E-Lites – The smoking Holy Grail?

Having tried everything in a bid to give up smoking I’ve failed…until now.

Electronic cigarette manufacturer E-Lites offer three flavours – menthol (spearmint), lites and full strength tobacco. Starter packages are cost effective, the 200 cigarette equivalent (contained in five filter tips) comes with a rechargeable battery for £39.99. A hard-case comes as standard and doubles as a usb charger with a retractable usb cable to use on the move.

You can purchase individual cigarettes (20 – 30 cigarettes equivalent) in any flavour, the perfect way to try before splashing out on a full kit. Kits start at £25.99 for 80 cigs and refill kits retail £7.99 for 80 and £19.99 for 200 respectively.

So how does it work? You puff an electronic cigarette as you would a traditional tobacco cigarette. The filter contains a heat element which converts the stored liquid nicotine into a vapour mix of oxygen and nicotine.

Initially I found electronic cigarettes a tad on the heavy side but I got used to the weight eventually and on a positive, they don’t burn away so you’ll only puff when necessary.

E-lites are a convincing smoke without the dirtiness of tobacco cigarettes. Classed as vaporisers they don’t smell. As such I’ve been enjoying the thrill of smoking at my desk while sipping my morning coffee, much to the surprise of colleagues.

E-Lites feature some clever stuff, the ‘lit-end’ glows green with every puff, the LED light indicates when the battery runs dry (by flickering) and serves to display that the cigarette is indeed ‘electronic’ so that you don’t get flung out of the place in which you are smoking.

Here’s what my colleagues thought of them;

Lindsay Johnstone (Journalist): “For me, this doesn’t replicate smoking a real cigarette, and so didn’t satisfy cravings particularly well. It was also very strong and made me feel a little sick - I usually smoke light cigarettes, I smoked the menthol cigarette. I wouldn’t see it replacing cigarettes (until I finally quit), but I would probably use it on long flights or trains journeys”.

Graeme Nisbet (Public Sector Worker): “ I smoked lights and full strength cigarettes only very occasionally. Have been using E-lites for 10 days and haven’t wanted a real cigarette. I dislike the lights and full strength flavours but prefer the menthol which odd as I detest menthol cigarettes. I now only smoke the E-lites menthol and feel little or no craving for real cigarettes. Would recommend to anyone who wants to stop smoking”.

Gavin Munro (Graphic Designer): “I tried the cigars, which are designed to replicate the act of smoking a cigar. The disposable E-Gar electronic cigar is a luxurious tobacco leaf unibody presented in a metal carry case. It has a wonderful strong, smooth flavour that really hits the back of the throat giving you the perfect sensational of smoking a high quality panatela - and the LED on the end means you can enjoy the ‘real’ cigar in the office, on public transport or at your local bar without the trouble of leaving your seat and enduring the cold weather. With a lifespan over 400 puffs before being permanently stubbed out, this really is smoking joy at £12.99 for a single or £54.99 for a multi-pack.”

I’d recommend trying E-Lites; they’re a cheaper and healthier alternative to tobacco. For me, they are working a tobacco substitute, replicating smoking very well.