Vape starter kits are, as their name suggests, designed for those new to vaping. While many vape kits come loaded with myriad features and functions intended for specific forms of experienced use, vape starter kits are meant to be simple to use and demonstrate the advantages of vaping without frustrating the user. With more people getting started vaping than ever before, it would be helpful to use our significant experience to explain some of the ins and outs of a vape starter kit. We hope that after reading this, you’ll better understand what you need.
What Are Vape Starter Kits?
Starter vape kit devices come in both traditional mod & tank designs and as pod vape kits.
Vape kits may have some cool features installed, but the intended function of a vape kit will be to provide you with a comfortable, easy-to-use vape kit with a simple default adjustable wattage or automatic wattage mode that prevents you from making mistakes.
Unlike other types of vapes like a sub-ohm pod kit, a vape kit for beginners will have a relatively moderate wattage output, as most new vapers are looking for a cigarette or disposable vape replacement, not a powerful cloud machine.
What Comes In a Vape Starter Kit
A starter vape kit usually comes with nearly everything you need to start vaping. Some very budget-friendly kits like the Freemax Maxpod 3 Pod Kit don’t include a Type-C charging cable as it’s often safe to assume people already own one from a different piece of technology.
- Battery/Mod: The largest part of the vape kit that contains the battery, often (but not always) featuring a display screen, firing button, and charging port. Still, some auto-draw MTL pod kit batteries will be a simple rectangle or cylinder with nothing but a charge port.
- Tank/Pod: The top of your starting kit and the part to store the vape juice you intend to vape. 99% of tanks attach to the mod/battery with a 510 screw connection, though pods often connect via magnets or click-in grips.
- Coils: A vape kit will always come with a coil. Traditional tank & battery kits usually come with two coils, one pre-installed and the other in the pack. Starter kit coils usually come in different ohmages, so you can try both and decide what to buy in the future. Some pod vapes feature disposable pods with pre-installed coils, so you don’t have to bother with coil maintenance.
- Charging Cable: Since 2021, the standardised charging cable for starter vape kits has been USB-C (Type-C USB), as used on modern Apple devices.
- User Manual: Vape starting kits will almost always come with a small booklet or pamphlet explaining the device’s use, often featuring an exploded diagram of all the manufacturing components.
Do Vape Starter Kits Come With Juice?
Not all vape starter kits come with juice. If the model doesn’t have pre-filled pods like the Lost Mary Tappo Kit, you will likely need to acquire some vape juice before you can begin vaping.
Many vape retailers, such as MIST, will offer free e-liquid to accompany your beginner vape kit; just be sure to check before you buy if you haven’t secured some e-liquid already. We also stock different e-liquid flavours, from nic salts to 50/50, in varying nicotine strengths.
What Do You Need for a Vape Starter Kit?
Aside from getting vape juice, you might also need to pick up a charging cable, a separate battery (if the device has an external battery), or a pack of spare coils (or pre-filled tanks). To be safe, always check the inclusions of these crucial aspects, as only some pod kits will come with all components, especially in the case of budget vape kits such as the Voopoo Doric Q Pod Kit.
How Long Does A Vaping Starter Kit Last?
A vaping starter kit lasts as long as a piece of £8 – £30 hardware can when treated well! When looked after and not subjected to rough treatment, a vape starter kit can often be expected to last up to two years, though this varies from kit to kit.
After three years, the internal batteries in vape kits tend to weaken and may necessitate a new vape kit purchase.
How Do You Set up a Vape Starter Kit?
To kick-start your vaping journey, you will need to know how to set up a starter kit. Luckily, it isn’t hard to do so; E-cigarettes for beginners are designed to get you started vaping as quickly and painlessly as possible. You just need to follow a handful of steps:
- Unpack the battery unit/mod and tank/pod.
- Check whether the tank/pod has a pre-installed coil; if not, insert one of the coils included with the kit following the instructions.
- If using an MTL pod kit, ensure the pod doesn’t have a sticker on the base preventing an electrical connection.
- With a coil inside, fill your tank/pod with e-liquid, following the instructions for your given tank or pod. UK tanks and pods have a 2ml e-liquid capacity, so don’t squeeze too hard, or you might get a spill.
- Be sure to wait 5-10 minutes the first time you fill your pod/tank so that the coil within can soak up the e-liquid. A too-dry coil is prone to burning, which ruins the coil and necessitates immediate replacement. The next time you fill your pod/tank, the coil should be moist enough to permit immediate vaping.
- Tap the firing button 3-5 times to switch the vaping device on.
- If using a kit with variable wattage, ensure your kit is set to a power output optimal for your coils. The coils should say their optimal wattage levels on the side, near the listed ohmage (look for this symbol: Ω).
- Ensure your kit’s adjustable airflow slider or ring is at least partly open to avoid burning the coil.
- If your device is button-activated, press down the firing button, inhale, and let go of the firing button as you stop inhaling. If your device is auto-draw-activated MTL pod kit, start puffing!
And that’s every step you need to take when unpacking your new e-cigarette starter kit!
What Is the Best Wattage for a Beginner Vape?
Most beginner vapes will usually only need a wattage output between 9W – 15W. Keep in mind that most starter vapes use thinner e-liquids that produce less vapour and usually have the potential to contain higher nicotine levels. These vape juice varieties usually require a coil with a high ohmage (between 0.8Ω and 1.8Ω).
What Is the Best Starter Vape Kit?
As we’ve mentioned before in our other vape guides and reviews, vaping is never ‘one-size-fits-all.’ This means that different vape starter kit options will have distinct advantages that may suit your vaping style and make it the best vape kit for you.
Some enjoy a longer battery life, whereas others prioritise pocket-friendly compact portability. Others still want the most streamlined, user-friendly kits possible, whereas some vapers prefer beginner kits with some features to play with.
Check out our review of the best vape starter kits for a list of excellent beginner options. In our bountiful vaping experience, every one of the kits featured below can provide a perfect entry to vaping.
The Best Vape Starter Kits Are
- Innokin EZ Tube Zenith Minimal
- Geekvape Sonder Q
- Aspire Flexus AIO
Innokin EZ Tube Zenith Minimal
Best Vape Starter Kit
9.4/10
Total
Features We Love
EZ Peasy
Perfect for absolute beginners
Turn It Up
Turn the base dial to adjust the wattage
Shiny & New
The Zenith Minimal tank is easy to clean
The Innokin EZ Tube Zenith Minimal might have an unusual name, but don’t let that put you off because we think it’s the best beginner vape kit of 2024!
So why is it the best? In a word, simplicity. The EZ Tube Zenith Minimal combines the value and robust use of a traditional tank & mod vape kit with the compactness and streamlined use of a pod vape kit.
A 2100mAh battery sits snugly within the thin cylinder housing, with a single button that fires and activates the power control. Feel like upping the vapour? Just tap the button twice and turn the base dial to go anywhere between 6W – 40W.
You can also put that 40W maximum to work, as the Zenith Minimal Tank is compatible with the Z-Coil series. Changing coils might seem like a hassle, but we feel it’s like learning to drive with a manual transmission; that way, you’ll never be ignorant about using and maintaining any given vape kit.
So, if you’re brand new to vaping or know someone ready to be, try the Innokin EZ Tube Zenith Minimal Kit. We’re confident you’ll be as impressed as we are.
Pros
- Simple power adjustment
- Ample battery for all-day vaping
Cons
- Placing the screen on the base was a strange choice
- Glass from the Zenith Minimal Tank can shatter if dropped
Price
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£29.99
Geekvape Sonder Q
Best for: Flavour
9.3/10
Total
Features We Love
Q-uite Tasty: Q Cartridges deliver rich and pure flavour
Stable and Able: Consistent power output regardless of charge
Take a Drag: Optimised buttonless draw-activation
Vape flavour doesn’t just come down to the variety of juice but the medium by which it’s atomised; An e-liquid is only as good as the coil it’s soaked into. And the Q Cartridges used with the Geekvape Sonder Q make flavour their central focus.
The Q Cartridges premier Geekvape’s VPU coil-design philosophy. The non-woven wicks impart no taste impurities, with a porous ceramic core keeping fresh e-juice ready for instant atomisation.
The central vertical mesh coil also promotes equal heat distribution to ensure a consistent atomisation rate, making every puff as tasty as the last.
With all that intricate design, you’d be surprised to hear that the Sonder Q is a straightforward piece of value-priced kit. In terms of flavour, it’s the best vape pen for beginners, built for draw-activated MTL puffs that simulate a cigarette inhale. But there’s no cigarette in the world with flavour as rich as the kind you’ll taste from a Q cartridge.
Pros
- Q Cartridges designed for maximum flavour
- Ceramic coil cores promote long coil life
- Fluted design for a comfortable grip
Cons
- It is a very basic MTL kit
- Removing the mouthpiece for refills can be fussy
Price
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£10.99
Aspire Flexus AIO
Best for: Heavy Smokers
9.2/10
Total
Features We Love
Roughneck: Easy MTL kit for all-day heavy vaping
Tasty Tiers: 3-tiered simple power settings
Tasty AF: Aspire AF Coils are meshed for increased flavour
Heavy smokers are a bit of a paradox; they’re the most in need of a switch to vaping, yet they can be stubborn about needing to learn a new technology to get their nicotine.
Luckily for them, the Aspire Flexus AIO abides by the K-I-S-S Rule: “Keep it simple, smokey.” The Flexus AIO isn’t just easy to use; it has all the power, flavour, and ease of use necessary to satisfy a hardened smoker.
There is no need to read up on electrical engineering to get your nic fix either, as the Flexus AIO uses a simple three-LED system to track which of the three power outputs you’re using, allowing you to crank it up for more vapour.
We appreciate the switch from smoke to vapour can be challenging for those who genuinely love a ciggie, and the Flexus AIO lets you keep on puffing with little to no fussing.
Pros
- Simple pod vape for heavy smokers
- Easy power adjustment
- Long-lasting 2000mAh battery
Cons
- Acrylic components can be fragile
- Pod magnets are a little bit weak
Price
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£28.99
Need More Help?
Thank you for reading! It’s never too late to quit smoking and permanently switch to vaping, so visit the MIST online store and ask our expert team for advice in picking a starter kit that works for you and your lifestyle.
Check out the MIST Youtube channel for tips and info on what to look for in your first kit.
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