Want to give vaping a try but not sure where to start? Our new beginners vaping guide covers everything you need to know!

What’s an e-cigarette?

An e-cigarette is a device that heats e-liquid, turning it into vapour, which delivers nicotine and flavours. E-cigarettes were designed to help smokers transition from cigarettes. Millions of people around the world say that vaping has helped them transition from smoking. According to Public Health England, e-cigarettes are 95% less harmful than smoking cigarettes. You can find out more information about e-cigarettes and your health here. If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about vaping, we hope this guide will help you.

Choosing the best Vape: know your needs first!

Your smoking habits will dictate what type of e-cigarette you need. If you are a heavy smoker, your vaping device will need long battery life and good nicotine delivery. Battery life is measured in mAh (milliampere-hour), usually displayed on specific models either with a number, a bar, or lights. Making sure you have sufficient battery life allows you to vape on the go wherever you are. The battery/mod – What powers your vape!

Many vapes mimic the feeling of smoking a cigarette with tight airflow draw and vapour heat, optimized for higher nicotine e-liquids, which are generally advised for new vapers. The amount of power used in these vapes is usually lower, offering an experience similar to smoking. Airflow design: what’s your vape style?

Vaping allows you to inhale nicotine by heating the e-liquid to produce vapor. This satisfies nicotine cravings, but also mimics the sensation of smoking, by providing a “throat hit” that many smokers have become accustomed to. Depending on your previous smoking habits, choosing the right nicotine strength in your e-liquid is essential to enjoy a satisfying vaping experience. What E-liquid to choose?

Although choosing a first vaping device is a personal journey, this list of best-selling vape kits is a great place to start for most new vapers.

The Components of a Vaping Device

Though vaping devices come in all shapes and sizes, they can typically be broken down into two key components: the battery and the atomiser. Let’s start by looking at the battery portion of a typical vaping device.

The battery/mod – What powers your vape!

The battery portion of a vaping device supplies power to the atomiser, which heats e-liquid and creates vapour. A typical entry-level kit uses a built-in (AKA “internal”) battery, meaning it’s a self-contained unit, which can be charged via USB-C or Micro-USB.

Most entry-level kits do not have additional functionality within the battery unit and are operated using a single button, which turns the device on/off and is held to vape. Some basic devices have no buttons at all and use a pressure activated switch to power the atomizer when you take a puff.

Advanced batteries are typically called Mods. Mods include features such as variable power, temperature control and other emerging technologies. Mods tend to be larger than basic devices, allowing for larger capacity batteries and smart chipsets.

Some mods use external batteries. This allows the user to swap out the battery on demand for a freshly charged one. If you choose a mod with an external battery, it is recommended that you always charge batteries with a dedicated external charger and always store the battery safely when not in use. For more battery safety information click here.

The atomiser/Tank/Pod – Where the e-liquid is!

The atomiser portion of your device turns e-liquid into vapour and holds a reserve of e-liquid, ready to be vaped. The atomiser can be broken down into two key components: the tank/pod and the coil.

The terms “tank” and “pod” simply refer to the connection design of the atomiser. Typically, a tank uses the industry standard 510 connection, meaning it can be used with any compatible 510 devices. A pod, on the other hand, uses a proprietary connection, meaning it can only be used with the device it was specifically designed for.

Tanks are larger, refillable, and typically made of stainless steel and glass. Pods are usually made of food-grade plastic and can be pre-filled or refillable.

The coil – Where the magic happens!

Your coil is where the magic happens. E-liquid saturates the wicking material and is vaporised by a heating element called a coil. The wicking material is usually organic cotton and the coil is most commonly kanthal wire or mesh. Coils have a limited life span which is affected by your chosen e-liquid, power output and how frequently you vape. When your device starts to lose flavour or produces a burnt flavour, it’s time to install a new coil.

There are three important things to note about the design of your coil: resistance, wattage range and airflow design.

Resistance, expressed in Ohms (Ω), tells you how easy it is for current to flow through the coil. Usually, low resistance coils are designed for higher power/wattage output and high resistance coils are designed for low power/wattage output

All Innokin coils have a designated wattage range which is written on the side of the coil and on the coil packaging. If your device features variable power, make sure you never exceed the recommended output range, as this could burn the coil. We recommend starting at the lower end of the recommended wattage range of the coil and increase to the heat to your personal preference. If your device does not feature variable power, you don’t need to worry about this.

Airflow design: what’s your vape style?

Airflow design dictates the amount of airflow running through the tank/pod.

Mouth-to-lung (MTL) coils are designed for tight airflow, low power output and higher nicotine strengths. MTL closely recreates the experience of a cigarette. If your Innokin device features variable airflow, try the tighter draw settings at first and then adjust the airflow to find your preferred draw. Learn more about the best MTL vape tanks in 2021 here.

Direct-to-lung (DTL) coils are designed for open airflow, higher power and lower nicotine strengths. DTL vaping produces a large volume of vapour and intense flavour. If your Innokin device features variable airflow, try a more open draw for the best DTL experience.

MTL and DTL

Restricted-Direct-Lung (RDL) coils produce more vapour than MTL coils and use less power and e-liquid than DTL. RDL coils are a good choice if you are looking for more vapour and flavour than MTL and less nicotine in each puff.

What E-liquid to choose?

E-liquid is the name given to the fluid that your device turns into vapour. It might seem like a complicated product, but really it can be broken down into four key components. Let’s take a closer look.

Nicotine

The first component is nicotine. Not all e-liquids contain nicotine but for most people trying to transition from smoking, this is very important. Choosing the right nicotine strength will vary from person to person, but here’s a broad guideline depending on your smoking habits:

There are two forms of nicotine commonly found in e-liquid. The first is freebase nicotine. Freebase nicotine is the standard choice in vaping, providing a slow release to the bloodstream and noticeable throat sensation in higher doses.

The second form of nicotine is nicotine salt. Nicotine salt has become more common in recent years. Compared with freebase nicotine, it releases into the bloodstream more quickly and produces a much smoother throat hit.

MTL vaping can use nicotine strengths anywhere from 3mg/ml to 50mg/ml (20mg/ml max in Europe). We recommend starting at 12mg/ml and adjusting as required.

DTL coils should use between 0-6mg/ml nicotine and should not be used with higher nicotine levels.

Vapers often choose to decrease the amount of nicotine in their e-liquid over time and may find it easier to stop vaping than it was to stop smoking. You can find a more in-depth guide to choosing the right nicotine strength here.

PG

The next component of e-liquid is Propylene Glycol (PG). PG has a wide range of applications in food and medical products. PG has low viscosity, so it’s ideal for e-liquids designed to be used in vaping devices with small wicking ports. PG can create a stronger throat sensation when used as a large proportion of an e-liquid blend and some people are sensitive to it. If you are sensitive to PG, try using e-liquids with low PG content.

VG

The third component of e-liquid is Vegetable Glycerine (VG). VG is derived from a range of vegetables and has a wide range of applications in food products. VG has a syrup-like viscosity and produces large amounts of vapour when heated. In addition to this, VG imparts almost no throat hit. E-liquid blends containing 70% or more VG are normally labelled “high VG” and should only be used in devices that have an appropriate wicking design.

Flavour

The final component of e-liquid is flavour. Some e-liquids may use a single flavouring, while others use a blend of flavours to create a unique flavour profile. All flavourings used in e-liquids are food grade and there are thousands on the market. This means there is practically an infinite number of flavour combinations possible.

Basic Device Maintenance

Treating your Innokin device with care is important in order to achieve a consistent vaping experience. Let’s start with setting up your new device for the first time.

1. Remove the device from packaging, taking note of the included user manual and safety guide .2. Charge device fully using the supplied charging cable.3. If your device uses replaceable coils, disassemble the atomiser and prime your coil by placing 2-3 drops of e-liquid on the wicking holes on the sides of the coil.

4. Reassemble atomiser, ensuring a good seal. 5. Fill atomiser with e-liquid and allow the coil to saturate (prime) for 10 minutes. 6. If your device features variable power, set it to the low end of the recommended range for your coil. 7. You’re now ready to vape! Gradually adjust the airflow and power settings of your device (where applicable) until you find a combination that provides a satisfying experience.
Cleaning your atomiser

It’s important to regularly clean your atomiser to ensure optimal performance. Generally, it’s best to do this when changing to a new coil, or a substantially different e-liquid to what you were previously vaping. 1. Disassemble atomiser.2. Run all components of the atomiser (except coil) under hot water. 3. Allow to air dry. 4. If installing a new coil, prime it.

5. Re-assemble atomiser and fill with e-liquid. 6. If a new coil was installed, wait 10 minutes before vaping.

Cleaning your battery/mod
Your battery/mod may be exposed to small amounts of e-liquid residue over time. This is normal but should be monitored and cleaned regularly with a paper towel, paying particular attention to the area where your device connects with the atomiser. Never submerge your device in water or apply any liquids to the exterior of your battery/mod.

Recommended Beginner Vape Kits

Check out our wide selection of Starter Kits and bundle offers including 2 x Free E-liquids to help you make the switch! (click here)