Beginner’s Guide to Disposable Vapes

Disposable vapes are a great way to transition from smoking to the vaping world before moving on to a longer-term, rechargeable device. In fact, they’ve become increasingly popular in the last few years, with 15.2% of vapers in England using disposables in 2022 compared to 2.2% the previous year.1 

But exactly how do disposable vapes work? Which type of vapers are they best suited to? And what disposable vape is best for those starting their vaping journey? If you’re just getting started with vaping and want to learn more about this fantastic product, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s our beginner's guide to disposable vapes.

What Is a Disposable Vape?

A disposable vape is a type of vape that you can’t recharge or refill. These devices are typically compact and slim in design, making them easy to carry around when you’re on the go. They come pre-filled with up to 2 ml of e-liquid and contain a built-in battery. Once you’ve vaped all of the device’s e-liquid, you won’t be able to use it anymore. When this happens, you’ll have to dispose of the vape responsibly

Disposable vapes typically come pre-filled with nicotine salt e-liquid, which often has a higher nicotine strength than other types of e-liquid - going up to 20 mg. While coming with a high nicotine strength, nic salts offer a smooth throat hit, and come in a variety of flavours. 

How Do Disposable Vapes Work?

Disposable vapes are typically buttonless and draw-activated, meaning all you have to do is draw on the device to activate it. When activated, the battery inside the vape heats up a coil, located in the pre-filled pod. This vaporises the e-liquid, creating the vapour you inhale. 

Disposable vapes are known to be easy to use. Simply take them out of their packaging and start vaping. Disposables don’t require much maintenance or cleaning, making them low-maintenance and quick to dispose of. The pre-filled pods in disposable vapes come in a range of flavours and nicotine strengths, making them customisable and convenient. 

How Long Do Disposable Vapes Last?

Exactly how long it’ll take to finish a disposable vape depends on a few factors - including the device and personal usage. Many disposable vapes last for approximately 600 puffs, but some can offer a higher puff count than this. At Vaping.com, you’ll typically find the puff count of a disposable on the product page description. 

You can also store a disposable vape for up to a year, so if you’re looking to buy in bulk and stock up, you can! That said, disposables are only ideal for short-term use. If you’d prefer a device that lasts longer, it’s best to start exploring rechargeable options.

Find out more about the longevity of these devices in our guide ‘How Long Do Disposable Vapes Last’.

Why Is My New Disposable Vape Not Working?

There are a few different reasons why your new disposable vape isn’t working. Firstly, your disposable vape might’ve come with a silicone plug in its mouthpiece, and a sticker on the bottom of the device. If you forget to remove these components, your new vape won’t work.

The airhole on a disposable vape can be very discrete, and when holding the device, you might end up covering this airhole without knowing. The device won’t activate if you try to vape with the airhole covered. If you’ve just bought a brand-new disposable and are struggling to make it work, check to see that your fingers aren’t covering up any air holes.

If your new disposable vape still isn’t working, get in touch with the relevant vape manufacturer and/or retailer to resolve the problem.

The Benefits of Using Disposable Vapes

Disposable vapes are great for new vapers in many different ways. Some of their top benefits include the following:

Portability: thanks to their small, compact design, disposable vapes are easy to carry. They also don’t have any charging or refill requirements, meaning you won’t have to worry about taking chargers or spare e-liquid with you. This makes disposables great portable vapes, you can even carry one around as a backup if your rechargeable runs out during the day.

Flavour options: there are so many different flavour options when it comes to disposable vapes. Flavours range from sweet treats to fresh fruit, ice, menthol and tobacco tasting - meaning there’s something to suit every taste. 

Easy to use: disposable vapes are easy to use, making them great for beginners. Typically buttonless and draw-activated, all you have to do is draw on the device to start using it. These vapes are a great introduction to vaping, allowing you to experience vaping while you’re still familiarising yourself with the range of devices, features and e-liquids available.

Popular Disposable Vapes for Beginners - 3 for £12

As a beginner, it can be tricky to know which disposable is best suited to your preferences. If you’re unsure of where to start, why not explore some of the most popular disposable vapes available on Vaping.com? From ease of use to a huge variety of flavour options, there’s a reason why these vapes are so popular! Explore a few of the most sought-after disposables on our site below - all available in our 3 for £12 deal. 


From £4.95

Elf Bar

Elf Bar is a hugely popular brand, known for its great variety of disposable vapes. If you want to explore Elf Bar’s range, here are a few top products from its collection - all available in the 3 for £12 deal!

Elf Bar 600

The Elf Bar 600 Disposable Vape is arguably one of the brand’s most well-known vapes. It’s buttonless, draw-activated, and comes in a sleek pen-style design. Here are some of the Elf Bar 600’s top features:

  • E-liquid type: nicotine salt
  • Nicotine strength: 10 mg and 20 mg options available
  • Puffs: approximately 600 puffs

This disposable is available in a variety of different flavours, including fruity options like Mango and Blueberry, cooling Spearmint, Creamy Tobacco, and a range of Ice options.

Price: £4.95 (buy 3 for £12 and save £2.85)


Elf Bar Cigalike

The Elf Bar Cigalike Disposable Vape is another top disposable from the Elf Bar brand. True to its name, this device comes in the classic Cigalike design - lightweight and easy to hold. This vape comes with the following features: 

  • E-liquid type: nicotine salt
  • Nicotine Strength: 17 mg
  • Puffs: approximately 400 puffs

This Cigalike also comes in 20 great-tasting flavours, including fruity Apple Peach, Cream Tobacco, Spearmint, Ice, and other stand-out options like Cappuccino and Red Wine Ice.

Price: £3.48 (buy 3 for £10 and save £0.44).


Lost Mary BM600

Lost Mary is another popular vape brand, known for its instantly recognisable vapes like the BM600. This disposable has a distinct, square-like design that can easily fit in the palm of your hand. It also offers a bright colour scheme, with each colourway corresponding to the flavour of the vape. Here’s what to expect with this iconic disposable: 

  • E-liquid type: nicotine salt
  • Nicotine strength: 20 mg
  • Puffs: approximately 600 puffs

The BM600 also comes in a wide variety of flavours - 24 options to be exact. Choose from classic fruity flavours like Grape and Juicy Peach, Menthol or Ice, as well as a sweet treat and soda-tasting options like Pink Lemonade and Blue Razz Cherry.

Price: £4.95 (buy 3 for £12 and save £2.85).


IVG

IVG has a variety of simple disposable vapes that are great for hassle-free vaping. Here are some of their top products available in our 3 for £12 deal.

Bar Crystal

The IVG Bar Crystal disposable vape is both stylish and durable in design. Its crystal-clear exterior gives the device an eye-catching look, while its slim, pen-like shape makes it super portable and easy to carry. Here’s what to know about this Bar Crystal from IVG: 

  • E-liquid type: nicotine salt
  • Nicotine strength: 20 mg
  • Puffs: approximately 600 puffs

This top disposable comes in 11 delicious flavours, ranging from fruity Cherry and Blueberry Blackberry to refreshing Frozen Berries, Blue Razz Lemonade and more.

Price: £4.95 (buy 3 for £12 and save £2.85).


Bar Plus

IVG’s Bar Plus Disposable is a stand-out disposable vape, great for beginners who want a hassle-free vape when moving over from continued smoking. This device comes with a hybrid airflow system to help ensure that the flavour is consistent throughout your vaping experience. Some of the vape’s other main features include: 

  • E-liquid type: nicotine salt
  • Nicotine strength: 20 mg
  • Puffs: approximately 800 puffs

The Bar Plus is also known for its award-winning flavours. Choose from go-to options like Classic Menthol and Strawberry Watermelon, as well as more unique flavours like Aloe Grape, Butter Cookie and Peach Rings.

Price: £4.95 (buy 3 for £12 and save £2.85).


From £4.95

SKE - Crystal Bar

SKE’s Crystal Bar is a great disposable vape. It has a distinct crystal-like style and is made with stainless steel, resulting in a durable, great-looking device. Some of its main features include: 

  • E-liquid type: nicotine salt
  • Nicotine strength: 20 mg
  • Puffs: approximately 600 puffs

With the Crystal Bar, you can choose from flavours like Kiwi Passionfruit Guava, Watermelon Ice, Gummy Bear, Tobacco, Menthol, and more.

Price: £4.95 (buy 3 for £12 and save £2.85).


While these are our top disposable vape picks for beginners, there are loads more to choose from - many of which are available in our 3 for £10 deal. You can also select vapes from different brands as part of your personalised bundle, just note that the savings you get from this deal might vary depending on the cost of the vapes you’ve chosen. Head over to our 3 for £10 Disposable Vapes page for more information. 


Popular Disposable Vapes for Beginners - 5 for £20

If you’re looking to explore even more disposable vapes, we also have a 5 for £20 deal on these types of devices. Here’s our list of top disposables for beginners, all available as part of this deal.


From £4.95

Strapped Stix V2

Bold in colour and sleek in design, the Strapped Stix V2 Disposable is a great choice to start your vaping journey with. It’s got a lightweight, ergonomic design to the vape, making it easy to hold and enjoy. Other device features include:  

 E-liquid type: nicotine salt

  • Nicotine strength: 10 mg and 20 mg options available
  • Puffs: approximately 600 puffs

The Strapped Stix V2 comes in 12 top flavours, ranging from Berry Apple to Cherry Cola, Watermelon, Mango Guava, and more.

Price: £4.95 (buy 5 for £20 and save £4.75).


IVG Calipro

IVG’s Calipro disposable comes in bright colours with vibrant flavours to match. One thing that makes this vape stand out from other disposables is its clear 2 ml pod, allowing you to see exactly how much e-liquid you have left. Other things to know about this device include:  

    • E-liquid type: nicotine salt
  • Nicotine strength: 20 mg
  • Puffs: approximately 600 puffs

The Calipro comes in some delicious flavours, including Juicy Berries, Mango Lush, Cherry Watermelon and more. 

Price: £4.95 (buy 5 for £20 and save £4.75).


Lost Mary QM600

Like the BM600, Lost Mary’s QM600 disposable vape also comes in a stand-out design, with a double-layered injection moulded outer shell. This shell not only makes the vape look great, but also makes it durable - ideal for when you’re on the go. Here’s a snapshot of what to expect with this top disposable:

    • E-liquid type: nicotine salt
  • Nicotine strength: 20 mg
  • Puffs: approximately 600 puffs

The QM600 comes in 18 flavour options. Whether you’re after fruity tastes like Strawberry Kiwi or Blueberry Raspberry Pomegranate, soda-inspired Cola and Pink Lemonade options, or something with an Ice edge - this disposable vape has it all.

Price: £4.95 (buy 5 for £20 and save £4.75).


 

There are lots of other options available in this 5 for £20 deal. View the full range on our 5 for £20 Disposable Vapes page. Whether you want to explore different flavours of the same vape, try different vapes or both, you can personalise your 5 for £20 bundle in any way.

Once you’ve tried out disposable vapes, we also have a huge range of rechargeable devices to explore. Pod systems and vape pens are best for less experienced vapers, while box mods are great for seasoned vapers. If you’re unsure which device is best for you, you can also get in touch with the Vaping.com team, who can help guide you through the process.

Sources: 

  1. Gov.uk, ‘Nicotine vaping in England: 2022 evidence update main findings’ - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nicotine-vaping-in-england-2022-evidence-update/nicotine-vaping-in-england-2022-evidence-update-main-findings#:~:text=the%20popularity%20of%20disposable%20vaping,of%20adult%20vapers%20in%202022)