It seems Vype are releasing new e cigarette kits in pretty quick succession recently with the latest being the Vype eStick.Â
The first review we carried out was of the Vype Disposable, their first e cig.
The second was the Vype Reload which addressed the need for a rechargeable battery and was a definite improvement.
With the resources of BAT behind them I would expect them to get the product spot on.
The Vype ePen 3 is the latest review and the best of the vype range.
What we are looking at today is the new kit that looks to offer an improved vaping experience all round. Read on for our hands on Vype eStick review.
In the box / Presentation
Vype do presentation very well, there has obviously been considerable care taken on this front. The eStick comes in a very tidy case that contains the following:
- 1 x Rechargeable battery
- Portable Charging Case
- 3 x Cartomisers
- USB Charger
Battery/Responsiveness
The signature style of Vype is to keep a realistic look and feel to their electronic cigarette and that is something they do very well indeed.
The look and size of the e cig is pretty much identical to a cig with the weight, while heavier, being the nearest you are going to get to the real thing.
There are two colour options, black & white, the former of course won’t quite have the same aesthetic effect.
With the small size comes impaired performance (when compared with other e cig brands) but this really doesn’t and shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Remember the battery is contained in the main body of the e cig which is of course very small.
It does react well when taking a drag so no problem on that front although there is a small issue I found which I will cover below in the ‘Vapour/Flavour’ section.
So I mentioned the poor battery life, now lets look at the portable charging case (PCC) that does help somewhat with this problem.
PCC functionality and Performance
This is of course where the real improvement comes into play with the introduction of a PCC.
In short a PCC allows you to charge a battery when you are on the move as well as carry around spare cartomiser refills.
The previous Vype Reload e cig required the batteries to be charged directly via a USB outlet.
The same slick looks of the case have been kept although this is slightly bigger due to the addition of the battery in the pack.
It also feels solid but is still highly portable sliding in and out of pockets and bags with ease.
I have use a fair few PCC’s of all shapes and sizes but this is different to others I have come across in the way that the batteries are charged. 
To charge the battery in the Vype PCC you simply slot the battery, tip down, into the charging slot and close the lid.
A blue ring light will illuminate around the e cig to indicate a charge is underway and one to four lights will illuminate on the front of the pack to let you know how much power the actual pack has left. The PCC worked perfectly.
One thing I will say though is be sure to get into a routine of keeping the case fully charged!
Also when you have finished using the e cig just pop it back on charge. This should make sure the e cig battery is always charged.
Spare / Replacement batteries
This is where things are let down somewhat. For some reason Vype don’t sell (at the time of writing) spare batteries on their own.
The only option you have is to buy a brand new starter kit. The kit itself isn’t badly priced but if all you need is a battery the full kit is overkill. Not to mention wasteful in terms of product.
This is an area that I personally think needs addressing.
Overall – The Vype batteries are very close in looks and size to a real e cigarette and while this results in poor battery life the new PCC does go some way to remedy this. The PCC functions very well and looks great.
The big downfall for me is that there is no option to buy spare batteries. If your battery dies you have to buy a full kit which is not a great way to go.
Vapour / Flavour
The Vype eStick kit has three Tobacco flavoured ‘eTips’ (12.5mg nicotine) included in the pack. No choice in the flavour you start with but for most smokers trying e cigarettes for the first time the flavour should be fine.
In terms of looks the refill tips are available on white or black to match your choice of battery colour.
They also have the effect of being a soft tip filter that the majority of other e ig brands don’t have.
Again this adds to the familiarity of a cigarette. If you prefer the orange flecked filter design you have the option of buying the older Reload cartridges. For me personally the white is just fine.
I tried all of the flavours available, Cherry, Blended Tobacco and Crisp Mint.
- I found the tobacco to be a very good version and gave a decent throat hit and OK vapour volume.
- The Cherry was also very good, there wasn’t the overly sweet flavour you can sometimes get, this is a dark cherry that has deeper cherry flavour. I found this very easy to vape all day.
- The Crisp Mint gave a nice subtle mint aftertaste that worked well with a nice thoat hit, good flavour and vapour volume.
My favourite from the three on offer? I would say the Cherry would be my go to flavour. Of course tastes differ for everyone so you may well think differently.
If you do let me know in the review section below.
How Does The Vype Estick Perform?
I had an issue with both the Tobacco and Cherry flavours in that when taking a drag the draw was very airy and required primer drags to get it going. There is a way to rectify this, if you cover one of the holes where the cartridge attaches to the battery this tightens up the draw. It’s just not ideal when you have to so this. I didn’t have any of these issues though with the Crisp Mint cartridge though so maybe it was just the cartridges I received.
Regarding the life of the refills, this is difficult to gauge due to the fact that everyone vapes differently. I personally found the life to be just OK. The size of the refills are tiny and when comparing to the results you get from the likes of Green Smoke and Jacvapour there is really no comparison, the latter two last a lot longer.
- Quality Vype e-liquids are made in lab conditions within the UK.
- Refills When it comes to replacing the eTips Vype has them available in a pack of 4. This is far better value than the price they were previously but is still, in terms of refill life/price, some way behind the other brands previously mentioned. Vype do also offer a free pack when you buy 5 so that’s the way to go if you don’t mind buying in bulk.
Overall – The flavours are very good, providing plenty of vapour. Some could argue at the lack of flavours but I think for Vype’s target customer three is plenty.
Prices have improved, the only real downside I experienced was an airy draw but this can be rectified easily enough.
Returns/Warranty
I for any reason you are not happy with the Vype eStick you can return within 14 days for your money back.
Customer Service
Vype are available through a free phone number (UK), email and are also active on Facebook and Twitter.
Overall Vype eStick Review Verdict
The Vype eStick has a lot going for it and as an e cig package is definitely an improvement on their previous offerings but with the resources of BAT behind them I would expect nothing less.
For me it isn’t near however, being the best e cig in the UK. Here is a simple breakdown of the good and not so good points I found.
Good
- Realistic looks and size when comparing to a cigarette (Can be very important for smokers making the switch)
- Portable Charging case works very well and looks great
- All the flavours are very good (for my taste buds at least!)
- Well suited for light – moderate smokers
- Starter kit price is good
Not so good
- Cannot buy replacement batteries – Need to buy a whole new starter kit
- Due to their size, refill eTips don’t last as long as other e cigarette brands available
- I had some issues with ‘airy draws’ with two of the flavours
- No option to buy different nicotine strengths. Something I think is important for those wishing to cut down on nicotine intake
- Heavy smokers may still struggle with the life of the refills, they may find they are using a large quantity.
Take a look at our best rated electronic cigarettes:
I bought a Vype eStick starter kit a month ago from my local Lloyds Pharmacy and I am now having trouble obtaining the eStick tips. I read a post that Vype have discontinued these. Do you know if that is correct? If so, I shall be very annoyed. I don’t think that the starter kit should have been sold if Vype had pulled the plug on the tips.
Hi Tricia,
Yes, the eStick tips have been discontinued due to the new TPD regulations. This is what Vype said regarding this:
“The biggest change for Vype is relating to our eStick. TPD means that the maximum amount of nicotine in eliquid must not exceed 20mg/ml or 2%. Unfortunately, as eStick Tips contain 36mg/ml, we are no longer permitted to produce this product. At Vype we want to ensure that we have products for all of our adult customers which is why we have now launched eStick Maxx.”
Tricia, you have every right to be angry, I think it’s out of order that you weren’t told about the tips being discontinued!
Be interesting to hear if Lloyds Pharmacy or Vype will offer you a full refund because of this.
Please let us know.
Thanks
Jonny
Very unhappy with vype , just purchased E-Stick kit and now find out they are stopping making the E-Stick Tips??
Is it true they are stopping production of vype e stick tips
Not heard anything personally Patricia. They are releasing new products that Vype may be turning their focus to.
Where did you hear they were being discontinued?
Is there more nicotine in these sticks than cigarettes? I used to smoke Superkings Menthol I have successfully stopped smoking with esticks which is good but I do find myself smoking the stick more and more is that the nicotine?
Hey Julie,
I think the Vype estick cartridges do have more nicotine content than Superkings Menthol. Although you would be best off asking Vype customer services for a definitive answer on that.
One of the downsides on the eSitck is that the refills are available in only one nicotine strength (at time of writing) so you don’t have the chance to reduce the nicotine content gradually.
Although lower nicotine in e cigs is usually associated with heavier use. Did you smoke heavily Julie?
Good news is that you are no longer smoking!
Hi ,
Thanks for your reply , yes I was a 15 to 20 a day smoker so yes quite heavy , I am delighted I’m not smoking but just wish you could get a lower strength nicotine in the esticks as at present I’m probably still addicted to nicotine but it must be better than smoking
Yeah it’s a strange one why they don’t do lower nicotine strength.
The only way you will get that unfortunately is through a different brand.
I have sent 3 tips back because after 21-31puffs they run out
Gerry ward
I like the look feel and taste. The tobacco one suits best for me. The price of the tips could do with coming down. Then again place online does pks two tips 1.99. It has severely axed what I was smoking but I feel to q you t altogether then ideally cheaper cartridges or cartridges that last a lot longer than these currently do. No way can you get 200 drags out of one. Not even close. Overall though I like it and will stick with it.
I love the fact I still feel like I’m holding a fag and having a fag break. After 30 years of smoking these habits are really hard to break at the same time as withdrawal. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without this
I think good for short term use, but I could can see these being a pain to run all the time. I’d say these are ideal for people like me who are looking to cut down smoking, but not quit altogether.
My bugtbear with this is that they produced a Crisp Mint flavour Regular which the packet said was rated at 12,5 mg per tip (3.5% v/v) Now all packs availabl;e on web site report as 35mg which may be too high for me. May have to change to a completely different brand to get a lower rated Vap!
Has satisfied my cravings. Stays charged well. Bit worried about cost of refills.
Still early days using this product but i have no reservations in using it yet. Perhaps if the battery dies, but then again it is quite affordable compared to normal smoking habit.
Each pack contains 4 Tips delivering a total of 800 puffs , It is not true, not even 100 puffs.
Not much different between flavors.
The refile is very expensive.
I am totally unhappy.
I agree 800 puffs false advertising or very short puffs not like when smoking a real cigarette were you take big puffs
WELL ive reduced from 40 per day but i dont like that i do not know how much nicotine is going into my body with a vype – something that indicates on side when liquid is done also would be helpful plus one refil that is virtually zero nicotine so we can get off this junk rather than keep absorbing it
A very slick product and the charging case is a brilliant idea. Totally let down by the very short life of the cartridges which make it an expensive option for vaping. If they could sort that out I would not be changing to another brand. Just too expensive to run when cartridges last no time at all. No option for the amount of nicotine in liquid which is also unsatisfactory.
The charging case is a great idea and works really well. However the refills are a big let down and have put me off buying any more. For such a great item I thot I would get more out of the refills
I researched a lot of e CIG brands before choosing vype. I did want the e pen but decided to try e stick first. It is a good looking e CIG and the portable charging case is a great idea. Also very good quality. Easy to charge and doesn’t take an age to fully charge either. Have tried only tobacco and cherry flavours ATM but will try mint soon enough.
The main reason why I chose vype is because it is made and rigourously tested in UK by scientists and other health professionals.
It is only day 2 for me but have found that I don’t crave for a normal CIG.
I tried an eliquid cigarette before but it was hard to refill and i hated carrying them around in my bag, so saw the vype advert and decided to try this one instead of the one on the advert. The refills cost more than the liquid i used to buy but I like the taste and i dont have to refill anymore.
The refills are just too expensive. For the time they last they need to cost a 1/4 of what they do.
Vype e sticks are nearly there. With a good tip, I feel I can totally convert, but the inconsistency and small amount of proper puffs leave me a bit frustrated. Gonna stick with it, but hope for some improvements
A very cigarette like experience with size and soft filter. The PCC is very clever and effective. I’ve not run out of charge yet, charge once every 2 or 3 days. my one complaint is that sometimes the cartomisers last a day, sometimes much less. Don’t know for sure but suspect a manufacturing defect.
One small point of detail – cartomiser refills are £7.99 for four, not 5 as stated in lead review above.
This is an impressive progression from the promising, (but not ideal), VYPE re-load product. It is keeping me satisfied and helping me to stsy off real cigarettes but the feeling remains that the product is at least one or two development stages away from being a complete and satisfying alternative to real cigarettes. More vapour please! I still prefer them in proncipal though to one of these high vapour pipe like versions. Keep it up VYPE, you are definately getting there!