A Look at Cig-a-Like eCigarettes

By: Nicholas King.
Last Updated: October 21st, 2018.

 
Whether you’re a smoker or a vaper, or just someone with an interest in all the latest trends, chances are that you’ve taken note of at least one brand of those ever-present cig-alike e-cigarettes. You can find them in most convenience stores, as well as many vape shops and big-box retailers. More importantly, you can see them in restaurants, bars, and on the streets of most cities across the United States. They are one of the most commonly seen e-cigarette devices and have been used by millions of Americans as a smoking cessation option. So, what are they really, and why are they so popular?

What is a Cig-a-Like e-cigarette?

Technically, when we refer to cig-a-like vaping devices, we’re usually just talking about the smaller tube-like vaping pens that look like traditional tobacco cigarettes and ideal for those looking for an e cig to quit smoking. They’re small – about the size of a cigarette, and light. They also come in two different styles: the disposable brands that you use until the battery is dead and then discard, or the rechargeable varieties that you can reuse with new nicotine cartridges. They’re all portable, discrete, and allow users to obtain their nicotine without all the thousands of harmful chemicals that they take into their bodies with tobacco products. With so much choice these days we decided to put a list together of the best cig-a-like ecigs to make it easier for you guys to choose.

Why are they so Popular?

There are a number of things that make these products popular. While they are typically considered to be beginner products useful only for the most novice vapers – and those who are trying to quit their tobacco habits, the reality is that many former smokers never progress beyond these devices. They begin with a cig-alike, gradually end their reliance on tobacco, and then either quit vaping or continue to use these types of products to get their daily dose of nicotine.

The devices themselves do vary somewhat from brand to brand – though some parts are interchangeable. The battery types can vary as well, with some lasting for just a few hours and others providing eight or nine hours of vaping pleasure. For rechargeable devices, the recharge typically takes around an hour to complete. Granted they are not exactly the best electronic cigarette device around, but many still use them and more importantly, love them!

There are advantages to using these devices, of course:

• Unlike most other vaping mods and clearomizer pens, the cig-a-like offers a clean, easy-to-understand transition point between traditional tobacco cigarettes and more advanced vaping tools. Often, it is the very familiarity of the cig-a-likes design that helps to attract tobacco users and convince them to make the move away from smoking.
• They’re portable and light and can be used without any hassle. That convenience can make them attractive to smokers who are unaccustomed to refilling tanks, removing batteries from vaping devices, or otherwise jumping through hoops to get their nicotine fix.
• There is little setup to be done prior to use. In most cases, you can either use them right out of the package or else simply have to screw the battery into the cartomizer. There is no drip, no complicated assembly, and no questions that need to be answered. And who doesn’t love it when things are simple?

Are there any Disadvantages to Using them?

There are some drawbacks to using them too, though these cons are typically outweighed by the many positives. Most are centered around cost concerns, and public access issues. For example,

• Because they look so much like regular tobacco cigarettes, some businesses are reluctant to allow vapers to use look-a-likes in their stores. There have been far too many instances in which business owners or employees have asked vapers to put away their cig-a-likes so as to avoid any offense to other customers.
• The look-a-likes are not as efficient or high-performing as their mod and clearomizer counterparts. That’s to be expected, of course, but the convenience of the cig-a-like devices does leave something to be desired when it comes to vapor production and flavor. You’ll always get a better draw and taste sensation using a higher-end model of vaping device.
• Cig-a-likes can end up being more expensive in the long run. While the initial outlay of money for a mod or nice clearomizer device may be higher than purchasing a cig-a-like, those cost differences get flipped in short order. So, if you’re planning on using cig-a-likes to stop smoking, but then later find that you enjoy vaping enough that you want to continue, it would behoove you to look into a more advanced vaping option for your long-term use.
• A good vaping rig – whether it’s a mod-based system or a simpler vaping pen – can easily pay for itself in savings versus a cig-a-like in short order. Though it’s easy to spend fifty to a hundred dollars on the basic equipment needed for exceptional vaping sessions, that’s about the cost of a dozen single cig-a-likes. If you go through a cig-a-like a day, or even every two days, you’ll discover that the money spent in less than a month could have financed your more expensive vaping kit.

Let’s be clear about one thing, though: these devices certainly have their place in the hierarchy of vaping technology. Many who use them soon move onto the vape pen. While there are some drawbacks to using a cig-a-like e-cigarette, including greatly increased expenditures over time, there are also many advantages too. The most important advantage, of course, is that people actually do use these devices to end their smoking habit – and anything that can help people to quit smoking has to be viewed as a positive thing. So, if you’re in need of a way to get off that tobacco wagon, the cig-a-like e-cigarettes may be ideal for you.

If your interested in cig-a-like e-cigs and want to see which are the best on the market then please check out our post which looks at the best: