Too many bars on the shelf. Here is how to pick one.
Walk into any shop right now and it is a wall of screens and puff numbers that keep climbing. Ignore the noise. Start with one honest question and the choice gets simple.
How long do you want it to last?
Everything else is preference. Longevity is the thing that actually changes which device makes sense for you, so start there. These are the six lines we keep stocked, ranked by how long they run.
The pocket sized starter. Smallest, simplest, done when it is done.
The one with the screen and two power modes. Steps up to Pulse X at 25K and Pulse 2 at 50K.
Buy the battery once, then swap a fresh pod when it runs out. Least waste, best long run value on the wall.
Two separate tanks in one unit with a switch between them. The longest running sealed device we carry.
Same ceiling as the UT Bar, but you can dial the power and the airflow.
Not a puff count race. A pod system for people who want something small and discreet that reads closest to a cigarette.
What each one is actually for.
Same specs we would give you across the counter, nothing dressed up. Everything here runs 5% salt nicotine unless the card says otherwise.
Hyppe Max Flow
SimplestThe one to hand somebody who wants a vape without a menu. Small enough to forget it is in your pocket, no screen to read, nothing to charge.
- PuffsAround 2,000
- Nicotine5% salt
- BatteryNot rechargeable
- AirflowAdjustable ring
- FormatDraw activated disposable, 6mL
Geek Bar Pulse
Best ScreenThe display shows battery and liquid remaining, so you are never guessing how much is left. Pulse mode pushes output harder, standard mode stretches the device further.
- Puffs15K · X 25K · 2 50K
- Nicotine5% salt
- BatteryRechargeable USB C
- DisplayYes, dual mode
- FormatDisposable, 16 to 18mL, dual mesh coil
Foger Switch Pro
Best ValueTwo pieces: a battery you keep and a pod you replace. Once you own the battery, refills cost less than a whole new device and you throw away far less plastic.
- Puffs30K norm · 18K boost
- Nicotine5% salt
- BatteryRechargeable, kept
- DisplayOLED plus airflow
- FormatModular kit, keep battery and swap pods
UT Bar
Longest RunningFlum's big one. Two separate tanks sit inside one unit with a switch between them, which is a large part of how it reaches that ceiling. One sealed device, nothing to assemble.
- PuffsUp to 50,000
- Nicotine5% salt
- BatteryRechargeable USB C
- DisplayYes
- FormatDual tank with switch, all in one
Flum Mello Pro
Most ControlFor the person who fusses with settings. Eco mode stretches it out, Turbo runs warmer and bolder, and the airflow adjusts on top of that. The Pebble and standard Mello are the calmer steps down.
- PuffsUp to 50,000
- Nicotine5% salt
- BatteryRechargeable USB C
- ModesEco, Turbo, airflow
- FamilyPebble 6K · Mello 20K · Pro 50K
Juul
Ex Smoker PickThe original, and it holds up for a reason. A small device you charge with sealed pods that click straight in. No screen, no modes to learn. The most discreet thing on the wall.
- Per podAround 200 puffs
- Nicotine3% or 5%
- BatteryRechargeable device
- PacksSold in 4 packs
- FormatClosed pod, keep device and buy pods
Tell us the one thing you care about.
You want the smallest and cheapest way in
Hyppe Max Flow
You want a screen and two power modes
Geek Bar Pulse
You hate rebuying and want the best value
Foger Switch Pro
You want it to last the longest, sealed and simple
UT Bar
You like to tune the hit and the airflow
Flum Mello Pro
You are coming off cigarettes and want discreet
Juul
The part nobody explains to you.
Two devices at identical strength can feel completely different, and this is usually why. Draw style is how air moves through the device, and it is the reason something a friend swore by can feel wrong in your hand.
Mouth to lung
You pull the vapor into your mouth first, then inhale. Restricted airflow, a small amount of vapor, and it feels closest to a cigarette.
Who it suits: most people coming off cigarettes, anyone who wants to be discreet, and anyone running a higher strength. Nearly everything on our wall is built this way.
Direct to lung
You inhale straight down, the way you would take a deep breath. Wide open airflow, much more vapor, and a softer feel on the throat.
Who it suits: people who want clouds at a lower strength. On our wall that means opening the airflow on a Mello Pro or a Max Flow rather than a different device entirely.
The rule that matters: tight draw pairs with higher strength, open draw pairs with lower strength. Get those backwards and no device will feel right.
Getting the level right the first time.
Nearly everything on the wall is 5% salt nicotine, which arrives fast and hits hard. Right for a lot of people, completely wrong for others, and 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%, which makes it 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 they could have fixed at the counter.
- When unsure, start lower. Stepping up is easy. Coming down usually means eating the cost of a device you will not finish.
- Match it to the draw. High strength on wide open airflow is genuinely unpleasant. If you open the airflow up, ease off the strength.
- Just ask us. Tell us how often you use it and what you were on before. Thirty second conversation, saves most people a wasted purchase.
When it stops working the way it should.
Most devices that get thrown out early are not actually finished. These five account for nearly everything people bring back to the counter.
| Problem | Usual cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Burnt taste | Dry wick or spent coil | On a fresh pod, give it a minute before the first pull. If it has been running a while, the coil is done and nothing brings it back. |
| Weak hit | Low battery, dirty contacts | Charge it, then wipe the metal contacts where the pod meets the battery with a dry cloth. Fixes it more often than not. |
| Leaking | Heat or sideways storage | Store it upright and out of a hot car. On refillable pods do not overfill, and keep the centre air channel clear. |
| Gurgling | Liquid in the airway | Wrap the mouthpiece in tissue and give it a few sharp flicks, then take slower pulls. |
| Nothing at all | Battery or blocked sensor | 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 a device go the distance.
- Charge before it dies completely. Topping up before empty keeps output consistent and is easier on the battery. On a 50K device that matters a lot.
- Store it upright and cool. Heat and sideways storage cause nearly every leak we hear about. A hot dashboard in Venice is the worst place for one.
- Draw slow and steady. A smooth measured pull beats a hard fast one on essentially every device, 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" situations.
What we keep in stock.
The wall moves fast and restocks land through the week, so what is on it today is not always what was there last week. The six above are the constants.
See the current lineup on the vapes in Venice page, or ask us what landed this week.
The real thing, every single time.
Counterfeits are the actual 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 genuinely inside it. Everything on our wall 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.
More from the shop.
Hours, what is on the wall right now, and everything we carry at the counter.
Nicotine PouchesThe tobacco free route. Zyn, Lucy and ALP, which almost nobody on the Westside carries.
PuffcoPeak Pro, Proxy, Pivot and every accessory, from an authorized retailer.
Visit the ShopDirections from anywhere on the Westside, hours, and what is inside.
Still stuck? Come in and we will pick it together.
Bring us your one deal breaker, 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 DirectionsQuestions 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. Treat the numbers as a way to rank devices against each other. A 50K will genuinely outlast a 15K, just do not set your watch by the exact figure.
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 or the Foger Switch Pro keeps the battery and swaps a fresh pod, so you buy far less hardware over time.
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.
Do I need the 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 it now and then, the smaller non rechargeable Hyppe is fine and cheaper up front.
Which device gives the best value over time?
The Foger Switch Pro, without much competition. You buy the battery once and then only replace the pod, so running cost drops sharply after the first purchase and you throw away a fraction of the plastic. Juul works the same way at a smaller scale.
Why does my vape taste burnt?
Usually a dry wick or a spent coil. On a new 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.
Can I order these online?
No. Vapes are in store only at our Venice shop, 21 and up 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. We are open until midnight every day. Full directions here.
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 are not evaluated as such. Not for sale to minors. 1321 only sells products permissible by the City of Los Angeles and the State of California.