E-cigarette Glossary
Buying a good e-cig has a lot to do with knowing what it's all about. On this page you can get acquainted with frequently used electronic cigarette terms and have a better idea about each e-cig purchase you make.
What are they talking about?
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306: The name of a unique e. Most 510 e-cig users prefer using the 306 atomizer on their battery because of the enhanced experience.
401, 402, & 403: Several of the many e-cig designs available. All have similar units, but the batteries differ in length. 401 has the longest physical length and battery life, while 403 has the shortest.
501: The name of one of the most frequently used, and preferred, electronic cigarettes.
808/KR808: The name of a unique electronic cigarette style.
901: One of the many styles of e-cigs available.
A
Adapter: Allows you to use your atomizer or cartomizer with a different battery model. If you prefer the vapour production of one style, but the life of another, an adapter will allow you to use either simultaneously.
Analog: A term/slang used for describing traditional tobacco cigarettes.
Atomizer: The part of the e-cig that stimulates tobacco smoking by low heat vaporizing the liquid solution.
Atty: The abbreviation for Atomizer.
Automatic: A unique electronic cigarette battery that does not require a button for activating heating elements. When the user draws on an Automatic e-cig device, a switch is activated and the atomizer starts working. Automatic e-cigs are said to be the most like traditional cigarettes.
B
Battery: The rechargeable part of the e-cig that provides power to the atomizer when the user inhales from the mouthpiece. Most e-cigs have lithium batteries which vary in size. The LED light on the end of the e-cig glows to indicate activation from inhalation when the button is pressed on a manual battery or when the user inhales on an automatic e-cig.
Batts: Slang for battery.
Battery Charger: There are many different designs of charger types available, but standard types include standard wall outlet, car, and USB chargers. Adapters may be used for converting chargers while travelling.
Bridge: A small U-shaped device covering the inside of the atomizer. It absorbs the liquid and helps the wick heat.
C
Cartomizer: A 2-piece e-cig that is made of both a disposable atomizer and cartridge. Depending on the design it may or may not be refillable.
Cartridge: The cartridge part of an e-cig is where the flavoured liquid containing nicotine is stored. It is within the mouthpiece of the e-cig and may be replaced or refilled depending on the design.
Carts: Slag for cartridge.
Cigar Style: An e-cig with a body design similar to traditional cigars. Cigar Style e-cigs are thicker to allow room for a larger cartridge. These e-cigs can hold as much as 1.5 mL of liquid. Disposable e-cigars are also available without an external mouthpiece and are said to look quite similar to actual cigars.
Condoms: A rubber sleeve used on the end of cartomizer e-cigs.
Clearomizer: A cartridge refill without any polyfill. It contains a wick and coil, but no filler material.
Cutoff: Certain models of e-cigs have an automatic cutoff mechanism for switching off the e-cig when it's been overused. This way the atomizer is prevented from burning out and the user is not able to inhale too much nicotine.
D
Drip/Dripping: A method of refilling an e-cig by dripping the liquid directly on the atomizer.
Drip Tip: A device used for dripping the liquid onto the atomizer or cartomizer. To use it, simply remove the white cap and attach.
Direct Drip or Dripping: The action of dripping e-liquid directly onto the atomizer instead of through a cartridge or cartomizer.
Disposable E-Cigarette: A use-and-throw electronic cigarette that can be safely disposed of once the e-liquid is empty. While there are many different designs of disposable e-cigs available on the market, disposable e-cigs are non-refillable.
DIY: A do-it-yourself/home-made e-liquid or modification that can be used in the e-cigarette.
Dry Smoking: A method of using a 3-piece electronic cigarette when the atomizer is filled with excess solution or when it is empty. Dry smoking may cause damage to the atomizer by overheating.
E
eCigology: The science of e-cigarettes.
ECF: Abbreviation for E-Cigarette Forum.
E-Cigarette, E Cigarette, E-Cig, Digi-cig, E-Ciggy, Personal Vaporizer: Terms and variations for electronic cigarettes.
eGo: A style of e-cig that is preferred by most users. It uses 510 threads and allows the use of 510 components along with a much larger battery.
E-Juice: The liquid that is vaporized when using an electronic cigarette. It can also be referred to as e-liquid, juice, or smoke juice.
Electronic Cigarette: An artificial cigarette that works by heating up a liquid solution that consists of nicotine, propylene, glycol, and flavouring and turning it into vapour, which is then inhaled by the user.
E-Smoke: Vapour emitted by an electronic cigarette.
F
Filler Material: The absorbent material/wick that is placed inside the Cartridge to help keep the juices inside the cartridge and release it to the atomizer at a steady pace.
Flooding: The reaction that occurs when too much e-cig juice is applied to the atomizer. Atomizers require a sufficient amount of air in order to vaporise properly. Filling the atomizer with too much e-cig juice can cause a decrease in vapour production and flavour.
Food and Drug Administration/FDA: The American government's administrative branch that oversees the rules and regulations of all food and drug products that are sold in the US.
H
Hot cigarette: A slang term used for describing traditional cigarettes.
J
Juice: The liquid that gets vaporized when using an electronic cigarette. It can also be referred to as e-liquid, liquid, or smoke juice.
L
Leaking: The action, also known as ?flooding? or ?pooling?, that happens when too much e-cig juice has been added to the atomizer or cartomizer. Leaking may cause the juice to leak from the bottom of the heating element and onto the battery. This can damage the device.
LED: The abbreviation for Light Emitting Diode.
Light Emitting Diode: A diode that converts the applied voltage into light. LEDs are commonly used in e-cigs to indicate use. The light illuminates when the e-cig is in use and flashes when the battery needs to be charged.
Liquid: The liquid vaporized when using an electronic cigarette. It may also be called e-liquid, juice, or smoke juice.
Low Resistance/LR: An atomizer or cartomizer that has an Ohm rating lower than the standard equipment. This may cause the heating element to get hotter and produce vapour at a more rapid pace.
M
m401, m402, and m403: Unique e-cigarette designs that are all essentially the same unit but with different length batteries. For example, the m401 model is longer in length and battery life, while m403 has the shortest length and battery life.
Manual: An electronic cigarette design that has a button on the top or side for activating the heating element. When the using the device, the button must be pressed to produce vapour from the atomizer. This e-cig style is less like traditional cigarettes than the Automatic e-cig is, but it is usually preferred because it is sealed will not be affected by Leaking.
Milligrams/mg: The measure used for measuring the amount of nicotine found in a Juice. Typical levels range between 0mg and 48mg, while 18mg is considered medium level. A nicotine content of more than 18mg is usually used be heavy smokers.
Millilitres/mL: The measure used for the amount of Juice in a given container.
Mini: One of the many e-cig designs available. Mini e-cigs are usually about the same size as traditional cigarettes and have a shorter battery life than other e-cig styles.
Mod: A word used for describing modifications or accessories of an e-cig. Most mods allow the user to increase and decrease the voltage of the e-cig to provide optimal performance.
N
Nicotine Level: The amount of nicotine present in the cartridge of an e-cig or a bottle of e-liquid. It is measured in mg or ml.
P
Pass-through/PT: A pass-through plugs your e-cig into a USB port on your computer so that you can use your e-cig without worrying about battery life. Pass-throughs run your e-cig at a higher voltage so that you can get warmer vapour and increase throat hit. Pass-throughs may also be used with a portable USB power supply or USB power adapter when compatible.
PCC: The abbreviation for Portable Charging Case.
Pen-Style e-cigarette: An e-cig design best known for its resemblance to a ball point pen.
Personal Vaporizer/PV: Another term for an e-cig.
Pipe-Style e-cigarette: An e-cig design best known for its resemblance to a pipe. Pipe-style e-cigs have big cartridges that can hold more than 2mL of e-liquid at a time. Blanks for this design are not as readily available.
Priming: A technique used on automatic batteries to produce more vapour. The user must take a deep inhale to warm up the atomizer and prime the battery.
Propylene Glycol/PG: The most commonly used base carrier for nicotine and flavour solution in e-cigs. It has been tested and deemed safe for use, though in some cases the user may experience allergic reaction.
Portable Charging Case: A case for charging your e-cig battery while on the go without the need of a power source (computer, wall adapter, etc.). Certain case designs may have room to hold a couple cartomizers or cartridges.
S
Smoke juice: Another term used for describing the liquid that is vaporized during use of an e-cig. Other synonyms include: e-liquid, juice, e-juice, etc.
Smokeless Cigarette: Another term used for describing an electronic cigarette because no actual smoke is inhaled or exhaled while using an e-cig.
Starter Kit: When an individual first starts using electronic cigarettes, a starter kit will provide them the basic items needed to begin. E-cig starter kits usually include one or more atomizers, one or more batteries, a charger, and cartridges with pre-filled e-juice.
Supermini: An e-cig design that is almost the same size as traditional cigarettes. It has smaller capacity cartridges and batteries but chargers faster than other types. Cartridges from this design may hold between .2mL and .5mL of e-liquid.
T
Tank: A clear container that holds a substantial amount of e-liquid.
Throat Hit: A term used for describing the sensation felt at the back of the throat when the user inhales from an e-cig. An e-cig that has a good throat hit closely mimics the feeling of traditional cigarette smoking. E-cigs that have a higher level of nicotine have greater throat hit sensation.
Topping/Topping off: Topping a cartridge with e-liquid.
V
Vape: Because e-cigs produce vapour instead of smoke, the action of smoking an electronic cigarette is called ?vaping?.
Vapour Cigarette: A term for electronic cigarettes due to the vapour that is exhaled when using an e-cig.
Vapour Production: An indication of how much vapour is produced with an average inhale of an e-cig.
Vegetable Glycerol/Vegetable Glycerine/VG: An ingredient used in many brands of E-cig juice.
W
Wick: The segment of fabric that holds the liquid nicotine in the e-tip.