Disposable nicotine vapourisers have well and truly hit New Zealand shores, and Kiwis have welcomed them into pockets and handbags aplenty. They’re simple to use, affordable, and instantly satisfy those nicotine cravings - but are they the right fit for you and your vaping habits? Here at VAPELAB, we have compiled a list of pros and cons to help you make the right decision for yourself!

Pros

One of the biggest selling points for disposable vapes is their immediate functionality from purchase. They’re pre-filled with e-liquid, and pre-charged meaning you can begin vaping almost immediately. 

Disposables are a great band-aid fix for when you accidentally forget, break or misplace your regular device; allowing you to satisfy those nicotine cravings until you’re reunited with your old faithful. Or, if you’re at an event and you don’t want to bring your regular device; take a disposable along with you - no harm done if you lose it!

You can normally pick up a disposable vape for as little as $10 - perfect for when you’ve accidentally left your personal vape device at home and need something to tide you over. 

Ten dollars is a small price to pay when you’re in a pinch and craving your next nicotine hit. However, single-use vape devices are not a cost-effective long-term solution; since you are essentially purchasing  a new piece of hardware each and every time. 

Disposable vapes are simple in nature - void of any buttons, settings or on-going maintenance. Some disposables can come with an adjustable airflow system, but that’s about as complex as they’ll get! Because disposable devices are designed with a short life-span in mind, the only maintenance they’ll need is a one-way ticket to the bin.

Cons

Fixed Nicotine Strengths and Flavours

Here at VAPELAB, we stock a range of premium disposable vape devices from trusted manufacturers. Each disposable vape differs slightly from the next, whether it be the physical appearance of the device, the number of puffs, the range of flavours or the nicotine strength options. 

Unfortunately, because a single-use vape is a fully sealed unit, what you buy is what you get - with no room to customise your vaping experience. While we aim to stock a range of disposable vape devices in varying nicotine strengths, this isn’t the case for all retailers; many Specialist Vape Retailers as well as General Vape Retailers only stock 50mg nicotine options. 

If your goal is to quit smoking or to cut down your nicotine intake, then a refillable vapouriser is going to be a much better choice as there’s a wider range of options to choose from - in both nicotine strengths and flavours. 

You can buy any e-liquid at your preferred flavour and strength for your reusable device; If you’ve been vaping at 50mg for a while and want to start cutting down, it’s as simple as buying a lower-strength e-liquid!

Expensive (long-term)

Although disposable vapes can seem low-cost upfront, if you’re someone who frequently vapes and is constantly buying single-use devices, the long-term cost can quickly add up. 

Each time you purchase a disposable vape device, you are paying for both the hardware (the physical device) as well as the e-liquid inside. The hardware is the largest portion of the cost when you buy a disposable - and it’s a portion you pay each and every time. By purchasing your own reusable device, the only thing you need to replace is the e-liquid (and the occasional pod/coil), at a much more cost-friendly rate. 

Wasteful

It’s in the name; disposable vapes are made to be used and thrown away. Unfortunately, it's easy to forget about the impact that this has on the environment. Each disposable vape pen contains a battery, e-liquid tank, and coil - all housed within a durable plastic (or sometimes metal) casing. These are all individually bagged and then boxed for sale. With no option to refill or recharge your device, the only thing to do when your disposable vape runs dry is to throw it away and purchase another. 

While some manufacturers may market their single-use devices as being ‘environmentally friendly’ or ‘recyclable’, this doesn’t mean you can simply chuck them in your roadside recycling bin and be done with it! In most cases, these devices are only recyclable through specific electronic recycling programs or by disassembling your device and disposing of each component separately.

How do I know single-use vapes are the right choice for me?

Disposable vapourisers certainly have their place in the market; they’re an excellent low-cost and low-commitment option, but are they right for you? 

Reasons to buy a disposable:

• You want to quit smoking but don’t want to commit to purchasing a full set-up straight away
• You’ve misplaced or left your regular vape device at home and are looking for a temporary nicotine fix
• You’re heading to an event/spending a night on the town and don’t want to bring your usual device with you for fear of losing or damaging it

Reasons you might reconsider buying a disposable:

• You’re a frequent vaper but have only ever used single-use devices
• You want to reduce your nicotine intake or give up vaping entirely
• You want to save money and spend less on vape products
• You’re getting bored or tired of the limited flavour range available in disposable vape devices
• You want to be able to better customise your vape experience to suit your preferences

Pod-Kits…

Everything you love about disposables, minus all the things you hate

Maybe you’ve decided that buying single-use vapes is something you don’t want to do anymore - so, where to from here? No need to worry, here at VAPELAB, we stock a wide range of reusable vape devices that offer many of the same features that you enjoy about disposables!

While the initial set-up cost of a reusable vape device may be greater than purchasing another disposable device, the long-term savings will quickly pay off. Plus, you can feel good knowing that you are greatly reducing your carbon footprint by cutting down on the amount of single-use plastics and batteries being sent to our landfills. 

We recommend starting off with a simple pod device such as the UWELL Caliburn A2 or Vaporesso Xros Nano - easy-to-use and reliable, these are two of our best-selling devices for a reason! In addition to your new pod kit, you’ll need a bottle of e-liquid; with over 350 premium e-liquids to choose from, we really do have something to suit everyone!