If you’ve decided to join the almost 11 million Americans who vape, welcome to the fold! Vaping is a healthier alternative to smoking and it’s a lot of fun, but there are some things you need to know before you get started.

Once you get the hang of the basics, all this will seem like child’s play, but vaping is a little more complicated than it might appear. That’s why we put together this handy guide to vaping with 5 essentials you need to know before you jump in.

1. How It Works

On the surface, the process might seem pretty simple, but there’s actually quite a lot going on. The technical side of vaping is fascinating stuff.

The liquid itself is what’s used to carry the flavor and nicotine. That liquid is soaked into a cotton filter that is then heated by coils. The heating process renders the liquid into a vapor form, and that’s what you inhale.

Of course, the actual process is a bit more complex than that, but those are the basics. The process is affected by things like what sort of coils you use, but we’ll touch on that later.

2. E-Liquids

There’s a lot to know about e-liquids. For a more detailed rundown, check out this guide. Here, we’ll just cover the basics.

The main things to consider when selecting your e-liquid are nicotine concentration, flavor, and price. You can find just about any flavor you want, and there nicotine levels for every preference. 

Price has a similar level of variability. You can go for budget flavors or opt for high-end premium vape liquids. The choice will depend entirely upon your preferences.

3. Types of Vape

There are 4 types of vaporizers. Disposable e-cigarettes, pocket vapes, vape pens, and box mod vapes. 

E-cigs are by far the least popular and should be avoided if you want to get into vaping. Pocket vapes are a step up, but still not the best jumping off point.

Vape pens are where you should probably begin. They’re larger and more durable than pocket vapes, but they hold more liquid, deliver a better experience, and are still easily concealed.

Box mods are the next step up. They’re bigger, have more features, and are incredibly customizable. You might want to get comfortable with your pen before you upgrade to one of these.

4. Tanks and Coils

The tank is where your liquid is stored and the coils are what heat the liquid. Each of these components will have to be replaced periodically. 

One way to avoid having to replace the tank is to invest in a nice glass tank right off the bat. Plastic ones will degrade and need to be replaced, which will cost more money over time.

You can tell a coil needs to be replaced when your vape is losing flavor potency and isn’t hitting how it used to be. For most vapes, it’s a matter of removing the atomizer, unscrewing the old coil, and screwing in the new one.

5. Etiquette

This one is simple. Don’t vape anywhere you wouldn’t smoke.

People really don’t like being unwillingly subjected to your vapor. Private businesses, homes, and densely populated public places are all no-gos unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Basically, just be decent and use common sense.

The Beginner’s Guide to Vaping

There you have it. A comprehensive guide to vaping for anyone interested in getting started. Refer to this list and you shouldn’t have any issues.

If you end up liking your vape and becoming a regular, you might dig some variations on the concept. Check out this article on Juuls for some insight into this other very popular style of vaping.