A Beginner’s Quick Guide

When you are first starting out, there are a ton of options you are faced with. Do you want a pod or tank, internal or external battery, a 50/50 blend eliquid, and the list continues! It can be so overwhelming! We wanted to help take some of the guesswork out of the process with this beginner’s quick guide. We’ll cover some of the basic options and tips when you are first starting out to help you be successful no matter what you decide.

1.) Pick the right device for what you are looking for.

     This can seem daunting because of all the options on the market right now. There are a few things you will want to figure out for yourself before determining which one to buy. These are some of the questions you should think about before choosing your device:

•  Do you want a device that uses an internal or external battery?
  • If you want external batteries – do you want a 1 or 2 battery device? 
    • We recommend buying a charger for your batteries. It’s safer on the batteries and the device in the long run. Visit our ‘Battery Safety‘ post to learn more tips!
  • If you want an internal battery device –
    • How powerful do you want the Milliamp (mAh) to be? The smaller milliamp (mAh) the more frequently you may have to charge it depending on the frequency of use. But this can also mean a smaller cloud and smoother hit. So weigh out the pros and cons of this depending on your preferences.
    • Does it matter if it is a micro or C-Type? You will get a charging cable in the box with most kits, but if you do have a preference be sure to check before you purchase. 
• Do you want variable wattage options?
• Do you want a device that uses a pod or a tank?
  • If you want pods – do you want disposable pods or reusable pods with coils you replace?
  • If you want a tank – Do you want a small or large tank?
    • Do you want a top airflow or bottom airflow tank? 
    • Is there multiple coil options to choose from so you have room for change if needed?
• Does the way you fill the tank/pod matter enough to influence your decision?
• Do you have room to grow with the device if needed?

2.) Make sure you are using the right eliquid.

     Finding the perfect eliquid to fit your needs can be a bit difficult if you have never dealt with milligrams and ratios before. Here we’ll break down the info so you can make the right decision for your personal needs. If you want to learn more about eliquids, you can read ‘What’s in Eliquids‘ post.

• Flavor: If you are someone who is using your device to quit smoking we would recommend sticking with a tobacco flavor to help curb your cravings until you are at a point where you can transition to different flavors.
• Ratio: We offer 3 different ratio options in our MTO flavors – No PG (propylene glycol), 50PG (propylene glycol)/50VG (vegetable glycerin), or HVG-20PG/80VG. 
  • No PG: We recommend the No PG option for those who have PG sensitivity. A person with a PG sensitivity may experience a hot throat hit, excessive coughing, upset stomach, or unusual loss of energy.
  • 50PG/50VG: This ratio is mainly for those who have smaller style mod or single/dual coil (anything above 1.0 ohm) tanks, where their wattage is low. This eliquid is thinner and easier for smaller vapes to vaporize the eliquid to get the best flavor. Rule of thumb: If you are running your wattage anything below 50w – use our 50PG/50Vg eliquids. 
  • HVG 20PG/80VG: This ratio is mainly used for higher wattage mods and sub-ohm (anything below 1.0 ohm) tanks/rebuildable atomizers (RDA’s) or rebuildable tank atomizers (RDTA’s). This eliquid is thicker than the other two ratios offers a bigger cloud and makes it less likely to leak from a tank when vaporized at a higher wattage. Our Premium eliquids are only available in HVG.
• Nicotine: Everyone’s nicotine varies and is different from person to person. This will take some time to get it just right, but don’t be discouraged if you get it wrong at first. Here at Sabor Vapors, we are more than happy to help work with all of our customers to get them to the nicotine level that best suits them. But to help you get started here is our suggestions to start with:
  • Starter Kits/Low Wattage Style Mods:
    • If you smoked a pack a day: 20mg to 18mg nicotine
    • If you smoked 1/2 a pack a day: 14 to 16mg nicotine
    • If you smoked anything less than that: 10mg or lower of nicotine
  • Sub-ohm (anything below 1.0 ohms) Tanks/High Wattage Mods:
    • If you smoked a pack a day: 10mg to 8mg nicotine
    • If you smoked 1/2 a pack a day: 8 to 6mg nicotine
    • If you smoked anything less than that: 6mg or lower of nicotine

3.) Don’t compromise on quality.

     Don’t worry about going out and buying the most expensive setup on the market at the time. This might not even be right for you. It’s important to be aware of cheap devices or websites just trying to scam you with cloned devices. These devices won’t last long, can break easily, and just cause headaches. In the long run, you’ll end up with a terrible experience that may ruin your outlook on vaping in general. Make sure the website is a trusted site, or the store is a reliable seller before making your purchase. Think of it like purchasing a laptop, you wouldn’t buy just go out and buy the first laptop you see. You’d get advice from the seller, read the reviews and do some research to make sure you’d get the right one for your needs. This is exactly what you should do for your vape equipment as well. 

4.) Invest in a spare battery/coil/pod etc.

     Sometimes life happens at the worse possible times. You are out traveling and your battery dies, now you are without your vape. What do you do? The best advice is to have some spare pieces ready for when these moments happen. Whether you need a spare battery, coil, pod, or glass for your tank; be prepared with a small vape bag that you travel with. It’ll help you out when something happens to your vape (short of the device not working) that you can easily fix so that you are not left without your vape.

5.) Take care of your equipment. 

     No matter what device you end up picking, it’s important to know how to clean it and maintain it. This will not only help keep your equipment looking great, but it will also help make it last. Be sure to clean your tank, and mods regularly. Rinse out your tank/pod with hot water regularly, and check your o-rings and gaskets to make sure they are not missing, pinched, or ripped (replacing them as needed). You can use a q-tip or paper towels to wipe out any eliquid caught in on around your mod as well. Check that there is no dirt build-up in your charge ports or on your connections on your device (510 threads or where your pods connect to your device). You want to make the most out of the investment you made.

6.) Vaping is not like smoking.

     This statement is pretty obvious, but this is something even the experienced vapers didn’t know when they first started either. The hit you will get from a vape is different than that of a cigarette. You want to avoid taking short and sharp puffs of your device. Instead, take longer, but gentle inhales to get a more satisfying hit. When you take multiple short and sharp puffs in a row, you run the risk of overheating and flooding your coil. This can cause you to get a burnt hit and even possibly get a bit of eliquid in your mouth on the inhale. The device needs time to heat up the coil and vaporize the eliquid into that satisfying cloud, unlike a lit cigarette that is already on fire. Be mindful when you are first starting out to adjust how you hit your device. This will help you get the best life out of your coils/pods, get the best flavor from your eliquids and get satisfaction from each inhale.

With the multitude of options on the market today, it can be difficult to find the right device, or eliquid you need. We hope this information is helpful to get you started. If you want to better understand some of the terms used above check out our New To Vaping post. If you have any questions or other concerns that we didn’t mention or discuss in this blog please feel free to contact us through our website, email, or call us at (484) 660-3622. We are open Monday through Saturday from 11 am until 7 pm (EST). You can always come and visit us at 41 S. 4th Street, Hamburg, PA 19518. We are always happy to help!