If you’re a heavy smoker and you’re thinking about switching to vaping, you might be wondering what type of vape will best suit you.

Maybe you’ve already tried to make the switch, but your chosen device didn’t replicate the nicotine hit you get from smoking.

At IVG, we develop vapes with the specific purpose of helping smokers transition to a less harmful alternative.

In this blog, we’ll talk about what you need to consider as a heavy smoker, and we’ll give you our top devices to make the switch from cigarettes.

Here are some key factors you need to take into consideration when buying vapes as a heavy smoker:

Nicotine Delivery & Throat Hit: Getting the Balance Right

When you’re switching from heavy smoking to vaping, there are two crucial things that you need to get right: nicotine delivery and throat hit.

If you don’t feel satisfied with both, you’re more likely to smoke. It’s a delicate balance, but we’re going to show you the best way to get results.

In simple terms, get enough nicotine without it feeling too harsh. The type of nicotine you vape has a huge effect on this.

Freebase vs Nicotine Salts

Freebase and nicotine salts are different versions of nicotine that provide different delivery times and throat hit.

We won’t go into the details here, as we have a nicotine salts vs freebase blog dedicated to both types if you want to learn more. But here’s a short comparison showing which is better for heavy smokers:

Best Delivery and Throat Hit: Nicotine salts

Nicotine Strength

For heavy smokers, the higher the nicotine strength, the more likely you’ll be satisfied. Buying weaker strength E-Liquid won’t save you money in the long run, and you’re less likely to get the satisfaction you need.

Any E-Liquid or prefilled vape pod will show the strength on the bottle, which will be between 0-20mg/ml (the legal limit). You could try 10-15, but they’re usually used for tapering down.

Best Strength for Heavy Smokers: 20mg

Vaping Style

There are two types of vaping styles, mouth-to-lung and direct-to-lung. MTL mirrors a typical smoking inhale, taking vapour into the mouth first, then breathing it into the lungs.

DTL is where the vaper inhales vapour directly into the lungs without holding it in the mouth first. If you’re a heavy smoker, it’s better to stick with MTL as it’s the same inhale style as smoking. Read our MTL vs DTL guide to learn more about vaping styles.

Best Vaping Style for Heavy Smokers: MTL

Flavours

Experimenting with different flavours is often the best way to form a new habit, rather than picking tobacco-flavoured vapes.

Only 11% of vapers reported using tobacco flavours in Action on Smoking and Health’s (ASH) 2025 vaping report, with 51% using fruit flavours and 20% using menthol or mint flavours.

If you’re a heavy smoker, picking a flavour that doesn’t remind you of smoking is often the key to success.

Best Flavours for Heavy Smokers: Fruits and fruity menthols

Ease of Use

Smoking is easy; all you need is a flame and a cigarette. The last thing you want to do when transitioning away from that is to make things complicated, as you’re more likely to go back to what’s easy.

Here are the easiest ways to vape:

1. Prefilled kits: a reusable, rechargeable vape and a prefilled vape pod (a pod with E-Liquid already inside it). Attach the pod to the device and begin vaping. When the pod is empty, replace it.
2. Refillable kits: a reusable vape and refillable vape pods. Choose your E-Liquid, fill your empty pod, and insert it into the vape device. Refill the pod when it’s empty and replace it when the flavour becomes muted.
3. Tanks, Mods and Sub-Ohm kits: a customisable, ‘DIY-style’ kit that contains several parts, including removable batteries, a coil, vape tank, mouthpiece and wicking materials. The parts are self-maintained, and you add your own E-Liquid.

Easiest to Use for Heavy Smokers: Prefilled vape kits

Battery Life: Why Bigger Isn’t Always Better

For heavy smokers, battery life matters. After all, you’re switching from a heavy-use habit. The last thing you want is to run out of battery halfway through the day and risk going back to cigarettes. However, that doesn’t mean you should go for the biggest battery on the market. Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Below 1000 mAh: too small for heavy use, won’t last a full day
• 1000–1500 mAh: reliable all-day use, still beginner-friendly
• Above 1500 mAh: still good, but it isn’t necessary to have a huge battery.

Best Battery Life for Heavy Smokers: 1000-1500 mAh is the sweet spot for a long-lasting battery and a powerful vape.

💡 Idea: Unless you’re thinking of buying a sub-ohm or vape tank setup, you don’t need any higher than 2000 mAh.

Puff Count

It’s quite simple: the higher the puff count, the longer your vape lasts. If you’re a heavy smoker, higher puff counts are usually better. However, it’s not always as simple as buying the biggest puff vape. Different puff counts can change the experience. 

• Small (Up to 600 puffs): can be useful for trying out vaping, in the short term. May lack features such as a battery display.
• Medium (600-10,000 puffs): provide higher puff counts and some more advanced device features like screens.
• Large (10,000-35,000 puffs): Largest puff counts, often bigger devices with better functionality.

Best Puff Count for Heavy Smokers: 10,000 puffs is cheap enough for a smoker to try, and should last long enough for a heavy smoker to see the benefits of vaping.

What IVG Vapes Are Best for Heavy Smokers?

Here’s a quick comparison of IVG devices mapped to the criteria above:

What Are the Best IVG Vapes for Heavy Smokers?

Here are the best IVG devices for heavy smokers based on the discussed criteria:

Best for Nicotine Delivery and Throat Hit 

This is the key factor: every single IVG device pod contains nicotine salt, the best type of nicotine for heavy smokers. You can pick any and know you’re getting the right E-Liquid and nicotine type.

 Shop All Vape Kits →

Best for Battery Life – 2400 4-in-1

The IVG 2400 4-in-1 contains the biggest battery of all our devices. If you’re going to be on the road or want peace of mind, the 2400 is the right device for you. Plus, it’s won loads of awards, and you can switch between flavours as you vape!

 Shop 2400 →

Best for Tapering Down – PRO & PRO 2

The PRO and PRO 2 offer an unrivalled selection of nicotine strengths, and while we would advise heavy smokers to start with 20mg, you may want the option to taper down later. The PRO and PRO 2 make this easier.

 Shop PRO →

 Shop PRO 2 →

Best for High Puff Counts – XL35

The XL35 offers our highest puff count, with more than three times our next device at 10,000 puffs. If you’re committed to switching and want a device and pod that makes a statement, the XL35 is for you.

 Shop XL35 →

Best for Extra Features – SMART MAX

Our SMART MAX device is a well-rounded vape, with more than one nicotine strength, 30 flavours, and is based on the best-selling SMART 5500. With one addition, it has Boost and Eco mode. Boost and Eco mode let you control your vape. Boost mode increases vapour, whereas Eco mode conserves battery and E-Liquid.

 Shop SMART MAX →

Choose the device that suits your style, and make the switch today!

Buying a Refillable or Sub-Ohm Kit?

Try our award-winning E-Liquids:

• IVG Original 50/50
• IVG Shortfills
• IVG Intense Salts

If you’re a heavy smoker, what device helped you switch to vaping? Let us know in the comments below, and advise people who want to make the switch.