If you vape and live in the United Kingdom, you’re probably very aware of the fact that disposable vapes are extremely popular because they’re available at seemingly every vape shop and convenience store. Even so, it’s possible to underestimate how popular disposable vapes are if you don’t have a big-picture view.
In fact, disposable vapes are so popular in the UK that about five million of them are discarded there every week – and that might leave you wondering something. If disposable vapes are sold in such enormous volumes, why do they cost so much? Isn’t vaping supposed to cost less than smoking?
As you’re about to learn, disposable vapes are actually some of the most expensive vaping products on the market. That’s partially because of the way the devices are designed and partially because of the laws that regulate the vaping industry in the United Kingdom by limiting the e-liquid capacities of vaping products.
In this article, we’ll explain the three major factors that can cause disposable vapes to cost more than other types of vaping devices. We’ll also explain the two things that you can do to reduce how much you spend on vapes – you can either change your habits, or you can use a different type of product. Let’s get started.
Disposable Vapes Are Expensive Because Each One Is a Complete Vaping System
A disposable vape has one very significant difference from other vaping devices in that it’s the only type of vape that’s a complete, ready-to-use vaping system right out of the box. Every other type of vape includes a rechargeable battery that you can continue using when you’re out of vape juice. When you buy a disposable vape, you’re not just buying e-liquid – you’re buying a complete piece of consumer electronics with an outer case, a logic board, an integrated circuit and a battery. That’s true of any vaping device, but the difference is that a rechargeable device may last months or even years. A disposable vape only lasts a few days. Naturally, this means that using disposable vapes costs more in the long run.
Disposable Vapes Are Expensive in the UK Because Their E-Liquid Capacities Are Limited
In regions that don’t limit the amount of e-liquid a vaping product can contain, manufacturers can make up for the fact that disposable vapes aren’t very economical by giving them very large capacities. Some high-capacity disposable vapes sold in the United States, for instance, deliver well over 10,000 puffs and can potentially last weeks. That’s not the case in the United Kingdom, though, where the Tobacco Products Directive limits the capacities of vaping products with nicotine to a maximum of 2 ml. That means a disposable vape typically lasts no more than a couple of days, creating the need to buy more devices constantly. In any region, disposable vapes aren’t the most economical vaping devices on the market. They’re particularly expensive in the United Kingdom, though, since their capacities put a hard limit on how long they can last.
Disposable Vapes Can Be Expensive if You’re a Heavy Vaper
Another important factor affecting the economics of any vaping device is the way you use it. A disposable vape always lasts longest if you follow the same usage pattern that you would as a smoker, puffing on the device for a few minutes at a time and then putting it down for a while. If you vape with the same frequency as a smoker, even a device with only 2 ml of e-liquid can last a few days.
The problem, though, is that many people don’t vape that way. Cigarettes limit your usage automatically because you can only get so many puffs out of a cigarette before the tobacco is used up. At that point, you’re probably not going to light another one immediately because there are only so many cigarettes in a pack. Combined, these factors help to ensure that you only consume the nicotine you actually need.
A disposable vape with 2 ml of e-liquid, on the other hand, lasts up to 600 puffs before it runs out of battery power or e-liquid. That’s roughly as many puffs as two packs of cigarettes – and you can take all 600 of those puffs in one sitting if you wish. Since disposable vapes lack any built-in way to police your usage, some people end up vaping almost constantly without really paying much attention to the amount of nicotine they’re using. If that’s the way you vape, you’d probably have a better experience with a refillable device because disposable vapes don’t last long at all if you never put them down.
Try a Pre-Filled Pod System as an Alternative to Disposable Vapes
If you’re tired of spending too much money on disposable vapes, it’s time to switch to a different type of vaping device. A pre-filled pod system is the ideal vaping device for someone who loves everything about disposable vapes except their high cost. A pod system is nearly as simple and easy to use as a disposable vape. To maintain the device, all that you need to do is recharge the battery periodically. When a pod runs out of e-liquid, you’ll just throw it away and replace it with a new pod.
The great thing for fans of disposable vapes is that there’s actually a pod system called the Elf Bar Elfa that uses the same e-liquid flavors as the famous Elf Bar brand of disposable vapes. Elfa pods – which are available on this page – are sold in packs of two, which essentially means that you can switch from disposable vapes to the Elf Bar Elfa and instantly cut your vaping expenses in half while having virtually the same experience. If you find that the convenience of disposable vapes isn’t sufficient to make up for their high cost, a device like the Elf Bar Elfa is a far more economical option that’ll probably work much better for you.
