ECT CE4W-2 or my first e-cigarette.

I've been smoking for over 20 years, but this was my first time trying an e-cigarette. Read a longtime smoker's impressions below.

Somehow I ended up with this bad habit. Smoking is bad, but since I do smoke, I decided to try out this thing called an e-cigarette.
But I'll get to my impressions at the end. First, I'll describe the package itself.
Since I'm a techie, this review will have a bit of a technical slant.
At first I looked at the individual e-cigarettes, then realized I wouldn't be able to choose, so I just ordered a so-called starter kit—that is, everything except the e-liquid.

Anyway, I placed the order and it arrived.
I opened the parcel, and inside was just the e-cigarette in a blister pack, wrapped in bubble wrap.
I thought, damn, I specifically ordered it with e-liquid. What good is an e-cigarette without any liquid?
Turns out I'd forgotten to tick the box when ordering to have everything shipped only once all the items were in stock.
So the e-liquid was shipped a day after the e-cigarette, and arrived a couple of days later. It took a little over two weeks to get here.


The blister pack inside was pretty badly crushed. The packaging itself doesn't matter to me; the important thing is that the contents are intact.


There's a short instruction sheet on the back, in understandable English. I was supposed to have the version with a 900 mAh battery, but I couldn't verify that.


Here's what's included:
E-cigarette
A bottle for filling the e-cigarette—it's very inconvenient without one, as I found out.
USB charger
5 V power supply.


The e-cigarette comes apart into several pieces.
Cap, mouthpiece, atomizer (what a word), and battery with control electronics.
It's really well made, with nothing to complain about. Almost everything is metal, with a soft-touch finish, and it feels great in your hand. At least, as a beginner, I liked it. It looks more expensive than it is.


The e-cigarette weighs 40 g (I took the photo later, so it had already been filled). It's 154 mm long and 14 mm in diameter.


As I mentioned above, the kit includes a charger and a power supply.
The charger is rated for a 420 mA charging current. It's just as neatly assembled, with nothing to nitpick.


When I opened it up, I was surprised to find that the circuit wasn't just a resistor and a Zener diode; it had a proper charger IC. While charging, the LED glows red and periodically flashes green (I suspect it checks the battery voltage during the pauses, cutting off the charging current, which is a very good thing). When charging is complete, it glows green.


You can charge it from a USB port or from the included power supply, which has the same connector.
It's rated at 5 V, 500 mA ± 50 mA, which I have serious doubts about.


After opening the power supply, I wasn't surprised: the Chinese engineers' handiwork was right there, nothing extra.
Instead of an input bridge rectifier, there's just one diode; instead of an output diode rated for 0.5–1 A, there's some tiny thing rated for 0.1 A. They didn't even leave room for an input filter. But it works, at least for now. I'll probably modify it, and install a fuse while I'm at it.


But as everyone knows, without e-liquid an e-cigarette is just a neat, pretty toy that can blink an LED.
So I ordered some e-liquid for it. I ordered it at the same time, but it arrived separately. I don't see any point in doing a separate review of it, so I'll add it here.
To try it out, I ordered Dekang Tobacco Flavor, 10 ml.
It arrived in the same kind of envelope as the cigarette, only smaller.


Along with the bottle of e-liquid, there was a sheet of paper about chemical testing.


When choosing the e-liquid, I decided on Dekang because I'd seen the name mentioned in reviews several times.
I went with 18 mg strength, since I smoke fairly strong cigarettes. I used this chart to choose the equivalent.
I didn't experiment with flavors either; I just got tobacco flavor (I really didn't fancy smoking watermelon or bamboo).
It reminded me of a very diluted rosin-in-alcohol solution.
The e-liquid is very oily and quite thick, about the consistency of sunflower oil.
The bottle has a small picture and various icons: for people over 18, keep away from children and pregnant women, and do not ingest. The cap is child-resistant, like the ones on medicine bottles.


After browsing the internet and seeing how to fill it (I really felt like a Papuan), I got started.
First, I poured a little e-liquid into a special container. Then I removed the mouthpiece.


You have to pour the e-liquid in without letting it get into the center hole (I accidentally dripped a little in because I was inexperienced). I also managed to spill some on the table, and now I keep smelling it.


After filling it, you need to let it sit for a while so the wick can soak up the liquid. Just to be safe, I waited a few minutes with it lying on its side, although they say you can wait less.
You don't need to wait that long for subsequent refills.


The cigarette is filled and charged.
You turn it on by pressing the button five times quickly, and turn it off the same way.
Before taking a puff, press and hold the button. It's all pretty intuitive.


Before my first try, following some friends' advice, I moved all sharp and pointed objects away from me (who knows what they mixed into that bottle), put a pack of Diazolin and my mobile phone nearby, and opened Skype. :))))
And just to be safe, I wiped the mouthpiece with a cotton pad and alcohol.
But all that caution was unnecessary: I'm alive and still writing this review. :)


The experience is mixed.
It seemed stronger than my usual cigarettes (though I admit that might be because a little liquid got into the inner opening).
It felt like I was smoking for the first time (the sensations were pretty similar).
It feels strange having to press the button before taking a puff, and there's a slight crackling sound (I don't know if that's normal).
There's a faint smell from the liquid itself. It's not unpleasant, but it's there.
There seems to be about three times less vapor than smoke from a cigarette.
The sensations are just confusing and unfamiliar. I'll keep trying it—I'm curious. I can feel the nicotine, and afterward I feel less like smoking.

Summary.
Pros.
Well-built, comfortable to hold, and it doesn't feel like a piece of cheap Chinese plastic.
Complete kit (except for the liquid).
Decent USB charger.
Fast delivery.

Cons.
The packaging was damaged during delivery.
The power supply is poor quality.

I've ordered some more liquids and will experiment (though I'm not sure how, since the liquids—and therefore the flavors—will mix).
In any case, smoking is harmful to your health, and I think vaping is too, so don't get hooked.
I'm a complete beginner at this, so I really hope some more experienced users can explain the finer points of using this device and point out my mistakes, since it's all new to me.
By the way, I wasn't too keen on the liquid I ordered. The taste (or rather, the smell) reminds me of something, but I can't remember what.

This electronic cigarette was provided to me free of charge by the chinabuye store for testing and review.