The 2021 Beginner’s Guide to Vape Hardware
guide to vape hardware blog with red mod, disposable vapes, pods and kits

The 2021 Beginner’s Guide to Vape Hardware

2021 Beginner’s Guide to Vape Hardware: Mods, Pods & E-Cigs

What’s the difference between a vape and an e-cig? Are disposable vapes worth it? Get your head around vape hardware and discover which type of vaping device is best for you.

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The basics of vape hardware:

Vape hardware is an umbrella term that covers both vaping devices and vape accessories. When it comes to finding the best vape hardware on the market, it can be tricky. With so many mods, pods, disposables, coils and tanks out there, it can be difficult to know where to start. This guide will take you through the basics and show you where you can buy different kinds of vape hardware.

What is vape hardware?

From mods to pods, there are so many options when it comes to vape devices. If you’re a beginner to vaping, it might be worth starting with disposables. They are simple to use, relatively cheap and are a great way to help you stop smokingWhereas if you’re an experienced vaper, then you might be better off with a more powerful device, like a mod.  

Read our guide to vaping accessories for more information on vape accessory hardware, including coils, tanks, cotton, glass, batteries, chargers and more. 

What are the different types of vape hardware?

What are the types of vape hardware accessories?

Looking for more information on vaping hardware? Read our guide to vaping hardware accessories to learn about coils, tanks and more…

Vape mods are larger vape devices with powerful batteries. They are generally recommended for experienced vapers. They offer the ability to personalise your vaping experience by changing resistance, wattage and temperature.  

Most vape mod brands offer tanks and coils designed specifically for their devices. However, the beauty of a mod is that you can interchange different tanks and coils depending on what suits you (as long as they are compatible). There are different types of vape mod, including RDA (rebuildable dripping atomiser), RTA (rebuildable tank atomiser). 

Read our guide to the best vape mods for more information on vape mods and which brands we recommend.  

Vape pods include both pre-filled and refillable designs that offer flexibility for the user. They usually include a small, rechargeable vape device alongside separate e-liquid ‘pods’, or containers. Pods make switching flavours easy; they come with interchangeable containers of e-liquid or nic salt rather than a single tank/reservoir.  

You can fill up the containers with your favourite e-liquids and swap between them whenever you like, making them ideal for on-the-go, in the car, at festivals or at work. Easy to use, these pods are great for smokers looking to transition in to vaping or for existing vapers looking for simplicity and convenience.

Vape pens are usually small, slim devices that heat e-liquids into vapour. They’re very simple devices and are designed around convenience and simplicity. Vape pens can sometimes include vape pods or e-cigs, as there are many different names for similar devices.

However, as the name suggests, vape pens are often shaped like a ‘pen’ and have a battery, coil, cotton and chamber for e-liquid. They’re generally low-cost devices that are great for beginners to vaping or for experienced vapers who need a small device for convenience.

Vape kits are sets of vaping equipment that come with a vaping device (usually a mod), e-liquid, coils, tanks, batteries and/or a charger. They’re ideal for beginners to vaping as they come with everything you need to get started. A vape kit will usually include a vape mod. These are larger vape devices with powerful batteries that offer flexibility for resistance, temperature and more.  

They should also come with e-liquids or nic salts to get you started, as well as a coil (including a spare) and a tank/atomiser. The best vape starter kits will include tools for maintenance and may come with extra cotton, glass, coils and other accessories to help maintain your device. These are great for beginners as everything you need to get started is in one place. 

Disposable vapes are pre-built devices that contain e-liquid, a coil, cotton and a small battery packaged into a single, small device. Ready to go out of the box, disposable vapes are incredibly simple to use. They come in many different flavours and usually 10mg/ml or 20mg/ml nicotine strengths.  

Just take it out of the box and you’re ready to go. Once you have finished with the device, simply recycle it like you would any other electric device with a battery. Popularised recently on social media, they are generally low cost and often come in stylish colours. Popular brands include Hyppe Maxx, BuzzBar and Geek Bars. 

What’s the difference between vapes and e-cigs?

The difference between e-cigs and vapes is hard to specify, as the terms are often interchangeable and can mean different things to different people. However, there are general differences between e-cigs and standard vapes which we will cover below. 

Vapes generally refer to larger devices like mods and pods. These offer more customisability for the user and often require regular maintenance, such as changing tanks, coils or cotton. 

They can also allow the user to control wattage, resistance and temperature. These are ideal for more advanced vapers and are usually more expensive than e-cigs – though not always. 

E-cigs are usually simpler devices that are often used to help people to quit smoking. They are similar to vape pens, allowing the user to add their own e-liquid and may have very simple customisability (three power settings, for example). As a result, they can be easier to maintain than a vape device and are designed around convenience. 

They are generally cheap to get hold of and cheap to maintain, making them ideal for first time vaping who are looking to quit smoking. 

Read the beginner’s guide to vaping if you’re trying to stop smoking and are looking for a nicotine replacement device. 

Eco-Vape offer great prices on a range of vape hardware. You can shop all of our extensive hardware range on our retail site, it’s really easy to place and order. Enjoy next day delivery for orders placed before 1pm and free UK delivery on orders over £20! 

Here’s a selection of our best vape bundles, deals and sale items!