The Definitive Guide to Choosing the Right Vape in 2024

If you’ve recently decided to start vaping, or if you’re curious whether the perfect vape exists, you may be slightly overwhelmed with the many starter kits, vaping products, and box mod kits to choose from. 

Don’t worry though, we’re here now, and our mission is to guide new vapers in their quest for an ideal vape starter kit. 

The first thing to know is there are four main categories of vaping devices or electronic cigarettes (e-cigs), but it takes time to understand how vape kits differ. 

Between vape pens, open pod systems vs closed pod systems, and atomizers with sub-Ohm coils, it’s hard to know which is the best vape for you. And when you’re a beginner, the differences can be confusing. 

Ultimately, when picking your first vape, it all comes down to the experience you’re after. 

In this article, we’ll go through the basics of popular devices, the experiences they offer, and the pros and cons of each when choosing your first vape kit. 

But before we get started, the second thing to know is the three main components of any vape. 

What Are The Basics of a Vape Kit?

  1. The Battery – this, of course, provides the power (or wattage). Each vape uses different wattage and incorporates its battery differently resulting in longer or shorter battery life.
  2. The Mod – essentially this is the casing for your battery. It contains the electrical circuits that make the device work. With most vapes, it holds the chip that regulates the wattage.
  3. The Atomizer – this is the hardware at the top of your vape that holds the vape tanks. Containing the heating element (known as a coil) and your e-liquid (or e-juice), this is where you inhale each time you take a hit.

These components are the basis of every electronic cigarette. Now let’s look at the different types of vape kits available.

What Are The Four Types of Vaping Devices?

1. The All-in-One (AIO) Vape Device

Recommended for: Everyone

The All-in-One e-cigarette was one of the first devices available. These easy-to-use, portable devices combine the three components of any vaping device into a single unit. 

Generally, they make use of a built-in battery, a built-in atomizer, and a mod that fires at a single wattage.  

AIO vapes are the perfect starter kit for a first vape. These usually come as pod vapes or as a vape pen and are compact and easy to carry. AIO devices don’t require you to regulate wattage to produce big clouds and receive the flavor from your vape juice. 

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Portable
  • Cost-efficient
  • Low maintenance

Cons

  • Little to no customizability
  • A single battery might not last long enough

2. Box Mod Vaping Device

Recommended for: Intermediate to Experienced

Box mods are the right device for vapers looking for huge vapor production and intense flavor from e-liquids. 

Most box mods give you full control of your vaping experience as they are usually sold with the mod separate from the atomizer and batteries. This allows you to customize (or switch between) atomizers and adjust the wattage of your device – also having spare batteries around never hurts! 

If you’re looking to use an RBA (Re-Buildable Atomizer), a box mod is exactly what you’re looking for since the ability to adjust the power is crucial. Like AIO devices, box mods have battery-related safety features built in to prevent any issues. 

Pros

  • High level of customizability
  • Great e-juice flavor and cloud production
  • Long battery life (especially with extra batteries)
  • Lots of power

Cons

  • Less portable (bigger and heavier than vape pens)
  • Components are usually sold separately, although kits are available
  • Require some maintenance, especially with an RBA

3. Mechanical Mods

Recommended for: Experienced Vapers Only!

Mechanical mods (commonly referred to as ‘mech mods’) are some of the most advanced vape devices available. Unfortunately, they can also be dangerous if not used correctly. 

These devices don’t contain a chip so every inhale pulls full power from the battery. This allows mech mods to use the highest wattage to produce the best flavor and biggest clouds. 

However, they are NOT recommended as a first device for new vapers.

Mechanical mods can only be used with RBAs since the atomizers need a specific range of resistance to avoid problems. Without expert care, the batteries inside mech mods can vent, causing battery acid to leak or the device to explode.  

To use a mech mod, you will definitely need a firm grasp of Ohm’s Law, Ohm tanks, and battery safety in a sub-Ohm device.

Pros

  • Best flavor and cloud production
  • High level of customizability

Cons

  • Dangerous to use (even Pros get it wrong)
  • Uses a lot of power (definitely needs spare batteries)

4. Pod Mods

Recommended for: Everyone

A vape pod mod is one of the newest devices in the market and is quickly gaining popularity. This pod system is by far the easiest to use and the most portable – many are smaller than the palm of your hand! 

Pod mod starter kits generally come with a built-in battery and use an e-liquid cartridge (a ‘pod’) instead of your standard atomizers. It uses a unique type of e-juice with a higher nicotine strength called ‘nicotine salts’ (or ‘nic salts’ for short). 

This low-wattage e-cig also uses very little power resulting in longer battery life than the AIO vape pen, and they’re kind of a throwback to the cig-a-like. 

If you’re trying to quit smoking cigarettes, a pod mod is the best vape device for you. The high nicotine level and Mouth-to-Lung (MTL) inhaling technique allows this cig-a-like-inspired vape to mimic a traditional cigarette better than other devices. This makes it a lot easier to kick that old-fashioned smoking habit.  

Pod mods are also a perfect vape kit if you’re looking to stealth vape – they produce little vapor (without sacrificing the flavor of the e-juice) so they’re less likely to annoy bystanders. 

Pros

  • Extremely portable
  • Super easy to use
  • Mimics cigarette smoking
  • Small batteries lead to faster charging times

Cons

  • The higher nicotine strength of nic salts makes e-liquids a potentially addictive substance.
  • The smaller size means they’re slightly easier to misplace.

Wrap Up

That’s our overview of the most common e-cig devices and starter kits available. Each has its pros and cons, so the important thing is to find the one that feels right for you.  

When choosing your vape, consider your lifestyle and where you’ll vape regularly:

  • Are you looking for something portable or something with lots of power?
  • Would you like full control of your vaping experience (like temperature control, your own coils, or a puff counter) or would you prefer something you can pick up and go?

Some vape shops will allow you to try out devices before you buy them. If not, speak to the staff, see what they recommend, and good luck with your search!