Compared to smoking, vaping is an excellent way to save money, but some vapers try to maximize their savings by refilling cartridges instead of using disposable ones. Although you have to manually refill the cartridges, the potential for cost savings is much greater. Many users are left unsure as to whether it’s actually worth the effort, given the ease of disposable cartomizers. This guide will help you make a decision.
What is E-Liquid?
The most common type of cartridge, the cartomizer, contains both the atomizer and the liquid you vape. This is completely disposable, so the atomizer is thrown away and when the liquid is finished you no longer have to deal with it. The atomizers in these are made to be single-use, so they can’t usually be refilled and reused. In three-piece models, the atomizer is separate from the cartridge and so you can keep the same one for longer. When you’re done, you refill the cartridge and keep going. The liquid that you vape can be bought separately with a pipette for dripping, and is available in a variety of flavors.
E-Liquid Benefits
There are plenty of marked advantages of using e-liquid. The biggest and most obvious one is the cost-saving, thanks to getting more out of each atomizer. The specific figure can vary, but generally speaking the difference will be substantial, as a 20 per day smoker will use two or three 30ml bottles per month, compared to a cartridge or more per day. It’s cheaper to work in larger amounts, but even the 10ml bottles represent a potential cost saving.
There are numerous additional positives to using e-liquid:
- Eliminate waste – no more constantly disposing of cartridges.
- Plenty of flavor options and nicotine strengths, as well as the potential to mix your own blends!
- You can change from propylene glycol to an alternative ingredient like vegetable glycol if you’re allergic.
- The liquid can be used across brands, increasing flavor options for the refillable brands.
Cartomizer Benefits
Although many more budget conscious and tech-savvy vapers opt for the refillable liquid, there is still something to be said for going disposable. The most obvious is the ease of use – the most difficult thing you have to do is screw the cartridge on and take it off again when it’s drained. This means no contact with liquid nicotine, no carefully dripping solution into cartridges and no atomizer replacement. It’s the perfect entry-level option because no real knowledge is required.
The cartomizer-style cartridges also have more room for liquid, which means you get more puffs out of each. They’re also the industry standard, so virtually all companies provide them, as opposed to the select few which offer e-liquid. The cost of e-cigarettes is much lower than smoking anyway, so most users won’t prioritize any additional savings straight away. Read the latest e-cigarette cartridges reviews to find the best brand that suits your needs.
Making the Choice
Chances are, you’ve already been exposed to cartomizers and you’re considering re-filling for the first time. The decision you have to make boils down to some simple questions: are you on a tight budget? Are you unhappy with two-piece e-cigarettes? Is mixing your own flavors important to you? If the answer to these questions is yes, e-liquid might be just what you’re looking for. If not, don’t fix what isn’t broken.