Wow, it's a minefield!

[cambermam]

Hi everyone, I've come over here from MSE after reading the thread there.

I'm soo confused (okay it doesn't take a lot )

I saw reviews pointing me to a Riva 510 but my only concern is that it's apparently the size of a cigar? I am not bothered about it looking like a real cig but I would like to be able to hold it like one i think... maybe just for the transition stage.

As an MSE'er I'm very concerned about cost! It's confusing to know what and how many I need to buy and where from! I've seen the bottles of liquid, but no idea how long they would last? It's so important to me that I get the right one from the start, because I can't afford to buy it just for it to end up in the junk drawer lol..

I smoke JPS blue, about 15-20 a day

cambermam x

[Perpetua]

Hello & welcome Cambermam!

You're right it can be an absolute minefield when you're first starting out and there's an investment to be made initially . . . and there will be ongoing costs as the ecig components are treated as disposable items . . . but overall it does work out more cost effective than tobacco and of course a healthier option!

[bel]

Hello and welcome Campermam

Yes your right its a minefield, but you will get there and boy its worth it

[Anne (fuzzy)]

You've come to the right place cambermam. There's loads of information on the forum about the Riva, it's a very popular e cig.

[Mrsmac]

Hi Cambermam, you will definitely get the help you need over here, it can be a mindfield but i would say read up on the Riva. When I started here a few weeks back I was on the lookout for the easiest and most convienient ecig a like, and I have literally upgraded to something new each week for performance. I can't comment on the size of the Riva but I can say that I started on a cig a like and have placed my order for one today.

The initial outlay costs may seem a lot, and some of it will be trial and error, nut once you get started you will see what works for you. Maybe when trying juices go for a pick and mix from vapescape so you can perhaps narrow down your choice but also bare in mind that once you start cutting down and stop the "real" ones that your taste buds will change and as I am finding, taste is subjective.

Give it a go, come over to the dark side!

[Chrissie]

Hello & welcome Cambermam

The Riva is an excellent e-cig to go for. However, if you are looking for something smaller, but don't mind it looking like a real cig, check out the SD Keyring -

www.vapeescape.co.uk/the-sd-keyring-ecig~266

Bear in mind though that it only comes with one battery, so it would be best to go for 2 kits. Use discount code "allabout" for 10% off

[cambermam]

Thanks for the fast and helpful replies!

At the minute i'm thinking for the transition a tobacco tasting liquid would be better, is that right? The keyring one looks good, but how long would the battery last on that? I like the sound of the Riva lasting a full day, I don't want any excuses to have a real fag.

Where would i buy a Riva starter kit from? I saw on another site some recommendations for liberty flights but they only have white in stock at the minute.

I was originally tempted by the E-Lites Groupon to start me off and get a feel for them, but I knew it wouldn't be one i'd carry on with so thought it might be better to just buy a Riva to start with and save money.

Cartomizers/Atomizers confuse me a little, not sure of the difference. Also confused by manual/auto. Which is the Riva?

Thanks again!

[Lee]

Hi and welcome cambermam. You will get all the advice you need here.

Tobacco flavours might help but once you start experimenting you'll soon find there are so many other flavours out there. As for the Riva there are some great suppliers in this forum. Check out the suppliers thread and post back in here if you get stuck.

allaboute-cigarettes.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=suppliers

[Anne (fuzzy)]

I think maybe you're more concerned about costs having read about this forum on MSE (Money Saving Expert.)
It's definitely cheaper than smoking, but impossible to put an exact price on it cambermam. It depends on who you buy your e cig and supplies from (as with everything, some are cheaper than others) how often you vape. If you chain vape, obviously it's going to cost more and use more electricity charging the batteries up, buying extra supplies etc..

If it's any help, my other half and I are both unemployed at the moment due to current government circumstances > and I can afford to vape, it's a priority!

[Chrissie]

Whatever you do, don't go for the e-lite. Apart from it having dreadfully short battery life, the cartomisers to fit it cost a fortune.

Off to find links for the best deals on Riva's for you

[alijoy60]

I started 2 days ago and bought the Riva 1100 from www.vapeescape.co.uk (Jason) and also the SD Keyring for when I am out.

I really like the Riva - got it in silver. From my ow experience, am not keen on the carridge and atomiser, I like the cartomisers. I tried the BOGE and KANGER ones and like them.

I have found it en easy and effective system this way. I too, wanted to be able to hold an ecig like a normal cig, but even the lookie likie ones are too heavy to really hold like that, so I thought I would take the plunge and try the Riva. It's actually not as big as I thought it would be and the SD is dinky - however, you always have the weight of the battery so not matter how small, I cannot replicate that "cig held in 2 fingers" action.

That is the only thing I have found about vaping that I have needed to adapt to, and it hasn't bothered me - everything else, the nicotine fix and the vapour really feeling as smoke did to me has been a fantastic replacement.

Flavours seem to be so subjective - I am not too keen it seems (after 2 days!) on tobacco ones - I am veering to the caramel and cream types and maybe some fruity ones.

[leftfield]

Jan 12, 2012 22:15:12 GMT cambermam said:

I saw reviews pointing me to a Riva 510 but my only concern is that it's apparently the size of a cigar?

I've seen the bottles of liquid, but no idea how long they would last?

Hi camberman, you're in the right place to get up set up and on your way here

First question, here is an ego which is roughly the same size as a riva next to an ecig that's a little bigger than a superking cigarette:



It's not much bigger than you'd think but you couldn't hold it between your fingers like a real cigarette.

For liquid, the average vaper uses 2 - 3ml a day so you can use that as a solid base to estimate juice costs per month/year.

Jan 12, 2012 22:45:01 GMT cambermam said:

At the minute i'm thinking for the transition a tobacco tasting liquid would be better, is that right?

The keyring one looks good, but how long would the battery last on that?

Where would i buy a Riva starter kit from?

Cartomizers/Atomizers confuse me a little, not sure of the difference. Also confused by manual/auto. Which is the Riva?

Thanks again!

Tobacco flavours are generally disappointing. You can't emulate the burning leaf so it's not quite the same. There are juices that are close but they can't taste the same as a real cigarette.

For batteries you estimate the runtime by the mAh rating. You get around one hour of vaping out of 100 - 120 mah. So a 300 mah battery would last around 3 hours.

I'm sure chrissie could tell you where you get a riva for a lot cheaper than I could!

A cartomiser is the easiest heating element to use. They simply screw onto the battery once you've filled it and you're good to go. Here is a video on one easy way to fill them:

An atomiser is a two piece heating element. It has a cartridge and an atomiser. You put liquid into the wadding of the cartridge and put it onto the atomiser, then put the atomiser onto the battery. It has a much smaller capacity for liquid than an atomiser meaning it needs filled much more often so I wouldn't recommend you stick with atomisers as you're starting out.

The riva is a manual. Ideally you want a manual for greater control over the vapour production and battery protection as automatics will short and die if you get any liquid in them.

As a side note, you could try out a Kr808d-1 model which I think is the absolute best cig sized model for relatively cheap if you want a cig sized backup:
www.safercigs.co.uk/Intro_Vapour_PRO/p705283_4307948.aspx (use code "allaboute" for 10% off that as well)

Thanks to chrissie as always for the link to the cheapest one

I hope that's not total information overload and helps somewhat

[Deleted]

I'll give a relative cost implication for my first year which came yesterday , prior to that my cig days cost me approx 5k ( I smoked 40 a day ) I spent over the last year a conservative £500 .. MSE lets face it over a year it's a no brainer

[Chrissie]

Okey Dokey here are a few very good deals for a Riva starter kit -

Alba-vapours - use discount code aaecuk for 20% off (I think that code still gives 20% of but not certain?) - it's a 650mAh Riva kit -

alba-vapours.co.uk/starter-kits/ego-riva-starter-kit

Another good deal on the RIva 510 with 650mAh batteries - use discount code allabout for 10% off -
www.ecigsforyou.co.uk/ego-650-starter-kit

The higher the mAh rating of a battery, the longer it will last between charges (an e-lite is only about 180mAh). So the larger Riv/egos will last most folks all day. Excellent deal on the 1100 mAh from Freedomvape using discount code Jan15 for 15% off -

www.freedomvape.co.uk/shop/article_2001/Ego_Riva-Starter-Kit--XL.html?shop_param=cid%3D2%26aid%3D2001%26

[DiscoDes]

Hi Cambermam and Welcome

As to the ongoing costs of running a E-cig, I use 2 x kanger Cartomisers (from Vape Escape) a week and e-liquid from Vape escape again or from Paradise Vapes as a ex 20 a day man myself I probably vape 1 to 2ml a day therefore about 10 ml* per week. So in true MSE style let's do the math!

Your cost at the moment: say £5-60 per pack of ciggies say 120 per week = 6 packs = £33.60 a week

Vs Vaping

15 ml* of E-liquid a week £8-00 (inc p& p from Paradise Vapes)
2 x cartomisers a week* (£8 per 5 inc p&p) = £3-20
Not inluded in the above is any discount/special offer (at least 10%)
TOTAL £10-20 and I have over estimated the amount of liquid used!

Over 4 weeks

Ciggies 39 x 4 = £134.40
vaping £10-20 x 4 = £40-80

So you will save over £90 in less than a month!

Now, not included in the above is whichever e-cig you choose but you don't have to keep buying a new one each week (unless you get the buy shiny things bug)
So even if you spend £40 on a Riva kit or £30 on 2 x SD Keyring kits and then stick with that, i'd reckon on a years use out of the Riva and 6 months on the SD keyring you will still be saving £££! once your initial purchase has been made. (Payback for you less than a month*)

How does a saving of £1,000 a year sound*

caveats:
(price of ciggies checked @ mysupermarket)
(amount of e-juice used slightly over estimated to allow for wasteage)
(I use 2 kangers a week so have based on that some use more some use less)
(*Des's rule of thumb applied)