New to vaping and not sure where to start? With so many devices out there, picking your first kit can feel like a lot. The good news is that you don’t need anything fancy. A good starter kit is simple to fill, easy to charge and comfortable to use, and you can always move up to something with more features later. Below are the kits we recommend most often to first-time buyers, plus a few tips on choosing your e-liquid. All products on The Vape Mall are for adults 21+.
What to look for in your first vape kit
- Ease of use: one button or a simple screen is plenty. Look for top-fill or side-fill pods and tanks so refilling is quick and clean.
- Battery life: a bigger battery (measured in mAh) means fewer trips to the charger. If you’re out all day, aim for 1500mAh or more.
- Pod or tank: pod kits are small and pocket-friendly, and you simply swap the pod or coil when it wears out. Tank kits hold more e-liquid and give you more options as you get comfortable.
- Airflow: a tighter draw feels like a mouth-to-lung (MTL) puff, while a looser draw gives bigger clouds. Kits with adjustable airflow let you try both.
- Size: choose something you’ll be happy carrying every day.
Our top starter vape kits
1. Joyetech eGo AIO – the simplest place to start
The Joyetech eGo AIO is an all-in-one pen with a built-in 1500mAh battery and a top-fill tank. It uses Joyetech’s leak-resistant cup design and has a child-lock feature, and you can even pick the color of the indicator light. With a single button, it’s about as easy as vaping gets.
2. SMOK Novo 4 Mini – a compact pod kit
The SMOK Novo 4 Mini packs a 900mAh battery into a small zinc-alloy body. It runs from 6-25W, has an adjustable airflow dial and uses 2mL side-fill pods with LP1 mesh coils. Spare Novo 4 pods are inexpensive, so it’s an easy kit to keep going.
3. SMOK Vape Pen V2 – pen style with a bigger tank
If you like the pen shape but want more capacity, the SMOK Vape Pen V2 has a 1600mAh battery, a 3mL built-in tank with a top-fill cap, an adjustable airflow ring and mesh coils for strong flavor.
4. SMOK Nord 6 – room to grow
The SMOK Nord 6 is a pod mod for vapers who want more control. It has a large 3800mAh battery with fast charging, a 1.65″ touch screen, 5-80W output across three modes, puff tracking and 5mL pods. It’s simple enough to start on and has plenty of settings to explore. Replacement Nord 6 pods come with the coils already installed.
5. Aspire Zelos 3 – a mod and tank kit
Ready for a traditional mod? The Aspire Zelos 3 Kit pairs the Zelos 3 mod and its color TFT screen with the top-fill Nautilus 3 tank, which works with Nautilus series coils (except Nautilus X). It’s a solid choice if you want to fine-tune wattage and airflow.
You can see every kit we carry in Vape Kits and Refillable Pods.
Choosing your e-liquid and nicotine strength
Our house e-liquids are made in the USA and mixed fresh when you order, in strengths from 0mg (nicotine-free) up to 30mg. A few tips:
- Pick a strength that suits you. You can always go higher or lower on your next order.
- Salt nic vs. freebase: salt nic e-liquid feels smoother at higher strengths and pairs well with low-wattage pod kits like the Novo 4 Mini. Freebase e-liquid suits higher-wattage kits like the Nord 6 or Zelos 3.
- PG/VG mix: more PG gives a stronger throat hit and works best in small pods, while more VG gives smoother, bigger clouds in higher-wattage devices.
- Not sure which flavor? A sample pack lets you try several before buying a big bottle.
Keeping your kit running well
Prime every new coil by letting the e-liquid soak in for a few minutes before your first puff. Swap your coil or pod when the flavor fades or tastes burnt, and keep your device charged with the cable it came with. For a step-by-step guide, see how to clean your vape tank and coil.
Ready to get started?
Browse our starter kits, pick out a few e-liquid flavors, and you’re set. Have a question about which kit is right for you? Contact us and our team will be glad to help. You must be 21 or older to purchase.