The atomizer is the workhorse of the electronic cigarette and is what is responsible for vaporizing the nicotine solution. Without the atomizer the electronic cigarette doesn’t function.

The atomizer is the smallest piece on the device and is usually hidden from view completely when completely assembled. On most brands the atomizer screws into the battery casing and then the nicotine cartridge slides over the top of the atomizer.

It has a small metal Wick that draw the solution out of the cartridge and then uses the battery to keep the liquid into a vapor. As soon as current begins to run to the atomizer, it starts to vaporize the liquid. Most modern electronic cigarettes are activated by a pressure switch that senses when you inhale, causing current to flow to the atomizer, vaporizing the nicotine solution as you take a drag. However, there are some brands out there that still use manual activation with the use of a button. There are some benefits to these, which I won’t get into right now, but for most people automatic activation is usually the way to go.

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The BluCigs starter kit comes with one atomizer, which is pretty standard amongst electronic cigarette manufacturers. You can always order extra atomizers, and that’s something I recommend because no matter what brand you decide to go with the average lifespan of an atomizer is 3 to 6 months.

BluCigs offers to atomizers for $9.95, and I recommend purchasing this along with your starter kit, or at least soon after you decide you like the device.

The atomizer is really the heart of the electronic cigarette. Powered by the battery, it heats the nicotine solution until it vaporizes, which you then inhale. Obviously, without the atomizer you don’t have an electronic cigarette.

If and when your atomizer go South replacement is very simple. All you have to do is slide the cartridge off the end of the atomizer and then unscrew the atomizer from the battery. Take your new atomizer, screw it into the battery, and slide the open end of the cartridge over it and you’re ready to start using your electronic cigarette again.

So why do atomizers burnout after six months or so? I’m really not sure; I’m no electronics expert, but it seems to me that they just haven’t perfected the manufacturing process of these devices yet, although I could be completely wrong about that. It seems like they should last a little bit longer than they usually do, but as long as I’m saving $600 a year over tobacco cigarettes and I’m not getting all that nasty tarring chemicals in my lungs I’m happy. Could I use longer-lasting atomizers? Sure, but it’s definitely not a deal breaker.

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