Quick summary: Urus Cigs have a few nice innovations like the carrying case – and our panel enjoyed several of their flavors. We did find they were a little harder to draw on than our top-rated ecig brands, though.

When we opened our Urus starter kit, we were immediately pleasantly surprised. The battery, three cartridges and USB charger all came in a thin, sleek plastic case that’s contructed similarly to a hard pack of cigarettes. It’s easy to handle and easy to tuck into a pocket or purse. A number of other products come with optional carrying cases, but this struck us as the perfect blend of functionality and form; metal might be a little more aesthetically pleasing but would be too heavy. The plastic works just right. Urus also has a “premium” starter kit which comes with an extra five cartridges and an AC adapter.

When we got to testing our kit, we noticed immediately that the draw on the e-cigarette was a little harder than on most of the other brands we’ve reviewed. It’s not overly objectionable, but it was definitely noticeable. We liked the flavors, notably the menthol and the cherry; throat hit was good, and vapor clouds were in the midrange of the e-cigs that we’ve used. Read more…

Quick summary: Bedford Slims Vapourettes are a decent middle-of-the road e-cigarette, but without some of the features we look for in an electronic cigarette. They’re also not slim. They do offer an option to start with their system very inexpensively, however.

When we agreed to review Bedford Slims Vapourettes, we expected to receive one of the first slim and stylish e-cigs we’d ever seen. What arrived, however, was a typical electronic cigarette: it was indeed stylish, with a black pattern design on the battery and all-black cartridge – but the diameter is the same as a standard e-cigarette. We believe the design would definitely appeal more to women, but not to those in search of a “Virginia Slims” look.

The draw on a Bedford Slim was fine, with a mild throat hit and decent vapor clouds on the exhale. There’s a slight noise on the inhale, which the company tells us is designed to simulate the sound of crackling tobacco. One thing we did like was the unique packaging of the cartridges, which come in sealed cellophane; there’s no question it keeps the carts fresh, as the aroma was immediately noticeable when we opened the cellophane – even moreso than with more common blisterpack packaging. Read more…

Quick summary: NuvoCig is a sleek-looking electronic cigarette, with standard silver batteries and cartridges. However, we found the silver cartridges were distracting to use. There is a huge selection of flavors, with extra strong nicotine levels available

Putting aside the question of the silver carts, Nuvo is a middle-of-the road ecig, with a decent throat hit and a moderate amount of vapor. They have lots of choices once you move up the price ladder a bit. There are also some nice options in terms of carrying cases and chargers.

We tested the Nuvo “Longer Lasting USB Kit,” a simple starter kit which comes with a battery, two cartridges and a USB charger – very reasonably priced. We thought that the battery charge and cartridge life was a little below average, and as previously mentioned, we weren’t crazy about the silver cartridges; we felt they were too slippery when you put them between your lips, and didn’t really simulate the feeling of smoking a tobacco cigarette. Read more…

Quick summary: In a nutshell, Frii is simple, efficient and satisfying. A good combination – a solid choice for those who are looking for an e-cig with nicotine.

Simplicity, efficiency and price are the reasons we look favorably on this product. Frii has no hazardous chemicals, and literally allows you to control how much nicotine you’re taking in.  No tar, no carbon-dioxide. Whether you’re trying to kick the habit, or you’re not ready to “give in” to smoking restrictions, Frii will accommodate you.

The charge duration of Frii’s lithium ion batteries is one reason for our endorsement. One e-cig charge will probably last as long as a whole pack of traditional cigarettes.  Recharging the batteries powering the e-cigarette, is also a simple process.  The Frii kit includes both an AC power adapter, and a USB power adapter, so you can either plug it into the wall, or plug it into a computer and you’ll quickly be ready to smoke again.  Read more…

Quick summary: Their long-lasting cartomizer (atomizer) is one of the best values that we’ve found, and that makes them worth a look for those looking purely for nicotine-free e-cigarettes.

Smoke Assist products contain only water, propylene glycol, and a scent that imitates tobacco flavor. No tobacco, no tar, and unlike most of the competition, no nicotine. They’ve been toxicologically tested and contains no known ingredients considered to be cancer-causing agents.

One important thing to know, is that Smoke Assist offers a free electronic cigarette – an offer you can only get by going through their website. You must, of course, order a starter kit in order to get the free cigarette. Read more…

Quick summary: Our panel split on Victory Electronic Cigarettes; some liking the taste and others thinking it was merely acceptable. What they agreed on was that the AC adapter didn’t work well, requiring the ecig to be charged by USB. Choices and options are also limited.

Victory Electronic is one of those brands that we found to be “just OK.” It gets the job done at a reasonable price, but nothing really stood out to our panel. Battery and cartridge life seemed to be about average, a couple of our tasters liked the tobacco flavor but otherwise feelings were that the taste wasn’t memorable.

We tested the “full” starter kit, which comes with one battery, five cartridges, a USB charger, a wall adapter and a car charger in an attractive box. There’s also a “mega” kit available, with two batteries, 15 cartridges, and some other accessories. The main impression we came away with, was that the wall adapter didn’t fit snugly into any of the plugs we tried, meaning that it tilted away from the power and didn’t recharge the battery. We had to use the USB charger with a computer in order to get the job done. Read more…

Quick summary: we see this as the equivalent of generic cigarettes – but with a very nice offer for a free e-cigarette when you buy the cartridges.

EZ Smoker is another one of those e-cigarettes that hits you over the head with a great introductory offer for a solid product.

The e-cig is a two-component device, with two flavors available – tobacco and menthol. It also comes in one variety: no nicotine. The vapor cloud isn’t the biggest nor the smallest you’ll find, and the inhale isn’t the harshest or the smoothest available. That makes it a technologically sound, no-frills, option for those looking for an e-cigarette without all of the bells and whistles, and without any of the nicotine. EZ Smoker looks very much like a traditional cigarette, with a brown filter and red LED tip; their cartridges last for the equivalent of a pack-and-a-half of cigarettes, right around the mid-range of the brands we’ve reviewed. Again, sound and no frills.

That brings us to the strongest argument for EZ Smoker: their introductory offer.  Read more…