After years of declining popularity, disposable vapes are back with a vengeance. Is this a good thing? We’ve examined the benefits vs the drawbacks of disposables.
The vaping industry continues to innovate at a phenomenal rate to meet the changing needs of this fast growing marketplace. The latest innovation to see a meteoric rise in popularity is disposable vape kits.
There can be no doubt that the disposable vape bars available today bear zero resemblance to the cig-alikes of 10 years ago. Those were truly awful; sold over the counter of petrol stations and off-licenses, their fake tobacco and menthol flavourings were off-putting and unsatisfactory. With those as the only available option between traditional cigarettes and proper e-cigarettes, it’s little wonder that many early adopters believed that vaping could never offer them a viable alternative to smoking.
Fast forward and today’s ‘puff bars’ are fantastic. They deliver the correct amount of nicotine required to satisfy those early intense cravings that people quitting smoking experience. They’re designed to match the equivalent puffs of a pack of 20 cigarettes before they run out; and when they do run out, you simply dispose of the device and replace it with a new one.
So far so good, yes? Well, as with anything in life, it’s not all good. Disposables definitely have their place, but they also have their drawbacks. In the interest of balance, we wanted to outline the pros and cons of puff bars to help you make an informed decision.
The pros of disposable vapes
Flavours
The vape juice flavours that were previously only available for refillables are now in disposable kits. Some of the world’s best e-liquid brands have joined the puff bar party. The likes of Dinner Lady, Pod Salt, and IVG produce some of our bestselling disposables, using their award winning juice as the draw.
Nicotine
The current offering of disposables uses nicotine salt-based e-liquids. When compared to standard freebase nicotine, nic salts have been found to have many advantages for newbie vapers. They are able to deliver the much higher levels of nicotine that are needed to keep the early intense cravings at bay, but without the harsh throat hit that high quantities of freebase nicotine would produce.
Investigation
If you’re a smoker that’s looking to quit, you’ve probably looked into vaping. One of the barriers to giving it a try may well be the cost associated with buying a full vaping kit with a variety of e-liquids - especially if you’re not convinced it’s the right quitting method for you. However, with disposables, you only need to shell out a few pounds (well under the cost of 20 cigs) to give it a go. Plus, the current crop of puff bars are so advanced that they will actually deliver an accurate experience of vaping; so you’ll know if you could make the switch for real.
Social smokers
Maybe you only buy a packet of smokes at the weekend to enjoy socially over a pint. You’d like to quit completely, but the idea of forking out for a vaping kit, and learning how to use it, seems pointless. With a disposable vape bar, you get the puff equivalent of 20 cigarettes, at a far lower cost, in a simple draw-activated device. Win win!
Discretion
If you’ve been put off vaping by seeing competition level cloud chasers blowing plumes of cherry vapour, fear not. Disposable vapes are only available as mouth-to-lung devices. Not only is this the ideal vaping style for anyone making the switch from smoking, it also offers far more discretion than the direct-to-lung style favoured by advanced vapers. Plus, the vape bars themselves are so slender and compact, you’ll have no problem keeping yours out of view.
The cons of disposable vapes
Cost
I know I’ve already used their low price as a pro; however, the cost of disposables should also be considered a drawback. If you’re a heavy user, you could find yourself going through puff bars at a rate of knots. Don’t get me wrong, they’ll still cost you a hell of a lot less than the equivalent number of cigarettes would; but if you’re so into vaping them that you’re putting in a regular order, you should definitely be looking to switch to a refillable device. Trust me, it’ll cost you far less in the long run.
Environment
We’ve all got a responsibility to reduce our single-use products. If you’re a frequent vaper, you should be using a refillable vaping device if you want to preserve the planet. Disposables might be handy to have around in an emergency, but they ain’t great for mother earth.
Limiting
As mentioned earlier, disposable vape bars are only available as MTL devices. While this is perfect when you first make the switch from smoking, as you get used to vaping you may want to switch to the DTL style. At this point, you’ll have no choice but to change your choice of kit.
The other consideration in this category is the nicotine strength options. The nic salt e-liquids used in puff bars have a high concentration of nicotine. As your cravings reduce, you should look to reduce the strength of the e-liquid you vape. Again, this is only an option if you change kits and switch to a freebase nicotine vape juice.
What are the alternatives to disposable vape bars?
If any of the drawbacks I’ve listed are resonating with you, then it’s time you took the plunge to a refillable vaping device. I’ve come up with a few alternatives for you to check out; these bestselling kits are the next step on the ladder from disposables. They won’t break the bank, and they aren’t too technical, but they’ll allow you to start the transition to more advanced vaping.
Uwell Caliburn Pod Kit
Innokin EQ FLTR Kit
SMOK Stick G15 Pod Kit
VooPoo Vinci Pod Kit
SMOK Novo 4 Pod Kit
