Vapers in Australia can’t buy Puff Bar disposable e-cigs at local stores because they contain nicotine, however, it is possible to order them from an overseas supplier and have them shipped in through the personal importation scheme, but is it worth it? After testing various Puff Bar flavours, here’s what we think.
Puff Bar Review
The Good
- Puff Bars are easy to use. This is one of the big upsides to any disposable e-cigarette in that there’s no fussing with buttons or anything, just take a puff and it does what it’s supposed to do. If you’re lazy, this might be a good vape for you.
- They use nicotine salt e-liquid. Nic salts are great for fending off nicotine cravings because they absorb fast and can be used in high concentrations while still being smooth. Puff Bars only come in one strength, which is five per cent. Keep in mind that 5% is a very high strength so if you’re not looking for a super-strong vape then don’t even consider buying one of these.
- There’s no need to recharge. With their disposable design, they never need to be charged. They come fully charged so you just use them until the battery runs out, which should happen at approximately the same time the e-juice inside runs out.
- They don’t need to be refilled. Given that there’s no need to recharge them because they’re designed to be used and then discarded, there’s also no need (or way) to refill the e-liquid inside. Use it until the e-liquid runs out and then toss it and start in on a new one.
- They’re available in a lot of flavours. Although you can’t use the e-juice of your choosing because there’s no filling or refilling, there are a lot of flavours to choose from with this e-cig. We counted at least 20 different flavours, which is definitely a good number of options.
- They hit pretty well. Puff Bars don’t rip super hard but they’re also not weak. They’re pretty much in the middle in that they provide a normal-ish amount of vapour. It’s not wispy vapour and it’s not super thick. If you’re just looking for an e-cig with average vapour production, Puff Bars are a pretty solid bet.
- They’re good for 400 puffs. There are actually three different versions of the Puff Bar out now but the original, which is the flagship, delivers 400 puffs before being discarded. That’s enough puffs to get you through the day, assuming you’re not a heavy vaper, which you might be. If you are a heavy vaper, you might want to carry a spare on you just in case the one you’re using runs out. Actually, you might want to do that anyway to make sure you have vape when you need it.
The Bad
- They’re pretty expensive. Puff Bars sold outside Australia are somewhat pricey for what they are, but when you’re importing them into the country they are, as is the case with many imported products, that much more expensive. With refillable vapes on the market, you may want to consider buying something else, especially if you’re trying to save money. As they’re pretty similar to pod vapes, you might consider a refillable pod vape instead. You might also consider this rechargeable pod vape that has become quite popular with more than a few Australians.
- Their e-liquid does not seem to be high-end. The e-liquid that these vapes use isn’t bad, it’s actually pretty decent. But if you want that high-end stuff, premium e-liquid, then you probably want to look elsewhere because this isn’t it.
- They can’t be recharged. Being able to recharge your vape battery can save you some money. Unfortunately, Puff Bars can’t be recharged. If you care about the environment, you may want to consider buying a vape kit that’s a bit more eco-friendly like one that’s rechargeable and refillable so you can get more use out of it before you discard it.
- They’re only available in one nicotine strength. The 5% strength that these e-cigs come in is strong. That’s actually stronger than anything sold in the UK where the strength is regulated. That being said, 5% might be too strong for you.
- Can’t buy them at a local shop. Not being able to buy a Puff Bar e-cigarette at a local store is a nuisance if you’re trying to vape regularly with them. Still, it’s not that much of a setback if you plan ahead and buy what you need in advance so that you can stomach the time it takes to be shipped.
- There are counterfeits. One issue with buying Puff Bars is the counterfeits that are on the market. The issue appears widespread enough that the manufacturer has released a web-based tool for verifying the authenticity of a purported Puff Bar.
The Conclusion
Puff Bars are better than decent. They’re pretty good disposables. They’re available in lots of flavours, but they only come in one strength. If you’re okay with paying a premium to import them and you don’t mind having access to only one strength that’s quite high (5%), then they’re not a bad option for vaping nicotine in Australia. Then again, there are better options on the market so you might think twice before buying one.
You might want to consider taking a look at a refillable vape pen that can be recharged. That way, you don’t have to constantly order more e-cigs, you can just buy a good amount of e-liquid and then use it to refill your pen when you need to. In the long run, this is likely to save you money over using disposable e-cigs like the Puff Bar.
1 comment
Ordered 10 and only 5 actually worked. Do yourself a favour and order somewhere else. These are definitely not coming from Australia, had China on the package.