Help & Guidance — Purple Haze MK
How to Vape Properly
Vaping properly means choosing the right device for your experience level, matching your nicotine strength to your previous smoking habit, using mouth-to-lung technique as a beginner and maintaining your coils correctly. This guide covers everything from first use to ongoing best practice.
Vaping properly covers four key areas: device selection, nicotine strength, inhalation technique and ongoing maintenance. Choose a device suited to your experience level — a refillable pod kit is right for most beginners and switchers. Match your nicotine strength to your previous daily cigarette count. Use mouth-to-lung (MTL) technique as a beginner: draw vapour into your mouth slowly for 2 to 3 seconds, then inhale to your lungs. Prime every new coil before first use. Keep the tank above a quarter full and replace coils when flavour fades. These five habits account for the majority of common vaping problems and their solutions.
Step 1: Choose the Right Device
Refillable pod kit (recommended for beginners)
Best starting pointCompact, easy to use and cost-effective long term. Fill with 10ml e-liquid bottles, replace the coil every 1 to 2 weeks. Uses MTL technique. Suitable for 10mg to 20mg nicotine salt e-liquids. Brands: Vaporesso XROS, OXVA Xlim, Innokin Endura. Available from £10 to £30.
Prefilled pod kit (convenience-first option)
Simplest setupNo filling or coil changes. Replace the entire pod when empty. Higher ongoing cost than refillable kits but maximum convenience. Good for people who want a disposable-like experience within the post-ban legal framework. Available from £5 to £20 with pods at £3 to £5 each.
Sub-ohm mod and tank (advanced/cloud users)
Experienced vapersHigher power, larger clouds, more customisation. Uses DTL technique. Requires lower nicotine strength (3mg to 6mg). More complex to set up and maintain. Not recommended for beginners or as a direct cigarette substitute. Available from £25 upwards.
Step 2: Choose the Right Nicotine Strength
| Your previous smoking habit | Recommended nicotine strength | Nicotine type |
|---|---|---|
| Non-smoker (recreational vaping only) | 0mg | Nicotine-free e-liquid |
| Light smoker (under 10 a day) | 6 to 10mg/ml | Nicotine salt or freebase |
| Moderate smoker (10 to 20 a day) | 10 to 18mg/ml | Nicotine salt (smoother at high strength) |
| Heavy smoker (20+ a day) | 18 to 20mg/ml | Nicotine salt (recommended at this level) |
If cravings are not satisfied, increase strength by one level. If you experience headaches, nausea or dizziness, reduce strength. Choosing the right strength is the single most important factor in a successful switch from smoking.
Step 3: Use the Right Inhalation Technique
Mouth-to-Lung (MTL)
Recommended for beginners and ex-smokersDraw vapour slowly into your mouth for 2 to 3 seconds (like sipping through a straw). Hold briefly in the mouth. Inhale to the lungs. Exhale slowly.
- Best suited to pod kits and devices with higher-resistance coils (0.8 ohm and above)
- Works well with 10mg to 20mg nicotine salt e-liquids
- Produces a discreet amount of vapour
- Mimics cigarette smoking technique — natural for switchers
- Never pull too hard — slow and steady produces the best flavour and prevents flooding
Direct-to-Lung (DTL)
For experienced vapers with sub-ohm devicesInhale vapour directly into the lungs in one continuous breath (like a deep breath). Exhale almost immediately without holding.
- Used with sub-ohm devices (coil resistance below 0.8 ohm)
- Requires low nicotine strength (3mg to 6mg) — high strength is overwhelming at this volume
- Produces large, dense vapour clouds
- Requires open airflow setting on the device
- Not recommended as a starting technique for smokers switching to vaping
The single most impactful decision — matching nicotine strength to your smoking habit determines whether vaping satisfies cravings
Mouth-to-lung is the correct starting technique — slow, gentle draws into the mouth first, then the lungs
Priming new coils is the most important maintenance habit — skipping it ruins coils before they have even started
Step 4: Ongoing Maintenance
Prime every new coil
Before the first use, apply 3 to 5 drops of e-liquid to the visible cotton wicking ports on the coil, fill the tank and wait 5 to 10 minutes before vaping. Take 3 to 5 dry puffs without pressing the fire button, then start at the lowest recommended wattage. This is the most important single maintenance habit. Skipping it can ruin a new coil on the first puff.
Keep the tank above a quarter full
The wicking ports on the coil must stay submerged in e-liquid to keep the cotton saturated. Once liquid drops below the ports, dry hits and burnt taste follow quickly. Top up before reaching the quarter-full mark and never try to vape the last drops of a near-empty tank.
Replace coils when flavour fades
Change your coil when the flavour of your e-liquid begins to taste noticeably flat or dull — not when you first notice a burnt taste. By the time you taste burning, the cotton has been degrading for days. Early replacement means better flavour throughout each coil's life.
Clean the tank between coil changes
When fitting a new coil, rinse the tank with warm water, shake out moisture and leave to air dry for 30 minutes. Old e-liquid residue from the previous coil contaminates the new one immediately. A clean tank gives each new coil the best possible start.
Charge sensibly
Charge your device between 20% and 80% capacity where possible rather than running fully flat before recharging. This is gentler on lithium-ion battery cells and extends overall battery life. Avoid leaving devices charging overnight repeatedly and keep them away from direct heat.
Choose the right e-liquid
Simple tobacco, menthol and unsweetened fruit e-liquids are kinder to coils than heavily sweetened dessert flavours. Sweeteners caramelise on coils, blocking wicks and shortening coil life dramatically. If you regularly find coils only lasting a few days, switching to a lower-sweetener e-liquid often makes an immediate difference.
For device recommendations, coils and e-liquids tailored to your needs, visit Purple Haze MK at Stall 109, Milton Keynes Market.
The most common reason people conclude that vaping does not work as a cigarette substitute is choosing the wrong nicotine strength — usually too low. A 20-a-day smoker vaping at 6mg will find the experience unsatisfying not because vaping does not work but because the nicotine is insufficient. If you are vaping consistently but still craving cigarettes, try stepping up your nicotine strength before changing device or technique. Most new vapers who struggle with satisfaction are underdosing on nicotine rather than doing anything technically wrong.
Part of Our Guide
Help & Guidance Centre
This article is part of the Purple Haze MK Help and Guidance Centre, covering vaping technique, devices and practical guidance. Browse all topics in the Help and Guidance Centre for clear, practical information.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you vape without coughing?
The most common causes of coughing are pulling too hard and too fast, nicotine strength too high, e-liquid with too much PG, or being new to the sensation of vapour in the throat. Slow your draw speed significantly — vapes need a slow, steady draw not a hard cigarette drag. If still coughing, try dropping one nicotine level or switching to a higher-VG e-liquid (70VG or above) for a smoother throat hit. Staying hydrated also helps as PG in e-liquid is mildly dehydrating.
Should I inhale vape into my lungs?
Yes. For proper nicotine absorption, vapour should be inhaled into the lungs after drawing into the mouth (MTL technique). Simply puffing and exhaling without lung inhalation delivers very little nicotine and is why some people find vaping unsatisfying when they first start. The MTL technique — mouth first, then lungs — gives efficient nicotine delivery while keeping the throat hit gentle and controllable.
Why does my vape not satisfy cravings?
The most common reason is insufficient nicotine strength. Try increasing your strength by one level (for example from 10mg to 18mg or from 18mg to 20mg nic salt). Also ensure you are using MTL technique rather than just mouth-puffing without lung inhalation. If using a sub-ohm device with very low nicotine at high wattage, consider switching to a pod kit at higher nicotine for a more cigarette-like experience.
How often should I vape as a beginner?
Vape whenever you feel a craving rather than timing sessions. Especially in the first 2 to 4 weeks of switching from smoking, the goal is keeping cravings manageable rather than restricting usage to a schedule. Once the switch is established, most people naturally settle into a usage pattern that satisfies them without needing to count puffs or time sessions.
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For more vaping guidance, visit the Purple Haze MK Help and Guidance Centre.
New to Vaping in Milton Keynes
Expert Guidance at Purple Haze MK
Not sure where to start or struggling to make the switch from smoking? Come into Stall 109, Milton Keynes Market and we will help you find the right device, strength and e-liquid for a successful switch.