8 Best Vapes For Heavy Smokers (How To Choose + Useful Tips)

Want to leave your pack-a-day habit behind, minus the nicotine withdrawal woes?

The right vape can be your ticket to a smoke-free life.

Today, many vape devices are designed with heavy smokers in mind, including options for those looking to reduce or eliminate nicotine altogether. Imagine getting that satisfying throat hit and rich flavor you're used to but without the ash and lingering smell (or maybe even the nicotine).

Besides, these vapes last far longer than a pack of regular cigarettes, saving you frequent smoke breaks.

Let’s explore the needs of heavy vapers and the best vapes to satisfy them – from advanced mods to user-friendly pod systems. We’ll also discuss the most popular vape flavors for heavy smokers, the timeline to expect when switching to vaping, and more.

Let’s dive in.

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What Should Heavy Smokers Look For When Buying Vapes? (3 Factors to Evaluate)

No matter how heavy a smoker you are, there's a perfect vape out there for you. There are three important factors you should look for – nicotine strength, flavors, and vaping styles.

1. Nicotine Strength

As a heavy smoker, you're probably used to higher levels of nicotine, so you’ll require a higher vape liquid strength to satisfy cravings.

Vape liquids typically come in nicotine strengths ranging from 1% (10mg) to 5% (50mg).

Pro tip: Nicotine salt e-liquids are ideal for heavy smokers, as they typically contain high nicotine levels (4% or 5%.)

You will also find zero-nicotine vape liquids that let you enjoy the same taste and sensation if you’re looking to eventually quit.

2. Familiar Flavors

A heavy smoker is often accustomed to the rich, complex taste of tobacco smoke, so you may find sweet or fruity vape e-liquids unappealing in the beginning.

Fortunately, e-liquids are available in familiar flavors like bold tobacco, mint, and menthol.

3. Vaping Styes: MTL Disposables vs DTL Mod Vapes

Cigarette smoking is straightforward, but vaping offers two unique experiences: mouth-to-lung (MTL) and direct-to-lung (DTL) vaping.

  • MTL Vapes: MTL involves drawing e cigarette vapor into your mouth before inhaling. These vapes are often disposable or pod-based devices, requiring little to no maintenance. Heavy smokers favor these for their rich flavor, higher nicotine, and harsher throat hit, closely resembling a tobacco cigarette.

  • DTL Vapes: DTL allows direct lung inhalation and is common with “mod vapes,” which have large batteries and refillable e-liquid tanks. DTL vapes produce more vapor with a milder throat hit and lower nicotine, making them ideal for those aiming to quit smoking.

Let's explore the best vapes for a heavy smoker.

8 Best Vapes For Heavy Smokers

You can choose from three categories — disposable, pod, and mod vapes:

A. Disposable Vapes

Disposable vapes are single-use, pre-filled devices requiring no maintenance or refilling before being discarded.

1. Cyclone Pods Surge Bold Tobacco Pod Vape

The Surge device is an innovative, rechargeable pod-based vape that’s free from nicotine and harmful chemicals. It contains only high-quality vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol, and flavorings.

With its familiar Bold Tobacco flavor, you won’t find yourself missing a tobacco cigarette. It’s the best vape for those looking to quit smoking cold turkey and for those who prefer transitioning progressively (helpful in the stage when you are ready to cut down your nicotine intake to 0).

Tip: Pair nicotine-free vaping devices with NRTs (like nicotine gum) to help curb nicotine withdrawal.

Features:

  • Puff Count: 6000 puffs per vape pod
  • Battery Capacity: Powerful detachable battery with USB-C charging
  • E-Liquid Capacity: 15ml of nicotine-free tobacco-flavored vape juice
  • Other Flavor Options: Wide range, including Bold Tobacco, Tobacco, Mint, and Menthol
  • Design and Build: Sleek and portable with a stylish glossy finish

Pricing: You can purchase a Surge Starter Vape Kit for just $22. It includes the Surge Battery and a pod to get you started. Replacement Surge vape pods cost only $16 and each of the 24 mouth-watering flavors provides up to 6000 puffs!

2. Elf Bar BC5000

The ELF Bar BC5000 is a compact disposable vape that’s convenient and portable.

It has a large, prefilled e-liquid tank and a rechargeable battery, offering smooth pulls and rich flavors.

The Elf Bar comes with a strong 5% (50mg) nicotine strength, making it a good choice for transitioning smokers.

Features:

  • Puff Count: Up to 5000 puffs per vape device
  • Battery Capacity: 650mAh internal battery with USB-C charging
  • E-Liquid Capacity: 13ml of prefilled vape juice (5% nicotine)
  • Flavor Options: Wide range, including Menthol and several fruity varieties
  • Design and Build: Lightweight and portable with a matte finish

Pricing: $15 to $25 per vaping device, depending on your location and retailer.

3. Geek Bar Pulse

The Geek Bar Pulse is a disposable vape with a rechargeable battery, a full-color LCD display, and two power modes (regular and pulse mode).

Despite its high nicotine content, it offers rich flavor output and a smooth throat kick.

The Pulse vaping device lets you boost power with pulse mode, improving flavor at the cost of using more e-liquid.

Features:

  • Puff Count: Regular Mode provides 15,000 puffs, and Pulse Mode offers up to 7,500 puffs per vape device
  • Battery Capacity: 650mAh Type-C rechargeable battery
  • E-Liquid Capacity: 16ml of prefilled vape juice (5% nicotine)
  • Flavor Options: Wide range, including traditional, fruity, and dessert flavors
  • Design and Build: Compact design with an LCD screen and glossy finish

Pricing: $13.99 to $24.95, depending on location and retailer.

B. Pod Vapes

Pod vapes are compact, user-friendly devices that use pre-filled or refillable pods. They make vaping simple and portable but require some maintenance.

4. UWELL Caliburn G3 Pro

This pod-based vape pen works with both low- and high-nicotine e-liquids, making it ideal for those who want to quit smoking or reduce nicotine use.

The UWELL Caliburn G3 Pro has a dual-firing mechanism, meaning that the heating element ignites when users puff or when the firing button is pressed.

Features:

  • Puff Count: Around 600 puffs per refillable pod (depending on usage)
  • Battery Capacity: 1000mAh built-in battery
  • E-Liquid Capacity: 2ml refillable vape pods
  • Flavor Options: Compatible with a wide range of e-liquids, including both nicotine salt and freebase nicotine
  • Design and Build: Sleek and lightweight aluminum alloy body with a dual firing mechanism (button or draw-activated)

Pricing: The device costs around $35, and the pod costs $3 to $5, depending on location and retailer.

5. Voopoo Argus G2

The Voopoo Agrus G2 is a versatile pod vape designed to accommodate all styles of vaping. It’s equipped with a powerful (and adjustable) 30W battery and patented PnP oils that deliver rich flavors at all times.

The Voopoo Argus G2 can be used with any e-liquid, making it suitable for any stage of your quitting journey.

Features:

  • Puff Count: Around 600-700 puffs per refillable pod
  • Battery Capacity: 1500mAh internal battery
  • E-Liquid Capacity: 4.5ml refillable pod
  • Flavor Options: Compatible with a wide range of e-liquids, including nicotine salt and freebase nicotine
  • Design and Build: Zinc alloy construction with an ergonomic design featuring a leather grip and an OLED display screen

Pricing: The device costs between $24.99 and $29.99, and the pods cost from $6.99 to $9.99, depending on location and retailer.

6. Vaporesso XROS

The Vaporesso XROS is a compact, easy-to-use pod vape with a stainless steel frame. It offers adjustable airflow control, allowing you to customize your vaping experience from tight MTL hits to looser DTL draws.

The XROS uses replaceable mesh pods that enhance flavor and vapour production, and it has a convenient top-fill system for easy refilling.

Features:

  • Puff Count: Around 800-1000 puffs per pod
  • Battery Capacity: 800mAh internal battery
  • E-Liquid Capacity: 2ml refillable pod.
  • Flavor Options: Compatible with a wide range of e-liquids
  • Design and Build: Slim, lightweight design with a durable stainless steel chassis and adjustable airflow control.

Pricing: The Vaporesso XROS device costs between $16.99 and $23.90, and the pods cost between $10.99 and $17.40.

C. Mod Vapes

Mod Vapes are customizable, high-powered vaping devices that allow users to adjust settings like wattage, temperature, and coil resistance for a tailored vaping experience.

7. Eleaf iStick Power 2

The Eleaf iStick Power 2 is a compact vape mod with a large battery and high 80w output. It produces dense e cigarette vapor while preserving flavor profiles and delivers a strong throat hit. You can customize your vaping experience with a variety of coils and pods.

Features:

  • Puff Count: 1,500-3000 puffs per tank—depending on usage and coil resistance
  • Battery Capacity: 5000mAh
  • E-Liquid Capacity: 4.5ml
  • Flavor Options: Compatible with various e-liquids; supports a range of GTL coils for different flavor profiles
  • Design and Build: Elegant leather paneling, durable zinc alloy construction, and a large 0.96-inch color display

Pricing: The Eleaf iStick Power 2 typically costs between $32.99 and $36.99, depending on the retailer and location.

8. Vaporesso Armour S

The Vaporesso Armour S vape mod offers strong power output, a long-lasting battery, versatile coil options, and a durable, comfortable design that closely replicates the smoking experience.

With an adjustable wattage of up to 100W, the Armour S delivers thick, rich clouds of vapour.

The Armour S requires more maintenance than other devices, but its large tank and custom coils ensure a satisfying vaping experience for more experienced users.

Features:

  • Puff Count: Up to 6000 puffs per refill
  • Battery Capacity: 1500mAh rechargeable battery
  • E-Liquid Capacity: 10ml tank capacity
  • Flavor Options: Multiple flavor options, including fruit, menthol, and dessert profiles
  • Design and Build: Durable and ergonomic design with a comfortable grip, featuring a transparent window to monitor e-liquid levels.

Pricing: The Vaporesso Armour S Starter vape kit costs around $51.99, depending on location and retailer. GTi Mesh Coils (5 pcs pack) cost $14.90, and replacement tanks 2 cost around $5 to $10 each.

Now that you have a variety of vaping devices to choose from, let's tackle a few questions you may still have.

FAQs About Vapes for Heavy Smokers

Let’s briefly explore some topics which you need to know.

1. Which Vape is Most Like Smoking?

Disposable vapes probably offer the closest experience to smoking. They closely mimic the experience of smoking a traditional cigarette due to their mouth-to-lung experience, ease of use, compactness, and need for minimal maintenance.

They often use nicotine-salt e-liquids that deliver higher nicotine levels and a throat hit that resembles a traditional cigarette.

A heavy smoker tends to enjoy bolder, stronger flavors like tobacco and menthol. They are often off-put by rich fruit or dessert flavors.

But this doesn’t mean that sweeter flavors aren’t delicious!

Flavors like coffee, vanilla, and salted caramel are excellent flavors to spice up the palate without being overwhelming.

3. How Long Does it Take to Transition from Smoking to Vaping?

Quitting smoking and moving to vaping can take roughly 3-6 months, depending on how dedicated you are. This transition can be broken down into four stages:

  1. Preparation Phase (1-2 Weeks): The first two weeks revolve around finding a suitable vape and e-liquid, setting a quit date, and establishing goals for your transition.
  2. Initial Transition (2-4 Weeks): In weeks 2-4, you’ll start vaping while gradually reducing smoking cigarettes, adjusting to the new method, and finding the right nicotine strength to satisfy your nicotine craving.
  3. Reduction of Cigarette Smoking (1-2 Months): As you get comfortable with vaping, you’ll naturally reduce heavy smoking and learn to manage any nicotine craving.
  4. Complete Transition (3-6 Months): In months 3-6, you may fully transition to vaping, staying smoke free. During this time, consider further reducing your nicotine if your goal is quitting smoking altogether.

4. Are There Any Side Effects of Vaping for Heavy Smokers?

Just like smoking cigarettes, nicotine vaping can bring a handful of challenges to the table:

  • Nicotine Overload: Higher nicotine levels can cause lung disease, headaches, dizziness, nausea, and increased heart rate.
  • Dry Mouth: Vaping can lead to dehydration, causing dryness.
  • Coughing: Initial irritation from vapour may cause coughing.
  • Respiratory Issues: Vaping may cause shortness of breath, wheezing, or chest tightness.
  • Mouth/Throat Irritation: E-liquid chemicals can irritate the mouth and throat.
  • Increased Dependency: Vaping may lead to higher nicotine consumption.

But, if you switch to good-quality nicotine-free vapes like Cyclone Pods, you'll avoid nicotine-related side effects entirely.

These vapes don't contain harmful chemicals like diacetyl, vitamin E acetate, acetyl propionyl. So you can enjoy vaping, worry-free.

Nicotine-Free Vapes: A Surprising and Effective Option for Heavy Smokers

While a heavy smoker may look for high-nicotine vapes to satisfy cravings, nicotine-free vapes can also be a great option.

These vapes allow you to enjoy the familiar act of heavy smoking and the rich flavors you love without nicotine, making them perfect if you want to gradually reduce your nicotine intake. (You can always pair nicotine-free vapes with NRTs like a nicotine patch to help curb cravings.)

For high-quality, nicotine-free vapes free from any harmful chemicals, head over to Cyclone Pods now.

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