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How To Pick the Best Vape Juice: E-Liquid Buyers Guide
With all of the choices on the e-liquid shelf – how do you know which e-liquid is for you? With an assortment of options in flavor, nicotine levels and much more, picking the best vape juice can be tricky.
Luckily, the experts at Discount Vape Pen have reviewed thousands of different e-liquids, trying every brand and flavor imaginable. We managed to break down this huge category into 4 key sections, helping you decide which vape juice to buy.
First, you’ll need to think carefully about these 4 key considerations when selecting your new favorite vape juice! Whether it’s your first time purchasing a bottle of e-juice, or you’re a seasoned veteran who just feels like trying something new, answering these 5 questions will help you make the right choice.
1. Vape Juice Flavor
When buying e-juice, many vapers consider flavor to be of the utmost importance. Let’s face it, if you don’t like the way it tastes, you’re not going to use it more than once. That’s wasted money. That’s money you could have spent on a new vaping device, more flavors, etc. The good news is that there are seemingly unlimited amounts of flavors.
If you smoke cigarettes, you may well be inclined to enjoy the tobacco blends. Some of the favorite food-based flavors are mango, watermelon, grape, pizza, cake (or other baked goods), and wafer. Too boring? How about a cocktail? Alcohol inspired flavors like wine, brandy, or beer will shake things up a bit. And if all of this fails, consider combining your e-juices. The opportunities really are endless.
2. Nicotine Level
Keep in mind, you do not have to have nicotine in your e-juice. But lots of people prefer it. Particularly if the individual is giving up cigarettes. There are various strengths of nicotine available:
- 0% / 0mg/ml – (Zero nicotine level) Vapes containing this nicotine level are suitable for those trying to quit, but still have an urge toward the habit of smoking/vaping. 0% Nicotine is also great for cloud chasers who do tricks with vapor clouds!
- 3% / 3mg/ml – This is the midpoint for most vapers and smokers. This level of nicotine helps frequent smokers experience a smoother transition to vaping.
- 6% / 6mg/ml and above – This is the highest level of nicotine you can find on the market today. This level is for individuals who want to enjoy the full effects of tobacco. You can use this amount of nicotine to wean yourself out of the smoking game.
Too much nicotine can give you a headache, but too little and you may not get the hit you’re looking for. This could result in overcompensation. Start in the middle and work your way up or down. Read our tips on choosing nicotine level here. Also know that nicotine salts e-liquid hits harder than regular e-liquid. The fact that the nicotine is absorbed into the blood faster, and the e-liquid tastes smoother, makes nicotine salts an effective way of consuming nicotine.
3. PG / VG Ratio
VG (vegetable glycerin) and PG (propylene glycol) are the base solutions in e-liquids. Producing a somewhat muted flavor, possibly because of its slightly sweet taste, VG is more viscous. But if big, billowy, luscious vapor clouds are your goal, VG is the way to go. Producing a weaker vapor, but more flavor and throat-hit is PG. If you value taste and aren’t going to be in any cloud competitions anytime soon, you may well choose propylene glycol. Of course, you don’t have to decide because manufacturers now make e-fluids that combine the two in ratios that vary slightly. One common VG to PG ratio is 60/40. You get good clouds but good taste as well. Read our full guide on PG / VG here.
4. Bottle Size
If you like to carry bottles of vape juice around with you to refill on-the-go – then consider the size of your bottle! A big 100ml bottle will give you more refills and will give you more juice for your buck. But the larger bottle will mean you’ll need bigger pockets, or larger bag!
Small 30ml bottles are great for carrying around with you. They’re discreet, and can easily fit in your pocket. Their smaller size does mean they’ll run out quicker. Which is fine if you fancy jumping around lots between flavors!
Picking The Best Vape Juice on Personal Preferences
Looking for something highly specific in your next vape juice? We sorted through hundreds of user questions, with several that kept coming up time and time again.
Whether you are looking for the best e-juice for smooth throat hits, the biggest clouds, or vape juice similar to the feel of cigarettes, we answered all your questions below.
Which Vape Juice Will Have The Smoothest Throat Hit?
If you’re wondering which e-juices will provide the smoothest hit, then you need to pay attention to 2 key factors when buying your next bottle.
First, e-juices with nicotine salts (the original form of nicotine found in tobacco) will create a much smoother hit than other alternatives. The nicotine will be delivered into your bloodstream faster than other options, leaving you satisfied after a single hit.
Nicotine salts are somewhat of a new invention, allowing e-juices to contain higher levels of nicotine without the harsh throat hit.
Second, picking a vape juice with a higher percentage of VG vs PG will lessen the harsh throat hit, as VG is more viscous and produces big, billowy clouds. However, not every device can utilize juices with high VG levels, so be sure to check your vape specifications before buying.
Which Vape Juice Will Feel Most Like a Cigarette?
If you’re using vapes as a way to quit cigarettes, having a smooth throat hit may not be right for you. Oftentimes, smokers want to recreate that hard throat kick that they get when hitting a cig.
If this sounds right up your alley, look for these key factors in your next e-juice.
Vape juice with a higher PG (propylene glycol) concentration, around 50/50 PG/VG, will feel very similar to the throat hit of a cigarette. If you up the VG levels, your hits will be smoother and may not provide the kick you need.
A higher PG ratio in your e-juice will also create a tighter, somewhat restricted draw when you hit your device, mimicking that of a cigarette.
Your specific vaping device will also play a big part in recreating the feel of hitting a cigarette. When it comes to hits, you can choose from MTL (mouth to lung) or DTL (direct to lung). As the name suggests, MTL will send the vapor to your mouth before the lungs, at which point you take a second breath to inhale. MTL devices will provide the characteristics of a cigarette hit and will be your best option when quitting.
Which E-Juices Will Make The Biggest Clouds?
If you’re hunting for big, billowy clouds of vapor in your next e-juice, then be sure you look for a couple of key things before buying.
A higher VG content in your vape juice, such as 80/20, will provide you with bigger, more luscious clouds. Lower-end vaping devices may not be able to handle the more viscous juice, so be sure to check your device’s user manual before opting for these e-juice variants.
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