Vape Hype Sucks

[Puff the Magic Dragon]

I've just watched a YouTube short on the Vaporesso X Mini. It was entitled something like "the best vape pod ever".

I would typically not be at all interested but I noticed that the video had 1.7 million views !!!!!

The video had no comments, just a badly filmed look around the pod.

I then looked at some of the "best" vape reviewers' comments on the device. It turns out that it has many issues including the fact that it cannot stand upright. I won't list the negatives but it didn't receive glowing reviews.

The combined total of the views of the top 10 reviewers amounted to less than 0.1 million views.

It blows my mind. 1.7 million viewers watch a short video on the claimed best pod ever. They are given no facts, just a look at the pod. I wonder how many of them went out and bought it? The "experts" very clearly thought that this offering was not even close to the best pod category, let alone the best ever.

If you believe the hype and you are caught out it is your own fault. The problem is that perhaps many people can't identify hype when they see it.

I didn't want to include a pic of the pod because I wouldn't want to endorse it but relented so that at least you can see which pod I have been talking about.

Hype is real.

 

[Halfdaft]

I had a similar situation on YouTube shorts where the title was "BEST VAPE EVER!!!" and it was a disposable...

 

[Grand Guru]

The number of short views doesn't mean much. If you are familiar with the short videos section, you'd notice that you scroll videos without knowing what's next and videos are recommended based on your interests... there are plenty of more meaningless videos with a much higher number of views.

 

[Silver]

Thanks @Puff the Magic Dragon
I agree there is often a lot of hype. Not just with vaping but in many areas.
One needs to listen to folk that know their topic and have used something for a while.
Hopefully we can also share more of our experiences here with devices and juices we try - so that it can help others in making better choices.

 

[Intuthu Kagesi]

Whilst I in no way endorse either the "review"? or the pod in question ... I do think we, (ecigssa), need to move with the times ...

The more mature members will remember when Pipes, Cigars and Cheroots were vogue, with the less fortunate of us rolling their own using whatever paper they could, and ... as time passed by, precut papers and then packets of cigarette specific tobacco became available, followed by premade cigarettes, then with added filters ... and then various brands with all manner of added chemicals to create brand loyalty ... the pack size then started shrinking from 50's to 30's to 20's to 10's and now 5's.

A similar thing is happening with Vaping ... The mass market is heading down the disposable market route ... Rebuildables will remain in / on the market, much the same as Cigars and Pipe Tobacco is still available through specialist Tobacconists, and ...
What are we doing about it? ... Are we as a forum catering for them? ...

If we don't, then the public will look to whatever platforms are available, (irrespective of whether the information presented is factual or not), and ... we lose the right to criticize if we aren't providing an alternative #justsaying

 

[Silver]

Whilst I in no way endorse either the "review"? or the pod in question ... I do think we, (ecigssa), need to move with the times ...

The more mature members will remember when Pipes, Cigars and Cheroots were vogue, with the less fortunate of us rolling their own using whatever paper they could, and ... as time passed by, precut papers and then packets of cigarette specific tobacco became available, followed by premade cigarettes, then with added filters ... and then various brands with all manner of added chemicals to create brand loyalty ... the pack size then started shrinking from 50's to 30's to 20's to 10's and now 5's.

A similar thing is happening with Vaping ... The mass market is heading down the disposable market route ... Rebuildables will remain in / on the market, much the same as Cigars and Pipe Tobacco is still available through specialist Tobacconists, and ...
What are we doing about it? ... Are we as a forum catering for them? ...

If we don't, then the public will look to whatever platforms are available, (irrespective of whether the information presented is factual or not), and ... we lose the right to criticize if we aren't providing an alternative #justsaying

I agree with you @Intuthu Kagesi
The only thing is that the more experienced vapers here or the old timers mostly use rebuildables and have found their happy place.
I am one of them - I don't claim to know about all the rebuildables or mods - but I've had my fair share of trial and error with all sorts of rebuildables
However, I do not use disposables or pods and if you asked me (as an experienced forum member) which disposable is better out of a choice of three - I wouldn't have a clue. So one needs to find those that have the experience and are willing to share.

 

[Intuthu Kagesi]

We have a number of supporting vendors on this forum who do stock disposables, along with enough expertise amongst the member base to address the problem statement(s) effectively, and I rate we do just that! ... Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't that what ecigssa was founded on

 

[Puff the Magic Dragon]

Whilst I in no way endorse either the "review"? or the pod in question ... I do think we, (ecigssa), need to move with the times ...

The more mature members will remember when Pipes, Cigars and Cheroots were vogue, with the less fortunate of us rolling their own using whatever paper they could, and ... as time passed by, precut papers and then packets of cigarette specific tobacco became available, followed by premade cigarettes, then with added filters ... and then various brands with all manner of added chemicals to create brand loyalty ... the pack size then started shrinking from 50's to 30's to 20's to 10's and now 5's.

A similar thing is happening with Vaping ... The mass market is heading down the disposable market route ... Rebuildables will remain in / on the market, much the same as Cigars and Pipe Tobacco is still available through specialist Tobacconists, and ...
What are we doing about it? ... Are we as a forum catering for them? ...

If we don't, then the public will look to whatever platforms are available, (irrespective of whether the information presented is factual or not), and ... we lose the right to criticize if we aren't providing an alternative #justsaying

I agree with your views. I rolled my own for years and smoked the odd cigar etc.

It is clear that disposables are indeed here to stay. One advantage of disposables is that their relatively low price allows you to try out several different types until one finds the one that you prefer. The same applies to the juice.

I have only tried one of them and didn't hate the experience. I am not a bunny hugger but I couldn't come to terms with the wastefulness of disposables in the long term. Disposables are way better than cigarettes.

After vaping for more than eight years I will never return to smoking. I keep a few packs of cigarettes in my study that I had left over when I quit. I haven't been even slightly tempted to light one up. If someone stole all my vape gear (bring a large suitcase) and disposables were all that were available I would vape on them. I would then make my own mech mod and RDA and convert to that.

 

[Intuthu Kagesi]

I agree with your views. I rolled my own for years and smoked the odd cigar etc.

It is clear that disposables are indeed here to stay. One advantage of disposables is that their relatively low price allows you to try out several different types until one finds the one that you prefer. The same applies to the juice.

I have only tried one of them and didn't hate the experience. I am not a bunny hugger but I couldn't come to terms with the wastefulness of disposables in the long term. Disposables are way better than cigarettes.

After vaping for more than eight years I will never return to smoking. I keep a few packs of cigarettes in my study that I had left over when I quit. I haven't been even slightly tempted to light one up. If someone stole all my vape gear (bring a large suitcase) and disposables were all that were available I would vape on them. I would then make my own mech mod and RDA and convert to that.

You're on the money, (pun intended), with the disposable costing, and ... I do believe we have enough expertise right here on ecigssa to be able to independently review the flavour(s) on offer ... and even be able to accurately measure, (or even calculate based on battery A/hr rating and coil resistance), the claimed no. of puffs, and maybe even throw in opinion on the device(s) ergonomics, as we even have a few experts in that domain right here on ecigssa.
I do however stand by my views wrt safety of these devices, and would like to see that addressed, along with some form of recycling, (the costing possibly tied into a refundable deposit portion), not unlike we had many years ago with cooldrink bottles, and currently with beer bottles.

As to using them ... hmmmm ... I too smoked for many years, (50 and some change in fact ), and like you, will NEVER return to cigarettes, and in the event, (G_d forbid), that vaping is banned, restricted, and or all your vape kit "relocated", well ...what I can't help you with we'll friggen make dammit ... n boer maak a plan, maar hierdie Engelse het alreeds een.

O and I have tried a couple of disposables, (with the addition of a 1A PTC for my own peace of mind), and ... I believe they're on a par with EGO devices from around the time Noah was parking the Ark on Mt. Ararat #underwhelmed

 

[Silver]

I agree with your views. I rolled my own for years and smoked the odd cigar etc.

It is clear that disposables are indeed here to stay. One advantage of disposables is that their relatively low price allows you to try out several different types until one finds the one that you prefer. The same applies to the juice.

I have only tried one of them and didn't hate the experience. I am not a bunny hugger but I couldn't come to terms with the wastefulness of disposables in the long term. Disposables are way better than cigarettes.

After vaping for more than eight years I will never return to smoking. I keep a few packs of cigarettes in my study that I had left over when I quit. I haven't been even slightly tempted to light one up. If someone stole all my vape gear (bring a large suitcase) and disposables were all that were available I would vape on them. I would then make my own mech mod and RDA and convert to that.

Hardened enthusiast @Puff the Magic Dragon !

 

[Rob Fisher]

The problem with disposables is that the nic levels are so damn HIGH! I would love a couple of disposables with 3mg nic that I could use when called for... but I picked up a few disposables at VapeCon and a couple of puffs, and my head is spinning! I have mentioned this to many vendors and the answer is always the same... low nic disposables won't sell. I beg to disagree and until such time as disposables come out in low nic options, they will remain a no-no for me.

 

[Resistance]

So... In my situation I have looked at a few disposables in the past week to cater to my own need for vaping.
I looked at overall cost of the disposable compared to the overall cost of a refillable pod including the cost of replaceable coil pods VS disposable pods including the purchase of juice and compared that to the cost of a decent MTL setup including sundries (cotton, coils and juice).
When you're in a pickle and the budget is low the disposable made more sense to buy in my situation.
However I have already got vape gear so the next thing to consider was juice cost VS juice and battery capacity of the disposable VS the purchase of refillable pods/ coils for pods including courier.

If I didn't have the gear already I would have opted for the disposable.
If I didn't have coils or replaceable pods I also would have opted for the disposable.
If I liked brain freeze, I would have opted for the disposable because most of them got so much coolant in there I find it almost impossible to have a decent MTL/RDL or even DL vape draw on them although the nic hit is decent mg/ml comparable to whatever bottle of juice suits your needs.
So the disposable made more sense in my situation this past week and that's the issue some Vapers other than me is facing.
Juice cost, coil cost(pods included) , cotton cost, and then still courier cost adds up and if you sometimes have to get all of these in one go your budget takes a hit so I see why Vapers go the disposable route.
R100 disposable pod at about 2ml capacity lasts about two to three days on average.
Decent MTL 30ml bottle about R150 coils and pods about R100 for about two to three so average R50 for one, however it mostly comes in packs unless its popular and brick and mortar stores are willing to sell them individually.
All this lasting about a week. Then considering the time spent on maintaining your setup recoiling, rewicking., etc.
So if I didn't have my pack of coils and my pod device or even my MTL/DL setup I would have seriously considered switching to disposables for a while because I sometimes use MTL juice in a DL setup.
These disposables fill a gap not just in the market, but a gap for transitioning to vaping and even waiting for my next vape mail to arrive and suits the needs of some Vapers.
The next step I see is education on recycling and more recycling centers and collection areas because they're going nowhere slowly.

 

[Puff the Magic Dragon]

O and I have tried a couple of disposables, (with the addition of a 1A PTC for my own peace of mind), and ... I believe they're on a par with EGO devices from around the time Noah was parking the Ark on Mt. Ararat #underwhelmed

They are on par with EGO devices but I will never knock EGO because they got me off smoking.

The disposable manufacturers could also have added a PTC to their devices but why add 50 cents to your cost? Who could successfully sue a company halfway across the world for damages or injury?