Start here
Welcome. If you are new to vaping, or you bought a kit recently and still feel unsure about it, this page is your starting point. Read the three guides below in order, and you will have covered everything you need for your first few weeks.
- Step 1
Your first vape kit
What a pod kit is, what to buy, and how to charge and fill it for the first time without making the common day-one mistakes.
- Step 2
MTL vs DTL vaping
The two main ways of drawing on a vape, explained simply, so you know which one is likely to suit you.
- Step 3
Nicotine strength explained
A simple way to choose between 3mg, 6mg, 10mg and 20mg e-liquid based on how much you used to smoke.
Common questions
Is vaping safe?
No product that involves inhaling anything is completely risk-free, and PodPath will not tell you vaping is safe or harmless. According to the NHS, vaping carries a fraction of the risk of smoking and can help smokers switch away from cigarettes, but it is not intended for people who have never smoked, and it is not intended for under-18s.
Do I need to know anything technical before I buy a vape?
No. A simple pod kit is designed to be picked up and used straight away. Our first vape kit guide covers exactly what you need to know before your first purchase, in plain English.
How much does it cost to start vaping?
A beginner-friendly pod kit typically costs around £15 to £35, and a bottle of e-liquid is usually £3 to £6. Running costs after that depend on how often you replace coils and top up e-liquid.
What if I pick the wrong nicotine strength or style at first?
It is common to adjust after the first week or two. Coils, e-liquid and even devices are inexpensive enough that most beginners treat their first kit as a starting point rather than a permanent choice.
Looking to stop smoking with professional support alongside switching to vaping? The NHS Better Health: Quit Smoking service offers free tools and advice at nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking.