The Original 510 was an instant hit when it was introduced to the market.

Until then, most electronic cigarette users were always searching for an electronic cigarette that would provide more vapor. "Wimpy" and "Not Enough" were phrases constantly used to describe the vapor produced by small electronic cigarettes. All that changed with the introduction of the 510. People could now get a small electronic cigarette that would produce as much vapor as the larger models.

The 510 worked so well for one simple reason - the manufacturer had designed a battery/atomizer combination that would deliver more power than other models. This resulted in a dramatic increase in vapor volume. Since the introduction of the 510, other models have been introduced that try to compete - none of them have been succesful. The 510 is still the #1 vapor producer in the small electronic cigarette class.

There are some drawbacks to packing such high performance in a small package. Higher liquid usage is one issue - you use more liquid if you're producing more vapor. A slight loss of flavor is also noticed - the hotter running atomizer does 'burn off' some of the flavoring of the liquid. For those who like tobacco and menthol liquids, this is not a major concern. In fact, most of these users like the 'hot and smoky' characteristics of the 510.

The biggest issue with the 510 is the reduced battery life due to the higher power usage. The average user will end up going through 3-6 battery charges per day. There are several ways to address this issue. At first, the manufacturer came up with PCCs (Personal Charging Cases) which have their own large internal battery and keep the 510 charged all day while out and about. The 10x charger is another innovation that allowed the user to charge up to 10 batteries at once and have a large bank of charged batteries. USB Passthroughs are also available for those users who spend a lot of time at a computer - with a passthrough you never have to charge the battery. Longer batteries with 60% more charge capacity (mega batteries with 280mAh capacity compared with standard batteries rated at 180mAh) are also available.

BUT, the most popular solution to the battery issue came with the first evolution of the 510...

The eGo.

Take a 510 atomizer and attach a jumbo sized battery. You now have an eGo.

The standard 510 uses a 180mAh capacity battery running at 3.7 volts. The standard eGo uses a 650mAh battery running at 3.7 volts. You get the exact same performance as a 510, with almost 4 times the battery charge. eGo mega batteries with a 1000mAh capacity are now available - that's almost 6 times the charge capacity of the original 510! Most users can make it through an entire day on one battery charge from the standard eGo 650mAh battery.

Many people first starting out with e-cigs want something that is as close as possible in size and appearance to a regular tobacco cigarette. We would ask that you please think very carefully about this aspect. It is true that the eGo is much larger and has an initially akward appearance. But the MUCH lower charging hassle more than makes up for it.

Another benefit of the larger battery is the lower cost of use because of the extended battery lifespan. The lifespan of rechargeable batteries can be measured in charge cycles. Each battery can only be recharged so many times before it starts 'fading' and needs to be replaced. Since the larger eGo batteries are being recharged much less often than their smaller 510 cousins, they are going to have a much longer lifespan before needing to be replaced. Although the initial cost is slightly higher, the long-term cost of use is actually much lower.

When the eGo was first introduced everybody thought all their problems had been solved. Until then, the only major complaint about the 510 was the amount of recharging it required. When people finally had batteries that would last all day on one charge they were very happy, but they then began to notice something else. "Wow, I sure am refilling this e-cig a lot! The cartridges are so small and it goes through liquid so fast that I feel like I'm constantly refilling!" So once again, the designers went back to the drawing board and came up with...

The eGo-T.

Take an eGo battery and attach a large atomizer with a tank-style cartridge. You now have an eGo-T.

The original 510 atomizer is an outstanding performer, but the cartridge is not very big. With the factory stuffing material, after a few refills you're lucky to fit 2-3 drops per refill. With proper restuffing, you can usually fit 8-10 drops of liquid per refill. Many users have found that switching out the cartridge for a drip tip and 'dripping' 3-5 drops at a time is the best way to keep the atomizer constantly wet and producing good vapor. No matter how you look at it, this means that you're spending a lot of time refilling.

For some people this is good - they like keeping their hands busy. For some people this is bad - they don't want to deal with it. You now have a choice.

With the eGo-T the average user can make it through the entire day on 2 cartridges or less. Fill up the 5 cartridges that come with the kit and you're ready to go for 2-3 days. That is the huge advantage to the eGo-T, and that is why it has quickly become the most popular kit on the market.

So now it looks like there's something for everybody! But hold on just one second. What about those people who like the idea of the tank, but really don't like the large size? "Don't you have something for us?" One more time back to the drawing board, and we have...

The 510-T.

The 510-T is simply a 510 battery with an atomizer that looks like a regular 510 atomizer but which has been redesigned to accept a small tank-style cartridge.

If you really need the small size of the 510, the 510-T will let you stay small while at the same time reduce the time you spend refilling.

Another advantage to the 510-T is the clear tank cartridges allow you to see when the liquid is running low. With the 510 you can only tell when it is running low when you start to get a slightly burning taste. With the 510-T the guesswork is eliminated.

So we've seen how one little e-cig took the market by storm and evolved to fill a lot of different needs. Every person is different. Every person has different things they are looking for in an e-cig. These four models - 510, 510-T, eGo, eGo-T - do a pretty darn good job of satisfying all those different needs.

The manufacturers haven't quit looking for more improvements. The evolution of the e-cig has only just begun. Here's one of the latest innovations...

The EPower.

The most expensive component of the 510 Series is the battery unit. The EPower uses a 510 atomizer, but replaces the sealed battery unit with a battery case/switch unit. The case can be unscrewed from the switch, and the battery replaced with low-cost rechargable batteries available at most local battery stores. The most popular model uses a standard 14650 battery with a 1050mAh capacity.

The EPower is slightly larger in diameter than the eGo. It's not that noticable but it does preclude the use of eGo-T atomizers with the EPower. It does work fine with any of the other 510 atomizers and cartomizers.

What are cartomizers? you may be asking yourself...

Cartomizers.

Cartomizers are units that combine the cartridge and atomizer (hence the name cartomizer) into one 'disposable' unit that is completely compatible with all 510 Series batteries. They look like an atomizer with a cap on the end, but they have been filled with cartridge stuffing and have the heating coil nestled inside. You can fill them by dripping into the stuffing, but a syringe works best. Most hold about 1ml of liquid so they'll last about a half-day, but they can be refilled many times. The typical lifespan of a cartomizer is about a week, but there is some variability - one may only last a few days while the one right next to it in the same box may last close to two weeks. Cartomizers are very inexpensive - with most types you can get a 5-pack for less than a single atomizer. So cost of use ends up being about the same. Some people may save a couple bucks a month, others may have to spend a couple extra a month.

Cartomizers also offer a few advantages. If you're going to be out and about and don't want to be carrying liquids around, you can just take some prefilled cartomizers and you're good to go for quite a while. If you're someone who likes switching between flavors quite often, you can have one cartomizer for each flavor - that eliminates the period of mixed flavors that you get when you switch flavors in a regular atomizer. Along the same lines, cartomizers are also great for testing new flavors without risking a stronger flavor that you don't like getting 'sticky' in the atomizer. Some of the stronger flavors can linger in the atomizer for a long time and with the cartomizer, you don't have to worry about it.

Cartomizers have been around a while but have not always enjoyed a good reputation. They've usually been pretty "wimpy" and "airy" according to most people. Lately, however, that is changing. Some of the new cartomizers being introduced are very worthy of your respect and consideration. One very nice thing about cartomizers is that they are so inexpensive to try out. The vapor characteristics can be very different from 510 atomizers, and this is hugely variable and depends on which liquid/atomizer or liquid/cartomizer combination is being tried. Sometimes it just takes a little experimentation to find out which combination you'll like best.

Since we've been talking about saving money with the EPower and with cartomizers, let's take a look at another low cost option...

Generics are designed for those who are interested in high performance e-cigs, but want to try them out with a minimal investment. We have been succesful in finding that rarest of items - a very low-cost generic with performance equal to the name brands. HOWEVER, the quality of these kits is not nearly as high. The FS 510 Kits tend to last about 4-6 weeks before they start fading away while the FS eGo Kits usually last closer to 2-3 months. BUT while they are working well, most people could never tell the difference between the generic and the name brand model.

We decided to carry these kits because we had so very many of our customers ask us to find a low-cost alternative which they could buy as gifts for friends and family to let them try out e-cigs to see if it was something they'd like. After all, if someone tries e-cigs and decides they don't like them, it's a lot less money wasted than buying a higher quality, more expensive kit.

Other than the reduced lifespan, there are other disadvantages to the generic kits.

The batteries are not sealed so they are very susceptible to overfilling. They do come with prefilled cartridges (and replacement prefilled cartridges are very inexpensive) and we've never seen any problems using prefilled cartridges. But most people want to try refilling cartridges with their own liquid choices and new users must be VERY careful to not overfill and to constantly check the battery/atomizer connection to make sure they aren't getting any leakage. Leaking into the unsealed battery will usually ruin the battery's internal switch.

Another problem is compatibility. The chargers for the generic kits are not compatible with the regular 510 Series. If you try charging a generic battery in a standard 510 charger (or vice versa), one or both will probably be damaged. Atomizers and cartridges and battery cones are compatible, but chargers are not. If you do start with a generic kit and discover e-cigs are something you like and you'll be using, we recommend moving up to the higher quality units and immediately disposing of all the generic batteries and chargers. This will help make sure they never get mixed up and cause damage.

While we're on the subject of compatibility, we recognize that all the different models and different options can be quite confusing, so here's a short guide to...