1. Determine Your Vaping Style
The first step in selecting the right vape device is to determine your vaping style. Are you a beginner looking for a simple and hassle-free option, or are you an experienced vaper seeking advanced features and customisation? There are two primary styles to consider:
A. Mouth-to-Lung (MTL) Vaping:
B. Direct-to-Lung (DTL) Vaping:
2. Choose the Right Device Type
Once you've determined your vaping style, you can choose the type of device that aligns with your preferences. There are three primary types of vape devices:
A. Pod Systems:
B. Vape Pens:
C. Box Mods and Advanced Kits:
3. Consider Battery Life and Capacity
Battery life and capacity are crucial factors to consider, especially if you're frequently on the move. Look for a device with a battery that suits your vaping habits. For heavy vapers, a device with a larger battery capacity or the option to use external batteries may be preferable. Additionally, some devices offer fast-charging capabilities, ensuring you spend more time vaping and less time waiting for your device to charge.
4. Evaluate Coil Compatibility
Coils are essential components of your vape device, as they influence flavour, vapour production, and the overall vaping experience. Consider the availability and compatibility of coils for your chosen device. Some devices have proprietary coils, while others have a wide selection of compatible coils, giving you the flexibility to explore various vaping styles and e-liquids.
5. Factor in E-Liquid Compatibility
The type of e-liquid you prefer can also impact your choice of a vape device. High-VG (vegetable glycerin) e-liquids are common for DTL vaping, while high-PG (propylene glycol) e-liquids are often used for MTL vaping. Ensure that your chosen device can handle your preferred e-liquid type and nicotine strength.
6. Read Reviews and Seek Recommendations
Before making your final decision, it's beneficial to read reviews and seek recommendations from experienced vapers. Online reviews on our website, social media, and our 888 Vapour shop staff can provide valuable insights into specific devices and their performance. Hearing from others who have used the device you're considering can help you make an informed choice.
7. Budget Considerations
Lastly, consider your budget. Vape devices come in a wide price range, from budget-friendly options to high-end devices with advanced features. Determine how much you're willing to invest in your vaping setup, keeping in mind that a higher upfront cost may offer better long-term value if the device meets your needs and lasts longer.
In conclusion, choosing the right vape device involves considering your vaping style, device type, battery life, coil compatibility, e-liquid preference, recommendations, and budget. Take the time to research and explore different options to find the device that aligns with your preferences and enhances your vaping experience. With the right vape device in hand, you'll be well on your way to enjoying a satisfying and enjoyable vaping journey.
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Shortfill e-liquids have become a popular choice among vapers in the UK, as they offer a way to customise the nicotine strength of their e-liquid without sacrificing flavour. In this blog post, we've compiled a list of some of the best shortfills available in the UK based on online searches.
Without further ado, here are the top Shortfill E-Liquids of 2023 so far:
Doozy Legends
Doozy Legends is a popular shortfill e-liquid brand in the UK that offers a range of unique and exciting flavours. Their Liquid Gold flavour is a decadent blend of rich custard, sweet vanilla, and caramel, while their Berry Pie flavour is a sweet and fruity blend of mixed berries and pastry. These flavours are made with premium ingredients and are known for their strong, bold flavours.
Brutal Juice
Brutal Juice is a UK-based shortfill e-liquid brand that offers a range of intense and powerful flavours. Their Mr Jack flavour is a delicious blend of sweet strawberry and watermelon with a hint of menthol, delivering an intense throat hit and a refreshing taste. These e-liquids are made with high-quality ingredients and are known for their strong flavour profiles.
What are the best shortfills of 2023?In conclusion, there are many great shortfill e-liquid brands available in the UK, each offering a unique and delicious vape experience. Whether you're looking for fruity, sweet, or intense flavours, there's a shortfill e-liquid out there for you. Be sure to try out some of these popular brands and flavours and find your new favourite!
The list:
Wondering the difference between different types of E-liquids? Why does everyone keep talking about Bar Salts? And what makes them so good?
Bar salts are designed to give the user a quick hit of nicotine (similar to the feeling of smoking an actual cigarette) whilst not feeling as harsh on the throat and providing a richer flavour. This may sound familiar, as Bar Salts are an upgraded version of Nic Salts, but the main difference is that Bar Salts contain benzoic acid to lower the pH level of the liquid and enhance the smoothness and absorption rate.
They are brilliant for low-powered starter vape kits such as the Aspire R1 (available online or at any of our 888 Vapour stores) as they deliver a MTL vape. This creates the same feeling as smoking a disposable or cigarette.
Talking of disposables, they have seen a huge increase in usage and popularity over the past few years with over 52% of vapers reported to be using disposables (according to an ASH poll of current vapers, 2022). This has been great for the vaping industry for both customers and businesses as it has given an even wider range of products to choose from and they are extremely convenient for users. However, because of the 600 puff limit on disposables, it has been found that users are paying a huge price for this convenience; with many using 1 disposable each day. This can cost an individual up to £1820 a year. Bar Salts provide much more value for money: getting the same amount of puffs per year for £1639 less (only £181).
At 888 Vapour we have multiple ranges of Bar Salts including Drifter Bar Salts, Bar Series and Doozy Seriously Bar Salts.
Drifter Bar Salts are made from the top selling disposable flavours you know and love! Packed with double flavour for bigger taste, Drifter Bar Salts have been designed to appeal to those seeking the unique taste of a disposable device, in a salt e-liquid. With 5x the quantity of E-Liquid compared to a traditional disposable, Drifter Bar Salts offer value for money, with all the great flavour you would expect from a disposable.
Seriously Bar Salts, developed by Doozy Vape, are a selection of some of the most popular disposable e-liquid flavours. They are ideal for low-powered mouth-to-lung vaping systems and perfectly replicate the use of disposable e-cigarettes at a fraction of the price. The Really Bar Salts nicotine salt e-liquids come in handy 10 ml bottles and come in nicotine concentrations of 20 mg, 10 mg, and 5 mg.
At 888 Vapour, we have 11 incredible Bar Series flavours to offer you, all created by the Mixtio flavour scientists from Major Flavor. They can be used in a variety of pod kits, many of which are offered by us at some of the most affordable prices! These flavours are nearly identical to Geekbar!
Visit one of our 888 Vapour stores or shop online to view our entire range of Bar Salts.
]]>We’ve been helping people across Lincolnshire improve their health by quitting smoking since opening our first high-street vape store in 2014. We now have one of the UK’s best online stores, alongside 10 shops located across the Midlands, including two in Lincoln.
Our head office is also located in Lincoln, and we’re always looking for new ways to connect with the wider community. We’re proud to announce that 888 Vapour is now a Bronze Partner of Lincoln City FC! This partnership allows us to support our local football team and engage in the work they carry out across Lincolnshire.
The Lincoln City Foundation makes a real difference across the area, whether it’s tackling the ongoing mental health crisis, encouraging grassroots football development or running school and disability programmes.
Liam Chapman, CEO, said, “We’re passionate about working with the local community to help more people quit smoking for good. This partnership will help us widen our reach, and it’s great to be connected to a football club that does so much for its supporters and the wider city. We look forward to building on this relationship moving forward.”
If you’re heading to Lincoln City’s game against Burton Albion this weekend, make sure to look out for our boards around the pitch! We’ll also be running giveaways in our Lincoln stores, located on High Street and Newark Road. If you're an Imps fan, keep an eye on our socials for competitions to win match tickets and other exciting prizes!
We can’t wait to see where our partnership with Lincoln City takes us! Up the Imps!
]]>Whilst there’s thousands of e-liquid flavours on the market to choose from, many people who have been vaping for a long time find themselves looking for something a little different. To create their perfect vape juice, they turn to DIY e-liquid.
Whilst it can seem daunting, creating your own vape juice is actually really easy once you know how. As well as giving you the freedom to mix whatever flavour concentrates you’d like, you can also choose an exact nicotine strength and VG/PG ratio. If you find yourself getting through shop-bought shortfills quickly, creating your own e-liquid can help you save a fair amount of money.
So, you’ve decided you’re ready to create your own DIY vape juice. Here’s everything you need to get started including ingredients, equipment and methods.
This is your vegetable glycerin (VG) and propylene glycol (PG) mix, which you can pick up from vape stores. This is your base liquid, and it’s essentially unflavoured, nicotine-free e-liquid. You can buy it premixed in 50VG/50PG or 70VG/30PG ratios, or mix your own for more flexibility.
Finding a good-quality base liquid is essential if you want great tasting e-liquid. We sell both 50VG/50PG and 70VG/30PG premixes to help keep the process simple, as well as our 500ml bottle of PG so you can find your perfect ratio.
Flavour concentrates will determine what your vape juice tastes like. There are thousands of flavours to choose from, ranging from fruit blends to sweets and desserts.
Many vapers make their own e-liquid because you can mix a range of concentrates to create your perfect blend. If you’re not sure what goes together best, there’s a huge range of recipes online that can help. These are great to practice and play around with when you’re starting out to help you find your go-to vape juice recipe.
Nicotine is optional, and some vapers purposefully leave it out to create bespoke, 0mg e-liquid. Your choice of nicotine strength will depend on your preferred level when you’re buying premixed e-liquid. The easiest thing to do is buy nicotine shots, which you add to your DIY vape juice at the end as you would any store-bought shortfill.
We offer a range of nic shots in different strengths, including cool shots for an extra menthol kick and salt shots for a smoother vape. Make sure you wear gloves when handling nicotine, as it can irritate the skin, and always keep it in a safe place out of reach of children.
Premixed base liquid and nicotine shots will come in bottles anyway, but if you’re mixing your VG/PG, then you’ll need extra storage bottles. A couple of 100ml squeezable bottles with nozzle tops will be perfect, but storing your nicotine in amber or dark coloured bottles will help it last longer.
You’ll need a number of vape juice bottles for testing your new recipes, and they’re available in a range of sizes. Make sure you buy high quality plastic bottles to ensure they don't degrade - you don’t want to be vaping particles of plastic!
Look for either PET or LDPE grade bottles, they’re usually around 70p - £1 each, but you can also buy in bulk from some suppliers to save money.
Since you’re using a range of chemicals and flavours, you’ll need labels to keep track of what’s what. Simple sticky labels are ideal and cheap, so you can just scribble on whatever you’re making. If you’re feeling extra fancy, you can splash out and get a label maker too.
Whilst everything you’re working with is safe for human consumption, it’s a good idea to wear gloves. Undiluted flavour concentrates and nicotine especially can irritate the skin, and you can pick up a cheap box of gloves online or from most supermarkets or pharmacies.
If you’re mixing by volume, make sure your measurements are precise by using small syringes and pipettes between 10 and 30ml capacities. They will help you ensure you’re using exactly the right amount of PG/VG and flavour concentrate. You’ll also need some measuring cylinders when you’re ready to mix a higher volume of e-liquid.
If mixing by weight, you’ll need an electronic scale with a 0.01 gram precision, with the ability to weigh up to at least 200 grams, but ideally 500 grams. This is precise enough to deal with DIY e-liquid, you just need to remember to hit tare between adding each ingredient.
Finding a reliable e-liquid calculator is key, especially if you’re not following a popular recipe, but even then it’s best to double check your quantities. There are a number of free ones to choose from online or via the app store.
One of the most popular and easy-to-use is E-liquid Recipes, a free online tool that calculates your quantities in both mls and grams. You can also log in and save your recipes for later, creating an online portfolio of all your favourite DIY blends.
It’s easy to make a mess when creating your own DIY e-liquid, so make sure you have some kitchen roll or wipes on hand to clean up any spills. Some flavour concentrates and nicotine will stain furniture or material, so make sure you protect whatever space you’re working on, or have a designated table you don’t mind getting marked.
PG carries flavour better than VG, so if you want to get a stronger taste from your vape juice, opt for a higher PG mix, or go for 50VG/50PG. The higher the PG, the harsher the throat hit will be. This is something many ex-smokers go for as it closely replicates the sensation of smoking cigarettes.
If you're not a fan of the harsh throat hit you get with high PG e-liquids, then choosing a higher VG mix will work better for you. VG offers a smoother inhale that will help you avoid dryness and coughing, but it doesn’t carry the flavour as well, so you might need to add a little extra concentrate.
If you’re looking for big vape clouds, high VG vape juice is the mix for you. Choose anything from 70VG/30PG upwards for cloud chasing. If you want a more discrete vaping experience, go for a higher PG base liquid, the most common are 50VG/50PG and 40VG/60PG.
The type of vape device you use will be the main influence when choosing your VG/PG ratio. Because PG vaporises at lower temperatures, high PG vape juice works best with low wattage devices. VG is a lot thicker than PG, so it requires higher temperatures to vaporise and you’ll need a high wattage or Sub-Ohm device.
Mixing by volume uses milliliters rather than grams, so you’ll need very precise small syringes and pipettes, especially when working with small quantities. Due to the amount of supplies you need, it usually requires more cleaning than mixing by weight, but beginners often find it easier as there’s no conversion to grams required. You’ll still definitely need to use a calculator though to help you convert your percentages to mls.
When using a scale, each ingredient is added by weighing it in one cylinder. Because each ingredient has its own specific gravity, 1ml of VG is heavier than 1ml of PG for example. But you don’t need to worry about doing any complicated maths, as the calculator will work it all out for you. Mixing by weight can be easier and less messy, especially when working with smaller quantities.
Steeping has been a hotly debated topic since the early days of vaping. Some vapers swear by it, and others don’t think it’s necessary. If you’re using more than one flavour concentrate, it’s a good idea to give the flavours time to blend and infuse the base liquid. Dessert blends often need more time to steep due to their viscosity, but this varies from recipe to recipe and it will give you a recommended time scale.
After leaving your e-liquid to steep, you’ll need to test it out. Use a good quality device, coil and tank to make sure you’re getting the best flavour possible out of your DIY vape juice. Make sure you use the appropriate wattage and resistance for your vape juice, as it will taste very different depending on the temperature and power output you use.
It’s important to label your bottles of DIY e-liquid to help you keep on top of your recipes and batches. Label it with your VG/PG ratio, nicotine level, flavour percentage and date created, as this will help with remembering how long you’ve left it to steep.
It’s best to store your new vape juice in a cool, dark and dry place, as sunlight, heat and oxygen can have a negative impact on your e-liquid. You should also make sure it’s always kept out of reach of children and pets.
The potency of a flavour concentrate not only varies between brands, but also flavourings within the same brand. It will take some trial and error, and depend on whether you’re using a high VG or PG base liquid. Often, less is more, so start with the smallest amount according to the instructions on the bottle and slowly work your way up if you’re not getting enough flavour.
There are lots of free online tutorials and recipes to help you start making your own e-liquid. We’ve already mentioned free online calculators, but YouTube is full of helpful guides and walkthroughs to explain the process in more detail. You can also buy ready-made DIY vape kits that contain everything you need with pre-measured ingredients to help simplify the process.
Creating your own e-liquid is all about having fun and experimenting with different flavour combinations. You can make it as complicated or as easy as you’d like, and there’s no need for it to be a stressful process. So, what are you waiting for? Shop our range of delicious flavour concentrates, VG/PG premixes and nicotine shots to get started.
The world’s first marketable vape product was first conceived in the early 2000s, when a Chinese pharmacist called Hon Lik started experimenting with nicotine replacement therapies to try and help his father quit smoking. He quickly realised that the only way to satisfy his cravings was to smoke cigarettes, so he decided to create a safer alternative.
In 2003, Hon Lik built a device that looked like a traditional cigarette, but used ultrasound to vaporise a nicotine solution. This is the earliest form of the basic e-cigarette, which you can still pick up in convenience stores and supermarkets today, but vaping has come a long way since then.
As demand grew for better flavour and more choice, the industry responded with advancements in technology and new types of e-liquids that produce huge vapour clouds and bold flavours.
Nicotine Salts are a relatively new trend. In the mid-2010s, it was predominantly being used in prefilled pod devices by big brands like Blu and Juul. It’s 50VG/50PG solution offered a quicker nicotine release than freebase e-liquid and a smoother inhale, even with a 20mg nic strength.
But what is nicotine salt? How is it different from freebase? What are the pros and cons of freebase and salt nicotine? In today’s blog, we’re going to take a look at each type and compare them to help you work out which would be best suited to your vaping needs.
As the original e-liquid recipe, freebase nicotine e-liquids are the most common type of vape juice. They use the same type of nicotine that's used in cigarettes and replacement therapies, including gum and patches.
Ex-smokers usually choose freebase e-liquids as they deliver a harsher throat hit than nicotine salts, closely replicating the sensation of smoking tobacco. Compared to nic salts, freebase nicotine is absorbed by the body more slowly, so it'll take slightly longer to feel the effects. Freebase nicotine e-liquids are compatible with all mouth-to-lung vape kits and are available in four nic strengths - 3mg, 6mg, 12mg and 18mg.
Salt nicotine e-liquids contain a purer form of nicotine found in the tobacco plant leaf. If you’re looking to avoid a harsh throat hit, then nicotine salts are the perfect choice. They are pH neutralised, resulting in a much smoother inhale.
New vapers who have just quit smoking are well suited to nic salts, as the nicotine is more easily and quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. They are usually higher strength e-liquids, made with a 50VG/50PG ratio.
Nicotine salts come in 10ml bottles, and their VG/PG ratio means they’re best suited to mouth-to-lung kits. Due to their higher nic strengths, they’re perfect for former smokers who are used to getting through a pack of cigarettes a day. They’re also the best choice for anyone who doesn’t enjoy the harsher throat hit you get from freebase nicotine vape juice.
You vape them the same way you would any other 10ml e-liquid, it’s just a smoother mouth-to-lung inhale that delivers a faster nicotine hit. Less powerful vape devices, like the Iore Lite or Eleaf iCard, are really well-suited to nicotine salts.
One of the main reasons nic salts became popular is because of their smooth inhale. Vapers can draw on them all day and avoid a harsh throat hit. They also produce a relatively small amount of vapour compared to high VG e-liquids, so they’re great for stealth vaping too.
However, if your customers are trying to cut down on nicotine, then they might not be the best option. Nic salts come in higher strengths than freebase vape juices, so if your customers are trying to vape less, then it’s a good idea to point out that nic salts might keep them hooked for longer.
Freebase e-liquids contain less nicotine than nic salts, so they’re a good choice if you’re trying to decrease your intake. They’re also suitable for all MTL vape kits, so they’re perfect if you aren’t looking to invest a lot of money into vaping. Many vapers actually enjoy the throat hit you get from freebase e-liquids, so it’s a great vape juice for anyone looking to closely replicate the sensation of smoking a cigarette.
This can be a con to freebase e-liquids though, especially for those used to nicotine salts, this harsh throat hit can cause irritation with excessive use. If you feel like your vape is making you cough, consider trying nic salts.
As our best-selling vape juice, the V4POUR collection is always a popular choice for former smokers. Well known for its great flavour, the V4 salt range offers unbeatable value for money, with 15 super-smooth blends to choose from.
One of our favourite flavours is Melon Ice Salt. It’s a tasty fruit blend that serves up the perfect balance of sweet melon with a refreshing blast of ice on the exhale. This super-smooth nic salt is available in three strengths - 5mg, 10mg and 20mg, so it’s perfect if you’re a new vaper looking for something delicious to satisfy your nicotine cravings.
With over 50 best-selling flavours to choose from, our V4 freebase range offers something to suit all tastes!
V4POUR Fruit Gummies is the ultimate ‘basic’ e-liquid, perfect for use in starter kits, pod systems and MTL tanks. This tasty candied fruit blend is perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth, offering unrivalled flavour with a satisfying nicotine hit.
Throughout the month of October, we’re offering three free e-liquids with every vape kit purchase, including both the V4 Salt and Freebase range! If you’d like to get your hands on some delicious vape juice to help you quit smoking for good this Stoptober, pop into one of our stores or shop our amazing deals online! Remember, all orders over £25 qualify for free next day delivery, so there’s really never been a better time to make the switch to vaping!
]]>Vaping is often making headlines thanks to a lot of misinformation and scaremongering by the media and anti-vaping groups. Whilst it’s still relatively new, having only been widely accessible in the UK since 2007, early studies have been promising.
As more research into the long-term effects of vaping continues to be published, we are getting closer to having concrete evidence on the safety of vaping. Understandably, many smokers want to know how safe vaping is and what it does to the body before they make the switch.
A study in 2020 found that over a third of UK smokers wrongly believe that e-cigarettes are equally or more harmful than combustible tobacco. This is most likely due to misinformation in the media and dramatic headlines in the tabloids. Over 100,000 lives are lost each year in Britain due to smoking related diseases, so it’s really important that we separate the facts from fiction to help people make healthier choices.
We are not medical professionals. Whilst the information in this article is taken from governing bodies and organisations such as the NHS, Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation, you should always consult your GP regarding your health and wellbeing. If you’re looking to quit smoking, you should ask your doctor for advice on what might be the best options for you, especially if you have pre-existing health conditions.
E-cigarettes are not completely risk free, but they are far less harmful than smoking. They don’t produce tar or carbon monoxide, two of the most harmful chemicals found in cigarette smoke. In the UK, e-liquids and vape devices are tightly regulated to ensure safety and high quality, preventing the use of harmful chemicals and limiting the size of tanks, pods and bottles.
A lot of people worry about the effects of nicotine, but whilst it’s an addictive substance, nicotine is relatively harmless. According to the BHF, it is not a significant health hazard for people without heart conditions.
It doesn’t cause acute cardiac events or coronary heart disease, and is not carcinogenic, so it doesn’t have the potential to cause cancer. But nicotine can be a problem for people with heart disease, as it raises the heart rate. If you do have other medical conditions, always speak to your GP first before you make the switch to e-cigarettes.
It’s always better to quit smoking completely, and if you don’t already smoke then you shouldn’t take up vaping. However, vaping is at least 95% safer than smoking, so it’s an alternative that should definitely be considered, especially if you’ve tried and failed to quit before.
You will not feel the full benefits from vaping unless you cut out cigarettes completely, so it’s important that you find a device and e-liquid that works for you. Your local vape shop will be able to help you out with this. At 888 Vapour, we offer a wide range of starter kits and vape juice to help you find your perfect match. Just pop in to one of our stores, where our friendly and knowledgeable team will be happy to advise you.
No, there are currently no medically licenced vape kits in the UK. There have been calls for the MHRA to approve the licensing of e-cigarettes, as this would mean that ex-smokers could be prescribed them on the NHS, helping more people quit smoking.
Whilst e-cigarettes are far cheaper than cigarettes, making them available for prescription would help improve access, especially for those on low-incomes. It would also help dispel any myths surrounding the safety of vaping, as speaking to a GP would reassure patients that it’s a much safer alternative.
However, medically licencing vape products could lead to less choice. It also places the smoker’s ability to switch in the hands of their GP or a smoking cessation professional. This can be quite disempowering and might put people off transitioning to e-cigarettes.
Yes, most e-liquids contain nicotine, which is a highly addictive substance. This is the chemical that keeps you hooked on cigarettes, and whilst it’s relatively harmless, it will also get you addicted to e-cigarettes.
The good thing about vaping is that you can choose your nicotine strength. You can pick from several concentrations in order to find something that satisfies your cravings, before steadily decreasing your intake over time if you want to.
If you want to cut out nicotine completely but you’re not ready to give up vaping, you can buy nicotine-free e-liquids, most commonly available in the form of shortfills. Usually, you buy nicotine shots, which you add to your shortfills to create your desired nicotine strength. You can just leave these out, but the flavour will be a lot stronger.
If you want to dilute the flavour and get the most juice for your money, you can choose our nicotine free shots, which will give you a full shortfill of 0mg nicotine vape juice.
Bronchiolitis Obliterans, commonly known as popcorn lung, is a rare type of lung disease that first made headlines a few years ago. It was discovered that a likely cause of popcorn lung is diacetyl, a chemical which used to be used in some e-liquids.
Diacetyl is a banned ingredient in e-liquids in the UK, so as long as you’re buying your vape juice from a reputable retailer, you don’t need to worry about developing popcorn lung.
No, vaping does not stain your teeth. Unlike cigarettes, e-liquid doesn’t contain tar, the main chemical responsible for the yellowing of your teeth when you smoke.
Some poor-quality vape juices might contain coloured food flavourings that could stain your teeth. Check the ingredients before you buy, but as long as you’re shopping in a reputable store, your e-liquids won’t contain anything that could stain your teeth.
Nicotine causes an increase in heart rate, blood pressure and therefore your body temperature, activating the sweat glands. Those who already sweat a lot might experience aggravated symptoms when smoking or vaping, so if it’s something you’re worried about then you should consider reducing your nicotine strength.
The other harmful toxins found in cigarette smoke put more pressure on the heart, arteries and blood vessels on top of the effects of nicotine, so switching to vaping will improve your health and should mean you don’t sweat as much as your body starts to recover.
It’s possible, but unlikely. Most modern fire alarms are designed to differentiate between smoke from a fire and vapour to avoid false alarms. For example, your fire alarm doesn’t go off every time you boil the kettle.
Heat alarms, the type most commonly used in kitchens, are the least likely to detect vapour as they respond to heat rather than smoke. Places like hotels often have more sensitive fire alarms than the ones in your home, and many have strict rules against vaping anyway. If you accidentally set the alarm off in your hotel room, you could face a hefty fine, so check the rules before you start vaping.
You’re probably wondering why a vape shop is advising you on how to stop vaping, but it would be irresponsible of us to promote the use of e-cigarettes over quitting smoking completely.
Vaping too often or with too high a nicotine strength can cause headaches and nausea, so decreasing your intake will help. Try steadily transitioning down from the very high strengths by switching between a lower concentration. You can also use nicotine gum and patches if you’re getting cravings in between vapes.
For many, the action of smoking or vaping is what keeps people hooked, so fidget spinners and stress balls can help with not having your vape in your hand anymore. Quitting smoking is a difficult task anyway, so don’t put pressure on yourself to give up vaping too quickly. At the end of the day, if your e-cigarette helps you stay off tobacco for life, then it’s better to keep vaping rather than reverting back to cigarettes if you feel tempted.
Again, we aren’t medical professionals. If you’re worried about the side effects of switching to vaping, speak to your GP first about your medical history to make sure it’s the right option for you.
]]>If you’ve just started using a reusable vape kit, you’ll probably have already spilled your e-liquid a few times whilst trying to top up your tank. Even veteran vapers manage to make a mess of refilling their vape kit, as some devices are just prone to leaking and need a little bit of extra maintenance.
In today’s blog, we’re going to share our top tips for refilling your vape kit without spilling your e-liquid everywhere, as well as how to clean your vape and keep it in good condition.
Before refilling your vape kit, it’s a good idea to give your tank a clean first, especially if it’s been a while or if you’re trying a new e-liquid flavour.
You’ll know when your vape tank needs a clean as you’ll see some build up of e-liquid gunk, which forms over time the more you vape. It’s quite normal and is due to the e-liquid leaving residue behind when it’s heated up and turned into vapour.
If your e-liquid is changing colour and going orange or brown, that’s an obvious sign that you need to do a deep clean and change your coil, as it’s probably burnt out. Thicker vape juice and dessert flavours usually cause a build up of residue more quickly, so if you’re a fan of your sweet blends then you’ll probably find yourself needing to wash out your tank more often.
As we’ve already mentioned, cleaning your vape tank should be done each time you want to change your e-liquid flavour. There’s nothing worse than last week’s custard flavour ruining your new tropical fruit blend!
First, you need to disassemble your kit. Remove the tank from your device before separating the mouth-piece and coil. Empty out any remaining e-liquid and place everything except the coil into a bowl of warm water. If you want to give your kit an extra clean, you can add a drop of washing-up liquid. Leave the parts to soak for a little while and give them a scrub - old toothbrushes or small dental brushes are perfect for this.
If you’ve used washing-up liquid, make sure you give everything a good rinse before leaving it to dry. Wipe your tank and mouthpiece down with a clean cloth and leave them to air dry on a clean towel or piece of kitchen roll. Leave it as long as possible to ensure as much of the water residue has gone, otherwise your vape will spit and gurgle when you try to use it.
Once dry, all you need to do is put everything back together and you’ll be ready to refill your vape tank!
Unfortunately, you can’t really clean vape coils. Once they’re burnt out there’s no chance of resurrecting them, and you’ll need to replace it with a new one. We’ve got a huge range of coils for you to choose from both online and in-store.
They usually need replacing every 2-4 weeks, but it’s totally dependent on how and what you vape. Sub-Ohm vapes burn through coils a lot quicker than most MTL vape kits, but if you’re using them constantly throughout the day then you’ll probably need to change your coil in 1-2 weeks.
An earlier sign of your coil nearing the end is losing some flavour before it starts to taste burnt. You’ll find that as soon as you pop a new coil in your vape clouds will be a lot fresher and tastier.
Whilst you can’t clean your coils, you can wipe them down with a dry cloth if you get any leaks. This will help keep your connections clear of any gunk and e-liquid residue.
Now that everything’s clean, it’s time to refill your vape kit!
It’s always a good idea to have a dry, clean cloth with you ready to wipe away any spills before you start filling.
There are a range of different filling methods out there depending on your type of tank or pod. Some are top-filling, which means you simply remove the rubber plug or tab and refill from above. Others use a bottom or side-filling system, which means you need to separate the tank from your device to top up your vape juice.
Tilt your e-liquid bottle slightly to the side whilst refilling, just like when you’re pouring a fizzy drink, as this will help to reduce air bubbles in the tank. It’s also important to leave a gap at the top - about three quarters of the way full is fine. This creates a vacuum within your tank, which helps to prevent leakage when you draw.
Wipe down any e-liquid that might have dropped down through the coil whilst refilling, give your contacts a clean before you replace the tank and that’s it, you’re good to go!
So, that’s everything you need to know to keep your vape refills as mess-free as possible! Keeping your vape kit clean will help prolong its lifespan, saving you a lot of money, time and agro in the long run!
If you need any help with maintaining your vape device or you’re just looking for some new e-liquid to top up your tank with, pop into one of our high-street stores, where our team will be happy to give you a hand. You can also shop everything you need from replacement coils, pods and tanks online at 888 Vapour, with free 24 hour tracked delivery on all orders costing £25 or more!
]]>It’s World Tourism Day! With the travel industry finally starting to reopen, you might be thinking about booking your next holiday. But many countries have their own stance on vaping, so you’ll want to check where it is and isn’t legal before booking some long-awaited winter sun.
Many countries around the world are now starting to recognise the benefits of vaping over smoking as more positive data emerges. On the other hand, some are unfortunately going in the opposite direction, by introducing strict legislations and bans on a range of products, including flavoured e-liquids.
The main reason countries ban e-cigarettes is because they base their policies on the opinions of the World Health Organisation (WHO), who are sadly anti-vaping despite the overwhelming scientific evidence suggesting otherwise. Due to their influence, many governing bodies follow their advice to the letter, which results in outright bans and a return to cigarettes for former smokers.
With that in mind, if you want to be able to vape on holiday, you need to check the laws of the country you're planning to enter. This includes whether you can or can’t vape, if you can buy vape juice whilst you’re there and therefore how much you can take in your luggage. So let's dive in and find out where you can and can’t vape abroad.
In the UK, we’re used to vaping laws being fairly liberal, especially compared to many other countries that have strict rules on the sales and use of e-cigarettes and nicotine products. Some places allow you to vape, but you aren’t allowed to buy e-liquids or devices, whilst others enforce rules against vaping in certain public spaces, such as pubs, bars and tourist attractions. If you aren’t sure, just ask!
Here’s a list of all the countries that currently allow vaping, but remember that the rules change quickly, so you should always check before you travel.
There’s more than 40 countries across the world that ban vaping, including the use, sale and importation of e-cigarettes and e-liquid. In some places, the rules aren’t strictly enforced, but in others the consequences are severe.
Most of the countries in the list below are fine with vapes being used in the country, so we’ve outlined where it’s just illegal to import and buy products and where you won’t be able to take your e-cig.
This depends on where you are flying to, so you need to check the customs regulations for wherever you’re flying in to. Some may require you to store e-liquid bottles in the hold, others will let you take them in your carry on, but a few won’t let you take anything in, so do some research before you pack.
Like all liquids, there are limits to the amount of e-liquid you can put in your hand luggage on a plane. You will be asked to seal your e-liquids in clear plastic bags, with a size limit of 100ml per bottle, so it might be a good idea to stick to 10mls or 50ml shortfills at most!
Can you use a vape on a plane? No. Airlines require you to take your electronic cigarettes with you on the plane, but they will not permit you to vape on the plane.
As battery-operated devices cannot be stored in the cargo hold, all e-cigarettes will need to be carried either on your person or in hand luggage.
We recommend that you empty your device’s tank before you fly, as the change in air-pressure can cause vape tanks to leak - you shouldn’t need to worry about this if you’re using prefilled kits though.
You are not allowed to vape inside airports, but each has their own rules about vaping outside before check-in. Most have designated smoking areas where you can vape, but some, like Exeter Airport, don’t allow vaping anyway on the premises, so make sure you check with whichever airports you're flying to and from.
So, that’s everything you need to know about vaping abroad. Grab your sunglasses, it’s time to pack those bags! Remember, the rules around vaping can change quickly, so keep an eye on your chosen destination’s policies just in case. You can usually find all the information you need on their government website.
Pop into one of our stores or check out our online store to top up your vape stash before you jet off. We’ve got a huge range of delicious e-liquids and portable vape kits to choose from, and all orders over £25 qualify for free next day delivery!
]]>When everything’s working properly, vaping is an enjoyable and relaxing experience for former smokers. Like all technology though, your vape device can develop issues from time to time, but most problems are quick and simple to fix yourself if you have a little background knowledge.
To help you get your vape fixed ASAP, we’ve put together a list of our most commonly asked questions and shared our top tips for solving them. We recommend reading the instruction manual of any new vape device before you start using it, especially if you’re switching from something simple to a more complex kit or mod. Many of the answers to your initial operation questions can usually be found in your manual.
The first thing you need to check is the power button. Many devices have lock features to stop your vape firing when it’s in your pocket or bag and it could simply be that you’ve accidently activated it. Depending on the brand, this might mean you need to press the button 3, 5 or even six times to turn it on and off - but you’ll be able to find this out in your user manual.
If you think your device should be charged up, make sure you’re using the correct charger for your battery. We recommend sticking with the charger your device came with, and always use the recommended voltage for your kit. You’ll know when it’s working as your device will light up or tell you that the charging process has started.
The next thing to take a look at is your terminal and battery connection. The contacts between your tank and terminal can quickly build up gunk and dust, especially if your vape is prone to condensation build-up. You can use a cotton bud or small piece of tissue to gently wipe any dirt or liquid away.
There are a number of reasons why your vape might not be holding its charge as well as it used to. If your kit allows you to alter the voltage or wattage, then vaping at a lower power will help you conserve battery life. Another thing to consider is coil resistance. The lower your atomizer head’s resistance, the more wattage is needed from the battery to fire up the coil, which means shorter battery life.
The most common cause of your device failing to detect your atomiser or pod is a build-up of condensation and lint on the connectors, so give them a clean first and reattach it before you try anything else.
You should also check that your pod or tank is properly placed in your device. If it’s crooked, it might simply be a case of taking it out and reinserting it. If you’ve dropped your vape or it’s taken a knock, it might need repairing or potentially a new tank.
It could also be an issue with your 510 pin, which is the part that screws onto your mod. Make sure you’re using the right attachment and that it’s properly attached to your device and not overtightened.
Check your coil to make sure it’s not loose or flooded with vape juice. You can easily clean it with a cotton bud, but it might be time to replace it. Make sure you prime your new coil with a few drops of e-liquid at the wick before you start vaping.
You might have overfilled your tank. Ideally, you want to leave a small gap at the top otherwise it may spill out when you replace the plug or place the tank back onto your device. If this is the case, try opening it up, emptying it a little and wiping away any excess juice with a clean cloth.
Blow through the tank and drip tip to clear any e-liquid droplets that might have leaked into it, refill it about 3 quarters of the way full and place the tank or pod back onto your device. Like most issues, it could be down to your coil. Try replacing it, some might have manufacturing issues, so even if you’ve recently switched it it could be a dud.
If your vape is still leaking, it could be an issue with the seal that sits around the base of the tank to protect the battery. If you’ve regularly overtightened your tank it can cause the rubber seal to fail, but you can buy these from most vape stores or online.
It’s normal for your vape to make some gurgling or spitting noises when you take a draw, especially if you’ve only just refilled your tank. If it is making excessive noise though, it might be that you have a leak or that you’ve overfilled it.
Remove the mouthpiece if you can and flick the device toward the floor a few times to clear any excess vape juice. Make sure that you’ve not overfilled or overtightened the tank. If you need to, take the tank apart and rinse it out with warm water to clear any build up. Leave it to air dry fully before reattaching it to your device. If that hasn’t worked, your tank may not be suited to your vaping style and you might need to consider upgrading to allow you to take bigger inhales.
When you overfill your vape, you also run the risk of flooding your coil. It could also be that you’re vaping at too low a wattage, so check the recommended setting in your coil and device manuals to make sure you’re vaping at the right level.
Some devices have something called ‘stealth mode’, which can be activated by pressing the firing button a few times. If your vape hasn’t got this, it might be that you need a firmware update, which you can check online. If that didn’t work or there’s no update available, it might be that your device is broken. If it’s still within its warranty period and you bought it from us, you can pop into one of our 888 Vapour stores or contact our customer service team who’ll be happy to help.
If you're not seeing the same huge vapour clouds you’ve gotten used to, then it might be a problem with your coil. When they get close to the end of their lifespan, coils usually start to produce a burnt flavour and less vapour when you inhale. If you’re a heavy vaper, they usually last around 1-2 weeks depending on their resistance and vape wattage.
The next thing to consider is switching up your vape juice. The higher the VG content in your e-liquid, the bigger the vape clouds. The most common ratio is 70VG/30PG, so consider switching to shortfills and sub-ohm vaping, as you’ll get more vapour on the inhale and better value for money. If you’re unsure about upgrading or have any questions regarding your new device or e-liquids, pop into one of our stores and we’ll be happy to help.
If you’re getting a horrible burnt flavour from your vape, it’s likely that your coil has reached the end of it’s lifespan. All you need to do is switch it out for a new one, but if you’re finding your coils aren’t lasting as long as you’d like, it might be worth looking for an upgrade or trying out a lower wattage or voltage.
Whenever you change your coil, we recommend priming it before you start using it by adding a few drops to the cotton and letting liquid settle in your tank for around 10-15 minutes before taking your first hit. This is especially important when you’re using a sub-ohm vape or large coils.
If it’s still not tasting great, make sure you’re filling your tank with enough e-liquid. If you let it run too low, your coil will dry out, which will give you that burnt flavour. It could also be that you're taking too many draws in quick succession, meaning the coil can’t wick new liquid fast enough. Consider giving your e-cig a rest between puffs, or see if your tank can fit a coil with large airflow holes to allow more e-juice into it.
If you're used to getting great taste from the device you’re currently using, then there could be a few reasons why you’re not enjoying that same punch of flavour. If your coil is past its best, it won’t carry your e-liquid as well, so try switching it out for a new one.
If you’re using a new liquid, remember that the lower the PG concentration, the less flavour you’ll get. Look out for high quality juice too to make sure you're vaping the best ingredients. We have a huge range of e-liquid to choose from, including tasty shortfills and high PG 10mls and we only stock the industry’s best quality products, so you can easily find the perfect vape juice for you at 888 Vapour.
If you have adjustable voltage you can try increasing it, as higher voltage often delivers a stronger flavour. Just bear in mind that you’ll use more power, so it will reduce your battery life and burn through coils faster.
Ex-smokers will be used to a punchy throat hit, and there are certain vapes and e-liquids that deliver this better than others. If you’re not satisfied with your throat hit, you might want to consider switching to mouth-to-lung vaping.
Mouth-to-lung or MTL vaping is when you inhale the vapour into your mouth first before breathing it into your lungs. MTL vaping uses higher PG liquids as they don’t require such a high temperature to vaporise, and it’s this that gives you that stronger throat hit you’ve been searching for.
Nicotine strength and type plays an important role too. The higher the nicotine strength, the more powerful the throat hit will be. This only works if you're using freebase nicotine though, which is the standard used in most e-liquids. Nicotine salt, on the other hand, is designed to produce a smoother vape hit for those who like a higher nic content without the throat hit, so avoid those if that’s not what you’re looking to achieve. Flavour is also key too, as menthol and the more citrussy blends often deliver a stronger throat hit than the sweeter desert e-liquids.
If you’ve just made the switch from smoking to vaping, then you’ll want to start with a higher nicotine content at first to suit your needs. As we’ve already discussed, the higher the freebase nicotine content, the harsher the throat hit, but nicotine salts could be a better option for you.
Nic salts are available in 5mg, 10mg and 20mg, offering a higher strength with a smoother inhale. We stock a large range of nicotine salts and hybrid e-liquids in store and online for you to choose from, including all the top brands like V4 VAPOUR, Riot Squad and Doozy Vape Co.
It’s likely that you’re not using a high enough nicotine strength. If you’re an ex-smoker, we recommend trying 12mg e-liquids, as this is a good starting point that you can move up or down from depending on how you feel after your first vape.
It’s also best to start with MTL vaping, as Sub-Ohm vaping uses lower strength e-liquids. It’s better to move onto this after you’ve gotten used to vaping and you feel ready to decrease your nicotine intake.
It’s important to drink lots of water and stay hydrated throughout the day, especially if you’re vaping. Like all good things, it’s best to vape in moderation or at least decrease your nicotine strength. If you’re getting a dry throat, try taking shorter draws less frequently and don’t vape on a low tank. If you let your e-liquid run out it will produce a dry, burnt vape that will dry out your throat. You can also try switching to higher VG e-liquids with nic salt shots, which offer a smoother draw.
All e-liquids have an expiration date, but proper storage will help your vape juice last as long as possible. You should keep them stored in a cool, dry and dark place and don’t let them sit in your tank for too long. If you’ve not fired up your vape for several days, you’ll probably need to switch out your juice and rinse the tank.
You may need to clean your tank too, as gunk and grime can build up, which will give your e-liquid that dark colour you’ve noticed. Vape juices with a higher nicotine strength will oxidise faster, so you’ll need to use these quicker than you would your shortfills.
However, it's perfectly safe to use expired vape juice, it just might not taste as good. As the nicotine in e-liquid oxidises over time it can change the colour, even before the expiration date. This isn't something to worry about and it will still taste great!
There’s often a simple solution to your vape issues, but if you have any more questions or problems with your device, feel free to pop into one of our stores or contact our friendly customer service team. We stock a wide range of replacement accessories and parts. We also offer free next-day delivery on all orders over £25 to help you get vaping again ASAP!
]]>Disposable vapes have taken over the industry in recent months, with manufacturers and stores struggling to keep up with demand. Whilst their popularity has led to huge sales figures, it’s also put them under the microscope.
Whilst they're perfect for nights out and very simple to use, disposables do have some cons. Not only are they bad for the environment due to the single-use battery and plastic casing, but they can also become expensive in the long run.
With this in mind, now could be the time to consider switching your vape setup to something more sustainable and cost effective.
The best way to do that is to try a basic yet high-performance starter kit and e-liquid combination that offers unbeatable value for money - especially when compared to the cost of regularly vaping disposables.
There is a huge variety of vape starter kits to choose from, each offering different features. If you're looking for something that delivers the vaping experience as a disposable vape, then you need to get your hands on a mouth-to-lung (MTL) device.
MTL vape kits use the same type of e-liquid as you'll find it disposable vapes, giving you the same amount of vapour production. The key difference is that starter kits allow you to try different flavours and nicotine strengths, giving you far more flexibility.
Consider something like the Eleaf IORE LITE. With its auto-draw system and replaceable pods, you can enjoy a flavourful MTL vape, plus a much longer battery life compared to disposables.
If you'd like even more flexibility in terms of coils and vaping style, the Aspire Flexus Q could be the perfect choice. The Flexus Q has adjustable airflow and is compatible with both the 0.6 Ohm and 1.0 Ohm AF mesh coils, allowing for a more customisable vaping experience.
So you've chosen your new vape starter kit, now you’ll need some delicious e-liquid to pair it with if you’re going to ditch the disposables. That’s where our V4 VAPOUR collection comes in.
With over 4010ml blends to choose from, this vape juice offers superior flavour and unbeatable value for money. There’s something to suit all tastes here, including 15 smooth nicotine salt blends for those seeking a higher nic content without the harsh throat hit - perfect for former smokers and fans of 20mg disposables.
A big benefit of quitting cigarettes is the huge amount of money ex-smokers can save, so if you’re swapping to vaping you won’t enjoy the long term cost of disposables.
The average cost of a Geekbar is £6.99 or 4 for £20. With each disposable offering 2ml of e-liquid and 550mAh battery in each bar. That gives you 8ml of vape juice and 2,200mAh in total with each £20 bundle.
The price of the Eleaf IORE LITE on 888 Vapour is just £9.99 and V4 10mls are £2.50 each or 6 for £10. So for £19.99, you get a reliable rechargeable kit with 50ml of good-quality e-liquid - it’s really a no-brainer.
Whilst you’re ordering your new starter kit and V4 e-liquid, why not take a look at the rest of our products? We offer a wide range of devices and vape juice if you’re looking to upgrade your setup, with fast order turnaround and delivery to get it to you ASAP. If you have any questions or need support with your order, just drop us an email at hello@888vapour.com or call 01522 244880 and we’ll be happy to help!
]]>Back in the early 2000s, vaping was a niche and limited market. Cigalikes were the only real option available to ex-smokers, but their unsatisfying nicotine hit and poor flavour delivery made them pretty unpopular.
Thankfully, the industry has come a long way since then, with approximately 3.6 million vapers in the UK now enjoying an unlimited choice of flavours and more flexibility in vaping style than ever before.
This brings us nicely onto Sub-Ohm vaping. If you’ve been vaping for a while and you’re keen to upgrade your vaping experience, now’s the perfect time to take the leap into the world of Sub-Ohm vaping.
There’s a lot of jargon to sift through and it can be a little confusing to start with, but we’ve got you covered. Here’s everything you need to know about getting started with Sub-Ohm vaping.
Sub-Ohm vaping, otherwise known as Sub-Ohming, is a style of vaping that uses low resistance coils and high-wattage devices to achieve big clouds of vapour with a much stronger flavour.
Whilst most vape pens and starter kits use the traditional mouth-to-lung (MTL) style, which mimics the sensation of smoking cigarettes, Sub-Ohming uses a different style called direct-to-lung (DTL) vaping.
With DTL vaping, you inhale the vapour straight into your lungs rather than it lingering in your mouth, giving a more intense experience - especially for those who prefer a stronger throat hit!
Aside from having the ability to experience DTL vaping, there are lots of other benefits to Sub-Ohming that you just can’t achieve with your standard MTL kit.
Whilst good-quality high PG e-liquids serve up a powerful punch of flavour, they’re nothing in comparison to the high VG vape juices used with Sub-Ohm vaping.
You can also explore a wider range of flavour profiles too. Desert, cereal and chocolate blends, like Cherry & Almond by Noatorious Cookie perform better with Sub-Ohm devices as these blends are much thicker, meaning they require a much higher temperature to really bring out their flavour.
Something MTL vapers generally don’t experience is a particularly strong lung hit, so anyone looking for one will be pleased to hear that it’s something you’ll achieve with every draw when DTL vaping!
Aside from being able to enjoy thicker flavours, Sub-Ohm devices offer more flexibility in terms of mods, tanks and coils. There’s a huge range of kits out there to suit all tastes, and you can still achieve your ideal nicotine strength using shortfills and nic shots.
The most famous feature of Sub-Ohm vaping is by far the huge vapour clouds you’ll often see hobbyists competing over. Whilst that might not be something your colleagues would appreciate in the office, it makes for a really fun afternoon vaping in the sun or cloud-chasing in the comfort of your own home.
If your vape device has a coil with a resistance of less than 1.0 Ohm, then it’s technically suitable for Sub-Ohm vaping. They might not be the most powerful kit though, so there’s a few other things you’ll want to consider when investing in your first Sub-Ohm vape.
The higher the power output, the better your Sub-Ohm experience, so look for something that can deliver a little more power.
We’ve got a huge range of Sub-Ohm kits online for you to choose from! Take the Eleaf iStick Power 2, for example. Thanks to its powerful mod and all-day battery life, it’s a great device that’ll suit a wide variety of Sub-Ohm vapers.
You’ve got the know-how and the hardware, now all you need is the juice.
Your choice of e-liquid is just as important as your kit to ensure you have a mind-blowing experience. You’ll want to decrease the nicotine level and steer clear of nic salts – they just really don’t work when Sub-Ohm vaping.
Typical MLT liquids use a 50VG/50PG ratio to achieve thinner vape juice and a strong throat hit. However, the most popular option for Sub-Ohm vaping is 70VG/30PG shortfills, as the higher-powered devices can vaporise thicker VG better.
You can go as high as 100% VG if you’re after the biggest vapour cloud possible. But remember – the higher the VG, the more power required, and you’ll taste much less flavour.
The Over The Border collection is perfect for both beginners and experienced users looking for big clouds and unbeatable flavour. They’re available in a 0mg 50ml shortfill, with space for one 10ml 18mg nicotine shot to create 60ml of 3mg strength e-liquid.
So, that’s everything you need to start Sub-Ohm vaping. What are you waiting for? Get next day delivery on our huge range of devices, tanks, mods, coils and e-liquids! If you’d like a little more guidance before you take the plunge, just get in touch with our friendly customer service team who’ll be more than happy to help.
]]>If you’re a smoker, you’ve probably already asked yourself what would happen if you quit. It’s hard to comprehend the impact you can make on your body and mind when you’re still hooked on smoking. To give you the push you need to quit, we’ve come up with a timeline of what happens when you quit smoking.
Quitting smoking is never going to be easy, but there are ways to make it smoother. Vaping provides a proven, simple way to replace the habit by reducing those nicotine cravings that pop up throughout the day whilst being 95% safer than smoking. Looking to make the switch? Grab a vape kit today and stamp smoking out for good.
]]>If you’re new to the world of vaping, you might feel a bit overwhelmed by the options and variety on show. From picking the right vape kit to choosing your nic preferences, there are a few areas you have to navigate before finding your feet. One type of e-liquid you may have heard mentioned is shortfills. But what are they and why should you give them a go?
Shortfills were created after the TPD (Tobacco Products Directive), introduced regulations in 2017 which placed restrictions on vape kits, e-liquid bottles and vape pods. Since then, bottles containing nicotine can only hold 10ml of e-liquid, whilst vape tanks and pods are limited to a 2ml capacity.
This was a big worry for both manufacturers and customers, as it would inevitably lead to an increase in price when it became impossible to produce and ship e-liquids in larger, more cost-effective quantities.
To solve the problem, manufacturers created shortfills to make sure customers could continue to purchase the quantities that they needed without breaking the bank. It also put an end to vapers having to stuff their pockets full of 10ml bottles every time they left the house!
The key to the success of shortfills is that they contain 0% nicotine, so they can be sold in much larger bottles. The reason vapers buy shortfill e-liquids is that each bottle has been ‘filled short’ of vape juice - this allows vapers to add their own nicotine shots and find the perfect balance for their e-cigarette kit.
Once they’re mixed, these e-liquids are used in exactly the same way as any other e-liquid when filling up your vape kit.
Shortfills are super easy to use, offering a higher quantity of e-liquid in all your favourite flavours. Simply grab your nic shots (or nic salts, if you prefer a smoother throat hit) and check the guidelines to determine how many you need to reach your desired strength.
Alternatively, a stronger flavoured 10ml e-liquid can be added to shortfills to create a custom flavour, but we accept no responsibility for any disasters you may concoct! One popular combination is menthol mixed with fruit, although we do offer cool shots instead, which might minimise the risk of any flavour disasters!
When you’re ready, remove the cap and slowly squeeze your nic shot into the bottle. After replacing the cap and cleaning up any spillage, give the bottle a five-minute shake to blend up the liquids. Voila - your e-liquid is now ready to vape.
Shortfills are available in the same vast range of flavours you’ve been used to in your 10ml liquids, so you don’t need to worry about sacrificing your favourites for the bigger bottle.
To help you choose your new go-to shortfill, our website allows you to filter the liquids into bottle sizes, VG/PG ratios and vendors. Take your pick from our wide range of flavour profiles too, featuring our more adventurous varieties including drinks, fruits and cereals.
Generally speaking, you'll find that these larger shortfill bottles are high VG e-liquids, normally 70/30 VG/PG, making them more suitable for sub-ohm devices as opposed to the 50/50 VG/PG e-liquids you'll find in the 10ml bottles.
You'll therefore want to make sure that your vape hardware is suitable for thicker e-liquids. These don’t work as well in MTL kits as there is much less cotton to wick the thicker juice, so you’ll find yourself replacing the vape coil constantly.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that dessert flavoured e-liquids work better in sub-ohm devices as they require a higher temperature to really bring out their flavour.
Generally, your vape coil needs to be about 0.8 ohms or below for the best vaping experience. Lots of vape tanks now offer a much bigger selection of replacement coils suitable for different types of e-liquid.
Shortfills with a high PG concentration are creeping onto the market though. The Juice Sauz Ice Drop E-Liquid, for example, is 40/60 VG/PG, perfect for MTL vaping and the less powerful starter kits. For pod-style devices, you can even find vape pods now that will work with high VG vapour juice.
Other than giving you full control of your vape levels, they also have plenty of other benefits. Regularly purchasing shortfills instead of standard 10ml e-liquid bottles will leave you with a lot more cash in your pocket. While it might be a little extra work adding in your own nicotine shots, the high volume of the bottles means you’re potentially saving money every time.
As an added bonus, if you buy from 888 Vapour you’ll receive two nic shots or nic salts along with your order. The cherry on top? Buying shortfills instead of 10ml e-liquids also help to reduce plastic waste, helping you save the planet one vape at a time.
Whether you’re a veteran vaper or just getting started, shortfills are a cheap e-liquid option that gives you full control over your nicotine levels. With all those undeniable benefits, shortfills are a must-try for any committed vaper.
If you need any more advice on finding the right shortfill for you, or if you want to learn more about e-liquids in general, check out our comprehensive guide to e-liquids.
]]>Since the dawn of sub-ohm tanks and high-power mods, huge vapour clouds engulfing you and those around you are pretty much guaranteed. Whilst it’s usually not an issue, there are some places you’ll want to vape more discreetly.
Are you drawing unwanted attention to yourself in the office? Maybe there’s a big night out coming up, and you are worried about upsetting people if you vape in the club.
Whatever the reason might be, stealth vaping is the solution.
But what exactly is stealth vaping? How does it work? Can you do it in places that have banned vapes? Here’s everything you need to know about stealth vaping and our top tips for getting started.
Stealth vaping is simply the act of vaping discreetly by using a range of techniques to exhale the smallest cloud possible.
This is achieved by swapping to low powered, concealable kits and high PG e-liquids that produce little to no vapour.
Many people want to stealth vape when they’re in an enclosed space, like the office, or find themselves standing in long queues.
It’s also helpful if you’re with friends or colleagues who are either asthmatic or just aren’t keen on the heavily scented vapour clouds.
It’s important to remember that you're still vaping, which is banned in some places. So if the location you’re visiting has prohibited it, you shouldn’t be trying to stealth vape.
Some places, like airports, schools and hospitals, don't allow it due to health and safety concerns. Other common places it's banned include public transport, aeroplanes, government buildings and theatres.
Vaping is never something you should be ashamed of, but rules are rules. So if you’re ever unsure, just ask first!
You’ve decided to give it a go, but what do you need to get started? Here’s a breakdown of the best kits and e-liquids for stealth vaping.
Whilst there are kits out there specifically designed for stealth vaping, it’s actually quite easy to master it with what you already have by simply tweaking your technique.
Turning your mod’s power down is a free and simple way of decreasing the amount of vapour you produce - the lower you can go, the better.
If you think you’ll be stealth vaping quite often though, it might be a good idea to purchase a completely separate kit to save you from having to constantly fiddle with your mod’s settings. If you’ve got an old starter kit kicking around, that will work perfectly!
If you’re looking for a brand new one, we recommend something like the Aspire Vilter.
The Vilter has a 10-15 Watt power range packed into a sleek and concealable pod kit, perfect for a flavoursome inhale with discreet clouds.
At just £12.99, these kits are built to last, making them an affordable and reliable option for new stealth vapers. Check out our blog post on the Vilter to learn more.
Disposable e-cigarettes are another great option, especially when you're on the move. The Elf Bar is a great example, available in loads of delicious flavours.
Thanks to their compact design, these disposables are perfect for those who don’t want to carry bulky e-liquids or re-fill in public, lasting up to 600 puffs depending on usage.
At 5 for £20, these low-powered devices produce small, mildly scented vapour clouds
Cloud chasers are always hunting for the highest VG e-liquids on the market, so you’ll want to do the opposite for stealth vaping.
The higher the PG, the stealthier your vape. Our range of 40VG/60PG V4POUR 10ml e-liquids from Juice Sauz is perfect for stealth vaping.
Available in 40 flavours and 5 different nicotine strengths, you can pick up 6 of these high PG e-liquids for just £10.
If you’re looking for more choices, 50VG/50PG e-liquids work just as well for stealth vaping.
Your choice of flavour is also important. You’ll want to avoid the stronger tobacco or dessert flavoured e-liquids, but most of these aren’t suited to MTL kits anyway due to their thicker consistency.
To have the best possible chance of vaping under the radar, opt for light and citrusy menthol vape juices, like the V4 VAPOUR Lemon & Lime e-liquid, available in a choice of five nicotine strengths at 6 for £10.
Your technique is just as important as your choice of kit, so here are our top tips for improving your stealth vaping technique.
If you want to hide the fact that you're vaping, the first step is to conceal your device. This is of course a lot easier to do if you’re using a small e-cigarette or pod kit.
Just cover your kit as much as possible with your hand, or, if you’re feeling especially sneaky, you could slip it into your sleeve for ultimate privacy.
The less you inhale, the less you’ll exhale. Vaping in shorter draws means you’ll maintain the nicotine hit and minimise your clouds when exhaling.
One of the most important techniques is holding the vapour in your lungs for longer.
The longer you can hold it, the less vapour you’ll exhale - so start practising holding your breath! It shouldn’t take long for you to get used to doing this, especially if you’re taking shorter draws.
Another tip is to ‘swallow’ after you inhale the vapour. Exhaling through your nose will also help to keep your vapour clouds less noticeable.
If you want to make your vaping as undetectable as possible, exhaling into your sleeve or a tissue is a suitable last resort, but be aware that you might look a little bit odd if you’re spotted constantly holding inanimate objects over your mouth!
So there you have it, everything you need to start stealth vaping.
As we’ve discussed, it can be an invaluable technique when you find yourself in enclosed public spaces or out and about with your non-vaping friends. Just remember to stealth vape responsibly and, most importantly, enjoy it!
]]>No doubt by now you have probably seen a few articles flying around the internet about many people falling ill or even dying from vaping. Of course, the first thing you do is read it in shock - is my vape really going to kill me?
We understand that this type of media attention is very shocking and scary, but in reality, you need to look in between the lines to get down to the real facts.
Currently, the majority of the media stories you can read online about 'vaping related illnesses and/or deaths' come from America, and it's a certain group of people that are affected. Public Health England (PHE) published an article in October 2019 in relation to this media outbreak on vaping to outline the facts and advise current vapers on the UK's stand.
The lead investigator of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in America, Dr Meaney-Delman, reported that the outbreak could be narrowed down to THC containing products that have caused lung injury in its users. THC is a psychoactive component found in the cannabis plant that gives users a 'high' sensation. Under UK law, Cannabis is a Class B controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, and therefore would not be used in any e-liquid manufacturing.
As well as THC, there is suspicion that Vitamin E acetate oil is also being used in these black-market cartridges. It has also been reported that the THC products being used in America are being purchased off the street or from informal sources such as illicit dealers.
Public Health England has stepped forward and stated that the 'vaping-related illnesses' are not linked to long-term use of regulated nicotine vaping products, such as those sold here at 888 Vapour. UK regulation on e-liquid is very strict and e-liquids must be tested before they can be sold to the general public, which grants them an MSDS (manufacturer safety data sheet).
The e-liquid that you vape should only have a maximum of four different ingredients:
Buying e-liquids from unknown sources can be hazardous, as you may not know what ingredients are being used. You should also be wary of individuals selling 'THC vapes', as these will not be manufactured by a reputable company and therefore have not been through the relevant test processes to ensure that they are safe (as well as them being illegal).
Stick to the companies that you know, and if you ever have a question about an e-liquid that you have purchased, contact the manufacturer directly who will be able to help you. Although many use vaping as a way to quit smoking, stopping smoking completely is the best option in order to get your health back on track.
Public Health England still states that "vaping is at least 95% less harmful" than smoking, and that users should not be put off by the media being circulated around these illnesses.
If you have any questions or concerns about vaping safely, contact us and we will be happy to put your mind at rest.
]]>Nicotine salt e-liquids have dominated the vaping market over the last couple of years, with a whole variety of companies releasing their own ranges with a huge number of flavours to choose from. But what is it about nicotine salts that have made them so popular? Brands like SALT and Drifter Bar Salts truly take the crown on best nicotine salts.
In simple terms, nicotine salt creates a completely different experience for users compared to freebase nicotine, the nicotine that has been widely used in TPD 10mls and nicotine shots.
Freebase nicotine or 'traditional' nicotine is a pure form of nicotine that is added to flavourings, VG (vegetable glycerin) and PG (propylene glycol) to create the e-liquids that you vape every day. Its also used in other smoking aid products like nicotine gum and patches. Compared to nicotine salt, freebase nicotine has a higher pH level that causes a harsher throat hit, which is why we'd only recommend high strength nicotine e-liquids, such as the V4 10mls, to those who are making the switch to vaping from heavier smoking.
Salt nicotine is made from the same nicotine found within the tobacco plant leaf but requires a different manufacturing process to freebase nicotine to make it effective to vape. The original nicotine is mixed with an acid to lower the pH level, creating a smoother throat hit compared to traditional freebase. This means that users can vape nicotine salts at higher strengths without experiencing an uncomfortable harsh throat hit. Most manufacturers use either benzoic or salicylic acid within their nicotine salts to lower the pH level.
The biggest pros of using nicotine salts whilst vaping are how smooth they are compared to freebase nicotine. Many will tell you that vaping a 20mg strength nicotine salt feels exactly the same as vaping 3mg freebase nicotine.
Secondly, nicotine salt is absorbed into the bloodstream a lot quicker, so users can experience a punchier nicotine hit. The satisfaction users feel from using nicotine salts is why they have become known as the best e-liquids to use when you're quitting smoking, as they eliminate cravings a lot better than conventional e-liquids.
Despite the great advantages of vaping nicotine salts, they aren't for everyone. The high nicotine strength can be too overwhelming for a lot of vapers, especially those who are vaping around 3mg or 6mg strengths.
Most nicotine salts are available in a maximum ratio of 60VG/40PG, so you are limited to the devices and tanks that you use them in. Sub-ohm tanks and devices vape at a much higher wattage than pod systems, and require thicker juices (70PG/30PG and above) to work, so vaping anything higher than 6mg in these tanks would be a huge no-no!
Pod systems such as the Aspire Favostix, Eleaf IORE Lite and similar are the best kits to use nicotine salts, as they vape at a higher resistance so can handle the VG/PG ratio and high nicotine strength found in salts. They are also very discreet as they do not produce huge clouds of vapour like sub-ohm devices do. You can take a look at all of our available pod systems here.
It all boils down to whether nicotine salts are the best e-liquid for you, so we've summed it all up here:
If so, nicotine salts are a great choice for you, and you're in the right place to get stocked up! We have a wide variety of nicotine salts to choose from, so take a look around here and see what takes your fancy. 😊
Don't worry if you have any questions, our team are always on hand to help you out. You can give us a call on 01522 244880 or email hello@888vapour.com for more assistance.
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