The cookie settings on this website are set to 'allow all cookies' to give you the very best experience. Please click Accept Cookies to continue to use the site.

WARNING: This product contains nicotine.
Nicotine is an addictive chemical.

Choosing Your First Eliquid

Posted by John C. on 7th Feb 2018

Introduction

Photo Credit: @wireguy

One of the first challenges you’ll face when moving beyond all-in-ones, cigarette-lookalikes, or pod-based systems is choosing which eliquid you want to use, because with sub-ohm tanks, the choice is now entirely up to you.

To Bacco, Or Not To Bacco, That Is The Question

Photo Credit: @wireguy

One of the biggest topics of debate about which kind of eliquid a vaper should choose while leaving smoking behind in favor of vaping is: Tobacco flavor or non-tobacco flavor? Because making this change in your life is a very personal choice, this is something only you can answer for yourself, but here was my answer, for myself:

When I switched, I wanted it to be comfortable. I wanted to fool my addiction to tobacco, and by continuing to taste a tobacco-like flavor when I vaped, I was able to do that more easily. But there’s one thing a tobacco flavored vape doesn’t taste like: tobacco smoke. It tastes the way a cigarette smells, that sweet, savory, slightly nutty scent. Tobacco flavored vapor actually tastes better while tricking your addiction into ignoring the difference.

A Place To Start

Whether you choose a tobacco flavor as your first eliquid or another flavor, there are some things you need to consider when it comes to nicotine strength and the “PG/VG content” in your eliquid. I’ll take a moment to explain that last one, very briefly:

  • PG is Propylene Glycol. (Yes, it’s in some things you shouldn’t consume, but it isn’t the reason you shouldn’t consume them.) It strengthens the flavor and helps with the sensation at the back of your throat when you inhale that makes vaping feel like smoking.
  • VG is Vegetable Glycerine. It’s primarily responsible for the visual body of the vapor.

A basic rule of thumb is this: The lower the resistance of your atomizer, especially sub-ohm atomizers, the higher you want the VG content of your eliquid to be. So if you have a sub-ohm tank, look for eliquid that’s described as “high VG” or “max VG”.

when it comes to nicotine strength, the same guideline applies: The lower the resistance, the more efficiently nicotine is delivered in the vapor, so the lower you want the nicotine strength to be. You want to satisfy that craving, but nobody I know of enjoys that light headed, almost queasy feeling from getting too much nicotine too quickly.

Here’s a sample recommendation, and you can start with it, then adjust to fit your tastes: If you were a pack a day smoker and now have a device with a sub-ohm tank, packing an atomizer with a resistance of 0.5 ohms or less, go with a max VG liquid in 6mg nicotine strength.

Sample, Sample, Sample

Photo Credit: @wireguy

Finding what vapers call your “All Day Vape” is a matter of trying liquids that sound like what you’ll enjoy, then sticking with the ones you consider winners. But that doesn’t have to break the bank. Most liquids come in all kinds of sizes, from 10 milliliters all the way up to 120ml. So try some sample packs, or individually the little 15ml sizes. You’ll pretty quickly discover a favorite flavor and/or a favorite brand. From there, let your tastebuds be your guide.

Conclusion

The world of eliquids is incredibly vast, filled with flavors you could spend years exploring and enjoying. I hope this short read has given you some useful advice on how to get started.