Vaporizer – What is it in Vaping?

Definition

A vaporizer is an electronic device designed to heat VapeJuice“>vape juice, dry herbs, or concentrates to a temperature that produces breathable vapour without combustion. Unlike traditional cigarettes that burn tobacco, a vaporizer gently warms material until active compounds become airborne, allowing users to inhale flavour and nicotine (or other substances) with fewer toxins. Whether you call it a vape, vaporizer, or vaping device, its core purpose is to deliver a smooth, flavourful experience while giving control over nicotine strength, cloud size, and flavour choice—making it a popular harm-reduction tool for Australian ex-smokers and cloud-chasing hobbyists alike.

Technical Details

Most modern vaporizers rely on a battery (3.2–4.2 V lithium-ion), a heating element (coil, ceramic plate, or quartz rod), and a wick or oven chamber saturated with e-liquid or packed with botanical material. When the fire button is pressed, current flows through the coil; resistance—measured in ohms (Ω)—determines how quickly energy becomes heat. Standard e-liquid coils range 0.15–1.8 Ω; sub-ohm (< 1 Ω) builds create warmer, denser vapor. Temperature-control chips limit the coil to 100–315 °C to prevent dry hits and prolong wick life. Devices are categorised as:

• Cig-a-likes: 150–300 mAh, auto-draw, high-resistance (1.6–2.4 Ω)
• Vape pens: 650–1100 mAh, mid-wattage (8–20 W)
• Pod systems: 200–1000 mAh, low-wattage (6–18 W), nicotine-salt optimised
• Box mods: 1–4×18650/21700 cells, Wattage (VW)”>variable wattage (VW) 1–230 W, variable voltage (VV) 0.5–8 V
• Dry-herb/concentrate vapes: Convection or conduction ovens, precise 160–220 °C control

Usage & Tips

Prime new coils by dripping 3–5 drops of vape juice directly onto the wick and let the filled tank sit 5–10 min before first use; this prevents burnt cotton. Start at the lowest recommended wattage printed on the coil, then increase gradually to find your sweet spot. If you experience leaking, check o-rings, close airflow when refilling, and avoid over-tightening. For battery safety, always transport loose cells in a plastic case; never exceed the continuous discharge rating (e.g., 20 A). Australian vapers should lock devices when travelling (five-clicks) and keep nicotine-containing e-liquid below the 100 ml personal import limit to stay TGA-compliant.

History & Context

Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik patented the first modern e-cigarette in 2003 after his father died of smoking-related illness. By 2007 “vapes” reached Australia, initially as cig-a-likes. The 2010s box-mod boom introduced variable wattage chips and sub-ohm tanks, turning vaping into a nationwide smoking-cessation and cloud-chasing culture.