How to choose a vape. Ten in stock, one that fits.
Every box shouts a bigger number than the last, and none of them tell you what that means for you. Answer what you like below. The list re-ranks as you go and works out roughly how many days each one lasts at your rate of use.
In store onlyOpen daily, 11am to midnightValid ID required
Rank what we stock
Nothing is required. Skip anything that does not matter to you and the ranking still works.
The ranking below already accounts for how often you reach for it. Add a preference and it re-sorts around what you actually want.
Day counts assume about 70% of each rated puff figure, which is closer to what real draws deliver than the number printed on the box. Longer, harder pulls bring it down further.
The ten we always keep in stock
Open any card for the full spec sheet. Everything runs 5% salt nicotine unless the card says otherwise, and none of it is sold online. If you are weighing up the Geek Bar generations specifically, we compared the Pulse against the Pulse 2 and the Pulse X against the Pulse X2 spec by spec.
Put them side by side
Open a card above and add it here. Three at a time.
Disposable, pod system or kit
The wall looks overwhelming because there are a lot of boxes on it. There are not a lot of kinds of device. There are four, and everything we sell is one of them.
| Type | Best for | What it actually is | Trade off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disposables | Grab and go, zero setup | All in one and sealed, ready out of the box. Most modern ones recharge over USB C so you finish the liquid rather than losing it to a dead battery. Easiest way in and still the most popular thing we sell. | Highest cost per use over time. Nothing is adjustable. |
| Pod systems | A reusable daily driver | A rechargeable body that takes replacement pods. Keeps the simplicity, drops most of the waste and most of the running cost. The Float Ryzo, Foger Switch Pro and Juul all work this way. | You have to charge it and keep pods on hand. |
| Vape kits | Control and tuning | Larger rechargeable devices with adjustable power and airflow, swappable coils and removable tanks. This is where the hobby side of it lives. | A learning curve, more upkeep, bigger in the pocket. |
| E liquid | Feeding a refillable setup | The bottles that fill refillable pods and kit tanks. Buy the hardware once, then you are only keeping it fed. | Only useful if your device is refillable. |
How you draw changes everything
Two devices at identical strength can feel completely different, and this is almost always why. It is the reason something a friend swore by can feel wrong the second you pull on it.
Mouth to lung
You pull the vapor into your mouth first, then inhale it. Restricted airflow, a smaller amount of vapor, and it reads closest to a cigarette.
Who it suits: most people coming off cigarettes, anyone who wants to stay discreet, and anyone running a higher strength. Nearly every device we stock is set up this way out of the box.
Direct to lung
You inhale straight down, the way you would take a deep breath. Wide open airflow, a lot more vapor, and a softer feel on the throat.
Who it suits: people who want volume at a lower strength. In our lineup that means opening the airflow ring on a Mello Pro, a Fifty Bar or a Max Flow rather than buying a different device.
The rule: tight draw pairs with higher strength, open draw pairs with lower strength. Get those backwards and nothing we stock will feel right.
Getting the strength right the first time
Nearly everything we stock is 5% salt nicotine. It arrives fast and hits hard, which is right for a lot of people and completely wrong for others. There is no way to tell from the box.
- Juul is the easy way to go lighter. It is the one device here that comes in a 3% as well as a 5%, so it is the sensible pick if 5% has been too much before.
- Going too high is the common mistake. It reads as harsh, it makes people cough, and plenty of people write off vaping entirely over a strength problem we could have fixed at the counter in thirty seconds.
- When unsure, start lower. Stepping up is easy. Coming down means finishing a device you no longer want.
- Match it to the draw. High strength through wide open airflow is genuinely unpleasant. If you open up a Mello Pro or a Fifty Bar, ease off elsewhere.
- Ask us. Tell us how often you use one and what you were on before. It is a short conversation and it saves most people a wasted purchase.
What the numbers on the box mean
Packaging is covered in specs that mean nothing until somebody explains them. These are the six worth knowing before you spend anything.
mAh
Battery capacity. Bigger number, longer between charges. Anything over 800 will usually carry a moderate user through a full day.
Puff count
The manufacturer's estimate of total pulls under ideal conditions. Use it to compare devices against each other, not as a promise. The tool at the top of this page converts it into a realistic number of days, and our Geek Bar comparison shows how the same tank size can be rated for double the puffs one generation later.
Coil
The heating element. Replaceable on kits, built into the pod on pod systems. A worn coil is behind most sudden drops in performance.
Wick
Cotton that carries liquid to the coil. If it has not soaked properly you get a burnt pull, which is exactly what letting a new pod sit for a minute prevents.
Ohms
Coil resistance. Higher resistance goes with a tight draw and lower power. Lower resistance goes with an open draw, more heat and more vapor.
Airflow control
A ring or slider that opens or closes the intake. On devices that have it, this changes how a vape feels faster than anything else you can do.
When it stops working properly
Most devices that get thrown out early are not actually finished. These five cover nearly everything people bring back.
It tastes burnt
Usually a dry wick or a spent coil. On a fresh pod, give it a minute before the first pull so the cotton soaks through. If the device has been running a while, the coil has reached the end and nothing will bring it back.
The hit has gone weak
Charge it first, then wipe the metal contacts where the pod meets the battery with a dry cloth. That fixes it more often than not.
It is leaking
Heat and sideways storage cause nearly every leak we hear about. Store it upright and keep it out of a hot car. On refillable pods, do not overfill, and keep the centre air channel clear.
It gurgles when I pull
Liquid has worked its way into the airway. Wrap the mouthpiece in tissue, give it a few sharp flicks, then take slower pulls.
Nothing happens at all
Charge it fully first. If it is still dead, check the airflow intake for pocket lint. Bring it in and we will look at it.
Four habits that make one go the distance
- Charge before it dies completely. Topping up before empty keeps output steady and is easier on the cell. On a 50K device it is the difference between reaching the rated number and falling well short.
- Store it upright and cool. A hot dashboard in Venice is the single worst place for one.
- Draw slow and steady. A smooth measured pull beats a hard fast one on every device here, and it stops liquid getting dragged into the airway.
- Keep the contacts clean. A quick wipe where the pod meets the battery solves most of the "it just stopped hitting" cases, especially on the pod systems like the Ryzo, the Foger and the Juul.
Everything we stock is real
Counterfeits are the genuine risk in this category and they are everywhere, especially on the big puff count devices where the margins invite it. A fake is a gamble on build quality, on battery safety and on what is actually inside it. Everything we carry is authentic and sourced properly. If something ever seems off with a device you got from us, bring it back and we will deal with it.
Questions we get at the counter
Are the puff counts real?
They are a rated ceiling under ideal conditions, not a guarantee. Long hard pulls burn through faster, short ones stretch it out. Use them to rank devices against each other. A 50K will genuinely outlast a 15K, but do not set your watch by the exact figure. The tool at the top of this page converts them into a realistic number of days.
What is the difference between a disposable and a pod system?
A disposable is one sealed unit, and when the liquid runs out the whole thing is finished. A pod system like the Juul, the Foger Switch Pro or the Float Ryzo keeps the battery and swaps a fresh pod, so you buy far less hardware over time and throw away a fraction of the plastic.
Which one is best for someone quitting cigarettes?
Most people coming off cigarettes want something small and discreet that mimics the ritual, rather than a device with a screen and modes. Juul is the classic answer and comes in a lighter 3% as well as 5%. We are not doctors and these are not sold as cessation devices, but we will talk you through it honestly.
What is the Float Ryzo?
The newest thing on the shelf and the longest running device we stock. It is a two piece system, a battery you keep and a pod you replace, rated at around 60,000 puffs per pod, which is roughly double what the Foger Switch Pro gets through before a swap. We keep both the kit and the refill pods.
What separates the Float Pebble, the Mello and the Mello Pro?
Three rungs of the same family, all now branded Float rather than Flum. The Float Pebble is the compact rechargeable at around 6,000 puffs. The Mello steps up to about 20,000 in a similarly simple body with no screen. The Mello Pro tops the sealed range at up to 50,000 with a display, Eco and Turbo modes and adjustable airflow.
What is the difference between the Geek Bar Pulse, Pulse 2, Pulse X and Pulse X2?
The Pulse 2 replaces the original Pulse and the Pulse X2 replaces the Pulse X. The original Pulse is rated to 15,000 and the Pulse 2 to 25,000, both from a 16mL tank. The Pulse X is rated to 25,000 and the Pulse X2 to 50,000, both from an 18mL tank. In both cases the tank did not get bigger, so the extra puffs come from a more efficient chipset and redesigned airflow. Full breakdown in our Geek Bar comparison.
How is the Fifty Bar different from the Geek Bar Pulse?
Both are screen-equipped rechargeable disposables in the same class. The Fifty Bar V2 is rated to 20,000 with an always-on boost mode and three airflow settings, and its liquid is made in California. The Pulse line lets you switch between standard and a harder-hitting Pulse mode, and it scales across four models from 15,000 up to 50,000 depending on which one you pick.
How long should a device last on a charge?
It depends on battery capacity and how hard you run it. As a rough guide, anything over 800 mAh gets a moderate user through a full day. Higher power and open draw devices burn through a battery much faster than tight draw pods do, and a device kept topped up rather than run flat will hold its output better over its life.
Do I need a rechargeable one?
If you go through a device in a day or two, a rechargeable stops you throwing out a half full battery. If you only reach for one now and then, the Hyppe Max Flow is fine. It is the only device we stock that never needs a cable.
Is a refillable actually cheaper than buying disposables?
Over any real stretch of time, yes. A disposable is a repeat purchase that never ends. With a pod system or a refillable you buy the device once and then only replace pods, coils or liquid, so the running cost drops sharply after the first purchase. See the full cost breakdown on our Vaporesso page.
Which gives the best value over time?
One of the two pod systems. The Foger Switch Pro and the Float Ryzo both work the same way, you buy the battery once and then only replace the pod, and the running cost between them is close enough that it comes down to which body you prefer. The Ryzo goes further per pod, the Foger has been on the shelf longer. Juul works the same way at a smaller scale.
Can I order these online?
No. Vapes are in store only at our Venice shop, 21 and over with valid ID. Our online store carries the non vape side of 1321.
Is there a vape shop near me on the Westside?
1321 is on Venice Blvd just east of Lincoln. Roughly 7 minutes from Marina del Rey, 10 from Santa Monica, 8 from Mar Vista and 10 from Culver City, open until midnight every day. Full directions here.
Do you have a vape shop open late near me?
We are open until midnight seven days a week, which makes us the latest option in the Venice and Mar Vista area most nights. Call ahead at 310 759 5232 if you want something specific held and we will physically go look at the shelf for you.
More from the shop
Hours, what is in stock right now, and everything we carry at the counter.
Geek Bar Pulse 2 vs Pulse X2What changed in each second generation device, compared on puffs, battery, coil and screen.
Why VaporessoThe refillable case, the real cost math, and which model to start on.
Nicotine pouchesThe tobacco free route. Zyn, Lucy and ALP, which almost nobody on the Westside carries.
Visit the shopDirections from anywhere on the Westside, hours, and what is inside.
How to clean a dab rigAlcohol, salt, shake, rinse. Plus bangers and Puffco chambers done properly.
Still stuck? We will pick it with you
Bring us the one thing you cannot compromise on, whether that is longevity, budget, control or coming off cigarettes, and we will hand you the right device in about thirty seconds. No upsell.
Get directions1321 Venice Blvd, Venice CA 90291Open daily, 11am to midnight310 759 5232
You must be 21 or older to purchase tobacco and vapor products. Vapor products contain nicotine, an addictive chemical. These are not smoking cessation devices and have not been evaluated as such. Not for sale to minors. Stock changes weekly. 1321 only sells products permissible by the City of Los Angeles and the State of California.