cup which holds an absorbent material that is saturated with a flavored liquid solution that may contain nicotine.  This inner cup is made such that air is able to flow around it and through a hole in the end of the outer piece; this is necessary for the device to provide the ability for suction to move the vapor into the user’s mouth. The mouthpiece is referred to in the industry as a “cartridge”. When the liquid in the cartridge has been depleted, it can either be refilled by the user or replaced with another pre-filled cartridge.

Another alternative to using cartridges is the direct dripping method using drip tips. By removing the absorbent material, one is able to simply remove the plastic mouthpiece and drip several drops of e-liquid directly onto the atomizer bridge. To further ease dripping, some manufacturers have created specialty mouthpieces made of stainless steel or plastic that are intended just for dripping and do not require removal each time you drip.

Heating element (“atomizer”)

The heating element serves to vaporize the liquid in the mouthpiece so that it can be inhaled. This component is referred to in the industry as an “atomizer”. Atomizers have a finite life of about one month (on average) and are one of the recurring expenses associated with electronic cigarettes. Some models combine an atomizer and pre-filled disposable component referred to as a “cartomizer”.

Battery and electronics

An electronic cigarette battery connected to a USB charger.

Most electronic cigarettes employ a lithium-ion rechargeable battery to power the heating element. Battery life varies depending on the battery type and size, frequency of use, and operating environment. Many different battery charger types are available, such as wall outlet, car, and USB chargers. The battery is generally the largest component of an electronic cigarette.

Some electronic cigarettes employ an electronic airflow sensor to automatically activate the heating element upon inhalation, while other models require the user to press a button while inhaling. Various other electronic circuits are usually employed as well, such as a timed cutoff switch to prevent overheating and a colored LED to signal activation of the device.

Traditionally, electronic cigarettes have utilized an electronic means of activation. This involved the use of small tactile switches, vacuum switches and the related wiring and electronics necessary to run them. Users soon discovered these could be unreliable. With the advent of “mods”, several manufacturers have created all mechanical electronic cigarettes that eliminate the use of any wiring, solder or electronics in an effort to improve switch reliability.

While some larger electronic cigarette models employ a user-replaceable standard-size battery cell, many models are too small to house a standard-size cell and instead require a proprietary component made by the electronic cigarette manufacturer. For those models, the battery and electronic components are housed within a single replaceable part, which is still generally referred to in the industry simply as the “battery”.

Nicotine and non-nicotine solution

Nicotine solutions sold separately for use in refillable cartridges are sometimes referred to as “e-liquid” or “e-juice”, and commonly contain some amount of flavoring, with hundreds of different flavors available. They consist of nicotine dissolved in propylene glycol (PG) and/or vegetable glycerin (glycerol) or VG. Both PG and VG are common food additives.

Solutions are also available in differing nicotine concentrations, to let the user decide the amount of nicotine to be taken in. Concentrations range from Zero Nicotine, low and midrange doses (6–8 mg/ml and 10–14 mg/ml respectively), to high and extra-high doses (16–18 mg/ml and 20–54 mg/ml respectively). The concentration ratings are often printed at the e-liquid bottle or cartridge, although the standard notation “mg/ml” often gets abbreviated to just “mg”. Solutions are also available that contain no nicotine at all.

Some flavor varieties attempt to resemble traditional cigarette types, such as regular tobacco and menthol, and some even attempt to mimic specific cigarette brands, such as Marlboro or Camel. Fruit and other flavors are also available, such as vanilla, caramel, and coffee.

Soruce: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_cigarette

Are Electronic Cigarettes Safe?

Since 2006, the electronic cigarette has attracted millions of people around the world who have switched from traditional cigarettes to the e-cigarette, also referred to as the “safe cigarette, the e-cigarette, and the smokeless cigarette”.

Electronic cigarettes share some aspects of there traditional counterparts, such as appearance, feel and taste of a normal cigarette. But the differences are substantial in that the “safe cigarette” gets it’s name because it produces none of the negative aspects of traditional smoking like tar, ignition (heat), up to 4000 types of chemical additives that often lead to respiratory and cardiac system diseases, nor the carcinogenic effects of traditional cigarettes.

Ever since the Surgeon General determined that cigarette smoking is hazardous to your health, cigarette companies have searched for ways to reduce tar and nicotine levels, in efforts to create a more safe smoking experience. Nothing, however, has ever come close to the electronic cigarette.

This revolutionary new smoking alternative, not only simulates cigarette smoke but also the temperature associated with dragging off a common cigarette (50-60 degrees Celsius), thus adding to the psychological habit without adding the hazardous substances which have proven to cause cancerous, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrocyanic acid, acrolein, arsenic, lead and hydragyrum.

Smokeless cigarettes were first viewed with trepidation but more and more have become embraced by the public as well as the Medical Association. E-Cigarettes are now manufactured by a number of different companies throughout the US and China and are readily available across the United States and Europe, even the some of the most ardent skeptics have become believers once they try the electronic cigarette.

Adding to the safety benefits, the electronic cigarette has also been proven as a way for smokers to quit the habit, as the level of nicotine can be carefully monitored, thus giving the smoker the option of gradually lowering the level until he/she can quit without fear of withdrawals. Most electronic cigarette refill cartridges are available in full, medium, light and none, and while electronic cigarettes are not yet approved as smoking cessation devices, the potential for the devices to be used as such is somewhat obvious.

It’s recommended that people who have demonstrated a sensitivity or allergy to nicotine, pregnant or breastfeeding, or who have unstable heart conditions should discuss the use of an electronic cigarette device with a doctor before using one. Additionally, electronic cigarettes may not be used by anyone under the legal smoking age in your state.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/are-electronic-cigarettes-safe-555851.html

Electronic Cigarette Cartomizer vs Atomizer

For a very detailed and straight forward video on the differences between a Cartomizer vs Atomizer please see the “Introduction to E-Cigs” video on our main page!

To see which brands use a cartomizer (2 piece design,) compared to an atomizer (3 piece design,) please see our comparison chart or review page. For your convenience each has been specifically designated as either a 2 or 3 piece design.

So what is the different between a cartomizer and an atomizer? The simply explanation is that a cartomizer is a cartridge that contains a disposable atomizer while an atomizer is reusable and is attached to a cartridge which is usually refillable.

For instance, below is an atomizer. This is essentially the heating element that screws onto the electronic cigarette battery.

electronic cigarette atomizer

And here is a mouthpiece with a cartridge in it (pushed out using a toothpick) that slides over the atomizer (shown above). The little white cartridge shown can be filled and refilled with e-liquid. The mouthpiece slides on and off of the atomizer for easy refilling.

electronic cigarette cartridge

Now, compare that to a cartomizer, shown below. The cartomizer has an atomizer and a cartridge together. They do not come apart. Although some do manage to refill cartomizers (by popping off the end), for the most part they are one time use.

electronic cigarette cartomizer

Refilling your own cartridges is cheaper. Using cartomizers is more convenient. The choice is up to you!

Cheap vs Expensive

Will a Cheap E Cigarette Work as Good as The Pricey Brands?

Yes and No…Yes, if you are just starting out and looking for a decent starter kit which is as good as other brands (like at the mall kiosks) .

No, if you are an experienced e smoker looking for longer battery life an upgrade, in that case you will want to get a “Mod” e cig costing anywhere from $75-$150.

BUT the good news is, as a new e cigarette smoker you have the option of getting a great starter kit now that the market is so competitive.

Can you get a cheap electric cigarette online? Yes, but don’t waste your money on models that aren’t built to last just to save $10. We represent manufacturers that have easily affordable models costing less than a cart of cigarettes and will get you started with a first good impression of what it’s like to vape an electronic cigarette.