Something you should know

by Andre Diotte
Mar 23, 2023

What You Need to Know When
Choosing a Quality Vape

When bringing new products into your store, you should consider multiple factors besides pricing such as:

Quality
Device type
Device features
MLs
Puff count

A quality product is a device that prioritizes form and function and consistent flavour delivery and performance over the course of its life. In this piece, we’ll provide you with some insights on how these features and pricing structures contribute to how vaping products are positioned – giving you some insight on what to look for in making an informed decision.

What determines performance?

Factors such as milliliters (mLs) and device features contribute to the total puff performance of the device. Each device is built differently and prioritizes different features such as:

Airflow chamber: determines the range of closed to open airflow – which is usually customizable on the device. The more the airflow opens, the more vapor the device can pull. Larger pulls equate to larger puffs, resulting in faster mL consumption.

Coil-type: conducts the e-liquid within the vaping device. Coils are built with metals such as kanthal, nichrome, stainless steel, nickel, and titanium. The type of metal and design of the coil will contribute to the vapor output of the device. High-quality vaping products are typically built with mesh coils.

Microprocessor: regulates the wattage, output, and energy consumption of the device. Typically, disposable devices have a preset output, while tank mod systems are more customizable. This can vary across device types and presets.

Battery size: determines the efficiency and energy usage of the device. Larger batteries are more efficient with vapor output and total puff count.

Depending on what features the device prioritizes, each device will have a different total output of puffs.

What is puff count?

The industry standard for measuring a device’s longevity is through puff count. A puff count refers to the total number of estimated puffs the device can reach. For example, if a disposable vape has a puff count of 1600, the device has been tested internally to provide close to 1600 puffs.

Internalized puff standards are usually set to repeating intervals consistently over the course of the test. This puff test will differ from consumer performance – as consumers will vary in puff time, consistency, and testing conditions.

Rechargeable vs. Non-Rechargeable Devices:

To get the most out of your vaping product, you should consider if your device is rechargeable. Most vaping devices are either sold as rechargeable or for single-use.

For example, some disposable devices may be designed for single-use while others are rechargeable via USB. Closed-pod systems may utilize a rechargeable body but a disposable cartridge. Tank mod systems that utilize e-liquid will typically all be rechargeable.

Vape Pricing:

Vape pricing is one dimension for positioning vape products within the market. As we’ve discussed, vape features and total mLs are contributing factors manufacturers select when placing their brand in the market.

In most situations, vaping devices are measured by and priced by the total amount of milliliters it contains. Disposable vapes, closed pods, and bottle products are filled with e-liquid. All devices that contain e-liquid must display the total milliliters within the product on its label.

In this section, we’ll discuss how pricing operates as a function of external tax policy. We’ll discuss what the Excise Tax is and how the tax breaks down by milliliters.

What is the Excise Tax?

As of January 1, 2023, The Canadian Government has implemented an Excise Tax on vaping products containing e-liquid. Closed-pod systems, disposable vapes, and e-liquid bottle products will now be taxed proportionately to the amount of vaping substance within the device.

This tax only affects vaping products containing e-substance, which can be in liquid form (mL) or solid form (mg), so this change does not affect vaping hardware, accessories, and paraphernalia.

Learn more about the Excise Tax:

How is e-substance taxed: in Liquid Form

For the first 10 milliliters (mLs), the tax rate is $1 per 2mL. For each additional 10mL, $1 is applied.

For example:
0.1mL to 2mL = $1 of excise tax
2mL to 4mL = $2 of excise tax
4mL to 6 mL = $3 of excise tax
6mL to 8 mL = $4 of excise tax
8mL to 10 mL = $5 of excise tax

Beyond 10mL, the tax is applied at every 10mL interval. This means that 11mL to 20mL = $6 of excise tax and 21mL to 30mL = $7 of excise tax, etc.

Learn more about Excise Tax pricing:

Many factors contribute to device pricing: some factors are determined internally by the vape manufacturer, while others are externally imposed by the Canadian Government.

There are a multitude of factors that contribute to a quality product, ultimately, the best way to determine quality is to work with brands you trust and have a transparent relationship with.

You should now have a better understanding of what contributes to the vape pricing, how puff counts are measured, and how different devices prioritize features.

*This information was updated February 2023 and may be subject to change.

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