I love ordering and trying many electronic cigarette brands. Some were so bad that I didn’t even mention them on this site. Several top contenders are excellent. One e-cig brand is a stand-out and is my number 1 recommended electronic cigarette.
My absolute favorite e-cig is South Beach Smoke.
You can read my full South Beach Smoke review here to find out why. You can get 10% off South Beach here.
I’m not the only person who thinks South Beach is the best electronic cigarette. My wife has tried all the brands with me and she immediately liked South Beach by far the best.
2 Runners Up are:
How did I go about deciding my favorite brand?
First I made the big decision to switch from tobacco to e-cigarettes … which wasn’t a hard decision given the many benefits.
1. I haven’t tried every brand on the planet
There are dozens, if not hundreds of brands. I have not tried them all. I’ve tried many of the major brands and it’s from this pool that South Beach reigns supreme.
2. I actually order and try the e-cigs I review and compare
Some electronic cigarette review websites contain reviews that are not based on actually trying the product. This is regrettable. I don’t take that approach. I’ve tried every e-cigarette brand represented on this site.
If you’re looking to learn how e-cigs work, watch the following video
3. Criteria I use to choose the best e-cigarette
My analysis of deciding upon the best e-cigarette starts from the second I begin the ordering process. The following is my list of criteria I consider when reviewing an electronic cig:
Order & Shipping
- Ease-of-ordering
- Friendliness of customer service (if order by phone)
- Speed of shipping
- Was the order correct (I’ve had some orders screwed up and one brand in particular wouldn’t correct it without charging me exorbitant shipping fees).
Packaging
- Is it easy to open?
- Is packaging convenient to use as a storage container for the e-cig
- Did discount coupons arrive with the order for future cartomizer/atomizer orders?
Charger
- Does the charger work as represented?
- Did it break (one charger broke fairly fast)?
- Is the charger easy-to-use? (I prefer chargers with an extended cord off the charging box because it doesn’t take up as much space on the power bar/outlet – South Beach is the only charger I have that has this nice feature).
- Do I get as many puffs on a charge as the e-cig maker tells me?
E-Cig Mechanism
- I prefer simple 2-piece models over the more cumbersome 3-piece models. SBS primarily sells 2 piece types.
- Does the cartomizer screw on smoothly (many don’t).
- How does the e-cig feel in my hand?
- Does the e-cig hiss and pop on the inhale (this is a bad sign … many brands do this)?
- SBS also offer disposable models as well.
Vaping Experience
- Does the vapor hit your throat fast (or is there a delay)?
- Robustness of the vapor (is it thick and flavorful or wispy)?
- Smoothness of inhale AND exhale.
- Flavor quality. Is there a metallic taste (this is bad and many brands do have a metallic taste in the flavor).
Which E-Cig Do I Reach For the Most?
I own many e-cig kits and mounds of refills. Here’s the number one test which I used to conclude that South Beach Smoke is my favorite:
TEST: Which e-cigarette do I reach for and take with me most often? These days I choose South Beach Smoke 85% of the time. The remaining 15% I go with other brands for variety.
Conclusion
South Beach Smoke is my favorite brand. It’s my number 1 recommended e-cig.
You can enjoy a 10% discount off all South Beach Smoke purchases by clicking here and placing your order.
How should you find out what’s the right brand for you?
For me it was trial and error. I decided to buy several starter kits and try them out. You can follow my recommendation, read my buying guide, read my comparison chart or go with one of my other top-rated brands – which I set out at the top of this page.
It’s not easy, and given the fact that a starter kit costs $50 or more, it’s kind of a drag having to spend a few hundred dollars narrowing down your best choice … the choice you’ll stick with for years.
The good news is …
In the long run, you’ll save a lot of money using electronic cigarettes instead of smoking traditional cigarettes.
A few important criteria to consider
1. Always look for a deal
Most electronic cigarette brands offer discounts and/or coupon codes online. Before buying any brand, get the best coupon codes you can find … I list out excellent coupons and discounts for the top brands here.
2. Try different types at a store
If you have access to an e-cig store near you, go try different types. There are 2 and 3 piece, manual vs. automatic, disposable vs. permanent, cartomizer vs. atomizer … the variations and models are endless. It didn’t take me long to realize I prefer simple (2-piece and automatic) because I wanted the least amount of hassle and fuss as possible.
3. Consider your starter kit purchase an investment
It’s an investment financially, but also an investment in a different way to enjoy and take in nicotine while retaining the enjoyment of smoking. Let’s face, those of us who are former smokers enjoyed smoking … and the reason electronic cigarettes are so popular now is that they provide the enjoyment of smoking and deliver nicotine. Nothing is given up.
4. Don’t buy a cheap electronic cigarette
Cheap is never the best. You don’t have to purchase the most expensive model either … I know from experience that buying the cheapest model (a brand that’s no longer in business) is not the right way to go. You get what you pay for. These mechanisms are somewhat complex and they need to perform. There’s no shortage of people complaining here about their low quality electronic cigarette not performing well and even breaking after a month or few months.