Vape Academy: User Guides and Tutorials For Beginner and Intermediate Vapers
by James Dunworth GuidesUpdated August 2023
Since 2008, I’ve added over 1000 posts to this blog. This makes it rather hard to find what you want, especially if you are new to e-cigarettes and want to get an overview.
If you are a beginner or intermediate user of e-cigarettes, the articles below cover the essentials for getting started, as well as some more advanced information.
Menu
- General User Guides
- Tanks | Batteries & Mods | Coils | Vape Juice
- Health and Safety
- E-Liquid Ingredients
- Myth Busting
- History
Vaping Mistakes: 21 Mistakes People Make When They Start Vaping
Just started vaping? Learn from other people’s mistakes to ensure you get off to a flying start!
Inhaling on a vape can be very different from inhaling on a cigarette. Learn about the different styles and which one is right for you.
My Vape is Hot? What Should I Do?
Vape getting hot? Find out what causes it, when you need to worry and what to do about it.
Stop Spit-Back When Vaping With One Simple Step
Spit-back, when you are vaping, can be super annoying. Find out what it is and how to easily stop it.
Why Is My Vape Auto-Firing? Causes, Prevention & Fixes
Occasionally pod devices can fire even when you are not inhaling on them. Here's why, how to prevent it from happening - and what to do if it does happen!
Which Vape Kit Should You Buy?
There’s no one ‘right’ e-cig kit – what you buy depends on you and your circumstances. In this post you’ll find a guide to matching the different vape kits available with your needs.
Complete with videos, images and diagrams, this guide will teach you everything you need to get started with regular and refillable electronic cigarettes. It’ll also point you in the right direction if you need to know more!
The complete guide to disposable vape devices, including how to get started, best brands to try and switching to refillable devices.
Switching from Disposables to Reusable Vape Devices
A deep dive into ditching disposables for reusable devices, including the benefits and the best options for switching.
The Ultimate Beginners Guide to Vape Batteries
Everything you need to know about vape batteries, including which battery to choose, 9 ways to extend battery life, battery maintenance, which battery to choose and much more.
The Vaper’s Guide to Voltage, Watts and Ohms
Confused by variable voltage, variable wattage, sub-ohming and other vaping terms? This post explains them all, and how you can use them to improve your vaping experience.
16 Common E-cig Mistakes (and How to Fix Them!)
Having problems with your e-cig? You’re not alone. I sat down with the E-Cigarette Direct customer services team to find out the most common problems – and how to fix them.
ECig Maintenance: 10 Tips For Keeping Your Vape In Tip-Top Condition
These 10 illustrated tips will help you maximise the performance of your vape device, extend itslife and get the most out of your e-liquid.
How to Stealth Vape Like a Pro
Stealth vaping is easy – if you have the right equipment, juice and techniques. Find out what it is and how to do it.
Temperature Controlled Vaping: Everything You Need to Know
What is temperature-controlled vaping? How does it work? And is it right for you? Find out all the answers in this guide.
The Vaper’s Guide to Flavour Chasing
Prefer great flavour to blowing massive clouds of vapour? Then this post is for you!
The Vaper’s Guide to Throat Hit
Based on the experience of over 1000 vapers, here are 6 ways to tailor your throat hit.
Removing Barriers from Vaping: Tips For People With Disabilities
Struggling to use your vape because of problems with mobility or eyesight? After one customer got in touch because she couldn’t change her coil, we put this guide together.
Sub-Ohm Vaping: A Beginner’s Guide
Wondering how to sub-ohm vape – or even what sub-ohming is? This guide will clear the air!
How to Get More Nicotine From Your E-Cig
Worried about incoming restrictions on maximum nicotine strengths? Here’s a clear and simple guide to getting more nicotine from your vape, even when you need to use lower strengths!
Mouth to Lung v. Direct to Lung Vaping Explained
Confused by terms like MTL or DTL? Find out what they mean] and how to use them in vaping.
Pod systems are revolutionising vaping. We explain what they are, how to use them and share the best options for this year.
The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Tanks
Learn about the different types of vape tanks and how to refill, clean and troubleshoot them..
For more advanced users there’s also a section on using different resistance coils and a resistance chart.
Common Tank Mistakes...and How to Fix Them
If you make any of these mistakes, you’ll find these fixes will extend your tank’s life, save you money and increase the enjoyment you get from vaping.
15 Tips To Stop Your Tank from Leaking
Have you ever had a leaking tank? If so, you’re not alone! Here are 15 solutions to stop or reduce your tank from leaking.
Vape Batteries: A Complete Guide
Everything you need to know about vape batteries, from 9 ways to extend battery life to troubleshooting common vape battery issues.
Interested in a vape mod but confused by the huge variety available? In this post we explain the different features mods can offer, and then match the features to the mods – so you can be sure you are choosing the right one for you.
Using External Vape Batteries: What You Need to Know
While some vape devices come with built-in vape batteries, other devices use separate batteries. Find out everything you need to know, or navigate to specific information with the handy sub-menu.
The Ten Rules of Vape Battery Safety (Infographic)
All batteries, whether they are vape batteries or otherwise, need to be treated with respect. Follow these simple guidelines for peace of mind when vaping.
Advanced Vaping Modes: What do they actually mean?
TC, TCR, FO mode - it’s easy to get confused by the terms bandied around by vape manufacturers. Find out what they mean, what the benefits are - and how to use them.
If you are using a refillable tank or pod, one of the most important skills you can learn is priming your coil. Here’s how to do it…
Seven Easy Ways to Clear A Flooded Coil
Quick and simple methods for dealing with coils that have been flooded with e-liquid.
Wound up by coils? You’re not alone. This guide explains the essential differences between different coil materials and designs – and provides an introduction to building your own.
9 Easy Ways to Stop Your Coils From Burning
Burnt coils taste terrible, cost you money and are bad for your health. Here’s how to stop it from happening.
How to Fix a No Atomiser Message
From time to time you may get a message on your screen saying ‘No Atomizer’. If so, here’s what to do…
Are Plexus coils just another gimmick or a real advance in coil technology? Lee Johnson explores the new technology to find out.
Changing E-Liquid Flavours in a Vape Device: A Step-by-Step Guide
Want to change the flavour in your vape? Learn when you need to change a pod or tank, if you can wash it instead, and which flavours can be mixed together.
Nicotine & E-Liquid: What Strength Do You Need?
There’s a lot of advice on which nicotine strength to start with. Unfortunately, a lot of that advice is wrong. Based on evidence, advice from scientists and experience, find out what nicotine strength you should start vaping with.
How to Store E-Liquid: Tips for The Zombie Apocalypse
Store incorrectly, and your e-liquid could turn brown while flavour compounds break down. Find out how to store e-liquid correctly, and if e-liquid supplies start to dry up because of a zombie apocalypse, you’ll know what to do.
When you first choose your e-liquid, there can be a bewildering choice of flavours, e-liquid types and nicotine strengths. We break down the different kinds of e-liquids to make this process easier.
Shortfill E-Liquid: What Is It, How to Use It
Shortfill e-liquid is very different from regular 10ml e-liquid. Find out what it is and how to use it.
People often get confused about what vape juice is. This blog post explains what it is and what’s in it – or just scroll down for the infographic for a visual explanation.
Nicotine Salts For Vapes: What’s The Fuss?
Nicotine salts are behind the rise of vape brand Juul in the US. We explore what’s different about it, if it’ssafe and what the benefits are.
The Dreaded Vaper’s Tongue: What is it, what causes it and how to cure it
Ever suddenly gone off a favourite taste, or suddenly not been able to taste anything at all? Then you may have vaper’s tongue. In this article you can find out what it is, what causes it and what to do about it.
Smoke Without Fire? The Truth About Vaping Safety
In the ten years since we first wrote about vaping safety there has been a huge amount of data and evidence that helps shed light on how safe vaping really is. We go into the evidence to discover the truth.
What Do Scientists Say About The Electronic Cigarette?
You’ll find both pro and anti e-cig arguments on the net and in tabloids. So we decided to speak to some to real experts on smoking and e-cigarettes. Many of the scientists here are on the cutting edge of e-cigarette research, and their opinions are worth listening to!
PG Allergy & Sensitivities (and how to deal with them)
Some vapers have reported a reaction to propylene glycol. How serious is it? How long does it last? And how can you overcome it? We reviewed the research and surveyed 1000 vapers – here’s what we found out…
We review the best available evidence to find out if propylene glycol is dangerous to inhale.
Seven Quit Smoking Side Effects Vapers Could Experience
There are a number of side effects you can experience when you quit tobacco cigarettes. We review five of the possible side effects you may experience.
Propylene Glycol: What the Health Conscious Vaper Needs to Know!
Join researcher Paul Bergen as he explores one of the principal ingredients used in electronic cigarettes, and it’s health implications for vapers.
Propylene Glycol and Vegetable Glycerine: Five Key Differences
Different e-liquids have different PG:VG ratios. Understanding what PG and VG do is crucial to choosing the right ratio. This post explores the key difference so you can make an informed choice.
Also known as VG, this ingredient is often used along with PG, and is also used exclusively in a small number of eliquids. Click on the link to learn more about it!
Nicotine: 10 Facts All E-Cigarette Users Should Know
Fascinating facts about the effect nicotine has on your body and on your brain. (And it’s not all negative!)
How Much E-liquid Does It Take To Kill You?: Important Information For All Vapers
From gruesome nicotine murders to how much e-liquid it would take to kill you, here’s information that all informed vapers will find both entertaining and useful.
An Interview with Nicotine Expert Dr Houezeq on Storing Eliquid, Addiction and More
Scientist, researcher and nicotine expert Dr Houzeq discusses the best way to store nicotine, why the colour and taste of eliquid can change (and whether you should be concerned about that) and much more.
We review research, perform extreme personal experiments and interview heroin addicts to come up with surprising results.
The History of the Electronic Cigarette
Chart the history of vaping from the first battery-powered cigarette prototype in the 1960’s, through tobacco companies promising but discarded research in the 1980’s to the invention of the modern e-cigarette in the early 2000’s.
The True Origins of the Word Vaping (it all started in the 1970’s)
Most of us assume vaping is something new. But we tracked down the first commercial attempt at a smoke-free cigarette to the 1970’s. (Also see our interview with one of the vaping pioneers, Dr Norman Jacobson.)
An Interview with The Inventor of the Electronic Cigarette
We talk to the inventor of the first battery-powered cigarette about his invention, why it never made commercial production, comparisons with the present day electronic cigarette and much more.
