**REVIEW** Uwell Whirl 22 Starter Kit

This is a post about vaping. If you are not the legal smoking/vaping age in your area, this post is NOT for you. I don't encourage or approve of underage use of adult products.

Since it's been (almost) exactly  1 year since I gave up cigarettes...

Yay me

...I was just thinking the other day that I needed to do a total recap of all the vapes I've used. First, though, I decided to do this review of the latest device.

I put in for a money card giveaway so long ago that I forgot about it. Instead of being sensible and buying vitamins or something, I got this from over at Breazy:

That is the Whirl 22 25W Starter Kit by Uwell. Let me tell you something. This thing... man, is it good. I cannot believe that this is a $20 device. And I'm a little mad too because I have other devices that cost two and three times and they aren't as decent. The starter kit came with the usual extra coil and a replacement tank glass (a bubble style).

Something I want to mention immediately is that most shops are lauding this as basically (or only) a mouth-to-lung device. That's so wrong. This can be used as both MTL or DTL. As a matter of fact, I use it primarily direct-to-lung. But anyway... Here are the pros and cons.

What's to like:

1. By shopping around, you can find it priced affordably. This was $19.99 (with a free shipping code) at Breazy.com. They were sold out of most of the colors but, at the time I shopped, I got one of the last rainbow/iridescent shades. (NOTE: when I checked yesterday, they were down to the black shade. Just now I checked and they are sold out. You can request an email notification for when they are back in stock.)
2. It's a really beautiful and shiny device. "Whirl" is embossed along the side. At least, I think that's what it says... 
3. It's extremely lightweight and easy to hold onto, but it doesn't look or feel cheap. It's small enough to fit into a pocket and it won't weigh down fabric.
4. It is a top fill device.
5. The device charged fairly quickly out of the box (where it might have been partially charged) and took about 15 minutes to get to full charge.
6. You do get a bubble tank in addition to the pre-installed straight one.
7. I love that this has a smaller/narrower drip tip. (I found that my Smok Priv V8 tip fit the Whirl.)
8. This has nice airflow adjustment levels. I like being able to open the flow for direct-to-lung vaping. For people who like mouth-to-lung (like with a cigarette), the flow narrows down very nicely for that.
9. I don't vape constantly and the fully-charged battery on the device lasted an entire day (about 10 hours) and was only getting low enough to matter a couple of hours into the following day. It does vape well at mid-battery level, but the very best is when it's fully charged. And for a 25-watt device, it vapes beautifully.
10. The flavor with the new coil was marvelous. I tend to use sweet dessert-flavored juices in all my vapes. The Vape Wild "Snickerdoodle" juice in the Whirl was probably the best it's tasted so far. That surprised me.

What might bother some folk:

1. Can be as much as $40-50+ if you don't shop around.
2. It's a fingerprint magnet. These are very shiny devices. That matters to some people (not me). I suggest choosing a color that doesn't show prints so much. On this rainbow shade, I have to look close to see prints that would show up a lot on a solid color. Also, the "Whirl" that's embossed on the device is really shallow and kind of hard to read. I don't know, it could read "Idiot" for all I can tell.
3. Some people like heavier devices because they think it makes them feel more expensive. Personally, I like the size and weight.
4. The fill holes are small and a couple of my bottle tips were too fat. I think I will prefer using a needle top dispenser to keep things clean.
5. The charging port is on the bottom. I hate that. Also, you cannot use the vape while it's charging.
6. The base and tank cannot be used with any other device. They are made for each other. If the top breaks, you can't use the battery base. I haven't even swapped to the bubble tank because the installed one is on very, very tight and I don't want to break it. Also...
7. The Whirl 20 has an outer metal cage protecting the glass tank. Smart. This Whirl 22 has the metal cage inside the glass tank. Why? No clue.
8. With a sweet juice (the kind I like) the coil flavor started to wane after a couple of days. It still worked well but it's not going to be like the one in the Voopoo Caliber that lasts really well for at least a week before the quality goes down. This might last longer with a less sugary juice. I don't know.

One other thing I had trouble with initially was opening the tank to fill it. The lid was extremely tight and as you can see, it's quite narrow and can be hard to get a grip on.

Yeah, you have to unscrew the
skinny piece there

After the first couple of times, that got easier but I still wish the top was one of the roll-open kinds like the ones on the Voopoo Caliber, Smok Priv V8 and Smok Veneno. Sometimes, it's the little things.

All in all, the Whirl has too many positives (especially at the $20 price) for the negatives to matter much. And it comes in a nice range of colors.

sapphire blue, silver, black, gold, rainbow/iridescent,  purple

 Because I'm no expert on product specifications, I copied this from Breazy for you:

Product Features:  (w/highlights)

Dimensions: 22.2mm x 117.5mm 

Tank Capacity: 2ml

Integrated Rechargeable Battery: 1600mAh

Construction: High-Quality Stainless Steel 

Unibody Design

Quartz Glass Reinforcement

***Maximum Wattage: 25W***

Voltage Output Range: 3.0V - 3.8V

Resistance Range: 0.5ohm - 0.7ohm

Single Button Mechanism 

LED Indication Light

NiChrome Element: 0.6ohm Whirl Coil 

MicroUSB Charging Port 

Package Includes:  

1 x Whirl 22 Starter Kit By Uwell 

1 x Replacement Quartz Glass

2 x 0.6ohm Whirl Coils

1 x Pack Of O-Rings

1 x Drip Tip Cover

1 x Micro USB Charging Cord

1 x Instructional Manual

Because size does often matter with vape devices, I compared this to the Caliber (which is heavier and longer):

Can you tell I have a color preference?

I watched a couple of videos that compare the Whirl 22 against the Whirl 20. From what I understand, the main differences are in the tank cage (Whirl 20 has more protection) and fill methods (Whirl 20 is a more cumbersome bottom fill device). Two reviewers said that there was zero difference in the flavor. Of course, the Whirl 22 has a bigger battery so it will last longer.

This is a great device and had I known about it, I would have gotten one long ago. I would even have been willing to pay a little more than I did because it's such a good vape.

Peace
--Free

**VAPING** My Ongoing List of Online Vape Stores

STOP: this post is ONLY for those of legal age for nicotine use.

See the guide for state-by-state regulations

state-by-state regulations

UPDATE - Add ECBlend to the list. You can read the full review here.


One of the things I wish had been easier when I started vaping was finding online vendors. I wanted to know about places where customers had good experiences and felt like they were getting quality products. That list exists - all over the freaking internet. I decided to start my own list and you can just take it or leave it.

Obviously, I can't vouch for everyone's joy and satisfaction when dealing with vendors on this list. I can tell you all about my experiences. I will do one of my Pro and Con bullet-ings for each place.

The list is pretty short right now, but just keep checking back as I post updates. Here we go...

Breazy

Breazy was one of the first sites I bought a device from. I got the SMOK Venepromno from them. That first time was not a good experience, but I have since ordered my Eleaf Pico Baby from them and was much more impressed.

PROS:

• Site setup is awesome. It's easy to search for and sort products.
• There is a set of FAQs and a Support page with Chat, Email, or Phone options.
• They have a really nice array of hardware, juices, and accessories. I LOVE looking for starter kits there.
• Prices are not the lowest, but also not the highest
• Each item has a note of whether it's shipped and sold by Breazy (vs, I suppose, another vendor?)
• Site was secure and I had no problems sharing payment information
• The shipping was fast (except for my first ever order) & they offered a Flat Rate USPS option.
• They offer international shipping except to Turkey, according to the site.
• You can access details of past orders.

CONS:

• Service was erratic back in 2018 - as in slow delivery and some communication issues. I found help from the via Reddit instead of on the actual site. Afterward, I had no other problems but read of a couple from other Reddit folk.
• Not as friendly to newbies as they could be. I had asked if everything was included in a Smok device that I ordered ("as a newbie"). The chat rep assured me that I had everything. I discovered that I didn't have the 18650 batteries. A little bit of a newbie error because this bit of info was listed somewhere on the product page, but the rep could have been more helpful.

BOTTOM LINE:

I will most definitely order from Breazy again if I find something I want at the right price. I recommend that newbies make sure to read everything on the product pages and just keep asking questions before placing your order - but that is true no matter where you shop the first few times. By the way, I did find cheaper batteries on Amazon that day.

Electric Tobacconist

This was the second place I ever shopped and I think I heard of them on Reddit. I used to order my nic salts from them (the Kwit brand). My Innokin Endura, Voopoo Caliber, and the Infinix came from ET.

PROS:

• Their shipping is free on orders over $20 and Priority for orders over $80. That's one of the best I've seen anywhere. 
• The site is user-friendly and so easy to navigate.
• They give a lot of good and detailed  information on the product pages for each device. That is really helpful for comparison shopping or for newbies.
• They carry a variety of brands of juices, devices, and accessories.
• Nic Salt juices are affordable. I particularly liked the Kwit brand when I was using nic salts.
• As if today, they still carry Juul pods, devices, and accessories.
• Prices on devices are pretty competitive and ET is one of the first places I check when comparing.
• You can go back and look at detailed records of your past orders. 

CONS:

• Regular juice is kind of high, IMO, and deals are okay but there's not a ton of variety. They have a 3-for section of juices - either $13 or $18 - but they are 10ml sizes and I've found better juices in larger quantities at better prices.

BOTTOM LINE:

ET is one of my favorite online stores. The only thing I will probably never shop for there anymore is juice. 

VapeWild

You can almost see how I have progressed as a vapor by following my shopping trail.

I first heard of Vapewild from a chick on Instagram. We both like discovering new places and we chat all the time about our vape experiences. She made me very happy when she told me about the Welcome Pack of eliquid for $1 instead of $17. That's the first Pro, by the way.

PROS:

• Best customer service EVER.
• Samples (juice) included in almost every order
• Shipping is fast and well-priced
• Online chat available & staff is super helpful - especially to newbies
• Staff is fun. They put out cute videos and they always personalize the bags they send you
• Pretty good website - easy to use and has a search function
• The site includes a lot of info for newbies, including a Beginners Guide for new vapers, vape stats, and a how-to if you want to "steep" your own juice.
• Great prices on the VapeWild branded juices & the juices are, IMO, really good
• That Welcome sampler that I mentioned is awesome. It's a total of 120ml 
• They have a paid membership customers can opt for that will give them perks including free shipping on any order.

CONS:

• The non-VapeWild juices are, IMO, kind of pricey.
• You have to look up what flavors are in the VapeWild brand juices. They have cool names (my favorite named one is Hannibal Nectar) but you often have to pull up the product page to see what flavors are included.
• The membership fee is, again, IMO, kind of high. It's $50/yr. That could be worth it if VW is the only place you buy from. I still prefer something like Electric Tobacconist's free-over-$20 deal.

BOTTOM LINE:

I can't really complain about VW because they are so fun and, for the most part, reasonably priced. The samplers and especially that Welcome bag is a great way for newbies to decide if they prefer their juice with certain flavor profiles - desserts, fruit, breakfast, candy, etc. - of it they just want to stick to tobacco or menthol flavors. When I stopped using primarily nic salts, I discovered that I prefer dessert flavors, but that may change.

VanVal Vapor

Just so that you know, I have only just received my first ever order from VV in the past couple of days. I heard about them from someone on Instagram or Reddit.

PROS:

• Prices are awesome. I got the Sample Pack of 7 flavors (that I got to choose) in 17.5ml for $22. Bam!
• They shipped the package 1st class for less than $5.50 and it arrived lickety-split.
• The juices are fresh and clean tasting.
• The juices are potent and would be a great choice for the newly smoke-free or folks who like a good nicotine hit.
• They sell CBD liquid also. And coffee. They sell coffee beans.

CONS:

• There's not a whole lot of variety. If you are a person who likes to explore variations and a lot of different blends, you won't have a lot of choices here.
• The juice seemed potent. I normally vape 0 or 3mgs and have some bottles of 6mg around from when I first quit tobacco. I don't know what possessed me to try 7.5mg this time. This would have been a perfect choice when I first quit and I might not have had to try nic salts. Being over 6 months tobacco free, I got in over my head. Choose your nicotine level wisely with this juice!

BOTTOM LINE:

I will most definitely buy from VV again - but I will go low on the nicotine. I like the clean, no-nonsense approach they take to making affordable juice.

So far, that's it. I am going to be adding EC Blend Flavors to this list really soon. I am just waiting for my first order to arrive.

Peace
--Free

**VAPING** Eleaf Istick Pico Baby 25W Kit

STOP: this post is ONLY for those of legal age for nicotine use.

See the guide for state-by-state regulations

state-by-state regulations

UPDATE

Forgot to be specific about how this device vapes. I am using 50/50 and 65/35 juice in it and it vapes wonderfully. Very smooth hits and good flavor.

I just got 2 new devices, both under $20. This is the Eleag Istick Pico Baby 25W:

We'll just call it the Pico. And, boy oh boy, is it cute. I had heard about them and my brother has one in silver. I wasn't looking to get one, but I saw that Breazy had it for $14.99 and... well.

I should probably get devices in different colors, but I usually go for rainbow or red. The Pico came in a nice set of colors and I was tempted by the green and silver. My brother has the silver and, IMO, the red looked more feminine than the green.

Remember, I said that the price was the big grab for me. When I was checking the Eleaf site for information to share with you, I saw t the price was double at $29.99 for the "regular" colors (down from $46.99). If you want the really cute "dazzling" colors like those below, the price hikes to $32.99. So... dang! These are gorgeous, but so out of my price range:

Notice that the Eleaf site had my rainbow color...

These are freaking CUTE tho!

So, let's get to what I personally like and dislike about the Pico.

PROS:

• It's cute and, yes, that's important to me.
• The shape means it doesn't topple over.
• The power USB port is in a nice spot (near the bottom of one side).
• The indicator light shows the condition of the battery after each hit.
• It's super compact and a great fit for my tiny purse and the pocket in my backpack.
• Because of the size and shape, it's discreet. I can palm it and vape without being so noticeable.
• It has a screw-down lock so it won't fire when stashed in a purse or pocket.
• The tank drops in and is held magnetically and securely. This protects the tank glass.
• The threading on the tank is really smooth. No struggles there.
• I love the narrow drip tip.

The discretion factor is important to me because I personally don't feel like a lady while smoking in public. I feel the same way about vaping. So... I like to vape indoors or if outside, I try to do it on the sneak! Yes, I'm a bit repressed.

CONS:

• Though it fits in a purse, backpack or jacket pocket, it's too "bulge-y" for a pant or skirt pocket.
• It's not a top fill. You have to pull out the tank and unscrew the bottom.
• It's easy to over-fill.
• To adjust the airflow, you have to remove the tank to get to it.
• There is a slot "view" of the tank but I still have to remove it to check the liquid level.
• The indicator light is oddly placed and I have to turn the device to see it. (This could just be because of my hand dominance or the way I hold the vape to use it.)

I like the device enough that I can handle the negatives. Here is some photographic detail.

compared to an 18650 battery

Opened to fill

By the way, now that I'm more than 6 months cigarette-free...

...I have to wonder if and when I will give up vaping. Now that I'm off tobacco, I have started using nicotine-free liquid to vape with about half the time. Honestly, I don't see myself totally giving up vaping because I do enjoy it and it's calming. When I smoked, having a cigarette jacked my anxiety up like crazy - even though I smoked more when I was anxious, mad, or depressed. Now, I can vape some nic-free and still satisfy some part of my habit.

I've saved a ton of money by not buying cigarettes (around $1200 according to the Smoke Free app) but I have spent about $120 on vape devices and juice. But that is over a 6 month period. I've gotten a couple of the devices as gifts and I think 1/4 of my juice collection are samples that get thrown into my orders. The thing is, I can see myself becoming a product junkie if I don't curb myself.

I actually gave one of my vapes away to a friend who is wanting to quit tobacco. The latest additions to the collection are gifts to myself. I said that for every 50 miles I put in on the exercise bike this winter, I would treat myself to a new (inexpensive) device. Both these were under $20. I don't want to talk about what I was spending on cigarettes, even after I moved out of Alaska where you damn near had to take out a second mortgage to finance a tobacco habit...

This is the slim designed Aspire PockeX next to the tiny Pico.

To go even further cutting back on what I could be spending on my vaping, I have learned to steep my own eliquids. I was already buying discount juices (between $3 and $7 per bottle)  from VapeWild, but was once tempted to spend $10 on "steeped" juice. I couldn't bring myself to do that but the website explains how to steep my lower-priced juice and get the same result. So I am prepping my first bottles now. Also, my brother is going to start making juice for us to use so there's that.

I have to tell you about something that happened when I tried changing the coil in my Voopoo Caliber. What a disaster. The device came with one coil pre-installed and a second coil of a different - whatever it is when coils have different firing ranges or... you know. Yeah, I have zero clues about coils but the thing came with 2 coils and that's all you need to know. So, I wanted to see if there would be a different flavor or experience with that other coil. And I swapped them out. Big mistake. The device would not fire. I was sure I had broken it. I went on a mad dash through YouTube and different forums, trying to figure it out. Finally, there was one video - one - of a guy who had the same non-firing issue with a different device. He had stumbled upon a fix when he was fiddling with the device. He found that twisting and re-twisting the tank worked. It didn't work for me. My brother happened to come over and I asked him to look at it. He did, then he twisted the tank, clicked the firing button and... that worked. 

You know how you can't decide whether to be pissed off or happy? That was me. My brother fell out laughing at the look on my face. He said that you have to twist (or screw on) the tank just right sometimes. Apparently, I am too stupid to do this so I will be calling him every single time I need to change a coil!

Anyway, I'm happy that I got both these new devices at such great prices and I'm don't collecting for now. Just waiting on that juice to finishing steeping before I report back.

Peace

--Free

**VAPING** Review of Innokin Endura T20

Almost everyone in my circle of family and friends who smoked have made the switch to vaping. My SIL is the last one and she's struggling a bit. I can empathize because I think half the battle is finding the right device.

For those switching from cigarettes and wan ta decently priced device, I think this one by Innokin is good. Cheaper than Juul, Lord knows, and more versatile with the liquids.

So, yeah. This is the Innokin Endura T20. There are other variations of this model and I got a little confused when I was searching for video reviews. Just know when looking online at photos, the top pops off to reveal the drip tip. I thought that I was always looking at the wrong device because of the difference in the tops.

Anyway...

Here are some of my likes and dislikes after using this for about a week:

PROS

• Price (on sale) was around $20 (and the packaging was nice enough to make a beautiful gift)
• Has On/Off function (my Juul, Infinix, and Boulder don't)
• Came with 2 extra drip tips
• It's USB charging (unlike the Juul)
• Is nice-looking with the shiny, elegant finish
• Fills from the top and not a tiny side hole
• Can easily view the liquid level
• The draw is not too tight or loose and more cigarette like than the Infinix or Juul
• You get more flavor than with most small devices
• Is primarily a mouth-to-lung device but I am able to pull directly to lung if I want 
• The throat hit is milder than I find with the Infinix
• Priming the coil is easy (though unexplained in the manual)
• The device is very comfortable to grip

CONS:

• Didn't come with extra coil
• Have to be careful not to overfill & it's easy to do so
• Top fill is convenient but still slightly narrow 
• The top is awkward to screw on and off for filling.
• Have to empty tank to change the coil
• The coil is a bit tricky to remove and replace
• Device tips over easily because of the way the bottom is made

You have to unscrew the top to fill

To save you some hassle, I will explain priming the coil now. When filling the tank the first time, simply let the juice rest in the tank for 10 to 15 minutes. That basically primes the coil. This sounds simple but the instructions complicated things by advising to prime the coil without explaining how. I, probably like a lot of people, was removing the coil and looking for a way to prime it. I finally figured it out after watching a video of a new device being prepped.

Notice the drip tip has a removable protective cap

I'm no expert on vaping but I know what I went through when I started. I could never find a device that made vaping pleasant. The first thing I ever tried was a Blu and that was a horrible experience. The Juul is expensive to use because of the cost of the pods. Also, the nicotine in Juul pods is way too high for a lot of folks. 

By the way, I got the Endura via Electric Tobacconist. As I said, it was on sale and also came with a free 10ml juice from Boulder and I got to pick the flavor.

I like Electric Tobacconist for devices & VapeWild for juices

The Endura has a lot going for it. I really do think that a lot of smokers would like it better than some of the other more complicated and expensive devices. When I started vaping, I wanted something that wasn't harsh-tasting and I didn't want to be intimidated by the experience. I think that if my SIL had tried this device first, she would have had an easier transition away from cigarettes.

I only recently learned how much of a difference it makes to use the correct types of juices in each device. Someone gave me a crash course and it's changed my vaping life... Basically, this is my method:

     Max VG = lots of clouds

     65/35 = gives best of flavor and clouds

     50/50 = I can use in my smaller devices like the Endura, Infinix, and Boulder Rock

     Nic salts = higher nicotine & for pods devices

This made sense when I read over the Beginner's Guide so conveniently provided by the folks at VapeWild where I buy all my juice.

     

Finally, I want to mention that my device came with a security code for verifying that I had an authentic product. That was kind of cool.

Peace
--Free

**VAPING** Voopoo Caliber Vape Pen

DISCLAIMER: Nicotine is an addictive substance. Using E-cigarettes (vaping) is to be used by adults only. All forms of nicotine use is habit-forming and may be hazardous to one's health. This post is regarding my personal experiences and is not meant to encourage anyone to begin smoking.

♫ It's been 7 hours and 13 days...♫

Actually, it's been 4 months, and 28 days.

August 15, 2018 was my quit smoking date.  That was when I kicked tobacco and started vaping. I won't get into any arguments with people who think vaping is as bad as smoking. I can just tell you that my body knows the difference and my body is feeling better than it did on cigarettes. Now, let's get to this vape pen I love so much.

This is my Voopoo Caliber.

I first got this in November 2018 when I found the Smok Veneno too large for using anywhere but at home. Don't get me wrong, I do love my Veneno, but it was even bulky for packing into my backpack for a trip to see the fam. But what I loved about it was the cloud output, the battery life and the way the flavor came through from the eliquid. I wanted all that stuff in a smaller, more portable device. Enter the Caliber.

Since this was a pen that I was going to have to buy for myself, I had to consider the pricing. It was $40 when I got around to buying it and I used the money from my "Stop Smoking" jar. That is the jar where I try to put money that I would be spending on tobacco if I still smoked. I try to use it for things like healthy food and other necessities, but I also use it for my vape supplies. Believe me, vaping is way cheaper than smoking. According to the quit smoke tracker I use, at about $5 per pack of cigarettes, I have saved around $750. I have no idea where that windfall is since I had only about $172 in the SS jar...

***By the way, I will soon be doing a post on my personal experience with the cost of vaping vs the cost of smoking***

Anyway, I got the Caliber and some juice called Watermelon Madness that I kind of regret because it's like vaping those jaw-clenching sour candies. I do not regret the Caliber though. I actually use it more than I use the Veneno and only switch over when I have to recharge the battery.

 Here are the ups and downs of the Caliber from my experience.

PROS:

• Easy to hold and grip. 
• It's lightweight enough that I don't feel I'm going to drop it but hefty enough to feel sturdy.
• Pretty. I got the Rainbow colored one. This is not a big deal since I don't vape around anyone but family. I do want to be courteous.
• Battery lasts a long time with moderate to heavy use. It will last more than a couple of day with just occasional use (vaping for a few minutes every few hours).
• Has an airflow adjustment.
• Came with extra pieces (including a non-bubble glass tube - see below)
• Flavor of juices comes through nicely.
• Has not spit or leaked at all.

CONS:

• No wattage adjustment (which I never really use, so far, on Veneno)
• No low-battery warning that I can see. It does have an LED light for on/off indication.
• I didn't love the bubble tube it came with (see above)

Actually, I don't really hate anything about the Caliber. Whenever anyone asks me what my favorite vape device it, this is at the top. (I used to love the Juul but that thing is just too expensive to use!)

I got the Caliber from the Electric Tobacconist, which is where I go for anything I can't find on VapeWild. Both those places have terrific customer service and fast shipping, but VapeWild is more price-friendly, in my opinion. VapeWild also throws in lots of extras and goodies into each order and they have sampler packs if you're trying to find your flavor groove. Also, I have to mention that if you're looking to buy something, check with VapeWild first because... prices.

Peace
--Free


NOTE: I don't get reimbursements of any kind - monetary or in product - from any of the companies, items, or websites I featured in this post.