differences in vapors

[charliemen]

how big of a difference is there between vapes? if im going to buy my first vape, should i really worry about all the different models and brands if they are all around the same wattage and price? for a begginner, should i worry about all the differences in the vapes as long as they are all still great models since i am un- experienced with all the vape differences and may not notice or care?

[Earthling789]

Until you experience a lot of different things, you'll probably do better with a "proven" rig, that even seasoned vapers (as well as beginners) enjoy.  I'd not worry about all the different brands, but I would stick with a well-known name-brand for reliability.  As a beginner, you're likely not going to need more than 20W, so getting a MOD that is over 50W is just paying for something you'll never use... like buying a Ferrari to drive 1-mile to work and back daily.  I'd also recommend a tank system so you can fill it and vape for a while before refilling.  Get something with factory coils in the 1.2-2.0 Ohm range.  Having a tank with an available (on included RBA deck) is nice so you can expand into building your own coils after a few months of vaping (if you choose).  Batteries for your MOD are a HUGE issue with us... stick with name-brand and buy from reputable sources.  Samsung 25R or LG HE2/HG2 will be your best bang for the buck, and they are RELIABLE!

For all the things I've listed... there are a few starter kits that will do all of these things for under $60, and they're from Kanger and Aspire primarily, but also some good ones from SMOK, Eleaf, Cloupor, and Joyetech to name a few...

Once you decide on a few... narrow it down per-se... list out your selections and we'll be happy to weigh in on the pros and cons of them, and maybe point you to where you can get the best prices?

 

[Tam]

Earthling gives very good advice. I'll add one more - do not buy your first rig from eBay, there are too many knock offs and a beginner wouldn't know the difference. Safety is the issue with knock offs.

[iQuit]

Vape gear can be very confusing to new vapers. I was when I first started. Even though I did some research online (not on any forums, just googled starter kits), I felt that I could have made a better choice. For anyone looking into vaping, I would recommend going into a vape shop and see which ones feel right to you.

Below is just an abridged version of different types of mods and atomzers. Pros and cons on each are not covered, and neither is safety nor battery info. I think we have stickies for that, if it is a tad dated just ask as plenty of helpful and knowledgeable folks here.

Cigalikes - These are the ones commonly found in gas stations and convenience stores. As the name implies, this mimics a cigarrette in appearance and size. They come in both disposable and rechargeable variety. These are closed-end systems which means you have to buy pre-filled carto for juice.

Vape Pens -  These are the bigger cousin of cigalikes and commonly called ego batteries. Some have variable voltage although limited. It is paired with disposable clearomizers with ego threading just like CE4, CE5, etc. There are also clearomizers where you only replace the coils just like Evods, Aerotank, protank, etc

Mechanical Mods - These are simple devices that gives you a more customizable experience compared those mentioned above, but requires good knowledge of Ohms Law and battery safety. In short, the atomizer resistance you use dicates how much power you draw from your battery cell. They also come in tube or box configuration. Usually used by intermediate vapers.

APV (advanced personal vaporizer) Mods -  These have at least one or more of the following features - Variable Voltage (VV), Variable Wattage (VW), and Temperature Control (TC), and they also come in both tube and box type mods. Some have built-in batteries, and others have replaceable Li-ion/Li-Po batteries.
Variable Voltage - Just like a mech mod where the resistance dictates the power draw on your battery cell but now you can set the voltage to fine tune how much power you are drawing consistently. The range of voltage you can choose from depends on the circuitry of your mod. For example, if using 1.8 ohm atomizer @ 3.7 gives you 6.8 W. The same resistance @ 4.2 gives you almost 10W

Variable Wattage - The circuity allows you to choose from a range of wattage rgardless of what resistance you are using. The mod circuitry adjusts the voltage accordingly for you to reach the desired wattage.
Temperature Control - This is the newest evolution in vaping. As the name implies, the mod controls the power draw once the set temperature is reached. This is achieved by using special reisitance wires like Ni200 (Nickel), Titanium (T101), and Stainless Steel wires.

Atomizers - come in both open-end and closed systems, and can be very confusing.
Cartomizers  - I will only refer to the ones used in cigalikes. These are pre-filled with usually 1-2ml of e-liquid, and disposable when it runs out. 
Clearomizers - You have disposable and replaceable stock coil and wick variety. CE4, CE5, etc are disposable kind. These are ego threaded and meant for ego mods but can be used with 510 threaded mods with an adapter. Nautilus and Kanger aerotank, protank, etc  have replaceable stock coils. However, some categorize sub-ohm tanks as clearomizers also. I do not know why. But I think anything that has a replaceable stock coils is a clearomizer (and the disposable too). All else can be can be categorized in RBA (Rebuildable Atomizers).
RBA - Anything that does not use a stock coil. You build and wick it yourself. Under this category you will hear/read about RDA, RTA, Genisys and RDTA.
RDA ( Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer) - An atomizer where you drip the liquid onto the coils directly. 
RTA (Rebuildable Tank Atomizer) - Just like an RDA but it has a tank or resevoir that holds e-liquid, and it is refillable either from the top, side or bottom.
RDTA (Rebuildable Dripping Tank atomizer) - In essence, it is RDA with a reservoir. Earlier versions of it has spring mechanism that when pressed feeds tiny amount of liquid onto the coils or the deck where the wick feeds from. Newer generation of RDTA has no need of lever mechanism to release liquid. I do not know how to explain it haha. In short, some sort of gravity/pressure feed.

I am sure I missed a few things so please feel free to add or correct any mistakes. 

[Anthony36]

On 2/6/2016 at 0:15 PM, iQuit said:

Vape gear can be very confusing to new vapers. I was when I first started. Even though I did some research online (not on any forums, just googled starter kits), I felt that I could have made a better choice. For anyone looking into vaping, I would recommend going into a vape shop and see which ones feel right to you.

Below is just an abridged version of different types of mods and atomzers. Pros and cons on each are not covered, and neither is safety nor battery info. I think we have stickies for that, if it is a tad dated just ask as plenty of helpful and knowledgeable folks here.

Cigalikes - These are the ones commonly found in gas stations and convenience stores. As the name implies, this mimics a cigarrette in appearance and size. They come in both disposable and rechargeable variety. These are closed-end systems which means you have to buy pre-filled carto for juice.

Vape Pens -  These are the bigger cousin of cigalikes and commonly called ego batteries. Some have variable voltage although limited. It is paired with disposable clearomizers with ego threading just like CE4, CE5, etc. There are also clearomizers where you only replace the coils just like Evods, Aerotank, protank, etc

Mechanical Mods - These are simple devices that gives you a more customizable experience compared those mentioned above, but requires good knowledge of Ohms Law and battery safety. In short, the atomizer resistance you use dicates how much power you draw from your battery cell. They also come in tube or box configuration. Usually used by intermediate vapers.

APV (advanced personal vaporizer) Mods -  These have at least one or more of the following features - Variable Voltage (VV), Variable Wattage (VW), and Temperature Control (TC), and they also come in both tube and box type mods. Some have built-in batteries, and others have replaceable Li-ion/Li-Po batteries.
Variable Voltage - Just like a mech mod where the resistance dictates the power draw on your battery cell but now you can set the voltage to fine tune how much power you are drawing consistently. The range of voltage you can choose from depends on the circuitry of your mod. For example, if using 1.8 ohm atomizer @ 3.7 gives you 6.8 W. The same resistance @ 4.2 gives you almost 10W

Variable Wattage - The circuity allows you to choose from a range of wattage rgardless of what resistance you are using. The mod circuitry adjusts the voltage accordingly for you to reach the desired wattage.
Temperature Control - This is the newest evolution in vaping. As the name implies, the mod controls the power draw once the set temperature is reached. This is achieved by using special reisitance wires like Ni200 (Nickel), Titanium (T101), and Stainless Steel wires.

Atomizers - come in both open-end and closed systems, and can be very confusing.
Cartomizers  - I will only refer to the ones used in cigalikes. These are pre-filled with usually 1-2ml of e-liquid, and disposable when it runs out. 
Clearomizers - You have disposable and replaceable stock coil and wick variety. CE4, CE5, etc are disposable kind. These are ego threaded and meant for ego mods but can be used with 510 threaded mods with an adapter. Nautilus and Kanger aerotank, protank, etc  have replaceable stock coils. However, some categorize sub-ohm tanks as clearomizers also. I do not know why. But I think anything that has a replaceable stock coils is a clearomizer (and the disposable too). All else can be can be categorized in RBA (Rebuildable Atomizers).
RBA - Anything that does not use a stock coil. You build and wick it yourself. Under this category you will hear/read about RDA, RTA, Genisys and RDTA.
RDA ( Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer) - An atomizer where you drip the liquid onto the coils directly. 
RTA (Rebuildable Tank Atomizer) - Just like an RDA but it has a tank or resevoir that holds e-liquid, and it is refillable either from the top, side or bottom.
RDTA (Rebuildable Dripping Tank atomizer) - In essence, it is RDA with a reservoir. Earlier versions of it has spring mechanism that when pressed feeds tiny amount of liquid onto the coils or the deck where the wick feeds from. Newer generation of RDTA has no need of lever mechanism to release liquid. I do not know how to explain it haha. In short, some sort of gravity/pressure feed.

I am sure I missed a few things so please feel free to add or correct any mistakes. 

Very useful information..