Written by the Vape7Store UK Team — real vapers since 2024. Last updated: April 2026.
The best vape for former smokers in the UK for 2026 is a rechargeable prefilled pod kit with 20mg nic salt and MTL draw — specifically the Lost Mary BM6000 at £6.99. It delivers nicotine in a way that closely mimics a cigarette, uses the same mouth-to-lung inhale technique, and is backed by NHS guidance confirming vapers are roughly twice as likely to successfully quit smoking than people using patches or gum.
Public Health England has stated that vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking — a position reaffirmed by OHID in their 2022 evidence update. The NHS goes further: "Almost two-thirds of people who use a vape along with support from a local Stop Smoking Service successfully quit smoking." If you are thinking about switching, this guide walks you through how to do it properly, what kit to buy, and what to expect in your first 30 days.
Everything here is for adults 18+ only. Non-smokers should not start vaping.
Why Most Smokers Fail to Switch (and How to Avoid It)
Our team sees the same failure patterns over and over at Vape7Store. Here are the top four reasons smokers try vaping and go back to cigarettes — and how to avoid each one:
1. They buy the wrong nicotine strength
Starting a 20-a-day smoker on a 3mg freebase vape is setting them up to fail. The nicotine hit is nowhere near what they are used to, cravings kick in within an hour, and they pick up a cigarette. Solution: 20mg nic salt. Always.
2. They buy the wrong type of device
Sub-ohm mods produce big clouds but feel nothing like cigarettes. Ex-smokers need MTL (mouth-to-lung) devices that mimic cigarette inhaling. Solution: a pod kit with a 1.1Ω coil.
3. They keep cigarettes "just in case"
The single most reliable predictor of relapse. If you have cigarettes in the house or pocket, you will smoke them under stress. Solution: throw them out the day you start vaping.
4. They give up in week 1 because it feels different
Vaping does not feel identical to smoking for the first few days. It feels a bit like wearing someone else's shoes. That passes within a week if you stick with it. Solution: commit to 14 days minimum before making any judgement.
What to Look for When Choosing a Vape to Quit Smoking
Our team's checklist for former smokers:
- 20mg nic salt — UK legal max, closest match to cigarette nicotine delivery
- MTL draw — Mimics cigarette inhaling technique
- Prefilled pod system — Zero learning curve, no liquid mixing
- Draw-activated firing — No buttons to press, just puff
- Battery that lasts a full day — 800mAh minimum
- Flavours that are not "too sweet" — Menthol and fresh fruit work best for ex-tobacco smokers
- Affordable entry price — Under £15 for the starter kit
Best Vapes for Smokers UK 2026
1. Lost Mary BM6000 — £6.99
Our #1 pick for former smokers. 6,000 puffs, 20mg nic salt, 1,000mAh battery, OLED screen, USB-C, 40+ flavours. Zero setup — unwrap, vape, charge when needed. The closest thing to a single-use vape experience that is still legal after the June 2025 ban, at a price point that makes switching trivially affordable.
For ex-menthol smokers, Fresh Mint is our top flavour pick. For ex-Marlboro-red smokers, Watermelon Ice or Triple Mango work well — they give the nicotine hit without trying to replicate tobacco taste (which no vape does convincingly).
Browse Lost Mary BM6000 at Vape7Store.
2. Hayati Pro Max 6K — The Discreet Alternative
Slim, compact, designed to look less obvious than a BM6000. 6,000 puffs, 20mg nic salt, good flavour range. Ideal for workplaces where you want to be discreet.
Browse Hayati Pro Max 6K.
3. Hayati Pro Ultra 25K — For Heavy Smokers
If you smoke 30+ a day, a 6K pod will not last long enough. The Hayati Pro Ultra 25K gives you 25,000 puffs and a dual-flavour twist switch — menthol on one side for cravings, fruit on the other for casual vaping. £13.99 at Vape7Store.
Browse Hayati Pro Ultra 25K.
Which Nicotine Strength for Smokers?
| Cigarettes per day | Recommended strength | Recommended kit |
|---|---|---|
| 30+ | 20mg nic salt | Hayati Pro Ultra 25K |
| 20 | 20mg nic salt | Lost Mary BM6000 |
| 10–20 | 20mg nic salt | Lost Mary BM6000 |
| 5–10 | 10mg or 20mg nic salt | Hayati Pro Max 6K |
| Under 5 | 10mg nic salt | Any compact pod kit |
The rule: when in doubt, start higher. A 20mg nic salt that feels slightly strong is fixable — you just take smaller puffs. A 10mg that is too weak is a recipe for relapse.
MTL vs DTL — Which Feels More Like Smoking?
MTL (mouth-to-lung) is the technique smokers already know: you draw vapour into your mouth first, then inhale it into your lungs. This is how every cigarette is smoked. All pod kits listed in this guide are MTL devices.
DTL (direct-to-lung) is what sub-ohm mod vapers do: they inhale vapour straight into their lungs in one deep breath, producing huge clouds. It feels nothing like smoking, and the nicotine strengths used (3mg–6mg) are too low for most ex-smokers.
For former smokers, MTL is non-negotiable. Every kit on the Vape7Store starter list uses MTL.
How Long Until Vaping Feels Natural?
Based on feedback from hundreds of Vape7Store customers:
- Day 1–3: Feels slightly weird. You will crave the "throat scratch" of a cigarette. Push through.
- Day 4–7: Cigarette cravings noticeably reduce. You start to taste food better.
- Week 2: Vaping feels natural. You forget you used to smoke.
- Week 3–4: The smell of cigarettes becomes unpleasant.
- Month 2: Breathing improves noticeably. Morning cough reduces.
- Month 6: Most ex-smokers report feeling "completely done" with tobacco.
This timeline is consistent with NHS guidance on switching to vaping. The critical window is days 1–7 — if you can get through your first week without a cigarette, your odds of full success are dramatically higher.
Cost Savings Calculator: Smoking vs Vaping
Based on 2026 UK average prices:
| Smoker type | Annual smoking cost | Annual vaping cost | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 cigarettes/day (£16.50/pack) | £6,023 | £427 | £5,596 |
| 15 cigarettes/day | £4,517 | £380 | £4,137 |
| 10 cigarettes/day | £3,011 | £300 | £2,711 |
| 5 cigarettes/day | £1,506 | £240 | £1,266 |
A 20-a-day smoker saves enough in one year of switching to pay for a family holiday, a new sofa, or two months of mortgage payments. Even with the October 2026 Vaping Products Duty adding £2.20 per 10ml, the savings remain overwhelming — vaping stays roughly six to seven times cheaper than smoking.
What the NHS and Public Health England Actually Say
Direct quotes from official UK health sources:
NHS (Better Health quit smoking page): "Nicotine vaping is less harmful than smoking. It's also one of the most effective tools for quitting smoking."
NHS: "You're roughly twice as likely to quit smoking if you use a nicotine vape compared with other nicotine replacement products, like patches or gum."
NHS: "Almost two-thirds of people who use a vape along with support from a local Stop Smoking Service successfully quit smoking."
Public Health England evidence review: "E-cigarettes are around 95% safer than smoking. This appears to remain a reasonable estimate."
Cancer Research UK: "Research so far shows that legal e-cigarettes are far less harmful than smoking. Nicotine is the chemical that makes cigarettes addictive. But it is not responsible for the harmful effects of smoking, and nicotine does not cause cancer."
The consensus is clear. Vaping is substantially safer than smoking and one of the most effective quit tools the UK has.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best vape for a 20-a-day smoker in the UK?
The Lost Mary BM6000 at £6.99 is our top pick for 20-a-day smokers. It delivers 20mg nic salt (the UK legal maximum, closest match to cigarette nicotine), uses an MTL draw like a cigarette, and has zero setup required.
Is vaping safe for ex-smokers?
Public Health England and OHID state that vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking. The NHS confirms vaping is one of the most effective quit tools available. For adult smokers, switching to vaping is a significant health improvement.
Can I use nicotine patches and a vape together?
Yes. Combining a vape with nicotine patches (known as combination NRT) is recommended by some NHS Stop Smoking Services for heavy smokers. Speak to your local service for personalised advice.
How do I stop thinking about cigarettes?
The first 7 days are the hardest. Use your vape whenever you would have had a cigarette, avoid pubs and situations where you always smoked, drink plenty of water, and push through. By day 10, cigarette thoughts drop sharply.
What if I don't like the first vape I try?
Try a different flavour before you give up on vaping entirely. Most ex-smokers find their "right" flavour within three attempts. If Watermelon Ice does not work for you, try Fresh Mint or Triple Mango.
Do I need to eventually quit vaping too?
Not necessarily. Cancer Research UK confirms that nicotine itself is not the harmful part of smoking — the tar and combustion chemicals are. Staying on a vape long-term is still a massive health improvement over continuing to smoke. If you want to eventually quit vaping, step down through nicotine strengths slowly.
Is there free NHS support for switching?
Yes. The NHS Better Health Quit Smoking service is free and offers personalised support, including advice on vaping as a quit aid. Visit nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking.
Your First Day Action Plan
If you are ready to switch, here is exactly what to do today:
- Order a Lost Mary BM6000 from Vape7Store (same-day dispatch before 2pm)
- Throw out every cigarette in your house
- When the kit arrives, unwrap it and take your first puff
- Use it whenever you would have had a cigarette for 14 days
- If cravings return, check that you are using 20mg nic salt (the UK legal max) and not undervaping
- Seek free NHS support at nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking
Browse our top ex-smoker pod kits at the Lost Mary BM6000, Hayati Pro Max 6K, and Hayati Pro Ultra 25K collections at Vape7Store.
For adults 18+ only. Contains nicotine, which is a highly addictive substance.