How to Vape
A complete beginner's guide to vaping from choosing your first device to using it correctly.
Shop Starter Kits Shop E-LiquidsQuick start: For most beginners, the simplest approach is a prefilled pod kit with a 20mg nic salt pod. Charge the device, insert the pod and use a slow, gentle mouth-to-lung draw: as if sipping through a straw. That is the basics covered.
Vaping can seem complicated at first glance, with different device types, nicotine strengths and techniques to navigate. This guide cuts through the noise and covers everything a new vaper needs to know to get started confidently.
Step 1: Choose the Right Device
For someone switching from smoking, a prefilled pod kit is the recommended starting point. These devices are designed to replicate the feel of smoking, require no technical knowledge and deliver nicotine efficiently through nic salt formulas.
| Device type | Best for | Complexity |
|---|---|---|
| Prefilled pod kit | Beginners, ex-smokers, convenience | Very simple: insert pod and vape |
| Refillable pod kit | Regular vapers wanting choice and better value | Moderate: fill with e-liquid, replace pods periodically |
| Box mod with tank | Experienced vapers, cloud chasers, flavour enthusiasts | Higher: adjustable settings, coil replacement |
Step 2: Choose Your Nicotine Strength
Getting the nicotine strength right is critical. Too low and cravings remain, making relapse to smoking more likely. Too high and you may feel nauseous or dizzy. As a rough guide:
Recommended starting strength by previous cigarette consumption
Start here and adjust: drop down if too strong, go up if cravings are not satisfied.
Step 3: The Correct Technique: Mouth-to-Lung (MTL)
Most beginner devices and nic salt products are designed for mouth-to-lung vaping. This mimics the action of smoking and is the technique that works best for nicotine delivery with these devices. Direct-lung inhaling (DL), where vapour goes straight to the lungs without pausing in the mouth, is for advanced high-powered devices and is not suitable for beginners or nic salt products.
Step 1: Draw slowly into your mouth
Press the fire button (or simply inhale on draw-activated devices) and pull vapour slowly into your mouth, as if sipping hot liquid through a straw. This should take 1 to 3 seconds. Do not pull hard or fast.
Step 2: Hold briefly in the mouth
Hold the vapour in your mouth for a moment: half a second to a second. This is different from smoking where you inhale immediately; taking a beat allows the nicotine to begin absorbing through mouth tissue.
Step 3: Inhale into the lungs
Draw the vapour from your mouth into your lungs with a gentle breath in. Nic salt vapour is smooth so this should not cause coughing if the technique is right and the strength is appropriate.
Step 4: Exhale normally
Breathe out naturally. You will exhale a visible cloud of vapour. With a nic salt pod kit, this will be smaller and more discreet than the large clouds from sub-ohm devices.
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Pulling too hard or too fast: causes flooding and a gurgling or spitting device
- Wrong nicotine strength: too low leads to continued cravings, too high causes nausea
- Not drinking enough water: PG in e-liquid is dehydrating; drink more throughout the day
- Vaping continuously: unlike a cigarette, a vape has no natural end; pace yourself and take breaks
- Not charging the device: charge fully before first use and maintain regular charging