Vape Starter Kit UK 2026: What to Buy (And What to Avoid)
So you're thinking about getting your first vape. Maybe you've been smoking for years and want to switch. Maybe the disposable ban caught you off guard and your usual £5 Elf Bar isn't available anymore. Maybe someone told you vaping is cheaper and you're curious.
Whatever brought you here, I'm going to walk you through what you actually need to know. Not the technical jargon version — the practical one. Because I've read the Reddit threads, and the number one thing beginners say is some version of: "I thought I could just walk into a shop, grab a vape, and off I go. Nope."
First things first: disposables are gone
If you're in the UK, single-use disposable vapes have been banned since June 2025. That means the colourful Elf Bars and similar devices you used to see everywhere are no longer legally sold. You need a reusable device now — either a prefilled pod system (you buy pods pre-filled with liquid) or a refillable pod system (you fill it yourself with bottles of e-liquid).
For your first vape, I'd strongly recommend a prefilled pod system. Less fiddling, less to figure out, more like the simple experience you're probably expecting. Refillable devices give you more options eventually, but the learning curve is steeper and that's exactly the kind of thing that puts beginners off.
The three things that actually matter
Pop in a pod, draw on it. No buttons, no settings.
Low entry price. If you hate it, you're not out £50.
Tight draw, mouth-to-lung. Not a fog machine.
That's it. Anything beyond those three is a bonus, not a requirement for your first device.
What I'd actually recommend
Full disclosure again: I work for RELX. But I'll mention options beyond our products too, because the goal here is to help you find the right first vape, not just sell you ours.
RELX Creator Pro
£4.99
£4.99 for the device. That's less than a pack of cigarettes. You literally cannot lose here — if vaping isn't for you, you've spent the price of a coffee finding out.
What makes it good for beginners: draw-activated (no buttons to figure out), adjustable airflow (tight for a cigarette-like experience or open for something airier), and the 800mAh battery will get most people through a full day without charging. Ecigclick described the RELX experience as "plug and play simple to use" and specifically noted it's "perfect for smokers making the switch."
One verified buyer, Blessie Villanueva, wrote on our site: "Always been a RELX fan. Vaping experience couldn't go wrong... Was a very easy transaction also, did not wait too long before I received the parcel." Another, Ryan Rochon, said: "The website and ordering process were great. Very easy to use and great quality product."
Other options worth knowing about
Our other entry device. 380mAh battery (smaller), single power mode (simpler). 4.94/5 from 88 reviews. A bit more expensive but the simplest possible option — literally no settings at all.
The most recommended refillable pod system on r/VapingUK. More expensive and you fill it yourself, but excellent flavour. Good if you're willing to learn a bit more.
If I'm being completely honest: the XROS 3 is arguably a better long-term device once you know what you're doing. But for day one? £4.99 Creator Pro or £9.99 Essential 2 is hard to beat as a starting point.
Nicotine strength — the bit everyone gets wrong
This is where most beginners mess up, based on what I've read on Reddit. One user said: "Going too high on nicotine. Started at 24mg and couldn't stop coughing." Another: "Treating it exactly like a cigarette. Puffing constantly for 5 minutes then wondering why you feel sick."
Here's the simple version for the UK market:
Start at 18-20mg/ml (nic salts). This is the UK max and roughly matches what you'd get from cigarettes.
Start at 10-12mg/ml. You can always go up if it's not enough.
Start at 3-6mg/ml. Don't overdo it — too much nicotine will make you feel rubbish.
All RELX pods in the UK are 18mg/ml, which sits at the upper end. If you're a 20+ day smoker, that's a good starting point. If you smoke less, you might find it strong — but most people adjust within a few days.
The key thing: vaping is not the same as smoking. You don't chain-vape for five minutes like you'd smoke a cigarette. You take a few draws, put it down, come back to it. That's the biggest adjustment for most people.
Flavour — pick something, don't overthink it
Beginners spend way too long agonising over which flavour to pick. Here's my honest advice: pick something that sounds nice, try it, and move on if you don't like it. You will figure out what you actually enjoy pretty quickly.
That said, the data from our reviews is pretty clear about what UK vapers gravitate towards:
"Big fan of this flavor. A go to."
— Verified buyer review
"Best flavour I ever picked!"
— Verified buyer review
If you're coming from menthol cigarettes, try any of the "ice" flavours. If you smoked regular tobacco, the Blended Tobacco pod is a safe starting point. If you just want something fruity because cigarettes never tasted like anything — Watermelon Ice is the crowd favourite for a reason.
What about the money?
Let's be blunt about this, because cost is one of the main reasons people switch.
Those smoking figures come from Pod Salt and Vape Superstore's 2026 analysis, by the way — not made up. Even with the new Vaping Products Duty coming in October 2026 (about £2.20 per 10ml of e-liquid), vaping is still massively cheaper. We're talking about saving £2,000-5,000 a year depending on how much you smoke.
The Creator Pro at £4.99 plus a £8.99 pod gets you started for under £15. Compare that to a week of smoking at £100+.
Mistakes to avoid (from people who already made them)
I went through Reddit's "beginner mistakes" threads so you don't have to. Here's what people wish they'd known:
- Don't vape it like a cigarette. Short, gentle draws. Not hard, deep pulls for five minutes straight. One Reddit user: "Puffing constantly for 5 minutes then wondering why you feel sick."
- Drink water. Vaping dehydrates you. This isn't a myth — it's because of the propylene glycol. Keep a glass of water nearby.
- Don't buy a complicated device first. Someone on r/electronic_cigarette: "Bought a massive mod as my first device. Couldn't figure out wattage, airflow, building coils... gave up for 6 months."
- Don't chain-vape. A few puffs, then put it down. Nicotine from vaping hits differently — it takes a moment to feel it. Give it a minute before reaching for more.
- Give it a week. The first few days feel weird. Your tastebuds are adjusting. Your throat is adjusting. Every single vaper went through this. It gets better.
The quick-start checklist
If you want the simplest possible start:
- Buy a RELX Creator Pro (£4.99) or Essential 2 (£9.99)
- Buy one pod in a flavour that sounds nice (£8.99)
- Pop the pod in, wait 30 seconds, take a gentle draw
- If 18mg/ml feels too strong, try a lower strength next time
- Total investment to try vaping: £13.98 - £18.98
That's it. Don't overthink it. Don't read 47 reviews of 47 different devices. Don't watch three hours of YouTube comparisons. Buy something cheap, try it, and figure out what you actually like. You can always upgrade later — and honestly, the Creator Pro is good enough that you might not need to.
Planet of the Vapes summed it up nicely in their review of a RELX device: "It's a cheap, simple, pod replaceable alternative... the flavours aren't 'in your face' strong, they're just well-done versions of popular fruity vape juices."
Not a bad place to start.
Updated April 2026. Prices may change. User quotes from Judge.me verified reviews on relxnow.co.uk (4.8/5, 2,166+ reviews), Reddit (r/VapingUK, r/electronic_cigarette), Ecigclick.co.uk, VapeBeat.com, and PlanetoftheVapes.co.uk. Cost data from Pod Salt and Vape Superstore 2026 analysis.
Also in Vape Knowledge
Nic Salt vs Freebase Nicotine: Which Should Pod Vapers Choose?
Prefilled vs Refillable Vape Pods UK: Which Is Better in 2026?
Best Refillable Pod Vapes UK 2026: Top Picks After the Disposable Ban
The UK banned disposable vapes in 2026. Here are the best refillable pod vapes to switch to — honest picks from RELX and competitors, with real cost comparisons.
