How many puffs does a vape really have? | Vape Lab Switzerland
At Shisha Heaven you will not only find the best selection of vapes in Switzerland, but also well-researched facts. In our Vape Lab, we test various e-cigarette models with a professional puff counting machine and show you how many puffs are actually possible. Click through our test videos and find out how many puffs your favorite vape can take in everyday use!
Short Facts
All the products tested fall far short of the promised number of puffs. The difference is most noticeable with the so-called Big Puff vapes, which are advertised with a puff count of up to 10,000.
- Disposable vapes & prefilled pods achieve around 50% of the promised puffs
- Hybrid vapes usually only achieve 20-30% of the puffs specified by the manufacturer
Vape test: The truth about the effective number of puffs
What factors influence the number of puffs with vapes?
The amount of e-liquid contained in an e-cigarette is relevant for the actual number of puffs possible, not the manufacturer's specification. The resistance of the coil, the power with which this coil is fired and the airflow also play a role.
- Liquid quantity: more liquid = more puffs
- Resistance: lower resistance = more steam, fewer puffs
- Power: higher number of watts = higher liquid consumption
- Airflow: open airflow = less consumption, milder puffs
Important: most closed systems (disposable vapes, prefilled pods, hybrid), where you cannot refill the e-liquid yourself, work with a similar power spectrum and similar resistances. As a rule, vaporizer heads with 1.0 to 1.2 ohms are used and the power varies from 9 to 12 watts.
How do we test the puff count of vapes in the lab?
A "puff counting machine" is used, i.e. a laboratory device to which all commercially available e-cigarettes can be connected using a hose. This simulates pulling on the mouthpiece and counts each puff until the e-liquid in the vape is used up.
In order to achieve the most accurate result possible, the device is calibrated precisely using empirical data from the daily use of a target group of 30 people.
Formula for calculating the number of trains?
The number of puffs depends primarily on the amount of liquid used. If we have not yet tested your preferred vape model in the lab, we recommend that you calculate the effective number of puffs using the following formula to get a realistic estimate:
1ml E-liquid = approx. 150 puffs
Conclusion on the Vape Lab tests
When Coca Cola writes "Up to 1000 sips" on a 1.5 liter bottle, this is very exaggerated per se, but not necessarily wrong. Because if you take very small portions, you can actually take 1000 sips.
It's exactly the same with vapes. Manufacturers keep fudging the possible number of puffs upwards because they know that it is difficult to control and that many consumers are influenced by this information. The number of puffs has become a marketing factor, although the amount of liquid contained in an e-cigarette would be much more meaningful.
We recommend that you pay attention to the amount of liquid contained when buying, or consult the test results from the Shisha Heaven Vape Lab to get a feel for the actual number of puffs possible.
Vape Test FAQ
We explain the most important questions about our vape lab here.
Why are we testing the number of trains?
So that you can make honest purchasing decisions and assess the difference between marketing figures and the effective number of trains.
How accurate is a puff counting test?
Very accurate - we calibrate our devices with real-life test subjects. However, the possible number of puffs always depends on your personal vapor behavior.
Did the number of trains vary for different models?
Yes - especially with Big Puff Vapes, the results deviate massively from the manufacturer's specifications.
Can I count trains myself?
Yes, but that is quite complex. Many open pod systems have an integrated puff counter, but closed systems usually do not.
Which device performed best?
As a trend, it can be seen that the less liquid a vape contains, the closer the promised number of puffs is to our test result.
Why do manufacturers manipulate the number of trains?
Quite simply because products with a high number of puffs sell better. Consumers are dazzled by the manufacturer's information, as the number of puffs is difficult to check and takes a lot of time to do manually.