Disposable vapes are quickly becoming a popular way to consume nicotine, but they are not without their drawbacks.
Believe me, I’ve tried most of them…and I still stick to regular old refillable e-juice vaporizers.
In this guide, I will do my best to present both sides of the coin and help you understand why you shouldn’t necessarily go all ham to get them.
I will also go into more details on how to use them, as well as information on how they differ from regular vapes.
If you’ve never used a disposable vape before, then this guide is for you. If not, there’s still some useful information in here that may help convince someone else to try one out!
What Are Disposable Vapes?
Well, first to clear this up – they are not cigalikes. Disposable vapes are vape pens that follow single-use principal and once you are done with them they can be… well, disposed of.
They usually come in a small, pen-like package and contain either a pre-filled cartridge or an empty tank that can be filled with your own e-liquid.
They play well on our old cigarette habits (buying a new pack every day, etc..) since they contain enough juice to replace one pack of cigarettes. Also, they could be a great test drive for anyone who’s considering turning to vaping at some point, but doesn’t want to invest too much into the equipment from the get-go.
The downside is that the quality of these vapes is far from the real deal and to some it might work as a double-edged sword, repealing potential vapers back to smoking.
How Do Disposable Vapes Work?
In simplest terms, disposable vapes work by heating up a liquid (containing nicotine) until it turns into a vapor that you then inhale. When you take a puff from your pen or press the power button, it activates an internal coil that heats up and vaporizes e-liquid inside of its tank.
This creates a vapor which then gets inhaled into your lungs as they expand when breathing in normally (as opposed to taking deep pulls). The air pressure within these two chambers becomes equalized so there isn’t any difference between them anymore except for temperature.
In summary: You breathe in, the air pressure in your lungs causes the vape’s heating coil to turn on and heat up the liquid, vaporizing it. The hot vapor then goes into your lungs and you enjoy a nice hit.
How to Use a Disposable Vape?
Since these vapes are quite straightforward and don’t require that much prep time you will easily get used to using them.
Heck, even if you never vaped or smoked in your life and got persuaded to buy it, you won’t struggle too much with it.
But… don’t get persuaded…
Of course, there are some steps you need to take before you start using it, but it will take a few seconds to a minute tops.
First, remove your vape from the packaging and make sure everything is in the right place. Due to overall simplicity, the device is mass-manufactured so it’s relatively possible to end up with DoA. Of course, that doesn’t mean every tenth will be dead the moment you buy it, but inspecting it right of the bat won’t hurt.
And most disposable vapes (from respectable manufacturers) come in one piece and shouldn’t have any missing parts or pieces.
Once that is done you will need to activate it. Some vapes have a designated button you need to push and hold in order to activate it, but in case your device doesn’t have that you can assume that by drawing you’ll activate the vapor production.
Also, there will be instructions on the box so you can check that as well.
To be completely honest, and I know this sounds a bit biased, don’t expect to be blown away by the richness of the flavor or amount of the vapor that comes out. While these devices look slick and cool, more than often you’ll be left with “is that it?” moments.
How Are Disposable Vapes Different from Regular Vapes?
Disposable vapes are similar to their rechargeable and refillable cousins, but differ in two major ways: one is that they run on pre-charged batteries; two, you cannot remove or replace the e-liquid cartridges, unless you get a modifiable version of course which will cost you more.
The main difference between these devices is convenience – some people prefer having fewer steps involved when using an electronic cigarette so disposables might work better for them than other models which require charging, refilling, or/and rebuilding.
Both scenarios have pros and cons, but it all comes down to what stage of the vaping journey you are currently on.
Do Disposable Vapes Make Large Clouds?
In short, the answer is no. Using disposable vapes you won’t, by any means, go cloud chasing.
Since these devices are made to emulate and help you transition from regular cigarettes, it makes sense they produce less vapor. But also, take into consideration that these devices don’t have enough “juice” in comparison to any other vaping device with variable power outputs.
Of course, if you wish to be discrete and don’t want a big cloud following you around when you drag a few puffs, then this won’t bother you are all.
This does come in handy when you vape in closed spaces, or next to someone who believes in secondhand vaping…
How Long Do Disposable Vapes Last?
Disposable vapes usually come with a built-in battery, and you just have to screw on the cartridge filled with nicotine liquid and you’re good to go. How long the battery lasts will depend on the device, but most should last for at least a few hours of use.
In most cases, they last somewhere between 200 and 250 puffs. By some math wizardry, this is considered the equivalent of one cigarette pack containing 20 cigs.
The whole idea behind this was that you would still need to buy them on a regular basis the same way you bought cigarettes so that the routine you had doesn’t have to change when you are transitioning.
Where Can You Buy Them?
Disposable vapes can be brought almost anywhere. From your local vape store to the supermarket, gas station, or even kiosks.
It wouldn’t surprise me if the old lady selling flowers across the street offered me a new peach flavor vape that just came out of the factory…
Just imagine that… Sheesh
I realized disposables were a thing when I went out to buy toner in my local Techshop. And while I was paying for the stuff I needed, there, next to the cashier was a display box full of them.
And not only that, I realized that every freaking employee had one attached to their tags.
Why Most Vapers SHOULD NOT Go With Disposable Vapes
I’m, by no means, bashing at disposable vapes or trying to sway you away from them. Whether you use them or not is totally up to you.
But, I will point out some flaws that might put a new perspective on your decision. I firmly believe these points should be taken into consideration before you go out and buy your first disposable vape… or the next one in the line.
·Too expensive — I consider buying disposable vapes mostly if my main one runs out of juice or battery, and I’m away and can’t refill/recharge. But, disposables tend to be more expensive than regular pens which usually turns me away from buying them. And while this might not seem like much of an issue at first glance, take into consideration that regular pens can last up to three times longer than disposables and cost less upfront too.
·Quick to run out of juice – A disposable vape pen usually contains about 200 puffs per cartridge which means they run out quickly compared with larger devices such as mods which last up to 800 hits before needing another charge (or refill). You could burn through one vape really quick while drinking coffee and chatting with your friends. So when you calculate how much of there you would need on a monthly basis, it doesn’t sound like a good investment.
·Little to no customization – Don’t like the flavor you currently have? Well too bad. Want to bump up the power output? Ain’t gonna happen. There isn’t much you can do with your vape except turn it on and vape it. Even the power output can’t be changed so you get what you get. And on top of that, both taste and vapor will be mediocre. Basically, you get what you buy. And while I can always join Eric Idle and keep on whistling, I can’t digest the fact that price and quality are so far apart.
·Low on nicotine – Another big downside of disposable vapes is that they usually have quite low nicotine levels – around 0.05% (about 12mg-18mg) so they are not ideal for those who need to satisfy their cravings in one go. With that said, this may not be enough for some smokers looking to switch over to vaping.
So if your primary device ran out of battery, and you prefer stronger hits, reconsider buying a disposable vape as it won’t necessarily help you out.
The Verdict
It’s simple really.
If you plan to make vaping a regular habit, you’re better of with a refillable vape pen or a vape mod. They are cheaper, better, and offer a similar feel to smoking.
If vaping is a fad to you, well… in that case, disposable vape devices might be something you’ll want to take a look at.