**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

**UPDATE** My 6 Month Anniversary (and a resource for new vape folk)

UPDATE: I added a couple of more links to the bottom of post

It has been184 days since I had even one puff of one cigarette. That is either

• 15,984,000 seconds
• 266,400 minutes
• 4440 hours
• 185 days
• 26 weeks and 3 days
• 50.68% of a common year (365 days)

In other words, to paraphrase Prince, it's been  6 months, 1 day (including today).

That's a long time and a lot of unsmoked cigarettes.

Now that I am vaping, I try to tell others what a positive change it has been for me. I'm no expert, but I am learning things I wish I had known from the start. I almost gave up because of the run-ins I had with bad devices, awful juices, and fearmongers.

I thought it would be cool to share some of the things I've seen online (okay, mostly Pinterest). I'm hoping that it will encourage others who have wanted to move from tobacco to vaping. Afterward, I will talk more about my own "journey".

The main thing I wish I had known more about what vaping actually was. I did not know that back in 2014 or '15 that most people where I lived were vaping only weed. For the rest of us, there were small devices in smoke shops like the Blu or disposables similar to Blu. I might be wrong so here is a detailed timeline that I haven't read yet. By the way, the site of that guide is a nice spot for vapers!

I still get confused.

source: vaping360
Open in new window & enlarge

The other thing that threw me for a loop was all the slang and other terminology used in the #vapelife community. I found the best glossary. It's VISUAL so, yeah! I have to admit that I will be running right over and swimming through that glossary as soon as I finish this post.  Here are some more resources

• My fave place to buy juice is Vapewild and they have and a nice manual for beginners that I check all the time. Their Info Hub has other helpful stuff, by the way.
• Vaping Daily also has a glossary
• If you are interested in exploring other brands of juice, here is a site that does decent reviews. They also give a heads up on various discounts/coupons for around the web.
• Emerald Growers is another site that educates about the different vaporizers.
• If you can stand the sarcasm and a particular style of discussions, Reddit is a good place to get info. You have to search or scroll through the ecigarette sub and there is another sub (Vaping 101) here. A couple if years ago, someone posted a list of sites for beginners.
•  I'm just noticing the Vape Ranks site for the first time, but it looks interesting for news and, well, rankings. I'll be checking it out when I get more time.

That's a good start of places for info. The other thing I found frustrating was just finding places to shop for supplies. 

• I started with Breazy but had a bad experience with shipping and customer service. That might have been a fluke, but it really turned me off. 
• My next spot was Electric Tobacconist and I loved both the service and shipping. 
• An Instagram buddy turned me on to VapeWild and it was love at first order.

What I have learned is that you need to find more than 1 (or even 5) sites because some are great for different things. E. Tobacconist is awesome for devices; Breazy had a good selection too, but, you know; and VapeWild is my place for all things juice. I have bookmarked a couple of places based on suggestions from social medial pals:

• Element Vape seems to have amazing prices
• Vapor DNA got raves from quite a few people online
• Blue Dot Vapors seems to have some rock-bottom prices and some fans over on Reddit.

Once I found a couple of safe places to order from, I learned which types (or flavors) of juices I do and don't like. I love creamy, sweet, and fruity juices - those are often listed and "desserts" or "breakfast" juices. I dislike anything of tobacco, menthol, cinnamon, or strong mint. Yech! To each his own though.

For now, I am into affordable, basic juices that taste good. Apparently, like with any product, juices come in the "basic", "above basic", and "gourmet". I have been getting sample packs of 4 30ml juices for around $17 (and they always come with 3 or more freebies to try). I never finish all the juice, but share them with family so I budgeted for once every other month. I won't have to order now for at least 3 months, maybe?

Love my folks at VapeWild!!!

That's from about 3 orders from VapeWild and a couple of random orders when I was using only nic salt to refill my Juul. Now, I rarely use nic salt (or the Juul). I can't even remember where I got those nic salts from but I know they were cheap!

Can NOT remember where I got these!

If you ever get tired of buying your juice, you can always make your own. I'm not brave enough yet but if you are, here are some resources:

• Vaping 360 has a step-by-step guide for newbies
• Liquid Barn is a place with all the supplies.

That just about covers some of the stuff I wish I had been told about vaping before I started. Now that I have started, I wanted to share my story.

I have only ever quit smoking for a sustained amount of time once in my life. I lasted just about 2 years using the nicotine patch before I tumbled off that wagon. The whole time I was on the wagon, I teetered like a drunk sailor. The cravings were insane and, despite what every other reformed smoker promised, those cravings never went away. Not ever. I am sure that the only reason I even lasted so long was that I was younger and could eat like a giant and not gain but 2 ounces. Fast forward 10 years and I lasted about 1 month before I was 20 pounds heavier and mean as hell. I mentioned to someone that drinking alcohol was a trigger for me and they mixed a margarita before I could blink.

Anyway, I did want so badly to quit smoking. I liked a lot about smoking except for the smell, the taste, and the hacking cough it produced. However, when I started making some huge life changes, I had to look at my tobacco habit.

The main reason for moving out of Alaska was to improve my health. The weather is (mostly) better, the stress levels are lower, and the people are calmer. Those are all external issues. I needed to deal with things more in my control: exercise, a better diet, more water, more positivity, and... quitting smoking. The problem was, I loved the hand-to-mouth action and I actually loved seeing the smoke curl away into the air.

Enter vaping.

Vaping should have been the perfect solution but it wasn't easy to get used to. I had hated the first devices I tried a few years back - mostly disposable e-cigs and horrible tasting pen cigs - and didn't see how it could be a substitution for cigarettes. One device I tried tasted so bad that I tried rubbing my tongue on a towel to get rid of it. I recently mentioned some of this when I reviewed a device.

Once I learned about different devices and juice brands, I was on my way.

I know that there is a lot of debate about whether or not vaping is harmful. Definitely, we must keep children away from vaping - the same as we need to keep them away from tobacco - but it's my opinion that it's the best alternative to smoking.

Anyway, I hope that some of this post was helpful.

Peace
--Free


American Vaping Association is an advocacy site for vaping

Not Blowing Smoke (site not secure) "champions, promotes & campaigns" for the vape community

Vaping Post is an online publication

Vaping Daily is a good resource for information, purchasing deals, and guides - including to online stores.

**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

**REVIEW** SMOK Infinix

WARNING: This post has to do with vaping. If you are under age, please know that I do NOT encourage smoking or vaping for minors and this post is not intended for you.  I don't encourage nicotine use of any kind for anyone. This post has to do with my personal experience as I attempt to stop using nicotine.



I am SOOO mad right now...

I just got this to try and if I had known about it before, I don't think I would have wanted a JUUL.

Since I have already reviewed the JUUL, I will just go ahead here and tell you by first impressions how the Infinix wins out.

• At $21.95, it's cheaper.
• The starter kit is better. It's got a nicer boxing and presentation in case you are gifting it to someone. The instructions are good for newbies.
• It is made to be refillable. That's always a big Plus.
• Two pods come in the kit - along with a liquid injection bottle with a needle-nose.
• The draw is so very smooth and even.
• There are no crackling sounds like with a JUUL
• It's sleek and nice-looking. I had a choice of 3 colors: Blue, Gunmetal, Red.
• The sort of beveled shape is nice and more secure in the hand.
• The slightly larger size makes it easier to keep track of.
• I haven't gotten any leaking or spit back like I sometimes do with the JUUL.
• And, once again, it's cheaper.

sleek with brushed aluminum

By the way, I have other pods that I refill and that injector is going to come in handy...

It's a serious needle-nosed tip

I've seen other reviews that give the Infinix credit but still give the edge to the JUUL and I don't know why that is. Maybe after using it for a while, the performance will slip???

This is the $21.95 starter kit
(from the fantastic Electronic Tobacconist)

Like I said, if I had known about this, I don't think I would ever have gotten a JUUL. For first time vapers, I think this is by far the best choice for price, ease of use and, definitely affordability.

I am using Aqua Salts "Pure" in it and I get a much better experience with the pod than I do with a (refilled) JUUL pod. Being able to refill is key and JUUL pods don't take as well when refilled because they aren't made for that. 

I am looking at Christmas gifts for the smokers in my life who could benefit from making the switch to vaping. Before now, I thought the very affordable Boulder Rock was a good choice for that, but this Infinix is much nicer for gifts. 

This is a very impressive pod kit and I would certainly recommend it to anyone.

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** ZiiP Pods (vs JUUL)

I love my JUUL but the prices for the pods are stupidly ridiculous. I looked around for pods that I could use as an alternative. As I was looking, I stumbled across a sale. This is what I found:

 Those are the ZiiP pods that were on 5-for sale over at Electric Tobacconist. I was kind of excited that I found something made to work with the JUUL and that happened to be on sale. Where the JUUL pods are anywhere from $15 to $20 a packet of 4, these ZiiPs were $11.

The bottoms of ZiiPs look a lot like the JUUL pods while to tops (mouthpiece) is more narrow and sort of sloped. That's actually nice because it feels nicer to drag on. That's one positive.

Next up in the Pro column is that the flavors are varied. The first JUUL flavor I loved was the Mango. For the ZiiP, I chose a Mango and a Watermelon. The other choices were Strawberry Milk, Cappucino, Mint, and Tobacco. We all know by now that I abhor Tobacco flavors and, other than the Mint, none of the other flavors sounded that appealing. Anyway...

One annoying thing about JUUL pods is that they make a crackling sound when you draw on them. I don't know it that was designed on purpose - you know, to imitate the way a cigarette and draws - or not. I don't like it much and I've noticed that quite a few users feel about it the way I do. That's a kind of a minor and picky thing though. The ZiiPs don't have this "flaw" and the flavor is smoother than with the JUUL pods.

Moving a little into the less-than-positive column, I found that the ZiiP has a much more "airy" kind of draw than JUUL pods. I like that the JUUL pods have a "tight" feel to the draw. It's a lot like the difference between smoking a Regular vs a Light traditional cigarette. I hated light smokes and I would actually put tape around the filter. That's only because I didn't like that loose and airy feel of the draw. The ZiiP isn't as airy as an Ultra Light cigarette but the draw is definitely not as satisfying to me. However, just like with traditional cigarettes, there is a method to adjust the feel of the draw - you just place a finger over one of the side holes of the pod.

There are two bigger negatives to consider as far as the ZiiPs go - they empty a lot faster. A LOT faster. Also, the caps are much harder to remove if you want to refill the pod. I damn near broke a tooth trying to pry the cap off of one. I ended up using a nail file. I can pop the cap (haha!) off a JUUL with my fingers.

Despite these Cons, I would choose ZiiPs any day over the more expensive JUUL pods. Despite the refill hassle, the tanks are bigger capacity on the ZiiPs (1.0ml) vs the JUUL (0.7) and then there is the cheaper price. Oh - a big, big reason to choose ZiiPs over JUUL (even if you can afford not to) is that ZiiPs has more choices in nicotine strength.

ZiiPs are, in my opinion, a great alternative to the JUUL pods. You do have to realize they are different and need to be adjusted to, but... cheaper overall. The biggest test I think will be how many times I can get away with refilling the ZiiPs. I've done up to 6-7 refills with a JUUL pod before things got nasty.

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Boulder Rock Vape Pen

Vaping, like smoking, is for adults only. If you are NOT of legal age, this post has nothing for you! If you are a non-smoker, please don't start vaping. 


Of all the vape devices I have seen or heard of so far, this is the best value:

This pen costs only $8.99. That's it. That is less than the price of a pack of smokes back in Alaska. I got mine from the Electric Tobacconist because they are the fairest priced, efficient, and the most honest online shop I've found so far.

This Boulder Rock pen has a pretty sleek design and surprisingly sturdy for such an inexpesive item.

You not only get the vape pen, but also some juice. Okay, the juice is gross to me but that's because I do NOT like tobacco-flavored ejuice. And any freebie juice with a device is always tobacco flavored.

The best thing (other than for my health) about quitting cigarettes is not having to deal with the taste of tobacco. I find that I prefer the fruit flavored juices. Mango was a fave until I discovered this Strawberry-Apple-Watermelon blend. I just "lub" it.

Anyway, about the Boulder Rock Vape Pen...

My first impression was more "meh" than "yay". It took a few uses before I learned that I needed to draw longer on it to appreciate the juice. After getting spoiled to the tight mouthpiece on the JUUL and the Suorin Air that my SIL gave me, the Rock was very airy feeling. Now that I know how to draw on it (taking longer draws), I am starting to like it a lot.

I love the way it charges - and the way the charger end is protected with a cap. The cap stays firmly on so I'm not worried about losing it. When I am charging the pen, it sticks straight out from the port and doesn't stop me using other things plugged in next to it.

It's such a great size for tucking into the purse, pocket, or backpack pen compartment. It's larger than the JUUL (but cheaper) and you can see how it stacks up size-wise to the JUUL ($40) and the BLU ($20):

As you see, it's the biggest "pen" of the three, but then you have to come back to that price. In spite of the fact it's larger, it's still not huge or unwieldy. When I compare it to other things that I carry in my tiniest bag, it's a very modest size.

 And I haven't even mentioned the biggest advantage this has over those other more expensive pens.

The pod on the Rock is made to be refilled. You don't have to hack it like with the JUUL and BLU (which is totally doable - even with or without an accent).







<<<<<<<
That top part is the pod that holds the ejuice.

That soft, white plug is removable so that you can easily refill the pod. Bonus point: the hole is large enough for most eliquid bottle nozzles or droppers. To me, the fact that the Rock is made to be refilled makes it triple worth its value.

 Because most vapers don't go through a lot of juice when using pen pods, if this pen lasts only for a few 30ml sized bottles, I will have still gotten more than my money's worth. For the record, a 30ml bottle of juice lasts me about 2 months and I have not paid more than 10 or 11 dollars for a bottle of juice. Let's now compare the pods for the JUUL and the BLU.

• JUUL pods hold  0.7ml and the pods come 4 to a packet that cost around 15 to 20 dollars per packet. 
• A BLU pod holds 1.5ml each and a pair of pods runs around 10 to 12 dollars.
• The Boulder Rock has refillable pods that can hold 1.5ml  and you can buy more pods for around 7 dollars a pair. 

So... for the price of a BLU pod, you can get the Rock pen and some juice. (We don't even need to discuss the JUUL situation.) Also, JUUL doesn't have a nicotine-free pod option. BLU has nic-free pods and, of course, you can easily fill the Boulder Rock with whatever strength juice you want.

All that is a win, win, win for Boulder Rock, in my opinion.

If I have to nitpick and think of one negative of this pen it's that I don't get as much of the flavor from the juice as I do with the JUUL and the Suorin Air. If pitted against the BLU, I'd say that the flavor intake is the same but the BLU has a much tighter air draw. Also, I did hear one reviewer mention that he's lost the cap that covers the USB port. I don't have that problem because mine happens to fit fairly snugly.

If someone I know decides to give up smoking for vaping, I would definitely tell them to bypass the JUUL and start with a Boulder Rock. Vaping takes getting used to and, while it's much cheaper (and as far as I know, healthier) than cigarette smoking, you can spend a lot of initial money just finding your groove with it. If I had started with this instead of the JUUL, I would still be vaping and out a lot less money.

To sum up the positives of this device:

1. Costs less than a pack of cigarettes (in most places) and is almost as cheap as some disposables
2. Good quality in spite of the cheap cost
3. Lightweight but sturdy
4. Convenient size
5. Easy to charge (and has a cover over the USB)
6. Made to refill & easy to refill
7. Pods hold 1.5ml of liquid
8. Extra (empty) pods are also inexpensive
9. Has a good airflow
10. Produces a good amount of vapor
11. Button operated so you don't waste power accidentally when stored
12. Charges fast and the charge lasts a long time (haven't timed it, but I have gone at least 6 hours between charges)
13. And, once again: the price, the price, the price

I have to tell you guys how much I love not being a cigarette smoker. I'm excited that the next time I travel to visit family I won't have to worry about the stink, mess, and inconvenience to others, and the potential fire hazards that come with smoking. With my health issues, smoking cigarettes scared me in more ways than one.

This Boulder Rock vape pen is on my gift-giving list for the holidays. I know more than a couple of people who have been trying to ditch cigarettes. These pens are going to make the best gifts ever.

Peace
-Free

NOTE: Because I don't want to encourage kids (or non-smokers) to vape, I am not including product links in this post.

**REVIEW** SMOK Veneno 225W TC Starter Kit (& Breazy.com)

WARNING: This post has to do with vaping. If you are under age, please know that I do NOT encourage smoking or vaping for minors and this post is not intended for you.  I don't encourage nicotine use of any kind for anyone. This post has to do with my personal experience as I attempt to stop using nicotine.


This is going to be a sort of double review. First, I will talk about the SMOK Veneno vape device I got (and why) from Breazy. After that, I will discuss Breazy. Let's go.

I chose a SMOK Veneno Starter Kit.

$39.99 for the Starter Kit

One thing I can say is that the device is boxed nicely and the presentation is impressive for $40. My nephew was surprised at the cost because he has seen the same kinds of set ups for as much as $70.

The kit came with everything except batteries and juice:

This is the actual device.

The display is awesome,
shows puffs, power, and voltage setting

I wanted a more muted color but everything was sold out but this Purple/Red combo and it's now sold out. The other colors that are shown and might be available at some time are Red/Gold, Black/Red, Silver/Black, Black/Yellow, Blue/Red, and Rainbow.  My choice would have been the Silver/Black, but I wish there were solid colors available. The one I got isn't horrendous, but it seems a little juvenile in my opinion. It's not really a big deal because I onlyh use this at home. I use the JUUL when I'm out and about.

I like the display on this one for several reasons.

What I like most about the display is that it allows me to set a limit on my use.

I am, after all, using this device to cut down on and quit nicotine.

The device itself fits in my small-ish hands.

Juice goes in that little side slit

The reason I wanted this is that I am doing so well with the JUUL device that I haven't smoked a traditional cigarette in over two and a half weeks and I have not missed traditional tobacco at all. Not one little bit. As a matter of fact, I wish I had started vaping sooner. I am feeling better and I noticed how much easier I am breathing.

Since I have the JUUL, you might wonder why I bothered getting another vape device. The main reason is that with the JUUL, there are no zero-nicotine pods and my goal was always to become free of tobacco and nicotine. The tobacco is gone and that wasn't hard at all, but I want to wean myself off the nicotine. Also, I like the idea of more vapor. Not only does the JUUL not come with nic-free pods, but it also doesn't put out a lot of vapor. The Veneno does. Oddly, the vapor is more satisfying to me than the nicotine.

Anyway, I got some nic-free "juice" to go with the vaping device.

                          

I got the "Mad Peach" and it's nice but a little too flavorful for me. I should have gotten something a little plainer.  This is a 100ml bottle for $15 and I've been using it every day for about 10 days and there is barely any gone from the bottle. I can see having this bottle for months at this rate. That right there is definitely cheaper than traditional cigarettes. At about 5 dollars a pack, three packs of smokes would not last long, especially when I share them. I've shared the vape with my SIL. By the way, this juice is very smooth and there is no throat burn at all like with regular cigarettes.

Once I get finished with the JUUL pods, the nic-free juice is going to be my main game.  I'm kind of looking forward to it. By the way, I am still getting used to the language of vaping. There needs to be some kind of dictionary. The first new terms I learned had to do with the liquid (or "juice") and the different methods of vaping (mouth to lung vs mouth to throat). There's even a term for how different levels of nicotine feel ("throat hit" sounds vaguely sexual) and I'm glad I going to be weaning.

Now that I have used a different juice and a different device, I can tell that this one is much smoother than the JUUL. I still love the JUUL, but this one is so dang smooth and I love that it produces so much vapor. Maybe that is silly, but the vapor is my fave part.

Now, this is the part of the review where I will talk about Breazy.com...

I didn't exactly know where to go to get a vaping device so I scoured some YouTube videos and vaping forums before I chose Breazy. I can't say it's been the best experience.

The prices at the site are some of the best I saw. The problem I had was with order fulfillment and slow delivery. For 4 days after ordering, my items didn't make a move to shipping. Not only that but when I was placing my order, I used the chat option to ask a rep if by ordering a starter kit I was getting everything I needed to start vaping. They said that the only other thing I needed was some juice. So I got some juice and thought all was well. Then, when watching a video about the particular device I'd chosen, I heard mention of something about batteries. I went back to Breazy and asked about this and was told that I would need to order batteries separately. I should have realized this because there was mention of this somewhere on the product page. Still, I had mentioned to the previous rep that I was new to vaping when I asked about having everything I needed. I was a little peeved so I ordered the required batteries from Amazon. They came in 2 days as my Breazy order was still sitting unfulfilled. Grrr....

Now, understand that I am all motivated to stop cigarettes completely and get started vaping only. My JUUL is running on nicotine with no non-nic options. And I was possibly going to be going out of town soon and had no idea if the vape device would be delivered beforehand.

Finally, I mentioned this on a forum where I asked about potential other sites that were faster. Luckily a Breazy rep is on that forum and jumped in to see what he/she could do to expedite things. As soon as they got involved, my order shipped. That's great but what if I hadn't come across them on the forum?

Maybe my problems with order fulfillment was a glitch because so many other people claim to be very happy with the speed of receiving their orders. Thankfully, now that I have a device, I don't plan on shopping as much for juice online but if I do, I will give Breazy another try.

Finally, let me say that spending a one-time total of about $60 for a device, batteries, and juice is not far off what I would pay in Alaska for a carton of cigarettes. As for juice, I plan to buy cheap and local when I can and I've been told that I won't have to spend over $10 every few weeks at the rate that I vape. For now, I don't have to spend any more money because I have everything I need for at least the next couple of months. I'm off traditional cigarettes and I'm not going to have to worry about braving the extreme heat or cold of outdoors smoking. I count all this as one big "win".


Once again, I do NOT recommend vaping any more than I would recommend smoking. I do think this is a great way for smokers to wean off of nicotine.


Peace
--Free