Guide
Is Vaping Right for Me? The Honest Beginner's Checklist
Lukas Schönebühl · iVape editorial team, devices & tech focus
February 11, 2026 · 6 min read
Before you spend money on a vape, an honest look is worth it: does vaping actually suit your situation? This checklist helps you decide, and it does so both ways, because vaping doesn't make sense for everyone.
First things first: who is better off not starting
Let's begin with the honest part. Vaping is not for you if:
- you have never smoked. Anyone living nicotine-free has no reason to start with an addictive substance. Nicotine is highly addictive.
- you are under 18. In Switzerland, sale and use are reserved for adults.
- you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Here, abstaining is clearly the better choice, and it's a medical question, not a shop recommendation.
- you expect a health promise from vaping. That is something we cannot and will not give.
If none of this applies to you and, as an adult smoker, you're thinking about switching, then read on.
The beginner's checklist
Go through these points for yourself:
- Why do you want to vape? Switching from smoking, cutting down, or simply because you enjoy it? The answer determines the device and nicotine strength.
- How much do you smoke or did you smoke? Heavy smokers need more nicotine (often 20 mg/ml nicotine salt), light smokers less. More on this in the nicotine strengths guide.
- Simple or flexible? Do you want to get going straight away with no charging and refilling, or do you want to save money long term and create less waste?
- How discreet does it need to be? Compact pods draw like a cigarette and stay inconspicuous.
- What is your budget over time? Disposables are cheap to buy, expensive per puff. Refillable systems flip that around.
Which device fits which answer
If you just want to give it a try, with no technical hassle and no commitment, a cheap disposable vape is the most straightforward start, for example the ELFBAR 600 Apple Peach. Open it, draw, done, nothing to charge.
If you already sense you'll stick with it, a pod system is worth it from the outset. You charge the device and only swap the pod, which is cheaper over time and more reasonable in terms of waste. A common entry point is the ELFBAR ELFA Pro with Watermelon Mojito pods. How such a device works technically is explained in the guide How an e-cigarette works.
Common beginner questions
How do I draw correctly? Most beginner devices are "mouth to lung" (MTL): first draw gently into your mouth like on a cigarette, then inhale. Short and slow, not hectic.
Does it scratch the throat? A slight scratch (the "throat hit") comes from the nicotine and is intended. If it's too strong, the strength is probably too high.
How long does a vape last? An ELFBAR 600 delivers around 600 puffs, roughly one to two days with moderate use. Pods and refill tanks last longer depending on the model.
What if I don't like it? Then you've risked little, especially if you started with a cheap disposable device. Nobody has to stick with it.
And if I want to quit entirely later? That's a goal, not a contradiction. Anyone switching from smoking will find the steps in the guide Vaping instead of smoking, including later lowering of the strength.
In short
- Don't start if you're a non-smoker, under 18, pregnant, or expecting a health promise.
- Clarify your goal, consumption level, budget and desired simplicity before you buy.
- Disposable for a pure test, pod system if you stick with it.
- A slight throat hit is normal; too strong means the nicotine strength is too high.
Nicotine (in many products up to 20 mg/ml) is highly addictive. For adults aged 18 and over only. Not medical advice.
