Due to extraordinary demand, orders that include American Made E-Liquid, including the Instead Kits with American Made E-Liquid, in High Tobacco or Medium Tobacco strength/flavor combinations will be delayed by approximately 1 week. These orders will be shipped on or around October 19th.

Orders that include American Made E-Liquid in Low Tobacco, Zero Tobacco, High Menthol, Medium Menthol, Low Menthol, or Zero Menthol will ship in our usual 1 business day time frame. Most orders placed before 2:00 pm EST go out the same day.

Orders that include our Imported E-Liquid (including our Electronic Cigarette Kits with Imported E-Liquid) will also ship on schedule, although our current availability of flavors and strengths is limited. We will have our Imported E-Liquid stock replenished in the coming weeks.

We apologize for any inconvenience this causes our customers and we continue to work to ensure a steady supply of electronic cigarettes and e-liquid in this ever changing marketplace.

Today’s post is regarding the Life Span of an Electronic Cigarette. How long should a battery last? How long should an atomizer last? How long should a 15ml bottle of E-Liquid last? How long should the cartridge last? What should one expect and how much should one plan on spending over the course of a year for an electronic cigarette?

First, we would like to note that all things must be taken into consideration and the most important factor, is the type of smoker and the style of smoking. Just as there are different types of tobacco smokers, there are different types of eSmokers, and just because you are a certain type of tobacco smoker, does not mean that your eSmoking style will be the same.

That said… Here we go!

How long should a battery last?

The INSTEAD Electronic Cigarette battery is a lithium ion battery. The barrel is white and has the INSTEAD logo printed in black, just below the gold threads where the atomizer connects. This battery, based on usage can last anywhere from 6 months to 18 months. Again, the more you use it and recharge it, the shorter the life will be.

If you smoke your e-cig consistently, also known to tobacco smokers as being a “chain smoker”, one should expect to receive approximately 2 hours out of every battery, per charge. For those who use the electronic cigarette like a tobacco cigarette, sitting down for a “smoke break”, i.e. the average user, you should be getting anywhere from 4-8 hours, depending on how many “smoke breaks” taken. Basically the two batteries that come with the Instead Electronic Cigarette Set will last almost every eSmoker for an entire day.

How long should an atomizer last?

Atomizers are the small metal piece that screws into the battery. Once you have the atomizer screwed into the battery and remove the mouthpiece, you will find a small metal coil. This coil is what heats up the eLiquid and this “event” is caused by the user taking a drag. Atomizers, based on usage and smoking style, can last anywhere from a couple months to a year. Either way, this is one of those costs with eSmoking and it is ALWAYS suggested that you have at least one extra on hand.

The INSTEAD kit comes with two so not only do you have a spare atomizer, but by switching them back and forth between uses, for example using a different atomizer every day, you can see if the vapor production is still up to par. By being ahead of the game and knowing when the life span is starting to come to an end, you can plan ahead.

How long should a 15ml bottle of eLiquid last? How long should the cartridge last?

These two questions really go hand in hand. A 15ml bottle, using 2-3 drops of eLiquid to yield 7-14 puffs, will last you the equivalent of 300 cigarettes. With every bottle of eLiquid purchased from INSTEAD, you are provided 5 empty cartridges (mouthpieces with the cartridge inside of them).

It is strongly suggested for sanitation purposes, that you go no longer than a week with a mouthpiece. The mouthpieces can last much longer, however after extended usage, the wick (poly-batting inside of the small cartridge in the mouthpiece where the liquid goes), will become compacted and doesn’t seem to hold the liquid as well as it should.

If a bottle of e-Liquid lasts you a week, and remember, a bottle of e-Liquid is approximately 300 cigarettes, then it is suggested that you change out your mouthpiece every other day. If you find yourself with a seasonal ailment like the flu, or you have shared a mouthpiece, again, you might want to consider changing out the mouthpiece. And remember, the mouthpiece can go into the recycling bin!

What should you expect and how much should one plan on spending over the course of a year for an electronic cigarette?

You should expect to enjoy the eSmoking experience. At first, it will be different. There is no doubt that off the start an electronic cigarette is not as easy as lighting a tobacco cigarette. However, once you become comfortable with the process, it becomes easy, if not easier, than smoking a tobacco cigarette. And remember, instead of emptying ashtrays and searching for a lighter or masking the smoke smell from your clothing, you simply pull it out of your pocket, maybe add a little e-liquid, puff away, and then put it away when finished.

Over the course of a year, based on smoking style, most users should expect to be spending on average 45% to 65% less for their nicotine habit. Of course some eSmokers are harder on their hardware and some eSmokers use more e-Liquid than others.

As an example of how much cheaper using an electronic cigarette can be vs smoking cigarettes and using conservative figures, a pack a day smoker at $5 per pack spends $1,825 per year. This same eSmoker would need 24.33 bottles of e-liquid for the year, so:
1 x Instead Electronic Cigarette Set w/ 1 bottle of eliquid = $110
24 x Bottle of E-Liquid at $25 = $600
2 x Replacement Battery at $30 = $60
6 x Replacement Atomizer at $20 = $120
Total: $890 (about a 50% savings over smoking tobacco cigarettes)

This is a “worst case scenario” and would be very unlikely. We also used our more expensive American made E-liquid in this example. You may need to buy a couple atomizers and maybe a battery within that year, but it does show what the minimal savings can be like. Also, we do offer a warranty for the first 30 days and we have found that within this time period, if nothing goes bad, the parts will generally last for months afterward. If you do have bad components after the warranty, contact us and we will work something out with discounts and freebies to keep our customers happy.

Electronic cigarette cartridges work by using a “wick” of sorts. Inside the mouthpiece there is a small plastic casing and inside this small plastic cup is material that absorbs the e-liquid. With prefilled cartridges this wick is already saturated with eliquid. With empty cartridges, it is necessary to fill the cartridge yourself. So why would refilling electronic cigarette cartridges yourself be better?

First, prefilled cartridges must be shipped a long way. In fact most are filled and shipped from China. Although there are rubber plugs in the cartridges, some e-liquid inevitably leaks out into the mouthpiece. Liquid that leaks out is not vaporized and generally ends up in the users mouth. So right from the start, the cartridge may not be 100% full.

Second, you get more vapor with a completely full cartridge. Electronic cigarettes work like this; the atomizer vaporizes the e-liquid closest to it first, i.e. the top of the cartridge. As you vape, the top of the cartridge dries up and the atomizer must work harder to vaporize the e-liquid in the bottom of the cartridge. It is very hard to get a completely dry cartridge without going through many puffs of “off and on” vapor. This can get frustrating to a long time smoker who is use to consistent drags. And although many sellers claim anywhere from 10 to 30 cigarettes per cartridge, we have found this to be exaggerated especially considering the last 60% of the cartridge is poor vapor. To get the best e-smoking experience, keep your cartridge full.

Lastly, refilling your own cartridges is cheaper and more environmentally friendly. We recommend using 5 cartridges for a 15 ml bottle of e-liquid. Using the equivalent in prefilled cartridges would take at least 45 cartridges.

As a downside, filling your own cartridges does take a little more effort. However, we do provide 5 empty cartridges with each kit and with each bottle of e-liquid. These cartridges come with rubber plugs and a small zip lock bag so you can prefill your own to minimize the leakage when traveling. It is still recommended to take your bottle of e-liquid with you because as mentioned above, it is best to keep your cartridges full.

One last note: refilling your own cartridges does not prevent you from getting eliquid into your mouth. This can happen with prefilled or ones you fill yourself (depending on how good you get a refilling). Here are a couple ways to help stop e-liquid from getting into your mouth:

1) Use a toothpick to push the cartridge out of the mouthpiece (shown here) and fill the cartridge while it is outside of the mouthpiece. This will help prevent spillage while refilling.

2) Get a paper towel and blow through the large opening of the mouthpiece onto the paper towel. Any excess eliquid in the mouthpiece will be blown through the small hole onto the paper towel. Please note there is a e-liquid “trap” at the very end of the mouthpiece. You may have to blow extra hard to clean the trap of e-liquid. This methods works for prefilled cartridges or ones you just filled.

If you have questions or comments about refilling your electronic cigarette cartridges, please comment on this post. Thanks and happy e-smoking!

Our American made e-liquid just came in so we are pretty much fully stocked on both the tobacco and menthol flavors in the variety of nicotine levels. The only level we are currently missing is the zero nicotine in menthol, although this is available in the imported e liquid in both the PG and VG. For more information about our eliquids, visit e-liquid explained. Remember, all bottles of eliquid that you purchase from Instead come with 5 empty cartridges. This is enough for one bottle of eliquid as they can be filled and refilled. We recommend replacing cartridges at least once per week for sanitary purposes.

If you have been waiting to get your set with US made e liquid, visit Instead Electronic Cigarette Set with US Made E-Liquid!

You may have noticed recently on the INSTEAD website that there appear to be more options of eLiquid. We have begun stocking two kinds: Imported eLiquid and US Made eLiquid. We have done this so that whatever your pleasure, there would be options!

First, we would like to discuss the US eLiquid. This liquid is manufactured here in the United States. It offers a glass, amber bottle with a child proof lid. It also comes with an eye dropper. If you choose this, please note when you receive the bottle and remove the child proof cap, there is a plastic insert inside the bottle to keep the bottle from further leaking. Take a spoon to remove this. We strongly suggest that if you have children or pets, you continue to use the childproof cap provided.

As a side note, the difference in pricing between the US made E-Liquid and the Imported E-Liquid is a function of our cost and supply/demand. In the future we hope to close the price gap between the two products.

The US eLiquid offers a propylene glycol base, or PG. This is the carrier for the nicotine and flavoring and is also what produces the vapor. Propylene Glycol (PG) is used in everything from shampoos, lotions, soaps, medicines, tobacco cigarettes and even as a food additive. It is Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the FDA. With that said, there have not been any long term studies done on individuals inhaling propylene glycol. There is, however, strong evidence that inhaling tobacco smoke for many years will lead to cancer.

Ingredients in the US Liquid are as follows: Propylene Glycol, natural and artificial flavors, nicotine (optional), citric acid, lemon, vinegar, and distilled water.

Second, we are now offering Imported eLiquid, made in China. This liquid comes in a plastic eye dropper bottle and is contained within a child proof medicine container. Again, always store your eliquid in child proof containers.

With the Imported eLiquid, we offer two bases: Propylene Glycol (PG) or Vegetable Glycerine (VG). As PG was discussed above, we will discuss VG. Vegetable Glycerine is a plant based substance made from coconut or palm oil. VG is used to moisturize and cleanse the skin, has emollient and lubricating qualities and is also commonly used as a natural low-glycemic sweetener. As this product is derived from plants and may be produced in a facility where nuts are processed, it is strongly suggested that those with allergies to nuts do not use this eLiquid.

Ingredients in the Imported eLiquid are as follows: Propylene Glycol or Vegetable Glycerine, Water, Glycerol, Nicotine (optional), Artificial Flavors.

Now! To break down the nicotine content in the different eLiquids.

The US eLiquid carries the following measurements:
High – 24mg nicotine, Medium – 18mg nicotine, Low – 11mg nicotine and Zero – 0mg nicotine.

The Imported eLiquid carries the following measurements:
High – 16mg nicotine, Medium – 11mg nicotine, Low – 6mg nicotine and Zero – 0mg nicotine.

So where do you start with your nicotine content in the liquid? Here is a rule of thumb: It is always best to start lower and go higher if needed, especially if you are using your electronic cigarette in conjunction with your tobacco cigarette. You can always have a bottle of zero nicotine on hand to dilute if you find that you need even less nicotine than the offered amounts. By mixing a bit of the zero with your other liquid, this dilutes the nicotine content but does not dilute the vapor production. Likewise, if you purchase a bottle and find it is too low, you can always purchase a step higher and if that is too much for you, mix the lower and the higher for perfection.

Each of our eLiquid bottles comes with 5 empty cartridges and each bottle of eLiquid is equivalent to 300 tobacco cigarettes. We have been with both our manufacturers for quite some time and have no complaints with either our US or Chinese manufacturers. We have also never had any quality control issues either and each batch that comes in is tested by us to ensure that taste continues to be of good quality. And as taste is subjective it is suggested that you give both the US and Imported liquids a try!

Currently, we are only offering tobacco and menthol flavors. Here are a few notes we can make on taste: The taste is not like that of a tobacco cigarette because, well, it just isn’t. The menthol flavor in the US eLiquid is more of a minty flavor than a “cooling” menthol flavor. The Imported eLiquid carries a bit more of a menthol cooling flavor.

As VG (Vegetable Glycerine) is also used as a sweetener, you may find that the VG based Imported eLiquid is also a bit sweeter than the PG based liquids.

Similar to finding the tobacco cigarette brand that you liked, you may need to try a couple different eLiquids before you find your taste. With a little willingness to try, you can find the “smoke juice” that best fits your personality and then, using your electronic cigarette INSTEAD of your tobacco cigarette just comes naturally!

Happy eSmoking!

5) We have fabulous customer service. If you have any issues with your batteries, atomizers, or charger, just email us or call us at (321) 256-0486 and we will troubleshoot the problem and get you out replacement parts. Even if you are just not sure how everything works, contact us and we will help out.

4) The Instead Electronic Cigarette Kits are unique. We are e-smokers and know what is needed to have a great e-smoking experience. We include 2 batteries and 2 atomizers so you will always have what is needed to smoking your e-cig. Our kits also come with a water resistant storage tin and a velvet carrying pouch, not to mention small zip lock bags to store parts or cartridges that you fill up!

3) ELiquid! The Instead ELiquid is made in America. Each bottle is approximately equivalent to 300 tobacco cigarettes. The bottles are glass with a childproof cap, proper labeling, and a separate dropper. Each kit and each bottle we sell comes with 5 brand new empty cartridges. Curious about prefilled cartridges? We are e-smokers and are not big fans of prefilled cartridges. Read about why we no longer carry prefilled e-cigarette cartridges.

2) Instead works hard for the industry. We are very active on industry forums and with the ECA. We believe every smoker should have the freedom to choose an alternative to a known killer and will fight to that end. We also believe there needs to be standards in the industry and are working to make that a reality.

1) Experience! We have been using electronic cigarettes for about 2 years and selling them for almost as long. We know about the different styles and models and which are good and which are not so good. We know e-cigarette tricks and tips (many of which we share on this blog) to make your e-smoking experience satisfying. We know how to trouble shoot problems when they do arise. This experience is your assurance that we are up on the latest technology and that our e-cig sets contain some of the best products on the market.

Buy Instead Electronic Cigarettes

Instead Electronic Cigarettes are proud to offer additional e-cigarette accessories to enhance your e-smoking experience. To store your Instead Electronic Cigarette, ELiquid, and other accessories, we now offer e-cigarette tins and velvet carrying pouches. To display your e-cig, try a porcelain e-cigarette holder. And to make your e-cigarette cartridge refilling experience that much easier and more convenient, try a plastic eliquid dropper bottle. These dropper bottles are perfect for those with poor eye sight, as they have a fine need tip that allows you to see inside the mouthpiece while refilling the cartridge. We only recommend using the e-cig dropper bottles with zero nicotine eliquid, as they do not have child resistant caps. If you have specific electronic cigarette accessories you want to see us carry, please feel free to drop us a note and we will do our best to accommodate.

This is going to be lengthy, but well worth it if you read it all!  Whether you are a current customer or a new customer, you will notice us slowly moving away from pre-filled cartridges on our website to empty cartridges and eLiquid and here is why:

Across the electronic cigarette industry, there are discrepancies as to how many cigarettes a cartridge is worth.  Some retailers suggest there are 20 cigarettes in one cartridge.  Off of the assembly line in the manufacturing plant, this may be true.  However, once they are shipped, some of the eliquid can be lost by leaking out of the nicotine cartridge and onto the sealed packaging.  There is nothing that can be done about this as gravity is the responsible factor.

By the time you receive your pre-filled cartridge, you will find that your cartridge will produce the equivalent of between 4-10 cigarettes.  Now, this number varies because each smoker is different.  It also varies based on if you have chosen the proper nicotine strength or not.  If you are on less of a nicotine strength than you should be, then you will find you are pulling harder and more frequently, thus reducing the amount of cigarettes produced by your ecig.

Another factor with pre-filled cartridges is that if you think about your cartridge in thirds, only the top two thirds of the cartridge are actually accessible to the atomizer.  Therefore, anything in the 1/3 of the cartridge that is furthest from the atomizer will never be used.

The final factor with pre-filled cartridges is that they do dry out.  The time varies on this, however, as with any liquid exposed to air, it will eventually evaporate.  Now, with all of these factors, it doesn’t mean that pre-filled cartridges aren’t good.  They are very convenient.  However, you will get the best smoking experience and the most bang for your buck if you go with eLiquid.  Using eLiquid is also known as “dripping”.  It is for all of these reasons that we have decided to move to eLiquid and empty cartridges.

So!  How do you use the eLiquid to “drip”?

You have just received your electronic cigarette.  You’ve charged your battery and you are ready to smoke.  Take your atomizer, which comes with a protective plastic guard that looks like your cartridges/mouthpiece, and screw the atomizer into the battery. Now pull the protective guard off.  Take one of your empty cartridges/mouthpiece that have been provided with your kit and remove it from the sealed packaging.  Remove the clear rubber stopper from the end.  If you received pre-filled cartridges, just unwrap one, start e-smoking, and when it is done (i.e. not more vapor is being produced), just refill it as an empty cartridge.

For your reference, pick up the protective plastic guard and the empty cartridge/mouthpiece and look down into both of them.  You will see inside the empty cartridge/mouthpiece a small fluffy pad.  That small fluffy pad is your nicotine cartridge or the wick.  It is this wick where you will drip 2-3 drops of eLiquid each time you want a cigarette!  You will notice the absence of this in your protective plastic guard.  To keep from getting confused, throw out your protective plastic guard.

To fill your wick, simply take your eLiquid dropper and drip 2-3 drops onto the wick.  Depending on the type of ELiquid bottle, you may need to puncture the tip of the bottle dropper with a pin or cut the very tip off with scissors.  Allow the ELiquid to settle for a few seconds, then place the cartridge/mouthpiece onto your atomizer.  Give it a few starter puffs by taking quick drags.  Once you develop vapor, you are ready to smoke.  When your wick is dry, you will know because your unit will no longer create vapor.

So what if you are going out and wish to take pre-filled cartridges with you so you don’t have to take your bottle of eLiquid?  Easy as pie.  Take the rubber stoppers you have removed from your cartridges/mouthpieces and set them to the side.  Take the small plastic ziplock your batteries and atomizers came in and set it to the side.  Take your cartridges/mouthpieces and set them so the small hole in the mouthpiece is facing down.  Fill your cartridge as you would for one smoke and let it settle.  Move on to the next cartridge.

You can fit up to 5 cartridges in your small ziplock.  Once you have filled all 5 with liquid go back and drip 2-3 more drops into each cartridge again.  The most drips you should put into a cartridge ever is 7-8 drops.  You will know when they are overfull because they will start to “pool” with eLiquid.  Try to avoid pooling.  Pooling can cause damage to your atomizer.

Once your cartridges are full, place the rubber stopper back into the bottom of the cartridge and place them, rubber stopper up, into your ziplock back.  Seal the ziplock and place into your velvet carrying pouch with your extra batteries and maybe an extra atomizer.  Then, you are ready to go out for the day or the night.  By filling 5 cartridges you are taking with you approximately 1 1/2 pack of cigarettes.

So how long should your empty cartridges and eLiquid last?  Each 15ml eLiquid bottle is equivalent to 300 cigarettes and this varying number is based solely on using the electronic cigarette like a tobacco cigarette.   The cartridges/mouthpieces can last until they fall apart.  What do we mean by fall apart?  They will losen and not fit as tightly on the atomizer.  The wick will become compacted and no longer hold liquid.  The wick will become loose and fall out of the cartridge compartment.  Any one or all of these things can happen.  HOWEVER… using your cartridge until they fall apart is unsanitary.  You wouldn’t smoke the same cigarette butt for weeks, even if you could.  That is why we provide you with 5 free empty cartridges with every bottle of eLiquid and with every kit and we also provide extra empty cartridges for a nominal fee.  Each cartridge should be used for no longer than one week.

If you follow the above directions, your eSmoking experience will go smoothly.  Once you get the hang of it, you will be able to “drip” just as easily as you lit a tobacco cigarette.  Happy eSmoking!

Reference Pictures:

An Instead Electronic Cigarette Mouthpiece w/ cartridge inside:

An unwrapped mouthpiece with plug pulled out (keep clear rubber plug to use later when refilling cartridges):

Here is the mouthpiece with the cartridge and plug all separated.  Please note: You can refill a cartridge with ELiquid while it is still in the mouthpiece.  You really don’t ever need to take the cartridge out of the mouthpiece.  Inside the cartridge is white fiber that acts as a wick to hold the ELiquid:

For those who are curious, you can take the cartridge out of the mouthpiece by sticking a toothpick through the small hole in the end of the mouthpiece.  Again, you can refill the cartridge while it is still in the mouthpiece:

If you have additional questions, please feel free to leave comments on this post.

Sometimes, it is hard to come up with a gift for a smoker. Lighters, ashtrays, cartons of cigarettes, they have all been done before. So how do you come up with something that is different and unique as a gift for a smoker? Well, the electronic cigarette is a great gift idea for smokers.

Here are some ideas:
If you know someone who is already an E-Smoker, consider an Instead Electronic Cigarette Set which includes the following:

1 x Water resistant stash tin
1 x Carrying pouch
2 x Battery
2 x Atomizer
1 x Wall Charger
5 x Empty Cartridges

Please note that the gift receiver would need to already have ELiquid Smoke Juice to use this kit.

Are you looking to spend a little bit more on a gift for a smoker? Our packaged deals are perfect. While the basic electronic cigarette set is good for those who already have ELiquid, you may be looking for a great gift for someone who has never heard of the electronic cigarette but could benefit from it.

For those looking for a complete package… check out our Electronic Cigarette Set PLUS ELiquid which includes:

1 x Water resistant stash tin
1 x Carrying pouch
2 x Battery
2 x Atomizer
1 x Wall Charger
5 x Empty Cartridges
1 x 15 ml Bottle of ELiquid Smoke Juice

And don’t worry, if your smoker is a menthol smoker, we have menthol ELiquid as well.

So if you are looking for a unique gift idea for smokers, the electronic cigarette is definitely unique. They are highly popular in Europe and have finally found their way to the US. Your smoker can again enjoy cigarettes in the car, in their favorite chair, after dinner, in a bar, in a restaurant! All guilt free!

Happy Hunting for that perfect gift!