A Beginners Guide to Vaping

If you’re considering transitioning from smoking cigarettes to vaping, you might have questions about how these electronic devices work.

Whether you want to understand how e-cigarettes and vape pens work, address safety concerns or learn about the different types of vapes, find everything in our quick guide to vaping basics.

What is vaping?

Vaping is an alternative to smoking cigarettes, inhaling vapour from an e-cigarette or vape pen, like a Vuse ePod or ePen. While traditional cigarettes burn tobacco into smoke, a vape device uses heat to turn e-liquids or nicotine salts into vapour.

What is an e-cigarette?

E-cigarettes, or ‘e-cigs’, are the same as vapes. Both are names for electronic devices that heat vape liquid (also known as ‘vape juice’ or ‘e-liquid’) to create inhalable vapour. Many types of devices fall under vapes and e-cigarettes, meaning there are many ways to tailor your vaping experience, including different nicotine strengths and flavours.

How does a vape work?

Both vapes and e-cigarettes contain a battery, a heating element and a nicotine product – usually an e-liquid or nicotine salts. When activated, the battery sends power to the heating element, usually a coil or wick inside the device. Vape liquid or nicotine salts contact the heat and become vapour, which you inhale through the mouthpiece.

Is Vaping safe?

E-liquids are free from tobacco*, so consumers avoid the health risks of this particular ingredient. Vape devices also use heat, rather than burning, to create vapour, meaning vapes don’t make smoke or ash.

Is Vaping safe?

Different consumers prefer different vaping methods. There are two common vaping styles: mouth-to-lung (MTL) and direct-to-lung (DTL). How you vape will likely depend on how you usually smoke cigarettes.

How to Vape Properly

Different consumers prefer different vaping methods. There are two common vaping styles: mouth-to-lung (MTL) and direct-to-lung (DTL). How you vape will likely depend on how you usually smoke cigarettes.

Mouth to Lung (MTL)

Mouth-to-lung vaping resembles the sensation of cigarette smoking. You start by drawing the vapour from your device into your mouth, holding it there for a second or two. Then, open your mouth and take a deep breath, moving the vapour into your lungs before exhaling.

Direct to Lung (DTL)

Direct-to-lung vaping involves inhaling vapour straight into your lungs without holding it in your mouth, just like taking a normal breath. This direct inhale is followed by a quick exhale. DTL vaping can be better suited to lower nicotine strengths (0mg to 6mg nicotine levels).

The different types of vapes and e-cigarettes

There are a few things all vapes have in common. All vapes and e-cigarette devices heat an e-liquid containing nicotine, ingredients like Propylene Glycol (PG) and Vegetable Glycerin (VG), plant products and flavourings. Once heated, this liquid becomes a vapour that can be inhaled.

After that, many vape devices offer different features for different types of consumers. You can choose a vape depending on your nicotine habits and preferred size in a flavour that suits your taste.

Vuse vapes include ePods, ePens and disposable Vuse Go vape pens.

Pod vapes

Pod vapes are closed-system vaping devices, like our ePod or ePen, where you click a pod in place, switch on the device and inhale to vape. Our ePod and ePen pods are available in different nicotine strengths and flavours.

View Device

Tanks

Tank vapes have open systems that let you switch out components like batteries and coils. You can also control the wattage, power and temperature to vary your vaping experience. These vapes are refilled with e-liquid from a bottle, available in different nicotine strengths and flavours.

Disposables

Disposable vapes are non-charging, no-refill devices, like Vuse Go vape pens. They have e-liquid inside, ready to use when you open the box. These vapes don’t have any buttons or controls – just put your mouth to the mouthpiece and inhale to vape.

Vuse Go disposable vapes are powered for up to 800 puffs**. When they run out, dispose of the entire thing responsibly.

E-liquids and vape juice

E-liquid (sometimes called vape liquid or vape juice) is heated to create the vapour inhaled by consumers. It contains nicotine and other ingredients, like Propylene Glycerol (PG), Vegetable Glycerin (VG) and food-grade flavourings.

Usually, e-liquid comes in a ready-to-use cartridge, a small bottle or pre-loaded into a disposable vape.

How to empty a vape tank

When using a Vuse eTank, you won’t need to manually empty the vape liquid from your tank; the liquid is used up as you vape over time. If you notice your tank running low or experience a burnt taste, it’s time to refill.

How to refill a vape tank

To refill your Vuse eTank, power down the device and unscrew the clearomiser top. You should be able to see clearly whether the tank is empty.

Grab a bottle of Vuse eLiquid, choosing a nicotine strength and flavour that suits your preference. Tip the liquid into the clearomiser tank, ensuring it runs down the sides and away from the central atomiser hole. Then replace the clearomiser top and wait 15 minutes.

How to dispose of a vape

Where can you recycle vapes?

• Your local recycling collection
• Your local recycling centre, in the bin for electricals and batteries
• At recycling banks, in the electrical recycling bin (found in some supermarkets, car parks and roadside areas)

Pod, pen and tank vapes are reusable, so you won’t need to worry about disposing of your device. But vape liquid pods and disposable vape pens must be responsibly discarded when they run out.

If you can take the battery out of your vape, remove it and recycle this separately. If you can’t remove the batteries, put the whole thing into electrical recycling.

Vaping with Vuse

Now you understand how vapes work and how to choose a suitable device for you, you’re ready to explore Vuse e-cigarettes. Whichever you choose, take your pick from nicotine strengths and flavours, finding the e-liquid that works for you.

*These products are not risk-free and contain nicotine, an addictive substance.
**Based on laboratory testing of a newly manufactured product, and may vary depending on individual user behaviour.