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Vape Lingo: A Vaporizer Glossary

vaporplants page of glossary terminology that explains vaporizers vocabulary and its definitions about the use and parts

If you've just discovered vaping, these unfamiliar terms might make it difficult to understand which products are best suited to your needs. Additionally, it can also lead to confusion when reading the instructions for products such as e-cigarettes, portable vaporizers, desktop vaporizers and vapor pens. To help you better understand the important facts and details of vaping, we've compiled this helpful glossary of terms.

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A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z




2-piece - A two-part ecigarette composed of a cartomizer and a battery.
26650 - The best style of batteries for use when sub-ohming.
3-piece - A three-part ecigarette consisting of an atomizer, battery, and cartridge.
510/808/901 - Three digit numbers like these refer to the threading found on batteries and cartomizers; any two parts with the same type of threading can be used together. Adapters can be purchased to combine parts with different threading types.

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A


Adapter - This attachment is used to make a specific atomizer or cartomizer fit onto a different battery style.
Advanced Personal Vaporizer - best vaporizers that have more features than a standard e-cigarette; these products may have mobile apps for monitoring usage, digital hit counters, removable batteries, and more; also called APVs.
AEMSA - American E-Liquid Manufacturing Standards Association. An association that holds its members to a high standard of production to ensure consumer confidence when buying from them.
AFC - Air Flow Control. Air flow allows vapers to customize their hits, giving them more or less vapor depending on the control setting.
All Day Vape - An e-juice that a vaper never tires of and can vape on all day. Usually a favorite or a go-to vape.
Allen key/wrench - The best tool to use when opening mods or tightening screws.
American Wire Gauge (AWG) - The standard used in America to calculate the resistance and diameter of the kanthal wire used to create coils.
Amperage (amps) - Amperage is the flow of energy along a circuit in a battery. The lower the amps, the lower the power, thus preventing you from using high voltages.
Analog - Nickname for a traditional combustion cigarette.
Atomizer - Portion of the vaporizer that produces the heat; usually used to describe heating coils in oil or wax vape pens.
Atty - The abbreviation of atomizer.
Automatic e-Cig - An electronic cigarette that activates when users suck on the mouthpiece.

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B


Battery - Generally lithium-ion, batteries are what gives power to the ecig. Automatic batteries will begin to work when the user inhales, whereas manual batteries will only work when the user presses the firing button during inhalation.
Blanks - Empty cartridges or cartomizers for the user to fill with e-juice.
Bottom Coil Clearomizer (BCC) - A clearomizer with its atomizer and heating element at the bottom, that is filled at the bottom of the clearomizer instead of  the top.
Bottom Dual Coil Clearomizer (BDC) - A bottom coil clearomizer housing two coils. The battery drains more quickly with a BDC, but it provides denser vapor as well as more of a throat hit.
Bottom Vertical Coil Clearomizer (BVC) - A bottom coil clearomizer that has a single coil installed vertically.
Bottom Feeder - Electronic cigarette with a special storage container inside for e liquid; includes a pump that draws e juice into the atomizer or cartomizer as you vape.
Box Mod - A box shaped ecig that offers variable wattages as well as removable batteries.
Breathing - The process of leaving a bottle of eliquid open to evaporate the alcohol to improve the taste; also known as steeping.
Burner - Slang for an analog cigarette.
Bridge - Steel component of an electronic cigarette that directs e liquid to the heating coil for vaporizing.
Bubbler - A glass bubbler is an attachment for standard vaporizers, which cools and filters out impurities inherently found in the vapor, improving overall flavor quality.

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Vaporizer and Vape Pens with Batteries


C


Cartomizer - Electronic cigarette component that combines the heating element and the tank for the e juice into one part; the word is derived from a combination of cartridge and atomizer.
Cartomizer Dual Coil - Commonly used in tanks, a dual coil cartomizer contains two coils and is great for doubling your vapor production.
Cartomizer Single Coil - A single coil cartomizer has just one coil and is the standard for most cartomizers.
Cartomizer tank - An extra storage compartment for e-juice that fits around the cartomizer; holes in the cartomizer allow the e juice to flow inside; this setup reduces the need for frequent filling.
Carts - A shortened form meaning cartridges.
Cartridge - Typically, a cartridge is a plastic mouthpiece which is filled with a diluted and flavored nicotine solution.
CASAA - Consumer Advocacy for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association. A non-profit that argues on the behalf of e-cig vapers.
Charger - A device used to recharge your ecig batteries. Some chargers show the status of your battery on an LED screen while others do not.
Cig-a-like - An e-cig that is designed to look like an analog cigarette.
Clapton Coil - A coil made similar to a guitar string in that it is a large gauge of wire wrapped by a much finer gauge wire. This is thought to produce thicker vapor.
Clearomizer - A specialty cartomizer that is made from clear material; normally this type of cartomizer consists of three components: the tube, the coil, and the drip tip.
Clouds - A term used to describe exhaled water vapor, as it resembles a cloud.
Cloudchasers - Vaping hobbyists who prefer large clouds over throat hits, and typically will sub-ohm to achieve those results.
Conduction - In a conduction vaporizer, the herbal blend selected by the user comes directly into contact with the heating element, ensuring that heat transfer is efficient and optimized.
Convection - In a convection vaporizer, the heating element does not come into direct contact with the herbal blend. Instead, air that has been heated by the element within the convection vaporizer is passed over the herbs, using either a forced air system or direct draw.
Cut-Off - Cut-off or automatic shutdown is a safety feature on some ecigarettes that occurs if you inhale vapor for too long at once. This usually happens after 5-8 seconds of inhalation, preventing the atomizer from overheating.
Coil - Commonly made from kanthal, but sometimes from nichrome, the coil is a wire that heats up the e-juice for vapor production.
Coil Jig - A device that makes rebuilding your own coils easier and less time consuming.
Coil Winder - A tool used to help wrap perfect coils.
Cone Threads - A new type of threading being used by some companies to ensure the atomizers are connected to the batteries.
Cover - The cover, also referred to as the heater cover, is a component of glass vaporizers which surrounds the heating element and ensures that the whip does not come into direct contact with it. This helps to prevent combustion and breakage.

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D


Debridge - Removal of the wick and bridge from the atomizer.
Dewick - Removing soiled wicks from the atomizer.
Diacetyl - A notorious flavoring used in some e-juice for its buttery flavor. Known to cause a condition nicknamed Popcorn Lung if inhaled in large quantities. Most e-liquid producers have stopped using it for this reason.
Digital Vaporizers - A digital vaporizer has an electronic display which provides valuable information to the user, such as internal temperature and current heat setting.
Direct Draw Vaporizers - When using a direct draw vaporizer, the suction produced by the mouthpiece or whip pulls air over the heated herbs, producing vapor. These models are also referred to as standard vaporizers.
Dipping - The act of dipping the atomizer in e-liquid before vaping.
Disposable E-Cigarette - A temporary-use e-cig that is made to be thrown out after juice supply has been used up.
Do It Yourself (DIY) - A common practice that involves making your own eliquid by mixing the elements yourself, or modding your vaporizer on your own.
Dragon Coil - Coils that are wrapped as usual, but the wick is wrapped outside of the coil instead of inside to increase airflow. This increases vapor production due to added airflow.
Dripping - Form of vaping in which e liquid is manually dispensed one drop at a time onto the atomizer; it is also called direct dripping.
Drip On-Demand (DOD) - An accessory that aids in the dripping process by connecting your e-juice bottle on top of the feeder and inserting a tube into the drip top. Simply press on the bottle to drip e-juice onto the atomizer much easier.
Drip Shield - A round, typically metal tube that you slide over your atomizer. This aids in keeping any eliquid from getting onto your ecig. As the atomizer is depleted of liquid while you vape, the spillage is recycled back onto the atomizer to be vaporized.
Drip Tip - Specialty mouthpiece designed to make it easy to drip e-juice onto an atomizer; can also be used on a standard e- cigarette as an alternative to conventional mouthpieces; many vapor enthusiasts like the feel of drip tips.
Drip Well - The drip well is located at the bottom of the dripper where it connects to the power source. It is somewhat concave and deep enough to hold in any liquid that has leaked off of the atomizer.
DNA - A small, variable wattage board used by modders. Running at 12 watts, it can be used with another board to produce 24 watts.
Doubler - A double-strength of flavoring that vapers can dilute to their liking to achieve their personal tast preference.
Dry Hit - Nickname for the unpleasant burnt flavor when an e-cig is too empty to produce vapor, or its wick is burned and needs replacement.
Dry Smoking - The act of removing the mouthpiece and cartridge, then replacing the mouth piece and inhaling. This is done when the atomizer has too much liquid in it.

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Woman filling up her Oil Pen with Oil E-Liquid


E


E-Cig - A popular abbreviation for the electronic cigarette.
E Cig Accessories - Add ons that enhance your vaping experience. Accessories are things like batteries, cases, chargers, lanyards, and vape holders.
ECCA - E-Cigarette Consumer Association of the UK. A Grassroots organization which represents UK consumers.
ECITA - Electronic Cigarette Industry Trade Association. Representative of the UK e-cigarette industry. It is a members only organization that requires monthly fees, adherence to strict rules, and submitting to bi-annual audits. In return, they campaign for fair regulations for their members.
eGo Style - A popular e-cigarette style that uses 510 components, such as threading, and boasts a much larger battery capacity.
Electronic Cigar - A device like the electronic cigarette (see below) but with typical cigar styles and flavors.
Electronic Cigarette - A device that functions similarly to an analog cigarette but without combustion or smoke. Instead, the nicotine filled eliquid is vaporized and inhaled.
Electronic Cigarette Starter Kits - Kits complete with everything one needs to begin vaping. They usually contain atomizers, batteries, cartridges, battery or device chargers, and an instruction manual.
E-juice - The liquid nicotine solution that is vaporized inside of an e-cig.
E-liquid - Another term for e-juice.
E-Pipe (EPipe, E Pipe) - An e-pipe is an ecig that is made to look aesthetically like a tobacco pipe, while functioning as every other ecig does.
ENDs - Electronic Nicotine Devices. A term for electronic cigarettes that is typically only used in scientific papers about e-cigs.
Engine - Nickname given to the parts inside of the cartomizer or clearomizer that allow it to work.

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F


Filler - Material that is used inside of a cartomizer or cartridge to retain e-juice.
Filter - Another word for the screen in a vaporizer; cartomizers are sometimes called this by e-cig manufacturers to make vaping more similar to smoking a cigarette.
Flavors - The notes in your e-liquid that provide the taste.
Flooding - Occurs when too much e-juice is put onto the atomizer, causing it to overflow.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - A branch of the United States government in charge of the rules and regulations of the safety of food and drug products in America. They are in the midst of attempting to regulate consumption and sales of e-juice and e-cigarettes.
Forced Air Vaporizer - A forced air vaporizer uses a fan in order to circulate heated air through an herbal blend, producing a vapor. Oftentimes, these vaporizers rely on bags or balloons to contain the vapor, although some models are compatible with whips.

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G


Genesis Atomizer - A rebuildable atomizer that uses stainless steel mesh as a wick instead of the usual cotton wicking.
Glass-on-Glass - When a vaporizer has "glass-on-glass" connections, the points at which glass accessories are attached to the unit are made out of glass. Vaping professionals typically prefer glass-on-glass connections, because they do not affect the taste of vapor in ways that plastic and other materials can.
Glassomizer - A clearomizer that trades the use of plastic tanks for glass tanks.
Goose Neck - The goose neck is a flexible, pliable mouthpiece extension for your ecigarette that is available in many unique colors and shapes.
GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) - An acronym made by the FDA to inform consumers of products they believe to be safe for use.
Grinder - A weed grinder is a device used to reduce the size of the herbs or tobacco in a blend. Grinding can improve the quality and volume of vapor produced.  They are often considered essential for those wanting to enjoy their vaporizers to the fullest. The most common grinder consists of three pieces and collects ground herbs for use. Four-piece grinders are also available. These contain an extra component which traps residues apart from the finished, ground herb.
Ground-Glass - If a vaporizer has a ground-glass connection, the whip is fastened securely by this connector, allowing users to vape without holding the device. A whip that is designed for use with ground-glass connections is called a ground-glass whip or a hands-free whip.
Grub Screw - A type of screw used in atomizer posts. They are designed to better secure the wires.

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H


Hands-Free Vaporizer - Using a hands-free vaporizer  with ground-glass connections to hold the whip in place, removing the need for users to hold the vaporizer during use.
Heating Element - The heating element is an essential component of the vaporizer, which creates the necessary amount of heat to properly vaporize the herbs. Many models use elements made out of ceramic materials, aluminum, or steel.
Heatsink - A feature that is fin shaped and fits in atomizers to distribute heat more evenly and increase airflow.
Heat Steeping - Speeds up the steeping process in a hot climate.
High Resistance (HR) - An atomizer or cartomizer with a higher Ohm resistance than most others. A higher resistance means higher voltage.
Hot Spot - Considered to be the cause of dry hits, hot spots are places of excess heat on the atomizer coil.

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Hot Girl blowing smoke when using Hookah Pen


I


ICR - ICR means Lithium Ion Cobalt Rechargeable Battery.
IMR - IMR stands for Lithium Ion Manganese Rechargeable Battery.

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J


Joules - A way to measure the power used in temperature controlled mods.
Juice - Nickname for e-liquid; also a nickname for the amount of power left in a battery.

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K


Knuckle Head - A drip tip in a ball-and-socket style that can be adjusted to whichever angle is most comfortable for you.

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L


Leaking - This happens when there is too much e-juice on the atomizer, causing it to come out of the venting holes of your tank or drip tip. Cartomizers can leak as well, but it doesn't happen as often.
LED - Light emitting diode. The light found at the end of the e-cigarette that lights up when the user inhales. The LED may be used to tell the user when the batteries are dead or charged.
Lithium Ion Batteries (Li-Ion) - These are considered the strongest and best overall batteries for use in ecigarettes.
Li-Po - A Lithium Polymer battery made of different material than the more common Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) batteries.
Low Resistance (LR) - A cartomizer or atomizer that has a low Ohm resistance. With a lower resistance, the heating element gets hotter and produces vapor more quickly than high or standard resistance coils.
Lung Hit - The more filling alternative to mouth hits. They are long, slow inhales of vapor straight to the lungs.

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M


mA - Used when describing the power output of chargers, mA is 1/1000th of an amp.
Manual - A type of ecig battery that is triggered when the user presses a button to activate the heating element. The user must press the button every time they wish to take a drag. This type of battery is less susceptible to leaking.
Manual Shut-off - The act of pressing the firing button five consecutive times to shut off the device.
Milliamp Hour - Rating that indicates the charging capacity of a battery; the higher the mAh rating of a battery, the longer it can power a vaporizer on a single charge; abbreviated mAh.
Milligrams (MG) - The measurement used to showcase the amount of nicotine in ejuice. The usual levels are 0mg, 3mg, 8mg, 12mg, 18mg, and 24mg. Some places will offer higher amounts. Typically, new vapers will start at a higher nictoine milligram and work their way down to a lower one.
Milliliters (ML) - The measurement for the amount of juice in any container, typically found in 15ml, 30ml, 60ml, and even 120ml.
Mechanical Mod - An e cigarette that has a removable battery and uses a switch between the battery and heating coil to transmit electric current; also called a mech mod.
Mod - Term for an e-cig that has been modified or personalized after its original production.
Mouthpiece - The component of a whip that is used to suck or draw vapor.
Mouth to lung hit - The act of inhaling vapor into the mouth first, and then into the lungs. This can give the user more flavor.

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N


Nicotine - An alkaloid found in tobacco and one of the components of ejuice.
Nicotine Level - The amount of nicotine, measured in milligrams or milliliters, found in any given container of juice, such as a cartridge or bottle.
NiMH - NiMH stands for Nickel-Metal Hydrive. Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries come with no added Cadmium. It is important to monitor charging when using Nickel-Metal Hydrive batteries to avoid overcharging. NiMH has no "Memory Effect"—so you can charge them or top them off at anytime without harming your overall battery life.
No Resistance Wire - A conductive wire that is used in Rebuildable Atomizer (RBA) as a stand in. This wire doesn't heat up.

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O


Ohms - A measurement regarding the resistance of the coils in an atomizer.
Oil Diffuser - An oil diffuser is an attachment for dry herb vaporizers, which allows essential oils to be vaporized for use. These diffusers are commonly used for aromatherapy.

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P


Passthrough - An ecig that can be plugged into a USB charger to be used while it is charging. It is recommended you plug it into a wall, and not a computer or other USB device.
Pen-Style - A popular style of e-cigarette, loved for its slender form that makes it easier to tote around. The term pen-style comes from its resemblance to a writing pen.
Personal Charging Case (PCC) - A personal charging case allows you to charge your batteries without using an outlet and is typically used for pen-style vapes.
Personal Vaporizer (PV) - Another term for an electronic cigarette.
Pure Grain Alcohol (PGA) - This is used by modders to create DIY flavors and dilute vegetable glycerin in VG juices.
Portable Charging Case (PCC) - The PCC allows users to charge the batteries for their portable vaporizer during their commute.
Portable Vaporizers - A portable vaporizer is designed for use "on-the-go". Portable models are usually small enough to fit into your pocket, and some are even capable of fitting in your hand. Because they are meant for use in-transit, these vaporizers often rely on batteries or butane to power their heating element, as opposed to more traditional AC power supplies.
Primer - Something used to preserve the atomizer and coils when shipping. It is recommended you blow out the atomizer to rid it of the primer before use to remove residue or possible chemical taste.
Propylene Glycol - The colorless liquid that forms at least half of all ejuice solutions, and is responsible for the pleasant throat hit, similar to what is experienced when smoking an analog cigarette.

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R


RDA - Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer.
Rebuildable Atomizer (RBA) - RBA's are customizable atomizers that you put together yourself, which allow you to choose better flavor, larger clouds, heavier throat hits, etc. Due to their sometimes time-consuming nature, RBAs are typically used by hobbyists and not casual vapers.
Resistance - Measured in Ohms, this refers to the resistance of the coil in the atomizer. Lower resistance means more vapor and a hotter hit.

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S


Second Generation E-Cigarettes - A term used primarily by scientists in reference to ecigarettes that use a dripper or tank. Cig-a-likes are considered to be first generation e-cigarettes.
Sensor - Element of the battery that is signaled when the user takes a pull.
Smoke-juice - A term for e-juice.
Smokeless Cigarette - A word for e-cigs typically used by the media and not vapers themselves.
Standard Whips - A standard whip is a draw device that can be used with any vaporizer supporting direct draw. This means that the vaporizer does not release vapor solely into a bag or balloon.
Sub-Ohming - A practice that uses the principles of Ohms law to increase the current from your battery, reducing the ohms below a measurement of one for maximum vapor production.
Sweet Spot - The experience of finding the right combination of current, resistance, power, voltage, and wattage to get the perfect taste, along with producing a great vapor cloud.

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T


Tailpiping - Direct dripping without using any drip tips.
Thermal Runaway - An exceedingly rare but serious event. It is a chain reaction caused by things such as overcharging, stacking batteries, damage to the battery, or short circuiting.
THR: Tobacco Harm Reduction - A leader in scientific support of the benefits of electronic cigarettes, THR is comprised of a loose team of scientists with active support and involvement in education about tobacco harm reduction.
Throat Hit/Throat Kick - The sensation of the vapor hitting the back of your throat during inhalation. Some vapers seek this throat hit and some try to avoid as much of it as they can.
Titanium wire - Used mainly by those with temperature controlled devices, titanium provides unadulterated flavor, but has a combustion risk during dry hits.
Topping - Also known as topping off a cartridge or tank with e-liquid.
Tube Mod - An ecig that is tubular in shape and the size of a small flashlight.
Tubing - A component of the whip, vapor tubing connects the wand with the mouthpiece.

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U


Unicorn bottle - Juice bottles that hold 15 ml or 30ml that require little effort to dispense juice. Long and skinny, it is the best bottle to use when in transit, as it can fit more easily in your pocket.

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V


Vape - The act of inhaling vaporized e-juice in an electronic cigarette.
Vaper - Someone who vapes, or uses an electronic cigarette.
Vape Safe - Vape Safe is a small disc shaped fuse used with ecigarettes. It protects against battery misfiring, preventing the completion of any undesired electrical circuit. Used with a high quality battery, this is just another way to be safe and prevent damage to your ecig.
Vaper’s Tongue - This is a term that describes the experience of losing your taste for vapor flavors.
Vaping - The habit and/or hobby of using e-cigarettes.
Vapor - The product that is made and inhaled when the atomizer heats the liquid.
Vapor Production - This term indicates how much vapor is produced upon a standard inhalation of vaporized ejuice.
Variable Voltage (VV) - Variable voltage allows you to control how many volts your device produces. Usually with a variable voltage e-cig, you choose the voltage with a wheel or button.
Variable Wattage (VW) - Variable wattage devices do the voltage math for you, and allow you to control how many watts you will get from your ecig with a click of a button.
Vented Battery Cap - The series of holes that lets the battery vent harmful gases and heat, especially in the event that your battery goes into the rare but dreaded thermal runaway.
Vegetable Glycerine (VG) - A clear, odorless, and colorless liquid that is sweet tasting. Typically mixed in a ratio with propylene glycol, but it is also commonly used as an alternative to propylene glycol as well. VG is believed to increase vapor production, or clouds.
Voltage - The measurement of kinetic energy that, when coupled with Ohms law of resistance, creates wattage.

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W


Wand - The element of the whip which holds your dry herb blend and is inserted into the vaporizer prior to use.
Watt (wattage) - The measurement of the heat that your atomizer uses to turn your juice into vapor.
Water Filtration Adapter - By adding a water filtration adapter to a compatible vaporizer, you can attach a compatible water pipe to the unit. This cools hot vapor and removes impurities.
Wick - The small piece of typically organic cotton in the cartridge that holds the e-juice and moves it to the heating element for vaporization.
Wrap - The act of wrapping your wire around a screwdriver or other tool of appropriate size to shape and build a coil.

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Vape Pens with Batteries on a table

Deciding Which Personal Vaporizer to Buy


When you're searching for a vaping product to buy, you should ask yourself a series of questions that may help you determine which product to buy at VaporPlants vaporizer store. Some of these questions could include:


Meme of a Cartoon Man having Questions Many about Vaporizers

1. Where am I planning on using my vaporizer?

Depending upon your personal preferences, a portable or desktop vaporizer unit may be appropriate. If you are planning on using your vaporizer while you are out and about, you should consider a vaporizer case, to insure your investment is protected!

2. How much am I willing to spend on a vaporizer product?

A variety of attachments can be incorporated into your vaporizer unit for higher levels of performance and increase vaping quality.

3. Which heating method do I prefer to use for vaporizing?

Convection and conduction methods of heating can produce drastically different vaping results.


Smoking vs Vaping VideoA


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