How to Vape Properly Guide for Beginners

Each year, vaping helps thousands of people quit smoking in the UK, with over four million currently using the smoking cessation tool to reduce their nicotine levels, rediscover their taste buds and save money too! When you first start vaping, it can all seem a bit daunting.

With different coils, e-liquids, tanks and pods to pick from, and the device itself, the question of how you vape and where you begin is commonly asked.

This guide aims to break down the myths, simplify what may look complicated and teach you how to get the best vape experience by inhaling properly, safely and learn a few handy vape tricks.

Start Vaping for the First Time by Learning How to Inhale

Mouth to Lung (MTL) and Direct to Lung (DTL). These are two key phrases and/or abbreviations you will hear often in the vaping space. With MTL, this replicates the style used when smoking.

Meanwhile, DTL favours those on lower nicotine seeking more cloud production. Below we explain the two most explored styles to inhale safely.

Mouth to Lung Explained in Detail

To vape mouth to lung is the same process as smoking, which is why so many beginners opt for this style when they transition, at least initially, as a force of habit. All you do is inhale the vapour into the mouth, hold for a few seconds, draw into the lungs and back out.

The amount of cloud will be minimal and require less power from a vape. Therefore, it’s the style often used by those who want a discreet experience with a low-powered device that requires no experience or knowledge of vaping. Vapers who choose MTL will pick a device that utilises:

• High resistance coils (usually 1.0 Ohm or higher)
• A high Propylene Glycol (PG) or 50PG/50VG e-liquid
• High nicotine
• A tighter draw to mimic the inhalation of a cigarette

Direct to Lung Explained in Detail

For some vapers, direct lung inhalation is unheard of, while others can’t wait to try it with their chosen vape kit. By drawing in more vapour directly, this quick action creates more cloud, maximum flavour and is often performed with low nicotine (otherwise it wouldn’t be possible as a high amount of nicotine would feel too intense).

The draw is considered smoother on the throat than a more restrictive MTL vape hit, airier and more vapour is exhaled straight away out of the lungs. And because a direct lung hit nearly always involves adjustable airflow (more mouth-to-lung kits also have adjustable airflow these days), the cloud and draw can be tweaked to match your expectations. A DTL kit will utilise:

• Sub-Ohm coils with a resistance below 1.0 Ohm. The lower you go the more cloud produced at a warmer temperature
• Low nicotine
• Best paired with high ratio Vegetable Glycerine (VG) e-liquids to produce more cloud
• A looser draw for a greater airy inhalation

What About Restrictive Direct Lung (RDL)?

A more recent style explored by the curious vapers among you who want a hybrid of the two styles, a restrictive direct lung vape blends both MTL and DTL styles. It combines each by using a more restricted airflow but most importantly continues with the method of inhaling directly into the lung to create more vapour. It pushes the boundaries of flavour and yet provides a tighter throat hit than a traditional DTL vape.

How Do You Use a Vape as a Beginner?

Once you know which method you prefer to try vaping for the first time, the next step is finding the right vape to use correctly to enjoy an appropriate vape experience. Importantly, first, you want to select a device that matches your style and nicotine level.

For MTL vaping, pick a beginner starter kit that replicates the mouth-to-lung draw, with a thin mouthpiece, low power and a device that supports high PG or 50/50 e-liquids. A starter kit, vape pen or disposable is the ideal choice for many beginners due to its minimal nature.

If you prefer to go straight into DTL vaping, a prefilled or refillable pod device that offers adjustable airflow and smart wattage (aka adjusts automatically to match the coil resistance) is the perfect setup.

Once you familiarise yourself with vaping and want to increase your knowledge, there are plenty of more advanced vape mods that include a greater list of customisable features.

Just bear in mind to pick a low-nicotine vape juice to reduce the chances of taking on too much nicotine when increasing the amount of vapour drawn into the lungs. It will increase the chances of a nicotine rush and generally feel unpleasant.

How to Vape Safely

Vaping safely should be a top priority. Not only do you want to prevent the risk of any side effects from vaping such as a dry throat, cough or nauseous feeling from too much nicotine. But you’ll also want to ensure a smooth transition from smoking to vaping that doesn’t prevent a relapse to tobacco cigarettes.

To vape safely, here are some top tips:

1. Don’t swallow e-liquid. Only inhale the vapour and breathe back out.
2. Inhale smaller amounts infrequently. If you draw too much into the lungs, it will cause coughing.
3. Don’t overfill your e-liquid pod or tank. This will lead to flooding and a burnt coil. Keeping to the advised e-liquid level – with most tanks and pods having a fill line – will create the best performance from your vape and e-liquid.
4. Look after your battery by charging it with the correct adapter, keep an eye on it so that it does not overheat and always turn off or lock your device when not in use.
5. Match the vape kit with your preferred vape style and e-liquid. Failing to do all three correctly often leads to giving up vaping and returning to cigarettes.
6. Clean your tank, pod and coils regularly to maintain a good experience.
7. Match the nicotine strength of your vape juice with the habits you previously followed when smoking, and then reduce your nicotine strength gradually when you feel ready.
8. If you drop or damage a battery, don’t use it. It’s advised to replace it with a new one and dispose of the damaged battery in a local recycling centre.
9. Don’t overcharge the battery. Once it’s charged, remove the adapter.
10. Allow five minutes for the e-liquid to saturate in the coil by adding a couple of drops (known as priming) on the wicking material before vaping. This helps to prevent dry hits when inhaling.
11. Keep the tank or pod topped up with e-liquid. If you try to vape when the e-liquid level is low this can damage the coil.
12. Take regular breaks between vaping cycles. Deep breaths in between will help to keep your lungs clearer.

How to Ghost Vape

The predominant reason to start vaping should always be to quit smoking, for adults only. But that isn't stopping adults from experimenting with different flavours, power levels and kit sizes to find the perfect device that suits the profile of vapers. For some, cloud tricks are also another way to test vaping and have a bit of fun in the process as you reduce your nicotine levels.

A popular vape trick that’s highly searched for on the internet is the ‘ghost vape’. This is the act of inhaling vapour, pushing the ‘ghost’ out of the mouth temporarily and quickly ‘capturing’ the ghost by inhaling back in and finally pushing the vapour out.

There are other tricks such as the ‘French Inhale’ and ‘blowing O shapes’ but the ghost vape is popular among many as it’s easy to do.

To ghost vape, follow these simple steps:

1. Put the mouthpiece to your lips and inhale the vapour.
2. Don’t exhale back out but lightly push it out by opening the mouth and closing slowly to thicken the vapour.
3. If you release the vapour too slowly or too quickly, the consistency won’t be right.
4. After pushing the vapour out correctly, ‘capture the ghost’ with a fast capture by opening the lips wider and to do a slow capture, inhale the vapour slowly by closing the lips more.

How to Vape Summary

We hope you liked our guide which explains the easiest way to vape safely and properly by choosing your preferred technique and vape kit and pairing this with the right e-liquid.

If you have any further questions, reach out to our customer support, who are more than happy to facilitate your transition from smoking, by narrowing down the best vape choices to get you started with vaping.