Finding the Right Vape
Finding the Right Vape for You
Most adult vapers will fall into one of three categories: Social, Moderate or Frequent. Once you figure out which category you fit into, it becomes much easier to find which vape is right for you.
The subject of salt nic juices versus freebase e-juices is beyond the scope of this article. But it is worth mentioning that Kure Vapes carries a huge selection of e-liquids in multiple nicotine strengths, as well as nicotine free e-liquids. We have no interest in selling our products to anyone who does not already vape or use combustible cigarettes. We strictly adhere to industry leading age verification technology.
At Kure, we have found that over time our customers gradually reduce the nicotine strength of their e-liquids. Ideally, we are all on a journey to a lifestyle free from vaping and nicotine. In the interim, we are here to help find assist you in finding the right vape for your vaping style. Feel free to drop by one of our Kure locations for additional assistance. We would be delighted to help you find the perfect vape and vape juice.
Social Vaper
A social vaper only vapes in group settings. While alcohol might be involved, the category of social vaper also includes adults who only vape while on break at work or at other social gatherings.
Whether it is outside of an event or heading outside with a group of co-worker on a particularly stressful shift, the Social Vaper does not need or want the biggest and most powerful piece of vape hardware on the market.
A social vaper does not vape all the time, or even that frequently. Social vapers are most likely to be tempted by the ease of use provided by a prefilled vape pod kit or the disposable vapes that are sold at a gas station or convenience store. Do not fall into this trap. Refillable Vape Pods are the Best Value. You will be stunned at how much you can save by simply filling your own device.
For the social vaper we recommend the refillable vape pod kit. The term vape pod covers a wide array of vaping hardware. Some are powerful enough to replace a vape mod and sub-ohm tank combination. The best choice for most social vapers is going to be a small, draw activated refillable vape pod starter kit.
Vaporesso XROS
There are many small refillable vape pod kits that are easy to fill, flavorful and reliable. Our pick for the social vaper is the Vaporesso XROS and Vaporesso XROS Mini. The form factor of the Vaporesso XROS is quite similar to a bar style disposable vape or a prefilled vape pod.
The standard XROS can work as both a draw activated vape and or as a button fire device. Both the XROS and XROS Mini use the same refillable pod designs and have identical wattage. But they have slightly different features. The XROS Mini is the smaller device because it does not have adjustable airflow or a fire button, which takes up real estate below where the pod is affixed. But the Mini has a bigger battery. Wattage for both is 11 and 16 watts.
Unlike prefilled vape pod kits, which are only available in tobacco flavors since the federal ban of prefilled vape pod flavors, the XROS can be filled with the e-liquid flavors that adult vapers prefer.
The Vaporesso XROS has an 800mAh battery, adjustable air flow and uses easy to fill pods. The XROS Mini only works as an autodraw, no fire button, and does not offer the same airflow adjustment. Otherwise, performance is identical and the XROS Mini has a larger battery (1000mAh).
Vaporesso XROS Pods
The Vaporesso XROS and XROS Mini have two pod options. There is a lower resistance pod that is perfect for vaping lower nicotine e-juices. The 0.8ohm Mesh Pod takes full advantage of the 16 watts of power the XROS has on tap and generates a surprisingly robust amount of vapor. It is also suitable for lower strength salt nic juices. The 1.2ohm Mesh Pod is a pure mouth-to-lung design and perfect for salt nic juices. It essentially turns the XROS or XROS Mini into a refillable Vuse Alto, MyBlu or Juul.
Both pods hold 2ml of e-liquid are transparent beneath the mouthpiece, so it is easy to monitor how much juice is left in the pod. This is hugely important in social situations.
Pods versus Coils
There are no coils to swap out. The long lasting XROS Pods will generate great flavor and vapor, and when they begin to fade you simply pitch the whole pod and snap a new one into its place. It couldn’t be easier to use.
The mouthpiece is removed to reveal a pair of large fill ports, squeezing a bottle into one of these openings represents the full extent of the labor required to operate an XROS. If anything, it is easier to charge than a prefilled vape pod as it does not have a proprietary dock but instead uses a standard USB cable.
There are other excellent refillable vape pod kits that also mimic the autodraw performance, small size and ease of use that made prefilled vape pod kits so popular. The Smok Novo family, and UWell Caliburn are a couple of examples.
Moderate Vaper
How do you define a moderate vaper in a world that has largely sent vapers outdoors and where politicians and regulators pursue total nicotine abstinence at the expense of adult vapers?
Adult vapers in the US endure a political and regulatory climate intent on denying them access to the flavors of e-liquids they prefer. The PACT Act worked as a de facto ban that funneled legal age adult vapers back towards combustible cigarettes and tobacco flavored e-cigs manufactured by Big Tobacco.
A moderate vaper uses their nicotine delivery system (ENDS) at set intervals. While certainly everyday vapers, their use pattern is not constant.
Maybe it is a set schedule or perhaps a catch-as-catch-can scenario, but moderate vaping is not “chain vaping”. Moderate vapers are intentionally limiting their puff counts and more likely to reduce or minimize the nicotine strengths of their e-liquids.
Pod Mods
The best device for a moderate vaper is a Pod Mod. What separates a Pod Mod from a regular mod is that the pod affixes to the device with magnets while vape mods use universal 510 threading. Pod Mods have swappable coils and reusable pods, rather than just pods that get tossed in the trash after they get worn out.
Pod Mods can nearly match vape mods in terms of vapor production and also vape potent nic salts when a high-resistance coil is installed. Also referred to as All-In-One or AIO vapes, most come with an integrated and built-in lithium ion battery.
Vaporesso Target PM80
A moderate vaper is going to want a device with flexibility and power. The Pod Mod is perfect for this most numerous type of vaper.
Most moderate vapers are monitoring their nicotine intake and a device that can handle lower nicotine freebase juices is a must. While the Vaporesso XROS can handle freebase e-liquid, which come in much lower nicotine strengths than salt nic juices, the maximum output of 16 watts is really at the low end of the power curve.
These limitations on power and flexibility are why we recommend the Vaporesso Target PM80 instead. It is an ideal device for almost any vaper. Pod Mods are increasing in popularity and Voopoo has several models as well.
The Vaporesso Target PM80 is the perfect device for a moderate vaper because it can handle any vaping scenario. It accomplishes this through its compatibility with a wide range of coils.
The Vaporesso Target PM80 is a true Pod Mod, offering the performance of a vape mod, the ability to vape nic salts when a high-resistance coil is installed and a sleek design.
With a 2000mAh battery, the PM80 can easily get through a day of moderate vaping. With adjustable wattage ranging from 5 to 80 watts, the PM80 can handle anything. The gorgeous 0.96” TFT screen contains all the information you need. Despite its slender pod design, the PM80 also has adjustable airflow. The Axon Chip, the same one used in its larger Vaporesso Gen mod stablemates, is lightning fast.
Vaporesso GTX Coils
The core of the Vaporesso Target PM80’s appeal is its flexibility. This flexibility is achieved through its compatibility with the GTX coil family. The Vaporesso Target PM80 comes standard with the GTX 0.2ohm Mesh Coil which operates best between 45 and 65 watts. The second coil is the 0.3ohm Mesh Coil. This coil operates most efficiently between 32 and 45 watts. Neither one of these coils is suitable for potent salt nic juices.
Due to advances in coil technology, the GTX coils can generate massive vapor if called upon for that purpose. Mesh coils have more surface area and greater ramp speed than the coil designs from a few years ago. The reason you do not see as many 120 watt coils in 2022 is because 60 or 80 watts is more than sufficient for most vapers. Even fans of max-VG juices.
Many moderate vapers want to limit the nicotine strength of the e-liquids they vape and their overall intake. This does not mean they are limited to freebase juices in the Target PM80.
The GTX coil family is extensive and has a coil for every scenario. While sold separately, they can completely change the performance envelope of this mod. These are the same coils used in the Vaporesso Gen Nano.
Higher Resistance GTX Coils for Nic Salts
If you are looking for a more balanced coil with an emphasis on flavor, the PM80 is compatible with the 0.6ohm and 0.8ohm Mesh Coils. The 0.6ohm coil operates between 20 and 30 watts. The 0.8ohm Coil operates between 12 and 20 watts. You may note that this is quite comparable to the low resistance coil found in the Vaporesso XROS series pods. If you really want to dig in and use potent salt nic juices, there is 1.2ohm GTX coil that operates between 7 and 12 watts.
Since the XROS Mini 1.2ohm coil is firing at 11 watts, you would be converting your 80 watt Pod Mod into a vape pod kit that is generating less vapor and more flavor than the diminutive XROS.
This is not to say the XROS is horribly overmatched. It is still the smaller device, uses magnetically affixed pods rather than replacement coils, and the Vaporesso Target PM80 does not have draw-activation. But what it does mean is that for a moderate vaper, the Vaporesso Target PM80 is the only device you need. It can fill in as a refillable vape pod kit or as a box mod.
Frequent Vaper
The frequent vaper is vaping constantly. This is not a style that is conducive to potent salt nic juices. We are not recommending chain vaping or any style of use or specific nicotine strengths, but potent nic salts can be a bit much if you are puffing non-stop.
The sub-ohm tank and vape mod combination delivers satisfying performance from freebase e-liquids with lower nicotine strengths. Low nicotine strength, low resistance coils, and high wattage.
Vape mods are perfect for vaping zero nicotine e-liquids. Most max-VG juices come in 0, 3 and 6mg nicotine strength. You can vape 0 nicotine strength juices throughout the day without overdoing it in terms of nicotine consumption. A mod is perfect for this.
For situations where blatantly chucking clouds or carrying a larger device is not feasible, keeping a refillable vape pod kit like the Vaporesso XROS Mini on hand is a good idea.
Prefilled vape pods or disposable vapes will not make fiscal sense for a frequent vaper. Perhaps in a travel situation a disposable could come in handy, but a refillable vape pod kit delivers superior performance and quickly pays for itself.
Smok Scar-18
The Smok Scar-18 is a cutting edge vape mod. It is waterproof, dustproof and shockproof to IP67 standards. This makes the Scar-18 a perfect daily driver that can be vaped all day. With the IQ-X, the Scar-18 takes full advantage of the dual 18650 batteries. These are sold separately. The maximum power is 230 watts. Ramp-up speed and efficiency are the watchwords with the Scar-18. Ready for the splashes and bumps of all day vaping, there is no more suitable vape mod for the frequent vaper.
The 510 threaded Smok Scar-18 is a classic vape mod. With a full suite of temperature and wattage controls, the durable stainless design is perfect for a frequent vaper.
Smok TFV9 Tank
The Smok TFV9 comes with the Smok Scar-18 vape starter kit has an e-liquid capacity of 6.5ml. The kit also arrives with two 0.15ohm V9 Meshed Coils. This coil can operate between 40 and 90 watts. This wide power band is impressive. Flavor and vapor production are top notch. The airflow controls, locking cap system, and press fit coils make this an easy vape mod to use all-day.