10 Mistakes New Vapers Make

The world of vaping is an exciting one - but can sometimes feel a bit daunting, especially when it comes to how your shiny new device works.

There are some basic rules to be aware of as you explore the plentiful options available to you - and following them will ensure you don’t get a nasty taste when you vape, take in too much nicotine or walk around with cotton mouth. Here are the top ten mistakes new vapers make, and how to avoid them.

1. Getting the wrong e-liquid

Many new to vaping will decide to pick up whatever vape juice looks good - but getting distracted by fancy packaging is a rookie error. Not only is it important to get a flavour you’ll want to stick with, taking a look at the PG/VG ratio will ensure you get the best experience when you vape. For example, getting high VG liquids will provide you with a smoother hit, and it’s more suitable for sub-ohm devices. Increasing the PG percentage and vaping a lot could result in dry mouth and increased thirst. So take a look at the small print before you buy.

2. Purchasing a cheap device

Many newsagents and corner shops now sell cheap devices and liquid selections, and it’s easy for people to decide they’ll give vaping a go with a budget option. Unfortunately, lowering the price tag will often mean you’re lowering the quality of your experience, and so this can result in people thinking that vaping isn’t as good as it can be. While it’s not worth shelling out hundreds on your first device, if you really want to make the transition from smoking to vaping, do your best to spend more than a tenner.

Read Vaping.com's guide for the best cheap vapes.

3. Burning your coil out

Lots of vaping newbies will keep chugging away at the same coil, then suddenly wonder why their inhale tastes like rubbish. That’s because you’re meant to change your coil, depending on how much you vape. As a rough guide, coils should be changed every few weeks, especially if you’re turning to your device several times a day. That way, you can ensure your inhale is fresh and tastes of the liquid you bought - not a load of burnt metal.

Buy Replacement Coils

4. Not switching your vape off

Remembering to use the on/off switch on your device may seem like child’s play, but a surprising amount of people will chuck their vapes into their bag or pocket, then continue with their day. Not only is this going to drain the battery life, it also poses a safety hazard. So, as with any electronic device, make sure you treat it right. Buy replacement vape batteries

5. Vaping like a smoker

Taking small, short drags of an e-cigarette isn’t going to give you the hit - or the flavour - that you want. With vaping, it’s best to take a long, slow and soft inhale, then blow out a cloud of vapour. That way, you’ll get a satisfying hit, and the best flavour from your liquid - whether it’s sweet tobacco, fruity or dessert.

6. Using the wrong strength of nicotine

It’s important to make sure you’re not taking in too much or too little nicotine when you start vaping, or it’ll be easy to either feel unwell or unsatisfied. If you were only smoking 5 or 6 cigarettes a day, 12mg liquids will be a nicotine overload. Similarly, those used to 30 a day won’t want to be on 3mg liquids to start with. As a general guide: Heavy smokers (20 or more cigarettes a day) should use 18mg nicotine liquids Medium smokers (between 10 and 20 cigarettes a day) should go for 12mg Light smokers (up to 10 cigarettes a day) should purchase 3mg liquids

7. Getting a sub ohm vape as a newbie

Sub ohm vaping is a good way for more advanced users to create more flavour or vapour, but if you’re just starting out, this is a step you should build up to. While sub ohm vaping isn’t dangerous if you understand Ohms law, those who decrease the resistance on their devices to under an ohm and mindlessly increase the amperage of their battery beyond its limit are setting themselves up for major safety risks.

8. Running out of liquid

Keeping an eye on the level of e-liquid in your tank is important, as letting it run down to nothing then taking an inhale will result in that burnt taste - which is just a bit off putting. Additionally, if you don’t have any spare liquid on you, this will result in cravings that could lead to you buying a pack of cigarettes instead. Being mindful of how much you’re vaping, and how often you need to refill, will mean you can avoid such a crisis.

9. Getting cotton mouth

New vapers may find it’s easy to just keep going, as there’s no obvious end point like there is when you finish a cigarette. However, if you vape a lot, a common side effect is getting a dry mouth, which is also known as cotton mouth. If this happens, just make sure you stay hydrated while you adjust to the vaping lifestyle - or vape a little less if you’re going for it whenever you’ve got a spare minute.

10. Not cleaning out your tank

While cleaning can seem like a chore, if you don’t take care of your device, it’s not going to give you the vaping experience you want. Plus, if you’re changing liquids, simply filling up a half-full tank with a new flavour is probably going to give you a nasty flavour. You wouldn’t pour gin into your beer, right? Getting some tissue and clearing out the tank - and other parts of your device - when you’re changing coils or liquids will result in the best quality vaping experience.

Read Vaping.com's guide on how to clean vape tanks and coils