If you want to start using an electronic cigarette, here’s a quick guide for the lazy.

You need four things at a minimum:

1. An atomiser – the bit that makes the vapour.
2. A battery – the bit that powers the atomiser.
3. A charger – the bit that charges your battery.
4. Some e-cig juice – what the atomiser turns into vapour.

Current recommended kit

Atomiser: The Aspire BDC range (stands for ‘bottom dual coil’) are well-built, effective and cheap. I personally have used the Mini Vivi Nova, and the CE5 also comes recommended. These are around the £6 mark. Probably best you get some replacement coils at the same time. I got mine from eBay (search ‘aspire bdc’ and take you pick).

Battery: Though often suggested as a ‘next step’, a variable voltage or variable wattage battery is probably a sensible starter investment. I’m a big fan of the iTaste VV, which has the added advantage of ‘pass-through’ meaning you can still use it the same time as charging it through microUSB. This is currently £20 from myepack.co.uk and they have the updated model with the extra rivets, which is the one you want.

Charger: Not needed if you buy the iTaste VV and already have a microUSB charger. You can also charge from your computer but it will be slower.

Juices: There are two main base liquids used for juices: PG (propylene glycol) and VG (‘vegetable’ glycerine). PG gives more throat hit, and VG gives more vapour but can mute the flavour slightly. Some people find PG too irritating. Liberty Flights sell a good range of VG juices – they can be difficult to find on the high street. Get a couple of flavours you think you’ll like at 18mg strength. I’d recommend not just buying tobacco flavour, try a fruit one like cherry too.