There are many vapers out there these days, and very many eliquid manufacturers to cater for their needs. The vaping market has all manner of eliquids to suit almost every whim, from traditional tobacco, menthol, outlandish dessert delights and every fruit you can possibly think of... One thing we can be sure of is the amount of choice.
All eliquid isn't created equal however, and the terms "premium", "gourmet" and others get tossed around a lot as a method of comparing eliquid quality, but what is the difference, and more importantly, why are they better, and why are they so much more expensive?
The Real Process of Making E-liquid
Eliquid manufacturing is often imagined by many of us to be a simple process of putting some flavours together, adding some nicotine, VG and PG and putting it in a bottle. This isn't the case; it's a multi stage manufacturing process that requires a huge amount of patience and lots of trial and error to get the flavour, bite and vapour production right. This is where the premium bit comes in.
To create a truly great liquid you need a professional flavourist and professional chemist to nail the right flavourings, set the amount of each element and establish the base ratio for the best result. Next there is the sizeable investment of a Clean Room, a sterile room with an air purification system where the eliquid is put together. A clean room can set a vape manufacturer back anything up to £75,000 but ensures the resulting eliquid is pure and uncontaminated. You can usually tell a eliquid is contaminated because you get a chesty feeling when using it, or in some cases a really nasty tasting eliquid.
A quality eliquid with a sizeable investment behind it will be made by people with great experience in the industry and contain very high grade flavouring. The resulting mix will then need to go through some testing for documentation and be certified by the manufacturer and then steeping, a process similar to the aging of wine. All these processes are highly costly but the end result is a well constructed eliquid with all the information needed to certify its quality and produce a superior flavour and vaping experience.
The biggest difference is how well the liquid stands the test of time. Eliquids that haven't been prepared to a high level tend to taste good for the first day or so and then lose their flavour very quickly; this is often attributed to lack of steeping, excessive amounts of deionised water used to pad out the amount produced, or poor ingredients.
The addition of deionised water is a double edged sword, when used on very thick VG only eliquid, it gives coils a longer lifespan because the eliquid doesn't coat the coil as quickly, but too much effectively eliminates both flavour and vapour production leaving you with an almost tasteless vape and practically no vapour.
Loss of flavour can in some cases can be put down to vapour fatigue, where vaping a flavour too much can lead to getting used to it, and losing the wow factor. (which is why it is a very good idea to have a few flavours you really like and alternate between them, or mix them for a unique personal blend) However when a liquid loses its flavour within a day or two it's most likely something to do with the eliquid; a badly made eliquid won't stand the all important test of time.
The Importance of Base and Nicotine
Nicotine purity is an important factor in any eliquid, be it of humble origins or superb manufacturing standards. A nicotine purity of 98%+, as found in high quality pharmaceutical grades, and above will always deliver a better experience compared to the almost peppery burn of low purity nicotine. There are various levels of nicotine purity in the wild, and the more impure ones tend to either have an inordinate burn sensation to them or practically no effect at all as the nicotine oxidises and loses potency.
Vegetable Glycerine (VG) and Propylene Glycol (PG) are the main ingredients of eliquid and serve as a base to determine the bite, or throat hit (PG) and the amount of vapour (VG) that it produces. They're also used as the flavour carrier. High VG eliquids provide more vapour production whilst High PG offer more flavour and less vapour.
Pharmaceutical grades of both are used in both bases, typically USP (United States Pharmacopeia) are the most widely known grades, but you can find others such as BP (British Pharmacopeia) that are considered just as good. The purity of these is usually around 98-99.9%.
The most crucial factor is how they come together in the mix however; a very high PG eliquid can give an overpowering throat hit, so the ratio between the two is critical to how the resulting eliquid turns out. Many companies opt for high PG/VG ratios e.g. 90%/10% for the flavour punch while others stay close to 50%/50% to cater for smoothness, or run the spectrum depending on the liquid flavour they are making.
Pros & Cons
One of the great criticisms of premium, high quality eliquid is its price which is often considerably higher than other more ordinary offerings. While the cost is higher, in some cases double the price, the question remains, what's the cost compared to smoking? What am I comparing this to?
Even at its higher price point, premium eliquid is still considerably cheaper than smoking traditional cigarettes, and with the added benefit of being a high quality product, from a reputable manufacturer, a full ingredients list is normally readily available.
In truth, there is only one downside to purchasing premium liquids, how much liquid you buy and the size of the bottle. A 30ml bottle can cost anything up to £15 and beyond and last up to two weeks depending on individual usage and the device you are using, making such a purchase something of a commitment if you decide the flavour isn't to your palate.
Whether you go premium or not, it is a good policy to sample the eliquid wherever possible before buying it (many vape shops offer a tasting sample of their eliquid in store) or contacting the retailer to get an idea of what the flavour is like and whether it will suit your taste buds.
If you need our help as you are still looking to find your “all day vape” (your main go to eliquid flavour) please give us a call as we understand how hard this can be. Tel: 0203 3718184