Disposable vapes are just that: disposable. They can’t be recharged or refilled, so once the battery dies and the e-liquid is used up, you need to dispose of it and buy a new one.

Disposable vapes are vaping devices that are pre-filled with ejuice, usually oil, and are meant for a single use. They come in many different shapes and sizes but are generally small and cylindrical with a single button to operate them.

Disposables are usually draw-activated and thus don’t have any buttons to press or settings to adjust. They are ready to use straight out of the box.

The main drawback of disposables is their limited use. Their batteries can’t be recharged, so once they die – they’re toast. In contrast, rechargeable devices can be used for as long as you want as long as you refill them with e-juice and replace the coils every now and then.

There are three main ingredients in vape liquid: nicotine, flavoring, and a base.

The base is usually propylene glycol or glycerin, which are both chemically produced liquids that can be found in foods, cosmetics and medicines. The standard base ratio according to the Vapor Technology Association is 70% propylene glycol and 30% glycerin.

Nicotine is an alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants (Solanaceae), predominantly in tobacco, and in lower quantities in tomato, potato, eggplant (aubergine), cauliflower, bell pepper and some teas. As with most alkaloids, it is water-soluble. Nicotine acts as an agonist at most nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), except at two nicotinic receptor subunits (nAChRα9 and nAChRα10) where it acts as a receptor antagonist.

Nicotine constitutes approximately 0.6–3.0% of the dry weight of tobacco and is present in the range of 2–7 μg/kg of various edible plants. It functions as an antiherbivore chemical; consequently, nicotine was widely used as an insecticide in the past.

Disposables come in a wide range of nicotine strengths, so there is something for everyone here. There are also disposables that contain no nicotine at all (0 mg/mL), which is great news if you want to vape without the addictive ingredient.

Some brands offer disposable devices with different flavors while others only offer one flavor per device. If you like mixing things up from time to time, it might be a good idea to go for multi-flavor disposables.

Glycerin is used to make the liquid that goes into cartridges or pods. PG or polypropylene glycol is found in anti-freeze and works as an anti-foaming agent when mixed with liquids. PG/VG mix can be found in some disposable eCigs but not all of them. Some people don’t like this combination because they feel it produces more throat irritation compared to other types of liquid nicotine products like patches or gum.

You can try disposable vapes like Elf Bar or CORE Bar disposables if you want something simple to vape.

Tom Gardner