Are you looking to leave your cigarette smoking habit behind and make the switch to something new and exciting? Vaping has definitely taken over the smoking scene, with more and more people ditching their Marlboroughs, and picking up the latest and greatest vape devices. There’s a lot of benefits to making the switch but a lot of uncertainty as well. For instance, a lot of beginners are not sure what they are exactly smoking. They have no clue what are vape juices made of and is there a difference in quality, potency, and so on.
Today we are going to tackle a popular topic that’s been going around the internet recently. The PG vs VG debate has been raging all over social media, forums, and other blogs – which one is better? What’s the difference? Are both safe to use?
Those are just some of the questions we’re going to try and answer, but first, let’s find out what do VG and PG stand for.
Vape Juices: What Are They Made Of?
Propylene Glycol and Vegetable Glycerin, better known as PG and VG, are odorless liquids that are the main ingredient of e-juices and e-liquids for vaping devices. Aside from these two ingredients, vape juices are made of liquid nicotine and optional flavor additives. PG and VG are different in many ways, with both having their advantages and disadvantages, but we’ll get into that a little bit later.
For now, it’s essential for you to know that these two odorless liquids are found in the majority of vape juices, with CBA coming in as the third most used liquid. That being said, PG and VG are often combined in what is known as a vape juice blend. The ratio ranges from 50/50 to 80/20, all depending on what the manufacturer is trying to achieve. The ratio can affect the flavor, the thickness of the smoke, and the throat hit.
Now let’s analyze each of them individually.
Propylene Glycol
Propylene Glycol is arguably the most popular substance found in e-cigarette liquids and vape juices. It’s quite thin in consistency, so if you’re handling an E-juice with more PG, make sure you’re refilling your vape tank carefully, or you’ll end up spilling it all over the place. You want your liquid to end up inside the tank, not on your shirt.
PG also tends to last a shorter amount of time. Because of its consistency, your e-cigarette or vaping device will go through your PG-based liquid much faster. That being said, the thinner PG liquid won’t cause as much build-up around the heating element of your vaporizer, so you won’t have to clean it as often as you would with some VG-based liquids.
There is a consensus among avid vaping enthusiasts that E-juices that contain more PG usually taste better. Because it’s tasteless and has a thinner consistency, PG-based liquids tend to absorb flavor additives much better, delivering a much better smoking experience. The best way to describe it would be to compare it with regular tobacco. A strong, pleasing hit that lingers in the back of your throat.
One of the downsides of Propylene Glycol is that it can cause allergic reactions. Some users experience a barely noticeable tingling sensation in their throat, while others have serious irritations on various parts of their body. However, PG can be found in food and pharmaceutical products, so chances are you would already know you are allergic prior to using PG-based e-liquids.
The bottom line is – If you’re all about flavor and throat hit, liquids that have more PG will suit you more.
Now let’s move on to the second most popular ingredient for e-liquids.
Vegetable Glycerin
Compared to Propylene Glycol, Vegetable Glycerin is a much thicker liquid and not exactly tasteless. VG has a slightly sweet taste which can affect the overall flavor of the vape juice. Specific flavor characteristics are not as noticeable in VG-based liquids due to the sweetness and consistency of VG. PG-based liquids do a much better job at transferring flavor.
It’s a lot easier to refill your device on the go with VG-based e-liquids because of their consistency. Also, e-liquids that contain more VG will last longer than PG-based ones. If you’re looking to save a couple of dollars, opt for VG-based liquids, but remember to keep your device clean because these liquids tend to stick to the heating element much more than PG-based ones.
Judging by this, Propylene Glycol wins the VG vs PG debate, but does it really?
The main advantage of VG-based liquids lies in the amount and density of the smoke it can generate. The smoke produced by vaping devices using PG-based e-liquids is nowhere near their VG counterparts. For users who are into cool vape tricks, e-liquids that contain more VG are definitely the way to go.
Another thing VG-based liquids have going for them is the low number of reported cases of allergic reactions. The chances of being allergic to Vegetable Glycerin are very low.
Which One Should You Use?
While this is mostly subjective, there are a few things to consider before declaring who wins the PG vs VG vape juice debate. First of all, it depends on the device you’re using. Cartomizer and Clearomizer tend to handle PG liquids much better while VG liquids work better in dripper-style atomizers. Clearomizers are generally the most popular style of tanks for vaping, so if that’s what you’re rocking, you might want to go with PG-based vaping juices or blends.
If you’re into tricks or want your liquids to last longer, you’re probably better of getting a Sub-ohm tank which has low resistance coils and can handle high-VG e-liquids.
If the flavor is your driver, PG-based vape juices will definitely produce a more satisfying experience. As mentioned before, Propylene Glycol does a better job at highlighting the characteristics of certain flavors we all love and enjoy.
The bottom line?
Cloud-chasers will most likely enjoy vape juices with a VG base while those looking to savor the flavor and get a higher throat hit will want to get a PG-based vape juice. Using blends is probably the best of both worlds and something most manufacturers make anyway.
You can also choose to make your own vape juice; just remember to respect the ratios. Other than that, you’re free to experiment until you end up with a vape juice that’s just right for your taste.
Hopefully, we managed to answer some of the questions revolving around the PG vs VG debate with this article. If there’s anything else you would like to know, feel free to leave a question in the comments below, and we’ll gladly answer it. To keep up with the latest trends in the smoking culture, follow our blog, and remember to check out our high-quality vaping devices in Fort Lauderdale.